Implementing “CMMI for Services” in the tourism industry

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IN THE SERVICE SECTOR

1.1.1 IMPORTANCE OF SYSTEMATIC PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

1.1.2 CMMI-SVC – A NEW IMPROVEMENT STANDARD FOR THE SERVICE SECTOR

1.2 RESEARCH TOPIC

1.2.1 INTERPRETING THE NEW STANDARD FOR TOURISM SERVICES

1.2.2 DERIVING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.3 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS

2 THE “CMMI FOR SERVICES” (CMMI-SVC) MODEL

2.1 CAPABILITY MATURITY MODELS

2.2 ABSTRACTION LEVELS IN PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

2.3 CMMI CONSTELLATIONS

2.3.1 COMMON AND SPECIFIC COMPONENTS

2.3.2 TRAINING COURSES AND APPRAISALS

2.4 CMMI-SVC COMPONENTS

2.4.1 OVERVIEW

2.4.2 PROCESS AREAS

2.4.3 GENERIC GOALS AND GENERIC PRACTICES

2.4.4 CAPABILITY AND MATURITY LEVELS

2.4.5 KEY TERMS

2.4.6 PROCESS AREA RELATIONSHIPS

2.4.7 SERVICE LIFECYCLE

3 THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

3.1 DEFINITION

3.2 TOUR OPERATORS – THE MAIN PLAYERS

3.3 SERVICES – THE MAIN PRODUCTS

3.4 QUALITY MANAGEMENT

3.4.1 PHASES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

3.4.2 IMPORTANCE OF PRODUCT AND SERVICE QUALITY IN TOURISM

3.4.3 CHALLENGES OF CONTROLLING QUALITY IN TOURISM

3.5 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

3.5.1 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AS THE BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

3.5.2 GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CRITERIA (GSTC)

3.5.3 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY

4 INTERPRETATION METHOD

4.1 SCOPE DEFINITION

4.1.1 SELECTING A SUBSECTION OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

4.1.2 SELECTING A SUBSECTION OF CMMI-SVC

4.2 INTERPRETATION CONVENTIONS FOR CMMI-SVC

4.2.1 PROCESSES, ROLES AND WORK PRODUCTS

4.2.2 GENERIC GOAL 2

4.2.3 PROCESS AREAS

4.2.4 INTERPRETATION ORDER

5 INTERPRETATION OF CMM-SVC FOR A TOUR OPERATOR

5.1 ROLES AND WORK PRODUCTS AT FTO

5.2 INTERPRETING GENERIC GOAL 2

5.2.1 GP 2.1 – ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATIONAL POLICY

5.2.2 GP 2.2 – PLAN THE PROCESS

5.2.3 GP 2.3 – PROVIDE RESOURCES

5.2.4 GP 2.4 – ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY

5.2.5 GP 2.5 – TRAIN PEOPLE

5.2.6 GP 2.6 – MANAGE CONFIGURATIONS

5.2.7 GP 2.7 – IDENTIFY AND INVOLVE RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS

5.2.8 GP 2.8 – MONITOR AND CONTROL THE PROCESS

5.2.9 GP 2.9 – OBJECTIVELY EVALUATE ADHERENCE

5.2.10 GP 2.10 – REVIEW STATUS WITH HIGHER LEVEL MANAGEMENT

5.3 INTERPRETING PROCESS AREAS

5.3.1 STSM – STRATEGIC SERVICE MANAGEMENT

5.3.2 SSD – SERVICE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

5.3.3 REQM – REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT

5.3.4 SST – SERVICE SYSTEM TRANSITION

5.3.5 CAM – CAPACITY AND AVAILABILITY MANAGEMENT

5.3.6 SCON – SERVICE CONTINUITY

5.3.7 IRP – INCIDENT RESOLUTION AND PREVENTION

5.3.8 SD – SERVICE DELIVERY

5.3.9 SAM – SUPPLIER AGREEMENT MANAGEMENT

5.4 CONCLUSION AND CRITICAL REVIEW

6 COMBINATION OF THE GSTC AND CMMI-SVC

6.1 COMBINATION METHOD

6.1.1 COMPARING GSTC AND CMMI STRUCTURES

6.1.2 COMBINATION ALTERNATIVES

6.2 COMBINING THE GSTC AND CMMI-SVC USING DIFFERENT TOPICS

6.2.1 POLICY HANDLING

6.2.2 PLANNING

6.2.3 TRAINING

6.2.4 STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT

6.2.5 REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT

6.2.6 MEASUREMENTS

6.2.7 SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT

6.3 CONCLUSION AND CRITICAL REVIEW

7 QUALITY PROGRAMS USED IN THE GERMAN TOURISM INDUSTRY

7.1 IDENTIFYING QUALITY PROGRAMS

7.2 EFQM, ISO AND SERVICEQUALITY

7.2.1 EFQM

7.2.2 ISO

7.2.3 SERVICEQUALITY (SERVICEQ)

7.3 SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE QUALITY PROGRAM

7.3.1 SELECTION BASED ON COMPARISON

7.3.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITY PROGRAMS

7.3.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF CMMI-SVC

8 CMMI-SVC AS A GERMAN TOURISM INDUSTRY QUALITY MODEL

8.1 SMALL ORGANIZATIONS DOMINATE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

8.1.1 DEFINITION OF SMES

8.1.2 HOW APPROPRIATE ARE QUALITY PROGRAMS FOR SMES?

8.1.3 CMMI-SVC FOR SMALL ORGANIZATIONS

8.2 PAVING THE WAY FOR CMMI-SVC USING SERVICEQ

8.2.1 CMMI-SVC AS A RECOGNIZED QUALITY PROGRAM FOR SERVICEQ LEVEL III

8.2.2 HOW CMMI-SVC AND SERVICEQ CAN COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER

8.3 SWOT ANALYSIS OF CMMI-SVC

8.4 CONCLUSION AND CRITICAL REVIEW

9 CONCLUDING REMARKS

9.1 CHALLENGES FACED WHEN WRITING THE THESIS

9.2 FUTURE RESEARCH TOPICS

10 LIST OF LITERATURE

A APPENDIX

A.1 CMMI-SVC GOALS AND PRACTICES

A.2 GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CRITERIA (GSTC)

A.3 “THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING IS IN THE EATING” – GG2 IN PRACTICE

A.4 CMMI-SVC CHANGE REQUESTS

A.5 “STUDENT POSTER SESSION” AT THE SEPG EUROPE 2009 CONFERENCE

A.6 AUTHOR’S BIBLIOGRAPHY

A.7 STATUTORY DECLARATION

Objectives and Topics of the Thesis

This master thesis investigates the implementation of the "CMMI for Services" (CMMI-SVC) model within the tourism industry, using a fictitious tour operator as a representative scenario. The primary objective is to evaluate whether CMMI-SVC can serve as a facilitator for sustainable tourism services by integrating industry-specific requirements, while also comparing the model with existing quality programs to provide guidance for tourism organizations.

• Implementation of CMMI-SVC in a tourism business context.
• Evaluation of CMMI-SVC as a vehicle to promote sustainable tourism practices.
• Comparison of CMMI-SVC with established quality programs like EFQM, ISO, and ServiceQuality (ServiceQ).
• Challenges and strategies for implementing CMMI-SVC in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Development of a migration path between ServiceQuality and CMMI-SVC.

Excerpt from the Book

Chapter Summary

1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the research context, defining process improvement in services and outlining the motivations behind applying CMMI-SVC to the tourism industry.

2 THE “CMMI FOR SERVICES” (CMMI-SVC) MODEL: This section provides a detailed overview of the CMMI-SVC model, explaining its structure, maturity levels, key terms, and the service lifecycle.

3 THE TOURISM INDUSTRY: This chapter defines the tourism industry and tour operators, explains the characteristics of tourism services, and discusses the role of quality management and sustainability within the sector.

4 INTERPRETATION METHOD: This section outlines the scope definition and the methodological approach used to translate CMMI-SVC components into practical examples for a fictitious tour operator.

5 INTERPRETATION OF CMM-SVC FOR A TOUR OPERATOR: This chapter applies CMMI-SVC practices to the business of a fictitious tour operator, detailing roles, work products, and the specific application of generic goals and process areas.

6 COMBINATION OF THE GSTC AND CMMI-SVC: This chapter explores the integration of Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria with CMMI-SVC, focusing on shared requirements like policies, planning, and training.

7 QUALITY PROGRAMS USED IN THE GERMAN TOURISM INDUSTRY: This section identifies and describes the most relevant quality programs in the German tourism market, including EFQM, ISO, and ServiceQuality.

8 CMMI-SVC AS A GERMAN TOURISM INDUSTRY QUALITY MODEL: This chapter assesses the applicability of CMMI-SVC for SMEs in the German tourism industry and proposes a migration path using the ServiceQuality program.

9 CONCLUDING REMARKS: The author summarizes the challenges faced during the thesis, reflects on the research outcomes, and suggests topics for future research.

Key Keywords

CMMI-SVC, Tourism Industry, Process Improvement, Service Quality, Sustainable Tourism, Tour Operator, GSTC, ServiceQuality, Quality Management, SMEs, Service System, Capability Maturity Model, Institutionalization, Business Process, SWOT Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this thesis?

The work primarily focuses on how the "CMMI for Services" (CMMI-SVC) model can be effectively implemented within the tourism industry, particularly for tour operators, to improve service quality and integrate sustainable practices.

What are the primary themes discussed in the work?

The central themes include process improvement, the specific requirements of the tourism sector, sustainable development, quality management frameworks, and the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in implementing complex standards.

What is the main research objective?

The thesis aims to answer three key questions: How can CMMI-SVC be implemented in tourism? Can CMMI-SVC serve as a facilitator for sustainable tourism? and How does CMMI-SVC compare to other quality programs in the German tourism market?

What methodology is employed to analyze the model?

The author uses a "fictitious tour operator" (FTO) scenario to provide practical, real-world examples of how CMMI-SVC practices, roles, and work products can be adapted and implemented in a standard tourism business.

What is covered in the main body of the text?

The main body details the interpretation of CMMI-SVC generic goals and service-specific process areas, demonstrates the combination of CMMI-SVC with Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC), and provides a comparative analysis of CMMI-SVC against local quality initiatives like ServiceQuality (ServiceQ).

Which keywords best characterize this research?

Key terms include CMMI-SVC, Process Improvement, Service Quality, Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Industry, Tour Operator, and ServiceQ.

How does CMMI-SVC specifically relate to sustainability in this thesis?

The thesis explores CMMI-SVC as a "vehicle" or facilitator. It demonstrates that the model shares common requirements with sustainable tourism criteria (such as policy development, planning, and stakeholder involvement), allowing the two approaches to be combined in a single improvement initiative.

What is the proposed relationship between ServiceQuality (ServiceQ) and CMMI-SVC?

The author suggests that the German ServiceQuality program acts as an ideal migration path. Smaller organizations can begin with ServiceQ levels to establish basic management practices and eventually progress to the more complex CMMI-SVC model for higher levels of maturity.