Strategic Management in Hospitality: A Systematic Review of Theoretical Foundations, Strategic Practices, and Competitive Implications

Abstract

Purpose: The hospitality industry operates in an increasingly dynamic and competitive global environment characterised by rapid technological advancement, globalisation, changing consumer behaviour, and evolving market structures. Within such an environment, hospitality organisations must develop effective strategies that enable them to achieve sustainable competitive advantage and long-term organisational performance. Strategic management therefore plays a critical role in guiding hospitality organisations in analysing their operating environments, allocating resources effectively, and implementing strategies that enhance competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to review existing literature on strategic management within the hospitality industry, with particular emphasis on strategic frameworks, competitive strategies, organisational capabilities, and emerging strategic trends affecting hospitality organisations.
Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a systematic literature review approach to analyse scholarly publications related to strategic management in hospitality and tourism. Relevant literature was identified from academic databases including Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald Insight, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. The selected studies were analysed using thematic synthesis to identify key strategic management concepts, theoretical frameworks, and research trends within the hospitality sector.
Findings: The review reveals that strategic management significantly influences organisational competitiveness and long-term performance in hospitality organisations. Strategic frameworks such as Porter’s competitive strategy model, the Resource-Based View (RBV), and dynamic capabilities theory are widely applied in hospitality research to explain competitive advantage and organisational performance. The findings also indicate that modern hospitality strategies increasingly emphasise innovation, digital transformation, sustainability, and customer-centric service differentiation.
Research limitations/implications: The review primarily focuses on strategic management within hospitality accommodation establishments such as hotels and resorts. Further research is required to examine strategic management practices within other segments of the hospitality industry including restaurants, cruise operations, and event management.
Practical implications: Hospitality managers should adopt systematic strategic management processes that integrate environmental analysis, strategic planning, innovation, and organisational learning. Strategic leadership and effective strategy implementation are critical for achieving organisational competitiveness and sustainability.
Originality/value: This paper contributes to the hospitality management literature by synthesising existing research on strategic management and identifying emerging strategic trends relevant to hospitality organisations.