Dipendra Singh

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.

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.

Credit Fluctuations and Lodging Firms: An Investigation of the Differing Capital Structures in the U.S. Lodging Industry

In the area of corporate finance, decisions regarding the constituents of overall capital structure are the most critical. These financing decisions are even more critical to lodging firms because of the unique nature of the industry. This study empirically investigates the effect of credit availability on the leverage of the lodging industry in the U.S. using multivariate analysis of variance. Three time points of differing credit availability (low, high, and average) were identified using the Case-Shiller home price index. Leverage, net leverage, and short-to-long-term debt ratios of large and small U.S. lodging firms were analyzed at these differing credit availability time points to assess any significant differences. Significant effects of credit availability were found on the leverage and net leverage of lodging firms, but no significant effect was found on the short- to long-term debt ratio of U.S. lodging firms. Interestingly, the leverage levels were found to be highest at the average availability of credit than when compared to the high and low availability of credit.

Hospitality Bankruptcy in United States of America: A Multiple Discriminant Analysis-Logit Model Comparison

ABSTRACT This study examines bankruptcy prediction of hospitality firms within U.S. equity markets. The article investigates whether the Logit model or the Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA) accurately predict bankruptcy, specifically it attempts to investigate how accurate Logit and MDA models are. Various key financial variables were utilized as predictors and contrasting samples of both bankrupt and non-bankrupt firms for the period 1992–2010 were used. In this analysis Statistical software SPSS 20 was utilized for the analysis. Results show that for the period 1992–2010, the MDA model outperformed the Logit model for overall bankruptcy prediction. Theoretical and practical implications were offered based on the results. The study is critical given the significant number of hospitality enterprises being intensely impacted by the recent economic downturn. Consequently, the hospitality industry in United States demands higher degree of accuracy from bankruptcy prediction models to forecast economic failure.

Towards a Model of Electronic Word-of-Mouth and Its Impact on the Hotel Industry

ABSTRACT Scholars and practitioners recognize that spreading word-of-mouth can play an important role in the formation of a hotel’s image. However, the relationships among various measures of online customer engagement are relatively unknown. The present study analyzes the relationships and quantifies the impacts of various measures of online engagement including the number of online reviews, overall rating, and relative ranking. The researchers used path analysis on a sample of 178 hotels to study the relationships among relevant variables and build a model to explain the impact of such measures (Figure 2). The results reveal there is a positive direct effect of the number of reviews on a hotel’s TripAdvisor rating. A negative direct effect was found between TripAdvisor rating and a hotel’s comparative ranking. Finally, the researchers discovered that TripAdvisor rating fully mediates the relationship between the number of reviews and a hotel’s comparative ranking. This article concludes with a discussion of both the theoretical and practical implications of such findings.

FDA Ruling and Nutritionally Focused Menus: Alternative Strategies to Comply with the U.S. Federal Guidelines

Research indicates that 65% of Americans over the age of 20 years old are considered overweight. To address this public health issue, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed new nutritional guidelines for restaurant menus. This study includes development and redesigning of drive-thru menus to comply with the FDA guidelines. An experiment was conducted using real drive-thru menus from selected nationwide chains complying with FDA ruling and alternative nutritionally focused menus. The first set of experimental menus includes presentation of calorie information for all menu items offered. The second set of experimental menus includes color coded calorie specific menu categories (low, regular, and high). The obtained results indicated that the experimental nutritionally focused drive-thru menus were preferred significantly over the FDA format menus (control group). Consumers made healthier choices (low calorie menus) more often with the experimental menus over the FDA suggested format. In addition, consumer preference was higher for the experimental menus in ease of reading, layout, and convenience over the FDA suggested menu format.

Financial Performance and Internationalization in the U.S. Restaurant Industry: A Simultaneous Perspective and Analysis

This study examines the simultaneous relationship between financial performance (FP) and the degree of internationalization (DOI) in the restaurant industry to address the potential endogeneity bias in prior research. In previous studies, theoretical rationales and empirical results appeared to contradict each other. These inconsistencies could have resulted from a unilateral approach of analyzing firm performance and degree of internationalization. The results of this study suggest the existence of a simultaneous relationship between financial performance and the degree of internationalization.

Restaurant Customers’ Perceptions of Noise and Their Satisfaction and Loyalty Behaviors

This exploratory study expands the current literature on servicescapes by examining the total noise environment in restaurants and the impact of ambient noise levels and general restaurant attributes on customer satisfaction and loyalty behavior, defined as the customers willingness to return to a restaurant and motivation to recommend it. The researchers surveyed guests at one casual dining restaurant in the Southwestern United States. The results showed that services, physical attributes, and quality of food and beverage had significant impact on overall satisfaction, overall atmosphere, and loyalty behaviors. Noise level factors such as effects of noise and appropriateness of noise levels, influenced overall satisfaction, but not loyalty behaviors.