Hilton Hotels

Business situation

Discuss about the Change Management of Hilton Hotels.

Change management being one of the most prominent concept of study of management, provides acknowledgement of various models that can be applied. Attempts have been hereby made to apply theoretical concepts of management into practical situation. It can be hereby included in the project that Hilton hotels have attained a leading position in global hospitality. Maintaining a broad portfolio of thousands of hotels and resorts all over the world is a complex task that requires in depth knowledge of concept of  management principles and models to resolve various issues that create a tough competition in global market.  Marriott international has succeeded in creating a better position in global hospitality as compared to Hilton hotels. The study work presented below is thereby prepared to highlight the concept of applying change management for improving communication system, relationship with stakeholders, quality of leadership, etc within the cultural environment of Hilton hotels located within geographical boundaries of United Kingdom (Anderson, and Anderson, 2010).

The report presented below includes a study work focusing on impact of increased level of competition within hospitality sector. Considering effect of emerging trends and economic elements within hospitality industry in general and upon Hilton business group particularly has been included there of. Number of competitors from all over the world has evolved to provide strong competition to cited organization. It is thereby important to explain the necessity of adapting new strategic change to workforce within hospitality business. Smooth functioning of cited business firm all over world can be accredited to stronger bond that has been maintained with customers, employees, shareholders, etc since years. However it is important to maintain the same accuracy in relationship with each of individual and groups having specific interest with success of firm cited.  It has become important for the leaders to deliver best of their ability by applying most appropriate models of change management. Extent of efficiency in application of various models for aligning with changing trends depends directly on how efficiently these have been explained to the workforce. It is required that leaders at Hilton hotel still put in a lot of efforts for explaining the need for change in working environment so that it becomes easy to lead the hospitality world by attracting maximum travelers through excellence in service providing (Hayes, 2014).

Bringing about a change within organization is a two way process. It requires bringing changes on overall basis as well as within different functional activities that are followed regularly. It is therefore extremely important to manage the quality of working of each of employee so that targeted goals and objectives are attained easily. Depending upon complexity and impact of current issues, various models of change management are adopted to enable implementation of new strategic practices and organizational principles that simplify the process of change.

Implementation of change in the business situation

Lewin’s change management model can be applied for bringing required modification in leadership style followed to lead the working team. Three steps are required to be followed for implementing new plan and structure for managing effective leadership. The process begins with analyzing the need for bringing a change in pattern of leadership. Unfreezing therefore initiates the process of change by preparing executives responsible for leading respective department of workforce (Pohl, 2010). After unfreezing stage, the process of change actually initiates wherein authoritative leadership style is adopted for bringing strategic changes whereas democratic style is applied for bringing changes that require equal participation of workforce in decision making. Finally, refreeze procedure takes place wherein management executives and leaders of cited organization are ensured that issues related to leadership pattern are resolved efficiently.

Workforce working within an organization is the only part which works actively to implement any changes that occurs within organizational environment. Managers and leaders at Hilton hotel in England, Scotland and other European regions lay special emphasis on focusing on analysis of need of change within different segments that has enabled them to align with changing needs of hospitality sector. It has thereby become important for the leaders to deliver best of their ability by applying most appropriate models of change management. It is therefore extremely important to manage the quality of working of each of employee so that targeted goals and objectives are attained easily.

Alignment between managers and leaders is important so that required changes are analyzed and appropriate model is selected to implement the same within different departments. Implementation of new strategies and principles begins with effective leadership style adopted to attain maximum benefits can be attained by applying Kurt Lewin’s model of change management. Need for bringing about changes is analyzed so as to keep a balance with changing economic, political and socio-cultural factors of geographical area within which a business segment is established. However, it is required that elements bringing about a change in hospitality world are studied and required models are applied to implement new policies and principles. Thus, changes in leadership strategies provide a boost to alignment of organizational structure and its workforce (Cameron, and Green, 2015).

Stakeholders group of cited organization comprises of individual and organizations that hold specific interest in overall working pattern followed, to achieve targeted objectives. Extent of efficiency in achievement of organizational objectives and alignment with interest of stakeholders group has determined positive image of cited business firm within hospitality sector. Hilton group has a broad portfolio of activities carried out to provide quality services to its customers, tourists and travelers. Changing business trends and economic condition have put an urgency to implement a change wherever required. Stakeholder objectives must be fulfilled so that rivals cannot acquire even a single percentage of shareholders interest (Keppel and Wardell?Johnson, 2012). Mc Kinsey 7s model can be applied to create a stronger bond with various stakeholders as under:

• Creating strategy: Increasing competition has threatened very existence of cited organization against its rivals as more and more customers are pulled by attractive return on investment policies. It is therefore important to satisfy interest of stakeholders by forming a plan that provides better financial results.
• Forming a structure: On the basis of strategy selected previously, organizational structure is formed in such a way that it divides the cluster of activities into efficient groups and departments.
• System: After formation of new departments, activities are carried out in appropriate manner. The way in which various activities are followed determines creation of suitable system for implementing new strategic principles within different departments.
• Shared values: Hilton group works on the core value of providing quality services to its people. Hence, only new set of values and beliefs are followed with very little change in core value.
• Style: Changes adopted and leadership style adopted to implement the same is termed as style. Usually participative style is applied to implement changes as equal participation of all departments is required to bring maximum overall success.
• Staff: New plan is executed and put into practice by providing adequate training to workforce. It is important to explain the necessity of following altered strategic policies for achieving new targets to keep pace with changing trends (Kotter, 2011).
• Skills: It is important to provide adequate training to work force to enable them to accept new challenges and provide quality services to travelers and tourists. Success of implementation of new policies depends directly upon efficiency of work force in understanding the need for same.

Application of change management in various areas of hospitality business: Leadership

Integration of various departments provides a boost to overall success and longer stability of a firm in international market. Effective communication can take place top-to-bottom or from bottom-to-top. Flow of information from top level generally includes issuance of guidelines and assistance to workforce. On the other hand flow of information from bottom is mostly related to problems faced by work force and employees in aligning with new plan and policies. Hilton group is an American chain of hotels and resorts located worldwide working on basis of common values and culture followed for satisfying needs of travelers. The cited business firm has established stronger goodwill value throughout number of markets located on within different geographical areas (Seddon, Calvert and Yang, 2010). However, increased competition within European regions has created a need for cited hospitality firm to develop such a communication system through which effective interaction can take place between top most authority and workforce. Not only this, flow of communication is important to be maintained among chain of hotels and resorts so that they can work for achieving common set of targets and objectives. Process of bringing a change within organizational structure is a difficult one which can be simplified by building competence level among employees and motivating them to align with changed principles and communicate with each other to fasten the process of change implementation.

Kotter’s 8 step change model can be followed for improving communication system and bringing required change in behavioral pattern of employees. The process begins wherein need for changing communication pattern is analyzed on account of increased communication gap. Such an issue might be resolved by adopting more of verbal communication unlike non verbal system so that enough of time is saved by directly transferring information to respective department. Workforce must be motivated to encourage integration for aligning with changed business environment. This ensures providing tough competition to rival hospitality firms. After gaining confidence of employees, changes are implemented by communicating them throughout business environment. Communication with workforce is important for making communication system a better one. Required assistance must be provided for enabling entire workforce to achieve maximum benefits through effective communication system. New principles and strategies can be thus made permanent (Hughes, 2011). Thus, this model enables entire workforce to accept and change slowly and gradually according to new communication plans. Hilton have been following implementation of change through verbal communication for applying strategic changes wherein it is required to communicate with every individual working within respective departments.

Conclusion

It can be hereby included that surviving within hospitality business for a longer time duration providing strong defeat to rivals such as Marriott International is a complicated task for Hilton group like others in same industry. However, the issue of increasing competition and attractive return policies of rivals can be resolved by aligning with emerging trends that require bringing a change within communication system, leadership style and stakeholders relationship. Depending upon extent of urgency in bringing about a change within different segments, appropriate models are studied in depth and applied by management executives working for Hilton group. Thus, any emerging trend that brings about a change within organizational environment of an organization can be a reason accredited for improved service quality and relationship with various stakeholders.

References

Anderson, D. and Anderson, L.A., 2010. Beyond change management: How to achieve breakthrough results through conscious change leadership. John Wiley & Sons.

Hayes, J., 2014. The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan.

Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015. Making sense of change management: a complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.

Pohl, K., 2010. Requirements engineering: fundamentals, principles, and techniques. Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated.

Keppel, G. and Wardell?Johnson, G.W., 2012. Refugia: keys to climate change management. Global Change Biology. 18(8). pp.2389-2391.

Kotter, J., 2011. Change Management vs. Change Leadership--What's the Difference?. Forbes online. Retrieved. 12(21). p.11.

Kocar, V. and Akgunduz, A., 2010. ADVICE: A virtual environment for Engineering Change Management. Computers in Industry. 61(1). pp.15-28.

Mehanna, H., Olaleye, O. and Licitra, L., 2012. Oropharyngeal cancer–is it time to change management according to human papilloma virus status?. Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery. 20(2). pp.120-124.

Seddon, P.B., Calvert, C. and Yang, S., 2010. A multi-project model of key factors affecting organizational benefits from enterprise systems. MIS quarterly. 34(2). pp.305-328.

Hughes, M., 2011. Do 70 per cent of all organizational change initiatives really fail?. Journal of Change Management. 11(4). pp.451-464.