Recipes for customer loyalty: a cross-country study of the hotel industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khawaja Fawad Latif
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Hotel Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symmetric Methods ◽  
Antecedent Conditions ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Cross Country

Purpose Based on the tenets of complexity theory, the purpose of the study is to identify the causal recipes that can lead to improved customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A cross-country sample was drawn from Pakistan, China and Italy to explore customers’ hotel experiences. The study used asymmetrical fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to unearth the recipes of antecedent conditions that can predict high scores in customer loyalty. Findings The study results complementing the major tenets of complexity theory found several recipes in each of the countries that can lead to improved customer loyalty. Practical implications Instead of focusing on individual factors, and how they impact loyalty, the study will help hotel management to understand the complexity of loyalty and it may not be improved through individual focus on antecedent conditions, instead, different pathways/recipes can help improve the loyalty. The study will help managers uncover alternative ways to attain increasing customer loyalty. The results reveal that customers in different countries have varied paths leading to loyalty, showing that hotel administration should not consider all customers as equal, with changing culture there is a change in how high loyalty may be achieved. Originality/value Customer loyalty is a complex construct, and the latest research reveals that symmetric methods have significant limitations, as they view loyalty as an outcome of isolated antecedents. Symmetric methods are less informative and have limited theoretical implications. Drawing on the tenets of complexity theory the study contributes to the loyalty literature in the hotel industry by highlighting the causal configurations leading to improved customer loyalty.

Tourism, environment and hotel management: an innovative perspective to address modern trends in contemporary tourism management

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunhui Huo ◽  
Javaria Hameed ◽  
Muhammad Waqas Sadiq ◽  
Gadah Albasher ◽  
Wedad Alqahtani
Keyword(s):  
Brand Image ◽  
Interactional Justice ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
The Body ◽  
Hotel Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Value ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Customer's Loyalty ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a valid insight into consumers' minds while considering word of mouth (WOM), brand image and uniqueness as independent variables while considering the tourism industry as the primary stakeholder.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts qualitative research methods and data collected from 1,033 respondents using convenience sampling methodology. The data are collected from different tourists spots in China and Pakistan. The PROCESS macro was utilized in this study using SPSS version 25.0 to inspect the impacts by using Model 4 and the conditional effects indirectly by utilizing Model 14.FindingsCustomer's intimacy, search for novel and unexplored destinations highlight WOM interactions and perceived service value. Service value, interactional justice and professional attitude of hotel management mediated all the given relationships significantly. The brand image does not mediate any significant associations. Perceived service value and brand image predict customer's loyalty, and WOM is the direct measure of their intentions, and these variables are market trend indicators. A tourist's response toward different destinations is described in this study with comparative analysis of Chinese and Pakistani tourists. The study results showed a significantly positive relationship between hotel management professional behavior, customer's loyalty, customer's intimacy and WOM.Research limitations/implicationsThe recruited population might not be represented as the broader and larger visitor population, resulting in restricting establishing tactics. Moreover, this study's results provide significant insight into a tourism industry, hence providing a chance to manage customer loyalty better.Social, managerial and theoretical implicationsThis study contributes significantly to the body of knowledge and provides remarkable insight from the managerial perspective. Interactional justice results in significant value for hotel management directors and top management, front desk staff and operatives and front level employees and managers. Consumer sensitivity of fairness in interpersonal dealings calls for behavioral changes in frontline employees, especially those directly dealing with hotel visitors. Hotel staff and management should formulate a system to deal with the demands and needs of visitors. It should describe the rights and obligations of visitors and ensure that each customer is treated equally and with respect. Customers should be motivated to read the survey questionnaires kept in their rooms and offer their views on the services provided. This strategy might increase the customers' sense of empowerment and leading to notions of fairness in individual encounters.Originality/valueThis study provides an insight into the customer's minds while considering essential variables that include WOM, brand image, perceived service value and uniqueness.

The mediating effects of program loyalty in loyalty rewards programs: an experimental design in coffee shops

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pınar Başgöze ◽  
Yaprak Atay ◽  
Selin Metin Camgöz ◽  
Lydia Hanks
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Loyalty Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Value Perception ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of reward structure on the customer's value perception of the program, loyalty to the program and loyalty to the firm.Design/methodology/approachA 2 (type of reward) x 2 (timing of redemption) between subjects experimental design was conducted. In addition, the indirect effect of the customer's value perception of the program on loyalty to the firm via loyalty to the program is tested with Hayes and Preacher's mediation procedure.FindingsStudy results indicated that type of reward has a positive impact on the perceived value of a loyalty program. Program loyalty mediates the relationship between the perceived value of the loyalty program and customer loyalty, as well as the relationship between type of reward and customer loyalty.Originality/valueThe findings of this study demonstrate the importance of the type and timing of loyalty program rewards on customer perceptions of the value of the loyalty program. In addition, this study is a step forward in providing a deep understanding of the impact of such perceptions on loyalty. These findings fill a number of research gaps and provide tangible guidance for practitioners.

scholarly journals Stimulating satisfaction and loyalty: transformative behaviour and Muslim consumers

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 2903-2923
Author(s):  
Naushad Mohamed ◽  
Babak Taheri ◽  
Anna Farmaki ◽  
Hossein Olya ◽  
Martin Joseph Gannon
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Destination Image ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to investigate the combinations of religiosity, cosmopolitanism and perceived destination image leading to satisfaction and loyalty amongst Muslim consumers within the Maldivian tourism and hospitality context. Design/methodology/approach Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this study reveals that diverse combinations of religiosity, cosmopolitanism and destination image dimensions stimulate satisfaction and loyalty in Muslim consumers. Findings Multiple recipes can be used to design compelling destinations that balance the desire for religiosity and cosmopolitanism characteristic of contemporary Muslim consumers. The results confirm the applicability of complexity theory in explaining Muslim consumer behaviour within the Islamic destination context. Practical implications Several implications for the hospitality and tourism industry are drawn from the results, with suggestions for future research provided. Each fsQCA recipe identifies distinct suggestions to shape the design of destination attributes and hospitality offerings to stimulate consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Originality/value Complexity theory was applied to assess the complex causal relationships among Muslim consumers’ religiosity, perceived destination image, cosmopolitanism, satisfaction and loyalty.

Cultural configurations and entrepreneurial realisation

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Torres ◽  
Mário Augusto
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Antecedent Conditions ◽  
Entrepreneurial Behaviour

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to better understand the connection between culture and entrepreneurship in proposing and testing complex configurations of culturally endorsed implicit leadership theories (CLTs) and cultural practices that lead to entrepreneurial behaviour by studying entrepreneurial intentions (EI) and early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) separately. Design/methodology/approach Using data from Globe Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) studies, a sample of 44 countries, and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, several models for EI and TEA were developed. Findings The main findings provide a way of distinguishing between complex antecedent conditions that are required for each stage of the entrepreneurial realisation. The results empirically show that there is no ideal context – the path to stimulate entrepreneurship that works best for one country does not necessarily works the same for other countries. There are multiple paths to achieve the desired outcome. Research limitations/implications The data from the GLOBE study were not completely up to date, the effect of which was minimised by considering data from GEM that respects temporal ordering. Nevertheless, data from GEM suggest that there is a degree of stability in the data over time. Future research could replicate this study with a larger selection of countries and with new data, collected in a different way. Additionally, the inclusion of CLTs proposed in this study opens new opportunities for future research, by providing a new angle to look at the entrepreneurial realisation process. Practical implications This study advances research into the association of culture and entrepreneurship, and develops testable models using a configurational approach, thus confirming the suitability of asymmetric configuration analysis for entrepreneurial research. The results expand an understanding of the entrepreneurial process by showcasing the different complex antecedent conditions for EI and TEA. Depending on a country’s cultural profile, policy-makers should invest in the dimensions that enable their society to align with the model that best suits their own culture. The obtained models offer a framework for evaluating new interventions that aim to develop entrepreneurial behaviour in a specific country. Originality/value Different configurations showcase that there are alternative paths to achieving high levels of EI and TEA. The differences among the possible configurations for each stage of the entrepreneurial realisation are uncovered. Country profiles are identified, quantified, and then compared providing guidance for policy-makers.

Knowledge management processes, knowledge worker satisfaction, and organizational performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umar Farooq Sahibzada ◽  
Jianfeng Cai ◽  
Khawaja Fawad Latif ◽  
Hassam Farooq Sahibzada
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Knowledge Worker ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symmetric Methods ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Worker Satisfaction ◽  
Relationship Of

Purpose Drawing on the knowledge-based view, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationship between Knowledge Management (KM) processes, Knowledge Worker Satisfaction (KWS) and Organizational Performance (OP). Additionally, the study further seeks to identify the combinations of KM processes and KWS dimensions that can lead to enhanced OP. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 248 academics and administration employees of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The relationships were tested using SmartPLS 3.2.7. The study also employed fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) for examining configurational paths. Findings The results of the study revealed that KM processes significantly affect KWS and KWS enhances OP in HEIs. Based on fsQCA, the results revealed multiple configurational paths to improved OP. Originality/value There is significant lack of research that ascertains the inter-relationship between KM processes, KWS, and OP. This is one of the initial studies that examines the relationship of KM processes, KWS, and OP in HEI’s. From a methodological perspective, the study contributes by combining symmetric and asymmetric statistical tools in KM literature. fsQCA helps to understand the interactions that might not be immediately obvious through traditional symmetric methods.

scholarly journals Testing complexity theory in service research

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-162
Author(s):  
Catherine Prentice
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Forecasting Accuracy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Case Outcome

Purpose This study aims to draw on the complexity theory and uses a non-an asymmetrical method – fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to test the core tenets of complexity theory, namely, asymmetry, equifinality and causal complexity and valence reversals or conjunction with a focus on testing the relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty. Case outcome forecasting accuracy rather than relationships are tested in asymmetric testing. Design/methodology/approach Both symmetrical (structural equation modelling or SEM) and non-symmetrical (fsQCA) methods were used to test the proposed relationships (symmetrical testing) and case outcome forecasting accuracy (asymmetric testing). The former was used as a comparison. The study setting was in Australian airports. The data were collected from departure passengers. Findings The results from SEM and fsQCA differ substantially. The former provides very simplistic findings of variable directional relationships; whereas the latter presents asymmetrical, equifinal and conjunctional relationships regarding service quality, customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. These findings support the core tenets of the complexity theory. Research limitations/implications The study findings conform to the complexity theory that indicates relationships between variables can be nonlinear and the same causes can produce different effects. The findings suggest the outcomes of interest often result from combined antecedent conditions rather than a single causal factor. The study confirms that asymmetrical thinking relies on Boolean algebra and set theory principles. Originality/value This study uses both symmetrical and asymmetrical methods to reveal the nuanced information about the relationship that has been tested primarily using symmetrical methods.

scholarly journals The leading causes and consequences of citizenship pressure in the hotel industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1541-1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyewon Youn ◽  
Jong-Hyeong Kim ◽  
Hanqun Song
Keyword(s):  
Job Stress ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Turnover Intentions ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hotel Employees ◽  
Study Results

Purpose This study aims to examine the causes of citizenship pressure and to investigate the relationship between citizenship pressure, job stress and turnover intentions. Specifically, the current study examines the effects of the personality trait of neuroticism and the organizational cultures of bureaucracy and the market. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 224 hotel employees in the People’s Republic of China using a self-administered survey questionnaire. The participants completed measures examining citizenship pressure, personality, organizational culture, job stress and intention to quit. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The results showed that employees who are more neurotic are more likely to experience citizenship pressure. Moreover, citizenship pressure was found to increase job stress and turnover intentions. However, a bureaucratic culture, which prizes stability, was found to reduce citizenship pressure. Practical implications This study presents factors that may influence hotel employees’ perceptions of citizenship pressure and reveals the negative consequences of such pressure. Thus, the study results contribute to a better understanding of citizenship pressure and can be used to develop guidelines to reduce citizenship pressure in work environments. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current study is the first empirical study to examine the antecedents and consequences of citizenship pressure in the hotel industry. Moreover, previous citizenship pressure studies have mainly been conducted in a Western cultural context; it is unclear whether citizenship pressure can be similarly observed in China, where the nature and form of employment relationships differ significantly from those in Western countries.

Clean and green: the relevance of hotels' website quality and environmental management initiatives for green customer loyalty

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongzheng Sun ◽  
Sarminah Samad ◽  
Shafique Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Usman
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Hotel Management ◽  
Website Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Green Practices ◽  
Green Trust

PurposeCustomers' focus increasingly turns to the green practices of firms. Organizations need to rethink their strategies and position themselves concerning their environmental responsibility. The idea behind this study is to observe the influence of hotel website quality and hotel environmental management initiative (HEMI) on green customer loyalty in the Pakistan hotel industry with the mediating role of green trust (GT) and green satisfaction (GS).Design/methodology/approachThe study is quantitative, and partial least squares structural equation modelling followed to test the proposed hypotheses. A total of 542 questionnaires were used for analysis through SPSS 25.0 and SmartPLS 3.2.9.FindingsThe findings confirm the proposed positive influence of hotel website quality and HEMI on green customer loyalty. Moreover, GT and GS significantly mediate the relationship, further enhancing the relevance of green practices for hotels.Practical implicationsHotel management can get maximum customer loyalty to concentrate on hotel website quality, HEMI, GT and GS.Originality/valueThis study aims to develop a research model to incorporate hotel website quality, HEMI, GT, GS and green customer loyalty by using signalling theory and natural resource-based view theory that prior studies ignored.

scholarly journals Explaining user experience in mobile gaming applications: an fsQCA approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilias O. Pappas ◽  
Patrick Mikalef ◽  
Michail N. Giannakos ◽  
Panos E. Kourouthanassis
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
User Behavior ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Mobile Games ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Content Quality ◽  
Intention To Adopt ◽  
Research Propositions

Purpose In the complex ecosystem of mobile applications multiple factors have been used to explain users’ behavior, without though focusing on how different combinations of variables may affect user behavior. The purpose of this paper is to show how price value, game content quality, positive and negative emotions, gender and gameplay time interact with each other to predict high intention to download mobile games. Design/methodology/approach Building on complexity theory, the authors present a conceptual model followed by research propositions. The propositions are empirically validated through configurational analysis, employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) on 531 active users of mobile games. Findings Findings identify ten solutions that explain high intention to download mobile games. Alternative paths are identified depending on the gender and the time users spend playing mobiles games. The authors highlight the role of price value and game content quality, as well as that of positive emotions, which are always core factors when present. Originality/value To identify complex interactions among the variables of interest, fsQCA is employed, differentiating from traditional studies using variance-based methods, leading to multiple solutions explaining the same outcome. None of the variables explains the intention to download on its own, but only when they combine with each other. The authors extend existing knowledge on how price value, game content quality, emotions, gender and gameplay time combine to lead to high intention to download mobile games; and present a methodology for how to bridge complexity theory with fsQCA, improving our understanding of intention to adopt mobile applications.

scholarly journals CEO interview-Mr. Jingbang Zhang, EVP of Yagao Meihua Hotel Management Co., Ltd and CEO of Madison Brand, Shanghai, China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Wen
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Hotel Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industry Leader ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to interview Mr. Jingbang Zhang, EVP of Yagao Meihua Hotel Management Co., Ltd & CEO of Madison Brand based in Shanghai, China, regarding the impact of COVID-19 on China’s hotel industry and potential post-COVID-19 trends.Design/methodology/approachInterview with hotel group CEO and industry leader in China.FindingsSeveral effects of COVID-19 and potential trends are discussed from a hotel CEO’s perspective.Originality/valueTourism and hospitality stakeholders will acquire a better understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 on China’s hotel industry and possible post-COVID-19 adjustments

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