The tourism industry is dynamic, global and characterized by constant change. This makes it all the more important for international companies such as TUI to continuously develop and promote a culture of lifelong learning. As part of an exciting practical project, students on the Master’s program in Organizational & Human Resources Development took a close look at the tourism company TUI and provided innovative impetus for its further development into a learning organization.
Challenge accepted: TUI as a learning organization
The starting point was clear: TUI, one of the leading international tourism companies, wants its learning opportunities to be used even better in the various markets and to establish a corporate culture in which lifelong learning is a matter of course.
The students took up the challenge and analyzed the current situation at TUI from a global perspective in the winter semester 2024/25. The aim was to develop a vision for the future and specific recommendations for action for TUI as a learning, global organization. The needs and wishes of employees and managers were considered as well as the role of HR and the importance of cultural differences. The focus was on the question of what a communication strategy should look like to take the different needs into account in the best possible way.
From analysis to recommended actions
The students worked in six teams on various key topics:
- “Ideal” future image of a learning organization
- International perspective and cultural differences
- Employee perspective
- Management perspective
- HR perspective
- Communication & reporting
Using scientific methods to make applicable recommendations
In order to achieve sound results, the students relied on a combination of internal TUI data and external research. Using qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (questionnaires) methods, they collected data, evaluated it and interpreted it using scientifically sound models and concepts. From this, they derived concrete recommendations for action and proposals for implementation.
The process was designed to be transparent and cross-team from the outset, so that the end result was a coherent overall picture, which the students presented in the final presentation as “En route to becoming a Learning Organization”.
Implementable recommendations for TUI
The results of the practical project were received with great enthusiasm by TUI. Denise Mach, TUI’s HR Manager, was impressed:
“The students have done an excellent job. The results are very well-founded, practical and offer us valuable impulses for the further development of our learning culture. I was particularly impressed by how the students took into account the different perspectives and cultural characteristics and derived concrete, practicable recommendations for action.”
>> More information about the Master’s program in Organizational & Human Resources Development