The Influence of Founders Imprint on Management Control Systems and on Business Outcomes: A Case Study of Arkın Group of Companies in TRNC

This research aims to find out the real-life experiences of founders and managers of hotels about management control systems (MCS) with a link to the business outcomes and imprinting theory. The entrepreneurship and family business literature have largely emphasized the role of founders in the management and operations of businesses (Bayon et al., 2015). In this study, founder’s imprint on a hotel organization is explored with particular attention to its influences on the management control systems. The study utilizes a case study approach with multiple methods of data collection. Arkın Palm Beach Hotel (APBH) is chosen as the case hotel. A qualitative research method is used to create the ideal environment for understanding management and operations on a day-to-day basis and therefore, to allow collection of data on the decision-making processes. Data is collected through interviews with management team of the hotel, observation of operational aspects and documentation of formal control elements. Some key findings of this research are discussed in relation to founder, control systems and key factors noted in the data. The founder is a pioneering person in his entrepreneurial activities and he focuses primarily working on boutique scale and manner. His success-orientation and building team work is believed to bring excellence in business. During exploration of MCS, it became apparent that APBH’s communication, whether through formal or informal channels, is a significant management control tool where budget stands as the most formal control measure. Confidence and loyalty issues became apparent when employment and guest visitations are studied in detail. Keywords: Management Control Systems, Founder’s Imprint, Business Outcomes, Case Study