Sunghyup Sean Hyun

Predictors of Relationship Quality and Loyalty in the Chain Restaurant Industry

The focus of this research was the chain restaurant industry, and its purpose was to (1) determine which factors influence relationship quality and customer loyalty formation and (2) examine the connections between relationship quality and loyalty. Based on the literature review, five dimensions influence restaurant patrons’ behavior: food quality, service quality, price, location, and environment. Theoretical relationships between attributes influencing patrons’ behavior, relationship quality, and loyalty were derived from the literature review. Data analysis indicated that these five attributes influence loyalty formation, with impact mediated by relationship quality. They also influence customer satisfaction, with satisfaction influencing loyalty formation directly and indirectly via trust. Furthermore, service quality was the only attribute to directly and indirectly affect trust, and its effect is stronger than that of any other attribute. Managerial implications are discussed.The focus of this research was the chain restaurant industry, and its purpose was to (1) determine which factors influence relationship quality and customer loyalty formation and (2) examine the connections between relationship quality and loyalty. Based on the literature review, five dimensions influence restaurant patrons’ behavior: food quality, service quality, price, location, and environment. Theoretical relationships between attributes influencing patrons’ behavior, relationship quality, and loyalty were derived from the literature review. Data analysis indicated that these five attributes influence loyalty formation, with impact mediated by relationship quality. They also influence customer satisfaction, with satisfaction influencing loyalty formation directly and indirectly via trust. Furthermore, service quality was the only attribute to directly and indirectly affect trust, and its effect is stronger than that of any other attribute. Managerial implications are discussed.

Dimensions of Brand Equity in the Chain Restaurant Industry

Four of the dimensions that combine to contribute to chain restaurants’ brand equity are brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. A test of a structural model connecting these four attributes of brand equity was based on data collected from 188 patrons of five chain restaurant brands in Korea. The resulting data analysis demonstrates that the four dimensions of brand equity are interrelated. The model indicates that the foundation of brand equity is brand awareness. However, while brand awareness influences brand loyalty formation, its impact is mediated by the effects of brand image and perceived quality. In addition, although brand awareness is a prerequisite of brand loyalty, brand image and perceived quality bear a stronger impact on the development of brand loyalty. On balance, the implications of these findings support the restaurant industry’s practices of constant promotion, quality assurance, and process improvement.

Image Congruence and Relationship Quality in Predicting Switching Intention Conspicuousness of Product Use as a Moderator Variable

The present study (a) examined the effect of image congruence on dimensions of relationship quality (satisfaction and trust) and switching intention, (b) investigated the mediating effect of relationship quality components, and (c) tested the moderating impact of the conspicuousness of product use on the links among these variables. A survey was conducted at luxury restaurants in a metropolitan city. Overall fit of the proposed model and research hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling and a series of modeling tests for metric invariance. The results showed that social and ideal social image congruencies had a critical role in explaining relationship quality and switching intention; relationship quality components significantly mediated the influence of image-congruence factors on intention; and conspicuousness of product use was found to affect the image-congruence components (satisfaction links), the social image congruence (trust link), and the trust (switching intention link). The findings emphasize the significance of study variables in decreasing restaurant customers’ intention to switch.

Luxury Cruise Travelers: Other Customer Perceptions

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of other customer perceptions (OCP) in the formation of luxury cruise travelers’ social value, brand attachment, and willingness to pay a price premium. Based on a literature review, theoretical causal relationships between study variables were proposed. During the theory-building process, it was hypothesized that travelers’ face-consciousness levels could play a moderating role in the relationship between OCP and social value. The proposed hypotheses were empirically tested using data collected from 342 U.S. travelers who had taken a luxury cruise. Based on the results of data analysis, it was found that all three dimensions of OCP are critical factors in the formation of social value. More importantly, it was revealed only face-conscious travelers feel social value when they identify with the other upper-class passengers on a luxury cruise. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

Identifying Optimal Rapport-Building Behaviors In Inducing Patrons’ Emotional Attachment In Luxury Restaurants:

The purposes of this study were to (a) identify optimal rapport-building behaviors for inducing patrons’ emotional attachment to a service provider in the luxury restaurant context, (b) investigate the moderating role of patrons’ motivational orientation in the emotional attachment formation process, and (c) examine the ways in which patrons’ emotional attachment induces dedicational behaviors in the luxury restaurant industry. Based on the existing theoretical backgrounds, five rapport-building behaviors and three dedicational behaviors were derived. The theoretical relationships between the proposed concepts were also developed via literature review, which resulted in the development of a conceptual model. The proposed conceptual model was empirically tested via structural equation modeling analysis using data collected from 379 luxury restaurant patrons. Based on data analysis, it was found that five types of rapport development behaviors are crucial factors in the formation of patrons’ emotional attachment. During the attachment development process, motivational orientation plays a moderating function. Furthermore, patrons’ emotional attachment toward service employees induces patrons’ dedicational behaviors. The critical theoretical/managerial implications of these findings are then discussed in the article.

Examining the influence of casino attributes on baby boomers' satisfaction and loyalty in the casino industry.

The baby boomer market draws attention from the hospitality industry due to its economic power and substantial size. Despite the importance of this market segment, no empirical research to date has provided effective strategies to maximise baby boomer casino visitors’ satisfaction and loyalty. The purposes of this study were: (1) to investigate possible casino attributes that influence baby boomer casino visitors’ satisfaction levels and (2) to examine how these attributes influence satisfaction level, thus resulting in the formation of loyalty. Based on a literature review, five casino attributes influencing casino visitors’ satisfaction were derived. Exploratory factor analysis conducted with 700 baby boomers resulted in the hypothesis that baby boomers’ satisfaction with a casino is determined by five casino attributes: slot machines, table games, winning perception, non-gaming-related services, and promotions and benefits. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling analysis revealed that four of the five casino attributes derived from the literature review are key antecedents of gaming satisfaction, attitudinal loyalty, and behavioural loyalty formation in the casino industry: slot machines, table games, non-gaming-related services, and winning perception. With regard to the fifth attribute, promotions and benefits were actually not found to heavily influence baby boomers’ casino satisfaction and loyalty. Based on the findings, the key theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in the latter part of this article.

First-class airline travelers’ tendency to seek uniqueness: how does it influence their purchase of expensive tickets?

ABSTRACT This study explored first-class airline travelers’ need for uniqueness and its impact on their ticket purchase intentions. More specifically, the study investigated the roles of the three subdimensions of the need for uniqueness (i.e. creative choice, unpopular choice, and similarity avoidance) in the formation of travelers’ attitudes toward first-class flights. Consumer attitudes toward first-class flights are hypothesized to increase status value, first-class attachment, and willingness to pay a premium. Based on theoretical relationships between conceptual constructs, the study proposed and tested a model using data from 202 first-class passengers in the United States. The results indicated that all three dimensions of the need for uniqueness positively affect airline travelers’ attitudes toward first-class flights and thus enhanced outcome variables. Furthermore, it was found that materialism moderated the relationship between status value and first-class attachment.

In-flight service performance and passenger loyalty: a cross-national (China/Korea) study of travelers using low-cost carriers.

ABSTRACT While a moderate amount of empirical research has been conducted on passenger loyalty in the low-cost airline industry, there has been no research on the impacts of in-flight core- and encounter-service performance, perceived value, satisfaction, trust, or cultural influences on passenger loyalty. This study looked at these impacts in cross-national field research involving China and Korea. A survey was conducted on international flights between Busan and Qingdao. A total of 346 cases were used in data analysis. Results of the structural model showed that the proposed theoretical relationships were all significant; in-flight encounter-service performance was prominent, and value, satisfaction, and trust had a significant mediating impact. In addition, findings from the metric invariance revealed that the strength of the relationships, particularly among service performances, value, and satisfaction in the proposed model, significantly differed across Chinese and Korean passenger groups. The authors highlight key practical and research implications.

The influences of collectivism in hospitality work settings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test whether a hospitality workers degree of individualism/collectivism influences his/her organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), comfort with empowerment, and leader‐member exchange (LMX) in the workplace.Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses were tested through the use of a sentence completion experiment conducted on American and Korean hotel workers. To increase generalizability, results were then replicated through the use of an identical sentence completion experiment conducted on American and Korean restaurant workers.Findings – This research first confirms the notion that hospitality workers in a collective nation are more apt to possess a collective mindset in their work environments than those in an individualistic nation. Moreover, this research finds that hospitality workers in a collective nation demonstrate more OCB, possess lower comfort levels with empowerment, and possess higher levels of LMX than hospitality workers in an individualistic n...

City Residents’ Perception of MICE City Brand Orientation and Their Brand Citizenship Behavior: A Case Study of Busan, South Korea

City branding is an important strategic asset in publicizing a citys values for building a competitive global city. Brand orientation plays a vital role in understanding the identity of the city as branded by city authorities. However, successful city branding needs to be built upon consensus on the identity and core values of the city between city authorities and internal stakeholders. The engagement of internal stakeholders is an essential determinant for creating a consistent city brand in the long term. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among brand orientation, brand commitment, brand citizenship behavior, and brand pride among city residents. The findings of this study extend the brand orientation model suggested by Hankinson [2012. The measurement of brand orientation, its performance impact, and the role of leadership in the context of destination branding: An exploratory study. Journal of Marketing Management, 28(7–8), 974–999.] and provide empirical evidence for the tourism literature on brand orientation in the context of a city brand. A self-administered survey of residents (N = 240) was conducted at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO), Busan, South Korea. The results for Hankinsons brand orientation model reveal that, among five dimensions, the brand reality is the most important brand orientation influencing the residents brand commitment, followed by brand partnership, brand culture, and brand departmental coordination. In addition, the results of this study indicated that brand citizenship behavior was determined by brand commitment and led to brand pride. A utilization of the brand orientation can influence brand citizenship behavior through brand commitment, and brand citizenship behavior enhanced brand pride.