Terry Lam

Theory of Planned Behavior: Potential Travelers from China

Tourist behavior theories have been the focus of research in many tourism studies, but how travelers’ behavioral intention in choosing a travel destination is developed has rarely been investigated. This study tested the fit of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with potential travelers from Mainland China to Hong Kong as the sample (n = 328). Results showed that data fitted the TPB model moderately well and explained respondents’traveling intention. Attitude, perceived behavioral control, and past behavior were found to be related to respondents’travel intention. Recommendations were provided for government and tourism bodies to market Hong Kong as a destination for Mainland Chinese travelers.

An investigation of employees’ job satisfaction: the case of hotels in Hong Kong

High employee turnover in the hotel industry has become one of the major concerns for Hong Kong hotel managers. Many studies have found that turnover is related to job satisfaction, and the importance of job facets perceived by employees. The study examines the relationship between demographic characteristics of hotel employees and job satisfaction, and also examines the importance of job variables. The study findings show that there are significant differences between demographic variables of employees and the six Job Descriptive Index (JDI) categories. It is suggested that training and development programmes, particularly for newcomers and well-educated employees, and a total quality management approach may help improve job satisfaction with the job.

Customer complaint behaviour towards hotel restaurant services

The area of customer complaint behaviour has received considerable attention from hotel managers as dissatisfied customers engage in a variety of complaint actions that could ruin the reputation of a hotel. This study examined Chinese customer complaint behaviour towards Hong Kong hotel restaurant services. The main objectives were to identify complaint patterns and the relationships between customers’ demographic backgrounds such as age, gender and education levels; and their complaint behaviours. Based on a survey of 220 hotel restaurant diners, complainers and non‐complainers were identified. The research findings suggested that at most customers are likely to engage in private complaint behaviours such as word‐of‐mouth communication and ceasing to patronize the restaurant. It highlights that the complaint intentions of Chinese diners were quite low and they were passive about communicating dissatisfaction to restaurateurs. Restaurateurs can make use of these findings to improve their existing customer feedback systems and complaint handling strategies.

Job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the Hong Kong fast food industry

Studies of new employees’ socialization have gained importance in the fast food industry in view of the demand for high quality service in this increasingly competitive business environment. New employees in the industry are unique in terms of job expectations. The aim of this study was to investigate the unmet expectations of new employees, and the relationships between unmet expectations, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the Hong Kong fast food industry. A sample of 203 employees from the industry was collected. The results show that expectations are normally unmet, and job characteristics, training and development, and compensation and fairness are related to satisfaction and commitment.

Study of managerial job satisfaction in Hong Kong’s Chinese restaurants

Presents the results of an empirical study of work motivation and job satisfaction among managers in Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. The findings indicated that work environment, job itself, and rewards are critical factors in predicting managers’ satisfaction in this specific catering sector. A significant relationship was found between job satisfaction and turnover intentions that has supported many studies in the discipline of social psychology. In addition, sectorial and cultural specificity is suggested to address the unique characteristic of the Hong Kong Chinese restaurant environment.

Long-haul and short-haul outbound all-inclusive package tours

Most long-haul and short-haul outbound travelers in Hong Kong purchase all-inclusive package tours through travel agencies. Thus, it is important for travel agencies to understand the criteria used by travelers to select package tours. This study aims to identify these criteria, and to investigate the differences between these two groups of travelers. The sample size was 200. The results show that personal safety and the guarantee of a promised departure date were the most important selection criteria for the travelers. Prospective long-haul travelers were more concerned with product features and the quality of counseling, and were less sensitive to price than were short-haul travelers.

Challenges and constraints of hospitality and tourism education in China

Tourism education in China plays an important role of supporting tourism development and ensuring the continuous supply of quality human resources to meet the overwhelming industry requirements. This paper presents a comprehensive review of current tourism education in China in terms of the various educational programs. The attitude of tourism employers towards human resource development was also assessed. The results indicate that a big gap exists between supply and demand for quality personnel, as the tourism industry is growing rapidly in China. A key dilemma of tourism education in China is poor curriculum design. Graduates from tourism education institutes and vocational training schools cannot fulfill industry needs and demands in terms of quality and quantity. A number of education reforms are discussed regarding curricula design, scholars’ and educators’ qualifications and knowledge, and standardisation of tourism education practices in China.

Subjective norms - effects on job satisfaction.

Abstract To investigate new employees’ socialization in a more structured manner, it is necessary to contextualize the process by considering moderators impacting upon the relationship between unmet expectations regarding workplace benefits and atmosphere. These considerations must also be related to the socialization outcomes, including job satisfaction and turnover intentions. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of subjective norms as a potential moderator on these relationships. Results show that subjective norms interact on job satisfaction but not on turnover intentions. Unique Chinese cultural features are also considered. Good mentorship and family-contact events are recommended to enhance new employees’ job satisfaction.

Human resources issues in the development of tourism in China : evidence from Heilongjiang Province

From a closed country in which tourism was virtually unknown, China has become a major player in the international tourism market since the country opened its doors to the outside world in 1978. Because of the constant increase in international and domestic tourism in China, provincial tourism planning has become a widely discussed topic in recent years. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to address the human resources‐planning issues in the development of provincial tourism in China, using Heilongjiang as a case study.

Analysis of training and education needs of mainland Chinese tourism academics in the twenty-first century.

China’s tourism and hotel education at tertiary level started in the late 1970s. A lack of qualified tourism educators and employees is a common concern for all levels of Chinese tourism education. Further education and training for the faculty in institutions has become an urgent need for the Chinese government and the institutions themselves. The purposes of this study are to examine the education needs of tourism academics in terms of their perception of the value of upgrading their qualifications, the likelihood of further studies, levels of attainment, preference of study places and possible barriers; to understand the degree of importance of upgrading their qualifications; and to identify the main tourism training and education issues facing China in the twenty‐first century. The results suggest that the Chinese academics perceive upgrading their qualifications and getting more exposure to the outside world as important to them. The training and education issues facing China in the twenty‐first century are improvement of the tourism education system and its structure, improvement in the design of the syllabuses with more language training and the balance of theory and practice, change from a traditional teaching mode to a more modernized innovative and interactive teaching mode, and greater responsiveness of education to the needs of the industry.