Progressing a Sustainable Business Agenda - Marriott International, Inc - Case Study Example

ASSESSMENT 2: PROGRESSING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AGENDA Name Institution Professor Course Date Assessment 2: Progressing a Sustainable Business agenda Introduction Marriott International, Inc comes out as one of the leading lodging companies across the world. The company did start its operations in 1927. As a critical hospitality industry, Marriott operates more than 4,200 properties across 79 nations. The company focuses on utilizing people as the core of its organizational culture in pursuit of competitive advantage and sustainability (Jones, Hillier, and Comfort, 2016). Evidently, the company has been able to offer quality services and opportunities to people of diverse lifestyles. Marriott has been able to adopt and incorporate reformist approach for the progress of sustainable development. This is through integration of numerous initiatives in the sustainability strategy such as creation of resource-efficient hotels, generation of job-readiness training to the youths, empowerment of the business entities through supply chain, and innovation conservation creativities (Williams and Millington, 2004). The purpose of this report is to help Marriott International to progress its sustainable business agenda. The report will determine where the organization sits in the Dunphy phase’s model while making substantive recommendations on how the sustainable business principles should undergo integration in the organization’s strategy. Dunphy Phases Model Dunphy focused on the integration of six critical phases of sustainability. These stages include rejection, non-responsiveness, efficiency, strategic pro-activity (sustainability), and the sustaining corporation (Dunphy, 2003; Benn, Dunphy, and Griffiths, 2006). The report will focus on the utilization of the phases in this model in the determination of the position of Marriott International. Position of Marriott International on the Dunphy phases model & Justification In the Dunphy’s phase model, it is ideal to demonstrate the fact that Marriott International is at phase four, which associates with efficiency. The objective of the phase is to enable the company to reflect growing awareness on the part of the dominate elite in the corporation regarding the presence of real advantages through proactive institution of the sustainable practices (Dunphy, and Griffiths, 2006). The phase associates with systematic approaches by the company or institution to incorporate diverse human resource functions in the HR system with the objective of reducing costs, as well as enormous increase in the efficiency. Additionally, Marriott International has been able to view employees and other stakeholders as significant source of expenditure in the level of production. The institution engages in diverse community projects in the form of the CSR programs to improve the image and reputation of the firm. Ecologically or environmentally, the institution has been able to view poor environmental practices as causes of avoidable costs (Dunphy, and Griffiths, 2006). Marriott has been able to review diverse ecological issues, which generate costs with the objective of reducing them while increasing efficiencies through elimination of waste. Implications of the Position The position of the company in this model has been critical in enabling the organization to improve its image and reputation as an environmentally friendly entity in the hospitality industry. For instance, the position contributes to improved support to the organizational transactions while enabling the firm to reach beyond the doors of the hotels in the preservation and protection of the universe, as well as its resources (Marriott, 2016). The company has been able to engage in the reduction of its footprint while constructing more sustainable buildings. Furthermore, the institution has focused on integrating our supply chain more environmentally conscious, thus, the platform to support innovative conservation initiatives and inspiring the associates, as well as guests in the course of supporting the efforts. Marriott has been able to utilize the position with the intention of addressing the set of 17 SDGs to end poverty while fighting inequality and injustice in the midst of growing climate issues or global warming. Organization’s Strengths One of the strengths of the organization is its ability and potentiality to educate, as well as inspire existing and potential associates and guests in the course of conserving and preserving the environment. Secondly, Marriott International has been able to empower the hotel development partners in the course of facilitating effective and efficient building or construction of the green hotels (Marriott, 2016). Thirdly, the institution banks on its green multi-billion dollar supply chain in pursuit of sustainability development and competitive edge in the growing economy. These strengths are critical in enabling the firm or institution to engage in addressing environmental challenges through integration of innovative conservation initiatives inclusive of the protection of the rainforest, as well as water conservation. Leveraging these Strengths to Progress Sustainable Business Agenda It is possible for the institution to engage in diverse approaches towards leveraging the strengths to progress the sustainable business agenda. In the first instance, the institution has the ability and potentiality to utilize its empowerment initiatives in the course of interacting with the partners in the construction of efficient green hotels. The approach will improve the image and reputation of the firm among major players and consumers. Additionally, the organization has the ability and potentiality to integrate technological initiatives in pursuit of enhanced educational platform (Marriott, 2016). The approach will enable the organization to maximize social media platforms in educating and inspiring associates on the need to conserve and protect the environment as a critical factor or issue. Moreover, the green supply chain might be a valuable context for the organization to consider improvement of the image and reputation while reducing its footprint levels. These practices will enable the organization to incorporate diverse initiatives in the process of promoting sustainable business agenda in the midst of increased global warming and environmental consciousness among the shareholders and stakeholders. Benefits of Leveraging the Strengths Leveraging the strengths by Marriott International will be ideal in the generation of diverse benefits. In the first instance, the institution will have the opportunity to utilize its CSR projects and programs in the course of making substantive influences on the target audiences or community members in pursuit of efficiency in environmental management and conservation. Secondly, leveraging the strengths will enable the company to create an ideal image and reputation in the fight against environmental exploitation or degradation (Clifton and Amran, 2011). Evidently, the firm will be able to appeal to the growing group of consumers or stakeholders demonstrating environmental consciousness. Another critical benefit for leveraging the strengths in pursuit of sustainability by Marriott International is the ability by the organization to reduce the costs of operations while improving the level of profits and revenues at the end of each fiscal period. Organization’s Weaknesses One of the critical weaknesses of the organization, Marriott International, is over-emphasis on the cost reduction, which might play a critical role in limiting realization of the future success. The company tends to identity operational efficiency, as well as cost reduction as the top drivers in pursuit of sustainability. Other critical factors driving sustainability include customer demand and reputation of the organization (Marriott, 2016). Secondly, lack of access to critical resources such as municipal water, sewerage services, and electricity makes it challenging the organization to achieve its goals and targets regarding waste management facilities. There is need for the organization to engage in overcoming these weaknesses in pursuit of the goals and targets at the end of each fiscal period. Overcoming the Weaknesses One of the approaches towards overcoming the weaknesses is to increase the distribution of the existing brands while introducing new brands tailored for the new markets and segments, thus, focusing on innovative elements in pursuit of competitive advantage. From this perspective, it is vital for the company to remain focused on executing things, which will do well such as selling hotel stays and experiences taking care of guests. Secondly, there is need for the organization to invest in the innovative conservation initiatives, which aim at offering long-term solutions to crucial social, as well as environmental issues (Williams and Ponsford, 2009). The continued focus for the organization should be on the development of sustainable hotels to generate new opportunities for Marriott International in the exciting markets. Benefits of Overcoming the Weaknesses One of the benefits for overcoming the weaknesses is the opportunity for Marriott to explore and exploit new markets while supporting the economic development in the emerging economies, thus, the platform to boost the local tourism through creation of jobs. Secondly, overcoming the weaknesses will enable the organization to support the local communities while incorporating training and empowerment projects, as well as activities for the community members (Marriott, 2016). These attributes will play critical roles in the improvement of the image and reputation of the company in addressing the social and environmental issues. Alternatively, overcoming these weaknesses will enable the organization to progress the sustainable business agenda in pursuit of competitive advantage and sustainability. Conclusion Conclusively, the report sought to help Marriott International to progress its sustainable business agenda. The report did determine where the organization sits in the Dunphy phase’s model while making substantive recommendations on how the sustainable business principles should undergo integration in the organization’s strategy. According to the findings of the report, Marriott International is at the fourth phase, which is efficiency in pursuit sustainability and competitive advantage in the highly competitive hospitality industry. The institution has been able to integrate diverse environmental initiatives in ensuring training and empowering shareholders, stakeholders, and business partners on the need for environmental protection or conservation. List of References Benn, S., Dunphy, D. and Griffiths, A., 2006, “Enabling change for corporate sustainability: An integrated perspective,” Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 13(3), pp.156-165. Clifton, D. and Amran, A., 2011, “The stakeholder approach: A sustainability perspective,” Journal of Business Ethics, 98(1), pp.121-136. Dunphy, D., 2003. Corporate sustainability: challenge to managerial orthodoxies. Journal of Management and Organization, 9(1), p.2-12 Jones, P., Hillier, D. and Comfort, D. 2016, Sustainability in the hospitality industry: Some personal reflections on corporate challenges and research agendas. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28(1), pp.36-67. Marriott, 2016 Environment, viewed 20 October 2016, Williams, C.C. and Millington, A.C. 2004, The diverse and contested meanings of sustainable development, The Geographical Journal, 170(2), pp.99-104 Williams, P.W. and Ponsford, I.F. 2009. Confronting tourism's environmental paradox: Transitioning for sustainable tourism. Futures, 41(6), pp.396-404 Appendices Appendix 1: Dunphy Model of Sustainability Marriott International Phase Environmental sustainability issues Human sustainability issues Consistent with this phase Inconsistent with this phase Consistent with this phase Inconsistent with this phase Rejection Non-responsiveness Compliance The company incorporates diverse mechanisms to comply with environmental obligations Efficiency Ecologically or environmentally, the institution has been able to view poor environmental practices as causes of avoidable costs (Dunphy, and Griffiths, 2006). Marriott has been able to review diverse ecological issues, which generate costs with the objective of reducing them while increasing efficiencies through elimination of waste. The institution engages in diverse community projects in the form of the CSR programs to improve the image and reputation of the firm. The company provides training in sustainability issues to all employees Strategic proactivity Sustaining corporation Read More