Conclusion: Culture. Consistency, and Flexibility
The Four Seasons Hotel Greorge V case illustrates how
a service firm with a strong, successful organizational
culture expanded internationally into a country with a
distinct, intense national culture. When Four Seasons
entered France, some elements of organizational culture
were held constant, while others were treated flexibly.
Managers never considered altering their organizational
values, whether related to the service provided to guests which had to be engaging, anticipating, and
responding; the property which had to be beautiful,
luxurious, and functional; or how managers would
treat employees, insisting that employees be treated as
managers would like to be treated if they performed
those jobs. While these values remained constant despite
considerable differences in operating environments,
the ways those values were enacted did sometimes
change. This required changes in policies,
management practices, and the use of cultural artifacts.