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Case Astor Lodge & Suites

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BUS827 Astor Lodge and Suites, Inc Case1 Hints
Dr David Gray Email: david.gray@mq.edu.au

Astor Lodges Caase 1

1

Case Questions
Problem Losing Money: Astor Lodge & Suites, Inc., a 250 property hotel chain, is about to post its fifth consecutive unprofitable fiscal year. Requirements: Prepare Presentation for new President and CEO, Joseph James, describing each VPs 1) his or her initiatives, expenditures, and outcomes for each of the past two fiscal years, and 2) planned initiatives and budgetary needs for fiscal 2006. 3) Show how their staffs prior and planned initiatives and expenditures contributed the company's EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) - the corporate performance metric recently adopted by Mr. James and the Astor Lodge & Suites, Inc. Board of Directors.
Astor Lodges Caase 1 2

Case Objectives
This case has four teaching objectives: 1. To introduce students to the economics of the U.S. hotel industry. 2. To affirm the fundamental role that segmentation, targeting, and positioning plays in crafting an advertising and sales program.

3. To alert students to the growing senior management insistence on financial accountability when preparing marketing, advertising, and sales programs. •
4. To consider the objective-task approach to communication budgeting. 5. To apply contribution analysis in the evaluation of marketing decisions.

Astor Lodges Caase 1

3

Case Questions
Assessment (A2)- Case 1 – Due 7 April by 11.59pm via Turnitin Astor Lodge & Suites, Inc (10%) – Kerin & Peterson page 338

Case Questions:
1. How would you characterise the U.S. hotel industry in early 2005 2. What is the current competitive positioning for Astor lodges & Suites, Inc 3. How would you characterise the operational (e.g. occupancy rates, prices, costs per room, etc) and financial performance (e.g. EBITDA –

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