Employee job satisfaction and customer-oriented behavior: A study of frontline employees in the foodservice industry

ABSTRACT

As the significance of frontline employees increases in the foodservice industry, organizations are paying more attention to internal marketing and customer-oriented behavior for the success of their business. Thus, this study surveys restaurant employees to investigate the impact of development and rewards on job satisfaction and customer-oriented behavior from the perspective of restaurant employees. This study not only supports aspects of previous literature, but also proposes a testable and parsimonious research model by exploring development, rewards, job satisfaction, and customer-oriented behavior simultaneously and revealing how those factors are correlated. Finally, limitations and future research directions are addressed.     

湖南长沙休闲产业现状分析

调查表明：湖南长沙的休闲产业可分为歌厅休闲、酒吧休闲、洗浴休闲、电视休闲、“农家乐”休闲、广场与公园休闲等七种类型。歌厅休闲始于20世纪80年代,年接待170万人次,营业收入逾亿元;上规模的酒吧20多家;足浴城17000多家,长沙已成为“脚都”;“农家乐”877家,年接待273万多人次,营业收入2亿元。居民休闲最主要的目的是愉悦身心,放松自己。95％的居民认为长沙休闲消费水平为中上,可以接受。73％的居民1周至少休闲1次。     

How recreation involvement,place attachment and conservation commitment affect environmentally responsible behavior

This study examines a behavioral model using latent variables of place attachment, recreation involvement, conservation commitment and environmentally responsible behavior among tourists visiting wetlands. In total, 928 usable questionnaires were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were applied to the data by using LISREL 8.70 for Windows. Analytical results, which further elucidate the behavioral models of nature-based tourism, suggest that place attachment, recreation involvement and conservation commitment critically impact environmentally responsible behavior. In this behavioral model, conservation commitment simultaneously and partially mediates the relationships between place attachment and environmentally responsible behavior and between recreation involvement and environmentally responsible behavior. A series of management implications are drawn, including the need to use this information via a visitor interpretation strategy, greater use of partnerships with local communities and businesses to spread the importance of wetlands and of environmentally friendly behavior, and the need to work with other wetlands to share the type of visitor motivations best suited to encourage environmentally friendly behavior.     

Increasing public involvement to reduce depreciative behavior in recreation settings

Abstract

Managers of public recreation areas are concerned about the increase in vandalism, littering, and user disregard for regulations and the rights of others. Several strategies are available to reduce or control depreciative behavior, but little empirical evidence exists as to what approaches are really successful, where, when, and under what conditions. This report evaluated a program to increase the involvement of campers in the management of depreciative behavior. Results suggested that users who witness littering can be encouraged to help either by reporting infractions to authorities, dealing directly with the litterer, or picking up the litter. Overall, an appeal made to help resulted in a 22 percent increase in one or more types of involvement compared to control conditions.     

An investigation of the role of justice in turnover intentions,job satisfaction,and organizational citizenship behavior in hospitality industry

The relationship of organizational justice perceptions of hotel employees in North Cyprus with various work-related variables was investigated. A total of 208 employees and their managers filled out questionnaires. It was found that distributive justice tended to be a stronger predictor of all of the study variables compared to procedural justice. Findings suggest that the fairness of personal outcomes that employees receive may have more impact on turnover intentions, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) than the perceived fairness of a firm's procedures. It was also found that even though improved job satisfaction seems to be related to OCB, organizational justice seems to be the key factor that has a strong effect on both OCB and job satisfaction.     

Alone with others: The paradox of privacy in wilderness

Attitudinal studies of wilderness visitors have indicated that people seek opportunities to limit interaction with other visitors so as to achieve privacy and solitude. This conventional interpretation of wilderness recreation was evaluated by comparing measures of visitor attitudes and social behavior in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. Results show no association between visitor attitudes toward crowding and observed social interaction or behavior to avoid such social interaction. These findings suggest that subjective responses of visitors measured by questionnaires and interviews are often of debatable validity. Greater validity can be achieved by avoiding reliance on common‐sense interpretations in theory formulation and by employing multiple measurement techniques.     

Leisure,recreation and tourism in Western Europe

This article is partly a literature review of trends and intercountry comparisons in leisure, recreation and tourism activities in Western Europe. A wide range of conclusions is drawn, some applying to needs for public sector actions.     

穗港澳居民环城游憩行为比较研究

本文针对穗港澳居民以城市周边为目的地近距离游憩日益增长的现象,借助实地问卷调查,从比较的角度,揭示了穗港澳居民环城游憩行为存在的差异,并从政治经济制度、意识形态、经济发展水平、生活方式、价值观念等方面,分析了造成穗港澳居民环城游憩行为呈现差异的原因.     

Facets of Type A personality and pay increase among the employees of fast food restaurants

Employee satisfaction continues to be a key to an understanding of relatively high turnover rates within the hospitality industry. The present study explores the personality characteristics of employees who receive pay increases in the restaurant industry. One of the two facets of Type A personality ‘achievement striving’ was found to be positively related to all three measures of pay increases but the other facet ‘impatience and irritability’ was not related. The implications of the findings for selection, retention and motivation of restaurant employees are discussed.     

Risk,uncertainty and the theory of planned behavior: A tourism example

The differential impacts risk and uncertainty have on travel decision-making were explored by examining the constructs' influence on the antecedents of intentions to visit Australia using the theory of planned behavior. Respondents were obtained from online consumer panels in South Korea, China and Japan. The South Korean and Chinese samples were general population samples, while the sample from Japan was an international travelers' sample. The extended model fitted the data well, explaining between 21 and 44 percent of the variance in intentions. Subjective norms and perceived behavioral control significantly impacted on intentions in all country samples, whereas attitudes toward visiting Australia were only significant in Japan. Subjective norms influenced attitudes and perceived behavioral control in all country samples. Finally, perceived risk influenced attitudes toward visiting Australia in South Korea and Japan, while perceived uncertainty influenced attitudes toward visiting Australia in South Korea and China and perceived behavioral control in China and Japan.     

Recreational value, user heterogeneity and site characteristics in contingent valuation

We propose an adaptation of the Dichotomous Choice Contingent Valuation Method, applied to the recreational quality of a site and to heterogeneity between visitors (tourists and residents). This method is based on a set of repeated valuation questions and is used to study relations between the components of environmental goods. We propose its application to public coastal sites in south-western France. We show that programmes regarding the ocean, beaches and forests are generally independent of one another. In order to stress the heterogeneity of users, two separate models are assessed. The way time is taken into account then appears to be one of the most interesting sources of divergence between tourists and residents. Individual WTP per day also varies. This confirms that beaches used by residents provide high economic benefits although they generate little indirect revenue. Finally, contingent valuation appears to be a useful alternative for analyzing the multiple dimensions of a public policy.     

The importance of urban milieu in predicting recreation participation: The case of day hiking

Abstract

Numerous outdoor recreation forecasting studies have included household characteristics as well as aspects of the recreation facilities and accessibility. Only a few studies, however, have included in the prediction equation any measure of the effects of urban milieu on behavior. Four commonly cited surrogates of urban milieu are used to cluster the cities of Illinois into three relatively homogeneous groups of environments. Regression analyses are then undertaken using individual household data, aspects of the recreation facilities patronized by the households, participation, and distance and travel time estimates. Comparisons of the regression analyses indicate that, as a concept, milieu is an important predictor of both the volume of recreation participation and salient features of recreation facilities.     

The underlying dimensions of tipping behavior: An exploration, confirmation, and predictive model

Tipping is unique in that the customer provides a major portion of the employee's wage. Because tipping is voluntary and because it usually occurs retrospectively of the service rendered, tipping practices have stimulated historic interest from both economic and psychological perspectives. This research extends the body of knowledge on tipping by integrating recent advances in motivational research which support the existence of a universal, multifaceted model of intrinsic motivation. Inasmuch, the present research investigated the underlying motives for tipping under various conditions of service. Findings supported the existence of six underlying behavioral dimensions associated with tipping: (a) Heuristic Model, (b) Impress Others, (c), Reciprocal Reward, (d) Social Obligation, (e) Generosity, and (f) Control Service. Each of these six corresponded closely with the basic motivators proposed by the multifaceted model. Results from a hierarchical linear regression confirmed the overriding influence of heuristics on tip amounts under various service conditions.     

Voice behavior and performance ratings: The role of political skill

Making changes work in organizations requires that employees voice their suggestions. However, previous research has found inconsistent results regarding the relationship between voice and performance ratings. Using a sample of employees from a hotel, this study confirms the negative perspective of the relationship. In further exploring the role of political skill between such employees, it is found that this skill not only has a strong effect on performance ratings but also moderates the relationship between voice and performance ratings. Finally, the implications and limitations of the findings as well as some methodological issues are discussed and elaborated.     

Prediction of leisure participation from behavioral,normative, and control beliefs: An application of the theory of planned behavior

Abstract

The theory of planned behavior (Ajzen 1985, 1987) is offered as a comprehensive framework for understanding of leisure participation. Salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs, theoretically the basic determinants of behavior, were assessed with respect to five leisure activities: spending time at the beach, jogging or running, mountain climbing, boating, and biking. College students completed a questionnaire containing measures of these beliefs and of global expressions of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. One year later the participants reported how often they had performed each behavior in the preceding 12 months. Behavioral beliefs were found to partition into beliefs about affective reactions and beliefs about costs and benefits. Participation in leisure activities was influenced by these affective and instrumental beliefs, as well as by normative beliefs about the expectations of important others and by control beliefs about required resources and other factors that impede or facilitate leisure participation.     

The Roles of Heuristics,Avalanche Forecast,and Risk Propensity in the Decision Making of Backcountry Skiers

Backcountry winter recreation accidents and deaths due to avalanches have grown considerably in recent decades. To better understand how individuals make decisions in avalanche terrain, this study examined the decision-making factors identified by McCammon (2004) McCammon, I. 2004. Heuristic traps in recreational avalanche accidents: Evidence and implications. Avalanche News, 68: 1–10.  [Google Scholar] that are said to be complicit in avalanche accidents. This study also explored risk-taking propensity and avalanche forecast variables in decision making. Results indicate that five decision-making factors, risk-taking propensity, and avalanche forecast variables influence the decision to ski a slope. Implications for how individuals make decisions in risky leisure pursuits are discussed and implications for outdoor recreation, and avalanche education are considered.     

Effects of songs with prosocial lyrics on tipping behavior in a restaurant

Recent research has shown that exposure to songs with prosocial lyrics was associated with prosocial behavior and accessibility of prosocial thoughts. However theses studies were performed in a laboratory setting where participants were instructed to listening songs alone in a room. So the effect of prosocial songs in a natural setting, with several people in a room and with various ambient noises still remained in question. An experiment was carried out in a restaurant in order to test if listening or not, prosocial songs by patrons, was associated with variation in their tipping behavior. Results showed that prosocial songs were associated with a significant increase in tipping behavior.     

Factors associated with hunter retrieval of deer hit by arrows and shotgun slugs

Abstract

Hunter retrieval of wounded deer was used as a case study to examine applications and limitations of leisure research for the management of recreational behavior. All hunters receiving permits to hunt in the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge during November 1–20, 1983, were sent mail questionnaires. A total of 457 (93 percent) of the archery and 143 (95 percent) of the firearm permittees responded after 3 mailings. Archery deer hunters were estimated to have retrieved 29 (43 percent) of the 68 different deer hit by arrows. Shotgun hunters were estimated to have retrieved 42 (81 percent) of 52 different deer hit. Discriminant analysis showed that the retrieval of deer hit with arrows was most likely when the shooter had tagged a large number of deer during former archery hunts, when the deer was hit in a position other than broadside, and when the range of the shot was short. Deer hit with slugs were more likely to be retrieved when hit by hunters with little experience in tagging deer during former firearm hunts, when the shooter also hunted deer with a bow and arrow, and when the shot was taken at deer that were not running. These data were interpreted to suggest how retrieval rates might be increased through regulation, education, and management of the recreational environment. The role of leisure research and theory in providing techniques and a rationale for modifying the behavior of recreationists is discussed.     

Process,goal, and social interaction differences in recreation: What makes an activity substitutable

Abstract

In the present study two recreational activities, deer hunting and goose hunting, both similar in form, are compared. The study shows that the activity with the fewest perceived substitutes, deer hunting, also showed higher mean ratings on items measuring the importance of various elements of the experience, such as the process of participation, the goal of the activity, and the social interaction that accompanies the activity by the participants. Deer hunters also reported greater participation in the activity by peers and were more likely to be introduced to the activity by a family member. It is argued that these differences in the importance of the elements of the experiences influence the perceived substitutability of a recreational activity.     

The influence of place attachment on the relationship between destination attractiveness and environmentally responsible behavior for island tourism in Penghu,Taiwan

This study examines the causal relationships between place attachment, destination attractiveness and environmentally responsible behavior (ERB), and the mediating effect of place attachment. Four hundred and thirteen tourists were surveyed who had visited the Penghu islands, Taiwan. Structural Equation Modeling was used to determine the relationships among the variables and the mediating effects. Results show that the emotions and feelings (place attachment), which tourists have for Penghu, are positively associated with stronger ERB; the extent of attractiveness of island tourism as perceived by tourists is also positively associated with stronger ERB. A higher level of tourists’ destination attractiveness in regard to island tourism is associated with stronger place attachment; place attachment was found to exert a significant effect in mediating the relationship between destination attractiveness and ERB. The study shows that when island tourists are attracted by and are attached to the destination, they are more likely to exhibit ERB. The study pioneers the integration of all three factors in a sustainable tourism behavior model designed for tourists who stay one night or more at a destination, and tests the hypotheses for the first time in an Asian destination. Management implications and recommendations for the sustainable development of Penghu islands tourism are provided.