Marriott International: Change Management and Strategy
This paper examines key aspects of change management at Marriott International, one of the world's largest hotel chains. It traces two pivotal shifts in management style — the 1992 corporate split and the 2011 CEO transition from Bill Marriott to Arne Sorenson — and evaluates senior management's role in preparing the organization for leadership change. The paper also discusses Marriott's use of vendors and spokespersons for corporate communications, considers beacon technology as a potential innovation for improving employee efficiency and guest experience, and reviews the organization's long record of adaptive responses to shifting market conditions and consumer needs.
- Introduction: Overview of Marriott and paper scope
- Changes in Management Style: 1992 split and 2011 CEO transition analyzed
- Senior Management's Role in Preparing the Organisation for Change: Bill Marriott's grooming of Sorenson as successor
- Use of Vendors and Spokespersons: Corporate communications and vendor cost strategy
- Innovation: Beacon Technology: Beacon tech benefits for guests and employees
- Adaptive Ability: Marriott's history of responding to market change
- Conclusion: Change management credited for Marriott's global success
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds each analytical point in specific historical events — the 1992 corporate split, the 1970s diversification drive, and the 2011 CEO succession — giving abstract management concepts concrete organizational anchors.
- It balances internal factors (management philosophy, leadership transitions) with external ones (market dynamics, technological change), demonstrating an understanding of both strategic and operational dimensions of change management.
- The writing consistently connects evidence to broader claims, such as linking Marriott's employee-oriented culture to its competitive success in a volatile industry.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper applies a multi-lens approach to organizational analysis, drawing on change management theory (Hayes, 2014) alongside primary business sources to evaluate real corporate decisions. This demonstrates how academic frameworks can be used to interpret and assess actual managerial practice rather than simply describe it.
Structure breakdown
The paper is organized into six thematic sections following a brief introduction: management style changes, senior leadership's role in transitions, vendor and spokesperson use, a technology innovation proposal, adaptive capability, and a brief conclusion. Each section is self-contained but contributes to a cumulative argument about Marriott's effectiveness as a change-adaptive organization.
Introduction
Marriott International is one of the largest hotel chains worldwide. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the organisation has over 5,700 properties spread across more than 100 countries. Throughout its nine decades of operation, the organisation has undergone numerous changes in terms of management, processes, and corporate and business strategy. This paper discusses a number of change-related aspects of the organisation. These include two key changes in management style, the role of senior management in preparing the organisation for its most recent change, the use of vendors and spokespersons, an innovation that could positively impact employees and customers, and the organisation's ability to adapt to the changing needs of customers and the market environment.
References
Berzon, A. (2011, December 14). Marriott CEO to step down. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203430404577097083490921006
Evans, C. (2016, August 5). The many sides of Marriott's Arne Sorenson. Surface. Retrieved from http://www.surfacemag.com/articles/power-100-hospitality-arne-sorenson
Hayes, J. (2014). The theory and practice of change management. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mandelbaum, A. (2015). Hotel technology innovations that will drive business in 2016. Retrieved from http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4072364.html
Marriott, J. (2013). Without reservations: How a family root beer stand grew into a global hotel company. U.S.: Diversion Books.
Touryalai, H. (2013, July 15). Marriott's upgrade: New CEO Arne Sorenson freshens up the brand for millennials. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/halahtouryalai/2013/06/26/marriotts-upgrade-new-ceo-arne-sorenson-enlivens-the-hotel-giant-aims-for-1-million-rooms/#4cf866dc5dd1
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