Evaluating Leadership, CSR, and Social Media at Marriott Hotels

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of Marriott's operational strategies, focusing on leadership styles, organizational responsibility, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The report begins by assessing various leadership styles applicable within Marriott, with a particular emphasis on transformational and democratic leadership approaches. It then critically evaluates organizational responsibility and responsible leadership concepts within the hospitality industry, specifically in the context of Marriott's operations. The study further examines the benefits of CSR initiatives for Marriott and the broader community, considering the impact on stakeholders including employees, customers, and the environment. Finally, the report evaluates Marriott's social media practices, analyzing their implications for enhancing customer satisfaction and overall experiences. The analysis covers various aspects of Marriott's business practices, providing a detailed overview of its commitment to responsible leadership, CSR, and customer engagement.

Emerging Trends in the
Hospitality Industry

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
1. Assessing different types of leadership style that can be used within Marriott .....................3
2. Critically evaluating the concepts of ‘organisational responsibility’ and ‘responsible
leadership in the hospitality industry..........................................................................................5
3. Examining CSR benefits to Marriott as well as to the wider community..............................7
4. Evaluating social media practices of Marriott and implications for better customer
satisfaction and experiences......................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15
INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry is the type of business that provide different services which are
related to food & services, event planning, theme parks and transportation. This industry
includes hotels, restaurants and bars. The chosen firm of the report is Marriott. Marriott is an
international brand which give full services related to the hotels and restaurants. They have
around 582 hotels with 205,053 rooms. The study will explain different leadership styles that are
used by the organizations. It will also explain the leadership style of Marriott with the
example. Further will present the organisational responsibility and responsible leadership
which is the important concept in hospitality industry. By critically evaluating the concepts of
the Marriott. The report will also discuss the benefits that are delivered by corporate social
responsibility of the organization. Along with this it will evaluate the wider community
incorporating hospitality industry, government and civil society . It shall also reflect the social

media practices and implications for better customer satisfaction and experiences that are used
by Marriott.
1. Assessing different types of leadership style that can be used within Marriott
Leadership is a style which is used by the organizations to motivate group of people to
achieve common goals. They are related to directing, motivating and guiding people to perform
in creative and innovative way (Transformational Leadership: Definition and Examples.2021).
There are different types of leadership styles that are used by hospitality industry to perform at
their higher levels (Appiah, 2019).
Democratic leadership:
This is type of leadership in which leaders along with members participate at the time
of decision making. In this everyone gets equal opportunity to exchange their ideas and
participate in that at the time of discussion (Corporate Social Responsibility - A Simple Guide.
2021)
Autocratic Leadership:
It is the leadership style in which all decision power are in hands of leaders they only
take few tips from their members. They are based on the choices, ideas & judgements and
leaders infrequently take advice from others.
Laissez-Faire Leadership:
In this type of leadership the leaders don't take decisions alone they give rights to their
staff which are in form of choosing what will be best decision for this workplace.
Strategic Leadership
This is related to manager who informs vision of the organizations or uses that to
motivate people to follow that strategy.
Transformational Leadership
In this leadership style leaders of the organizations works with their teams to identify
what are changes needed to follow vision through inspiration. This leadership helps leaders to
motivate employees regarding how to be creative and innovative in the changes which are
related to growth and success of organisations
Transactional Leadership is also known as managerial leadership. In that leaders focus on role
of organization, group performance and supervision. By using this leadership they performs
specific tasks by using punishments and rewarding to motivate their team members.

Coach-Style Leadership: In this the leaders individually motivates their team members. By
making or clearing them to understand things related to achieving goals and responsibility that
were assign to them by their leaders
Bureaucratic Leadership:
This leadership is used by the leaders to make procedures, processes and structure of the
organisations. The leaders uses this to make and understand team members about the rules,
polices and how the chain of command will work at the time of giving information.
Marriott uses the Democratic which is used to define the value and culture to the
members and transformational leadership to inspire their employees by rewarding and
punishment. The CEO of Marriott uses transformational leadership in form of encouragement,
set goals and to inspire the members to achieve the organizational goals. The leaders of the
Organisation believes that they are the main asset that is used by the organizations to make it
successful. The principles of the transformational leadership style are also supported by Marriott
because they are based on ideas related to inspiration, motivation, and innovation that is valued
by the company. The leader of Marriott says that they treat employees as per the leaders want
by providing them the key of success with confidence and respect. The different leadership traits
that are used by Marriott is judgement, justice, knowledge and loyalty. They must be treated in
the way that make them interesting and innovative in their job. Top-level leaders are the person
that promote the mission of the company by performing as transformational leaders. At the time
of making decisions leaders always take ideas or advice from their members. Also they see that
the employees don't have any problems related to decisions. This leadership style makes them
believe that people are important asset of the Marriott. This leadership style include the concern
related to the people and production.
This leadership focuses on the managing and organizing team members to perform their
duty on time. That will also result in effective and creative teamwork in the organization.
They also focuses on getting work done which are related to the task oriented. The leaders
discusses the things that are related to rules, procedure, takes decisions and monitor work.
The manager of Marriott uses this leadership because this make concerns related to both
people and tasks. Also it focuses on getting work done with the group members. The manager of
Marriott uses this leadership at the time of-

Innovation: It is very important for hospitality industry to bring innovative ideas to
improve growth of the organization. Leaders believe in giving quality over quantity in their
work and in return they take initiative.
Vision: They need vision at the time of achieving goals of organizations. It is the duty of
the leaders to communicate them properly to their team members.
Inspiration: For example the great leaders is that person which inspire their members in
different ways. Leaders must share the vision and goals to employees and what are the tools
that are needed to achieve that goals. They should also give opportunity to their team members
to work on the mistakes and learn them so that they cannot be repeated again.
Communication: The leaders must have strong communication skill so that they can easily
handle their team members. Like if the communication skill of the leader is good then that will
result in good performance of the members as they have listen everything clearly.
2. Critically evaluating the concepts of ‘organisational responsibility’ and ‘responsible
leadership in the hospitality industry
Organisational responsibility are type of responsibility which is related to the ethical
behaviours of people at time of conducting and running business. They are important for
Marriott as it depends on responsibility that are used for managing budgets, customers service,
supervising maintenance and good coordination between the members of the organization..
Organizational responsibility creates an obligation to carry out duties and achieve structure
goals. Marriott operates this organisational responsibility by reducing environmental and
imagination activity with retreating the sustainability of the products and services as per their
own sources. . For example, by focusing on the organisational responsibility Marriott and its
suppliers provides more sustainable surroundings for their guests, associates and local
communities for the growth of the company. The main responsibility of Marriott is they quickly
respond to the needs that are related to customers and communities.
Responsible leadership are related to taking business decisions which are related to the
interest of stakeholders that includes shareholders, suppliers, employees and community. They
are also known as value based thoughts and relationship of leaders and stakeholders which are
linked by the purpose of sharing meaning. They are the ability to ensure that the values are
promoted by organisation in the form of actually embodied in its governance, strategy, as well
as in their daily work. It also involves restricting adverse impacts on the natural and social

environment. It is important for the hospitality industry to know the desire that are related to
achieving targets.
Organizational responsibility implications in context private sectors
The various impact that are faced by private company in organizational responsibility are
Shareholders: The main responsibility of shareholders are related to their fiduciary duties that
includes loyalty, duty of care and obedience. It is the duty of shareholders to see that company is
well run and managed. Shareholders have to do that for raising the objectives and monitoring
the performance by giving approvals on the actions that are related to management of company.
Organizational responsibility implications in context public sectors
Public sector organizations are based on financial contribution to state welfare. The
main responsibility are towards the human resource that are engaged in respectful treatment of
all staffs. They are accountable for creating a responsibility of learning culture inside the
institutions (Asghar and Oino, 2017)
Organizational responsibility implications in context voluntary sectors
The various responsibility that faced by voluntary sectors are needs of the
individuals, communities and groups to meet their own aid of government. They perform
number of functions related to welfare of their members and development of the country. The
various responsibility for which they are responsible are to make communities independent,
activate the delivery system and make it effective at the village level and respond to the needs of
the poorest of the poor.
Responsible leadership implications in context private sector
Responsible leadership are making sustainable business decisions that are related
to the interest of stakeholder that includes employees and future generations. They are the group
of people who have unique traits, skills, behaviours and emotions. Responsible leadership are
related to achievement regrading sustainability and business parameters. The leaders are
responsible for not only business performance but for sustainable investing, corporate social
responsibility, environmental stewardship, sustainable development, and as its business
development goals.
Responsible leadership implications in context public sector

In public sector this are related to following ethical leadership towards sustainable
development. Responsible leadership are accountable for creating new organizational and social
values by innovating responsibly with emerging technology.
Responsible leadership implications in context Voluntary sector
In voluntary sector the responsible leadership are related to ability that build consensus
and focuses on the collective efforts of members towards the achievement of organizational
goals. They focus on the honesty, integrity and long term perspective to form a responsible
leadership. In voluntary sectors they are responsible for policy as they don't work for profit
motive (Barić 2017).
3. Examining CSR benefits to Marriott as well as to the wider community
Corporate social responsibility are the international private business that had started to give
societal goals, charitable nature and oriented practices (The Importance of CSR and Why a Company
Should Embrace it. 2021).. They are understood as strategic enterprise that contributes brand
reputation. The aim of this responsibility is to make learners to understand how they will create
strategy that are related to situational, economic and societal issues and can work in ways that
resourceful, ethical and sustainable. In UK corporate social responsibility is seen as the best
practices that are used by both city and government. They are the responsible for defining the
management concepts that are related to the social and environmental concerns which have
direct impact on the business operations. It is the thought that must be self-addressed to different
levels of business and can sort a part of a company’s driving strategy. Corporate social
responsibility operate in cost saving by avoiding cost related to the wastage energy or
unnecessary charges. In an increasingly, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, many UK
companies are leading the way that are related to corporate social responsibility.
EXAMINING THE DRAWBACKS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
 It have direct impact upon the reputation of Marriott
 It will leads to competitive disadvantage as the company have operated CSR
which will result in more cost to complete and finish the tasks.
 The main motto of company is make profit but CSR result in interest of people
which can cause conflict at the time of decision making.
The approach varies that the factors are influenced by business size, sector and locality
(Butler and et.al, 2017). Corporate social responsibility are important legal requirements that

Marriott have to operate. It works as good practices that is related to the social and
environmental issues that company have to face. This are all about being a responsible business
and as a part of an integrated and strategic approach that can create a value for the society.
Corporate responsibility is the wilful activity that businesses uses over and above the legal
requirements to pull off in the form of better economic, environmental and societal impacts.
CSR is good activity that helps in contacting with the customers and clients of Marriott. By
CSR activity employees will learn the potential skills and increase their communication skills
by gaining invaluable local sights and improve leadership. This corporate social responsibility
are the activity which will result in better customers result. It is beyond the companies’ profits
and focuses on benefits related to community. CSR programme will not only work to improve
company’s representation but will also result in improving things such as media coverage,
employee engagement, retaining and attracting investors/ clients. On the other hand, they
implement company culture and core values in the form of corporate social responsibility.
They are managing the business along with their human rights, economic and environmental
impact. This also helps business to improve performance by building trust and taking
competitive advantage towards customers and employees (Chen and Tabari, 2017)
The benefits of Corporate social responsibility are: Improves brand image: This responsibility helps Marriott to know what is the public
image at the time of buying the product. Increased brand image and recognition: If the company is adopting ethical practices that
are related to corporate social responsibility which will create increased brand awareness
as more people will hear about their brand. Cost savings: If Marriott will work on the changes related to Sustainability using less
packing then that will result in decrease production cost for the company. Advantage over competitors: By acknowledging Corporate social responsibility the
company have quality to stand out from their competitors. Marriott consider that by using
social and environmental factors they can go one step ahead from their competitors. customer’s engagement: The company is using sustainable systems with this they can
post on images on their social media channels by creating story to know people about the
efforts.

 More benefits for employees: If the company is using CSR then that is the benefits for the
employees that will result in positive and productive place to work. Further they will be
promoting the things like volunteering encouraging themselves with personal and
professional growth (Galant and Cadez 2017)
CSR benefits related to incorporating hospitality industry
Today's hospitality industry have ability to put CSR as important role that provides
enhanced service element. Hotels have taken initiatives not just taking return from society but
also to sustain their brand image and to win guest loyalty. This have made Marriott to understand
that not only its customers and investors are important but also the community, environment,
profits and people plays a wider role. They give benefits that are related to increasing fuel
efficiency in airlines, water & energy saving in hotels and reduction of food waste in restaurants.
The company have implemented this CSR initiates related to community development,
employment practices and encouraging workforce. By using this CSR practices industry can
attract, motivate and retain their employees. Thus corporate social responsibility became a major
initiatives related to integrated high performance work system.
CSR benefits related to incorporating government industry
Corporate social responsibility plays and important role in developing activities that are
related to rebalancing responsibilities. This helps government sector to avoid future crisis and
create inclusive and more sustainable global economy. They allow government to establish
frame work conditions that are related to encouraging responsibilities and voluntary corporate
responsibility. The main purpose of them is to work in ethical manner that will result in positive
sustainable growth. They are also known as the policies, practices that organisation take to create
shared value for both society and brand image (Geia and et. Al, 2020)
CSR benefits related to incorporating voluntary sectors
CSR helps them to revaluate business plans to make them moral and alert about the
impact they have to face related to the society and responsibilities. Benefits related to charitable
are:
volunteers: Companies that are operated on CSR schemes need number of volunteers for
charities. This also help to ensure that what are the number of volunteers that can be net for each
year.

More funding and exposure: The voluntary company that are operated on CSR or acting
as free market in return they encourage more funding. Initiatives of CSR like matching gift
programme that are received up to double amount or result in increasing their funding.
Stable partnerships: This can lead to long- term collaborations if the partnership between
the companies and charities are formed using corporate social responsibilities. Work creates the
stability for the charities to bring more attention related to the cause (Guterresa, Armanu and
Rofiaty, 2020)
4. Evaluating social media practices of Marriott and implications for better customer satisfaction
and experiences
Social media are the technology that provides sharing of ideas, thoughts and information
to build up virtual networks and communities. There is an important role of social media for the
hospitality sector to engage customers and clients with their needs. Social media include
different apps that are Facebook, Instagram, location-based networks and any similar online
platforms. social media policy will help companies to mitigate risks and contain fallout in the
event of a breach of conduct or a full-on crisis. The hotels can promote themselves using social
media that is using computer, smartphone and tablet. Marriott can experience better social media
practices by providing advertisement on Facebook. With the help of Facebook they can
advertise, show images, display contact and history info, as well as they can connect with
costumers. Hotels uses this practices to increase awareness f Marriott by using their trending
hashtags. The organizations uses this hashtags on the Instagram and twitter and also post the
images when the special offer are given by Marriott. With the help of this they can interact with
their customers during vacations and can also find out the experience of people (Katmon et.al,
2019).
Nowadays Marriott spend their time in promoting individual portions and loyalty program
that attracts audience in social media . For example their campaign focus on the opportunities
related to doubling of rewards point using Facebook video. The social media practices that are
used by the hospitality sectors are:
Learn everything from audience: By using this social media practices they can lean what
are the needs that the customers want.
Networks: With the help of this practices they see what are the best networks used to find out the
customers and their needs.

Have a plan: Organization must have good strategy to attract large numbers of customers
on social media. They should set the plan related to the working like how, when or what are the
changes to create or share content.
Keep an eye on competition: By using social media practices they can keep an eye on the
competitions they have to face on daily basis. They can see what are prices offered by the other
organizations on same services. Also they can see who are their new competitors, from where
they are, what are the innovative things they are providing to their customers.
Listen for mentions of you brands: They must check on the daily basis what people are
saying about their organizations (Latif, Pérez and Sahibzada, 20220)
By evaluating the various drawbacks that are faced by Marriott are:
 Decreases the face-to-face communication skills
 Negative feedback results in bad reputation and brand name
 It is time consuming and are difficult to measure
 Security and privacy issues as company post their photo about structure.
The main social media tool of Marriott is they believe in reminding that still there is
company who cares about them. They brand listens their customers through twitter and
Facebook to be in tune with latest trends and social conversation. Company also puts important
key metrics that are related to their brand performance on social media. Marriott have around
359 Facebook pages and 124 twitter handles and 15 you tube channels. The social media tools
that are used by Marriott are:

Instagram: Marriott uses Instagram that deals in great job interaction with their audience.
They answer to the questions related to the practices at the time of stay. People ask questions
like what they have done for the people during their stay (Lee and How, 2019)
Twitter: As twitter is very trending social media app that is used by every citizen of the
world. Marriott make sure that they retweet every post about their guest related to how
wonderful was their experience in the hotel. Also they is twitter in promoting their brand loyalty
program.
Facebook: With the help of this they post unique photos that are related to their new
villas and home rental program.
LinkedIn: By using this social media app they share articles that is the great resource for current
and future employees to develop their own personal brand. Also they make creative videos that
are on celebrations for employees at every level which gives best tips related to doin their jobs
well.