Ahmet Bulent Ozturk

What keeps the mobile hotel booking users loyal? Investigating the roles of self-efficacy, compatibility, perceived ease of use, and perceived convenience

Convenience, compatibility, and PEOU are positively associated with MHB loyalty.Compatibility significantly influences PEOU and perceived convenience.PEOU has a significant impact on perceived convenience. With the advancements in mobile technologies, mobile hotel booking (MHB) has become an important distribution channel for hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs). Understanding MHB users loyalty intentions toward this technology has become equally important for MHB service providers, as it is essential for them to retain their customers. However, existing literature in the context of mobile booking has mainly focused on the adoption and acceptance of this technology. The purpose of this paper is to empirically test a research model that incorporates antecedents of mobile shopping loyalty in a hotel booking context. The proposed model was tested through structural equation modeling (SEM) by using empirical data collected from 396 MHB users. Study results revealed that convenience, compatibility, and perceived ease of use (PEOU) had a significant impact on the users loyalty intentions toward MHB technology. In addition, compatibility significantly influenced PEOU and convenience and PEOU had a significant impact on loyalty and convenience. Study results provide valuable theoretical and practical implications for various players in the hotel and travel industry including hoteliers, OTAs, mobile app developers and hospitality technology vendors.

Job Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment for Hotel Workers in Turkey

This research focused primarily on the effect of job characteristics on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the hotel industry. Data were collected from 252 hotel workers in Turkey. Two multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the impact of job characteristics on employees’ overall job satisfaction and affective commitment. In addition, a simple regression analysis was used to identify the relationship between overall job satisfaction and affective commitment. The results indicated that the job characteristics, interaction, feedback, and autonomy had significant impacts on both job satisfaction and affective commitment. The findings further indicated that a significant relationship exists between job satisfaction and affective commitment.

Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Smartphone Diet Applications

This article investigated factors affecting customers’ intention to use smartphone diet applications (apps) when ordering food and bev- erages at foodservice businesses. An online questionnaire was designed and empirical data was collected from 395 respondents.Study participants were asked to interact with a smartphone diet app simulation prior to responding the survey questions. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Study results indicate that individuals are more likely to adopt smartphone dietapps if they are perceived to be useful and enjoyable. Social norms appear to play a significant role in adopting smartphone apps. Individuals with higher personal innovativeness tend to use such apps more often. Study results can assist restaurant operators in developing specific marketing strategies to target particular segments by designing such diet apps and developing menus for niche segments. This is one of the first studies looking at whether smartphone apps can assist individuals in ordering healthier and specific diet menu items at restaurants. This study offers specific theoretical and practical implications.

Understanding mobile hotel booking loyalty: an integration of privacy calculus theory and trust-risk framework

With the increased popularity of mobile devices, hotels and online travel agencies have started focusing on mobile hotel booking (MHB) in recent years. However, there has been limited research on users” loyalty intentions toward MHB technology. This research attempted to provide an integrated theoretical model that examines the determinants of MHB loyalty. The proposed model, which incorporates personalization, privacy concern, trust, perceived risk, and loyalty, was tested via structural equation modeling (SEM) by using data collected from 396 MHB users. The study results demonstrated that personalization is a strong predictor of MHB users” privacy concerns, trust, and risk perceptions. In addition, privacy concern had a significant impact on trust, and trust significantly influenced perceived risk. Finally, the results revealed that trust and perceived risk were associated with loyalty. This study provides valuable theoretical contributions for researchers and practical implications for online travel agencies, hotel operators and hospitality technology vendors.

HotelTonight usage and hotel profitability

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically evaluate the influence of a hotel’s listing on the last-minute hotel booking app, HotelTonight, and average daily rate (ADR) on the hotel’s net operating income (NOI). The study examines the mediating effect of hotel occupancy rate on the relationships between ADR and hotel app usage in terms of NOI. Design/methodology/approach The data for the study was graciously provided by Smith Travel Research, Inc. for 80 hotels located in the top Florida destinations listed on the HotelTonight app. Hierarchical multiple regression with a mediation effect was used in the study to test the mediating effect of occupancy between hotel app usage and ADR with NOI. Findings The research results show a positive association between a hotel’s HotelTonight listing and ADR in terms of its NOI. Occupancy is found to have a full mediation effect between a hotel’s usage of the mobile app and NOI. Originality/value Mobile apps that specialize in last-minute hotel bookings have proliferated in recent years by providing hotels a mobile platform to increase hotel occupancy. However, there is a dearth of studies examining the effect these apps have on a hotel’s bottom line profitability or NOI.

Role of risk, self-efficacy, and innovativeness on behavioral intentions for mobile payment systems in the restaurant industry

ABSTRACT Near Field Communication (NFC) is gaining popularity in the hospitality industry, with NFC based mobile payment (MP) systems appearing to be the most promising application. This study provides a theoretical elaboration on the dimensions of perceived risks, and incorporates consumer self-efficacy and innovativeness as key predictors of behavioral intentions. Data analysis consisted of model validation through confirmatory factor analysis and testing the hypotheses with structural equation modeling. A consumers’ level of innovativeness and self-efficacy are found to predict intention to use. The dimensions of risk are found to be significant and mediate the innovativeness-intention to use relationship.

The Effects of Demographics and Past Experience on RFID Technology Acceptance in the Hospitality Industry

This study explored the relationship between individual differences of customers and their intention to use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in the hospitality industry. Data were collected from 305 respondents in the United States. ANOVA was used to identify if there was a significant difference in intention to use RFID technology by past experience and by demographic variables including gender, age, education, and income. The findings of the study indicated that there were significant differences in intention to use RFID technology by past experience and by all the demographic variables. By knowing which variables affect customers’ intentions to use RFID technology, hospitality companies can create better segmentation and more effective marketing strategies to attract more customers.

Can fundraising be fun? An event management study of unique experiences, performance and quality

Purpose – The objective of this study was to examine the effects of performance and uniqueness as predictors of fundraising event quality. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilized intercept surveys collected from attendees at a non-profit fundraising event organized by the tourism and hospitality industry in a major tourism destination. Factor analysis was used to explore underlying event performance dimensions. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess predictability of event performance and unique experience design as predictors of event quality. Findings – Three salient dimensions were identified: Hedonic Event Performance, Event Design Performance and Informative Event Performance. Of the three dimensions, Hedonic Event Performance was found to significantly predict Event Quality. However, Unique Event Experience provided stronger predictability of Event Quality. Research limitations/implications – The results provide information which can be utilized by event organizers or managers to enhance the overall quality of fundraising events. The distinct attributes of event success identified in this study can be capitalized upon for improving future attendance. The use of event attendees from one particular event, which focused on a very specific cause, can be considered a limitation of the study. Originality/value – This study focused on identifying different dimensions of a fundraising event which impact quality. The study provides insight into uniqueness of event experiences and their effect on event quality.

Hotel and IT decision-maker characteristics and information technology adoption relationship in the hotel industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of hotel property characteristics and information technology (IT) decision-maker characteristics on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology adoption in the hotel industry. Design/methodology/approach – The data of the study were collected using the subscription list of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP). A Web survey was used to collect the data of the study. An email invitation was sent out to invite the entire list of HFTP subscribers (3,080) to participate in the survey. Approximately 3,000 emails were delivered and 154 questionnaires were returned. Of 154 questionnaires, 125 were used in the study for further analyses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether hotel property characteristics (property size and chain affiliation) and IT decision-maker characteristics (age, education level and job tenure) differed on intention to adopt RFID technology. Findings – ANOVA results indicated that ...

The relationship between local residents’ perceptions of tourism and their happiness: a case of Kusadasi, Turkey

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to determine the local residents’ attitudes of tourism in Kusadasi, Turkey. In addition, the relationship between residents’ attitudes toward tourism and their overall perceived happiness was analyzed. Design/methodology/approach – A correlational, quantitative research technique was used in this study. The data of this study were collected from 383 local residents in Kusadasi, Turkey. Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to analyze the data. Findings – The results of the study indicated that local residents had favorable attitudes toward tourism in terms of its positive economic, cultural and environmental impact. Study results also indicated that negative economic impact of tourism was found to be the least favorable construct associated with residents’ attitudes toward tourism in Kusadasi. In addition, multiple regression analysis indicated that local residents’ perceived overall happiness was significantly influenced by pos...