Four Seasons Goes to Paris: "53 Properties, 24 Countries, 1 Philosophy" Strategy 1. What is Four Seasons' business strategy? That is, what is Four Seasons' target market, the product/service offered to the target market, and the distinctive means used to approach the target market? What is Four Seasons' primary competitive advantage? 2. Are the tangible elements of Four Seasons' service quality (e.g., spacious bathrooms, comfortable beds) or the intangible elements most important? 3. Which provides Four Seasons a more sustainable competitive advantage, the tangible or intangible elements of its service quality? Which is easier to imitate? Which is harder to sustain? Human Resource Management 4. How does Four Seasons use human resource management (including recruitment, selection, training, measurement, recognition, rewards, communication, and employee turnover) to achieve excellent service quality? Organization Culture 5. Characterize Four Seasons' organization culture. That is, what are Four Seasons' core values (what is viewed as most important), norms that govern behavior, and artifacts (including heroes, rituals, stories, jargon, and tangibles such as the appearance of employees and facilities)? 6. How does organization culture facilitate Four Seasons' delivery of excellent service? Going to Paris 7. What were some of the problems, obstacles, and challenges Four Seasons faced when opening the Hotel George V in Paris? 8. How did French culture and labor laws conflict with Four Seasons' organization culture and service standards? Cultural Renovation at the George V 9. Characterize the organization culture that Four Seasons inherited at the Hotel George V. 10. How did Four Seasons transform the George V organization culture? 11. Which parts of Four Seasons' management policies and practices and organization values and culture were changed to adapt to French culture and labor laws? Which parts of Four Seasons' management policies and practices and organization values and culture were not changed in Paris? 12. How did Four Seasons change its service standards in Paris? Summary 13. What lessons from this case can be applied to other firms when entering new territories?