In eight pages this paper examines the Parisian expansion of Four Seasons and its creative solutions to problematic entry issues. Three sources are cited in the bibliography.
Name of Research Paper File: CC6_KSmgmt4Seasons.rtf
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to maintain minimum standards that are far beyond the range of most hotels superlative efforts. A Canadian company, it often is perceived as being an American one because of
its concentration of American properties and attention to detail that is perceived by many to be more of an American trait. Entering France not only for the first time,
but also in the form of acquiring and renovating the historic George V Hotel, Four Seasons primary problem lay in determining where to establish boundaries of culture, both corporate and
national. It found creative solutions that would allow it to take advantage of both forms. Problem Definition Would it be a French
hotel, or would it be a Canadian (or American) hotel operating in France? Would it reflect national culture, or would it reflect corporate culture? Would guests realize they
were in French rooms, or would the guest experience be so uniform to Four Seasons operational standards that there would be little differentiation possible between French, Italian or US properties?
Once it defined the boundaries of corporate and national culture, how would it implement characteristics of each? Hallowell, Bowen and Knoop (2002)
muse, "Will an organizations corporate culture clash or fit with a different national culture? The key consideration here is what components of corporate culture link most tightly to competitive
advantage and, as a consequence, must be managed consistently across country borders" (p. 8). The problem for Four Seasons is where to place the boundaries of each type of
culture. Alternative Solutions 1. Four Seasons can be a "foreign hotel" operating in France. Four Seasons is not a local, one-outlet operation,