Factors affecting hotel human resource demand in Taiwan

This study explores the factors affecting hotel human resource (HR) demand and focusing on the organizational, industrial and macroeconomic factors of the hospitality industry. A prediction model was built with eight independent variables and four dummy variables. Secondary data was collected via a governmental statistic database, and regression analysis was performed using the Generalized Least Squares (GLS) method. The results show that the HR demand of international tourist hotels is more likely to be affected by industrial factors and macroeconomic factors, while the HR demand of standard tourist hotels is less complex, and is mainly affected by organizational factors.     

感知购物环境对旅游者购物行为的影响机制研究——旅游者购物情绪的媒介作用

在相关研究的基础上,本文运用结构方程建模方法建立了感知购物环境对旅游者购物行为的全影响和间接影响模型,通过对两个模型的对比分析,发现了感知购物环境影响旅游者购物行为的路径机制,即感知购物环境对旅游者购物行为的影响是通过改变旅游者的购物情绪而实现的,旅游者购物情绪在环境→情绪→行为这一路径中起到非常重要的媒介作用。最后,本文提出了管理建议。     

The role of brand personality,self-congruity,and sensory experience in elucidating sky lounge users’ behavior

This study attempted to develop an integrated model linking brand personality, self-image congruity, hedonic and utilitarian values, and behavioral intentions in the sky lounge context. Our results indicated that brand personality was significantly related to self-image congruity, which in turn influenced hedonic and utilitarian values. While hedonic value significantly affected intentions to revisit and recommend, utilitarian value significantly influenced intention to recommend. Moreover, self-image congruity and values played a significant mediating role. Furthermore, the links from hedonic value to intentions to revisit and recommend, and from utilitarian value to intention to revisit were significantly moderated by sensory experience.     

Interpretive structural modeling of quality factors in both medical and hospitality services in the medical tourism industry

This study aims to theoretically integrate quality factors of both medical and hospitality services in medical tourism. Medical tourism comprises both medicine and tourism. Although the core product in medical tourism is medical treatment, attractive hospitality and travel options are also essential. Despite the dual nature of medical tourism, the two aspects of this concept have not been integrated in a unique framework. This study attempts to fill this gap using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). According to ISM, although factors of medical services and hospitality services are independent from each other, these factors have vital impacts on perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty.     

A theoretical framework of electronic word-of-mouth against the backdrop of social networking websites

This study proposed and tested a theoretical framework that explains electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) against the backdrop of social networking websites (SNWs), which have gained substantial popularity among travelers. In particular, a United States (US) nationwide online survey was conducted and nine hypotheses were tested. The findings suggest that willingness to share knowledge and switching costs are positively related to eWOM communication. In addition, customer value (utilitarian) has positive relationships with willingness to share knowledge, perceived security, and switching cost, while customer value (hedonic) has positive relationships with willingness to share knowledge and switching costs. Last but not least, the findings indicate that perceived security does negatively impact eWOM. In light of the major findings, the article sets forth strategic implications for travel-related social networking websites.     

A preliminary examination of the relationship between consumer attitude towards space travel and the development of innovative space tourism technology

With increasing global competition in service sectors, innovative technologies have radically changed the tourism industry, and to be successful innovative products/services must have clear, significant points of difference that are related to needs in the market place. Furthermore, changes in consumer perceptions that emanate from an innovation are central to its effective product and service design. Although for most of us space travel is still a faraway dream, it is in fact a future probability that will increasingly attract travellers who seek new vacation experiences, and as a result, sustain academic interest. Thus, in initiating space tourism for the purposes of recreation, leisure and knowledge enhancement, a preliminary estimation of potential global demand characteristics that are specific to consumer innovators for space travel needs to be undertaken prior to promotion of research and development. In this context, this paper investigates both consumer attitudes towards space travel by analysing the components of motivated consumer innovativeness and the interest that potential consumers have in developing space tourism technology innovations within Taiwan. Consumer innovativeness is complex and comprised four innovativeness types, namely, social, functional, hedonic and cognitive. As product/service innovation development has been relatively unexplored in the mature industry of tourism, many business managers would welcome an understanding of which vacation travellers are most likely to be the earliest buyers of such an exciting new product. With data collected from a sample of 354 Taiwanese, this research uses mediated regression to examine the influence of the four types of consumer innovativeness on consumer's attitudes and acceptance of a space tourism technology innovation, and the mediating role perceived novelty plays in the relationship. The findings indicate that only hedonic and social innovativeness are associated with improved consumer attitude and that novelty partially mediates the relationship for those two types of consumer innovativeness. The implications for theory and practice are discussed. Limitations and directions for future research are also addressed.     

The role of perceived behavioural control in the constraint-negotiation process: the case of solo travel

This study extends the leisure constraint-effects-mitigation model to the perceived behavioural control (PBC)- constraint-negotiation model by adding PBC. Three competing models were tested to determine which model best fits the data. Results suggested that PBC mediates the relationship between motivation and negotiation, and there is a direct path from motivation to participation. Findings contribute to deepening and broadening the theory of leisure constraint negotiation because the new variable was successfully added to the original model and the model was extended to new settings (i.e. solo travel and non-Western).     

西部大开发对西部地区碳排放演变的影响

西部大开发后西部地区经济增长加快、人民生活水平提高,但产业结构、技术水平以及生态环境质量却并未表现出同等程度的改善或提升。采用30个样本省份1995—2011年的面板数据,运用双重差分法进行分析,结果发现：西部大开发在促进西部地区经济增长以及地区经济趋同的同时,也使得西部地区的碳排放（尤其是人均碳排放）与其他地区相比增长更快,与此同时,西部地区与碳排放相关的因素和条件（如产业结构、技术水平、市场化程度等）未得到显著改善。在既有的资源禀赋、发展阶段、产业结构以及经济发展方式下,西部大开发初期着力于固定资产投资和资源、能源开发,忽视教育事业、市场化改革、技术创新等软环境建设,导致西部地区在经济增长的同时碳排放相对增加。因此,在今后的西部大开发规划中,应当着力于转变经济发展方式,加强软环境建设,重视人力资本积累和技术创新,提升市场化水平,才能在发展地区经济的同时实现节能减排。     

候变化对我国种植业化肥投入的影响

气候变化不但会对农业产出产生影响,而且还会对农业生产要素投入产生影响。利用我国26个省2001—2012年的面板数据,实证分析气温和降水量变化对我国种植业生产中化肥使用强度的影响,结果表明：从整体看,年平均气温上升有助于降低化肥的使用强度,而年降水量的增加则会提升化肥的使用强度;对于热带亚热带季风气候区,降水量增加、气温上升均会导致化肥使用强度增加;对于温带季风气候区,气温上升会导致化肥使用强度下降,但是降水量增加对化肥使用强度的影响不显著。气候变化对不同气候区农业生产的化肥投入具有不同的影响,因此有关化肥控制的政策有必要考虑气候因素的影响,政策目标的设定也应体现区域差异。     

历史街区型购物场所顾客满意度研究——广州状元坊案例

尽管顾客满意度研究在相关领域已是一个研究颇久的话题,但在历史街区相关研究中鲜有涉及.本研究结合历史街区型商业街(广州状元坊)的特点,对ACSI(美国顾客满意度指数)模型加以引中和改进,构建新的适合商业街的顾客满意度评价体系,并通过问卷数据收集,采用李克特量表法,定量化地对状元坊的顾客满意度进行了实证研究.研究结论显示,顾客对状元坊的总体满意度一般;环境质量感知普遍较差,商品价格和商品种类满意度较高;学生是状元坊的主要消费群体;而区位优势、特有消费群体与准确的市场定位对状元坊顾客重游率具有决定作用.研究对拓展国内目前还比较薄弱的历史街区型商业街满意度研究有积极意义,研究结论可为商业街可持续发展提供指导作用.