M. Mithat Uner

Understanding the Antecedents of Destination Identification: Linkage Between Perceived Quality-of-Life, Self-Congruity, and Destination Identification

The aim of this study is to understand the possible antecedents of destination identification. Within this aim, first, the literature on identification derived from social identity theory is briefly summarized with relation to marketing studies. Social identity theory and identification concept give new insights to consumer behavior literature addressing two concepts as “consumer–company identification” and “brand identification.” In this context, the study introduces “destination identification” as a new concept for tourism literature. Current study discussing the antecedents of destination identification introduces and discusses the relationship between four major concepts – quality-of-life, self-congruity, satisfaction, and destination identification – by integrating these distinct literatures and theories in consumer behavior. The study proposes a conceptual model with theoretical bases and discusses the direct and indirect relationships between these concepts.

An econometric model of tourism demand and room rates: a study in Belek, Antalya.

ABSTRACT In this study, International tourism demand and short-run supply for Antalya-Belek hotel industry are examined via simultaneous equations econometric model using monthly data between 1998-M01 and 2006-M10. The overall goodness-of-flt of both demand and supply models is very high, suggesting a high predictive power. Through empirical Implementation of the theoretical model, several important determinants of supply and demand are identified. On the demand side, “tourist arrivals” is a significant factor driving the demand for beds, while “room rate” has a significant negative impact on the bed demand. At the same time, “bed demand”, “the Consumer Price Index based on real effective exchange rate index”, and “the GAP between bed supply and demand” have a significant positive impact on room rates. Empirical results suggest that the hotel operators in Antalya-Belek attempt to raise the room rates in order to close the gap between actual and expected incomes, when they face high excess gap between the bed supply and demand. Also, yield management is employed by the hotel operators in Antalya-Belek due to the positive impact of the bed demand on room rates.

Investigating the impact of customer orientation on innovativeness: evidence from born-global firms in Turkey

Abstract Our study develops and tests a research model that investigates the impact of born-globals’ customer orientation on innovativeness through the mediating roles of technological capability, relationship quality, and relationship information process. Data obtained from 197 small and medium-sized born-global firms in Turkey were used to gauge these relationships through structural equation modelling. The results suggest that born-globals’ customer orientation influences innovativeness indirectly through the mediating role of technological capability. Simply put, technological capability acts as a full mediator between customer orientation and innovativeness. Contrary to our predictions, relationship quality and relationship information process do not significantly influence innovativeness. Therefore, the empirical data do not support the mediating roles of relationship quality and relationship information process. In short, our study contributes to current knowledge by examining the factors that influence the innovativeness of born-globals using data obtained from born-globals in Turkey, which is a newly industrialised country.