Hospitality and the Asian Paradigm: Understanding Hotel Collaboration in China
Authors: Wassler, P., Wang, S. and Hung, K.
Conference: ICBASS - International Conference on Business and Social Sciences
Dates: 28-30 March 2014
Abstract:In the context of increasing competition on the Chinese hotel market, many hotels are looking for survival and support. A concept which has recently emerged is hotel collaboration in China. While fairly popular in Western countries, in a Chinese context there is still a lack of awareness and understanding of collaboration practices. This paper attempts to better understand how hotel collaboration can be applied to hotels in China, through running focus groups with 22 Chinese industry practitioners. Several threats, opportunities, as well as opinions on collaboration with foreign/oversees hotels and the future of hotel collaboration in China has emerged. Based on the specific cultural, political, and economic context of contemporary China, only partly collaboration among hotels was found to be perceived as a possible tool for success. From the findings emerges that the future dominance of hotel chains on the Chinese market is highly questioned by practitioners. Nonetheless, the concept of "partial hotel collaboration" has emerged as a possible business model for success in China's cutthroat hotel market. Academics as well as hotel practitioners are invited to investigate this concept further and test its application to the Chinese hotel market.
Source: Manual