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Unit outline_

ITLS6410: Aviation Management and Logistics

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Aviation is an international growth industry offering extensive commercial and employment opportunities in airlines, airports, logistic providers, banks, consultancies and other players of the aviation supply chain. This unit covers all aspects of international business and management along the aviation value chain and analysis from the perspectives of consumers (passengers and cargo), producers, distributors, brokers and investors. Students develop industry skills and an understanding of the strategic management and economics of operating airlines and other aviation entities, including financial analysis, risk management, sustainability, logistics, innovations and implications of competitive strategies for the development of hubs and alliances both in the global and regional/remote context. The volatilities and disruptions in air traffic (i.e. due to COVID-19) create many management challenges but also opportunities (i.e. in the Asia/Pacific region) and thus the unit also covers data analytics, forecasting, entrepreneurship and the role of the private sector in airline/airport business development. As a result of our strategic partnership with CAPA and a number of airlines and airports, students have access to industry datasets, senior management guest lecturers, company information and aviation as well as logistics contacts/networks.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Transport and Logistics Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
ITLS6400 or ITLS6401
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Rico Merkert, rico.merkert@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Rico Merkert, rico.merkert@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Supervised exam
? 
Final exam
Written exam
20% Formal exam period 1 hour
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Individual report
Individual report
50% Week 09
Due date: 03 Oct 2023 at 10:55

Closing date: 17 Oct 2023
12 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Presentation group assignment Strategy group presentation
Group presentation
30% Week 12
Due date: 24 Oct 2023 at 10:55

Closing date: 24 Oct 2023
6 slides each
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Strategy group presentation: The group project will develop and test students' ability to work together in teams on significant, real worldproblems in aviation and will need to work together to develop an aviation business plan and develop verbal/PowerPoint presentation skills.

Individual report: The individual report will develop and test students' ability to analyse aviation logistics problems, find relevant resources to support their arguments and communicate in the business report format.

Final exam: The final examination will test students' understanding of the core concepts, respond to unseen written questions in a timely fashion

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

as per university policy

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Mid-semester break Mid-semester break (no teaching) Independent study (0.1 hr)  
Week 01 1- Introduction to course and current issues in aviation management and logistics; 2- Strategic analysis and the aviation value chain Lecture (3.5 hr)  
Week 03 3 - Framework and structure of global aviation, markets; 4 - Strategic aviation management and business models Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 04 5 - Demand/Pricing; 6 - Rev. Management and Forecasting Lecture (3.5 hr)  
Week 05 7 - Cost control and success strategies; 8 - Aircraft/Fleet management and leasing Lecture (3.5 hr)  
Week 06 9 - Benchmarking in aviation; 10 - Airline distribution management Workshop (3.5 hr)  
Week 07 11 - Financial analysis; 12 - Financial ratios Lecture (3.5 hr)  
Week 08 13 - M&A and alliances; 14 - Airline operation, scheduling and route management Workshop (3 hr)  
Week 09 15 - Strategic Airport management; 16 - Airport/Airline relationship management Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 10 17 - Air cargo; 18 - Aviation spare part logistics Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 11 19 - Innovation and Sustainability Strategies in Aviation; 20 - Models of privatisation, leasing and private equity engagement; business plan Workshop (3 hr)  
Week 12 Group presentations Workshop (3.5 hr)  
Week 13 Revision Workshop (3 hr)  

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

While we don’t prescribe a textbook for this unit, the following books may be useful for some background reading:

Budd, L. and Ison, S. (2020): Air transport management: an international perspective. 2nd ed. London; New York: Routledge.

Doganis, R. (2019): Flying Off Course, 5th ed., Routledge, London and New York.

Merkert, Rico, Air Cargo and Supply Chain Management (April 04, 2023). J. Sarkis (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Supply Chain Management, Forthcoming , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4415293 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4415293

Further (more recent) readings will be posted to Canvas.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Analyse the complexities of the global and regional aviation sectors and the factors that impact most on the workings of the industry
  • LO2. Apply theoretical concepts of strategic management to the core issues faced by global aviation businesses
  • LO3. Critically analyse links between strategic, tactical and operational perspectives in problem solving and decision making along the aviation value chain
  • LO4. Identify key elemental differences in airline business models. Successfully identify and deploy datasets to inform strategic management
  • LO5. Effectively communicate and work with your team through class presentations and an aviation business plan group exercise.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

very good USS scores for previous session and no feedback that required changes

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.