Supply Chain Management in Tourism: A Thomas Cook Case Study

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Research Proposal: Operations
“Supply chain management to manage the complexities of tourism industry- An analysis of
Thomas Cook”
Students No –
Students ID –
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Abstract
The primary commitment of the study is to shed light on the importance of supply chain
management to manage the complexities of the tourism industry. The focus of the project has
been laid on encouraging the performance of the tourism organisation throughout its overall
supply chain. Initially, the research aims and objectives along with research question have been
included in this study. Along with these, the researcher has also ensured the demonstration of the
various approaches and methods that have been used in the completing of this specific study.
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Background of the Study...........................................................................................................4
1.2 Research Aim.............................................................................................................................4
1.3 Research Objectives...................................................................................................................4
1.4 Research Questions....................................................................................................................5
1.5 Rationale of the Study...............................................................................................................5
1.6 Scope of the Study.....................................................................................................................6
1.7 Literature Review......................................................................................................................6
1.8 Gap in Literature........................................................................................................................7
1.9 Research Methodology..............................................................................................................7
2.0 Project Planning.........................................................................................................................8
2.1 Ethical Issues.............................................................................................................................9
Reference List................................................................................................................................10
Appendix........................................................................................................................................11
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1.0 Introduction
Operations Management is defined as the administration of various business actions and
practices in order to generate the highest levels of effectiveness within an individual
organization. The concept of operation management in other terms is concerned with the
conversion of raw materials and resources into products and services as proficiently as possible
to generate the maximum profitability of an organization. This study will be focused on the
supply chain management of the organization to administer the complexities of the UK’s travel
and tourism industry.
1.1 Background of the Study
The overall research will be formed on the supply chain management to supervise the
complexities prevailing in the tourism industry with reference to Thomas Cook organization.
Thomas Cook is known as one of the leading tourism organization in the UK’s travel and
tourism industry that was formed in the year 1872 by a partnership between Thomas Cook and
John Mason Cook. Thomas Cook is mainly focused on transforming their way of business in
order to attract a large volume of consumers and delivering exceptional consumer service. The
UK’s travel and tourism industry has contributed an enormous amount of effort and growth
towards the economic development at a global level. In operation management, the organisation
Thomas Cook is mainly focus and committed to its strategy of generating maximum profitable
growth and development (thomascook.com, 2019).
1.2 Research Aim
The crucial research aim of the project is to analyse the supply chain management of the
organization to manage and administer the complexities and challenges prevailing in the tourism
industry.
1.3 Research Objectives
Research Objectives are defined as the main objectives that describe the desired achievements of
the researcher. Some of the research objectives of the research study are as follows:
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 To understand the importance of supply chain management for organisations operating in the
UK’s tourism industry
 To identify the crucial complexities and issues that Thomas Cook faces in the tourism
industry
 To evaluate the ways in which supply chain management influences the business actions and
operations of Thomas Cook
 To provide recommendations and steps via which Thomas Cook will improve their supply
chain management practices
1.4 Research Questions
The research questions of the project are as follows:
 What is the importance of supply chain management for the organisations operating in the
travel and tourism industry?
 What are the crucial complexities and issues that Thomas Cook faces in the tourism industry?
 What are the several ways in which the SCM of Thomas Cook influences its business actions
and activities in the specific industry they operate in?
 What are the recommendations or advices that Thomas Cook can consider to improve their
supply chain management practices?
1.5 Rationale of the Study
What is the issue?
A majority of the travel and tourism organisations operating in all across the globe are facing
intense complexities and issues in the specific industry in which they operate their business.
Competition from existing and developing tourism destinations is one of the common challenges
that are prevailing in the UK’s tourism industry. The organisations are progressing at a rapid
rate, investing in various marketing campaigns, and catering to policy and scheme issues.
Why is the issue?
The tourism industry is evolving as a coordinated and intense industry in which the different
goods and services including accommodation and transportation are amalgamated together into a
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single unit in order to develop a final tourism product. The travel and tourism products and
services tend to be complex in nature and the industry deals with higher demand doubt and
complex dynamics. These are the main reasons behind the crucial complexities and issues in the
tourism industry.
What is the issue now?
In the modern period of tourism industry, the industry is progressing towards a new level where
the consumers are demanding and the trends are changing day-by-day. Some of the complexities
and issues prevailing in the modern era of the tourism industry are taxation of accommodation
and food, changes in climate and emerging competition.
What light this project will shed upon?
The conduct of this study will help in understanding the importance of supply chain management
practices in managing and reducing the complexities and issues of the tourism industry. This
study will also help in generating solutions and suggestions regarding supply chain management
practices and the complexities faced by the organization.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The particular research project will shed light on the concept of supply chain management
practices that Thomas Cook needs to adopt in order to administer the complexities and issues of
the tourism industry. The study of this research is considered significant and essential for the
entire field of the travel and tourism industry as it will help in exploring and analyzing the
different sections of the industry.
1.7 Literature Review
This section of literature review will include the explanation of the supply chain management
and its importance in reducing the complexities of the tourism industry.
Importance of Supply chain management in tourism industry
SCM is used rigorously in the production of products and services in order to enhance the
effectiveness and efficiency across the overall value chain. This includes the effectiveness of
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logistics and planning actions and data management within an organization both internally and
externally. Every individual industry possesses an under-lying structure or a certain set of
technical characteristics that climbs up the operational and viable features. In other terms, it is
defined as the specific network of the various tourism organisations involved in several business
activities diversifying from the supply of gears associated with the products and services of the
tourism industry (Song, 2012).
Complexities and Issues of the tourism industry
The potential consumers in the tourism industry are demanding for new emerging destinations
including health-tourism, activity-tourism, and eco-tourism. This indicates that consumers are no
more interested in the culture or geological location of the country (Page, 2014). This is creating
an issue for the operating tourism organisation in order to adapt to the changing trends of the
tourism industry. The implementation of the tourism strategy by the UK government in order to
deal with the process of visa, image issues and many more has given rise to another complexity
i.e. intense competition. A majority of the tourism organisations operating in all across the globe
overtaxed in detriment to growth and revenues in case for the wider economy (Weeden and
Boluk, 2014).
1.8 Gap in Literature
The researcher was not able to gather all the relevant and valid information associated with the
supply chain management as the main gap in literature were time and budget. A majority of the
scholarly materials and sources were used in this research study but not all the information and
data were appropriately and specifically captured. The researcher was unable to explore the other
complexities and issues in the tourism industry.
1.9 Research Methodology
Research Methodology is known as the specific process that is utilized to gather the data and
information for the aspect of making effective decisions. This section will illustrate the different
approaches and methods that could be used for completing the research study.
Research Philosophy
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In this research, the researcher will adapt a positivism approach in order to gather the relevant
information and data and eliminating the scope of human intervention. In other terms, research
philosophy is known as the specific process that is concerned with the amalgamation of different
sources and information from dependable and authentic sources (Coghlan, 2011).
Research Design
In this research, the researcher will abide by an explanatory approach of research design in order
to extract the detailed information regarding the topic. Research design is all about the layout or
structure of the project (Creswell and Creswell, 2017).
Research Approach
The researcher will consider adapting a deductive approach of research for delivering relevant
and valid information. This type of research approach helps in saving the overall cost and time of
completing the overall study (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016).
Data Collection Methods
In this research, the researcher will use both primary and secondary methods of data collection.
Data collection is known as the specific process of gathering relevant information and data from
the reliable sources in order to explore solutions and ways to the research problem (Rhodes,
2014).
Sampling Technique
In the sampling section, only 100 employees will be selected by the researcher that is working in
the tourism industry. Probability sampling technique is the technique that will be used by the
researcher in this project and the focus will be on using the quantitative methods of data analysis.
2.0 Project Planning
The different studies and project was planned in the following way:
Actions 20th Feb-
27th Feb
28th
Feb 2th
3th
Mar-
15th
Mar-
25th
Apr-
5th May-
28th May
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Mar 14th
Mar
24th
Apr
4th
May
Topic Selection
Data Collection
Layout of the Project
Review of Literature
Project Planning
Research Methodologies
Data Assessment
Attained Conclusions
Rough Draft
Submission of File
2.1 Ethical Issues
The researcher will ensure that the said research project will be completed in an organized
manner and within the ethical guidelines. Along with the consideration of these, it will also be
abided by the researcher that this specific study will be completed within the standard guidelines
of the Data Protection Act, 2008. All the information and data regarding the survey participants
will be kept confidential (Connelly, 2014).
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Reference List
Coghlan, D., 2011. Action research: Exploring perspectives on a philosophy of practical
knowing. Academy of Management Annals, 5(1), pp.53-87.
Connelly, L.M., 2014. Ethical considerations in research studies. Medsurg Nursing, 23(1), pp.54-
56.
Creswell, J.W. and Creswell, J.D., 2017. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
methods approaches. Sage publications.
Page, S.J., 2014. Tourism management. Routledge.
Rhodes, J.D., Upshaw, C.R., Harris, C.B., Meehan, C.M., Walling, D.A., Navrátil, P.A., Beck,
A.L., Nagasawa, K., Fares, R.L., Cole, W.J. and Kumar, H., 2014. Experimental and data
collection methods for a large-scale smart grid deployment: Methods and first
results. Energy, 65, pp.462-471.
Sekaran, U. and Bougie, R., 2016. Research methods for business: A skill building approach.
John Wiley & Sons.
Song, H., 2012. Tourism supply chain management. Routledge.
Weeden, C. and Boluk, K. eds., 2014. Managing ethical consumption in tourism. Routledge.
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Appendix
Q1. What is your work tenure in the organization?
o 6 months – 1 year
o 1 year – 2 year
o 2 year – 4 year
o 4 year – present
Q2. According to you, is your organisation concerned about its supply chain management?
o Strongly Agree
o Agree
o Neutral
o Strongly Disagree
o Disagree
Q3. Is the SCM department of your organisation having adequate amount of
transportation?
o Yes
o Neutral
o No
Q4. What are some of the common complexities that you face in the business?
o Demand Management
o Inventory Management
o TSC Coordination
o IT issues
Q5. Rate the working plans and strategies of the SCM department of your organisation on
towards the current introduced programs and schemes?
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o Outstanding
o Exceptional
o Average
o Poor
Q6. According to you, which is the specific area that is more prone to complexities and
issues and where the SCM department is facing with the problem?
o Accommodation
o Flight bookings
o Transportation
o Tourism
Q7. According to you, what would be the most appropriate way in which your organisation
can increase its supply chain management?
o Improving the distribution network
o Introducing a distribution plan
o Supplier cash control
o Managing operational expenses
Q8. How do you rate the consumer service delivery of the department?
o Outstanding
o Effective
o Average
o Poor
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