Introduction
Tourism is one of the primary economic sectors for many countries, including Mexico. The state’s most visited tourist area is Cancun, which is located on the Caribbean littoral and has a wide variety of resorts, such as Marriott (Balbuena Vázquez & López López, 2020). Cancun is a beach destination that attracts a large number of visitors who come for vacation and people looking for employment, both Mexican citizens and immigrants (Balbuena Vázquez & López López, 2020). Accordingly, Marriott, which opened its first international hotel in 1969 in Acapulco, is now one of the major chain resorts across Mexico (Sushil & Dhir, 2019; Vargas-Hernández & Benítez, 2019). Nonetheless, despite its size and famousness, Marriott is experiencing difficulties due to the global recession, economic situation, and violence related to drug cartels. The hardships require modifications in organization development (OD) to determine ways for the hotel to grow and satisfy both its clients and employees. Marriott should invite an OD consultant outside the resort in Cancun to improve the hotel’s operations by following a behavioral change strategy to address issues regarding employee engagement, performance management system, and corporate culture.
OD Consultant
Marriott should choose an external OD consultant to assess the company’s situation from an outside perspective with a fresh mindset toward the organizational problems. Internal OD practitioners are selected from active members of the organization who are familiar with the company’s needs and are likely to gain the employees’ trust and acceptance (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). Nevertheless, such specialists are suitable for micro changes, may be biased toward certain workers, and may lack the required experience, skills, and objectivity (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). In contrast, external OD consultants are recruited outside the organization, thus bringing diverse perspectives and the ability to challenge the status quo (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). However, such professionals are expensive, may not fully understand the employees and their problems, and the work of external practitioners is quite time-consuming (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). Nonetheless, outside specialists are more likely to succeed in large-scale change programs (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). Considering that Marriott is facing external and internal hardships, such as cartel-related violence and a lack of employee commitment, the resort requires significant transformations. Therefore, the business should invite a professional with advanced competencies and an unbiased attitude.
Agreement with OD Consultant
Marriott’s agreement with the selected external OD consultant will entail identifying steps required for the resort’s success. A practitioner who comes outside the company is expected to formalize the obligations in the form of a contract that involves but is not limited to the point of contact, fees, and schedule (Brown, 2011). Accordingly, Marriott’s OD specialist will primarily communicate with the human resource department, and the consultant will hold the position of the main expert (Brown, 2011). Such an approach is preferable due to Marriott’s tendency to seek new ideas from outside sources, so the OD practitioner is anticipated to lead the OD process (Maldonado et al., 2018). Therefore, the agreement with the external OD consultant will give the invited professional the central role in advancing the resort’s operations.
Furthermore, the contract with the OD specialist will specify a set of functions that the practitioner will conduct. First, the consultant is expected to guide the data gathering process to determine the resort’s state (Brown, 2011). Second, the OD specialist will formulate a diagnosis based on the obtained information by analyzing problem areas to identify an appropriate change strategy (Brown, 2011). Third, the OD professional will manage the procedures needed to facilitate transformations and improve the hotel’s performance (Brown, 2011). Moreover, the practitioner will be asked to consider biblical implications for OD to assist executives and lower-level employees overcome challenges. Marriott is a corporation that appreciates new approaches to solving problems, even if the methods seem unorthodox at first glance (Maldonado et al., 2018). The Bible offers a great collection of case studies on leadership and can help organize business while reassuring employees overwhelmed by drug cartels (Woolfe, 2002). The agreement with the OD consultant will entail modifications for the resort based on recommendations from the OD specialist and relevant lessons from the Scripture.
Change Strategy
Change strategy (CS) for Marriott should pursue the basic elements of OD. Brown (2011) suggests that before identifying a CS, companies must be diagnosed based on their organizational problems. The diagnostic phase aims at gathering information and specifying matters that need to be solved (Brown, 2011). For Marriott’s case, the primary issue is the business being off by 35% over the last three years due to global economic difficulties, drug cartels, and a lack of employee engagement, satisfaction, and commitment. While such factors as the worldwide recession are likely to cause more modifications than other circumstances, such pressures are also quite difficult to control because they are caused externally (Brown, 2011). Therefore, it may be appropriate for Marriott’s CS to concentrate on managing internal challenges that revolve around the resort’s human assets.
An organization’s workers are vital resources, as they can affect the business’s success. Identifying the correct CS requires the assistance of an OD consultant (Brown, 2011). Nonetheless, it seems proper for Marriott to begin by pursuing a behavioral CS focused on improving performance by increasing the staff’s motivation and commitment (Brown, 2011). All Marriott hotels have a history of taking care of their employees due to the influence of the corporation’s founder J.W. Marriott (Sushil & Dhir, 2019). However, the dissatisfaction of the workers in the resort in Cancun indicates that the business needs some modifications. Notably, one must remember that organizations rarely concentrate on a single CS because all approaches are interconnected and should be kept in mind when overcoming obstacles (Brown, 2011). For instance, employee empowerment intervention in OD is connected to behavioral as well as structural and technological CSs (Brown, 2011). Moreover, both the best modern leaders and the Bible strongly value people (Woolfe, 2002). Consequently, Marriott’s change strategy should begin by resolving the behavioral issues that directly influence performance and then continue handling other challenges.
Employee Engagement
Employee engagement (EE) is closely correlated with the above-discussed CS. Organizational change is meant to increase a business’s efficiency, and behavioral strategies aim at advancing the quality of the execution of tasks (Brown, 2011). Nevertheless, a lack of EE hinders productivity and can harm companies because disengagement is connected to limited attention and burnout (Mostafa et al., 2020). In contrast, adequate EE presents a competitive advantage and is associated with favorable outcomes, high levels of energy, and enthusiasm for one’s occupation (Aggarwal et al., 2020; Amor et al., 2019). As mentioned overhead, behavioral, structural, and technological CSs utilize the intervention of employee empowerment, which has a positive impact on engagement at the workplace (Aggarwal et al., 2020; Amor et al., 2019; Brown, 2011). As a result, EE can advance job satisfaction and commitment among the members of the staff (Aggarwal et al., 2020). Notably, Woolfe (2002) suggests that one way to empower people is by giving them a purpose, thus making their work mindful. Consequently, employee engagement fits in CSs through the pursuit of enhanced performance and empowerment and can assist in resolving Marriott’s problems regarding employee commitment and satisfaction.
Performance Management System
Marriott’s performance management system (PMS) should assure that the workers are encouraged to achieve the business’s goals. Marriott is a major corporation that is service intense in prioritizing that customers’ expectations and needs are met and satisfied (Lee & How, 2018). Nonetheless, ensuring high-quality day-to-day interactions with clients can cause stress and negatively impact how employees accomplish their tasks (Ghani et al., 2022). Therefore, PMS should concentrate on supporting the staff and facilitating their growth to ensure that they can handle the pressure of the hospitality sector (Ghani et al., 2022). Marriott should analyze behavior and specific criteria to assess efficient and effective performance (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). An adequate PMS motivates employees and should conduct regular PAs (performance appraisals) with developmental rather than judgemental purposes to emphasize employees’ potential and developmental needs (Sing & Ramdeo, 2020). Moreover, it is important that the staff is always aware of what is expected from them and what their progress is (Woolfe, 2002). To ensure that PMS is at the level it needs to be in the future, Marriott should frequently examine how its people work and determine how to help them improve.
Corporate Culture
Corporate culture (CC) is an essential aspect of any company, and Marriott, as an international hotel chain, has a unique CC. Organizations require CC to know how to behave and what to prioritize, but a static CC is no longer effective in a modern fast-changing world (Brown, 2011). Marriot’s founder has established a CC that takes care of the corporation’s human resources so that they would be able to provide high-quality service to customers (Woolfe, 2002). Nonetheless, the hospitality industry is becoming more demanding, and a lack of employee engagement and satisfaction at the resort suggests that the Cancun hotel should reconsider its values (Ghani et al., 2022). CC can determine the success of a business and should promote trust, support, and communication (Brown, 2011). Such aspects are significant in CC because culture impacts how managers and employees interact with each other and clients, approach problems, and perform tasks (Brown, 2011). Despite Marriott’s history of striving to support its employees, the location in Cancun needs to modify its beliefs and practices. Accordingly, CC in Marriott can help the resort prosper by guiding the conduct of its workers.
Biblical Implications
OD and operations within a company are closely connected to the Bible. As mentioned above, Marriott can ask the OD consultant to utilize the Scripture to help the employees feel more reassured when undergoing or hearing about violence related to drug cartels. Although some argue that resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico rarely encounter major crimes, many residents of Cancun feel insecure due to warfare among cartels (Cooper, 2018; Balbuena Vázquez & López López, 2020). Accordingly, the staff may be comforted with such verses as “all things are possible to him that believeth” (The Holy Bible, 2019, Mark 9:23). In addition, the Holy Bible can be used in the resort’s activities that are more business-oriented. For instance, such verses as “for the Lord’s portion is his people” can remind upper management that human assets are the most important resources (The Holy Bible, 2019, Deut 32:9; Woolfe, 2002). The Holy Bible can be practical in OD by guiding managers’ resolutions and showing employees how to handle their uneasiness.
Furthermore, the Scripture can be used to promote teamwork and efficiency. For example, as mentioned overhead, individuals need a purpose to be empowered (Woolfe, 2002). Consequently, executives can utilize the verse “great in counsel, and mighty in work” to suggest that employees perform better when they consult and support each other (The Holy Bible, 2019, Jeremiah 32:19). Many parts of the Scripture can assist in empowering the staff to be more confident in making decisions (Brown, 2011). For instance, “I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (The Holy Bible, 2019, Luke 10:19). Overall, the Bible can aid people in feeling assured about their work and be encouraged to take responsibility.
Conclusion
To summarize, to improve its operations, Marriott resort in Cancun needs an OD consultant who would assist the hotel in adopting a change strategy, increasing employee engagement, and advancing the performance management system and culture. The OD practitioner should be an external professional to adequately handle major modifications by being objective and proposing new ideas. The OD specialist is expected to guide and facilitate transformations by analyzing the resort, diagnosing problems, and suggesting ways for improvement. Marriott may begin with a behavioral change strategy to address internal issues regarding employee commitment and satisfaction and then gradually pursue other approaches. Moreover, the OD consultant will be asked to consider the usage of the Holy Bible. Whether through quoted verses or interpreted situations, the Scripture can teach upper management practical cases on business and help employees handle the pressure of outside challenges, such as violence related to cartels. Marriott is experiencing internal and external difficulties, but its growth opportunities emerge from the resort being a part of a global hotel chain with a history of supporting its workers and possibilities to afford changes.
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