ABSTRACT

The expert community includes leadership, brand and marketing teams, and agency partners. Experts should also control the brand’s sacred expressions, as alterations to these have larger business implications. Ritz-Carlton’s experts trust its practitioners and employees to understand what on- and off-brands is and act accordingly. This tactic is particularly helpful in bringing untapped ideas from practitioners and employees to the attention of the expert community. Employees, the third community, represent the brand on the front lines of consumer interaction. Changeable decisions can be delegated to practitioners and employees. Ritz-Carlton empowers its practitioner and employee communities to make hands-on, day-to-day decisions. Ritz-Carlton’s experts trust its practitioners and employees to understand what on- and off-brands is and act accordingly. Employees report on their accomplishments, rate how happy they are, and submit their innovation proposals, big or small. This enables management to respond quickly to ideas and concerns.