Chosen Business: Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton

Project Title:

360-Degree Market Analysis for Business Expansion

Project Focus:

This final project is an individual academic report for the International Business Strategy course.
The purpose of the project is to evaluate four potential foreign markets and recommend the best country for international expansion for a hospitality business.

For this project, I will focus on Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton, a well-known hospitality brand within the Hilton portfolio, and assess which country would be the most suitable destination for expansion.

Main Requirements

1. Introduction

In this section, I need to briefly introduce the chosen hospitality business.

This includes:

• The business profile / field of operation
• The main competitors / rivals
• The target audience
• The current headquarters (city and country)
• The motivation behind expansion
• A clear explanation of the problem or market gap that is not fully solved by competitors
• Mentioning a few existing alternatives in the market

My chosen business:

• Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton
• A globally recognized upper-midscale hotel brand
• Focused on business and leisure travelers
• Known for reliable service, modern comfort, and strong brand recognition

2. Expansion Routes and Market Analysis

This is the main analytical part of the project.

I need to compare 4 selected countries as potential markets for the expansion of Hilton Garden Inn.

The analysis must be based on 4 international rankings:

1. IMD World Competitiveness Ranking
2. Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)
3. World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking
4. WIPO Global Innovation Index

2.1 Overview of the Country Rankings

In this section, I must:

• Insert Table 1 with the raw ranking data for the 4 selected countries
• Use the 4 rankings above
• Present the actual positions / ranks for each country
• Add Figure 1 (bar chart) showing the distribution of countries by rankings
• Briefly explain the key observations

2.2 Presentation of the Normalized Rankings

In this section, I must:

• Insert Table 2 with the normalized ranking results
• Use the provided Excel template to apply the normalization method
• Make all ranking indicators comparable
• Briefly explain the observations after normalization

2.3 Final Ranking of the Destination Markets

In this section, I must:

• Insert Table 3 showing the weights assigned to the 4 rankings
• Make sure all weights add up to 1.00
• Explain why each ranking received its weight based on the business needs of Hilton Garden Inn
• Insert Table 4 with the final weighted results
• Multiply:
  • Normalized scores selected weights
• Calculate the Overall Ranking Score for each country
• Rank the countries from highest to lowest
• Identify the best country for expansion
• Provide a clear recommendation supported by logic and data
• Add Figure 2 (bar chart) showing the final ranking of countries

Also required in this section:

• Explain the comparative advantages of the recommended country
• Mention possible market limits / obstacles / risks for expansion in that country
• Support observations with in-text citations
  • Example: (Transparency International, 2024)

3. Conclusion

In the conclusion, I need to write a short paragraph that:

• Summarizes the findings
• Restates the most suitable country for expansion
• Explains whether the market entry is strategically attractive for Hilton Garden Inn
• Provides a final professional recommendation

4. References

I must include:

• A full reference list
• In alphabetical order
• Following APA 7th edition style
• All sources used in the report, including rankings, data sources, charts, and any external research

Important Notes

• The project must be completed individually
• The final submission must be uploaded as a PDF
• The Excel file is only for calculations and should not be submitted
• All charts, tables, and figures must include:
  • A title
  • A caption
  • A source
• The report should be written in a clear academic and professional style
• English quality is important, as part of the grade depends on the quality of written English

My Chosen Business for the Project

Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton

For this project, I will analyze the international expansion potential of Hilton Garden Inn, a hospitality brand under Hilton.
The goal is to identify the most suitable foreign market among four selected countries using a data-driven market ranking approach.

Short Academic Statement (Ready to Use)

If you want to mention your topic in one sentence, you can write:

This project will evaluate the international expansion potential of Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton by comparing four selected countries using key global business and market rankings in order to identify the most suitable destination for strategic expansion.