Mathilda van Niekerk

Customer and Employee Incivility and Its Causal Effects in the Hospitality Industry

ABSTRACT The present research sought to understand customer and employee incivility in the hospitality industry. The study identified customer actions that are perceived as uncivil by employees and coping strategies used by employees after experiencing uncivil behavior. Finally, service-recovery situations are differentiated from security-related incidents and guidance is offered to hospitality managers regarding the minimization of customer incivility. An empirical survey was distributed to 297 hotel employees. Regression analysis indicated that the effects of customer incivility were an increase in: customer aggression, employee negative emotions, employee-to-customer incivility, employee-to-employee incivility, and employee sensitivity to uncivil acts. The effects of employee-to-employee incivility were increased customer aggression and negative emotions, but decreased sensitivity to uncivil acts. Uncivil behaviors by customers included insulting comments, anger, frustration, verbal attacks, and condescending behavior. The identification of uncivil behaviors and their effects can assist in training staff in identifying and managing such actions and in devising mitigation strategies.

The influences of tourism awareness on the travel patterns and career choices of high school students in South Africa

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate whether tourism awareness can be created through introducing tourism as a subject in high schools in South Africa. It also explores if studying tourism as a high-school subject has an influence on the travel patterns of students and their parents, and if it stimulates students to pursue a career in the tourism industry. Design/methodology/approach – The study is exploratory in nature. Based on a literature review, a questionnaire was developed and administered to 250 students with tourism as a high-school subject (research group), 250 students without tourism as a high-school subject (control group), 250 parents whose children have tourism as a high-school subject (research group) and 250 parents (control group) whose children do not have tourism as a high-school subject in South Africa. Findings – Data revealed that introducing tourism as a high-school subject created tourism awareness among students. The travel patterns of those parents whose children st...

The role of the public sector in tourism destination management from a network relationship approach.

The study aims to determine the suitability of the dyadic approach and the network relationship approach when engaging destination stakeholders and to identify the roles of the public sector within destination management. These study aims are investigated in the context of Mbombela Local Municipality, South Africa. A conceptual framework was developed based on a literature review. Data were then collected through official documents, 55 semistructured interviews with key stakeholders, a local economic summit, forum discussions, and 504 demand- and 403 supply-side questionnaires. The study findings suggest that the network relationship approach was the most suitable approach for the engagement of destination stakeholders. In addition to the roles identified in previous studies, the study findings identified several additional roles that the public sector should fulfill in destination management. Based on the study findings, a new conceptual framework for the role of the public sector in destination management has been proposed. By utilizing the conceptual framework developed in this study, destinations can engage their stakeholders more effectively and increase the attractiveness of their destinations. This is one of a few studies from Africa providing empirical findings on destination management and the role of the public sector within destination management.

The Importance of Having a Balanced Rating Index for Ranking Academic Journals

Publishing in high-ranking journals is one of the many critical dimensions by which academic performances of scholars in higher education are measured. Researchers have proposed various approaches in ranking academic journals, although they are inconsistent because of their reliance on either subjective or objective indicators. However, both of these approaches have various advantages and disadvantages and integrating these approaches to completely demonstrate journal performance on various dimensions are still lacking. This study reviews previous journal ranking approaches and proposes a balanced-rating index in ranking hospitality and tourism journals. This proposed approach integrates both subjective and objective indicators into five dimensions (article influence, journal reputation, publisher reputation, efficiency and effectiveness, and readership) with 39 indicators in relation to the corresponding data collection method needed. The balanced-rating index is a new approach in ranking hospitality and tourism journals. The study also presents several critical implications for future research and practices to consider.

From an event to tourist attraction: a typological study of New Year celebrations

ABSTRACT Given the growing interest in specific event experiences (cultural celebrations) amongst tourists, New Years celebrations around the world would seem to have untapped potential as a tourism resource for marketing and developing tourism destinations. The purpose of the study is to present New Years celebrations around the world and to develop a typology for attending them. The functional typology is then used to develop these New Years celebrations through strategy and policy from unplanned/planned events to tourist attractions. The functional typology on the motivations for attending New Years celebrations contributes theoretically to the body of knowledge as no typology currently exists. An analysis of New Years celebrations can help tourism planners, local decision-makers, and tourism promoters to identify real concerns and issues in order to create appropriate policies and actions to promote New Years celebrations, destinations, and local culture.