Josep Ivars-Baidal, Ana B. Casado-Díaz, Sandra Navarro-Ruiz and Marc Fuster-Uguet
Building on new trends in tourism and smart city governance, this study aims to examine the degree of interrelation between stakeholder networks involved in tourism governance and…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on new trends in tourism and smart city governance, this study aims to examine the degree of interrelation between stakeholder networks involved in tourism governance and smart city development. A model describing the transition towards smart tourism city governance is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model is tested through a multiple case study of seven European cities. This choice of sample makes the study highly representative. Data collection is based on an exhaustive search and analysis of available data on smart city initiatives, destination management organisations and tourism plans. Social network analysis using Gephi software is used to build stakeholder networks.
Findings
Analysis of the stakeholder networks that shape tourism governance and smart initiatives in several cities reveals a disconnection between the two types of networks. The results show limited progress towards the expected synergies of true smart tourism city governance.
Practical implications
Theoretically, the study contributes to the debate on new forms of governance for the complex evolution of urban tourism. In practice, the relationship between tourism governance and smart city initiatives needs to be redefined to achieve synergies that increase the inclusiveness and efficiency of urban tourism policies.
Originality/value
This study examines the under-researched topic of the interrelation between tourism governance and smart city initiatives. By comparing the networks of actors resulting from these two processes, it assesses the extent to which this interrelation helps the emergence of new governance models (smart tourism city governance).
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Sandra Navarro-Ruiz, Ana B. Casado-Díaz and Josep Ivars-Baidal
The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of the relevance of shore excursions in the distribution of cruise passenger flows; an approach which has been…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of the relevance of shore excursions in the distribution of cruise passenger flows; an approach which has been overlooked by many studies on cruise tourism. Specifically, the paper focuses on two destinations: Barcelona, a mature cruise destination suffering from the impact of overcrowding; and Valencia, an emerging cruise destination facing the risk of future (similar) impacts.
Design/methodology/approach
The method used is multiple-case study with replication logic. First, web content analysis is conducted of shore excursion descriptions of the destinations selected so as to identify the itineraries, as well as the municipalities and the specific tourist attractions included in the tours. Then, word-processing tools are used to create a regional and local data set to arrange the narrative data. Finally, density maps are drawn in order to examine the different visitor flows within the tourist hinterlands from the supply perspective.
Findings
The results indicate that most shore excursions are concentrated in the port cities. Comparing the two destinations, the paper argues that the redistribution within the cities is not equally balanced. Nevertheless, the results also reveal that the excursions offered by local shore tourism operators (TOs) in both destinations have contributed to the expansion of the cruise tourist hinterland over a wider regional area.
Research limitations/implications
This paper evaluates the visitor flow distribution from a supply perspective. Hence, future studies should examine the demand dimension in order to gain a deeper understanding of the concentration intensity. Additionally, it would be worth examining not only visitors taking guided tours but also the independent ones (those who visit the destination on their own).
Originality/value
Despite the growing importance of cruise tourism, research on the role of local shore TOs in this sector is quite limited. One element that deserves more research attention is related to the role of shore excursions in the spatial configuration of the cruise tourist hinterland. Finally, the results obtained could also have significant implications for policy makers developing and promoting effective measures to prevent overcrowding.
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Ana B. Casado-Díaz, Juan L. Nicolau-Gonzálbez, Felipe Ruiz-Moreno and Ricardo Sellers-Rubio
The purpose of this study is to attempt to explain why the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives may be different and/or more important in service firms…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to attempt to explain why the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives may be different and/or more important in service firms compared to manufacturing firms. CSR is becoming a common strategy, hence its extensive research. Central to it is the analysis of the effect of CSR on a firm’s performance, whose outcome depends on firm-specific and industry-related factors.
Design/methodology/approach
The event study methodology is applied to all the 248 companies that have ever traded on the Spanish Stock Market between 1990 and 2007. A regression analysis examines potential different effects of CSR on service and goods firms.
Findings
The results show that CSR activities have a positive impact on firm performance that is higher for service firms than for manufacturing firms. Actions related to the environment, responsible labor relationships and good corporate governance are especially important in the service context.
Research limitations/implications
This research is focused on shareholders’ performance, but it does not consider other stakeholders, such as real consumer behavior or employees’ commitment and productivity.
Practical implications
Service firms are likely to gain from focusing on some CSR activities (environment, employees and good corporate governance) and should use their responsible behavior as a valuable tool for public relations and differentiation in the market.
Originality/value
This article is the first attempt to empirically test and explain why the relationship between CSR and firm performance may be different (more positive) for service vs manufacturing firms.
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Ana B. Casado‐Díaz, Francisco J. Mas‐Ruiz and Ricardo Sellers‐Rubio
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the impact of third‐party complaints on firm performance. It aims to use a financial measurement of performance, the variation in firm…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the impact of third‐party complaints on firm performance. It aims to use a financial measurement of performance, the variation in firm share returns in the stock market following the publication of the Annual Complaints Service Report by the Bank of Spain. Building on modern theory of financial markets and resource‐based theory, it aims to propose that the release of information about third‐party complaints negatively influences firms' stock returns.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical research is conducted on a sample of Spanish banks to which complaints were made and which were quoted on the Spanish Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2002. It employs the event study methodology.
Findings
The results of the study indicate that the release of the annual report of the Complaints Service of the Bank of Spain negatively affects the market's assessment of future cash flows.
Research limitations/implications
Banks of a large size were selected, which restricts generalisation of the conclusions. Future research is needed to validate the findings across a wider sample base (e.g. cross‐nationally). The study described is conducted in the banking industry. Therefore, more research is needed to examine the effects of third‐party complaints on performance in different industry contexts (e.g. airlines, mobile phone industry).
Practical implications
Firms should invest in improving complaint management systems in order to prevent future complaints reaching the third‐party level. The study results show that this information damages corporate reputation and it is negatively received by investors.
Originality/value
The study meets the demands for greater attention to be given to third‐party complaints made by various authors. It is also an attempt to better understand the chain from service and marketing effort to financial outcome and to link customer assets such as complaints to the value of the firm.
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Ana B. Casado‐Díaz, Francisco J. Más‐Ruiz and Hans Kasper
Research has shown that more than half of attempted recovery efforts only reinforce dissatisfaction, producing a “double deviation” effect. Surprisingly, these double deviation…
Abstract
Purpose
Research has shown that more than half of attempted recovery efforts only reinforce dissatisfaction, producing a “double deviation” effect. Surprisingly, these double deviation effects have received little attention in service marketing literature. To fill this gap, this paper aims to develop and empirically test a model of how customers form satisfaction judgments in double deviation scenarios. The paper seeks to propose that emotions have a distinct and separate influence from perceived justice in explaining satisfaction with failed recovery.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper employs the critical incident technique to obtain data from banking customers and apply latent variable path analysis to test the proposed model.
Findings
The results of the study support the model and highlight the important role of specific recovery‐related emotions in double deviation contexts.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should try to determine whether different specific negative emotions and/or the interactional and procedural components of justice affect post‐recovery judgments in double deviation scenarios.
Practical implications
The results show that specific emotions such as anger play an important role in explaining satisfaction with service recovery. The paper proposes that in future, customer satisfaction surveys could include items measuring specific emotions. This could increase their efficiency as managerial tools.
Originality/value
To the authors' knowledge, this has been the first attempt to model the effect of specific emotions triggered by the service recovery on satisfaction with service recovery and to empirically test a model of satisfaction with service recovery in double deviation scenarios. Furthermore, this study is based on the analysis of real service failures and recovery strategies.
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Ana B. Casado-Díaz, Juan L. Nicolau, Felipe Ruiz-Moreno and Ricardo Sellers
This study aims to examine the relationships between a firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and its performance and risk. The authors hypothesize that…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationships between a firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and its performance and risk. The authors hypothesize that industry-level effects are highly determinant of the sign and magnitude of these relationships to establish a ranking of industries to identify the position of the most prominent tourism-related industries: hotels and airlines. Based on the cybernetic model of decision making and the heuristics thereof, shareholders base their investment decisions derived from CSR announcements on the idea that the industries behave differently; their fixed costs being a relevant factor.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors estimate the industry-specific effects of CSR initiatives on firms' performance and risk using a sample of 583 announcements from the Spanish Stock Market.
Findings
The results show that while CSR announcements have a positive effect on performance when the authors do not account for industry-specific factors, once the authors incorporate these factors into the analysis, the authors find that firm performance and risk vary quite substantially as a function of the industry to which the firm belongs. Interestingly, while the hotel industry presents an average behavior (standing at 9th position in returns, 15th in terms of risk, and 8th according to the ratio returns/volatility), the airline industry presents the worst situation of all industries: last in performance and last in risk.
Practical implications
The results help managers assess their decisions and allocate CSR resources optimally.
Originality/value
This article is the first attempt to empirically test and comprehensively detect the different relationships between CSR and firm performance across industries.
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Ana B. Casado Díaz and Francisco J. Más Ruíz
The objective of this study is to examine the relationships that exist among the attributions, the affect and behavioural intentions of consumers who suffer delays in services. As…
Abstract
The objective of this study is to examine the relationships that exist among the attributions, the affect and behavioural intentions of consumers who suffer delays in services. As a new element, we propose to consider two different affective dimensions: anger (emotional reaction) and satisfaction with the service (cognitive and emotional evaluation). The methodology employed is based on structural equation modeling and the empirical application in the airline industry, which was carried out in Spain, demonstrates the existence of the sequence “attribution‐affect‐behavioural intention”, with anger being the mediator in the relationship between the attribution of control on behavioural intention (propensity to complain and repurchase intentions).
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Ana Isabel Lopes, Edward C. Malthouse, Nathalie Dens and Patrick De Pelsmacker
Engaging in webcare, i.e. responding to online reviews, can positively affect consumer attitudes, intentions and behavior. Research is often scarce or inconsistent regarding the…
Abstract
Purpose
Engaging in webcare, i.e. responding to online reviews, can positively affect consumer attitudes, intentions and behavior. Research is often scarce or inconsistent regarding the effects of specific webcare strategies on business performance. Therefore, this study tests whether and how several webcare strategies affect hotel bookings.
Design/methodology/approach
We apply machine learning classifiers to secondary data (webcare messages) to classify webcare variables to be included in a regression analysis looking at the effect of these strategies on hotel bookings while controlling for possible confounds such as seasonality and hotel-specific effects.
Findings
The strategies that have a positive effect on bookings are directing reviewers to a private channel, being defensive, offering compensation and having managers sign the response. Webcare strategies to be avoided are apologies, merely asking for more information, inviting customers for another visit and adding informal non-verbal cues. Strategies that do not appear to affect future bookings are expressing gratitude, personalizing and having staff members (rather than managers) sign webcare.
Practical implications
These findings help managers optimize their webcare strategy for better business results and develop automated webcare.
Originality/value
We look into several commonly used and studied webcare strategies that affect actual business outcomes, being that most previous research studies are experimental or look into a very limited set of strategies.
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Jingen Zhou, Shu-Ling (Peggy) Chen and Wenming (Wendy) Shi
The cruise industry has witnessed steady growth, with passenger volume increasing from 17.8 million in 2009 to 30 million in 2019. In the context of global competition and an…
Abstract
Purpose
The cruise industry has witnessed steady growth, with passenger volume increasing from 17.8 million in 2009 to 30 million in 2019. In the context of global competition and an uncertain business environment, competition in business has changed dramatically from battles of “firm versus firm” to “supply chain versus supply chain”. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to understand the cruise industry from a chain perspective, which has not drawn widespread research attention.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper brings together the insights, opinions, concepts and frameworks from a literature review of different disciplines (maritime shipping, tourism management, logistics management, operations management and supply chain management) and analysis results from 22 semi-structured interviews to make an early attempt to conceptualise the cruise supply chain (CSC).
Findings
The cruise supply chain is elaborated on the process, the role of each entity and its characteristics by comparing with the maritime supply chain and tourism supply chain. Based on the understanding of the CSC, two specific characteristics of the Chinese CSC are examined, which need further investigation.
Originality/value
The CSC is articulated with detailed processes and characteristics based on the literature review and empirical study. The findings of this paper not only advance the knowledge of the supply chain in the cruise industry but also highlight the importance of further research on the CSC.