Motivation

Most employees need motivation to feel good about their jobs and perform
optimally. Some employees are money motivated while others find recognition
and rewards personally motivating. Motivation levels within the workplace have
a direct impact on employee productivity. Workers who are motivated and
excited about their jobs carry out their responsibilities to the best of their ability
and production numbers increase as a result.

WHAT IS MOTIVATION?
Everyone has a different notion of motivation. It’s one of those terms, like freed
om, that has as many 
meanings as there are people using the word. And yet, we must have some com
mon understanding 
of what it is to make sure we understand each other. Here are some definitions t
hat fit into the  concept of this ebook
A succes website(1)  says…
Motivation is the inner power or energy that pushes one toward performing a ce
rtain action. 
Motivation strengthens the ambition, increases initiative and gives direction, co
urage,  energy and the persistence to follow one's goals. 
Motivation is usually strong, when one has a vision, a clear mental image of a c
ertain 
situation or achievement, faith in one's abilities and also a strong desire to mater
ialize it. In 
this case motivation pushes one forward, toward taking action and making the v
ision a  reality.  
http://www.successconsciousness.com/strengthen_motivation.htm ‐ Remez Sass
on

https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/48561978/A-summary-of-motivation-
theories1-with-cover-page-v2.pdf?
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Motivation is a theoretical concept utilized to clarify human behaviour. The

motivation provides the motive for the human beings to react and fulfil their
needs. Motivation can also be defined as one's route lead to behaviour, or to the
construct that trigger someone to desire to replicate behaviour and vice – versa
[1], [2]. Motivation is defined as the process to make a start, guides, and
maintains goal-oriented behaviours. Basically, it leads individuals to take action
to achieve a goal or to fulfil a need or expectation.
1.D.A. Cook and A.R. Artino, “Motivation to learn: an overview of
contemporary theories”, Medical education, 50, 10, 997-1014 (2016).
2. A.H. Maslow, “A theory of human motivation”, Psychological review, 50, 4,
370 (1943).
https://aip.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1063/1.5005376

http://www.successconsciousness.com/strengthen_motivation.htm ‐ Remez Sass
on

Kinds of motivation
A few polarities of motivation that you’ll find in the theories and that serve to c
reate clarity on one’s 
own motivation. As with all polarities, it’s not about either/or, but about the posi
tion one has in a  certain spectrum.
 Positive vs Negative
Motivating forces can be positive, as in impelling one to reach a certain goal. Th
ey can also be  negative, as in driving one away from an unwanted situation. 
You can be positively motivated about going to work because you like your coll
eagues and some 
parts of the work, and negatively motivated because you have bills to pay (movi
ng away from  poverty) and you wouldn’t dare not show up.
 Internal vs External
There is internal motivation, or push. It’s an internal state that impels one to act 
towards achieving a 
certain goal. Then there is external motivation, or pull. It’s when an external goa
l influences one’s 
behaviour towards them. Behaviour is a complex blend of internal pushes and e
xternal pulls.
You can be internally motivated to go to work because it makes you feel useful 
and creative. At the 
same time, it is expected of you by your surroundings and you may be doing so
mething that only  partly fulfills your desires
.  Basic vs learned
Motivation leans on motives. Motives are often categorized
into basic motives and learned motives.  Basic or primary motives
are unlearned and common to both animals and humans. We’re talking 
hunger, thirst, sex, avoidance of pain, and perhaps aggression and fear. The lear
ned or secondary  motives include achievement, power, recognition, love...
You’ll go to work to get food and avoid social exclusion. And you’ll also go to 
work to achieve  something, and possibly order others around.
http://www.yourcoach.be/en/employee‐motivation‐ebook/  

An overview of motivation theories

There are different theories about what constitutes and creates motivation. I’ve s
elected the most wellknown ones and summarised them here. Ilooked up several 
resources for eachand  created a short description,  as well as practical implicate
ons on the workfloor. I can’t claim absolute correctness 
or completeness – this is not an academic but an independent publication – but I 
dare say I’ve come  pretty close.
A. Need Theories
Need theories revolve around the fulfillment of an internal state, that makes cert
ain outcomes  appear attractive.
 These theories formthe basic foundations of motivation theories, and are the m
ost  straightforward.
 There are three main needs theories:
1-Maslow’s Pyramid Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s theory states that people have a pyramide hierarchy of needs th
at they will satisfy from 
bottom to top. There are deficiency needs, that will stifle any other move
ment if they’re not 
satisfied, and growth needs, that can be progressively satisfied once the b
asics have been covered.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

2- Alderfer’s ERG Model
Alderfer’s model condenses Maslow’s five human needs into three catego
ries: Existence (material 
and physiological), Relatedness (social and external esteem) and Growth 
(internal esteem and self  actualisation).
 3-McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory
McClelland’s acquired
needs theory states that an individual’s specific needs are acquired over ti
me 
according to one’s life experiences. He described three types of motivatio
nal need: achievement  motivation (n‐
ach), authority/power motivation (n‐pow) and affiliation motivation (n‐
affil).

B. Adams’ Equity Theory
Equity theory states that people seek to maintain a balance between their inputs 
and the outcomes  they receive, also in relation to the outputs of others.
 Fair treatment creates motivation. It adds a 
crucial additional perspective to motivation theory, of comparison with ‘referent
’ others (people we  consider to be in a similar situation).

http://www.free-management-ebooks.com/news/adams-equity-theory/
C. Herzberg’s Job Design Model
Herzberg’s model is the most widely replicated and used in business. It
splits hygiene factors from 
motivation factors. Hygiene factors are related to pain‐avoidance and lead to dis
satisfaction when 
they’re not satisfied. Motivation factors are related to the ability to achieve and 
experience 
psychological growth. The model introduces ‘job enrichment’ for true motivatio
n, as oppposed to  ‘job loading’.
D. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
Vroom’s theory separates effort from performance and outcomes. It  works on p
erceptions, and 
assumes that behavior is the result of conscious choices among alternatives aim
ed at maximizing 
pleasuring and avoiding pain. He introduces the concepts of Expectancy (increa
sed effort will lead to 
increased results), Instrumentality (if you perform well you will receive a value
d outcome) and  Valence (value placed on the expected outcome).
https://www.iedunote.com/expentancey-theory
E. Hackman and Oldham’s job characteristics model
The job characteristics model focuses on the task itself. It identifies five core jo
b characteristics (Skill 
variety, Task identity, Task significance, Autonomy, Feedback) that influence t
hree critical 
psychological states (Meaningfulness, Responsibility, Knowledge of outcomes). 
These, in turn, 
influence motivation and work outcomes (job satisfaction, absenteeism…). 
The theory goes on to 
suggest one can design the key components of a job for maximum motivation
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/54026295/improve_performance-with-
cover-page-v2.pdf?Expires=1669323823&Signature=VdO58U6Of~vuxK-
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4KyYCyYSXQ1cmfIAREmuuH1btkvVjaAld7U5kSu8igJqrtoG9taTY77eaejdm
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Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
. https://www.docsity.com/en/hackman-and-oldham-s-job-characteristics-
model-1/8409597/
Mariott’s Strategy

As time goes by, the importance of internationalization and globalization has

increased at a faster rate where very few companies have successfully survived
and maintained its position by understanding the cross cultural management.

Even if organizations or businesses are working within the country with

culturally diverse workforce, it is a challenge for them to identify growth
opportunities by working collaboratively. This is because working with diverse
cultural workforce increases work exposure as new methods that are used in
other cultures to do the same task is introduced.

Moreover, by working in a cross-cultural surroundings, it is important for the

business organizations to aware themselves of how different culture and people
from that culture influences the organization. In addition, the organizations must
pursue effective leadership approach to motivate employees.

The organizations as leaders must have ability to understand the actual

definition of diversified cultural coworkers so that they could practically
implement it well. This paper discusses Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ cross
cultural management as it is an international organization and deals with people
across cultures on a routine basis.

Marriott Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading chains in hospitality industry
globally. The Marriott Hotels & Resorts operates in more than 500 locations
globally and serves its customers with excellent quality services. Marriott
Hotels and Resorts serves culturally diverse customers by its culturally diverse
workforce.

Considering Marriott Hotels & Resorts, it is a perfect organization where every

single objective is accomplished and both the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards
are considered as highly significant (Hill, Jones & Schilling 2014).

Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” and Marriott:

Abraham Maslow is regarded as one of the most established theorists in terms

of employee motivation. Maslow has founded his supposition on the needs
founded motivation approach. When a lower level need of an employee is being
satisfied, he seeks to satisfy his next top level need and ultimately the employee
reaches to the selfactualization level.

The Maslow’s supposition consists of five different levels (Gary 2011):

(a) Physiological At Marriott Hotels & Resorts, the physical needs of all the
employees are considered as highly important and the management tries its best
to provide shelter, money, food and several other benefits like life insurance,
health benefits and retirement plans to its employees.

(b) Safety This is a general assumption at the Marriott Hotels & Resorts is that
the only way to make a worker more productive for an organization is by
providing him job security and Marriott Hotels & Resorts also by makes it sure
that several other workers as well as the workplace follow secure enactments
while on the work site.

(c) Social Interpersonal relationships are highly valued and encouraged at

the Marriott Hotels & Resorts. Effectual interpersonal associations are
considered as really essential by the management and here, the managers form
an CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

The most encouraging point is that, at Marriott Hotels & Resorts; continuous
managerial communication regarding operational issues is an essential
component of satisfying a worker’s social needs.

(d) Self Esteem It is a basic need of an employee to be able to learn several

other duties and tasks and expand his tasks in some way or the other. The
Marriott Hotels & Resorts management uses some popular techniques like job
enrichment, cross training and special assignments for making duties more
rewarding. Here, the employees are also allowed to take part in the
organization’s decision making processes.

(e) Self-Actualization A worker will show much more interest in personal

development and growth with the self-actualization.

Marriott authorities are completely aware of the fact that all of its employees
want a really demanding job, a chance to finish their education and autonomy to
explain their personal processes for accomplishing organizational goals. The
managers at Marriott Hotels & Resorts totally focus upon encouraging a work
environment where a worker can easily meet his personal needs of self-
actualization.
 At Marriott Hotels and Resorts, both the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards
are considered as highly significant.

The lifestyle brand powering Marriott’s commitment to an inspirational

employee experience is their global wellbeing program, TakeCare. Founded on
the three pillars of opportunity, community and purpose, TakeCare is as much a
cultural empowerment platform for Marriott’s employees as it is a wellbeing
program. 

TakeCare does not solely promote employee wellbeing. It is the mechanism by

which Marriott’s company culture and core values are kept fresh, relevant and
personal for all employees. In that way, TakeCare is also a cultural renewal
program that inspires employees to bring the company’s core values and distinct
brand cultures to life.  

Based on our experience, we have observed three conditions for an inspirational

culture of success:
1.    Lead by Example: Live Your Company’s Core Values

Leaders must make the decision to identify and affirm core values. Espousing
values is one thing – living them is another. It means having the courage to take
on the tough stuff. Not only is it the right thing to do, it will resonate with more
people and in more ways than you may anticipate. For example, we have trained
more than 600,000 hotel workers in human trafficking awareness. While
externally some might have questioned our decision to shine a light on the
potential for human trafficking in hotel environments, we never
hesitated. Why? Because of our foundational business principle to place
people’s wellbeing above all else in decision-making. It is the embodiment of
our core value: Put People First. 

2.    Empower Your Employees to Animate Your Company Culture

One of the hardest, but also wisest, things for leaders to do is to entrust
employees with the company culture. How do you do that? Empower
employees at every level of the organization to express your core values in a
way that is relevant and meaningful to them. In that way, they will bring your
culture to life and truly own it. Resist the urge to create culture by telling people
how to behave. That time-worn idea is a sure path to a static and uninspiring
culture that will not fare well in our diverse, fast-changing and disruptive
world. By empowering associates to translate core values into day-to-day
culture, you will ensure that your culture is continuously refreshed and remains
vibrant across cultures and generations. It’s not “What should our culture be?”
but rather, “What can I be doing to inspire our people as the true stewards of an
evergreen culture of success?”

While in some ways, employee empowerment is more important than ever in

the modern workplace, we could not overemphasize the importance of
sponsorship and role modeling by leaders. Notably, the Great Place to Work®
Institute which surveys 10 million people each year finds that the leader
behavior accounts for 70% of employees’ view of the workplace
experience. This means that it is more important than ever for leaders to be well
trained as effective cultural stewards. 

3.    Ensure Your Core Values and Culture Reflect Fundamental Human

Needs 

It all boils down to the foundation that is set in place. The pillars of human
wellbeing connect your employees to the company culture and ultimately to the
customer. It really is all about human connection. Opportunity is about
supporting employees as they better understand themselves and strive to build a
better tomorrow. Community is about their connection to others in their daily
life, such as family, co-workers, customers and others. And, purpose is about
broader human connection from local to global society.       

At Marriott, employee engagement survey results reveal a steady pattern of two

cultures becoming one, rooted in common enthusiasm and allegiance to a
company focused on promoting employee wellbeing  

At Marriott, we want everyone to feel that they belong — that they are family

We believe there is an important lesson for a successful merger of company

cultures. The priority should be to create common bonds and mutual enthusiasm
through the universal desire for employee wellbeing. That means paying more
than lip service. It means prioritizing the needs of the workforce and the health
of the internal community as a precursor to offering the best of your company to
the public. 

From that strength, you will find the trust and openness to manage through the
differences and gain alignment on the future direction of a newly combined
company. We feel it made all the difference in creating not just the world’s
largest hotel company — consisting of thirty brands and over seven thousand
hotels in more than one-hundred and thirty countries throughout the world —
but also one that is well-positioned to thrive in the rapidly changing
marketplace. 

At Marriott, we want everyone to feel that they belong — that they are
family. Time and energy that do not have to be expended trying to fit in, can be
used instead to build relationships, contribute and grow. No matter how large
our company, we never want to lose the family-feel that our founders so wisely
and caringly cultivated. Our simple yet powerful way of building inclusive
community is to unify through the common need for opportunity, community
and purpose. Our experience is that as individuals grow and experience greater
connectivity with an increasingly wider network of people and societal
concerns, they tend to make the personal transition to become a champion of
inclusion and more generally a people-centric organization’s culture. It’s the
multiplying effect of this quest for inspiration that has fueled Marriott’s culture
of sustainable success that was initiated by our founders’ focal business
principle, “Take care of your employees and they will take care of the
customers, and the customers will come back.”    

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/marriotts-quest-inspire-every-employee-david-
rodriguez

Ways of motivation

1 A face-to-face conversation

2 Managers pay attention to employees who made mistakes can stimulate

passion

3 Better connection between leaders&employees,cooperation,work efficiency

improve

4 Annual General Comment.They will be rewarded for improvements and

behaviors(say whatever they want)

Ways

Provisions Promotion System

Promotion

Nearly perfect management of promotion.

The system benefits both guests and employees.They should work hard to get a
higher salary and position.
For guests,they will achieve a lower price and a better experience because of the
win-win system

Excellent conditions

1 two days of free hotel stay,a good chance

2 employee health insurance

3 achieve respect from influential leaders

4 They feel warm and no pressure

5 the more emotional support,the more powerful abilities they will behave

https://prezi.com/p/syrtz9lqupxf/how-are-the-employees-motivated-in-the-
marriott-hotel-in-dubai/

MARRIOTT

Marriott International is s the world's largest hotel company. The competitive

advantages of Marriott are based largely on the brand name with pricing power,
recurring fee business model, significant switching costs for its property
owners, long contracts and scale.222016/12/

Douglas McGregor and Marriott:

Theory X supposes that every worker is lazy and will avoid working if
provided with an opportunity. Generally most of the managers across the world
subscribe to this concept. On the other hand Theory Y supposes that employees
want to perform an excellent job and will perform their duties in an extremely
good manner, if managers allow them to do so. Relatively a smaller number of
managers agree with this supposition and even a smaller number of jobs are
suitable for its execution (Miroshnik 2013).

Now considering the work environment of Marriott Hotels & Resorts, its
managers across the globe execute both the theory X and Y according to the
culture of the country in which they are operating. Like a manager working in
an Asian environment will probably make use of Theory X, in order to maintain
the reputation of his organization (Kumar 2010).

This is because there is a high likelihood that Asian people tend to avoid their
duties and liabilities, so the manager thinks that his job is to vitalize the
employees and to organize the work. The manager of Asian environment
believes that the mere purpose of the worker’s interest in the duty is money.
Here, one drawback is that the manager will probably blame the individual in
first, without interrogating the fact that whether the fault may be due to the
policy, lack of employees’ training or system that deserves the criticism.

On the other hand, Marriott Hotels & Resorts operating in the Western
environment will probably have theory Y in execution. This is due to the reason
that Western people are believed to be enjoying their physical and mental work
tasks. So the manager of a Marriott Hotels & Resorts operating in a Western
culture assumes that workers are self-motivated and ambitious (Cameron &
Quinn 2011).

Western workers possess the capability of innovative problem solving. Hence,

given appropriate circumstances; the manager of Theory Y believes that
workers will learn to accept duties and they can execute self-direction and
control in achieving the Marriott Hotels & Resorts’s goals to which the workers
are committed. Motivation at Marriott Hotels & Resorts: The style of leadership
can be defined as process of interaction between the groups of individuals that
consists of restructured or structured situation, perceptions and expectations of
members (Flamholtz and Randle 2011).

This can also be explained as the behavior pattern that leaders go along with
during job with and via others, as they discern it. The three essential factors that
decide the kind of leadership style are characteristics of leaders, characteristics
of subordinates and the environment of an organization.

Therefore, the styles of leadership can be categorized in accordance with the

power of the leader and his behavior as democratic, autocratic and laissezfaire;
where leadership styles are differentiated by the impact of leaders upon their
juniors. More distinctively, dictatorial or autocratic style of leadership is
implanted in leaders possessing complete organizational control and decision
making authority in their hands (Hartman and Werhane 2013).

Normally such leaders do not share this kind of authority with their juniors,
while participative or democratic style of leadership suggests that leaders
dispense their workers’ power of decision making and assign, and ultimately
Laissez-faire style of leadership describes that leaders provide their workers
with much power of decision making. Effectual leadership is extremely
important in present day’s competitive trade circumstances and obviously
hospitality business cannot be excluded from it.

Instead the requirement for effectual leadership in this industry is even more
significant, especially in the context of Marriott; which is a globally famous
 luxury hotel. Marriott provides its customers with the highest quality standards
of service and customer care (Werner, Schuler and Jackson 2012).

The managers at Marriott are recognized with distinctive professional and

personal characteristics and charisma compulsory to be a productive hotel
manager. Globally, Marriott Hotels & Resorts managers have got the ability to
head from the front by Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics
www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8435

An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.19, 2016 3 establishing an example

for their workers to follow. They have got the capability to push their
employees towards the success and have the charisma to impact the staff in a
creative and a positive way (Flamholtz and Randle 2011).

Managers at Marriott clearly understand the requirements of the workers as

well as of the customers and have got the capability to solve the different issues
and motivate employees in some of the most challenging situations. Rage for
success, intelligence, personality and resilience are some of their other
important attributes. The prosperous leadership manner implemented at the
Marriott hotels is the perception provided by its originators who were born
leaders (Meier & Liker 2005). Contemporary Marriott Hotels & Resorts depict
the extensive journey of prosperity that its founders had got a vision, which was
being interpreted into reality. Furthermore, the contemporary leadership of
Marriott Hotels & Resorts has also nurtured itself in accordance with the similar
values and vision laid by its originators.

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234693179.pdf

https://www.academia.edu/39818937/Marriott_International

Employee experience below at Marriott International,

88% of employees at Marriott International say it is a great place to work

compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.
 Marriott International
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000152

Cons of Hotel Management:

1 –   Long working hours- Although very rewarding, the hotel industry is characterized by
early starts and late finishes. You’ll have to put in long working hours no matter your
role.

2 –   Lots of physical labor- One cannot be laid back and do a desk job in this business.
One needs to often fold their sleeves and work up a sweat.

3 –   No festive holidays- Unfortunately, if you’re working in this line, you’ll most likely
never get festive holidays because that’s the peak time for business.

4 –   Work may get stressful- The more work, the more stress. Plus having to deal with
numerous people repeatedly may get overbearing. You’ll have to increase your mental
fortitude to cope.

5 –   Very sensitive to economic up and down swings- The economy directly controls the
profit and loss in this industry. If the economy is suffering, so will the business, and
workers may have to face delayed salaries.

6 –   Limited skill variety growth- Hoteling leaves very little scope for becoming an all-
rounder, except in depression /recession periods, when multitasking is inevitable, to
remain viable. You usually have to stick to your role and work hard in it.
7 –   Getting into the industry can be easy, some do not even require staff members to
have a background in hospitality. However, it can also be just as difficult to break
through the top.

8 –   High standards and tight deadlines- The hospitality sector is all about doing
everything possible to make sure that the customer is satisfied. The clients can be
demanding and so can be the management.

9 –   Very little hope of promotion to Manager level.

10 – Needs to work hard, No day-offs on National Holidays. When Half of the world
celebrates, you’d have to work.

https://www.bfitdoon.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-hotel-management-course/
. Help employees as you would guests.

Treat your employees exactly how you want them to treat customers, and
you're likely to get positive feedback from both parties. Massive companies
like Marriott International chiefly trust their brand reputations to desk
clerks, housekeeping staff, and other frontline employees. If those
employees aren’t having a good experience at work, they’ll have little
incentive to make guests feel any better.

While hotel guests may be quick to ask for what they want, employees won’t
always do the same. That’s why it’s important to provide positive,
meaningful feedback to keep them motivated and to make sure their needs
are met. Gallup's research shows that employees who believe their
managers have employees’ success in mind are far more receptive to
criticism, compliments, and advice. Thus, they’re far more likely to adjust
their approach to work in response to helpful feedback. 

2. Align employees around your purpose.

You have a vision for your business's future. You won’t be able to bring that
vision to life without your employees, but they won’t be much help if they
don’t know what your vision is. A 2019 survey from PwC found that only
28% of employees from around the world felt connected to their company’s
purposes; more than half weren’t even “somewhat” excited or passionate
about their jobs. However, at companies that communicate the value they
provide to customers, at least 63% of employees feel some excitement,
motivation, and even pride about their work. It goes to show that a sense of
purpose and job satisfaction are deeply related.
 After a recent acquisition and other major organizational changes, Marriott
wanted to ensure its marketing team of more than 300 staff members
was aligned on purpose. It partnered with Mitchell, a public relations firm,
to organize a multi-day conference aimed at empowering the team with a
clear purpose, resources to help drive their performance, and positive
interactions with leadership. The experience gave the team a better
understanding of the hotel business and its core business objectives, setting
the stage for the next phase of growth. 

3. Prioritize employee well-being.

David Rodriguez, Marriott’s global chief HR officer and 2019’s HR

Executive of the Year, says the future success of the hotelier’s business is
completely dependent on its ability to foster a sense of well-being among
employees. That philosophy has been ingrained in the company’s DNA
since the 1930s, when its founders hired a company doctor to care for
employees as the business expanded.

Today, employee well-being looks like leadership salary cuts to get the
company through the COVID-19 crisis, and the hospitality company is still
providing furloughed employees with health insurance. Crisis aside,
Marriott is a leading employer of veterans, ethnic minorities, workers with
disabilities, and other segments often underrepresented in the modern
workforce. The company also makes sure work-life balance meets employee
expectations by giving birth mothers up to 15 weeks of paid parental leave
and eight weeks to fathers and adoptive parents. 

Marriott’s Strengths
1. Global Presence: Global operations and presence not only increases revenues but also
spreads the risk. If one revenue from one region decline, the company can rely on the other
regions. Marriott operates across 127 countries and territories globally.
2. Market Leadership: Marriott is the largest hotel chain globally with over 30 brands, 81
hotels, and $25.1 billion in assets under its impressive portfolio and 6,500 properties offering
over 1.2 million rooms across the globe. Being the largest ensures it enjoys the full benefits
of economies of scale.
3. Excellent Reputation: Marriott is ranked #44 for diversity, #100 just companies, #243
world’s best employers, #84 top regarded companies and #38 best employers for women.
Also, it has been one of the regulars on the Fortune 500 list for 21 years and was ranked
#151 in 2019.
4. Strategic Partnerships: Marriott partners with some of the biggest players in different
sectors, which has enabled the company to undercut the competition. It recently partnered
with Alibaba to enable millions of customers to book directly without deposits.
5. Profitable Acquisitions: From Ritz Carlton to Starwood, Resorts Worldwide, Bulgari Hotel,
and Gaylord, Marriott has expanded its portfolio, revenues, and profits through the
acquisition of highly profitable brands.
6. Loyal Customers: A section Marriott’s customers will not even consider switching to any
other hotel. The company has nurtured one of the most loyal customers using a combination
of strategies, including one of the largest loyalty programs.
7. Strict Code of Conduct: The hotel service business is highly sensitive to a wide range of
issues. From cleanliness to etiquette and punctuality in service delivery, Marriott’s strict
code of conduct ensures delivery of all these ingredients of success.
8. Highly Innovative: Marriott delivers value by exploiting innovation and technology
effectively. From Villas and Homes venture to wallet-free experience, innovative operations
are at the core of Marriott’s success. It ranked #21 Most Innovative Company.

Marriott’s Weaknesses
1. Ineffective Data Protection: Consumers distrust and avoid companies that fail to protect
their data. In 2018, the guest reservation database of Marriott’s Starwood was hacked
and personal information of up to 500 million people was exposed, including names,
addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers, and so on.
2. Poor Positioning: Marriott is marketed and structured as a family-focused business
from market position to management. The future of the hospitality industry lies in young
single millennials, which makes Marriott’s family-focused positioning a major weakness.
3. Negative Publicity: The Service industry is sensitive to public perception. Marriott’s
reputation has been tainted in 2017 by the decision to rescue only its hotel guests from St.
Thomas after Hurricane Irma and kept non-guests off the cruise ship even though it was
half-empty.
4. Civil Lawsuits: Issues with the law always portray companies in a bad light. Marriott was
sued for blocking customers’ personal Wi-Fi citing security concerns and was fined
$600,000.
5. Too Strict: Although strictness is vital for success, breathing down the neck of employees is
a sure way to bring down morale, productivity, and efficiency. Marriott requires employees to
follow the code of conduct to the letter and fired an employee in 2018 for ‘liking’ a
tweet that offended China.

Marriott’s Opportunities
1. Shifting Demographics: As more and more millennials and Gen-Z enter into the consumer
market; the company has the opportunity to grow its customer base by positioning as a cool
youthful brand. Millennials are already delivering change in the hospitality

2. Focus on Emerging Economies: Demand for high-end hospitality services in developing

countries is increasing rapidly and presents lucrative opportunities for hotel chains like
Marriott.
3. Diversify Offerings: Satisfying customers of the digital age goes beyond offering basic
services. They demand personalized services. Marriott can differentiate itself from
competitors by offering customized services that cater to the specific needs of customers.
4. Expand into Related Sectors: The hotel chain business is linked to a wide range of sectors
from tourism to catering, real estate, and many more. Marriott can offer houses for hire like
Airbnb.

Marriott’s Threats
1. Global Pandemic: Marriot has already lost 92% of its profits as the number of customers
declines due to the pandemic. If the virus becomes a permanent reality or comes in a
second wave, Marriott’s profitability will continue to suffer.

2. Stiff Competition: The hospitality industry is highly competitive. From Hilton to Novotel and
many more, renowned hotel chains can reduce Marriott’s market share drastically if they get
a chance.
3. Looming Recession: Countries are sliding deeper into recession with millions of jobs wiped
off in a short period. The adverse effects of the global recession have proven in the past to
be particularly destructive to companies in the hospitality industry.
4. Trade Tension: With the widespread adoption of isolationism, global conglomerates and
companies like Marriott are perfect targets for tariffs by disgruntled populist governments. If
Marriott is used as leverage or pawn in the trade war, it can a substantial portion of its
revenues.
5. Risk of Terror Attacks: Marriott is a five-star accommodation facility that attracts customers
of different nationalities. Terror groups target star-rated hotels with a large number of
foreigners.

https://bstrategyhub.com/marriot-swot-analysis/