Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 288-316).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Management and Marketing, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 191-205)

This study investigated the expansion strategies of hotel companies that want to expand away from their local market. Due to the growing importance of services in economic development, there is an impressive body of knowledge on the process of internationalisation and service industries. Due to the major changes impacting upon the industry due to the effects of technology and globalisation, it would be useful to establish the important key factors and processes involved during internationalisation. Expanding cross border for a hotel group signifies a number of challenges that must be focused on at the same time. Markets need to be identified, political stability needs to be scanned and cultural differences must be taken into consideration. Logistics and supply chain have to be developed together with operational issues from financial reporting, marketing and human resources. Organisational structures must be adapted to take into account the new levels of responsibility. An in-depth review of the literature regarding internationalisation was conducted, which evidenced that the most useful model for answering the questions was the eclectic paradigm as developed by John Dunning (1993). The paradigm has been used in many manufacturing and service sector studies, including that of the hotel sector (Contractor and Kundu, 1994). A questionnaire was compiled and interviews were set up with the directors and executives tasked with the respective companies’ expansion programmes. Due mainly to the effects of new technology and globalisation on the hotel industry, there have been many changes in the last decade, including increasing consolidation and concentration and an increasing importance upon branding and financial performance. It was apparent from the research that the time taken to internationalise by hotel chains has reduced significantly in the last decade, especially if one looks at the performance of hotel companies such as Accor Hotels. iii Only two of the three companies studied in this treatise had undertaken expansion into Africa with the third company ready for entering soon. Nonequity involvement in general was the most favoured form of involvement with majority of their expansions based on management contracts, joint partnership or franchises. The role of the functional departments, the importance of a global outlook and the necessary structural changes during international expansion was also explored. In order to answer the various research propositions that are posed, the researcher chose to base this research on a phenomenological approach through case study analysis.

D.Comm. / Die identifisering en evaluering van suksesfaktore is 'n baie belangrike aspek in die strategiese beplanningsproses. Dit vorm die hoeksteen waarop 'n onderneming se strategie rus en dit dien as integrasiemeganisme tussen bestuur se langtermyn doelwitte en die kanalisering van skaars hulpbronne. Suksesfaktore kom basies op alle terreine binne die onderneming voor. Die terreine kan in drie groepe gegroepeer word, naamlik: die makro-omgewing (die onbeheerbare eksterne veranderlikes soos politiek, ekonomie, tegnologie, mededingers, en so meer insluit). Tweedens die mikro-omgevving (die onderneming self, oftewel die beheerbare interne situasie wat die onderneming se hulpbronne en sy mense insluit) en laastens die aard en omvang (eiesoortigheid) van die bedryfstak. Alhoewel suksesfaktore op basies alle terreine van die onderneming voorkom, verskil die faktore van bedryfstak tot bedryfstak en self van onderneming tot onderneming. Verskillende tegnieke kan gevolg word om suksesfaktore te identifiseer. Die tegnieke kan afsonderlik of gesamentlik gebruik word om moontlik suksesfaktore te identifiseer. Alle geidentifiseerde faktore is nie noodwendig suksesfaktore nie. Vir die gedentifiseerde faktore om as suksesfaktore geldassifiseer te word, moet dit: Die internasionale makro-omgewing is saamgestel uit verskeie elemente, te wete: die ekonomie, geologie en infrastruktuur, tegnologie, mededinging, die sosiokulturele, politiek en wetlike aspekte. Die ekonomie van 'n land kan onderverdeel word in verskeie aspekte naamlik: die grootte van die mark, die aard van ekonomiese aktiwiteite, handelsblok, beskerming en handelsbeperkinge. Elk van hierdie aspekte hou potensiele kritiese suksesfaktore vir ondernemings in. Die internasionale fisiese omgewing is hoofsaaklik saamgestel uit geografie en infrastruktuur. Geografie is die fisiese eienskappe van elke mark in terme van afstand, topografie, klimaat, weersomstandighede en natuurlike hulpbronne, terwyl infrastruktuur weer energie, vervoer en kommunikasie insluit. Kultuur word gesien as die aspekte wat meebring dat samelewings van mekaar verskil. Kultuur word aangeleer en is rue aangebore eienskappe nie. Kultuur kan tereg beskou word as 'n mensgemaakte omgewing. Alle aktiwiteite van die mens kan in vyf dimensies verdeel word en uit hierdie dimensies is kultuur saamgestel. Die dimensies is: Materiele kultuur: tegnologie en ekonomie; Sosiale instelling: sosiale organisasie, opvoeding en politieke strukture; Sedes: oortuigings, godsdiens, bygelowigheid en verwante magstrukture; Die estetiese: grafiese kuns, musiek, drama, dans en volkskunde; en Taal. Die politieke bestel en regering bepaal die klimaat waarin internasionale handel plaasvind. Ondernemings wat internasionale markte betree, moet deeglik kennis dra van die huidige vorm van regering, die stabiliteit van die regering en permanensie van regeringsbeleid. Ondernemings moet ook bewus wees van die feit dat hulle die prooi van politieke aksies kan wees. Die regering van die dag bepaal en maak die wette wat in 'n land gebruik word. Landswette en die toepassing daarvan verskil van land tot land. Dit is nie moontlik om 'n enkele wet as 'n suksesfaktor uit to lig nie, maar die kontrak tussen 'n onderneming en die gasheerland kan as 'n suksesfaktor uitgelig word. Tegnologie beteken in bemarking die toepassing van bestaande kennis, wat gebaseer is op wetenskaplike ontdekkings, uitvindings en innovasies. Nie alle lande is tegnologies ewe ver gevorderd nie en daarom moet 'n onderneming ag slaan op die tegnologiese gaping tussen lande voordat daar in die gasheerland bele word. Uit die hoofstuk kan die volgende as krities beskou word vir die bemarking van industriele produkte oorsee.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Summary in Chinese. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves 81.

Chiu Chung Wai. / Summary in Chinese on endpapers. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves 86-87.

Wat Cheong Huen. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves [170]-171.

Dissertation, Technische Universität München, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references and index.