Research
Our staff are very involved in research
ensuring that course content is up to
date. You will be taught by active
researchers in their own right, some of
whom have recently completed their
doctoral studies and others who are
publishing in mainstream academic
journals. Such engagement is key to the
relevance of our courses, and helps
equip staff and students with the
background to make intelligent decisions
about their future. You will also have
contact with our growing number of PhD
students as you progress through your
chosen route of study, offering you the
opportunity to meet with those engaged
in the pursuit of knowledge. There is a
variety of organisations with which active
research is carried out at QMU; staff
research collaborations include research
with international and local businesses,
third sector organisations and family
businesses in a variety of sectors,
including campaign groups such as
‘Business Fights Poverty’, and a variety
of universities overseas.
Our current research interests are in the
areas of:
• family business
• smaller and social enterprises
• public sector management
• human resource management
• marketing and business strategy
• the luxury hotel market
• ecological and sustainability issues in
relation to hotels
• tourism in developing countries
• food events and tourism
• ‘slow’ tourism
• digital technology and its application to
events, tourism and hospitality
• cultural events and festivals
As you reach the later stages of
undergraduate study there are
opportunities to develop individual pieces
of research through the dissertation, and
those students who choose further study
at master’s or doctoral level are able to
develop these interests further.
Careers
To react to the challenges of the 21st
century, and move forward, the business,
events and hospitality and tourism
industries urgently need effective
managers. Our graduates are perfectly
positioned to play their part in this,
possessing a mix of leadership,
managerial, interpersonal and technical
skills, all of which are crucial to career
development.
Our international hospitality and tourism
graduates have gone on to successful
careers in a variety of public sector
organisations such as VisitScotland and
EventScotland. Many others are also
carving a career pathway with Sheraton,
Gleneagles, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin,
Hilton, RF Hotels, as well as many
smaller privately owned companies in
both tourism and hospitality.
Our Business Management graduates
have left QMU to embark on a wide
range of successful careers in various
sectors. Recent examples of
employment of our Business
Management graduates include; one
working as ‘change manager’ for a major
Scottish bank; one who joined the John
Lewis management training programme;
one working as a marketing
communications specialist at Babcock
International Group; another who works
with the British Council in India; and one
with Stratstone (BMW) on Tyneside.
Web traffic is another area where
graduates have developed careers
working with new and existing web-
based businesses.
• motivations and consumer behaviour in
special events
• international events management and
social justice, gender (in)equality,
social inclusion, and diversity in events
management
• tourism and sports public relations.
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Entry onto graduate training programmes
for major employers has been the
preferred route for some, with a small
number each year going on to teach
either in schools or in the further
education sector. For some, starting their
own business is the ideal option and
graduates have developed businesses in
areas as diverse as extreme sports
retailing, American real estate, cake
making, industrial car-washing and
market research. With a focus on
entrepreneurial activity embedded in our
Business Management degrees, a
number of graduates have successfully
started their own businesses, in the UK
and abroad – all of which is testament to
the quality of the teaching provision at
QMU.
Our Events Management graduates have
gone on to run their own event agencies;
work for prestigious international event
companies; become wedding and event
planners at luxury venues; manage
international events, such as the
Commonwealth Games; lead in events
technology organisations; shape event
policy at EventScotland and Edinburgh
City Council; as well as pursue post-
graduate degrees in this emerging
research field.
Some students decide to undertake
further academic study, perhaps at QMU
on one of our MSc International
Management and Leadership options, to
enhance their business career or as a
prelude to doctoral research.