Female Tourist Guides in Jordan: Why So Few?
- Research Summary
In many Islamic countries, women have limited participation in the workforce, including
the tourism and hospitality industry. This study examines the barriers that prevent women
from becoming tourist guides in Jordan. Based on qualitative interviews with 34 women
from three main tourist cities in Jordan namely, Petra, Amman, Aqaba, Jarash, Ajlun,
Madaba and Irbid, a list of factors were identified that can be subsequently subcategorized
as barriers and motivators for career development in the tourist industry for women. The
responses indicated that women, overall, have an interest in the careers offered by the
hospitality and tourism industry. However, certain factors hinder their efforts to secure
employment in this field and in the profession of tourist guides, in particular. The main
barriers include religious beliefs as well as social traditions and culture around women’s
role in the family life, i.e. main caregiver. On the other hand, the positive impact that
women’s employment in this field may have on a societal level was emphasized and
several areas for improving women’s role in this sector were identified.
- Research link
- key words
women, tourist guide, tourism, hospitality, Jordan.
Focus Groups
- Research Summary
A focus group is an investigative tool for social research based on a structured and focused
discussion with a small group of people, run by a facilitator (moderator) to generate qualitative
data through a set of open-ended questions.
The focus group technique is a qualitative research methodology popularly used in social
research in a wide range of sectors. A researcher uses a set of open-ended questions on a
specific topic to generate qualitative data. The focus group is an efficient way of gathering
data about particular opinions or attitudes by covering a large number of people in the same
group. This entry explores the methodology and processes of focus groups as well as the
analysis of data from focus group research.
- Research link
- key words
focus groups
Financial Implications of Competitive Pricing Strategies: Evidence from the Jordanian Hotel Industry
- Research Summary
The present study aimed to investigate the differing effects of competitive pricing strategies on the performance of hotels operating in bad regional political conditions. To this end, two complementary analyses were carried out based on a three-year dataset (2014-2016) collected through a questionnaire from 120 star-rated hotels in Jordan. The results of the one-way multivariate analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences in the key performance indicators between hotels adopting a discount pricing strategy and those implementing a premium pricing strategy. The results showed that hotels adopting a discount pricing strategy enjoy a relatively higher market penetration index, but lag behind their competitors in terms of revenue generation index. On the contrary, hotels implementing a premium pricing strategy have a relatively lower market penetration index, but outperform their competitors in terms of revenue generation index. The results of the detailed descriptive analysis further demonstrated that although lower-priced hotels compared to their competitors have relatively higher occupancy rates, they experience relatively lower RevPARs. By contrast, hotels with higher prices compared to their competitors lose some occupancy, but achieve relatively higher RevPARs. Overall, the results suggested that adopting a premium pricing strategy, as opposed to a discount pricing strategy, is the most convenient way for improving hotel long-term financial performance, especially when hotel demand is relatively inelastic due to poor regional political conditions.
- Research link
- key words
Competitive pricing, Discount pricing, Premium pricing, Hotel pricing strategies.
The Impact of Total Quality Management Implementation on
Employees’ Service Recovery Performance in Five-Star Hotels in
Jordan
- Research Summary
The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of total quality management (TQM) implementations on
employees’ service recovery performance in five-star hotels in Jordan. TQM implementations and service
recovery performance have received significant attention in previous research. However, the impact of TQM on
service recovery performance has remained unexplored research area. A 67-item questionnaire, measuring TQM
implementations and service recovery, was distributed to 400 employees in 12 five-star hotels in Jordan with a
63.5 response rate. Principle Component Analysis was utilized to determine the factor structure for both TQM
and service recovery and Regression Analysis to determine the impact of TQM implementations on service
recovery performance. The result revealed that the TQM implementations in five-star hotels in Jordan was
implemented effectively and thus, have a positive impact on employees’ service recovery performance. This
result is attributed to be unique and this is due to the fact that previous studies have focused on manufacturing
sector not on hotel sector in measuring either TQM implementations or service recovery performance. This
paper suggests replicating the study in additional settings to determine if similar results will be obtained outside
five-star-hotels in Jordan. Many of the previous studies on TQM and service recovery performance have been
conducted in the context of western economies and very little research has been done in the Middle East in
general and Jordan in particular. As such, there is a need to examine, from the employees’ perspective, the levels
of implementing TQM that are being encouraged in the hospitality industry and it is effect on service recovery
performance among employees towards their both employers and customers. The present paper contributes to
filling the gap in the literature by measuring the TQM implementations and service recovery as a whole in a new
context.
- Research link
- key words
Total Quality Management (TQM), Service Failure, Service Recovery Performance, Hotels, Jordan.
The Influence of Employee Empowerment on Employee Job Satisfaction in Five-Star Hotels
- Research Summary
This paper examines the influence of empowerment on employee job satisfaction in five-star hotels in Jordan. The influence of empowerment on job satisfaction remains a relatively unexplored area in the Jordanian hotel industry. A 52-item questionnaire, measuring empowerment and job satisfaction, was distributed to 332 employees in 12 five-star hotels in Jordan with a 56% response rate. Principal components analysis determined the factor structure and regression analysis determined the influence of empowerment on job satisfaction. The results revealed both structural and psychological empowerment have significant individual influences on job satisfaction, but more significant when structural and psychological empowerment are combined. It is also important to recognise the complementary role of structural empowerment on psychological empowerment, as both have provided significant results on job satisfaction. The majority of previous studies were conducted in western economies and little in the Middle East generally and Jordan in particular. This research contributes to the literature by including both dimensions of empowerment where previous scholars used only one.
- Research link
- key words
employee empowerment, psychological/structural empowerment, job satisfaction, hotels, Jordan.
Employees’ perspectives of service quality in hotels
- Research Summary
Although the importance of service quality has been recognised, few studies have addressed service quality in hotels from the
perspective of employees. Therefore, this study aims to measure the service quality of four and five-star hotels in Jordan from
the employees’ perspective based on the SERVQUAL model. The current study was carried out by measuring the data gathered
according to a five-point Likert scale. A quantitative survey method was applied, and therefore the SERVQUAL instrument was
used to measure service quality. Data obtained from a sample of 238 respondents drawn from ten four- and five-star hotels in
Jordan were analysed with the SPSS software based on descriptive statistics. The study’s findings indicated that service quality of
five-star hotels in Jordan was higher than that of four-star hotels.
- Research link
- key words
service quality, SERVQUAL, work environment, competitive advantage, hotel industry.
Foreign training in Jordan’s international hotel chains: a quantitative investigation
- Research Summary
This paper draws on the perceptions of middle managers in Jordan to identify what determines upper management’s decision in International Hotel Chains (IHC) to invest in out-of-country training (OCT). A model employing the presence of relationships between ‘attitudes’, ‘benefits and usefulness’, ‘barriers’ and ‘IHC’s decision’ to invest in OCT, was proposed and examined. A total of 261 middle managers from IHCs in Jordan provided responses to a structured survey. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the dimensions for each construct. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the relationships among the four constructs of the study. The results showed a direct relationship between attitudes and benefits/usefulness to IHC’s decision to invest in OCT, and demonstrated the mediating role of attitudes in the inverse relationship between barriers and IHC’s decision to invest in OCT.
- Research link
- key words
international hotel chains, out-of-country training, training abroad, middle managers, hotel management practices, Jordan.
Service Quality and its Impact on Tourist Satisfaction
- Research Summary
This study aims to assess tourists‟ perceptions towards quality tourism services provided at Petra historical site, and to measure tourist satisfaction by examining the impact of quality tourism product on overall tourist satisfaction. In this study, four hypotheses were developed are proposed a study model. The empirical data were collected from tourists via a survey that yielded 180 usable questionnaires, these data were analysed using a series of multiple regressions to determine the relationship between service quality and tourist satisfaction. The findings confirmed that service quality directly impacted tourist satisfaction throughout destination facilities, destination accessibility and destination attraction. As a result, this study argued that there is a significant impact of the service quality on tourist satisfaction, and therefore service quality plays an important role in tourism by increasing the level of tourist satisfaction. The results in this study supported the evidence that there are positive impacts of components of tourism product on tourist satisfaction. This study provided some theoretical and managerial implications based on the findings to academicians and tourism sector, the researcher presented recommendations for further studies and he discussed the main limitations in this study.
- Research link
- key words
Service Quality; Tourist Satisfaction; Tourism; Petra and Jordan.
Community Perspectives to
Tourism Impacts in Petra
- Research Summary
The tourism industry is one of the most important industries of the
Jordanian economy. It generates in Jordan billions of dollars in
revenues and thousands of jobs yearly. The study aims to investigate
tourism impacts on society in Petra from three perspectives:
cultural, social and economic as perceived by residents. Petra is an
important destination in Jordan for international tourists. This study
used a quantitative research by using a self-administered survey
applied to convenience samples of local residents in Petra in 2015.
A number of 400 questionnaires were distributed to local residents
in Petra, and only 342 questionnaires were returned and valid for
analysing data. Data were analysed with the SPSS software version
21 based on descriptive statistics. The main results found that local
residents have strongly positive perspectives to tourism impacts
(cultural, social and economic). The comparison of the mean scores
of these impacts across residents that live in Petra reveals that the
most valued impacts was economic, then cultural and finally social.
- Research link
- key words
Residents’ Perspectives; Tourism Impacts; Jordan; Petra
An exploration of the eco–label practices in Hotels in
Jordan
- Research Summary
This study aims to explore the eco-label practices in Jordanian hotels. Respondents included (all) four- and
five-star hotels in Jordan, which were chain and independent properties. Data were collected from 48
hotels via questionnaires, were analysed by using SPSS. The findings showed that all the five- and four–
star hotels in Jordan are moderately eco-label hotels. The most eco-label criteria were implemented in
hotels are employee training; community support; water management; organisation, reporting and
management and energy management, while, customer education; waste management and purchasing
management were less implemented. And the best Jordanian eco-label hotels were five-star global chain
managed by franchising and mostly located in Dead Sea.
- Research link
- key words
Eco-label practices, Eco-hotels, Jordan.
Focus Groups in Hospitality Research
Why are they not used in Jordan?
- Research Summary
The purpose of this study is to identify the reasons for the lack of
focus groups in Jordan by conducting a focus group with twenty four
Academics from Jordanian Universities. Focus groups are commonly used
for academic purposes and taught at colleges and universities. The outcome
of focus groups for marketing, especially in the tourism industry, is a
beneficial learning tool. Focus groups, however, are rarely used for a number
of reasons. This research tool is foreign to university students, and unless
they study abroad, they are not exposed to a wide range of research and
education tools. There are barriers that exist with focus groups. These
barriers include: government and educational funding, cultural limitations,
personal expectations, teaching materials and resources. Following this
research, the recommendations are to have focus groups implemented in
Jordanian school systems and to conduct focus group training sessions,
encourage students to use them as a research tool and explain the link
between focus groups and the hospitality industry. By limiting curriculums
in Jordanian education systems, students will not have the proper knowledge
or skills once they graduate to compete with markets outside of Jordan.
Recommendations are discussed based on the author’s research findings.
- Research link
- key words
Focus groups, qualitative research, hospitality industry, Jordan.
Leadership Style of Managers in Five-Star Hotels and its
Relationship with Employee’s Job Satisfaction
- Research Summary
The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of
leadership style on employee job satisfaction in five-star hotels.
A questionnaire consisted of 57 items based on five-point likert
scale (from strongly disagree to strongly agree) was used to
measure both leadership style and job satisfaction from employees’
perspectives. Using random sampling, the researcher distributed
350 questionnaires, 220 of which were completed. The obtained
data from the questionnaires are investigated through the SPSS
statistical packaged software. The empirical results indicated that
two types of leadership styles, namely, democratic and laissezfaire
were found to have direct positive significant relationships
with employees’ job satisfaction. The findings showed that the
dominant leadership style was democratic and employees were
moderately satisfied with their job. This implies that democratic
leadership is deemed suitable for managing hotels. The study’s
results show that different leadership style will have different
impacts on employee job satisfaction. An interesting finding is that
democratic leadership has a stronger influence on job satisfaction
than laissez-faire leadership does. As a result, by adopting the
appropriate leadership styles, leaders can affect employee job
satisfaction.
- Research link
- key words
Leadership Styles, Job Satisfaction, Hotels
Employees’ Service Innovation Behavior and New Service
Development in Four- and Five-Star Hotels
- Research Summary
This study aims to explore the impact of Employee Service Innovation Behavior (ESIB) on New Service Development (NSD) among
hotels’ employees. A research model was proposed in which one hypothesis was developed. The empirical data were collected from
employees who are working in four- and five-star hotels in Jordan. A total of 332 questionnaires were returned and the data were
analyzed using a single regression to determine the relationship between ESIB and NSD. The results supported the proposed model
that there is a significant relationship between ESIB and NSD, and it also found that service innovation performance is exited in
the hotel industry. The theoretical and managerial implications were drawn based on the study findings, and recommendations for
future researchers were made, and limitations and conclusions are discussed.
- Research link
- key words
Employee service innovation behavior, New service development, Hotels.
IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
- Research Summary
This study sets out to explore the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) necessary for TQM implementation
in hotels. It also aims to classify participating hotels into groups based on their TQM adoption by using cluster
analysis. Using a survey methodology, 170 questionnaires were sent to managers in 17 four- and five-star resort
hotels in Jordan in 2010 and 104 usable questionnaires were returned. The findings revealed that TQM is existed
and implemented in the hotel industry. The researchers then confirmed that four- and five-star resort hotels can
be classified into two groups, namely, “high TQM adopters” and “low TQM adopters”.
- Research link
- key words
TQM, CSFs of TQM, Resort Hotels
Classifying Jordanian Hotels Based on their TQM Implementations
- Research Summary
This study aims at classifing hotels in Jordan into groups based on their Total Quality Management (TQM)
implementation. Using a survey methodology, the TQM questionnaire was designed to measure the level of
TQM implementation throughout Critical Success Factors (CSFs) which are necessary for TQM implementation.
A total of 345 TQM questionnaires were distributed to managers, working in 17 four- and five-star Jordanian
hotels. The researcher obtained 227 usable TQM questionnaires. The results classified Jordanian hotels based on
the CSFs for TQM implementation. More specifically, using cluster analysis on the CSFs of TQM resulted in
two groups of hotels: ‘low TQM adopters’ and ‘high TQM adopters’. These two groups showed significant
differences across the TQM CSFs.
- Research link
- key words
Total Quality Management (TQM), Critical Success Factors (CSFs), Hotels in Jordan.
TQM and Organisational
Creativity in the Hotel
Industry
An Exploration of the Effect of Total Quality
Management Implementation on Organisational
Creativity in Jordanian Resort
- Research Summary
This book sets out to explore the impact of TQM implementation on
organisational creativity in the hotel industry. Both regression analysis and
Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used to test hypotheses and
proposed models. For the TQM model, the findings revealed that TQM had
positive relationships with both process innovation and product
innovation, and process innovation partially mediated the relationship
between TQM and product innovation. In the second model, the creativity
model, the stimulants to creativity had positive impacts on employee
attitudes and work outcomes, while obstacles to creativity had negative
impacts on dependent(s), and employee attitudes partially mediated these
relationships. The book‘s findings showed that implementing successful
TQM practices can help hotels to create an appropriate work environment
for stimulating creativity and enhancing innovation.
- Research link
- key words
TQM, Organisational Creativity
Mediating Role of Empowerment between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Service Recovery Performance in the Hotel Industry
- Research Summary
The purpose of this research was to examine the mediating effect of empowerment on the
linkage between Total Quality Management (TQM) and service recovery performance in
the hotel industry. Although much has been written about TQM, empowerment and service
recovery performance, but the role of empowerment as a mediator in the relationship between
TQM and service recovery performance has remained a relatively unexplored research area.
A 93-item questionnaire is designed to measure TQM, empowerment and service recovery
amongst employees in five-star hotels in Jordan, and 254 usable questionnaires were used
in this study. Principal components analysis determined the factor structure and regression
analysis determined the relationships between the study’s variables. The results revealed
that the TQM implementations have positive effects on empowerment and service recovery
performance. Moreover, the study found the full mediating effect of empowerment in the
relationship between TQM and service recovery performance. Implications, limitations and
future research are discussed at the end. This study proposes model of influence of TQM in
service recovery performance, whereby empowerment fully mediates this relationship.
- Research link
- key words
Empowerment, Total Quality Management (TQM), Service Recovery Performance
The Impact of Internal Service Quality on Job Satisfaction in The Hotel Industry
- Research Summary
Service quality is a key factor for success in any hotel. Many researchers have conducted studies on service quality, but only a few
studies have been conducted on internal service quality (ISQ) in general, and in the hotel industry in particular. Since there is no
general agreement among researchers on the measurement of ISQ, many studies have used SERVQUAL instrument to measure
the employees’ perceptions of ISQ. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of ISQ on employee’s job satisfaction in
five-star hotels in Jordan. The current study was carried out by measuring the data gathered through a seven-point Likert scale.
The quantitative survey method was applied, and therefore the SERVQUAL instrument was used to measure ISQ, and the Job
Satisfaction Survey (JSS) was used to measure job satisfaction. Data obtained from a sample of 238 respondents drawn from 14
five-star hotels in Jordan were analysed with the SPSS software based on descriptive statistics. The study’s findings indicated that
the ISQ of five-star hotels in Jordan has a significantly positive influence on an employee’s job satisfaction. These findings support
the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between ISQ in the hotel industry and industry employees’ job satisfaction.
- Research link
- key words
Internal Service Quality, Job Satisfaction
Female Tourist Guides in Jordan: Why So Few?
- Research Summary
In many Islamic countries, women have limited participation in the workforce, including
the tourism and hospitality industry. This study examines the barriers that prevent women
from becoming tourist guides in Jordan. Based on qualitative interviews with 34 women
from three main tourist cities in Jordan namely, Petra, Amman, Aqaba, Jarash, Ajlun,
Madaba and Irbid, a list of factors were identified that can be subsequently subcategorized
as barriers and motivators for career development in the tourist industry for women. The
responses indicated that women, overall, have an interest in the careers offered by the
hospitality and tourism industry. However, certain factors hinder their efforts to secure
employment in this field and in the profession of tourist guides, in particular. The main
barriers include religious beliefs as well as social traditions and culture around women’s
role in the family life, i.e. main caregiver. On the other hand, the positive impact that
women’s employment in this field may have on a societal level was emphasized and
several areas for improving women’s role in this sector were identified.
- Research link
- key words
women, tourist guide, tourism, hospitality, Jordan.
Focus Groups
- Research Summary
A focus group is an investigative tool for social research based on a structured and focused
discussion with a small group of people, run by a facilitator (moderator) to generate qualitative
data through a set of open-ended questions.
The focus group technique is a qualitative research methodology popularly used in social
research in a wide range of sectors. A researcher uses a set of open-ended questions on a
specific topic to generate qualitative data. The focus group is an efficient way of gathering
data about particular opinions or attitudes by covering a large number of people in the same
group. This entry explores the methodology and processes of focus groups as well as the
analysis of data from focus group research.
- Research link
- key words
focus groups
Financial Implications of Competitive Pricing Strategies: Evidence from the Jordanian Hotel Industry
- Research Summary
The present study aimed to investigate the differing effects of competitive pricing strategies on the performance of hotels operating in bad regional political conditions. To this end, two complementary analyses were carried out based on a three-year dataset (2014-2016) collected through a questionnaire from 120 star-rated hotels in Jordan. The results of the one-way multivariate analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences in the key performance indicators between hotels adopting a discount pricing strategy and those implementing a premium pricing strategy. The results showed that hotels adopting a discount pricing strategy enjoy a relatively higher market penetration index, but lag behind their competitors in terms of revenue generation index. On the contrary, hotels implementing a premium pricing strategy have a relatively lower market penetration index, but outperform their competitors in terms of revenue generation index. The results of the detailed descriptive analysis further demonstrated that although lower-priced hotels compared to their competitors have relatively higher occupancy rates, they experience relatively lower RevPARs. By contrast, hotels with higher prices compared to their competitors lose some occupancy, but achieve relatively higher RevPARs. Overall, the results suggested that adopting a premium pricing strategy, as opposed to a discount pricing strategy, is the most convenient way for improving hotel long-term financial performance, especially when hotel demand is relatively inelastic due to poor regional political conditions.
- Research link
- key words
Competitive pricing, Discount pricing, Premium pricing, Hotel pricing strategies.
The Impact of Total Quality Management Implementation on
Employees’ Service Recovery Performance in Five-Star Hotels in
Jordan
- Research Summary
The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of total quality management (TQM) implementations on
employees’ service recovery performance in five-star hotels in Jordan. TQM implementations and service
recovery performance have received significant attention in previous research. However, the impact of TQM on
service recovery performance has remained unexplored research area. A 67-item questionnaire, measuring TQM
implementations and service recovery, was distributed to 400 employees in 12 five-star hotels in Jordan with a
63.5 response rate. Principle Component Analysis was utilized to determine the factor structure for both TQM
and service recovery and Regression Analysis to determine the impact of TQM implementations on service
recovery performance. The result revealed that the TQM implementations in five-star hotels in Jordan was
implemented effectively and thus, have a positive impact on employees’ service recovery performance. This
result is attributed to be unique and this is due to the fact that previous studies have focused on manufacturing
sector not on hotel sector in measuring either TQM implementations or service recovery performance. This
paper suggests replicating the study in additional settings to determine if similar results will be obtained outside
five-star-hotels in Jordan. Many of the previous studies on TQM and service recovery performance have been
conducted in the context of western economies and very little research has been done in the Middle East in
general and Jordan in particular. As such, there is a need to examine, from the employees’ perspective, the levels
of implementing TQM that are being encouraged in the hospitality industry and it is effect on service recovery
performance among employees towards their both employers and customers. The present paper contributes to
filling the gap in the literature by measuring the TQM implementations and service recovery as a whole in a new
context.
- Research link
- key words
Total Quality Management (TQM), Service Failure, Service Recovery Performance, Hotels, Jordan.
The Influence of Employee Empowerment on Employee Job Satisfaction in Five-Star Hotels
- Research Summary
This paper examines the influence of empowerment on employee job satisfaction in five-star hotels in Jordan. The influence of empowerment on job satisfaction remains a relatively unexplored area in the Jordanian hotel industry. A 52-item questionnaire, measuring empowerment and job satisfaction, was distributed to 332 employees in 12 five-star hotels in Jordan with a 56% response rate. Principal components analysis determined the factor structure and regression analysis determined the influence of empowerment on job satisfaction. The results revealed both structural and psychological empowerment have significant individual influences on job satisfaction, but more significant when structural and psychological empowerment are combined. It is also important to recognise the complementary role of structural empowerment on psychological empowerment, as both have provided significant results on job satisfaction. The majority of previous studies were conducted in western economies and little in the Middle East generally and Jordan in particular. This research contributes to the literature by including both dimensions of empowerment where previous scholars used only one.
- Research link
- key words
employee empowerment, psychological/structural empowerment, job satisfaction, hotels, Jordan.
Employees’ perspectives of service quality in hotels
- Research Summary
Although the importance of service quality has been recognised, few studies have addressed service quality in hotels from the
perspective of employees. Therefore, this study aims to measure the service quality of four and five-star hotels in Jordan from
the employees’ perspective based on the SERVQUAL model. The current study was carried out by measuring the data gathered
according to a five-point Likert scale. A quantitative survey method was applied, and therefore the SERVQUAL instrument was
used to measure service quality. Data obtained from a sample of 238 respondents drawn from ten four- and five-star hotels in
Jordan were analysed with the SPSS software based on descriptive statistics. The study’s findings indicated that service quality of
five-star hotels in Jordan was higher than that of four-star hotels.
- Research link
- key words
service quality, SERVQUAL, work environment, competitive advantage, hotel industry.
Foreign training in Jordan’s international hotel chains: a quantitative investigation
- Research Summary
This paper draws on the perceptions of middle managers in Jordan to identify what determines upper management’s decision in International Hotel Chains (IHC) to invest in out-of-country training (OCT). A model employing the presence of relationships between ‘attitudes’, ‘benefits and usefulness’, ‘barriers’ and ‘IHC’s decision’ to invest in OCT, was proposed and examined. A total of 261 middle managers from IHCs in Jordan provided responses to a structured survey. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the dimensions for each construct. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the relationships among the four constructs of the study. The results showed a direct relationship between attitudes and benefits/usefulness to IHC’s decision to invest in OCT, and demonstrated the mediating role of attitudes in the inverse relationship between barriers and IHC’s decision to invest in OCT.
- Research link
- key words
international hotel chains, out-of-country training, training abroad, middle managers, hotel management practices, Jordan.
Service Quality and its Impact on Tourist Satisfaction
- Research Summary
This study aims to assess tourists‟ perceptions towards quality tourism services provided at Petra historical site, and to measure tourist satisfaction by examining the impact of quality tourism product on overall tourist satisfaction. In this study, four hypotheses were developed are proposed a study model. The empirical data were collected from tourists via a survey that yielded 180 usable questionnaires, these data were analysed using a series of multiple regressions to determine the relationship between service quality and tourist satisfaction. The findings confirmed that service quality directly impacted tourist satisfaction throughout destination facilities, destination accessibility and destination attraction. As a result, this study argued that there is a significant impact of the service quality on tourist satisfaction, and therefore service quality plays an important role in tourism by increasing the level of tourist satisfaction. The results in this study supported the evidence that there are positive impacts of components of tourism product on tourist satisfaction. This study provided some theoretical and managerial implications based on the findings to academicians and tourism sector, the researcher presented recommendations for further studies and he discussed the main limitations in this study.
- Research link
- key words
Service Quality; Tourist Satisfaction; Tourism; Petra and Jordan.
Community Perspectives to
Tourism Impacts in Petra
- Research Summary
The tourism industry is one of the most important industries of the
Jordanian economy. It generates in Jordan billions of dollars in
revenues and thousands of jobs yearly. The study aims to investigate
tourism impacts on society in Petra from three perspectives:
cultural, social and economic as perceived by residents. Petra is an
important destination in Jordan for international tourists. This study
used a quantitative research by using a self-administered survey
applied to convenience samples of local residents in Petra in 2015.
A number of 400 questionnaires were distributed to local residents
in Petra, and only 342 questionnaires were returned and valid for
analysing data. Data were analysed with the SPSS software version
21 based on descriptive statistics. The main results found that local
residents have strongly positive perspectives to tourism impacts
(cultural, social and economic). The comparison of the mean scores
of these impacts across residents that live in Petra reveals that the
most valued impacts was economic, then cultural and finally social.
- Research link
- key words
Residents’ Perspectives; Tourism Impacts; Jordan; Petra
An exploration of the eco–label practices in Hotels in
Jordan
- Research Summary
This study aims to explore the eco-label practices in Jordanian hotels. Respondents included (all) four- and
five-star hotels in Jordan, which were chain and independent properties. Data were collected from 48
hotels via questionnaires, were analysed by using SPSS. The findings showed that all the five- and four–
star hotels in Jordan are moderately eco-label hotels. The most eco-label criteria were implemented in
hotels are employee training; community support; water management; organisation, reporting and
management and energy management, while, customer education; waste management and purchasing
management were less implemented. And the best Jordanian eco-label hotels were five-star global chain
managed by franchising and mostly located in Dead Sea.
- Research link
- key words
Eco-label practices, Eco-hotels, Jordan.
Focus Groups in Hospitality Research
Why are they not used in Jordan?
- Research Summary
The purpose of this study is to identify the reasons for the lack of
focus groups in Jordan by conducting a focus group with twenty four
Academics from Jordanian Universities. Focus groups are commonly used
for academic purposes and taught at colleges and universities. The outcome
of focus groups for marketing, especially in the tourism industry, is a
beneficial learning tool. Focus groups, however, are rarely used for a number
of reasons. This research tool is foreign to university students, and unless
they study abroad, they are not exposed to a wide range of research and
education tools. There are barriers that exist with focus groups. These
barriers include: government and educational funding, cultural limitations,
personal expectations, teaching materials and resources. Following this
research, the recommendations are to have focus groups implemented in
Jordanian school systems and to conduct focus group training sessions,
encourage students to use them as a research tool and explain the link
between focus groups and the hospitality industry. By limiting curriculums
in Jordanian education systems, students will not have the proper knowledge
or skills once they graduate to compete with markets outside of Jordan.
Recommendations are discussed based on the author’s research findings.
- Research link
- key words
Focus groups, qualitative research, hospitality industry, Jordan.
Leadership Style of Managers in Five-Star Hotels and its
Relationship with Employee’s Job Satisfaction
- Research Summary
The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of
leadership style on employee job satisfaction in five-star hotels.
A questionnaire consisted of 57 items based on five-point likert
scale (from strongly disagree to strongly agree) was used to
measure both leadership style and job satisfaction from employees’
perspectives. Using random sampling, the researcher distributed
350 questionnaires, 220 of which were completed. The obtained
data from the questionnaires are investigated through the SPSS
statistical packaged software. The empirical results indicated that
two types of leadership styles, namely, democratic and laissezfaire
were found to have direct positive significant relationships
with employees’ job satisfaction. The findings showed that the
dominant leadership style was democratic and employees were
moderately satisfied with their job. This implies that democratic
leadership is deemed suitable for managing hotels. The study’s
results show that different leadership style will have different
impacts on employee job satisfaction. An interesting finding is that
democratic leadership has a stronger influence on job satisfaction
than laissez-faire leadership does. As a result, by adopting the
appropriate leadership styles, leaders can affect employee job
satisfaction.
- Research link
- key words
Leadership Styles, Job Satisfaction, Hotels
Employees’ Service Innovation Behavior and New Service
Development in Four- and Five-Star Hotels
- Research Summary
This study aims to explore the impact of Employee Service Innovation Behavior (ESIB) on New Service Development (NSD) among
hotels’ employees. A research model was proposed in which one hypothesis was developed. The empirical data were collected from
employees who are working in four- and five-star hotels in Jordan. A total of 332 questionnaires were returned and the data were
analyzed using a single regression to determine the relationship between ESIB and NSD. The results supported the proposed model
that there is a significant relationship between ESIB and NSD, and it also found that service innovation performance is exited in
the hotel industry. The theoretical and managerial implications were drawn based on the study findings, and recommendations for
future researchers were made, and limitations and conclusions are discussed.
- Research link
- key words
Employee service innovation behavior, New service development, Hotels.
IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
- Research Summary
This study sets out to explore the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) necessary for TQM implementation
in hotels. It also aims to classify participating hotels into groups based on their TQM adoption by using cluster
analysis. Using a survey methodology, 170 questionnaires were sent to managers in 17 four- and five-star resort
hotels in Jordan in 2010 and 104 usable questionnaires were returned. The findings revealed that TQM is existed
and implemented in the hotel industry. The researchers then confirmed that four- and five-star resort hotels can
be classified into two groups, namely, “high TQM adopters” and “low TQM adopters”.
- Research link
- key words
TQM, CSFs of TQM, Resort Hotels
Classifying Jordanian Hotels Based on their TQM Implementations
- Research Summary
This study aims at classifing hotels in Jordan into groups based on their Total Quality Management (TQM)
implementation. Using a survey methodology, the TQM questionnaire was designed to measure the level of
TQM implementation throughout Critical Success Factors (CSFs) which are necessary for TQM implementation.
A total of 345 TQM questionnaires were distributed to managers, working in 17 four- and five-star Jordanian
hotels. The researcher obtained 227 usable TQM questionnaires. The results classified Jordanian hotels based on
the CSFs for TQM implementation. More specifically, using cluster analysis on the CSFs of TQM resulted in
two groups of hotels: ‘low TQM adopters’ and ‘high TQM adopters’. These two groups showed significant
differences across the TQM CSFs.
- Research link
- key words
Total Quality Management (TQM), Critical Success Factors (CSFs), Hotels in Jordan.
TQM and Organisational
Creativity in the Hotel
Industry
An Exploration of the Effect of Total Quality
Management Implementation on Organisational
Creativity in Jordanian Resort
- Research Summary
This book sets out to explore the impact of TQM implementation on
organisational creativity in the hotel industry. Both regression analysis and
Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used to test hypotheses and
proposed models. For the TQM model, the findings revealed that TQM had
positive relationships with both process innovation and product
innovation, and process innovation partially mediated the relationship
between TQM and product innovation. In the second model, the creativity
model, the stimulants to creativity had positive impacts on employee
attitudes and work outcomes, while obstacles to creativity had negative
impacts on dependent(s), and employee attitudes partially mediated these
relationships. The book‘s findings showed that implementing successful
TQM practices can help hotels to create an appropriate work environment
for stimulating creativity and enhancing innovation.
- Research link
- key words
TQM, Organisational Creativity
Mediating Role of Empowerment between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Service Recovery Performance in the Hotel Industry
- Research Summary
The purpose of this research was to examine the mediating effect of empowerment on the
linkage between Total Quality Management (TQM) and service recovery performance in
the hotel industry. Although much has been written about TQM, empowerment and service
recovery performance, but the role of empowerment as a mediator in the relationship between
TQM and service recovery performance has remained a relatively unexplored research area.
A 93-item questionnaire is designed to measure TQM, empowerment and service recovery
amongst employees in five-star hotels in Jordan, and 254 usable questionnaires were used
in this study. Principal components analysis determined the factor structure and regression
analysis determined the relationships between the study’s variables. The results revealed
that the TQM implementations have positive effects on empowerment and service recovery
performance. Moreover, the study found the full mediating effect of empowerment in the
relationship between TQM and service recovery performance. Implications, limitations and
future research are discussed at the end. This study proposes model of influence of TQM in
service recovery performance, whereby empowerment fully mediates this relationship.
- Research link
- key words
Empowerment, Total Quality Management (TQM), Service Recovery Performance
The Impact of Internal Service Quality on Job Satisfaction in The Hotel Industry
- Research Summary
Service quality is a key factor for success in any hotel. Many researchers have conducted studies on service quality, but only a few
studies have been conducted on internal service quality (ISQ) in general, and in the hotel industry in particular. Since there is no
general agreement among researchers on the measurement of ISQ, many studies have used SERVQUAL instrument to measure
the employees’ perceptions of ISQ. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of ISQ on employee’s job satisfaction in
five-star hotels in Jordan. The current study was carried out by measuring the data gathered through a seven-point Likert scale.
The quantitative survey method was applied, and therefore the SERVQUAL instrument was used to measure ISQ, and the Job
Satisfaction Survey (JSS) was used to measure job satisfaction. Data obtained from a sample of 238 respondents drawn from 14
five-star hotels in Jordan were analysed with the SPSS software based on descriptive statistics. The study’s findings indicated that
the ISQ of five-star hotels in Jordan has a significantly positive influence on an employee’s job satisfaction. These findings support
the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between ISQ in the hotel industry and industry employees’ job satisfaction.
- Research link
- key words
Internal Service Quality, Job Satisfaction
Achieving Service Recovery through Service Innovation in the Hotel Industry: The Critical Role of Employee Empowerment.
The impact of human resource management practices on employee turnover in five-star hotels in Amman- Jordan
A Comprehensive Research on Empowerment and Service Recovery Performance at Five-Star Hotels in Jordan.
Hotel Guests’ Perceptions of Environmentally Friendly Practices in Jordan.
The implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in the hotel industry
Use of the Health Belief Model (HBM) to Examine Food Handlers' Practices in Five Stars Hotels at Petra City, Jordan
Creative Cultural Tourism as a New Model of the Relationship between Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Exploring the Role of Training Abroad Programs for Department Head Managers of International Hotel Chains in Jordan: Perceptions and Attitudes.
Linking Ontology, Epistemology and Research Methodology
The Concept of Creativity: Definitions and Theories
The Role of Job Satisfaction on Employees’ Innovation Performance in the Jordanian Hospitality Industry
The Role of Job Satisfaction on Employees’ Innovation Performance in the Jordanian Hospitality Industry
Comparative Assessment of Residents' Behaviour towards Tourism in Nature Reserves
Understanding the Impact of Empowerment on Employees Innovation Performance: Evidence from the Jordanian Hotel Industry
Creative Cultural Tourism as a New Model for Cultural Tourism.
Perspectives on Gender Imbalance in Hotel Education: Reasons and Remedies.