Leadership challenges for Indian hospitality industry during COVID-19 pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Balvinder Shukla ◽  
Tahir Sufi ◽  
Manoj Joshi ◽  
R. Sujatha
Keyword(s):  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Challenges ◽  
General Managers ◽  
Special Events ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Study Results

PurposeThe COVID-19 crisis has affected almost all the global sectors. The hotel industry, however, was hit hardest challenging the leadership. This study, therefore, attempts to explore the challenges hospitality leadership in India face to navigate the crisis. The study additionally addresses how leaders manage the expectations of key stakeholders; communicate hard decisions with employees, pursue strategies for revival and explores the role of technology to survive the crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a qualitative approach involving structured interviews with 16 senior hospitality leaders consisting of CEO, vice president, general managers, directors, entrepreneur and general managers from various organisations like hotels, restaurant chains, food services and facilities management services. Data were content analysed involving coding techniques.FindingsThe leadership challenges included making customers and employees feel safe, optimising operations, agility and resilience of leaders, maintaining a balance between stakeholders, managing employee stress and ensuring cash reserves. The study found that leaders manage the expectation of various stakeholders by maintaining balance, demonstrating empathy and agility. The hard decisions are communicated with the employees through involvement, empathy and alleviating stress.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes by identifying twelve themes from the participants' responses under five major themes-labelled as leadership challenges, managing stakeholders, communicating with the employees, the role of technology and best practices of surviving the crisis. Future research can be conducted on such sub-themes in different countries.Practical implicationsAs the tourism industry in India is recovering after the second wave, the governments along with all stakeholders, must launch special events for promoting the tourism sector. Safety measures like making vaccination certificates for all tourists and employees of the tourism sector should be made mandatory. Further, special certification following the COVID-19 protocol needs to be introduced for hotels and catering establishments. A fund generated from the sector's direct tax contribution needs to be established to support the employees.Social implicationsThe study has several social implications. The study results can unite all industry stakeholders to shape the post-pandemic era through collaboration. Empathetic leadership can take the industry out of chaos by balancing the interests of the various stakeholders of society. The pandemic has proven that we all are vulnerable to risks and challenges; leaders have a vital role in taking proactive steps to ensure that such uncertainties do not cause unprecedented damage.Originality/valueThis study expanded the research on the hospitality leadership challenges in managing crises in the backdrop of the crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic. The conceptual model, variables, themes and sub-themes utilised are original contributions to the hospitality literature.

How the creative mindset affects entrepreneurial success in the tourism sector: the mediating role of innovation capability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natthawut Yodchai ◽  
Pham Thi Minh Ly ◽  
Lobel Trong Thuy Tran
Keyword(s):  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Innovation Capability ◽  
Entrepreneurial Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
And Performance

Purpose This study aims to adopt implicit theory (IPT) to develop a creative mindset model and drive entrepreneurial success through innovation capability (IC). Design/methodology/approach Expert interviews were conducted using a questionnaire protocol. This study investigated the effect of the creative mindset on entrepreneurial success through IC, using a partial least squares analytical technique and by interviewing 176 Thai business owners. Findings The creative mindset drove entrepreneurial success through IC. Entrepreneurs possessing a growth mindset reflected and drove success directly or through IC. Although, those with a strong, fixed mindset did not significantly affect entrepreneurial success, they could drive success through IC. Research limitations/implications This study provides further insight into the probable causation of how the creative mindset and IC affect tourism entrepreneurs’ success. Accordingly, this study contributes a framework to help entrepreneurs’ creativity and performance in achieving their business goals. Originality/value Drawing from IPT, this study empirically tests and substantiates the mediating role of IC in the relationship between the creative mindset and entrepreneurial success in the tourism industry. This study can help entrepreneurs increase their managerial effectiveness.

The relationship between cooperative and competitive behavioral tendencies and trust in coworkers

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-360
Author(s):  
Ece Ömüriş ◽  
Ferda Erdem ◽  
Janset Özen Aytemur
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Employee Relations ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Behavioral Tendencies ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the relationship between cooperative and competitive behavioral tendencies and trust of coworkers in organizations. Two main hypotheses were developed. The first hypothesis was that cooperativeness and trust in coworkers is positively correlated. The second hypothesis was that competitiveness and trust in coworkers is negatively correlated.Design/methodology/approachThe sample was 442 Turkish tourism sector employees in a labor-intensive industry. Two scales were used to measure trust in coworkers and cooperativeness/competitiveness. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to understand how individuals' behavioral tendency affects their coworkers' trust in them.FindingsThe findings strongly supported the first hypothesis, in that cooperativeness was positively correlated with trust in coworkers. The second hypothesis was only partially supported because there was no significant relationship between competitiveness and the competency and trustworthiness dimensions of trust. Unselfishness aspect of trust, however, was negatively correlated with competitiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThe main contribution of this study is to show that employee cooperativeness and competitiveness can affect trust in coworker relations. However, the measurement of competitiveness and cooperativeness measurement had limitations due to differences in the culture-specific meanings of cooperation and competition. Future research employing mixed methods research is needed to further explain the content of the two tendencies and the relationship between the concepts.Originality/valueThe literature on trust and employee relations tends to focus more on the issue of trust between managers and subordinates while neglecting the complex and multifaceted structure of trust in employee–employer relations. However, new working forms mean that horizontal relations are increasingly important. Therefore, more research is needed to address the tendencies and structures that affect trust in coworkers. This study draws attention to the potential role of cooperative and competitive behaviors in trust in horizontal employee relations.

scholarly journals Research note: customer experience management in cruise pre-consumption

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Sharples
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Consumer Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Experience Management ◽  
Tourism Sector

Purpose This study aims to apply the relatively new concept of customer experience management (CXM) to the pre-consumptive stage within a cruise tourist’s journey. Design/methodology/approach The work will apply CXM to the tourism sector and, in particular to the cruise market. Academics have noted how CXM needs to takes a holistic integrated approach and focus on the complete customer experience. The cruise sector has been selected for this research because, it is the fastest growing tourism sector globally and the pre-consumption stage for cruise passengers is longer than for other vacation types. Findings This study has shown how CXM has emerged from the more traditional marketing concept of relationship marketing and has highlighted its relevance within the tourism industry, in particular, the cruise sector. In addition, the work has shown how adapting CXM to the pre-consumptive phase more fully will enhance consumer relationships and improve business performance. Research limitations/implications This work is conceptual. It is proposed that the research propositions should be verified within the pre-consumptive stage of cruise passenger journeys. Another limitation is that the focus has been solely on the cruise sector and future research could be extended to other tourism service industries. Practical implications This work will provide tourism and other service industry managers with a new strategy to enhance consumer experience and improve business performance in the pre-consumptive stage and extend academic understanding within this stage of a cruise tourist’s vacation. Originality/value This research is significant because CXM is a model, which has been used within service businesses, but had a limited application to the cruise sector and to the pre-consumption timeframe. It is important to understand cruise passengers in this time-frame to encourage positive relationships, to potentially increase revenue opportunities and provide an overall improved consumer experience.

The future of Caribbean tourism: competition and climate change implications

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Mackay ◽  
Andrew Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Broad Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Caribbean Tourism

Purpose This conceptual paper examines the Caribbean tourism sector, its growth, performance, importance and its vulnerability to climate change. The purpose of this paper is to serve as an introduction to the on-going conversation around climate change and the socioeconomic impacts likely to be experienced in tourism-dependent Caribbean territories. Design/methodology/approach The Caribbean is used as the context of this work. A broad perspective was adopted to paint a picture of the wider implications. The region is represented by a multiplicity of country profiles, both in physical and socio-economic characteristics; this warrants a broad assessment of the issues examined here. Findings This work shows that the Caribbean tourism sectors face significant future threats related to both competitiveness and climate change impacts. For a region so heavily dependent on coastal- and marine-related tourism attractions, adaptation and resilience are critical issues facing Caribbean tourism. An effective approach to building resilience to climate change requires extensive regional cooperation. Research limitations/implications While there is much published on the matter of climate change implications in the general global context, there is considerably less published work specifically examining the likely effects climate change will have on the special socio-economic features of the Caribbean and on the tourism industry in particular. Practical implications The lack of extensive and ongoing research dedicated to climate change implications for Caribbean tourism, while limiting the scope of this work, does highlight a gap and open the door for future work that examines, in greater detail both collectively and on an individual country basis, the climate change implications for tourism industries throughout the region. Social implications Climate change vulnerabilities in the region present a significant threat to economic development, employment and food security among others. Coastal flooding, infrastructural damage and the potential displacement of coastal communities present significant impediments to the quality of life of Caribbean nationals. The social implications necessitate further in-depth study to inform the development of adaptation strategies that may secure the tourism industry and the livelihoods and lifestyles of the people. Originality/value This work is original in its evaluation of the viewpoints of climate change vulnerability specific to the Caribbean tourism sector.

scholarly journals Leveraging inter-tourists interactions via chatbots to bridge academia, tourism industries and future societies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Calvaresi ◽  
Ahmed Ibrahim ◽  
Jean-Paul Calbimonte ◽  
Emmanuel Fragniere ◽  
Roland Schegg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

PurposeThe tourism and hospitality sectors are experiencing radical innovation boosted by the advancements in Information and Communication Technologies. Increasingly sophisticated chatbots are introducing novel approaches, re-shaping the dynamics among tourists and service providers, and fostering a remarkable behavioral change in the overall sector. Therefore, the objective of this paper is two-folded: (1) to highlight the academic and industrial standing points with respect to the current chatbots designed/deployed in the tourism sector and (2) to develop a proof-of-concept embodying the most prominent opportunities in the tourism sector.Design/methodology/approachThis work elaborates on the outcomes of a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and a Focus Group (FG) composed of experts from the tourism industry. Moreover, it presents a proof-of-concept relying on the outcomes obtained from both SLR and FG. Eventually, the proof-of-concept has been tested with experts and practitioners of the tourism sector.FindingsAmong the findings elicited by this paper, we can mention the quick evolution of chatbot-based solutions, the need for continuous investments, upskilling, system innovation to tackle the eTourism challenges and the shift toward new dimensions (i.e. tourist-to-tourist-to-chatbot and personalized multi-stakeholder systems). In particular, we focus on the need for chatbot-based activity and thematic aggregation for next-generation tourists and service providers.Originality/valueBoth academic- and industrial-centered findings have been structured and discussed to foster the practitioners' future research. Moreover, the proof-of-concept presented in the paper is the first of its kind, which raised considerable interest from both technical and business-planning perspectives.

How perceptions of training impact employee performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyu Guan ◽  
Stephen Frenkel
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Organizational Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Training Performance ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Time Lagged

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of firm training on the job performance of mainly semi-skilled manufacturing employees in the context of changes required to ensure the competitiveness of contemporary Chinese manufacturing.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a survey with time-lagged method and from multiple sources. The sample included 348 supervisor-subordinate dyads from two Chinese manufacturing firms. PROCESS macro tool (Hayes) was used to test the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of HRM strength in the training-performance relationship.FindingsWork engagement mediates the relationship between training and in-role task performance, while the relationships between work engagement and both task performance and organizational citizenship behavior are moderated by HRM strength.Research limitations/implicationsBased on a time-lagged survey, causal relationships cannot be drawn from this study. Results point to future research on the training-performance relationship that more closely considers antecedents and the organizations’ internal and external contexts.Practical implicationsManagers should pay close attention to the context and process of training and learning from the employees’ perspective. In addition, a strong HRM system will improve the benefits of training on employee performance.Originality/valueThis study provides theoretical explanations on the mechanisms linking training and employee performance based on the ability-motivation-opportunity framework.

Health tourism

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1881-1904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Yeon Yang ◽  
Soyon Paek ◽  
Taegoo (Terry) Kim ◽  
Tae Hee Lee
Keyword(s):  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Health Tourism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Structural Relationships ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of tourists’ needs for healing experience (NHE) on behavioral intentions for transformation (BIT) with healing involvement (HI) as a mediator. Using the two sub-constructs of BIT in the tourism industry (i.e. selection of healing tour products and transformational intention of healing tour behavior), this study evaluates BIT. Design/methodology/approach – The survey was administered to visitors in healing resorts/centers in Korea; 383 completed surveys were used to investigate the hypothesized relationships of this study using regression analysis. Findings – The study results confirmed the hypothesized relationships: the positive effects of NHE on BIT and the significant mediating role of HI in the relationships between NHE and BIT. Practical implications – The relationships among NHE, HI and BIT can improve the understanding and practices of healing experience and the development of healing products in the tourism industry. This study offers a meaningful and extended perspective on customers’ experience and product development by interpreting customers’ desires and needs. Originality/value – This study explores the under-researched subject of NHE and HI from a transformative economic perspective. The study is among the first to examine the structural relationships among NHE, HI and BIT. The uniqueness of the study is highlighted by the use of two sub-dimensions of the BIT industry (i.e. selection of healing tour products and transformational intention of healing tour behavior) in a tourism context.

Workplace bullying and job burnout

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Srivastava ◽  
Banasree Dey
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Workplace Bullying ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of workplace bullying on job burnout of employees and investigate the mediating role of hardiness in the relationship and the extent to which the mediation is moderated by emotional intelligence. Design/methodology/approach The present data were collected from 350 employees working in varied companies in the ITES-BPO sectors of Delhi NCR of India. The study used stratified sampling method for good coverage from different departments of the organizations. The present data were collected in two stages following the suggestion given by Podsakoff et al. (2003) so as to minimize common method bias. Findings The findings suggest that workplace bullying is positively related to job burnout, and workplace bullying is negatively associated with hardiness. Hardiness was also found to be negatively associated with job burnout. It has also been found that workplace bullying is associated with job burnout through hardiness, and emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between hardiness and job burnout. The results also indicate that the indirect effect of workplace bullying on job burnout via hardiness is conditional on emotional intelligence. Research limitations/implications As the present study pertains to only one part of India, i.e. Delhi NCR of India, the results cannot be generalized. Future research can take a larger sample for the same. The demographic variables’ effect was out of the scope of this study. If demographics were taken into consideration, it might have resulted in interesting results. Moreover, the employees who were physically present at the time of data collection were asked to respond in a given time frame. One might argue that employees were not given enough time to respond. Future work can also incorporate other sectors so as to do a comparative study between sectors. Practical implications Based on the study results, it may be suggested that managers may do well to devise strategies for coping with the phenomenon of workplace bullying and job burnout in employees, to provide a healthy work environment with better employee morale and enhanced productivity. Social implications The findings of the study have implications for organizations in the service sector, particularly the BPO-ITES sector examined in the study. This being a customer-focused industry expects employees to ensure meeting deadlines and enhanced customer satisfaction; therefore, it would be worthwhile for managers to help employees in dealing with job stressors in their work environment. It would be useful to raise awareness about workplace bullying and encourage employees to report such incidents while assuring the complete support of the management. Originality/value While a review of extant literature indicates that emotional intelligence may lead to a reduction in job burnout of employees, yet, emotional intelligence has not been used previously as a moderator in mitigating the influence of workplace bullying and job burnout. Moreover, the role of hardiness as a mediator in the above-mentioned relationships has not been addressed in previous studies.

scholarly journals Impact of AI and robotics in the tourism sector: a critical insight

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagaraj Samala ◽  
Bharath Shashanka Katkam ◽  
Raja Shekhar Bellamkonda ◽  
Raul Villamarin Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Marketing ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
The Future ◽  
Travel Services ◽  
And Robotics

Purpose The purpose of the present article is to highlight the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics in the tourism industry. The various technologies being integrated to improve the service and customer experience in tourism. The expected changes and challenges in tourism in the future are focused in this paper. Design/methodology/approach A systematic study on the emerging technologies of AI and Robotics applied in the tourism sector is presented in the form of a viewpoint. Findings AI certainly enhances tourism experiential services however cannot surpass the human touch which is an essential determinant of experiential tourism. AI acts as an effective complementary dimension to the future of tourism. With the emergence of artificial travel intelligence, it is simpler to make travel arrangements. AI offers travel services that are automated, customized and insightful. AI allows travelers to learn about their behaviors, interests to inclinations and provide a personalized experience. Gone are the days to consult a travel agent, meet him physically and indulge in an endless chain of troubling phone calls to inquire about travel arrangements. Practical implications Tourism marketing to see a positive and improved change that will enhance the tourists’ overall experience due to the application of AI and Robotics. New emerging technologies like chatbots, virtual reality, language translators, etc. can be effectively applied in Travel, Tourism & Hospitality industry. Originality/value The present viewpoint discusses the application and role of AI and Robotics with the help of relevant industry examples and theory. The present paper highlights the different technologies being used and will be used in the future.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Customer Value Co-Creation Behavior: A Case of Tourism Industry

2020 ◽  
Vol V (IV) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Aziz Ur Rehman Rana ◽  
Amir Gulzar ◽  
Amjad Shamim
Keyword(s):  
Customer Value ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Northern Areas ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Relationship

The main purpose of this study is to find the factors affecting value co-creation behavior. This study also aimed to find the mediating role of customer co-creation attitude on the relationship between factors and value co-creation behavior. The target population selected for this study was the northern areas of Pakistan. The sample size of this study was (n=480) respondents. The data were collected at three different time's intervals, i.e. at the time, 1, independent variables data were collected at time 2 mediating variable was collected, and at time 3 dependent variable data was collected. This study results revealed that all factors have a positive and significant effect on customer value co-creation behavior. The results revealed that customer co-creation attitude has a positive and significant mediating role between factors and customer value co-creation behavior. The results of this study will open a new avenue in the tourism sector and as well for scholars and practitioners.

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