Business Improvement Plan
Stenden university of Applied Science
Student Mobility Centre
Grand Tour®
Bachelor of Business Administration in International Hotel Management
Julian Wendt
72022
Supervisor: Mrs. Liduina van Baarle
STENDEN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE
Hotel Management School
Leeuwarden
The Netherlands
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of
Business Administration in International Hotel Management
June 2011
, Quality Management
´The effect of a quality system at the Grand Tour
department on the delivered quality and service of the
pre-departure phase`
Julian Wendt
72022
Supervisor: Mrs. Liduina van Baarle
Stenden university of Applied Sciences
Leeuwarden
The Netherlands
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of
Business Administration in International Hotel Management
June 2011
2
,Declaration
1. I composed this work myself.
2. This work has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree or diploma, by me or
anyone else.
3. The work of which this is a record has been done wholly by me.
4. All verbatim extracts have been distinguished by quotation marks and the sources of
information have been specifically acknowledged.
Name: Julian Wendt
Signed: ___________________________________
Date: 09.06.2011
3
, Table of contents
Preface..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 8
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 9
1.1 Coherent introduction to issue ................................................................................................. 9
1.2 Relevance and context of the work ........................................................................................ 10
1.3 Project definition .................................................................................................................... 10
1.4 Problem statement and research questions ........................................................................... 11
2. Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 13
2.1 Service quality deficiencies at Grand Tour department ......................................................... 13
2.2 Quality assessment of Grand Tour department ..................................................................... 14
2.3 Services in student exchange programmes ............................................................................ 14
2.4 Quality systems ...................................................................................................................... 18
3. Conceptual model ............................................................................................................................. 20
4. Issues for investigation ...................................................................................................................... 22
4.1 Aims and purpose of the work ................................................................................................ 22
5. Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 23
5.1 Research design ...................................................................................................................... 23
5.2 Research methods .................................................................................................................. 23
5.3 Data collection ........................................................................................................................ 24
5.4 Sample design......................................................................................................................... 24
5.5 Data analysis .......................................................................................................................... 25
5.6 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 25
6. Implementation ................................................................................................................................. 27
7. Results ............................................................................................................................................... 28
7.1 Survey ..................................................................................................................................... 28
7.2 Interviews ............................................................................................................................... 37
7.3 Participant observations......................................................................................................... 41
8. Data analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 44
9. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 52
10. Recommendations for future research ........................................................................................... 54
11. Recommendations for Grand Tour department ............................................................................. 55
Bibliography........................................................................................................................................... 58
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 60
4
Stenden university of Applied Science
Student Mobility Centre
Grand Tour®
Bachelor of Business Administration in International Hotel Management
Julian Wendt
72022
Supervisor: Mrs. Liduina van Baarle
STENDEN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE
Hotel Management School
Leeuwarden
The Netherlands
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of
Business Administration in International Hotel Management
June 2011
, Quality Management
´The effect of a quality system at the Grand Tour
department on the delivered quality and service of the
pre-departure phase`
Julian Wendt
72022
Supervisor: Mrs. Liduina van Baarle
Stenden university of Applied Sciences
Leeuwarden
The Netherlands
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of
Business Administration in International Hotel Management
June 2011
2
,Declaration
1. I composed this work myself.
2. This work has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree or diploma, by me or
anyone else.
3. The work of which this is a record has been done wholly by me.
4. All verbatim extracts have been distinguished by quotation marks and the sources of
information have been specifically acknowledged.
Name: Julian Wendt
Signed: ___________________________________
Date: 09.06.2011
3
, Table of contents
Preface..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 8
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 9
1.1 Coherent introduction to issue ................................................................................................. 9
1.2 Relevance and context of the work ........................................................................................ 10
1.3 Project definition .................................................................................................................... 10
1.4 Problem statement and research questions ........................................................................... 11
2. Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 13
2.1 Service quality deficiencies at Grand Tour department ......................................................... 13
2.2 Quality assessment of Grand Tour department ..................................................................... 14
2.3 Services in student exchange programmes ............................................................................ 14
2.4 Quality systems ...................................................................................................................... 18
3. Conceptual model ............................................................................................................................. 20
4. Issues for investigation ...................................................................................................................... 22
4.1 Aims and purpose of the work ................................................................................................ 22
5. Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 23
5.1 Research design ...................................................................................................................... 23
5.2 Research methods .................................................................................................................. 23
5.3 Data collection ........................................................................................................................ 24
5.4 Sample design......................................................................................................................... 24
5.5 Data analysis .......................................................................................................................... 25
5.6 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 25
6. Implementation ................................................................................................................................. 27
7. Results ............................................................................................................................................... 28
7.1 Survey ..................................................................................................................................... 28
7.2 Interviews ............................................................................................................................... 37
7.3 Participant observations......................................................................................................... 41
8. Data analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 44
9. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 52
10. Recommendations for future research ........................................................................................... 54
11. Recommendations for Grand Tour department ............................................................................. 55
Bibliography........................................................................................................................................... 58
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 60
4
