STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Strategic Leadership And Entrepreneurship

Table of Content

Strategic Leadership And Entrepreneurship1

Introduction1

Strategic Leadership And Entrepreneurship Defined1

The State Of SLE Within Hospitality And Tourism Enterprises3

Benefits of Strategic leadership and entrepreneurship4

Development of SLE in the tourism and hospitality sector6

SLE in Leading Hotel Companies9

SLE Future In Tourism And Hospitality Organisations11

Case study: InterContinental Hotels Group plc14

The company14

The drivers14

Taking action15

What are the business benefits?16

Why is it SLE?17

Access for all19

Community support19

Environmental Policy20

Improvement In Its Environmental Impact20

Principles20

IHG Motivation for SLE Implementation21

Conclusion23

References24

Strategic Leadership And Entrepreneurship

Introduction

A decade ago many tourism and hospitality organisations had very little awareness of Strategic leadership and entrepreneurship (SLE)? and many of those that had were very sceptical about it. In recent years a number of tourism and hospitality organisations have accepted the principles of SLE and begun to integrate and embed SLE into their mainstream business and operations strategies. The main components of SLE; rationale for the growing acceptance of SLE principles; the development of SLE strategies and activities in tourism and hospitality organisations and SLE performance in some of the leading hotel organisations are outlined in this paper. However? it is recognised that the complex and dynamic environment of tourism and hospitality may present a threat to the sustainability of SLE. It could be argued that SLE is at a crossroads. Consequently? the question must be raised: “In the context of a turbulent environment could SLE come to be regarded as a 'luxury' that organisations can no longer afford? or could it is seen as the one 'luxury' that they cannot afford to do without?” (Ryan 2003? pp.115-120)

This paper assesses the motivations of hospitality organisations in embracing strategic leadership and entrepreneurship and how these may shape and limit how far they develop and apply SLE. The further clarification has been done in respect with the case study of InterContinental Hotels Group plc (IHG).

Strategic Leadership And Entrepreneurship Defined

Strategic leadership and entrepreneurship is known by several names such as social responsibility (SR)? corporate citizenship? and in the case of tourism? corporate sustainability. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index (2005? p.52) web site defines corporate sustainability as follows:

Corporate sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic? environmental and social developments. Corporate sustainability leaders achieve long-term shareholder value by gearing their strategies and management to harness the market's potential for sustainability products and services while at the same time successfully reducing and avoiding sustainability costs and risks.

Another definition of social responsibility is provided in an association known as business in the community (BITC). BITC defines corporate (social) responsibility as “… the management of a company's positive impact on society and the environment through its operations? products or services and through its interaction with key stakeholders such as employees? customers? investors and suppliers” (Business in the Community? 2005b? p.95).

One of the more cited definitions of SLE is proposed by Carroll (1979). He states that businesses that practice social responsibility attend to “economic? legal? ethical? and discretionary (philanthropic) expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time” (Carroll (1979? ...