Extending the scope of hotel client reactions to employee injustice: Hotel employer reviews on the Internet

Third-party literature is concerned about the way others perceive what happens in organizations. When dealing with the perceived justice of the employer-employee relationship, it has mainly adopted an on-site approach. The scarce research focusing on the consequences of perceived justice for client variables in hotels has shown that it can impact client loyalty. In this study, we adopt an on-line view, and we analyze how the comments posted by hotel employees on the Internet about their work conditions influence guest perceptions. This topic is relevant because it is well known that clients’ perceptions influence client satisfaction, WOM and revisit intentions. Through an experiment based on real hotel employer reviews, results confirm that these comments have an impact on the organizational image dimension of service quality, hotel clients’ satisfaction, WOM, and revisit intentions. Thus, as occurs with client eWOM, hotel managers should be aware of these comments and manage them appropriately.     

The impact of the SARS outbreak on Taiwanese hotel stock performance: An event-study approach

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 weakened the Taiwanese economy. The tourism industry suffered the most, experiencing the highest stock price decline (approximately 29 percent) within a month of the SARS outbreak. This research examined the effect of the SARS epidemic on Taiwanese hotel stock price movements using an event-study approach. Seven publicly traded hotel companies experienced steep declines in earnings and stock price during the SARS outbreak period. On and after the day of the SARS outbreak, Taiwanese hotel stocks showed significantly negative cumulative mean abnormal returns, indicating a significant impact of the SARS outbreak on hotel stock performance. Empirical findings could be used to prepare businesses for the similar epidemics, such as a deadly bird-flu epidemic.     

Hotel job burnout: The role of personality characteristics

In hospitality and tourism academia, most research focuses on the work domain as a major source of hospitality job stress, with little attention given to employee characteristics. This study examines the effect of the Big Five personality dimensions (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience) on hotel employees’ job burnout. After controlling for two commonly known job burnout antecedents (autonomy and quantitative workload), study results indicate that personality attributes explain significant proportions of three job burnout factors. The most noteworthy finding is the predictability of the agreeableness trait in hotel employees’ job burnout. Because of the mixed results reported on the relationship between this trait and job stress in other disciplines, more vigorous future research is recommended to validate the value of this personality to the hospitality industry.     

The Importance of Hotel Attributes in Contributing to Travelers' Satisfaction in the Hong Kong Hotel Industry

Abstract

This study surveyed 402 international travelers to explore their satisfaction levels towards service and facility quality in three Hong Kong hotel market segments, High-Tariff A, High-Tariff B and Medium Tariff. Six perception dimensions were extracted from 33 hotel attributes by a factor analysis. All six dimensions had a significant impact on the overall satisfaction of travelers with service quality and facilities in the three Hong Kong hotel market segments. Quality of Staff Performance was the most influential factor followed by Quality of Room Facilities, Value for Money, Variety and Efficient Services, Business Related Services, and Safety and Security respectively. It was found that travelers had the lowest satisfaction level towards the Medium-Tariff hotel segment. By identifying the most influential hotel dimension in influencing travelers' satisfaction levels, hoteliers will be in an advantageous position to formulate tactics to meet the changing needs and expectations of travelers. Implementing human resources training that emphasizes the fact that service quality is part of each employee's job should have a significant impact on guest re-purchase intention. The importance of value segmentation cannot be overlooked by hoteliers. Travelers will continue to expect hotels to provide more value-for-money services and facilities and they are expected to shift their purchasing decision to an economic value basis.     

Weekend vs. midweek stays: Modelling hotel room rates in a small market

Using a hedonic model, we estimate the willingness to pay for different hotel characteristics for a small market environment. We uniquely collected a data set from a meta-booking engine including their detailed customer review ratings compiled from numerous individual hotel search engines. We argue that meta-search engines are well suited to gather prices to be used in hedonic models. In our estimation, we distinguish hedonic models for single room stays during the week potentially relevant for business travellers and double room stays during the weekend intended for leisure. Important determinants of hotel room prices are popularity ratings (derived from customer reviews), the hotel star rating, weeks of advance booking, and certain hotel characteristics such as express checkout, room service, or Internet access. A number of important characteristics such as wellness offers or wireless Internet in the rooms are insignificant pointing to the conclusion that these may be regarded as standard attributes and do not fetch additional economic value in terms of higher consumer willingness to pay.     

啤酒节对主办城市的影响效益分析——慕尼黑啤酒节与青岛啤酒节的比较

节事为商业和旅游业等诸多产业做出重要贡献,作为产品导向与消费导向双重集中的啤酒节对主办城市的相关产业及其他方面影响较为突出。文章着眼于啤酒节的影响研究,选择国内外著名的两个啤酒节———德国慕尼黑啤酒节与青岛啤酒节作为典型案例,系统分析其对主办城市的相关影响。文章在构建影响层面的基础上,选取17个反映啤酒节发展情况的对比项建立模型,通过分析得到结论:第一,啤酒节对于举办城市在带动经济发展、提升城市形象、强化城市综合竞争力方面有积极影响;第二,啤酒节的举办对居民社会生活存在消极影响,并对举办城市产生挤出效应与低谷效应;第三,经过权衡对比,啤酒节对主办城市的积极影响更加显著。     

Scale development of perceived eTrust in the hotel industry: The perspective of Internet users

This study aims to discuss online consumer trust (eTrust) in the hotel industry from the perspective of Chinese web users. Based on literature review and results of interviews with and focus group discussions among Internet users, hotel practitioners, and academic experts, a measurement scale was formulated. With two phases of data collection, this research found Chinese web users moderately trusted hotels’ own websites while doubted their intentions to fulfill promises delivered on the websites. Statistical analysis confirmed the suggestion that eTrust was a triple-dimensional construct which consisted of integrity, benevolence, and ability. Notably, the dimension of integrity which refers to honesty and promise fulfilling was regarded the most important by Chinese Internet users. The proposed eTrust scale revealed statistically satisfactory validity and reliability, indicating its soundness in guiding future similar studies. Based on the findings, theoretical implications as well as suggestions for Chinese hoteliers were offered.     

Hotel management style: a study of employee perceptions and preferences

This study investigates employee perceptions of, and preferences for, management practices within a five-star, medium-sized hotel. In particular, the study examines the hypothesis that hotel managers have become more consultative. Using longitudinal data over a 4-yr period, the study examines the perceptions of staff of the management practices and styles in the changing environment of one hotel. The findings suggest that, while staff prefer a decisive style of management, supervisors and department heads were perceived as being autocratic. In fact, in the 4 yr over which the data had been collected, the style of management had become less consultative and more autocratic. Implications for management are discussed, as are recommendations for future research.     

Predicting Hotel Choice Decisions and Segmenting Hotel Consumers: A Comparative Assessment of a Recent Consumer Based Approach

Abstract

Given the intensified competition to attract today's increasingly discerning hotel guests, it is vital for hotel managers to understand the set or bundle of hotel attributes which are demanded by the potential traveler. Unfortunately, marketing research in hotels is still mainly confined to the analysis of guest-related data collected during registration or from guest comment cards. These data, however, have little merit as predictors of customer behaviour and cannot answer the “what if” questions. In recent and past research in hospitality and tourism, researchers have demonstrated the use of product attributes in predicting consumer preferences and segmenting markets (Bell and Morey 1997; Kim 1996). In undertaking this approach to behavioral study, many researchers in the field have been attracted to use conjoint attribute part-worths, (the judgmentally quantified attribute valuesderived from conjoint modeling. This study attempts to utilize the compositional self-explication model as a reference model to assess the comparative superiority of the conjoint model in predicting client preferences among travelers to Hong Kong. It also seeks to reveal subgroup preference variations by using two segmentation approaches. The overall finding indicated that the most important hotel attribute sought by all respondents is Room Rate, followed by Star Rating, Location, Brand and Room Type. In terms of market segments, the results revealed similar preference profiles among leisure, short-haul and infrequent travelers as one group and business, long-haul and frequent travelers as another.     

Hotel employees’ perceptions on corporate social responsibility: The case of Hong Kong

This study examines the perceived importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) attributes of Hong Kong hotel employees and their hotels’ performance on those attributes, and to determine underlying performance factors that ultimately lead to the perceived overall CSR effectiveness of hotels. The importance–performance analysis results show that Hong Kong hotels generally performed well on 17 out of the indicated 30 CSR attributes. Furthermore, the attribute “promote innovation in products and services” was considered to be overkill, and another attribute, “demonstrates a commitment to the environment,” requires the immediate attention of hotels. Six performance factors were extracted and Hong Kong hotels performed best in the area of finance. The factors “state of affairs” and “novelty” positively and significantly affected employees’ perceived overall CSR effectiveness of their hotels. Almost 70% of the respondents agreed that Hong Kong hotels had been effective in carrying out their CSR. Hotels in Hong Kong should find our study results helpful in pinpointing CSR attributes considered of various importance and performance levels from the perspective of one of their important stakeholders, their employees. In particular, the relatively low awareness toward the environment of both the employees and the hotels should alert the hotel management to invest greater efforts in environmental protection.     

The influence of the cultural dimension of uncertainty avoidance on business strategy development: A cross-national study of hotel managers

The purpose of this exploratory study was to empirically investigate the potential influence of uncertainty avoidance (UA) on hotel top managers’ approach to strategy development. Scales were developed to measure managers’ openness to strategic change, involvement of others, formality of strategic control, type of data used in strategic analysis, and strategic planning time horizon. Responses from 207 managers (50 Americans, 43 Malaysians, 70 Thai, and 44 Turkish) were analyzed using ANOVA. The findings indicated that UA had minimal influences on the managers’ approach, as different managers from cultures with varied degrees of UA demonstrated noticeable similarities among the five variables investigated. Practical implications as well as suggestions for future research were provided.     

Product diversification and property performance in the urban lodging market: The relationship and its moderators

In this study, we investigate the relationship between product diversification and hotel property performance as well as the moderators of this relationship in the urban lodging market. Using stochastic frontier analysis with panel data, we calibrate the efficiency scores of 377 urban hotels in Beijing from 1994 to 2005. We then investigate the impact of product diversification on performance as measured by efficiency score. Results from panel data models indicate that the degree of product diversification exhibits a positive relationship with hotel performance. Hotel location, diversification expansion rate, and foreign ownership/operation are found to be significant moderating factors determining the effect of product diversification. Specifically, hotels that (a) are located farther from the city center, (b) expand diversification more slowly, and (c) are domestically owned are more likely to leverage the benefits stemming from product diversification. We provide a series of practical evaluation modules to help hoteliers improve performance.     

An empirical analysis of attendance at a commemorative event: Anzac Day at Gallipoli

This paper tests the influence of various attributes of event attendance on visitor satisfaction. The Anzac Day commemoration at Gallipoli, Turkey, provides the backdrop for the study. The significance of this place and event is born out of the involvement of the Anzac soldiers (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) in the First World War and their battles against Turkish forces at Gallipoli in 1915. Fittingly, Anzac Day, the 25th of April, the day of the landings, is a national day of commemoration in Australia and New Zealand. Data for this study was collected by an exit survey of 331 Australian attendees at the Gallipoli commemorations. In addressing the aim of this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken as a basis for the subsequent development of a model of satisfaction using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results indicate that aspects relating to the amenities, transport and ceremonies held at Gallipoli are significant predictors of event satisfaction. This research provides a positive contribution to the understanding of customer satisfaction in event settings, extending the limited research on attendee satisfaction to investigate its elements in relation to a large-scale commemorative event associated with battlefield tourism.     

The Current State of Internet Marketing of UK-Based Multi-Unit Hotel Brands

ABSTRACT

To support the emergence of a solid knowledge base for analysing the e-relationship marketing of hotels, a framework has been developed to analyse and categorise the online capabilities of UK-based multi-unit hotel brands to build customer relationships. The framework was based on the five progressive levels of relationship marketing implementation suggested by Kotler, Bowen, and Makens (2003). The study found that the exploitation of the Internet, as a relational tool, is in its early stages and most brands used the Internet to maintain the lowest (basic) level of relationships. On average, the Web sites of larger and most visible brands were significantly richer in terms of the number of features and more relational orientated. As opposed to previous studies, the managerial structure (ownership, management contract, franchising) of the investigated brands did not prevent the exploitation of the advanced levels of relationship marketing. Since the Web sites of brands that operate hotels under different managerial structures (management contract, franchise) were significantly richer at the proactive level. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.     

Discrimination of hotel employees: The role of heteronormativity and political exclusion

This study explores customers’ service evaluations based on the service provided by a hotel frontline employee with different sexualities, manipulated as effeminate or masculine. Study participants were randomly assigned to respond to a video with either an effeminate or masculine hotel employee that mimics a hotel check-in experience and after are asked to evaluate check-in service. The results suggest that participants who hold stronger heteronormative beliefs are more likely to discriminate against effeminate hotel employees when evaluating the service they provided. This effect persists for the social conservatism of the participants. The study also identified a joint effect of social conservatism and political exclusion. Without tapping into sexual orientation, this study contributes to the hospitality literature by introducing sexuality and heteronormativity and adds more content to queer studies. It also suggests the need for more protection policies, management awareness, and training regarding hotel frontline employees from a diversity management perspective.     

Corporate social responsibility and tourism: Hotel companies in Phuket,Thailand, after the Indian Ocean tsunami

This paper deals with the subject of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with particular reference to the hotel sector and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which was to prove a test of management approaches. It discusses the rising interest in CSR issues, linked to the sustainable development movement, and its particular relevance for the tourism industry. Reactions to the disaster of hotel companies with a presence in the resort of Phuket in Thailand are reviewed and responses reveal a certain level of commitment to CSR in theory and practice. However, there is also evidence of tensions between commercial and more philanthropic activity which must be addressed and reconciled by managers.     

A framework for the development of event public policy: Facilitating regional development

Governments around the globe are utilising events as an integral part of their policies for regional development. Therefore, there is an increasing need to ensure event public policy has the capacity to facilitate opportunities for regional development.The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for the development of public policy for regional events. The framework was conceived to address criticisms which emanated from the analysis of 219 event policies published from 1974to 2004 by nineteen Australian local governments. These criticisms suggested that the event policies contain redundant rhetoric, are ad hoc and reactive, are developed by an insular policy community and do not contain enough proactive, theoretically informed initiatives. Thus the framework was designed to provide a constructive foundation for local governments to collaboratively develop theoretically informed event policy which has the capacity to proactively develop strong and vibrant regions.     

Examining the determinants of hotel chain expansion through international franchising

This study proposes and tests an agency-based organizational model of internationalization through franchising in the hotel sector. Using data obtained from a Franchisor Questionnaire 2001-2008, we analyzed a panel of 117 observations of 17 U.S.-based hotels. Our analysis reveals that a hotel franchisor's decision to internationalize through franchising is positively related to the percentage of franchises, the ratio of franchised units to the total number of units. The article contributes to the literature by empirically modeling international franchising of hotels, which present unique characteristics among franchising companies, with a high investment capital requirement, maturity in the product life cycle, and a high level of standardization and globalization of operations. The unique characteristics of individual chains and their segment in the industry are particularly important, as revealed by both data analysis and expert opinion.     

Levels of quality and environmental management in the hotel industry: Their joint influence on firm performance

Many studies have examined quality management and environmental management separately. This paper analysed the commitment to quality and environmental management at the same time, and their separate and joint effects on hotel performance. The empirical data were collected from a sample of 301 3-to-5-star Spanish hotels. A cluster analysis was carried out to identify the levels of commitment to quality and the environment. Then, ANOVA and regression analysis tested the quality and environmental commitment levels-performance link. Three levels of quality and environmental commitment have been identified. The findings showed that the commitment to quality and environmental practices influences hotel performance.