Sheraton Dongguan Hotel - Case Study Example

AN EVALUATION OF STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY THE SHERATON DONGGUAN HOTEL MSA 600 Foundations of Research Methods in Administration Central Michigan University Submitted by: Student Name Project Instructor: Professor Name Submission Date Table of Contents Page Number List of Tables ……………………………………………….. List of Figures ………………………………………………. Figure 1: Growth Potentials for Mid-scale and Budget Hotel Segments in China…………. 10 Chapter 1 Problem Definition ………………………….. 3 Chapter 2 Literature Review …………………………… 7 Chapter 3 Research Methodology ……………………… 11 Chapter 4 Data Analysis ……………………………….. Chapter 5 Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations… Definition of Terms ………………………………………….. References ………………………………………………… 18 Appendix A Permission to Conduct Study ………………… 20 Appendix B Consent Form ………………………………… 21 Appendix C Survey/Interview Questions …………………… 23 Chapter 1: Problem Definition Background There are different sectors in the economy which contribute to a nation’s growth. One of the most dynamic sectors is the hospitality industry. Traditionally, there are three (3) major types of hospitality services: (1) food and beverage; (2) accommodations; and (3) travel and tourism (Reynolds, 2015). For large and popular hotels, services include providing accommodations, as well as food and beverages to guests. Current and future trends in the hospitality industry in various parts of the globe are being monitored by practitioners to enable responding to driving forces and growth patterns. A closer look at the hospitality industry in China, for instance, revealed that the sector offers immense opportunities for organizations that are already entrenched in the sector; as well as for new and potential entrants. According to a report on China’s hospitality industry, “China’s hospitality market will be among the most important – if not the most important – markets for global operators, as room supply continues to grow and players broaden their portfolios for more brands” (AT Kearney, Inc., 2013, p. 2). From the statement alone, it could be deduced that various factors in the external environment provide the impetus for dynamic and robust changes in the hospitality sector in China. As such, major players evaluate these external forces and prepare strategies to react and respond according to the clients’ changing needs and demands. One of the major players in the industry in Sheraton Dongguan Hotel. The five star hotel is located at Houjie Dongguan, Guangdong Province. The hotel is strategically located and accessible to various international airports, like the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which is a 75 minutes’ drive from Sheraton. Likewise, the Shenzhen Bao’an Airport is also deemed to be closer with only 50 minutes’ drive to the location. Moreover, there are 209 major hotels in the city of Dongguan; making the area highly competitive (Search for Hotels in Dongguan, 2015). Other popular and first star hotels located at Dongguan include the Hyatt Regency Dongguan, Regency Hotel, and the Wellton International Hotel. Sheraton Dongguan Hotel also boasts of offering as many of 500 carefully designed rooms which could accommodate guests, travelers, tourists, and other local residents to meet their varied needs. The amenities include the following: “free speed wifi, a newly upgraded Sheraton Fitness Center with outdoor swimming pool, the installed Sheraton Sweet Sleeper® Bed which allegedly provides balance and comfort for a productive stay, selected rooms with upgraded amenities, rainforest showers, magnificent views of the city, as well as exclusive Sheraton Lounge access” (Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, 2015, p. 1). Bookings and reservations could be made online. Aside from stiffer competition, other external forces that hotels in the area monitor include: budget and mid-scale segments exhibiting greatest growth potentials, the consumers become more sophisticated, emergence of new models and formats (time shares and vacation rentals), and that the government still predominantly shapes the industry (AT Kearney, Inc., 2013). As such, various analytical tools could be used by practitioners in the industry to assist them in capturing opportunities in the environment, as well as warding off impending threats. Research Problem The hospitality industry continues to evolve and exhibit changing patterns according to the preferences of consumers. China’s robust growth and emergence as a super power evidently exemplified marked growths in the hospitality industry (The Statistical Portal, 2015). The current study aims to explore and determine the strategies employed by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in China which enables them to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry. As such, the following research questions are intended to be answered: 1. What marketing strategies are implemented by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in Guangdong Province, China to enable them to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry? 2. What are the driving forces that paved the way for customers to prefer Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s services in contemporary times? 3. How does Sheraton Hotel differentiate themselves from other hotels in China? 4. How does cultural awareness and competency play as an integrative role in designing appropriate strategies that would meet the needs and demands of the Chinese customers? Research Objectives The aim of the study is to determine how decision makers in Sheraton Dongguan Hotel located in Guangdong Province, China, utilize the information gathered from the research in their strategy formation and implementation processes. Given the lucrative potentials for capturing opportunities in the hospitality service industry, by pinpointing the driving forces, the current research aims to explore factors that are incorporated in strategic management that contribute to Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s success in the hospitality service industry. Scope/Delimitations The hospitality industry is very broad and widely encompassing. As such, the current research focuses on the strategies employed by management of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel to determine their ability to react and respond to the forces in the external environment, as well as to the future trends forecasted of the industry. The findings would be useful to practitioners in the hospitality industry in China. At the onset, pertinent information which could be gathered from secondary sources would provide the initial framework for the study. The research questions would be attempted to be answered using these secondary sources and reviews of related literatures. Eventually, confirmation and validation of the reliability of the information gathered would be undertaken through interviewing managers and decision makers of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, specifically those in charge of strategies formulation, customer service, as well as marketing and sales. Likewise, there are limitations in the study due to the restricted time frame for data collection, interpretation, analysis and writing of the results. As such, the current study limits the strategies gathered to have been implemented by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel to the last three years, from 2012 up to current times. Any financial information, highlights, or statements containing components relevant to the study would be appropriated cited and used according to the confines of the current research. Finally, personal information and details pertaining to people, clients, or other stakeholders, who would be interviewed or cited from Sheraton Dongguan Hotel would be retained in private and confidential manner, based on ethical standards of research. Chapter 2: Literature Review Introduction to the Literature The hospitality industry is perceived to comprise a wide range of encompassing endeavors. The current discourse focuses on predetermined types of services that organizations in the hospitality service provide: accommodations, food and beverage, as well as opportunities for availing of travel and tourism as a spin-off from the room services to be provided by hotels. The purpose of the current chapter is to provide an overview of the hospitality industry in China. Subsequent sections will present an appropriate definition of the hospitality industry; prior to providing some relevant statistics pertaining to the current trends facing hospitality industry in China. Finally, current issues being encountered by the Sheraton Dongguan Hotel will also be provided to reveal strategies published by the hotel to capture the needs of their clientele. These sections will disclose crucial information that will be used in evaluating needed responses to the current study’s problems. The Hospitality Industry Definition of the Hospitality Industry. The hospitality industry is defined as follows: “comprised of commercial organisations that specialise in providing accommodation and/or food, and/or drink through a voluntary human exchange, which is contemporaneous in nature and undertaken to enhance the mutual well- being of the parties concerned” (Lashley & Morrison (eds.), 2000, p. 143). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015), the hospitality industry is integrated with the leisure component as part of the service-providing industries. As emphasized, the customers in the hospitality industry usually expect availing products (food and drinks), aside from room accomodations, rest and relaxation, as well as entertainment features that could be availed. The Hospitality Industry in China. China has been considered one of the fast emerging global powers which revolutionize growth in diverse industries. According to AT Kearney, Inc. (2013), “China’s hotel industry has experienced meteoric growth, resulting in a $44 billion business with 2.5 million hotel rooms… (More importantly), over the next 10 years, hospitality will become a $100 billion industry with 6.3 million rooms and reach 8 rooms per 1,000 capita” (p. 2). There were five (5) trends that have been reported to either make or break an organization within this particular sector. Accordingly, the following trends have been disclosed (1) growth varying across segments; (2) consolidation occuring between mid to high scale segments, (3) travellers allegedl becoming more sophisticated, (4) expectations for emergence of new models and formats, and finally, (5) the government still playing a crucial and dominant role in shaping the factors that affect the industry (AT Kearney, Inc., 2013). Sheraton Dongguan Hotel. The history of Sheraton was reported to date to 1937 in Springfield, Massachusetts, through the founders, Ernest Henderson and Robert Moore (Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2015). The timeline indicated that in 1985, Sheraton ventured in the People’s Republic of China in 1985. To date, aside from Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, the following hotels fall within the Sheraton group of hotels: Sheraton Zhuhai Hotel, Sheraton Zhanjiang Hotel, and the recently opened Sheraton Shantou Hotel in 2013 (Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2015). The Sheraton Dongguan Hotel was reported to be strategically located in a bustling commercial district where other business establishments are situated. In fact, the hotel is right next a premier shopping complex, the Ming Cheng Center, noted to contain products with known brands and luxury items. The hotel is equipped with 500 guest rooms and could therefore cater to the distinct and unique needs of diverse clientele. Major Players in the Hotel Industry and in Dongguan. There are a total of 977 hotels in Dongguan, China (TripAdvisor LLC, 2015). Among the most popular international names recognized in the area include the following: Hyatt Regency, Wellton International, and Grand Oriental Hotel, among others. From the industry report, one of the most popular international hotels in China is the InterContinentalHotels Group (IHG) whose loyalty program was reported to have generated as much as two (2) million members (AT Kearney, Inc., 2013). Likewise, the report also disclosed that “Marriott, Starwood, InterContinental, and Accor have a combined pipeline of about 400 new hotels in China and are still building” (AT Kearney, Inc., 2013, p. 2). Summary of the Literature The review of related literature on the subject emphasized the robust and dynamic potentials for growth for hotels in China. There were several trends that hotels should monitor to enable to design appropriate strategies to increase the market shares. As noted, there are forces in the external environment that impacts the hotel industry in China (AT Kearney, Inc., 2013). In view of these trends, hotels like Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, should be able to capitalize on their strengths to update their strategies and appeal to the increasingly sophisticated clientele. A review of the current and future trends in the hotel industry indicated that discerning clientele prefers personalized services, state-of-the art amenities, and differentiated strategies. From ranking of top hotels in Dongguan, it could be deduced that Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, though acknowledged as one of the top and best international hotels in the area, should apply increasingly effective strategies to capture the interest and appeal of the target market. As mentioned, the InterContinental Hotel (ICH) is one of the most preferred international hotels due to their loyalty program. As such, Sheraton Dongguan should undertake a most intensive research to find out more about the loyalty program at ICH and be able to design a strategy that appropriately captures and integrates attractive components of the strategy. Moreover, despite alleged information disclosing the trend for budget and mid-scale hotels to apparently exhibit greater growth potentials, Sheraton Dongguan should be able to develop a responding strategy that would capture clients who are price sensitive and who could be intimidated at availing of services from international hotels, like Sheraton. Chapter 3: Research Methodology Research Approach There are a wealth of information on the hospitality industry in China which provide accurate information on a macro-oriented perspective. As briefly disclosed in the first chapter, pertinent information is gathered from secondary sources to provide the initial conceptual framework for the study. The current research would utilize both literary review of related literature through authoritative secondary sources of information. Concurrently, the research questions would be answered using the information gathered. Subsequently, confirmation and validation of the reliability of the information gathered would be undertaken through interviewing managers and decision makers of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, specifically those in charge of strategies formulation, customer service, as well as marketing and sales. A qualitative descriptive method of research would be utilized as the dominant approach for the current study. This approach is most appropriate for soliciting the responses to the indicated questions in the research. As emphasized, “qualitative descriptive studies tend to draw from naturalistic inquiry, which purports a commitment to studying something in its natural state to the extent that is possible within the context of the research arena” (Lambert & Lambert, 2012, p. 255). Moreover, the interview method would validate patterns or trends in the results, explain and clarify pertinent concerns, as well as confirm conflicting conjunctions. Data Collection Approach and Procedures Data to be collected. The research issue would use the program evaluation as the typology. The data that is to be collected in the current study are the current strategies implemented by large international hotels, like Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, to successfully compete in the market. Likewise, the trends and external forces that drive hotels to pursue, adapt, or change their strategies would also be determined. Moreover, the kind of strategies being employed by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, as well as other competitors would be collected for further evaluation. Finally, factors that contribute to current strategical designs would be determined, as needed. Primary research question and sub-question data details. The primary research question is: What strategies are most appropriate to be employed and implemented by large international hotels, like Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in China in view of changing trends affecting the hospitality industry? Given the comprehensive scope of the research question, the data elements that are required to be collected include the following: the top competitors (large international hotels) that excel in China, the reasons why these hotels are preferred by the local customers, the special offers and distinctive features in hotel services that are being promoted, as well as the extensiveness of research undertaken in terms of responding and reacting to current and future trends. The following sub-questions are those that were presented earlier in Chapter 1: 1. What marketing strategies are implemented by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in Guangdong Province, China to enable them to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry? 2. What are the driving forces that paved the way for customers to prefer Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s services in contemporary times? 3. How does Sheraton Hotel differentiate themselves from other hotels in China? 4. How does cultural awareness and competency play as an integrative role in designing appropriate strategies that would meet the needs and demands of the Chinese customers? The first sub-question examines the strategies that are implemented by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in Guangdong Province, China to enable them to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry. The data to be collected for this sub-question include the following: current strategies in terms of special offers, distinctive features and services, preferences of the local customers, motivational program implemented for the employees, philosophies and value systems, design of policies and procedures, as well as adherence to ethical, moral, and legal standards. The second sub-question focuses on the driving forces that paved the way for customers to prefer Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s services in contemporary times. As such, the data to be collected for this sub-question include any distinct reason why customers avail of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s services over other hotels in the area. This could include the kind of customer service provided, perks to loyal customers, ability to personalize services, and other distinctive offers made to excel in this field of endeavor. The third sub-question focuses on the manner by which Sheraton Dongguan Hotel differentiate themselves from other hotels in China. The data to be collected is perceived to include knowledge and adeptness of the local culture, application of the corporate social responsibility philosophy, employing culturally diverse personnel, remembering guests by their names, and other special services that only Sheraton Dongguan Hotel offers in their location. The fourth sub-question is focused on the manner by which cultural awareness and competency play as an integrative role in designing appropriate strategies that would meet the needs and demands of the Chinese customers. The data to be collected include any trainings undertaken by management to develop cultural awareness and competencies, policies or procedures in their recruitment and selection process to focus on culturally adept candidates for various positions in the hotel, employment of personnel who are adept in various languages and cultures, and percentage of current employees who are Chinese nationals, as opposed to foreigners. Data collection procedures. The data to be collected would be sourced through various approaches, to wit: (1) the use of secondary sources of authoritative information from industry reports and official websites of hotels, (2) interview through face-to-face communication of managers as well as decision makers of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, specifically those in charge of strategies formulation, customer service, as well as marketing and sales. Likewise, existing records study, especially those to be sources from Sheraton Dongguan Hotel and other large international hotels, would also be undertaken. Target Population. The target population in the current study are managers and decision makers in Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, specifically those in charge of strategies formulation, customer service, as well as marketing and sales. As such, a total of five (5) managers from Sheraton Dongguan Hotel would be interviewed: one (1) is a member of the Executive Management Team; one (1) is the Customer Service Manager; one (1) Corporate Strategies Manager, one (1) Marketing Manager, and one (1) Sales Manager. Sample Details. Managers are decision makers in organizational settings. As such, for strategies formulation, it is perceived that managers are given the prerogative to design strategies that would be deemed instrumental in the achievement of identified goals. For Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, the five (5) managers that were stipulated would be the most appropriate source of authoritative information that would effectively provide answers to the research questions. Despite the limited size, these managers are ensured to provide accurate and reliable information which is needed for the current study. These specific managers were chose to be interviewed since they assume the position which would provide the accurate information to address the stipulated research questions. These managers are in the position to design strategies relating to their respective roles and responsibilities. Finally, these managers’ names and contact information would first be solicited using Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s official website. From here, permission letters would be sent to each manager to seek approval and schedule for the proposed interview. If the managers would not be available for interview, their assistant supervisors would be asked to answer prepared interview questions in their behalf. A formal letter would first be written to the Chief Executive Officer or the head of the Human Resources Department at Sheraton Dongguan Hotel to disclose the intention of the current study and to signify that the research is to be conducted with adherence to ethical standards, especially in terms of compliance to privacy and confidentiality of information. Instrumentation. The data collection instruments for the face-to-face interview would be included as appendixes. A self-constructed set of interview questions for the identified managers are to be prepared. As such, this has not yet been tested for validity and reliability. Since managers are known to be busy complying defined roles and responsibilities, the instrument question would be brief, concise, and open-ended. For questions that require managers to provide strategies, factors or driving forces, and other information, potential responses would be listed to enable these managers to respond easily. The open-ended questions are included to ensure that any information missed by more structured questions will be obtained. Consent forms were duly used to solicit approval of the managers for the interview. Copies of duly complied forms are included in the appendixes section. Procedures. Interview questions would be prepared following the structure indicated in the research questions. A copy of the interview questions would be included among the appendixes. The researcher is not related, in any way, to any of the interviewees. As such, all information to be gathered would be treated with utmost objectivity. Managers would be assured that no personal information would be disclosed to abide by rules of ethics in research, as well as to preserve their privacy and confidentiality. As briefly indicated, interviews would be conducted on a face-to-face basis, depending on the availability of managers. As such, 100% rate of response is expected to be retrieved. If any of the questions would not be answered by the respondent, the information would be disclosed in the findings. As soon as all responses have been collected and interpreted, the set of completed interview questions would be destroyed, according to protocols. Timing. The study will start immediately and is expected to be completed by the end of the semester. The interviews will be done by the end of July 2015. The transcription and analysis stage will take two (2) weeks and would commence on August 1 up to August 15, 2015. The findings and discussion portion would be written in two (2) weeks, from August 16 up to August 31, 2015. Finalization stage would commence afterwards. Proposed Approach for Data Analysis and Synthesis The tools and techniques that will be used to analyze the data once collected would be descriptive statistics, frequencies, as well as trends and patterns. For instance, it is expected that managers would apply similar strategies to entice customers to avail of services from Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, such as: excellent customer service, price discounts, special offers, loyalty cards, and other distinctive features. These are to be presented in tabular format. Methodological Limitations As briefly noted in the limitations in chapter 1, the current study limits the strategies gathered to have been implemented by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel to the last three years, from 2012 up to current times. Any financial information, highlights, or statements containing components relevant to the study would be appropriated cited and used according to the confines of the current research. In addition, personal information and details pertaining to people, clients, or other stakeholders, who would be interviewed or cited from Sheraton Dongguan Hotel would be retained in private and confidential manner, based on ethical standards of research. Concurrently, due to restraints in time and resources, the sample size is relatively small. Likewise, the interview questions have been designed for this particular study, which has been disclosed to possess validity and reliability constraints. In addition, findings would focus on the strategies that were indicated by the managers, and in no way would be critically evaluated as to the correctness in applicability, based on the researcher’s personal opinion. References AT Kearney, Inc. (2013). Chinas Hospitality Industry - Rooms for Growth. Retrieved from atkearney.com: https://www.atkearney.com/documents/10192/982632/Chinas_Hospitality_Industry.pdf/72ed00fb-1cad-4798-a1a1-1552604bc72e Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2015, May 27). Leisure and Hospitality. Retrieved from bls.gov: http://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag70.htm#about Lambert, V., & Lambert, C. (2012, December). Qualitative Descriptive Research: An Acceptable Design. Retrieved from Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research: www.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/PRIJNR/article/download/5805/5064 Lashley, C., & Morrison, A. (2002). In Search of Hospitality: Theoretical Perspectives and Debates. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Reynolds, M. (2015). Three Categories of the Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from Small Business Chron: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/three-categories-hospitality-industry-58524.html Search for Hotels in Dongguan. (2015). Retrieved from agoda.com: http://www.agoda.com/city/dongguan-cn.html?asq= Sheraton Dongguan Hotel. (2015). Featured Offer. Retrieved from sheraton.com: http://deals.sheraton.com/Sheraton-Dongguan-Hotel-1460/special-offers?language=en_US Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2015). Sheraton History. Retrieved from starwoodhotels.com: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/about/history.html Slattery, P. (2002). Finding the Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education : http://www.hear.ac.uk/assets/hlst/documents/johlste/vol1no1/0007.pdf The Statistical Portal. (2015). Revenue of the upscale full-service hospitality industry in China from 2006 to 2010, with a forecast until 2015. Retrieved from statista.com: http://www.statista.com/statistics/277057/revenue-of-the-upscale-full-service-hospitality-industry-in-china/ TripAdvisor LLC. (2015). Dongguan Hotels. Retrieved from tripadvisor.com: http://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Hotels-g297412-Dongguan_Guangdong-Hotels.html Appendix A: Permission to Conduct Study S256 Provincial Highway Houjie Town, Dongguan, Guangdong 523962 September 16, 2016 Dear I have reviewed your request to conduct a research project involving the Sheraton Dongguan Hotel and the interview process that will be used. I feel that this project will be beneficial to Sheraton Dongguan Hotel. You have my permission to conduct the face-to-face interview with five (5) of our managers, in the following roles: one (1) is a member of the Executive Management Team; one (1) is the Customer Service Manager; one (1) Corporate Strategies Manager, one (1) Marketing Manager, and one (1) Sales Manager. The following stipulations should be observed: that the interview would be conducted on the free-time of the indicated manager within the hotel premises, that the company name, as well as the names of the managers should be disguised in the project, and that the results must be shared with the HR department. If you have any questions regarding this letter of approval, please give me a call at . Sincerely, Appendix B: Consent Form Adult Consent Form Study Title: AN EVALUATION OF STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY THE SHERATON DONGGUAN HOTEL Student’s Name and Department: Instructor’s Name and Department: Include contact information for you and your instructor: Introductory Statement As a Master of Science in Administration graduate student at CMU, I am currently conducting the above-mentioned research in compliance with graduation requirements. In this regard, I am hereby seeking the consent of your organization, the Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, to participate in the study. The study aims to explore and determine the strategies employed by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in China which enables them to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry. As such, five (5) managers in Sheraton Dongguan Hotel, specifically those in the position of designing or implementing strategies, are planned to be interviewed. What is the purpose of this study? The study aims to explore and determine the strategies employed by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in China which enables them to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry. What will I do in this study? As the researcher, I will conduct the interview on a face-to-face basis, depending on the availability of the manager. Please bear in mind that I would abide by standards of ethics in research where privacy and confidentiality is strictly to be observed. No personal information would be divulged in the study. How long will it take me to do this? The interview process will only take about 30 minutes to less than an hour. Are there any risks of participating in the study? There are no perceived risks that is respondents would be exposed to as a result of participating in this study. What are the benefits of participating in the study? The outcome of the study would be shared with administration in order to be apprised of the recommendations and influence improvements. As such, a copy could be provided upon request. Will anyone know what I do or say in this study (Confidentiality)? The responses of the participants would be accessible only to the instructor and management of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel. Will I receive any compensation for participation? Since this is an academic study, there will be no compensation for participation. Who can I contact for information about this study? For further information (if and when required), kindly contact and . You are free to refuse to participate in this research project or to withdraw your consent and discontinue participation in the project at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Your participation will not affect your relationship with the institution(s) involved in this research project. Please note that if you are not satisfied with the manner in which this study is being conducted, you may report (anonymously if you so choose) any complaints to the MSA Program by calling 989-774-6525 or addressing a letter to the MSA Program, Rowe 222, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859. My signature below indicates that all my questions have been answered. I agree to participate in the project as described above. Signature of Subject Date Signed A copy of this form has been given to me. Subject’s Initials Signature of Responsible Investigator Date Signed Appendix C: Survey/Interview Questions Respondent’s Position: __________________________________________________________ Length of Service with Sheraton Dongguan Hotel: ____________________________________ Please provide your response by checking the spaces below or by providing accurate answers: Marketing Strategies: 1. What marketing strategies are implemented by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel in Guangdong Province, China to enable you to excel in an increasingly competitive hospitality service industry? [ ] product or service strategies, please specify: _______________________________ [ ] pricing strategies, please specify: _______________________________________ [ ] place (or location) strategies, please specify: ______________________________ [ ] promotional strategies, please specify: ___________________________________ [ ] other strategies, please specify: _________________________________________ 2. What are the driving forces that paved the way for customers to prefer Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s services in contemporary times? [ ] hotel accommodations [ ] customer service [ ] amenities [ ] loyalty program [ ] price discounts [ ] accessibility [ ] cultural competencies [ ] others: please specify _______________________________________________ 3. How does Sheraton Hotel differentiate themselves from other hotels in China? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4. How does cultural awareness and competency play as an integrative role in designing appropriate strategies that would meet the needs and demands of the Chinese customers? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Do you implement customer surveys to provide feedback on the services provided by Sheraton Dongguan Hotel to all your customers? [ ] yes [ ] no 6. Do you have suggestions for higher management in terms of proposing other strategies to make Sheraton Dongguan Hotel more competitive? [ ] yes [ ] no What are your suggestions for improvement? _________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. In your professional opinion, what do customers like that make them come back and avail of Sheraton Dongguan Hotel’s services? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Thank you Read More