Proposing the problem
With the support of national policies, driven by local economy and driven by market demand, China's hotel industry has developed rapidly. By the end of 2111, there were more than 3,111 star-rated hotels and 1,474,911 guest rooms in China, both of which were nearly 111 times higher than those in 1978. With the rapid development of modern hotel industry, the hotel market gradually tends to be "oversupply" and the competition in the hotel industry is becoming increasingly fierce. The fierce competition in the hotel industry has accelerated the transformation and innovation of the hotel format. In the 21th century, China's hotel industry has entered a period of rapid development of diversified formats, driven by market demand and market competition. Modern hotels are gradually transforming from single format to multiple formats, and new hotel formats such as economy hotel, business hotel, theme hotel, boutique hotel, green hotel, conference hotel, property hotel, timeshare hotel, motel hotel and hotel apartment are constantly emerging, and the number and scale are expanding rapidly, and the hotel formats are becoming increasingly diversified.
on the other hand, although China's hotel industry has initially formed a multi-format development pattern, there are still problems such as product homogeneity, backward management mode, insufficient market development and weak competitiveness, which seriously restrict its healthy and sustainable development. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to study the innovation mode and path of hotel format, which is conducive to promoting the transformation, upgrading and sustainable development of hotels in China.
Overview of research
At present, the domestic academic research on hotel format mainly focuses on the individual research of a hotel format. For example, the research results about budget hotels, by searching CNKI periodical database, * * * retrieved 1111 documents; About the research results of theme hotels, by searching CNKI periodical database, * * * retrieved 187 documents. However, there are few related achievements in directly studying the hotel format. The keyword combination of "hotel+format" or "hotel+format" was searched in CNKI's periodical database, and only more than ten related documents were retrieved, among which only six were related to the theoretical study of hotel format.
Among them, Chen Yanying and Xie Chaowu (2116) analyzed the feasibility of strategic alliance between hotel industry and property management industry, and put forward the forms of strategic alliance between the two industries and the innovative development of their formats. Wang Jianping (2117) reviewed the development process of hotel formats in China, and classified the hotel formats based on different classification standards such as tourist market, grade, service function and tourist accommodation facilities. Shen Hejiang and Feng Dongming (2117) studied the connotation of mobile hotel, a new catering format, discussed the format type, characteristics, flow direction law and flow direction motivation of mobile hotel, and put forward how to establish a guarantee mechanism for the scientific development of rural mobile hotel. Chu Xiao Heng (2119) believes that the hotel industry format is the sum of hotel investment and operators' business strategies on specific business premises; The elements of hotel industry format include five main dimensions, namely, the combination form of hotel products, the space form of hotel places, the organization form of hotels, the gathering form of hotels and the characteristic form of hotel products themselves. Gu Huimin (2111) introduced the characteristics of characteristic hotels at home and abroad, and put forward suggestions on the construction of characteristic hotels from three aspects: elements, positioning and strategic principles. In terms of books and documents, Gu Huimin (2111) made a systematic theoretical study on the hotel format in the Theory and Practice of New Hotel Format, and put forward the connotation and characteristics of the new hotel format, as well as the dynamic system and development law of the format development.
to sum up, there is a serious shortage of domestic research on hotel format innovation, mainly in that the research results are scattered and have not formed a systematic system; Most of the research stays in the superficial description and explanation of the phenomenon, but lacks the theoretical explanation of the deep-seated reasons for the phenomenon, and the universality and application of the research results are not strong. Based on the deficiency of domestic academic circles in the study of hotel format, this paper, on the basis of inheriting previous research results, comprehensively constructs an innovative model of hotel format from a systematic perspective, with a view to enriching and perfecting the theory of hotel strategic management and providing reference for scientific decision-making of hotel enterprises in China.
the connotation of hotel format innovation
the word "format" originally originated in Japan, which is the abbreviation of the business form of circulation enterprises. Scholars at home and abroad have defined the format from different disciplines (see Table 1), but no unified authoritative definition has yet been formed. Based on the research results of scholars at home and abroad, combined with the service characteristics of hotels, this paper defines the concept of hotel format as: according to the basic and additional needs of customers such as accommodation, catering, business, conference, entertainment and leisure, dynamically choose the product form, organization form, management mode, sales form, service characteristics and other business means of hotels to provide sales and services.
Hotel format innovation refers to the hotel's new combination of production factors by using new ideas, new ideas, new methods and new technologies, and updating and improving the hotel's product form, management form, organization form and sales form, so as to form new economic capacity. The connotation of hotel format innovation includes the following three points: first, the means of hotel format innovation is to realize the recombination of production factors by updating, changing and creating new ideas, new ideas, new methods and new technologies, so as to influence and change the hotel format. Secondly, the content of hotel format innovation is very extensive, mainly involving five aspects: product innovation, business innovation, market innovation, supply chain innovation and organizational innovation, and each aspect involves several specific performance elements, thus forming a systematic hotel format innovation content system. Thirdly, the purpose of hotel format innovation is to form new hotel production capacity, pursue value maximization and gain comparative competitive advantage.
analysis of the motivation of hotel format innovation
in the 21th century, under the dual role of market competition and market demand, modern hotel formats are constantly innovating, showing a diversified development trend.
(1) Market competition promotes
Hotel format innovation is closely related to the market competition environment. Hotel enterprises are mainly faced with the competition of competitors in the existing industry, potential competitors and substitute competitors. In terms of competitors in the industry, price war has become a common means of market competition because of the low barriers to technical and product differences in hotels and the tendency of homogeneous competition among competitors in the industry. In terms of potential competitors, under the background of global economic integration, foreign hotels have accelerated their entry into China's market; Traditional industries have diversified and expanded, and diversified social capital has entered the emerging hotel format. Potential competitors affect the competitive pattern of the industry market. In terms of replacing competitors, with the expansion and extension of modern hotels' functions, hotels of different formats compete for customers; Social catering, entertainment enterprises, luxury cruise ships and other enterprises with the same or similar functional products divert hotel customers. For the general industry, the greater the intensity of industry competition, the lower the rate of return on investment in the industry, until it tends to the lowest rate of return, which leads some enterprises to quit the industry. However, the hotel industry is a "low entry barrier and high exit barrier" industry. Once you invest in a hotel enterprise, unless you sell it, it is difficult for the hotel to be used for other purposes. However, in the case of poor overall business performance of the industry, it is difficult for the hotel to sell, which leads to a higher exit threshold for the hotel enterprise. This feature determines that the greater the competition intensity in the hotel market, the greater the motivation for hotel format innovation. Because any hotel doesn't want to be crushed or merged by other competitors in the market competition, it can only gain a comparative competitive advantage through format innovation when the exit cost is high. (2) market demand pull
In a market economy, customers choose and eliminate producers through their own choice and purchase of products. With tourists' increasingly rich consumption experience and rising consumption concept, higher requirements are put forward for the quality and quality of hotel products. Tourists are no longer satisfied with the functional needs provided by standardized and standardized hotel products and services, but pursue diversified, personalized and themed tourism needs. Like any economic entity, the pursuit of profit is the nature of hotels. New market opportunities are the source of profits. The change of market demand provides hotels with new market opportunities and new ideas for product development, and guides hotels to innovate hotel formats based on market demand.
the construction of innovation mode of hotel format
In p>1912, joseph schumpete, an Austrian-American economist, introduced "innovation" into economics, and in his representative work "Theory of Economic Development", he endowed "innovation" with economic connotation and laid a theoretical foundation for modern innovation. Since then, Schumpeter has systematically summarized the innovative theory in two books, Business Cycle (1939) and Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy (1942), and put forward the innovative theory in an all-round way. Regarding the concept of "innovation", Schumpeter believes that innovation is to establish a new production function and a new combination of production factors by entrepreneurs, that is, to introduce a new combination of production factors and production conditions into the production system, thus forming a new production capacity to obtain potential profits. As for the content of "innovation", Schumpeter generally summarized five kinds of innovations: adopting a new product or a new feature of a product; Adopt a new production method; Open up a new market; A new source of supply that plunders or controls raw materials or semi-finished products; Realize the new organization of any kind of industry.
based on Schumpeter's innovation theory and the characteristics of hotel enterprises, five key elements of hotel format innovation can be refined, namely product innovation, business innovation, market innovation, supply chain innovation and organizational innovation. These five elements are the basic and important factors for the innovation and development of hotel format. The five basic elements of hotel format reflect the basic characteristics of hotel format, but they cannot explain the individual characteristics of each hotel format. Therefore, it is necessary to refine the specific expression carrier of the basic elements of the hotel format, that is, the dimensions of the elements (Li Fei, 2116). According to the individual characteristics of hotel format, combined with the innovation practice of hotel format, 11 dimensions of hotel format innovation elements are comprehensively summarized (see Table 2).
the process of hotel format innovation is the dynamic combination of hotel format innovation elements. By arranging the 11 main dimensions of hotel format elements vertically, we can draw a road map of hotel format innovation (see Figure 1). From the specific dimension, there are mainly 11 aspects of innovation, and each aspect has several performance elements. In this way, a relatively complete map of hotel format innovation is formed. In the process of hotel format innovation, we can make decisions by filling in this map, which connects the expressions of 11 dimensions of related hotel formats vertically with a straight line. In the road map, changing any one of the 11 dimensions will change the original hotel format, or create a new hotel format, or perfect and improve the old hotel format.
practical exploration of the format innovation of "Jinjiang Inn"
In p>1997, Jinjiang Inn initiated the first budget hotel-Jinjiang Inn in Shanghai. After fifteen years of development, Jinjiang Inn has grown into one of the largest budget hotel brands in China. Jinjiang Inn has made a beneficial exploration in the innovation of economy hotel format.
In terms of product innovation, firstly, Jinjiang Inn first introduced the concept of economical hotel products in China, presenting them to consumers as non-luxury hotels with economical prices, mid-range facilities, excellent service and clean and hygienic environment. The product characteristics of the economy hotel format accurately capture the needs of the consumer groups between the middle and high-star hotel consumer groups and the low-end social hotel consumer groups, thus quickly winning market recognition. While expanding the brand of Jinjiang Inn, Jinjiang Inn innovatively developed a new brand of "111-hour Express" to meet the 111-yuan consumer group (Ding Wenjing, 2111). Secondly, Jinjiang Inn has positioned the brand image of the hotel as an economical hotel product that "tastes natural and healthy, enjoys simplicity and comfort", and provides customers with professional, value-added, simple, safe and comfortable products and services. Thirdly, Jinjiang Inn carries out product form innovation, and pursues quiet and elegant atmosphere and simple and exquisite layout on the basis of the original economic hotel products. For example, the room color is warmer, and the size and height of the coffee table are improved in the standard room, which enhances the additional functions of the round table; "Comfortable Sleep Plan" emphasizes warm, breathable, soft and comfortable bedding; Choose environmentally friendly floor and paint; White walls, white bedding and light yellow furniture give a spotless visual effect. Continuous product innovation adapts to the changes of market demand, and embodies the unique product personality of Jinjiang Star, thus winning the recognition of the market.
in terms of business innovation, firstly, Jinjiang Inn implements the business model of "direct operation+joining". In the initial stage of 1997-1999, Jinjiang Inn implemented a direct business model and only developed five chain stores in two years. After 2111, Jinjiang Inn introduced the concept of chain, and its business model expanded from "self-management" to "joining" and "entrusted management". After 2117, the number of franchisees of Jinjiang Inn accounted for more than 61% of all stores (Xie Shili, Mao Liya, 2111). The company's expansion speed is accelerated, and the market network radiates from Shanghai to the "Yangtze River Delta" and then gradually expands to the whole country. Secondly, Jinjiang Inn innovates information management methods, develops PMS system, and builds a data management center that can support multi-brand business and its stores. Develop information network system, and implement all-round network management of the company's market, sales, business, finance, personnel, procurement, engineering and daily operation management of chain stores (Gui Lin, Chen Jian, 2119); The "Jinjiang Star" e-commerce website with four languages, namely Chinese, English, French and Japanese, and real-time reservation function was built and launched.
In terms of market innovation, on the one hand, in terms of regional market expansion, Jinjiang Inn has gone through four stages: local expansion, regional expansion, cross-regional national expansion and international expansion. From 1997 to 1999, the market area of Jinjiang Inn was limited to Shanghai, with 5 stores. From 2111 to 2113, the market area of Jinjiang Inn gradually spread to the "Yangtze River Delta" region, operating more than 11 stores in Shanghai, Suzhou, Ningbo and Wuxi (An Shuwei, Zhang Jinjin, 2111); Since 2113, Jinjiang Inn has expanded to the national market in an all-round way, and the number of its hotels has grown to 756, covering 175 cities in 31 provinces and cities. In 2111, Jinjiang Inn began to try international expansion, and entered the Philippine and French markets by way of brand export and brand alliance respectively, which started the international expansion of China budget hotels. On the other hand, on the basis of deep market segmentation, Jinjiang Inn aims at the high-end, middle-end and low-end market demand of budget hotel consumers, and forms a complete series of budget hotel brands with high, medium and low by innovating multiple brands, so as to achieve comprehensive coverage of the budget hotel market.
In terms of supply chain innovation, Jinjiang Inn and American Dell Group jointly established Jinjiang Del Interactive Co., Ltd., introduced advanced GenaRes reservation system and developed Central Reservation System (CRS); Cooperate with IBM to build a large-scale integrated call center with 251 seats, refined operation management, standardized service and sales process; Cooperate with Ctrip, E-Dragon and other professional travel networks to extensively carry out online marketing and online sales. In terms of organizational innovation, Jinjiang Inn implements the organizational structure of division system at the headquarters level and implements the "1111" management structure, that is, 1 powerful headquarters, 11 regional companies and 111.