2- Case Study

Assessment type Case Study – Report
Assessment mode Individual
Due date
Length 1,800 words
Weighting 40%
Task With reference to the case study “Scotland with style”, critically analyse and
respond to the following questions in your research report.
Q1. Have hotel recruitment practices changed? Provide examples of other
hotel recruitment practices in support of your report.
Q2. How does Elba Hotels recruitment strategy address the ‘war for talent’?
Q3. What effect does company culture and branding have on the recruitment
process?
Q4. Compare the Elba Hotels selection process with that of another hotel, what
are the advantages and disadvantages of each? (you can use a table to
address this question)
Marking criteria • Content and analysis; 25 marks
• Communication; 6 marks
• Referencing; 4 marks
Important note: In order to achieve a passing grade in this unit you must submit all assessment tasks
and obtain a score of at least 50% of the total assessment marks for the unit.
Page 2 of 4
HOTL6003 S3 2021 – A2
Case study:
“Scotland with Style”: aesthetic labour and employees who look good and sound right
Glasgow was once an industrial city. Now, over 85 per cent of the city’s jobs are in services. Aiming for
the city break tourist market, the city promotes its retail, cultural and hospitality attractions. Between
1994 and 2000, the number o major hotels in the city increased from 42 to 89, with 27 more planned.
Glasgow has approximately 1000 bars and restaurants and is second only to London as Britain’s culinary
capital. Similarly, Experian acknowledges Glasgow as the second largest retail centre in the UK outside
London. The city also now has a well-developed niche of designer retailers, boutique hotels and style
bars, cafes and restaurants. Not surprisingly, the city was recently described by US magazine Travel and
Leisure as ‘The UK’s hippest and most happening city’. Three million tourists visit the city each year,
generating £670 m annually in the local economy. In recognition of this new economic success, the city
re-branded itself as ‘Scotland with Style’.
To take advantage of this booming tourist market and reflecting the city’s new image, tourism and
hospitality employers want staff with the right customer service skills. Job adverts specify that
applicants be ‘well spoken and smart appearance’ or ‘very well presented’. One Scottish-based boutique
hotel company, known pseudonymously as Elba, has created a sophisticated recruitment, selection and
training programme for its new staff. Elba has hotels in two Scottish cities and has expanded into
England and France. Opening a new hotel in Glasgow, the company deliberately placed job
advertisements in the Sunday times rather than local evening newspapers. Opening a hotel in Newcastle,
England, it placed TV adverts during programmes aimed at the youth market. As a consequence, its
typical front of house employee is in his or her twenties, a graduate and well travelled. Recruitment
literature featured a person description not a job description, asking applicants to assess themselves by
the 13 words that characterised that company’s image; ‘stylish’ and ‘tasty’ for example. After a telephone
interview, application with CV and then a face-to-face interview, there was a 10-day induction at the
Glasgow hotel in which extensive grooming and department training was given to the staff by external
consultants. Sessions included individual ‘make-overs’ for staff, teaching them about hair cuts/styling,
teaching female staff about make-up, male staff how to shave and, for all, the expected appearance
standards. The sessions were intended to relay ‘this is what we want you to actually look like … you have
to understand what “successful” looks like… what “confident” looks like.’ The hotel wanted staff that were
confident, with a good attitude and appearance. ‘There is an Elba look, said the hotel manager, ‘neat and
stylish…young, very friendly…people that fit in with the whole concept of the hotel’ (Nickson et al., 2001
p.180). The hotel wanted staff able to project the company’s image and help it to differentiate itself in a
crowded and competitive market. Its is a policy that seems to pay: the hotel claims above average
occupancy rates for the city.

Assessment 2 Case Study
Criteria Excellent Very good Good Needs improvement Missing
Content and analysis
(research and critical
evaluation)
25 marks
An advanced discussion
addressing all case study
questions in detail.
Response is very clearly
linked to the case study.
Key concepts and
theories have been
appropriately discussed.
Considerable topic
understanding and
commendable level of
critical analysis.
The discussion is strongly
supported by relevant
contemporary research
material that has been
utilised appropriately.
Advanced insights have
been provided.
A good discussion
addressing all case study
questions.
Response is clearly linked
to the case study. Key
concepts and theories
have been appropriately
discussed.
Good evidence of
suitable research sources
accessed. There is strong
evidence of this
information being used
to consistently inform the
discussion in an
appropriate contextual
fashion
A reasonable discussion
addressing all case study
questions.
Response is clearly linked
to the case study. Key
concepts and theories
have been appropriately
discussed.
Good evidence of
suitable research sources
accessed. There is some
evidence of this
information being used
to consistently inform the
discussion.
A basic discussion
addressing most case
study questions.
Response is only vaguely
linked to the case study.
Key concepts and
theories have been
broadly discussed.
Basic evidence of suitable
research sources
accessed. There is some
evidence of this
information being used
to inform the discussion.
A very limited discussion.
Does not address all case
study questions.
Response is not linked to
the case study. Key
concepts and theories
have not been
appropriately discussed.
There is little or no
evidence of this
information being used
to inform the discussion
Little or no evidence of
suitable research sources
accessed.
Page 4 of 4
HOTL6003 S3 2021 – A2
Communication
(writing and report
structure)
6 marks
All key sections of the
report are very well
structured with excellent
presentation.
Superior writing skills
demonstrate sustained
clarity and coherence. No
grammar, spelling,
punctuation and
formatting errors.
All key sections of the
report are well structured
and well presented.
Very good writing skills
demonstrating consistent
clarity and coherence. No
grammar, spelling,
punctuation and
formatting errors.
The report is well
structured however some
parts of the report have
not been adequately
written.
Sound writing skills
demonstrating moderate
clarity and coherence.
Minimal grammar,
spelling, punctuation and
formatting errors.
The report is well
structured however some
parts of the report may
be incomplete or missing.
Satisfactory writing skills
demonstrating adequate
clarity and coherence.
Minor grammar, spelling,
punctuation and
formatting errors.
The submission has not
been submitted as a
report or is missing
significant parts of a
report structure.
Writing skills
demonstrate little clarity
or coherence. Frequent
grammar, spelling,
punctuation and
formatting errors.
Referencing
4 marks
All citations follow the
referencing
requirements.
Comprehensive and
correct reference list.
The majority of citations,
follow the referencing
requirements.
Comprehensive and near
correct reference list.
Most citations follow the
referencing
requirements.
Generally correct
reference list.
Some citations follow the
referencing guidelines.
Some errors in reference
list.
Citations do not follow
the referencing
guidelines.
Reference list is
incomplete or missing.