Four Seasons Hotels Case StudyEssay Preview: Four Seasons Hotels Case StudyReport this essayFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first French property in 1999. This article presents that opening as a case study to illustrate a perspective on how a company with a strong and highly successful organizational culture might approach a new national culture when that culture is both distinct and intense, as is the case in France. Managers can benefit from the case by understanding this approach to organizational and national culture, which the authors believe represents a useful framework for global management. The article begins with a discussion of the linkage between corporate culture and competitive advantage for service organizations. It then describes the corporate support structure and the philosophy that Four Seasons developed over two decades to support its international expansion and to manage the type of challenges its French property posed. Finally, it describes how the firm went about transforming that property into one of its crown jewels.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first French property in 1999. This article presents that opening as a case study to illustrate a perspective on how a company with a strong and highly successful organizational culture might approach a new national culture when that culture is both distinct and intense, as is the case in France. Managers can benefit from the case by understanding this approach to organizational and national culture, which the authors believe represents a useful framework for global management. The article begins with a discussion of the linkage between corporate culture and competitive advantage for service organizations. It then describes the corporate support structure and the philosophy that Four Seasons developed over two decades to support its international expansion and to manage the type of challenges its French property posed. Finally, it describes how the firm went about transforming that property into one of its crown jewels.
The Property
Two years after opening, Four Seasons purchased the former U.S. Embassy in Lyon, France. The property is located to the south of Paris in the French Quarter, just south of the SĂ´le du Nord, and near the French Quarter.
Five Seasons has been operating in the Paris area for just over a decade. In June of 2005, their brand and location combined offer the French hotel market a natural fit for the French brand: a major destination for locals, travelers and customers alike. To meet that demand, the owners chose not to extend the lease, even though Paris was a place of great wealth and abundance for some of The Five Seasons founders. However, in March 2006, Four Seasons expanded into five more new buildings in a historic and historic location near the former U.S. Embassy building, known as the La Fébéle de Lyon.
Paris is an historic city, a place of life. If You Leave, If You Stay, and if So Did
In the French Quarter, Four Seasons is the one who runs the brand. They’re looking for a place for locals to find French hospitality. To that end, Four Seasons is trying to use its global operations and expertise to create a place that local travellers find attractive. Their efforts have caught the eye of local celebrities, designers, hoteliers, and others from France, a country where few are as popular as Inaugural Day.
At the La Courde, Four Seasons has hosted a few “international events” and an invitation for potential guests to get a chance to see a variety of local attractions. All of these are in an area with the potential for being one of Paris’ most popular places of travel.
Six Seasons is a global brand. They were founded in 2005 by Louis Rennet; he was the owner of Four Seasons from 1989 to 1996. At the same time, he set about establishing a new way to organize international events. At their best, Four Seasons brands are not a unique force; Six Seasons has already had success with its La Fébéle de Lyon brands and continues with its Four Seasons brand.
In 2006, when The Five Seasons Group established its first five-storey hotel, Six Seasons and Four Seasons began to work together in a very different place. Four Seasons is now involved in their next project: leasing the site at five storeys of four luxury hotels. The five-storey hotel will include the new Four Seasons tower at the top and the current hotel-specific design at the bottom.
This will provide a unique place for travelers, for locals, for their hotels, and for their brands. To get one of these tenants, Four Seasons needs to show that Six Seasons can successfully run a brand identity in the international spotlight. Four Seasons executives say that Six Seasons can do this in a way that keeps The Five Seasons brand unique while reducing the perceived size of their international footprint. They look for ways to sell more of their brand on the international level. And in doing so, they show people that they are doing so much more than taking down the world. In recent weeks, Four Seasons Chairman Marc de Raat has shared with the media the work he’s been doing to build on Six Seasons, making it both easier for people to find what they want and easier for Four Seasons to be globally relevant to their brands. One of Marc’s most significant achievements is in expanding the number of hotels around The Five Seasons brand, which is now the fourth biggest by a wide margin of business worldwide. (In 2012, The Five Seasons Group bought the former U.S. Embassy building of Paris and expanded it to 40 hotel rooms, about 13% bigger overall.) Finally, four of the new hotel rooms will also serve hotels as a destination. If Six Seasons takes the top two spots in all of these markets, Four Seasons has a strong foothold in Paris, helping to create a brand that is both attractive and accessible abroad.
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The Property
Two years after opening, Four Seasons purchased the former U.S. Embassy in Lyon, France. The property is located to the south of Paris in the French Quarter, just south of the SĂ´le du Nord, and near the French Quarter.
Five Seasons has been operating in the Paris area for just over a decade. In June of 2005, their brand and location combined offer the French hotel market a natural fit for the French brand: a major destination for locals, travelers and customers alike. To meet that demand, the owners chose not to extend the lease, even though Paris was a place of great wealth and abundance for some of The Five Seasons founders. However, in March 2006, Four Seasons expanded into five more new buildings in a historic and historic location near the former U.S. Embassy building, known as the La Fébéle de Lyon.
Paris is an historic city, a place of life. If You Leave, If You Stay, and if So Did
In the French Quarter, Four Seasons is the one who runs the brand. They’re looking for a place for locals to find French hospitality. To that end, Four Seasons is trying to use its global operations and expertise to create a place that local travellers find attractive. Their efforts have caught the eye of local celebrities, designers, hoteliers, and others from France, a country where few are as popular as Inaugural Day.
At the La Courde, Four Seasons has hosted a few “international events” and an invitation for potential guests to get a chance to see a variety of local attractions. All of these are in an area with the potential for being one of Paris’ most popular places of travel.
Six Seasons is a global brand. They were founded in 2005 by Louis Rennet; he was the owner of Four Seasons from 1989 to 1996. At the same time, he set about establishing a new way to organize international events. At their best, Four Seasons brands are not a unique force; Six Seasons has already had success with its La Fébéle de Lyon brands and continues with its Four Seasons brand.
In 2006, when The Five Seasons Group established its first five-storey hotel, Six Seasons and Four Seasons began to work together in a very different place. Four Seasons is now involved in their next project: leasing the site at five storeys of four luxury hotels. The five-storey hotel will include the new Four Seasons tower at the top and the current hotel-specific design at the bottom.
This will provide a unique place for travelers, for locals, for their hotels, and for their brands. To get one of these tenants, Four Seasons needs to show that Six Seasons can successfully run a brand identity in the international spotlight. Four Seasons executives say that Six Seasons can do this in a way that keeps The Five Seasons brand unique while reducing the perceived size of their international footprint. They look for ways to sell more of their brand on the international level. And in doing so, they show people that they are doing so much more than taking down the world. In recent weeks, Four Seasons Chairman Marc de Raat has shared with the media the work he’s been doing to build on Six Seasons, making it both easier for people to find what they want and easier for Four Seasons to be globally relevant to their brands. One of Marc’s most significant achievements is in expanding the number of hotels around The Five Seasons brand, which is now the fourth biggest by a wide margin of business worldwide. (In 2012, The Five Seasons Group bought the former U.S. Embassy building of Paris and expanded it to 40 hotel rooms, about 13% bigger overall.) Finally, four of the new hotel rooms will also serve hotels as a destination. If Six Seasons takes the top two spots in all of these markets, Four Seasons has a strong foothold in Paris, helping to create a brand that is both attractive and accessible abroad.
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The Property
Two years after opening, Four Seasons purchased the former U.S. Embassy in Lyon, France. The property is located to the south of Paris in the French Quarter, just south of the SĂ´le du Nord, and near the French Quarter.
Five Seasons has been operating in the Paris area for just over a decade. In June of 2005, their brand and location combined offer the French hotel market a natural fit for the French brand: a major destination for locals, travelers and customers alike. To meet that demand, the owners chose not to extend the lease, even though Paris was a place of great wealth and abundance for some of The Five Seasons founders. However, in March 2006, Four Seasons expanded into five more new buildings in a historic and historic location near the former U.S. Embassy building, known as the La Fébéle de Lyon.
Paris is an historic city, a place of life. If You Leave, If You Stay, and if So Did
In the French Quarter, Four Seasons is the one who runs the brand. They’re looking for a place for locals to find French hospitality. To that end, Four Seasons is trying to use its global operations and expertise to create a place that local travellers find attractive. Their efforts have caught the eye of local celebrities, designers, hoteliers, and others from France, a country where few are as popular as Inaugural Day.
At the La Courde, Four Seasons has hosted a few “international events” and an invitation for potential guests to get a chance to see a variety of local attractions. All of these are in an area with the potential for being one of Paris’ most popular places of travel.
Six Seasons is a global brand. They were founded in 2005 by Louis Rennet; he was the owner of Four Seasons from 1989 to 1996. At the same time, he set about establishing a new way to organize international events. At their best, Four Seasons brands are not a unique force; Six Seasons has already had success with its La Fébéle de Lyon brands and continues with its Four Seasons brand.
In 2006, when The Five Seasons Group established its first five-storey hotel, Six Seasons and Four Seasons began to work together in a very different place. Four Seasons is now involved in their next project: leasing the site at five storeys of four luxury hotels. The five-storey hotel will include the new Four Seasons tower at the top and the current hotel-specific design at the bottom.
This will provide a unique place for travelers, for locals, for their hotels, and for their brands. To get one of these tenants, Four Seasons needs to show that Six Seasons can successfully run a brand identity in the international spotlight. Four Seasons executives say that Six Seasons can do this in a way that keeps The Five Seasons brand unique while reducing the perceived size of their international footprint. They look for ways to sell more of their brand on the international level. And in doing so, they show people that they are doing so much more than taking down the world. In recent weeks, Four Seasons Chairman Marc de Raat has shared with the media the work he’s been doing to build on Six Seasons, making it both easier for people to find what they want and easier for Four Seasons to be globally relevant to their brands. One of Marc’s most significant achievements is in expanding the number of hotels around The Five Seasons brand, which is now the fourth biggest by a wide margin of business worldwide. (In 2012, The Five Seasons Group bought the former U.S. Embassy building of Paris and expanded it to 40 hotel rooms, about 13% bigger overall.) Finally, four of the new hotel rooms will also serve hotels as a destination. If Six Seasons takes the top two spots in all of these markets, Four Seasons has a strong foothold in Paris, helping to create a brand that is both attractive and accessible abroad.
For Less
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first French property in 1999. This article presents that opening as a case study to illustrate a perspective on how a company with a strong and highly successful organizational culture might approach a new national culture when that culture is both distinct and intense, as is the case in France. Managers can benefit from the case by understanding this approach to organizational and national culture, which the authors believe represents a useful framework for global management. The article begins with a discussion of the linkage between corporate culture and competitive advantage for service organizations. It then describes the corporate support structure and the philosophy that Four Seasons developed over two decades to support its international expansion and to manage the type of challenges its French property posed. Finally, it describes how the firm went about transforming that property into one of its crown jewels.
The Property
Two years after opening, Four Seasons purchased the former U.S. Embassy in Lyon, France. The property is located to the south of Paris in the French Quarter, just south of the SĂ´le du Nord, and near the French Quarter.
Five Seasons has been operating in the Paris area for just over a decade. In June of 2005, their brand and location combined offer the French hotel market a natural fit for the French brand: a major destination for locals, travelers and customers alike. To meet that demand, the owners chose not to extend the lease, even though Paris was a place of great wealth and abundance for some of The Five Seasons founders. However, in March 2006, Four Seasons expanded into five more new buildings in a historic and historic location near the former U.S. Embassy building, known as the La Fébéle de Lyon.
Paris is an historic city, a place of life. If You Leave, If You Stay, and if So Did
In the French Quarter, Four Seasons is the one who runs the brand. They’re looking for a place for locals to find French hospitality. To that end, Four Seasons is trying to use its global operations and expertise to create a place that local travellers find attractive. Their efforts have caught the eye of local celebrities, designers, hoteliers, and others from France, a country where few are as popular as Inaugural Day.
At the La Courde, Four Seasons has hosted a few “international events” and an invitation for potential guests to get a chance to see a variety of local attractions. All of these are in an area with the potential for being one of Paris’ most popular places of travel.
Six Seasons is a global brand. They were founded in 2005 by Louis Rennet; he was the owner of Four Seasons from 1989 to 1996. At the same time, he set about establishing a new way to organize international events. At their best, Four Seasons brands are not a unique force; Six Seasons has already had success with its La Fébéle de Lyon brands and continues with its Four Seasons brand.
In 2006, when The Five Seasons Group established its first five-storey hotel, Six Seasons and Four Seasons began to work together in a very different place. Four Seasons is now involved in their next project: leasing the site at five storeys of four luxury hotels. The five-storey hotel will include the new Four Seasons tower at the top and the current hotel-specific design at the bottom.
This will provide a unique place for travelers, for locals, for their hotels, and for their brands. To get one of these tenants, Four Seasons needs to show that Six Seasons can successfully run a brand identity in the international spotlight. Four Seasons executives say that Six Seasons can do this in a way that keeps The Five Seasons brand unique while reducing the perceived size of their international footprint. They look for ways to sell more of their brand on the international level. And in doing so, they show people that they are doing so much more than taking down the world. In recent weeks, Four Seasons Chairman Marc de Raat has shared with the media the work he’s been doing to build on Six Seasons, making it both easier for people to find what they want and easier for Four Seasons to be globally relevant to their brands. One of Marc’s most significant achievements is in expanding the number of hotels around The Five Seasons brand, which is now the fourth biggest by a wide margin of business worldwide. (In 2012, The Five Seasons Group bought the former U.S. Embassy building of Paris and expanded it to 40 hotel rooms, about 13% bigger overall.) Finally, four of the new hotel rooms will also serve hotels as a destination. If Six Seasons takes the top two spots in all of these markets, Four Seasons has a strong foothold in Paris, helping to create a brand that is both attractive and accessible abroad.
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The Property
Two years after opening, Four Seasons purchased the former U.S. Embassy in Lyon, France. The property is located to the south of Paris in the French Quarter, just south of the SĂ´le du Nord, and near the French Quarter.
Five Seasons has been operating in the Paris area for just over a decade. In June of 2005, their brand and location combined offer the French hotel market a natural fit for the French brand: a major destination for locals, travelers and customers alike. To meet that demand, the owners chose not to extend the lease, even though Paris was a place of great wealth and abundance for some of The Five Seasons founders. However, in March 2006, Four Seasons expanded into five more new buildings in a historic and historic location near the former U.S. Embassy building, known as the La Fébéle de Lyon.
Paris is an historic city, a place of life. If You Leave, If You Stay, and if So Did
In the French Quarter, Four Seasons is the one who runs the brand. They’re looking for a place for locals to find French hospitality. To that end, Four Seasons is trying to use its global operations and expertise to create a place that local travellers find attractive. Their efforts have caught the eye of local celebrities, designers, hoteliers, and others from France, a country where few are as popular as Inaugural Day.
At the La Courde, Four Seasons has hosted a few “international events” and an invitation for potential guests to get a chance to see a variety of local attractions. All of these are in an area with the potential for being one of Paris’ most popular places of travel.
Six Seasons is a global brand. They were founded in 2005 by Louis Rennet; he was the owner of Four Seasons from 1989 to 1996. At the same time, he set about establishing a new way to organize international events. At their best, Four Seasons brands are not a unique force; Six Seasons has already had success with its La Fébéle de Lyon brands and continues with its Four Seasons brand.
In 2006, when The Five Seasons Group established its first five-storey hotel, Six Seasons and Four Seasons began to work together in a very different place. Four Seasons is now involved in their next project: leasing the site at five storeys of four luxury hotels. The five-storey hotel will include the new Four Seasons tower at the top and the current hotel-specific design at the bottom.
This will provide a unique place for travelers, for locals, for their hotels, and for their brands. To get one of these tenants, Four Seasons needs to show that Six Seasons can successfully run a brand identity in the international spotlight. Four Seasons executives say that Six Seasons can do this in a way that keeps The Five Seasons brand unique while reducing the perceived size of their international footprint. They look for ways to sell more of their brand on the international level. And in doing so, they show people that they are doing so much more than taking down the world. In recent weeks, Four Seasons Chairman Marc de Raat has shared with the media the work he’s been doing to build on Six Seasons, making it both easier for people to find what they want and easier for Four Seasons to be globally relevant to their brands. One of Marc’s most significant achievements is in expanding the number of hotels around The Five Seasons brand, which is now the fourth biggest by a wide margin of business worldwide. (In 2012, The Five Seasons Group bought the former U.S. Embassy building of Paris and expanded it to 40 hotel rooms, about 13% bigger overall.) Finally, four of the new hotel rooms will also serve hotels as a destination. If Six Seasons takes the top two spots in all of these markets, Four Seasons has a strong foothold in Paris, helping to create a brand that is both attractive and accessible abroad.
For Less
The Property
Two years after opening, Four Seasons purchased the former U.S. Embassy in Lyon, France. The property is located to the south of Paris in the French Quarter, just south of the SĂ´le du Nord, and near the French Quarter.
Five Seasons has been operating in the Paris area for just over a decade. In June of 2005, their brand and location combined offer the French hotel market a natural fit for the French brand: a major destination for locals, travelers and customers alike. To meet that demand, the owners chose not to extend the lease, even though Paris was a place of great wealth and abundance for some of The Five Seasons founders. However, in March 2006, Four Seasons expanded into five more new buildings in a historic and historic location near the former U.S. Embassy building, known as the La Fébéle de Lyon.
Paris is an historic city, a place of life. If You Leave, If You Stay, and if So Did
In the French Quarter, Four Seasons is the one who runs the brand. They’re looking for a place for locals to find French hospitality. To that end, Four Seasons is trying to use its global operations and expertise to create a place that local travellers find attractive. Their efforts have caught the eye of local celebrities, designers, hoteliers, and others from France, a country where few are as popular as Inaugural Day.
At the La Courde, Four Seasons has hosted a few “international events” and an invitation for potential guests to get a chance to see a variety of local attractions. All of these are in an area with the potential for being one of Paris’ most popular places of travel.
Six Seasons is a global brand. They were founded in 2005 by Louis Rennet; he was the owner of Four Seasons from 1989 to 1996. At the same time, he set about establishing a new way to organize international events. At their best, Four Seasons brands are not a unique force; Six Seasons has already had success with its La Fébéle de Lyon brands and continues with its Four Seasons brand.
In 2006, when The Five Seasons Group established its first five-storey hotel, Six Seasons and Four Seasons began to work together in a very different place. Four Seasons is now involved in their next project: leasing the site at five storeys of four luxury hotels. The five-storey hotel will include the new Four Seasons tower at the top and the current hotel-specific design at the bottom.
This will provide a unique place for travelers, for locals, for their hotels, and for their brands. To get one of these tenants, Four Seasons needs to show that Six Seasons can successfully run a brand identity in the international spotlight. Four Seasons executives say that Six Seasons can do this in a way that keeps The Five Seasons brand unique while reducing the perceived size of their international footprint. They look for ways to sell more of their brand on the international level. And in doing so, they show people that they are doing so much more than taking down the world. In recent weeks, Four Seasons Chairman Marc de Raat has shared with the media the work he’s been doing to build on Six Seasons, making it both easier for people to find what they want and easier for Four Seasons to be globally relevant to their brands. One of Marc’s most significant achievements is in expanding the number of hotels around The Five Seasons brand, which is now the fourth biggest by a wide margin of business worldwide. (In 2012, The Five Seasons Group bought the former U.S. Embassy building of Paris and expanded it to 40 hotel rooms, about 13% bigger overall.) Finally, four of the new hotel rooms will also serve hotels as a destination. If Six Seasons takes the top two spots in all of these markets, Four Seasons has a strong foothold in Paris, helping to create a brand that is both attractive and accessible abroad.
For Less