Marriott Hotel: Sustainability's Influence on Consumer Decision-Making

This research project investigates the role of sustainability in influencing consumer decision-making within the hospitality industry, using Marriott International Hotel as a case study. The study employs a questionnaire to gather primary data, which is then analyzed using frequency distribution analysis. The findings reveal that a significant portion of respondents believe sustainability is vital in influencing consumer decisions, plays an important role within the hospitality industry, and offers numerous benefits such as creating a positive brand image, attracting more guests, and reducing operating costs. Effective eco-friendly initiatives like adopting corporate social responsibility practices, using advanced waste management technologies, and implementing recycle, reuse, and reduce processes are also highlighted. The research further explores the negative impacts of neglecting sustainability, including reducing natural resources, increasing pollution, and rising wastes. The project concludes by emphasizing the importance of investing in corporate social responsibility and sustainability for long-term value creation and risk management within the hospitality sector. This assignment is available on Desklib, where students can find a wide range of study resources, including past papers and solved assignments.

Role of Sustainability in influencing
consumer decision-making within the
Hospitality Industry. A research project on
Marriott International Hotel.
1

Table of Contents
.........................................................................................................................................................1
Questionnaire...................................................................................................................................3
Findings, Interpretation and Discussion..........................................................................................5
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................15
ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES ..................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
2

Questionnaire
Q1 Do you have any knowledge regarding the concept of
sustainability?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q2 Do you think that sustainability is vital in influencing consumer
decision making?
Frequency
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
Q3 Does sustainability play an important role within hospitality
industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 22
b) No 8
Q4 What are the importance and needs of sustainability within the
hospitality industry?
Frequency
a) Assists in meeting objectives without harming environment 6
b) Helps in becoming socially responsible 5
c) Accommodates in developing environment friendly manner 12
d) Helps in adopting practices that are eco friendly 7
Q5 What are the roles of sustainability initiatives to effect the
consumer decision making in Marriott International Hotel
Frequency
a) Creates positive impact on brand image 6
b) Improves the goodwill 5
c) Attracts more guests and tourists 11
d) Influence customers to opt environment friendly hotels 8
3

Q6 What are the effective eco friendly initiatives for Marriott
International Hotel which assist great sustainability and better
productivity level for the organisation?
Frequency
a) Adopting practices of corporate social responsibility 10
b) Using advance technologies to manage waste 8
c) Implementing recycle, reuse and reduce processes 7
d) Minimising the use of exhaustible energy 5
Q7 What are the impacts if hotel industry does not follow
sustainability in their operations?
Frequency
a) Reducing natural resources 9
b) Increasing pollution 10
c) Rising wastes that are solid and harmful 6
d) Increasing deforestation 5
Q8 What are the benefits to hospitality industry with sustainability? Frequency
a) Identifying areas that make long term value for hotels 13
b) Reducing operating costs by management of resources 5
c) Effective risk management of economic, social and environmental 6
d) Creating trust among guests through engagement 6
Q9 What are the roles of corporate social responsibility in
maintaining sustainability within hospitality industry?
Frequency
a) Reflects on activities done by hotels for contributing in society 7
b) Develops strategies to remain sustainable 8
c) Protects the reputation of hotels 6
d) Creates new opportunities to emerge market 9
4

Q10 Do you think investment in corporate social responsibility and
sustainability is right and important?
Frequency
a) Yes 24
b) No 2
c) Can't say 4
5

Findings, Interpretation and Discussion
It is very important chapter in research because it helps investigator to get valid and
relevant results. This chapter assists in analysing collected data through primary and secondary
information. Findings would be done with the use of frequency distribution analysis. The
collected data would be shown in graphs and tabular form for better understanding.
Question1 Knowledge regarding the concept of sustainability
Q1 Do you have any knowledge regarding the concept of
sustainability?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
5
Frequency
Interpretation: From the above mentioned report it has been understood that out of 30
participants chosen from Marriott International Hotel, 25 participants said that they have
knowledge regarding the concept of sustainability because their organisation is practising
activities to maintain sustainable development which help them to do activities in a way that
does not harm natural resources whereas the remaining 5 respondents said no as they are not
aware about the concept of sustainability and the practices used by their organisation are not that
effective which do not contribute in less consumption of natural resources.
Question2 Sustainability is vital in influencing consumer decision making
Q2 Do you think that sustainability is vital in influencing consumer Frequency
6

decision making?
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30 28
2
Frequency
Interpretation: With the help of above shown table it has been summarised that out of 30
respondents, 28 respondents have said yes that sustainability is important in influencing
customer decision-making because customers are more interested in hotels that are more
environment friendly and guests of hotels are more interested in hotels who are socially
responsible and meeting their requirements and needs whereas remaining 2 respondents have
said no because they do not think sustainability is necessary in customer decision-making and
these respondents think that customers are only concerned about their comfort and leisure as they
are not interested if hotel is adopting sustainable practices or not.
Question3 Sustainability play an important role within hospitality industry
Q3 Does sustainability play an important role within hospitality
industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 22
b) No 8
7

a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25 22
8
Frequency
Interpretation: From the assistance of above mentioned graph it has been summarised that 22
employees of Marriott International Hotel said yes that sustainability plays an important role in
hospitality industry because it focuses on minimising the natural resources, fulfilling needs and
requirements of customers available in the market and lowering consumption of energy that are
exhaustible. The rest 8 employees said no as they do not know what are the roles of sustainability
in hospitality industry because they are not involved in the decision making related to
sustainability so they are not aware about such practices.
Qusetion4 Importance and needs of sustainability within the hospitality industry
Q4 What are the importance and needs of sustainability within the
hospitality industry?
Frequency
a) Assists in meeting objectives without harming environment 6
b) Helps in becoming socially responsible 5
c) Accommodates in developing environment friendly manner 12
d) Helps in adopting practices that are ecofriendly 7
8

a) Assists in meeting objectives without harming environment
c) Accommodates in developing environment friendly manner
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
6
5
12
7
Frequency
Interpretation: From the above given table it has been concluded that out of 30 employees, 6
employees believe that sustainability is important because it helps in meeting objectives without
damaging the environment as it consumes less resources from environment, 5 employees believe
that it helps hospitality industry to become more social responsible as it fulfils needs of people
without damaging the environment, 12 employees believe that it helps hospitality industry to
develop by becoming environment friendly as they adopt practices, processes and techniques that
promote environment friendly. And the rest 7 employees believe that hit helps in adopting
practices that are eco friendly as it helps in reducing and managing waste. From the above
mentioned secondary data collected from publications, books and journals it has been understood
that sustainability has importance in hospitality industry (Rubright and et. al, 2016).
Question5 Roles of sustainability initiatives to effect the consumer decision making in
Marriott International Hotel
Q5 What are the roles of sustainability initiatives to effect the
consumer decision making in Marriott International Hotel?
Frequency
a) Creates positive impact on brand image 6
b) Improves the goodwill 5
c) Attracts more guests and tourists 11
d) Influence customers to opt environment friendly hotels 8
9

a) Creates positive impact on brand image
c) Attracts more guests and tourists
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
6
5
11
8
Frequency
Interpretation: From the given table it has been summarised that out of 30 employees, 6
employees of Marriott International Hotel think that sustainability plays a role in consumer
decision making because sustainability creates positive image of the brand that it works and
operates without harming the surroundings, 5 employees believe that it plays a role in improving
the goodwill as Marriott International Hotel follows laws set to save the environment, 11
employees think sustainability helps in attracting more number of guests and tourists as now
customers are more concerned about the surroundings, environment and ecosystem. And the rest
8 respondents said that it assists customers to choose hotels that are environment friendly so that
damage through industry can be reduced. With the above collected secondary information,
gathered with the assistance of magazines, books and articles that roles of sustainability
initiatives affect the consumer decision making in one of the prestigious hotel known as Marriott
International hotel.
Question6 Effective ecofriendly initiatives for Marriott International Hotel which assist
great sustainability and better productivity level for the organisation
Q6 What are the effective ecofriendly initiatives for Marriott
International Hotel which assist great sustainability and better
productivity level for the organisation?
Frequency
a) Adopting practices of corporate social responsibility 10
10

b) Using advance technologies to manage waste 8
c) Implementing recycle, reuse and reduce processes 7
d) Minimising the use of exhaustible energy 5
a) Adopting practices of corporate social responsibility
c) Implementing recycle, reuse and reduce processes
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
10
8
7
5
Frequency
Interpretation: With the help of given graph it has been showed that from the total 50
employees, 10 employees think that Marriott International Hotel has adopted an initiative of
adopting practices of corporate social responsibility which make them fulfil interest of all the
people who are associated with the hotel, 8 employees think that it has selected practice of using
technologies that manage wastes which help in effective disposal, 7 employees believe that it has
adopted recycle, reuse and reduce processes which help in increasing productivity and
decreasing consumption of new products. With the above given data collected for literature
review through articles, books and publications it is identified that there are multiple eco friendly
effective initiatives for Marriott International Hotel for improving sustainability and productivity
level for organisation.
Question7 Impacts if hotel industry does not follow sustainability in their operations
Q7 What are the impacts if hotel industry does not follow
sustainability in their operations?
Frequency
a) Reducing natural resources 9
11

b) Increasing pollution 10
c) Rising wastes that are solid and harmful 6
d) Increasing deforestation 5
a) Reducing natural resources
c) Rising wastes that are solid and harmful
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 9
10
6
5
Frequency
Interpretation: With the help of mentioned graph it has been understood that out of 30
employees, 9 employees believe that if Marriott International Hotel does not follow
sustainability then it would reduce natural resources because hotels use more resources that are
obtained naturally, 10 employees think that it would increase pollution as hotels would not have
effective practice that dispose waste, 6 employees think that it would increase wastes that are
toxic and solid if hotels would not follow sustainability and use system that manage wastes, 5
employees believe that if hotels does not remain sustainable then it would increase deforestation
as hotels would not uses resources efficiently. With the above given secondary information
gathered for literature review from journals, articles, publications and books it is explored that
hotel industry is impacted if they do not follow sustainability in the operations and activities
(Ramkissoon, 2018).
Question8 Benefits to hospitality industry with sustainability
Q8 What are the benefits to hospitality industry with sustainability? Frequency
a) Identifying areas that make long term value for hotels 13
12