Do the brand and packaging matter? The case of hotel bathroom amenities

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miyoung Jeong ◽  
Marketa Kubickova
Keyword(s):  
Brand Image ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Service Level ◽  
The Body ◽  
Hotel Management ◽  
Individual Property ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavior Intentions ◽  
Hotel Service ◽  
The Individual

PurposeCreating memorable experiences for customers at the individual property is one of the primary goals in hotel management across all segments. Adopting the concept of the ingredient branding, this study aims to attempt to identify the effects of bathroom amenity brands on customers' attitudes toward the hotel brand image and their behavior intentions toward a hotel brand. Specifically, this study assesses the importance of bathroom amenities on customer experience. It also examines the effects of bathroom amenity and their sustainable practices on hotel brand image and behavior intentions. Lastly, it provides suggestions for hoteliers in selecting right and appealing bathroom amenities while enhancing customers' hotel experience.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a 3 (hotel service level: economy, midscale, vs luxury) × 2 (bathroom amenity brand: luxury vs general) × 2 (bathroom amenity packaging: bottle vs dispenser) between-subjects experimental design. A total of 557 useable surveys were obtained to test the study's hypotheses.FindingsThe results reveal that customers had a better hotel image when high-end brand bathroom amenities in a bottle were offered. Specifically, when economy hotels provided high-end brand bathroom amenities, customers had a better hotel image, which lead to strong return intentions. Typically, bathroom amenities in the bottle were perceived better than those in the dispenser when it came to the hotel image.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study reconfirm that the level of hotel service, bathroom amenity brand and bathroom amenity packaging jointly affect hotels' overall image. Specifically, the generic bathroom amenity in the dispenser somewhat degrades the image of the hotel for economy hotels; however, the image of hotel is not significantly affected by the type of bathroom packaging when the hotel has luxury bathroom amenities. Thus, hotel management should pay more attention to selecting the bathroom amenity brand, which can offer more memorable experience for customers.Originality/valueLittle research has been documented on the effects of hotel bathroom amenity brands on customers' attitudes toward hotel brand image and their psychological behaviors in the hotel industry, lacking rigorous theoretical examinations. The current study provides several important contributions not only to the body of knowledge but to the hotel industry.

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.

Customer participation in service innovation using SNS smartphone apps: an investigation of the Indian hotel service industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bijoylaxmi Sarmah ◽  
Yupal Shukla ◽  
Ravi Chatterjee ◽  
Shampy Kamboj
Keyword(s):  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Customer Participation ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hotel Service ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Adoption Intention

PurposeExisting research lacks a comprehensive understanding of the individual factors that may transform an “ordinary” customer into an active participator in the service innovation process and/or the situational factors that determine a customer's participation in any stage of the service innovation process. The purpose of this paper is to fill these research gaps by developing and validating a conceptual framework on CPSIB in the Indian hotel industry by using smartphones to access SNS apps.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey design method was used in this study to collect representative samples with greater response rates. The target population included in this study were hotel guests of all of the star category hotels in New Delhi who had earlier experiences of staying in star category hotels. Structured questionnaire was formulated, which was later pre-tested to confirm its reliability and validity. Out of 400 questionnaires, 348 usable responses were obtained.FindingsThis research examines CPSIB in the Indian hotel industry using SNS smartphone apps. It confirms that user innovativeness and perceived trust in the service provider determine customers' participative service innovation behavior, which further results in positive adoption intention via SNS smartphone apps.Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides valuable insights into the hotel industry, specifically in the context of India. However, it has a few limitations that must be taken into account when generalizing its results.Practical implicationsFirst, investigating the key antecedents and consequences of CPSIB has important implications for marketing practitioners. Moreover, it was observed that hotel guests with higher innovativeness and trust in the service provider would show positive participative service innovation behavior toward innovating new services along with the hotel service providers, which may result in a positive adoption intention toward the newly developed services. Second, hoteliers should integrate hotel guests into hotel service innovation via the use of SNS smartphone apps.Social implicationsThis research conceptualizes that user innovativeness is a driving factor for CPSIB that may further generate a positive adoption intention toward newly developed services.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, only a very few studies have tested the interrelationships between individual factors and customer participation behavior in the mobile technology-mediated service ecosystem simultaneously. Furthermore, research examining the individual and situational factors influencing CPSIB and adoption intention towards newly developed services using SNS smartphone apps is still in a nascent stage.

Public service motivation and willingness to collaborate

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Getha-Taylor ◽  
Alexa Haddock-Bigwarfe
Keyword(s):  
Homeland Security ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Public Service Motivation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Original Survey ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine public service motivation (PSM) and the connection with collaborative attitudes among a sample of homeland security actors representing the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Design/methodology/approach – This study examines relationships between measures of PSM and collaboration using original survey data and hierarchical multiple regression. Findings – Findings reveal strong positive relationships between PSM measures and attitudes toward collaboration at the individual and organizational level. Research limitations/implications – Survey results are cross-sectional and are from respondents participating in a single state's homeland security summit. Practical implications – It is expected that results can be used to enhance collaboration at the individual and organizational levels. At the organizational level, results can be used for matching individuals with collaborative opportunities. At the individual level, results can be used for enhanced self-reflection and effectiveness purposes. Originality/value – This study provides insights on the relationship between PSM measures and collaborative attitudes. The research contributes to the body of scholarly work connecting PSM and correlates of interest.

Construction and empirical research on acceptance model of service robots applied in hotel industry

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Zhong ◽  
Xiaoya Zhang ◽  
Jia Rong ◽  
Hing Kai Chan ◽  
Jinyu Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Service Robots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hotel Service ◽  
Acceptance Model ◽  
Robot Selection

PurposeRobots, as the crystallization of new artificial intelligence, are being applied in various fields, especially the hotel industry. They are seizing the opportunities, using technology to improve the overall quality and comprehensive competitiveness. However, they also cause many problems due to practical limitations. The purpose of this paper is to study customers' recognition and acceptance of hotel service robots to guide the successful promotion of this technology.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposed a comprehensive model based on the theory of planned behavior, the technology acceptance model and then the perceived value-based acceptance model. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, grouped regression analysis and path analysis was adopted to validate the impacts of each variable to obtain the final reliable model using data collected from hotel guests using a self-designed questionnaire.FindingsThe empirical research based on the theoretical model shows that the constructed conceptual model can thoroughly explain the influencing factors of hotel robot acceptance, enrich the acceptance theory and provide academic support for the use and popularization of hotel service robots. Among all variables, attitude, usefulness and perceived value are the factors that have the greatest impact on acceptance. They have significant differences in the effects of adjustment variables such as gender, educational level, whether hotel robots have been used, and whether other robot services have been experienced on different paths in the model.Practical implicationsThis paper explored the customer acceptance of service robots in hotels, helped to understand the process of decision-making on service robot selection and contributed to the theoretical extension of the hospitality industry. The work guides hotel management to promote better-personalized products and services of robot technology in the hospitality industries.Originality/valueThe acceptance study on hotel service robots provides insight into the hotel industry to understand customers' attitudes and acceptance of emerging technology.

A survey of capital budgeting practices used by firms in Barbados

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 564-584
Author(s):  
Philmore Alleyne ◽  
Shantelle Armstrong ◽  
Marissa Chandler
Keyword(s):  
Net Present Value ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Contingency Theory ◽  
Capital Budgeting ◽  
The Body ◽  
Capital Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the capital budgeting practices used by firms in Barbados using contingency theory.Design/methodology/approachThe study involves the use of a self-administered questionnaire sent to the individual responsible for capital budgeting decisions (either the accountant, financial controller or senior manager) in each of the firms selected. In total, 41 completed questionnaires are received; 12 follow-up interviews are conducted with respondents to indicate the reasons for use and non-use of capital budgeting practices.FindingsCapital budgeting practices are not widely used by firms in Barbados. The payback method (PBM) is determined to be the preferred method of choice because of its simplicity, agility and cultural practices. Based on contingency theory, organisations in Barbados believe that the PBM is a better fit for them. Top management drives the capital budgeting process with crude and non-traditional methods for the acceptance of capital projects. While there are no statistically significant differences in the capital budgeting practices used in different sectors, professional accountants are more likely to use net present value and sensitivity analysis than non-professional accountants.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample is small, and consequently, findings may not be generalisable to the population.Originality/valueThis study makes a significant contribution to the body of literature in emerging countries such as Barbados on the usage of capital budgeting practices and factors that may influence their usage. It further contributes to policymakers, practitioners, organisations and stakeholders of organisations.

Guests’ perceptions of robot concierge and their adoption intentions

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 2613-2633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyejo Hailey Shin ◽  
Miyoung Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Service Robots ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Design Experiment ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hotel Service ◽  
Factorial Design Experiment ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose The hotel industry has witnessed an increasing number of service automation through service robots such as robot concierges. However, few studies have documented how to identify how hotel guests perceive a robot concierge for their service encounter. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of robot concierges on hotel guests’ attitudes and adoption intentions of robot concierges. Design/methodology/approach This study investigated the effects of robot concierges’ morphology and their level of interactivity with guests at different levels of hotel service on guests’ attitudes and their intentions to adopt robot concierges. To achieve the study’s objectives, this study conducted a 3 × 2 × 3 between-subjects factorial design experiment. Moreover, the survey asked questions about subjects’ preferences of their service encounters (e.g. human employees, robot concierges and/or no preference) and reasons for their selected preference. Findings The results demonstrated that the robot’s morphology significantly influenced guests’ attitudes toward robot concierges. In particular, the caricatured robot was the most preferred morphology of robot concierges. The findings showed that even if guests had favorable attitudes toward robot concierges, they preferred human employees to robot concierges because of humans’ sincere and genuine interactions. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by investigating the causal impacts of the morphology of robot concierges, level of interactivity and level of hotel service on guests’ attitudes toward robot concierges. The thematic analysis of service encounter preference provides an overview of the factors that guests expect for their service encounters in a hotel setting.

How CSR influences customer behavioural loyalty in the Chinese hotel industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Tingchi Liu ◽  
Yongdan Liu ◽  
Ziying Mo ◽  
Zhidong Zhao ◽  
Zhenghao Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Trust ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) (i.e. responsibility to customers, employees and society) influences customer behavioural loyalty in the hotel industry. The mediating effects of brand image and customer trust on the relationship between CSR and customer behavioural loyalty are also considered. Design/methodology/approach In total, 298 valid responses to questionnaire surveys were collected from a convenience sample in China in 2017. A structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses. Findings Hotel customer behavioural loyalty can be enhanced by CSR performance. Performance in each of the three CSR domains positively impacted customer behavioural loyalty to different degrees. The impact of CSR on the customer had the strongest influence on Chinese customers’ behavioural loyalty among the three CSR domains of customer, employee and society. Brand image and customer trust were found to be mediators of the relationship between CSR performance and customer behavioural loyalty. Originality/value The current research contributes to the literature by demonstrating that CSR activities are not all equally effective. Results reveal that the society dimension of CSR had the strongest impact on Chinese customers’ brand image of hotels among the three CSR dimensions investigated. In terms of Chinese hotel customers’ trust, the CSR–customer dimension plays the most effective role. The findings also support the notion that Chinese consumers are beginning to use CSR information to evaluate hotels.

“It’s time”: revolution and evolution in Australian political advertising

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-395
Author(s):  
Leanne White
Keyword(s):  
Political Communication ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Political Advertising ◽  
Television Advertising ◽  
The Body ◽  
Advertising Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Television Advertisements ◽  
Main Components ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine two significant political advertising campaigns which used the “It’s Time” slogan and to reflect on how these related to official, popular and commercial nationalism in Australia. The paper is primarily concerned with two main issues: identifying and examining the variety of images of Australia in two key television advertisements, and exploring the methods by which advertising agencies created positive images of Australia and Australians in the two campaigns. It specifically highlights the significance of the “It’s Time” campaign, which is relevant for scholars and advertisers seeking to understand effective political communication. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines television advertisements by using semiotics as the principal methodology. The research methodology devised for the advertisements consists of two main components: a shot combination analysis, also known as a shot-by-shot analysis, and a semiological reading of the visual and acoustic channels of the advertisement. Findings This paper examines the use of commercial nationalism in television advertising. As one of many social and cultural influences, advertisements assist the individual in understanding their notion of themselves and their relationship with the wider community – be it local, national, regional or global. The primary focus of this research is the phenomenon of commercial nationalism – the adoption of national signifiers in the marketplace. However, by examining the more general discourse on nationalism, particularly the voice of official nationalism – the promotion of nationalism by the nation-state (or those aspiring to power), the symbiotic relationship between these two complementary brands of nationalism is explored. Originality/value The methodology adopted for analysing the two political advertising campaigns offers conceptual and practical value. It provides a consistent set of terms and concepts for further research to build upon. The paper provides insights for the marketing or examination of advertising campaigns. The paper demonstrates the power of market research to inform a framing strategy for a political campaign. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge in this area and thus society’s understanding of these important periods in the nation’s history. In particular, the paper provides an exploration into the “It’s Time” campaign and how it mobilised a broader cultural awakening to engineer success at the ballot box in 1972. The two case studies examined in this paper are relevant to political scientists and media and communication scholars.

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

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.

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