SUBJECT: INTERNSHIP REPORT COMPANY NAME: HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES LOCATION: DEVENTER...

Question

SUBJECT: INTERNSHIP REPORT

COMPANY NAME: HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES

LOCATION: DEVENTER NETHERLANDS

COMPANY WEBSITE:https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/gb/en/deventer/qyvdn/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-EX-_-NL-_-QYVDN

Work Placement report:

INTRODUCTION

Readers need a basic orientation to the topic, purpose, situation, and contents of a report - in other words, an introduction.

Secondly, you should describe the employer you worked for in proper detail. Introduce the employer's connection to you by providing an overview of your position. Include such details as where you worked, for how long and how the position fits into your education.

Describe also the nature of the position you held in relation to the employer - what is the position's value to the company? Why does the company hire work placement students? Is the work placement new or long-standing?

In describing your work duties, outline your specific responsibilities and tie them into any assignments with which you were involved. Detailed accounts should be given of such issues as the following:

Your specific day-to-day responsibilities and activities. Turn here to your daily routine activities, record keeping methods, and any job description provided by the employer.

Duties you took on or were assigned beyond the standard job description.

Activities in coordination with groups, teams or co-workers.

Specific technical/managerial functions of your position.

The academic background necessary for any assignment you worked on.

If assigned to conduct or take part in any projects:

The goals of any project you were involved in.

Key data, equations, or software that you generated or used.

Names and functions of machinery or instruments that you operated.

Analysis and application of data to your project.

Outline some of the employer's key goals and challenges, highlighting those problems or projects

with which you were specifically charged.

Documents, reports, or presentations that you were required to complete.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Outline of the background and specific business of the company and/or department in which you performed your work placement:
- What is the full title of the company/institution? Give a brief history of the company, full mailing address and relevant web links.
- What is the type of ownership of the company/institution? State the main shareholders and their shares.
  Give an overview of the employing organisation's size, structure, and commitment to work placement/co-op positions. Use the company literature or web page directly to help you generate detail but avoid simple copy-and-paste composing - assimilate the material.
  
  What kind of organisation did you choose (commercial hotel, airport hotel, conference centre, suite hotel, residential hotel, boutique hotel, casino hotel, resort hotel, restaurant, bar, country club)? Give details about the establishment.
  
  What is the organisation
  ’s mission/vision?
  
  How many employees are there in the organisation you worked in?
  
  What does the organisation offer that is different from that of other organisations? What
  
  makes it a unique organisation?
  
  To summarise this section, you should include information about the company's history, ownership, location, key services or products provided, general administrative structure, and long-term goals. Within this context, conclude with a summary of the goals of your work placement project as well.
  
  COMPANY ANALYSIS
  
  What is the sector that the company/institution operates in? Specify the products and services produced for the target market
  –
  Use a SWOT analysis, if necessary.
  
  Who are regarded as the customers of your work placement company/institution (consider the end users, retailers, other manufacturers, employees, etc.)?
  
  What is the competitive environment of the organisation?
  
  Provide an organisation chart of the company, along with information on the number of
  
  employees.
  
  When appropriate, quote key company literature - e.g. a brochure, a mission statement, a web
  
  page - to summarise the company's values and culture.
  
  Detail how the position you held fits into the overall company organisation.
  
  Furthermore, you can use the following to expand your company analysis:
  
  1. Marketing Strategies
  
  What are the company's target market, future trends and areas for potential growth? Identify the main competitors, distribution patterns, and things that make the company unique. Consider how the customer benefits from the product or service, what their needs are, and how they can be reached. Include strategic information specifically relating to your work placement project, how it will be implemented, what personnel are required, and what this means for the organisation.
- 2. Finances
  Begin with a broad overview of the company's general budget (e.g. income and expenses with major allocations) and then focus on the finances tied specifically to your work placement project. Do your best to describe start-up and on-going expenses as well as anticipated income and profits. If project benefits are not monetary, how will your results be utilised considering the company's overall goals?
  
  3. Management and Human Resources
  
  Describe whom you worked with (title and position) and how they fit into the overall hierarchy of the company. How did different units within the company (e.g. research development and business marketing) work with one another? Did you have an opportunity to interact with different types of staff within the company? How can the firm improve organisational management? Are any changes required to properly implement your work placement project results?
  
  It might be possible that you will be working for another department than the ones listed above; therefore, elaborate on that specific department's functions.
  
  LITERATURE REVIEW
  
  The literature review may vary based on the type of internship completed. Students are expected to include a literature review of around 1,500 words that discusses theoretical concepts and frameworks and relate them to what they have experienced during the WP. It should be interpretive and critical and must be written in an academic style with proper referencing. This could include information such as best practices in the field/position in which the student is working, a reflection of what the student has done, as well as setting the basis for describing what is new or important about the particular internship work. Students can also use this section to further reflect on the position of the company in the industry and other elements of the company analysis.
  
  SELF-EVALUATION
  –
  PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LEVEL
  
  An evaluation of your work placement on a professional and personal level is important not just for your work placement supervisor, but for your academic department, your peers, and for you personally as well. To evaluate your experience, elaborate on areas such as the following:
  
  The assessment others made of your work, especially if you were given a formal written evaluation.
  
  Contributions that the work experience made to your career development, goals, and growth as a
  professional.
  
  Contributions of the work experience to your selection of future coursework, either because you foresaw new needs due to the work or because a co-worker made recommendations.
  
  Assessment of which courses you completed, and which were the most or the least applicable to your work placement. Note specific courses and principles studied in these courses.
  
  Noteworthy distinctions between your education and on-the-job experience.
  
  Whether the work placement made good use of your technical background.
  
  What skills and qualifications you think that you have gained from the work placement?
  
  You can use the following to better assess and structure this section. The work placement position:
  
  For which department were you working?
  
  Did you work for one department or were you assigned to several departments?
  
  What were your daily, weekly, monthly tasks?
  
  Tell us about any events or team activities you were involved in.
  
  To what extent were you involved in your colleagues’ daily routine?
  
  Were you able to train directly under the supervisor? What did you learn from your supervisor?
  
  How were you able to apply your learning in class to the specific work you were involved in?
  
  How did this experience develop your analytical, organisational, management skills?
  
  Difficulties and problems:
  
  Did you have any problems or difficulties that you had to solve? How did you do that?
  
  What skills did you apply in direct relation to any problems you encountered?
  
  Identify areas of the department where you feel improvements were necessary.
  
  From the above, select one major concern you encountered and provide a solution on this concern.
  
  Lessons learned:
  
  How did the work placement relate to your major focus?
  
  What was especially interesting or memorable?
  
  What was good or bad about your experiences? Why?
  
  What are your conclusions concerning your studies and/or your future career?
  
  Was your academic knowledge sufficient for the work placement? (Were you overqualified? What
  kind of knowledge did you lack?)
  
  Did this experience help you decide which area of work you would like to concentrate on for your
  future career?
  
  What was the most important thing you learned from this work placement in relation to the career
  you wish to pursue?
  
  Example on how to write a self-reflection:
  
  While I have had many useful experiences at the company, I feel that I still need to develop my confidence level in negotiating with clients. I have observed many colleagues who are very effective negotiators and I hope to sharpen my negotiation skills so as to be more effective in carrying out my responsibilities.
  
  WORKPLACE EVALUATION
  –
  CULTURE
  
  The image of the organisation differs depending on how you view it. Even in companies with strong cultures, the social distance between senior management and shop floor reality can be very wide. Cultures are hardly planned or predictable; they are the natural products of social interaction and evolve and emerge over time.
  
  Elements of the organisational culture may include:
  
  Stated and unstated values
  
  Overt and implicit expectations for member behaviour
  
  Customs and ceremonies
  
  Stories and myths about the history of the group
  
  Shop talk - typical language used in and about the group
  
  Climate - the feelings evoked by the way members interact with each other, with outsiders, and
  
  with their environment, including the physical space they occupy Use the following for a better structure.
  
  Workplace culture:
  
  Did you like the working atmosphere in the organisation? Explain.
  
  Reflect on the culture within the organisation.
  
  What cultural norms were explained to you?
  
  What cultural norms did you pick up on?
  
  Did you gain any insights about corporate culture that you will take into consideration when
  searching for full‐time employment?
  
  Diversity at the workplace:
  
  The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that everyone is unique and recognising individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity,
  gender, sexual orientation, socio‐economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political
  beliefs, or other ideologies.
  
  •
  Given the above definition of diversity, describe a situation in which you showed respect to a person (or people) with diverse characteristics.
  
  WORKPLACE EVALUATION
  –
  MANAGEMENT STYLE AND COMMUNICATION
  
  In this section, comment on the following:
  
  The organisation
  hierarchy? How did it work in terms of “power distance” and responsibility levels?
  
  What was the management style used in your workplace company? Make use of the existing
  
  management styles like autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, etc.
  
  How did the management style affect your individual decision making?
  
  Were you free to make decisions or did you have to refer all decision making to management?
  
  Were you briefed on how the management and decision-making processes work? If not, did you
  
  show any interest in finding out?
  
  Were there any problems incurred as a result of misunderstandings with regards to the
  
  management style? For example, comment on the existing management/leadership style.
  
  Were there examples of good communication skills being utilised by the employees? Please
  
  explain.
  
  In what ways did you communicate within and outside of the organisation?
  
  How would you improve the effectiveness of the communication within the organisation?
  
  WORKPLACE EVALUATION
  –
  OVERALL IMPRESSION
  
  In this section, comment on:
  
  What was it like to work for this company?
  
  Did you feel welcome and well taken care of?
  
  Your relationship with your colleagues and your supervisor.
  
  What values would you suggest could be adopted to improve the work environment, if any? Why?
  
  Your level of personal satisfaction with the work placement and whether you would recommend it
  
  to others.
  
  Whether y0u
  understood the company’s expectations and received useful feedback from the
  
  company.
  
  Whether you would recommend the company to other students in the future and if not, why not?
  
  CAREER REFLECTION
  
  How did the work placement relate to your field of study?
  
  How do you think the work placement will influence your future career plans?
  
  What conclusions have you drawn regarding your future career goals because of this work
  placement?
  
  One of the purposes of the work placement is to help you figure out your long‐term career goals.
  
  What steps do you plan to take to obtain your dream job (either at this organisation or another organisation)?
  
  CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

work-plcement-2-ckk0bs2w-ykgsrvgl.docx

Shubham · Accepted Answer

WORK PLACEMENT REPORT
 COMPANY NAME: HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES
         STUDENT NAME:  
WORK PLACEMENT TEACHER: 
Table of Contents
Introduction	2
Company Background	2
Ownership details, organizational size, and structure	3
Company Analysis	3
SWOT Analysis	4
Strengths	4
Weaknesses	4
Opportunities	5
Threats	5
Customers and competitive environment.	6
Customers	6
Competitive Environment	6
Marketing Strategies, Finances, Management and Human Resources	7
Marketing Strategies	7
Finances	8
Management and Human Resources	9
Literature Review	9
Introduction	9
Theoretical Concepts and Frameworks	10
Reflection on Internship Experience	10
Analysis of Holiday Inn Express and Suites	11
Critical Interpretation	12
Conclusion	13
Self-Evaluation	13
Self-Evaluation - Professional and Personal Level	14
Difficulties	16
Skills Gained	17
Workplace Evaluation - Culture	18
Workplace Evaluation - Management Style and Communication	19
Workplace Evaluation - Overall Impression	20
Career Reflection	21
Conclusion and Recommendation	22
References	24
Introduction
This aims of the report is to provide account of internship at Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer, Netherlands. The purpose of the document is to provide insights about the role, company and various responsibilities. The report provides to provide understanding of value of internship experience, nature of duties and skills and knowledge that can be applied and developed. Holiday Inn Express and Suites is a known brand in the hospitality industry that is part of InterContinental Hotels Group. The Deventer branch is known for modern amenities and exceptional service standards. As the intern in the team with the period of six months, this requires aligning with academic curriculum in Hospitality Management. The role is to design the bridge with theoretical knowledge and practical experience that can help in providing real-world context to studies. The position of the intern at Holiday Inn Express and Suites is important for operational framework of company. Interns are hired for supporting various departments that contributes to smooth functioning of hotel that will help in gaining valuable industry experience. The internship program at Holiday Inn Express is well-established that aims development of future hospitality professionals through hands-on learning and mentorship.
In the internship, it includes key duties with primary responsibilities that includes guest check-in and check-out procedures, managing reservations and ensuring guest satisfaction through effective communication and service. This requires maintaining accurate records using property management system of hotel. It is coordinated with housekeeping and maintenance teams to address needs of guest. The project requires enhancing online presence of hotel. The goal is to increase online bookings through improved digital marketing efforts. It includes use of various software tools for data analysis and created content for social media accounts of hotel. The next project includes conducting competitive analysis to identify areas for service improvement. This describes about development of career in the hospitality industry.
Company Background	
Holiday Inn Express and Suites that is an important member of the InterContinental Hotels Group. It is globally recognized hospitality brand that is known for consistent quality and excellent service. The Deventer, Netherlands branch shows commitment of brand for providing comfortable and modern accommodations for business and leisure travellers. The Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer provides range of amenities that is designed to enhance guest experience including complimentary breakfast, high-speed internet access and well-equipped business facilities. The strategic location of hotel near major transportation hubs and local attractions makes the place ideal choice for visitors to the area. The Deventer branch includes friendly and professional staff that are dedicated for ensuring pleasant stay for all guests. This shows the commitment to service excellence that is reflected in high guest satisfaction ratings and numerous positive reviews of hotel. This includes maintaining high standards of cleanliness, safety and customer care. Holiday Inn Express and Suites continues to uphold as one of the reputations as leading choice for travellers worldwide.
Ownership details, organizational size, and structure
Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer, Netherlands is operated under ownership and management of InterContinental Hotels Group. InterContinental Hotels Group owns, manages, leases and franchises over 5,900 hotels and approximately 883,000 guest rooms in 100 countries. This helps in positioning it as one of largest hotel companies of the world. The Deventer branch is the part of expansive network that is designed for handling large and diverse client that includes business travellers and tourists. The hotel features 99 guest rooms and all hotels are equipped with modern amenities that will help in ensuring comfort and convenience. The organizational structure of the hotel is hierarchical that is typical in the hospitality industry. It helps in ensuring efficient operation and clear lines of communication. In the top of the hierarchy is General Manager that handles all hotel operations and ensures that company standards and guest satisfaction levels are met. It is important to reporting to General Manager that are is considered as department heads. This highlights key areas like Front Office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage and Maintenance. Each department includes team that has dedicated professionals that includes supervisors and frontline employees. It ensures working collaboratively for maintaining high service standards and operations.
Company Analysis
The Deventer branch of the hotel is strategically located for attracting business and leisure travellers. It provides range of amenities and services that are designed for meeting diverse guest needs. Strengths of Deventer branch include strong brand reputation, strategic location and high service standards. The affiliation of hotel with IHG ensures accesses to global customer base. It includes following international best practices in hospitality management. The dedication of staff can help in providing exceptional customer service results in high guest satisfaction and repeat business. The hotel faces challenges like intense competition from other local and international hotel brands in Deventer. This includes fluctuations in tourism sector that is influenced by economic conditions and global events that can impact occupancy rates and revenue. Opportunities for hotel include digital marketing that will help in enhancing online presence and get more bookings. The hotel can explore partnerships with local businesses and tourist attractions for creating unique guest experiences. It includes innovating and adapting to market trends that can help Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer for improving market position and continue to focus on competitive hospitality industry. Threats to the hotel include economic downturns that can reduce travel demand and potential disruptions that are caused by global events like pandemics. 
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
1. Brand Reputation: Holiday Inn Express and Suites is part of InterContinental Hotels Group that is recognized globally and respected brand in hospitality industry. It is the association that provides strong brand identity for ensuring high standards of quality and service.
2. Strategic Location: The hotel is located in Deventer, that is the city known for historical significance and cultural attractions. The hotel gets benefits from clients that business and leisure travellers.
3. Service Quality: The hotel is renowned for exceptional customer service that is shown in high guest satisfaction ratings. The staff is well-trained and dedicated for providing memorable guest experience (Scerri, Presbury and Goh, 2020).
4. Modern Amenities: The hotel provides contemporary facilities like complimentary breakfast, high-speed internet and well-equipped business centres.
5. Efficient Organizational Structure: It includes clear hierarchical structure with well-defined roles that helps in ensures smooth operations and effective communication with staff members.
Weaknesses
1. Intense Competition: The hotel faces competition from other local and international hotel brands in Deventer that has impacted market share of the hotel.
2. Dependency on Tourism: The revenue of the hotel is heavily dependent on tourism sector. This can make it vulnerable towards fluctuations that are caused by economic downturns and global events.
3. Limited Differentiation: It is the part of large hotel chain and Deventer branch can struggle to differentiate from other Holiday Inn Express locations and competitors.
4. Operational Costs: This requires maintaining high service standards and modern amenities that includes operational costs that can affect profitability during low occupancy periods.
Opportunities
1. Digital Marketing: This requires focusing on digital marketing strategies that can enhance online presence of hotel. This will help in attracting direct bookings and reduce dependency on third-party booking platforms (Sharma and Akram, 2024).
2. Local Partnerships: It includes development of partnerships with local businesses and tourist attractions that can create unique guest experiences. It will help in promoting the hotel that is central hub for exploring Deventer.
3. Sustainability Initiatives: It includes implementing eco-friendly practices that can attract environmentally conscious travellers that aligns with global sustainability trends.
4. Expansion of Services: This includes providing new services like wellness programs, guided tours and local culinary experiences (Scerri, Presbury and Goh, 2020). It can diversify offerings of hotel and attract broader audience.
Threats
1. Economic Downturns: Economic instability can reduce travel demand and this can affect occupancy rates and revenue. The hotel is required to remain adaptable to mitigate impacts.
2. Global Events: Events like pandemics and geopolitical tensions can disrupt travel patterns and this can impact hospitality industry.
3. Technological Advancements: The change in technology and changing consumer preferences can require continuous investment in new systems. This required providing training to staff for staying competitive (Rasheed et al. 2020).
4. Regulatory Changes: Changes in local or international regulations related to hospitality industry can introduce compliance requirements and operational challenges.
Customers and competitive environment.
Customers
Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer, Netherlands includes large number of clients including business travellers, tourists and families. Business travellers are considered as important segment that are attracted by modern amenities of hotel. It includes high-speed internet, business centres and convenient meeting facilities. The hotels ensure guests value efficiency, comfort and services for supporting professional needs. It includes early check-ins, late check-outs and proximity to local businesses and corporate offices. Leisure travellers are important and these guests are attracted by historical landmarks, cultural events and scenic beauty of Deventer. Families and individual tourists look for accommodations that provide comfort, accessibility and value for money. The complimentary breakfast, friendly service and clean, comfortable rooms of hotel are considered as appealing. The hotel caters to event attendees includes conference participants and wedding guests (Ghani et al. 2022). This includes providing special group rates and event coordination services. The strategic location of hotel is near major transportation hubs and local attractions makes it convenient choice for wide range of visitors.
Competitive Environment
Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer operates are operated in competitive market. The primary competitors include international hotel chains, local boutique hotels and alternative accommodation options like Airbnb.
1. International Hotel Chains: International brands like Marriott, Hilton and Novotel provides similar levels of service and amenities. The hotels compete on brand loyalty, global reservation systems and consistent service standards. Holiday Inn Express ensures differentiation through value-for-money proposition. This includes complimentary services and focus on essential amenities that are appealing for budget-conscious travellers.
2. Local Boutique Hotels: Boutique hotels in Deventer provides personalized services, unique decor and local environment.  This can help in attracting guests that are looking for intimate and culturally immersive experience. Holiday Inn Express focuses on reliable service, modern amenities and affiliation. It is considered as well-known IHG brand that ensures guests of quality and consistency.
3. Alternative Accommodations: Platforms like Airbnb provide large numbers of lodging options that includes home-like environments and cost-effective choices. The alternative is appealing for long-term travellers and families. Holiday Inn Express highlights professional service, security and additional facilities that ensure hassle-free stay.
The competitive environment in Deventer is influenced by multiple factors that includes seasonal fluctuations in tourism, economic conditions and changing consumer preferences. The hotel is required to adapt dynamics through strategic marketing, service enhancements and customer engagement initiatives.
Marketing Strategies, Finances, Management and Human Resources
Marketing Strategies
Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer uses marketing strategy that can help in attracting and retaining large number of clients. This includes development of the strategy that ensures global recognition and reputation of the InterContinental Hotels Group brand. This helps in ensure that hotel gets potential guests of high standards of service and amenities.
1. Digital Marketing: The hotel invests in digital marketing for reaching large number of audiences (Heimerl et al.2022). This will help in development of strong online presence through optimized website, engaging social media platforms and targeted email campaigns. The use of search engine optimization and pay-per-click can help in increasing visibility and ensure direct bookings. This will help in reducing dependency on third-party booking platforms.
2. Loyalty Programs: The IHG Rewards Club is considered as an important tool for ensuring customer loyalty. Members can get benefits like discounted rates, room upgrades and points that can be used for future stays. The program can incentivize and ensure repetition of business and for encouraging direct bookings.
3. Partnerships and Collaborations: The hotel can collaborate with local businesses, tourist attractions and event organizers for creating attractive package deals. The partnerships can enhance guest experience and position of hotel that can be developed as central hub for exploring Deventer.
4. Content Marketing: It includes creation of engaging content like blog posts, videos and virtual tours (Chang and Busser, 2020). This will help in ensuring offerings of hotel and attractions of Deventer. The strategy aims to attract guests by providing valuable information and highlight unique selling points.
5. Customer Feedback and Reviews: This requires managing and responding to online reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor and Google Reviews. This can help in building trust and improving reputation of hotel. Positive feedback is important marketing materials that includes constructive criticism that can be used for make service improvements.
Finances
The financial strategy for Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Deventer focuses on creating the balance for operational costs with revenue generation that ensures profitability. The key financial practices include:
1. Revenue Management: This includes introduction of dynamic pricing strategies that can be used for maximizing room occupancy and revenue. Rates can be adjusted and this depends on factors like demand, seasonality and competitor pricing.
2. Cost Control: This requires efficient management of operational expenses that include staffing, maintenance and utilities. The hotel uses energy-saving technologies and sustainable practices for reducing costs.
3. Investment in Upgrades: Periodic investments are required to be done on property upgrades and technological advancements. This helps in maintaining high standards and meet guest expectations. The investment should be planned for ensuring contribution for long-term revenue growth.
4. Financial Reporting and Analysis: It includes financial reporting and analysis that help in tracking performance, identifying trends and making informed decisions. This includes monitoring key performance indicators like occupancy rates, average daily rate and revenue per available room (Zopiatis, Theocharous and Constanti, 2018).
Management and Human Resources
1. Leadership Structure: The management structure of hotel includes General Manager that looks after operations and department heads. It includes key areas like Front Office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage and Maintenance. It includes hierarchical structure that ensures clear lines of responsibility and efficient decision-making.
2. Employee Recruitment and Training: This requires recruitment of skilled and motivated employees. The hotel should provide training programs for ensuring that staff can deliver exceptional service. It includes initial onboarding and ongoing professional development opportunities.
3. Employee Engagement and Retention: This includes creating positive work environment that is important for retaining talented staff. The hotel ensures culture of recognition and rewards that includes offering competitive salaries, benefits and opportunities for career advancement.
4. Performance Management:

SUBJECT: INTERNSHIP REPORT COMPANY NAME: HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES LOCATION: DEVENTER NETHERLANDS COMPANY...

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