In 1919, company founder Conrad Hilton purchased his first hotel in Cisco, Texas. Since then, Hilton Worldwide has become a global operator, franchisor and licensor of hotels and timeshare properties in more than 91 countries. In nearly 100 years of existence, the company today stands out as one of the largest and fastest growing hotel companies, with more than 4,115 properties and 678,630 rooms. With a commitment to high quality and guest satisfaction, the company has established a portfolio of 10 world-class brands, including the world's most recognizable hotel brand, the full-service company's flagship brand Hilton Hotels & Resorts . Its portfolio of premier brands includes luxury hotel brands Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, full-service hotel brands, DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels, focused hotel brands, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites. by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, as well as the company's timeshare brand, Hilton Grand Vacations. Hilton-operated properties have more than 314,000 team members focused on providing a comprehensive experience at each location. The company's award-winning guest program, Hilton Honors, has defined rewards programs in the industry and now has more than 40 million members (Hilton Worldwide). Hilton Worldwide operates through three segments: (1) management and franchising; (2) ownership; and (3) timeshare. These business segments allow management to capitalize on strengths such as brand recognition and economies of scale. The company primarily focuses on the management and franchise segment which includes 3,918 hotels totaling 610,413 rooms. Managing properties, rather than owning them, allows the business to...... middle of paper ...... life cycle stage is essential for maintaining control of the business. Periodic hotel inspections are conducted and meetings are held with franchise employees and management to cover certain aspects of hotel operations (Hilton Worldwide). The final stage of the life cycle is known as the development stage. This is the milestone that every new Hilton hotel strives to achieve. Resource dependence is one of the interorganizational frameworks that Hilton hotels embody. Hilton is a leading company in its industry and strives to establish a relationship between the company and the customer so that it can continue to dominate the lodging industry. They often engage in long-term business ventures with many of their suppliers because this prevents prices from fluctuating. Hilton keeps its competitors at bay and does not depend on other competing hotels for the supply of important resources..