BUS4640

Tourism and service industry systems

A Parr

6 points
* First semester
* One 2-hour lecture and one 1-hour tutorial per week
* Clayton

Objectives On completion of this subject should be able to analyse and identify key components of service industry structures and information requirements; determine the technological tools appropriate for the solution of problems given specific industry constraints; display an understanding of the range of current tourist information systems, medical systems and other selected service industry systems; demonstrate a comprehension of the relationship between industry structure and information tools and techniques; participate in the design and implementation of a system for a service industry, including system analysis and tool selection. Additionally students should, either via a literature survey or a case study, demonstrate the capacity to identify and critically evaluate required systems and contribute to their implementation.

Synopsis Case studies from service industry systems are presented and analysed with special reference to the opportunities and system deficits of particular industries. The fundamentals of qualitative systems such as expert systems and neural networks and a discussion of expert system software products are included. A practical programming assignment using an expert system shell are used to place the above material in context.

Assessment Assignment (case study/literature review and practical work): 30%
* Examination: 70%
* Students must pass the examination in order to pass the subject.

Recommended texts

Poon A Tourism, technology and competitive strategies CAB International, 1993
Shortcliffe E H and Perreault L E Medical infomatics: Computer applications in health care Addison-Wesley, 1990
Zahedi F Intelligent systems for business: Expert systems with neural networks Wadsworth, 1993