Реферат: Analysis Of Hotel Case Study Essay Research

e. Administration:

Administrative topics occupied about 16% of the specific environment space of Hotel Online. The major trends identified in the analysis of this category are the increase in the number of strategic alliances and joint

ventures among companies, a continuing involvement of hospitality and travel firms in legal cases and a more open discussion of internal management practices as a good public relations tool.

The popularity of strategic alliances and joint ventures among travel and tourism companies is easy to identify. One study found that the main driving factors behind such alliances are the increasing globalization of

the industry, heavy competition and the low profitability of some operations. These alliances vary in purpose, but they are usually intended to improve marketing potential through cooperation, or to maximize management capacity by joining forces with more knowledgeable operators. Recent examples are the management alliances of Sheraton with Felcor and Equity Inns with Interstate hotels. A curious marketing alliance discovered through this research project is the joint marketing efforts of Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego to sell packaged tours including visits to the three cities in the same trip. This alliance signals the incursion of local tourism organizations into the world of corporate cooperation. Hospitality managers at any level should be aware of the potential benefits of strategic alliances to be able to take advantage of them if the circumstances recommend it, and also monitor the moves of competitors to recognize situation in which a particular operation might be threatened.

Another long-lasting trend the hospitality industry has experienced over the last years is its continuous involvement in legal and regulatory cases. The outlook for 1997 so far does not promise any changes. Although

must cases involve routine legal matters such as obtaining construction permits and gaming licenses, others involve civil suits and legal proceedings that can have a profound effect on any company. A majority of

these cases involve suits and complaints placed by customers, while the rest involve legal fights between companies on the grounds of unfair competition or unfulfilled contracts.

The majority of administration related postings depicted management practices, conflicts and changes experienced by some companies. Although no trend can be identified in these articles, hospitality operators may learn form the mistakes and successes of other companies. In addition, the reporting of new administrative strategies may give companies an opportunity to create favorable publicity in the marketplace. An example is an announcement by McDonald’s describing new strategies that will push decision-making down to the customer level. Since this company has been under examination lately, spreading the word about the new strategy may result in a more positive attitude towards the company.

f. Human Resources:

This functional area of management was a bit neglected in the Hotel Online news service. The major trends identified were a continuing involvement of travel and hospitality firms in labor related litigation and

other labor conflicts, a strong competition among firms for top-management talent and the implementation of innovative employee support programs.

Labor conflict issues include suits placed by employees against companies practicing biased or unfair hiring policies and strikes undertaken by airline employees. This does not seem to be a new trend in the industry;

rather, it is a constant reality that operators have to face. Fortunately, the reduced number of cases noticed by the general media indicates that most companies are making a good job of managing their employee relations.

The vast majority of HR related postings were hiring and promotion announcements by different hospitality companies. An important consideration in this area is the fact that employee exchange occurs almost always within the hospitality industry, which highlights the magnitude of competition among different companies for the skills and capabilities of top-level managers.

Finally, a trend sustained primarily by large hospitality corporations is the implementation of superior employee support programs in the industry. Companies are not just aiming to comply with labor regulations. They are going further to secure the well-being of their employees and achieve employee loyalty to the company. Good examples are Marriott’s Welfare-to-work and Foundation for people with disabilities programs that appeared in Hotel Online postings. Hospitality companies must continue to provide this type of programs in order to reduce turnover and improve customer service.

IV. Conclusions

This study has attempted to determine major trends in the hospitality industry as described in the internet service of Hotel Online. It also has attempted to determine the usefulness of internet news services such as

Hotel Online for hospitality operators undertaking environmental scanning efforts.

Some limitations of this research endeavor have to be acknowledged. First, the postings analyzed were reduced to a 60 day period, which undermines the coverage of all trends and neglects the cyclical nature of

this industry. Second, the study was limited to the Hospitality News section of Hotel Online. Further research and analysis of the Ideas and Trends section of the service may give more support to the usefulness of this

internet service.

In conclusion, it can be determined that only some of the trends currently experienced were identified in this project. Their discussion can certainly provide the hospitality operator with a good overall picture of

the industry’s environment. Moreover, a good argument in support of online means of information can be derived at after analyzing this particular project. Hotel Online appears to be an excellent provider of information for the many managers involved in travel and hospitality operations. Nevertheless, this study determined that the news provided are extremely industry specific, and users must realize that their environmental scanning

efforts have to be complimented with more general publications, such as business magazines, newspapers and other journals. Since most of these publications are already available online, an excellent environmental

scanning program may be implemented by simply adding bookmarks to a web browser.

References

Chon, K.; Damonte, T. (1997). Environmental factors affecting the tourism industry as determined by content analysis. Visions in Leisure and Business, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 70-85.

Chon, K.; Olsen, M. (1997). An analysis of the trends in the hospitality industry through content analysis of industry publications. Conference Proceedings, Clemson University.