Influence of recreation on education aspiration

In the wide context of travel and tourism, recreation plays a significant role in occupying holiday‐maker's agenda, so much so that destination is often sought based on recreation activities it offers. Campus recreation for example, is a major component that influences the young when choosing the destination in which to pursue higher education. However, the truly‐important‐but‐often‐dismissed role of recreation is perhaps its value towards the intellectual development of youth. This special value is perhaps more apparent if we discuss it in the context of adolescents in a campus setting i.e. the students. This study is an attempt to examine the relationship between these two dimensions. Specially, it looked at the link between recreation and academic aspirations and achievement using a specific student population. Aspiration is measured by looking at an individual's attitudes, motivation and expectation with regard to formal education. Findings from the study indicated a strong relationship between intensity of recreation with aspiration. It is found that the more intense the recreation activity, the more positive the individual's aspiration towards in class learning is. However, the same cannot be concluded for relationship between intensity of recreation with academic achievement. This is because the study found that individuals who recreate most intensely do not show good academic achievement. The same scenario is also true for those who recreate least intensely. Individuals who showed the best academic achievement are found to be those who recreation intensity is comparatively moderate. The study provided several recommendations for the planning and provision of recreation activities in institutions of higher learning and emphasized the need for students to recognize the importance of balancing academic and nonacademic pursuit in their time management.     

Does positive affectivity moderate the effect of burnout on job outcomes? An empirical investigation among hotel employees

A conceptual model examining positive affectivity as a moderator of the influence of burnout on extra-role performance and quitting intentions is developed and tested. Data obtained from employees in the hotel industry in Turkey were used to assess the model. As hypothesized, burnout influences extra-role performance deleteriously and exacerbates quitting intentions. The results of the Chow test also reveal that positive affectivity serves as a moderator in reducing the detrimental impact of burnout on extra-role performance and quitting intentions. The findings and their implications are discussed.     

Affectivity and organizational politics as antecedents of burnout among frontline hotel employees

This study investigates perceptions of organizational politics as a mediator of the effects of negative affectivity and positive affectivity on burnout. Based on data obtained from frontline hotel employees in Turkey, results reveal that the impacts of negative affectivity on exhaustion and disengagement, through perceptions of organizational politics, are stronger than positive affectivity.     

Authenticating the learning environment

The research documented in this paper argues that the authentic learning environment is achievable through “academic practitioners” who can ground business education and research within practice. A culture fostering the academic understanding of the practitioner environment enables practical engagement with academic rigour. The case study illustrates specific examples from degree programmes engaging with student and academic voices, with a particular focus on the development of authentic learning experiences for tourism and hospitality students. Key aspects of business education need embedding within the development of tourism and hospitality curricula in order to engage with the tacit knowledge required by the sector through a holistic approach to curriculum development.     

Emotional dissonance and emotional exhaustion among hotel employees in Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a model, which investigated emotional dissonance and emotional exhaustion among employees in frontline service jobs. Data were gathered via self-administered questionnaires from a sample of frontline hotel employees in Nigeria, which is one of the neglected developing sub-Saharan countries in the African continent. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated a number of significant direct and partial mediating effects and provided support for the majority of the hypothesized relationships. Specifically, emotional dissonance partially mediated the relationships of negative affectivity and intrinsic motivation with emotional exhaustion. The results also revealed that emotional exhaustion partially mediated the effect of emotional dissonance on turnover intentions. Unexpectedly, emotional dissonance was found to be positively related to job performance. Implications for frontline employees and their managers and directions for future research are discussed.     

The managed heart: The structural analysis of the stressor–strain relationship and customer orientation among emotional labor workers in Korean hotels

This study examined the structural relationships among three different dimensions of workplace stressors (customer-related stressor, CRS; work environment-related stressor, WERS; job-related stressor, JRS), negative affectivity (NA), emotional exhaustion (EE), and the negative effect of that strain on customer orientation (CO) in the context of the emotional labor (EL) of frontline employees in the hotel industry. Data were collected from self-administrated questionnaires distributed among frontline employees in room and F&B divisions in Korean deluxe tourist hotels, where EL is intense. The results of the structural equation analysis indicated a positive association between all three workplace stressors and NA and between NA and EE. There was also a relationship in the opposite direction with EE and CO, as hypothesized. The moderating effect of organizational level on the workplace stressors–NA relationships was also confirmed. In addition, in an alternative model, we found that NA partially mediates the relationship between JRS and EE; whereas, NA fully mediates the relationships between CRS/WERS and EE. Practical implications are discussed in detail and limitations of the study and future research directions are also suggested.     

Does customer incivility undermine employees’ service performance?

This study extends the growing body of research on customer incivility by examining its impact on employees’ in-role and extra-role service performance in the hospitality industry. Using a sample of 307 employee–supervisor dyads in nine hotels in Zhuhai City, China, this research examined the impact of customer incivility along with negative affectivity and hostile attribution bias on in-role performance and extra-role performance, particularly proactive customer service performance (PCSP). The results demonstrate that, while customer incivility negatively influenced PCSP, it did not impact in-role performance. Furthermore, the effect of customer incivility on PCSP was mediated by negative affectivity. Additionally, hostile attribution bias significantly moderated the relationship between customer incivility and negative affectivity, as well as the indirect relationship between customer incivility and PCSP through negative affectivity.     

Attribution of Inappropriate Visitor Behavior in a Theme Park Setting – A Conceptual Model

Given the scarcity of academic research on customer-to-customer (C2C) interaction in theme parks, this study was designed to construct and test a conceptual model of visitors’ attribution of inappropriate behavior, satisfaction, and repeat patronage using attribution theory. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and analysis of the effect of visitor type were carried out. The results show that stability and controllability have a significant impact on satisfaction, and satisfaction also influences repeat patronage. Visitor type had no effect on the relationship between attribution and satisfaction. The theoretical and practical insights of the findings are presented along with the limitations of the study and future directions for research.     

Affectivity,conflicts in the work–family interface,and hotel employee outcomes

Based on data obtained from frontline hotel employees in Turkey, the current study examined the effects of negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA) on work–family conflict and family–work conflict and the effects of both directions of conflict on marital satisfaction and turnover intentions. This study also tested the relationship of marital satisfaction with frontline employees’ turnover intentions. The results demonstrated that PA ameliorates both work–family conflict and family–work conflict, while NA exacerbates only work–family conflict. The findings of the study indicated that family–work conflict has a detrimental impact on marital satisfaction. However, this study provided no empirical support for the relationship between work–family conflict and marital satisfaction. Consistent with the study predictions, frontline employees’ perceptions of work–family conflict and family–work conflict increased their turnover intentions. There was also empirical support for the hypothesis that marital satisfaction has a significant negative impact on frontline employees’ turnover intentions. Implications of the empirical results and limitations of the study are discussed.     

Effect of CSR activities on meaningfulness,compassion, and employee engagement: A sense-making theoretical approach

Despite growing recognition of CSR’s importance in hospitality industry, empirically-derived insight into its drivers, dynamics, and outcomes remains limited, as investigated in this study. Built on the sense-making theoretical perspective to explore the effect of CSR activities on employee engagement while examining the mediating role of meaningfulness and compassion on the relationship between CSR and employee engagement. To investigate our hypotheses, we conducted a questionnaire survey among 350 employees of selected luxury hotels in New Delhi, India. The results reveal CSR’s positive effect on employee engagement. In addition, meaningfulness and compassion partially mediate the association of CSR with employee engagement. This study identifies how CSR activities bring out a helping behavior in the form of compassionate acts, and offer meaning to employees in the hospitality context that is, otherwise, paralyzed by work-life imbalances and employee cynicism.     

Exploring the Use of Blended Learning in Tourism Education

ABSTRACT

The last few years have registered a dramatic increase in Internet use in education and a continued investment by educational institutions to increase the integration of technology components into their course offerings. While many have embraced the introduction of online components on the academic experience, some fear that online courses lack the interaction component so critical to the traditional academic experience. In response, there is a growing belief that rather than advocating online or face-to-face learning methods, one should capitalize on the strengths of both methods and examine the effectiveness of blended methods. Therefore, the purpose was to explore the influence of perceptions of online and face-to-face interaction on student satisfaction and performance on a blended learning tourism marketing assignment. The results revealed that students' satisfaction was influenced by their online interactions with other students, the instructor and specific content but that they had no effect on assignment grade. The findings suggest that instructors should consider the use of online tools to improve student satisfaction and that more research is needed to examine the link of online materials and student performance.     

When we are onstage,we smile: The effects of emotional labor on employee work outcomes

A growing body of literature has confirmed the deleterious effects of emotional labor on service employees. The study adds to it by investigating two hypothesized antecedents to emotional labor; affectivity and empathy which is conceptualized as a two-dimensional construct composed of emotional contagion and empathic concern. It also examines the impact of emotional labor on job satisfaction and exhaustion. The results confirmed a two-dimensional structure of emotional labor, emotive dissonance, and emotive effort. Hospitality employees with higher positive affect tend to experience less emotive dissonance while individuals with higher negative affect exert more effort to enact emotional labor. A positive relationship was found between emotional contagion and emotive dissonance, and emotive effort and job satisfaction. The results also suggested a negative relationship between emotive effort and emotional exhaustion. An unexpected negative relationship was found between emotional dissonance and emotional exhaustion. Managerial implications discuss training and acting techniques to more effectively manage employee emotional labor.     

Physical attractiveness of service employees and customer engagement in tourism industry

As the importance of customer engagement gains more and more recognition, it is critical to study customer engagement strategy in the intensely competitive tourism industry. Answering the call for research on antecedents of tourists' customer engagement in the tourism industry, we consider the role of employees' physical attractiveness. We adopt a mixed-methods approach; using interviews and three scenario-based experiments, we explore, hypothesize, and test the relationship between employees' physical attractiveness and customer engagement of tourists. The results show that (1) physical attractiveness of employees affects tourists' customer engagement, that (2) the main effect of physical attractiveness is mediated by the desire for social interaction, and that (3) the main effect is moderated by tourism service characteristics (i.e., tourism service expertise).     

The Impact of Self-Efficacy on Job Outcomes of Hotel Employees

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effect of self-efficacy on job performance, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment using data collected from employees in three-, four-, and five-star hotels in Northern Cyprus as its setting. The research hypotheses were tested using LISREL 8.30 through path analysis. The model test results demonstrated that self-efficacy is a significant determinant of job performance. This study, however, failed to find a significant positive association between self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Although not hypothesized, the results of the present study revealed that job performance mediates the impact of self-efficacy on job satisfaction. In addition, the results of the path analysis showed that self-efficacy is among the significant predictors of affective organizational commitment. The model test results provided empirical support for the rest of the hypothesized relationships. Specifically, the path-analytic findings indicated that job satisfaction exerts a significant positive influence on affective organizational commitment. The model test results also demonstrated that job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment are negatively associated with intention to leave. Discussion of the results, implications for hotel managers, and future research directions are presented in the study.     

Event satisfaction,leisure involvement and life satisfaction at a walking event: the mediating role of life domain satisfaction

Given the rising popularity of mass-participant sport, such as walking and running events, research has started to address whether these types of events could promote life satisfaction for participants. Nevertheless, the theoretical link between event participation and life satisfaction has not been fully elaborated. Using bottom-up theory of life satisfaction, this study examined the role of event satisfaction and the three facets of leisure involvement – attraction, centrality and self-expression – in people’s life domain satisfaction and life satisfaction. Participants (N = 236) were recruited from a walking event held in western Japan. The results of the study revealed that event satisfaction had positive, indirect effects on life satisfaction through satisfaction with family life and personal achievement. Attraction in walking also had positive, indirect effects on life satisfaction through satisfaction with family life, personal achievement and social life. In contrast, centrality and self-expression in walking were not associated with satisfaction with any life domains and life satisfaction. Findings from this study highlight the importance of life domain satisfaction in the relationship between event satisfaction, leisure involvement and life satisfaction. These findings also suggest that walking events can promote life satisfaction by providing the enjoyment of walking as physically active leisure.     

Customers’ Perceptions of Employee Engagement: Fortifying the Service–Profit Chain

This study investigated the three dimensions of employee engagement: dedication, energy, and absorption from the customer’s perspective. The service–profit chain (SPC) and employee behavior that promotes customer satisfaction and loyalty were examined. The results revealed that certain aspects of employee engagement are more readily perceived by consumers and more likely to promote customer satisfaction and loyalty. Findings showed that energy and dedication combined were most likely to foster feelings of satisfaction and loyalty among hospitality patrons. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to the literature by enhancing the SPC, revealing new insight into employee engagement, and linking employee engagement to positive consumer outcomes. Hospitality industry professionals may find that employee engagement benefits the customers’ perceptions of the establishment, ultimately increasing profitability. This study utilizes the SPC in the hospitality context and proposes a new link in the chain: employee engagement.     

Unraveling the dynamic and contingency mechanism between service experience and customer engagement with luxury hotel brands

This study unravels the dynamic and contingency mechanism between service experience and customer engagement with luxury hotel brands by investigating a multi-step model linking these two variables, in which emotional attachment and relational quality constructs (i.e., brand satisfaction, brand trust, and brand commitment) act as a bridge, while customer involvement acts as a moderator. Based on a self-administered survey dataset of 249 international tourists who are customers of luxury hotel brands, partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that all proposed hypotheses are supported. As such, this study discovers and clarifies the nature and dynamic mechanism underpinning the co-creation and reciprocation process of customer engagement with luxury hotels. In particular, the positive service experience is found to contribute to customer engagement via emotional attachment and relational marketing. Furthermore, the moderating role of customer involvement in the luxury hotel setting is confirmed.     

Propensity to trust and knowledge sharing behavior: An evaluation of importance-performance analysis among Nigerian restaurant employees

Drawing from knowledge management theory, this study examines the relationships between employee's propensity to trust, organic organizational structure, knowledge sharing behavior, and service innovation in a multivariate nexus in restaurants. Data from 180 restaurants with a total of 453 employees were used to test the research hypotheses via partial least square structural equation modelling. As expected, the results of the empirical analysis revealed that propensity to trust is positively related to knowledge sharing behavior, organic organizational structure and service innovation; and knowledge sharing behavior is positively related to organic organizational structure and service innovation. Further, this study established that both knowledge sharing behavior and organic organizational structure serially mediates the positive effect of propensity to trust on service innovation. The result of importance-performance analysis highlights propensity to trust as the highest important predictor of service innovation while knowledge sharing is the best performance factor for service innovation in restaurants.     

Leadership styles,motivating language,and work engagement: An empirical investigation of the hotel industry

This study examines the relationship between leadership style (servant and transformational leadership), motivating language and work engagement. A sample of 391 lower and mid-level Bangladeshi hotel employees, selected via simple random sampling, participated in a cross-sectional survey. The mediating effects of motivating language regarding the association between the two leadership styles and work engagement were examined using partial least square-structural equation modelling. Both leadership styles and three types of motivating language have positive relationships with work engagement. Even though all three types of motivating languages mediate the link between servant leadership and work engagement, the link between transformational leadership and work engagement is only mediated by direction-giving and empathetic language. This study is novel in its application of the speech act theory to the investigation of the mediating effects of motivating language on the relationship between the two leadership styles and work engagement. Practical and theoretical contributions are also discussed.     

Towards a Model of Electronic Word-of-Mouth and Its Impact on the Hotel Industry

ABSTRACT

Scholars and practitioners recognize that spreading word-of-mouth can play an important role in the formation of a hotel’s image. However, the relationships among various measures of online customer engagement are relatively unknown. The present study analyzes the relationships and quantifies the impacts of various measures of online engagement including the number of online reviews, overall rating, and relative ranking. The researchers used path analysis on a sample of 178 hotels to study the relationships among relevant variables and build a model to explain the impact of such measures (Figure 2). The results reveal there is a positive direct effect of the number of reviews on a hotel’s TripAdvisor rating. A negative direct effect was found between TripAdvisor rating and a hotel’s comparative ranking. Finally, the researchers discovered that TripAdvisor rating fully mediates the relationship between the number of reviews and a hotel’s comparative ranking. This article concludes with a discussion of both the theoretical and practical implications of such findings.