The Influence of HRM within Travel and Tourism: Thomas Cook Study

This report delves into the influence of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the travel and tourism sector, using Thomas Cook as a focal point. The introduction provides an overview of the research, emphasizing the significance of HRM in enhancing employee performance and achieving organizational objectives, particularly in the tourism industry. The background section highlights the importance of tourism as a key economic activity and the role of HRM in workforce development within the industry. The report outlines the research aims, objectives, and questions, including the analysis of HRM concepts, its role in the tourism sector, benefits derived by Thomas Cook, and the impact of HRM on its business operations. The literature review explores various HRM theories, such as Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory, Goal Setting theory, and the Matching Model, demonstrating their relevance to the tourism sector and Thomas Cook's practices. The report uses these theories to analyze how Thomas Cook, as a large tourism agency, implements HRM strategies to strengthen its workforce and achieve organizational goals.

Research Project

Table of Contents
TITLE : ...........................................................................................................................................1
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................1
Literature Review ............................................................................................................................6
Research Methodology ...................................................................................................................9
Investigation and Findings .....................................................................................................12
Results Analysis ............................................................................................................................23
Conclusion & Recommendation ...................................................................................................26
Project Development Plan Chart....................................................................................................28
References .....................................................................................................................................30
Appendix .......................................................................................................................................32

TITLE :
To analyse the influence of Human resource management within travel and tourism
sector. A Study on Thomas Cook.
Introduction
Overview of the Research
Human assets management is refers as the keystone of any business firm. It basically
considered as a strategic approach to effectively managing people within an organisational
concern, thus effective HRM practices are helpful for the firm in attaining higher competitive
edge. Human Resource department is majorly designed to enhance employees performance in
regards to the service of an employer strategic objectives (Pantano and Di Pietro, 2013). The
outcome accompanied in the tourism sector are also essential for both regional and local
development. The impact of the tourism sector development are not only economic. Besides
these economic impacts, social and environmental effects are also relevant. With the aim of
guiding the tourism sector development of a country, it is required to assist the level of its
competitiveness as compared to other region or country. Tourism is determined as the labour-
intensive industry which employs numerous people for the motive of rendering good and
effective services to their users. Tourism industry also creates the opportunity for processing
countries to overcome their latent issue of high unemployment. The efficient utilization of
tourism resources is also very important for the growth and success of developed countries,
especially in the time of economic crisis, when it is essential for each size or business concern to
hire a significant number of people for strengthen their workforces. Besides the direct impact of
tourism sector on employment, it is particularly relevant to consider the conflicts of tourism
sector indirectly contribution to the employment growth rate of a country. Human resource
management is plays vast role in growth and development of travel and tourism sector thus the
prior motive of tourism is to rendering effective experience and facilities to their customers or
end users (SW Chan, 2013). HRM is the significant key for the growth and development of an
organisation. In this particular project Thomas Cook is the chosen organisation and it a large
tourism agency which has its world wide operations. The research will going to cover the impact
of human resource management within travel and tourism industry.
Background of the research
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Tourism is recognised as the most essential economic activity in the globe, thus it directly
generates products, service, foreign currency, employment and investments. Now a day's tourism
is considered to be the most developing sector that has become a flourishing service industry and
this sector also has a far reaching economic and social influence on national development. For
creating human resource development by the help of tourism industry, it is required to positioned
a system of training and occupational eduction with appropriate structural support that capable of
making work force that are suitable to reaching at the potential requirements and wants of
tourism industry (Von Bergner and Lohmann, 2014). Thomas Cook Group is a British global
tourism firm which is constituted in the year of 2007 through the consolidation of Thomas Cook
AG, itself the successor to Thomas Cook & Son or MyTravel Group Plc. The institution is
majorly deals in Charter and scheduled passenger airlines, package holidays, cruise lines, hotels
and resorts facilities. The potential motive of the firm is to attaining higher growth and success
with the help of providing appropriate products and services to their final users within the
commercial centre. As a large business concern Thomas Cook is widely concern on maintaining
its human resource in respect to strengthen workforce to effectively attempt organisational
operations.
Significance of the Research
The considered investigation is reflects the influence of human resource management
within travel and tourism sector. Human resource management is the key consideration of each
business organisation as to attaining higher growth through the effective operations of the firm.
This is a wide area of research that helps an individual in attaining higher growth and success in
the specified area of study (Kim and Park, 2013). The potential purpose of conducting the
research is to self interest, thus researcher conduct this research for their own interest and another
purpose is to develop learners’ skills of autonomous interrogation and critical evaluation
throughout analysing a continuous research report that has undeviating relevance to student’s
higher education programme and occupational improvement.
Research Aim
This recognised as the primary aspect of investigation work as the overall activities of the
investigation is depend on the desired aim of the investigation (Ghimire, 2013). This is a preset
argument in which issue of the investigation is reflects with the support of variables. The
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important aim of this specific investigation is "To analyse the influence of Human resource
management within travel and tourism sector". A Study on Thomas Cook.
Research Objectives
It is an another important section of the investigation thus this section is interconnected
through the overall purpose of the investigation report. In this section the uncertain variable
involved in the research aim are segregated in form of small statements that assist the
investigator in moving forward towards right direction (Wearing and McGehee, 2013). The
significant objectives of this particular investigation are described as under:
 To understand the concept of Human Resource Management and different theories in
relation to developing the operations of travel and tourism industry.
 To identify the role of Human Resource Management in the context of travel or tourism
sector.
 To determine the benefits that are derived by Thomas Cook by its effective human
resource management operations. To access the impact of HRM on the business operations of Travel and Tourism Industry.
Research Questions
This considered to be the essential aspect of the exploration work that helps the
investigation in assisting the review of literature through the support of reliable authors and
writers or their views. The potential questions that cover the aim of objectives of the research are
associated as under:
 What is the concept of Human Resource Management and different theories in relation to
developing the operations of travel and tourism industry?
 What roles are performed by Human Resource Management in the context of travel or
tourism sector?
 What benefits are derived by Thomas Cook by its effective human resource management
operations? What is the impact of HRM on the business operations of Travel and Tourism Industry?
Idea development for the Main body
The research into consideration is based on the influence of Human resource management
within travel and tourism sector (Kwok and Yu, 2013). This is a wide area of research that
provides a significant knowledge base to the learners about the area of human resource
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management or its influence on the development of business operations. The major purpose of
selecting the particular topic is that, it is a management research which render proper idea about
management activities. Human Resource Management is considered as the key aspect of
organisational growth and success, thus it is required for each business is to maintain human
resource in the working environment in respect to processing of functions within the work place
within the effectual way (Chen and Cheng, 2012). However this research supports in developing
the idea of cognition base in the management department of study which helps an individual in
developing their skills in management studies.
Time Scale
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Literature Review
A literature review is considered as an effective evaluation of selected research issue. It
provides an in-depth study on the chosen area in respect to gathering reliable and accurate
information for justifying the issue in appropriate manner. This section of exploration performs
critical role in developing a abstractive framing work in that research issue is discussed through
the opinion of various authors and writers (Vanhove, 2017). This section of the exploration is
depend on secondary tool of data aggregation thus in this information has been accumulated
through secondary source like books, journals, newspapers, magazines, online cites, articles, past
research projects etc. This is second and most essential segment of investigation work which
assist the investigator in administration of an in-depth research as to gathering more reliable and
applicable data through considering the end goals of the research.
Human Resource Management Theories
Human Resource Management is considered as a strategic approach to the efficient
administration of individual within an organisation, so that proper management of employees
helps an organisation in achieving potential position within the commercial centre. The present
research work is depend on the analysis of the influence of Human resource management within
travel and tourism sector (Getz, 2012). Thus various HRM theories are effective in analysing the
importance of HRM in the development of travel industry. Some essential theories of Human
Resource Management are associated as below:
Frederick Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory: This theory was propounded by Frederick
Herzberg's and his associates, who studied the variables which plays effective role to attain
desirable goals and avoid undesirable conditions. This theory is basically based on two factors
like Hygiene and Satisfiers factors. The mentioned aspects are not the determinants of success,
but their absence cause low performance of firm. In this theory, Hygiene factors reflects to job
safety, wage, structural norms and working situations etc. On the other side the factors of
satisfiers involves growth opportunities, responsibility and recognition etc. In an organisation
employees are considered to be the key aspect as the growth of firm is based on the performance
of employees within the work place. Thomas Cook operates at large scale and widely concern on
retaining employees for long run of business operations, this theory support the firm in providing
hygiene and motivational benefits to their employees.
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McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory: This theory was implemented by the psychologist David
McClelland, who explains that the appropriate need of the people are acquired over a period of
time and attained moulded through one's experience of the life. This theory is based on three
major aspects that involves power, affiliation and achievement. Power is refers as the ability to
encourage the behaviour of others (Sigala and Chalkiti, 2014). As per this theory, in an
organisation people with high power needs high level of position within the firm in respect to
control over others. Along with this, need for affiliation derives positive stimulus from being
professional or loved by others and to avoid the pain of being rejected. As a large tourism
organisation Thomas Cook is widely concern on establishing good relationship among
organisational employees in respect to completion of goals with proper collaboration of
employees.
Goal Setting theory: This theory was implemented by Edwin Locke in the year of 1960. This
theory states that the goal setting is significantly interlinked with the organisational performance.
It refers that the potential and ambitious goals with the befitting feedback contributes to high and
effective performance of organisational operations. In simple language, goals reflects and
provide significantly route to an individual about what needs to be done and how much efforts
are required to be put in a task just to reaching at desired objectives of goals. This theory is based
on the level of task, this the more difficult goal, the significant level of performance will
expected from the management of the firm. This theory is also applied by Thomas Cook in
respect to assisting their organisational employees for moving towards right direction in respect
to attaining personal as well as professional goals of employees.
Matching Model: This is also an effective model which is applied by organisations in respect to
developing their performance within the commercial centre. This theory is propounded by
Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna, This model ensure the path to attain organisational aims and
objectives is to applying the major functions of HRM like selection, performance, appraisal,
rewards and development in effective manner (Lovelock and Patterson, 2015). As per this theory
employees are rewarded as per their performance graph, in this monetary and non monitory
welfare are offered to the selected worker who are putting their important efforts in the
maturation and success of the firm or its operations. Thomas Cook is widely focused on
expanding their business operations at global level, thus this model is used by the management of
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the firm in respect to hiring skilled and talented work forces. Thus this create value in attainment
of higher growth and success within the commercial centre.
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Research Methodology
This is a wide area of investigation that aids the researcher in rendering a potential
direction to the investigator to support the literature review by suitable methodologies. This
considered as the key element of inquiry work as it helps the investigator in providing
appropriate direction to implement the exploration activities in right way. Research methodology
refers as a systematic, theoretical evaluation of he methods that implies to selected area of study.
It mainly open up as a theoretical evaluation of the body of different tools and principles that are
connected through a specific area of study (Adeyinka-Ojo, Khoo-Lattimore and Nair, 2014).
This part of the research is depend on different applications which are effectively assisting he
overall operations of the research in right or systematic manner. The methodology is the broad
investigation strategy through that appropriate outline of research can be implemented with the
investigation in respect to execute exploration work in proficient way. This section of the
research take essential part in investigation but methodology is define during the implementation
of exploration activities. A methodology is considered as a organized design of different research
tools through which investigator can perform its exploration actions in effective manner.
Type of Investigation: This is recognised as an essential part of research methodology, as the
primary consideration of an investigator is to select the research type in respect to carry out the
investigation work in right direction. Mainly research is categorised among two different type of
processes like qualitative or quantitative research. The selection of the research is based on
investigator thus researcher select the type of the basis of data which are appropriate to
completion of the work in right manner. Qualitative research is that sort of investigation in which
the data and information is accumulated on the basis of data quality on the different area,
quantitative research is based on collecting data on the basis of numerics and statistics. The
existing work is based on management research so qualitative investigation is the most suitable
tool for creating appropriate result (Boniface, 2013). Thus in this research qualitative
investigation can be used through the investigator because it is efficacious in creating an
appropriate abstractive framework with decent facts and figures.
Research Design: It described as the blue print of the research thus it provides befitting outline
description to the researcher to utilize all investigation elements in accurate manner to arrival at
the significant results. This section of the methodology encompasses on three different aspects
like descriptive, exploratory and experimental research design. These three research designs are
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