Joe Hutchinson

The effects of restaurant quality attributes on customer behavioral intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relationships between restaurant quality attributes and customer behavioral intentions. Design/methodology/approach – An experimental design was chosen to provide a high level of internal validity. Three separate 3 × 2 factorial design experiments were conducted through 18 separate vignette scenarios for three levels of quality (below average, average and above average) of three common restaurant attributes (food, service and ambience) in two types of restaurants (quick service and upscale). Findings – The results indicated that the type of restaurant moderated the relationship between restaurant service and ambience quality and customer behavioral intentions. Practical implications – The results of this study suggest that management of quick-service and upscale restaurants should focus on food quality, but establish different resource allocation priorities with respect to service and ambience quality. Originality/value – This study examined the l...

An empirical investigation of the effects of e-readiness factors on e-business adoption in China's international trading industry

Using Molla and Licker (2005a)s Perceived E-Readiness Model (PERM), this study investigated the effects of Perceived Organisational E-Readiness factors (POER) and Perceived External E-Readiness factors (PEER) on the adoption of e-business among international trading firms in China. Data were collected from 307 international trading companies located in the Beijing area. Using correlation and ANOVA analyses, this research found that both POER and PEER factors had significant influences on e-business adoption. The study further reported on various aspects of e-readiness status, including e-business awareness, technology resources, market forces readiness, and the readiness of supporting industries. We concluded with research and managerial implications for international trading companies regarding e-business adoption.

Conceptualising the perceived service quality of public utility services: A multi-level, multi-dimensional model

Based on the data relevant to four public utility services (water, natural gas, electricity and thermoelectricity) collected by a personally administered on-site survey, the authors develop a model to assess the perceived service quality of public utility services. In the model, the perceived service quality of public utility services has a multi-level, multi-dimensional structure with three primary dimensions: outcome, environment and interaction. Eight sub-dimensions are also specified to measure these three primary dimensions. This study contributes to the literature by providing a conceptual model for the perceived service quality of public utility services. This study also provides insights and guidance for managers, government officials and community policy-makers in the measurement and management of service quality in public utility firms.

The Effect of Jay-customer Behaviors on Employee Job Stress and Job Satisfaction

Guest-contact employees are often exposed to stressful situations resulting from jay-customer behaviors. The purpose of this study is to examine how jay-customer behaviors (customer incivility and customer aggression) affect employee job stress and job satisfaction. Surveys of 210 participants working as guest-contact employees in hospitality organizations were analyzed. The results show that customer incivility leads to decreased employee job satisfaction, which is fully mediated by increased job stress. The findings of this study suggest that hospitality managers should acknowledge the negative impact of jay-customer behaviors on employees and make efforts to minimize this effect through training, procedures, and supporting systems.

The Application of Revenue Management in Beverage Operations

In recent years, beverage establishments have grown in popularity among millions of people seeking leisure activities, nightlife attractions, and entertainment venues. Despite the prevalence of this well-established industry, beverage establishments have received little academic attention. The present study was designed to compare basic revenue management principles and characteristics with existing beverage establishments and suggest adaptations of those principles in the context of those beverage operations to optimize prices of their food and beverage products and entrance fees. This study involves a qualitative approach based on the interviews with 20 beverage operations managers from the United States and Europe.

A review of high performance work practices (HPWPs) literature and recommendations for future research in the hospitality industry

The present research aims to examine the scholarly literature on high-performance work practices (HPWPs). Relevant comparisons were made between the hospitality industry, service industry and various other contextual environments in general business that might impact the choice and implementation of HPWPs, and a set of work practices was proposed for the hospitality industry.,A comprehensive review was conducted of scholarly literature related to HPWPs that was published in the past 25 years (1991-2015). A total of 89 scholarly articles were considered in this summary. Based on this review, HPWPs in the hospitality industry were compared and contrasted with other industry sectors.,There is little consensus among researchers concerning specific HPWPs that should be used by every company to improve their organizational- or individual-level performance. Thus, a specific set of 13 HPWPs that take into consideration the unique characteristics of the industry, based on a review of empirical research, was identified for the hospitality industry as a starting point for future research in the hospitality industry.,Following a comparison of HPWPs in the hospitality, services literature and manufacturing-based industry context, the authors extend the body of knowledge and propose a set of HPWPs for future research in the hospitality industry. HPWPs can have positive impacts on both organizational- and individual-level performance. Thirteen specific hospitality HPWPs were identified that are most beneficial, and the circumstances under which they might yield optimal results enhance the scholar’s understanding of HPWPs and provide guidance to human resource professionals to make evidence-based decisions. A better understanding of HPWPs can assist human resource professionals in making policy decisions that optimize the use of human capital in their organizations.

BEVQUAL: a tool for measuring performance quality in beverage operations

ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to develop an instrument to measure the multidimensional nature of performance quality in beverage establishments. This study was based on a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. Interviews with beverage managers and customer focus groups were conducted to create an initial instrument. After that, 405 customers were surveyed, and the final BEVQUAL instrument was developed, including six dimensions that were measured with 23 items. Atmosphere, service quality, and pricing were shown to be good predictors of customer satisfaction, while ambiance, beverage quality, and location did not affect customer satisfaction.

Local cuisines and destination marketing: cases of three cities in Shandong, China

ABSTRACT This study analyzes how the three cities of Jinan, Qingdao, and Qufu in Shandong Province of China use their cuisines in promoting their destinations. Based on a critical review of previous studies, a conceptual framework was developed, which included five closely related areas: foods, beverages, dining, farming, and food festivals. All related texts, images, videos, brochures, booklets, and websites designed to market these three cities were content-analyzed. The study findings suggest that all the three cities have not yet fully utilized their cuisines in their destination marketing efforts. Although some of their culinary resources appear in their marketing materials, the local cuisines of these three cities are not yet skillfully integrated into their marketing efforts. The present study offers specific theoretical and practical implications on marketing the culinary resources of destinations that are in the early stages of their development.