Business Commons^™

Dublin Visitor Survey 2008 Report, Sheila Flanagan, John Carty, Gerard Dunne

Reports

This report represents a joint research initiative by the Tourism Research Centre and the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism at the Technological University Dublin with the support of Dublin Tourism. The study has been conducted annually since 1999 and has amassed a wealth of rich data over the years. This report highlights the principal 2008 findings from the annual visitor survey including the characteristics and attitudes of out of state tourists visiting Dublin city. The key objectives of the survey are to improve the quality of urban tourism information within a Dublin city context and to provide those engaged …

Management Challenges Of A Culturally Diverse Workforce In The Irish Hotel Sector: An Investigative Study Of Four And Five Star Hotels In Cork, Amy Jordan

Theses

In recent years Ireland has changed from a nation of emigration to one of immigration, facilitated by the Irish Celtic Tiger, the globalisation of labour markets and the erosion of labour restrictions across frontiers. Thus there is increased employee diversity in the Irish work environment, with many different races, cultures, norms, values and religions now in evidence in the Irish workforce. These changes have a significant effect on managers as the Irish workplace becomes increasingly culturally heterogeneous, and forms the basis for change in management practice.

Primary research was undertaken in the form of six interviews with hotel managers to …

Persuasive Design Of Destination Websites: An Analysis Of First Impression, Heejun Kim, Daniel R. Fesenmaier

Publications and Research

This research examines the persuasiveness of destination websites through an investigation of users’ first impression. To achieve this goal, it builds on research by Fogg (2003) and by Kim and Fesenmaier (2007) to assess the effect of the design factors of destination websites on first impression formation. The results of this study indicate that the subjects were able to make quick judgments on tourism websites, and that inspiration and usability were the primary drivers evoking a favorable first impression. This research concludes by discussing the implications of these findings and possible directions for future study.

Top Management's Perceptions Of Service Excellence And Hospitality: The Case Of Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, Taryn Aiello

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated service excellence and hospitality in a healthcare setting. It is unique from other hospitality research in that it considers hospitality and service excellence as separate concepts, applicable across industries. Part of the premise of this study explores how hospitality extends past service excellence to create a comfortable and welcoming environment to combat patient anxiety and stress. Furthermore, this is one of the first qualitative studies on the importance of service excellence and hospitality in the healthcare industry. This case study measured top management's perceptions of service excellence and hospitality within one community-based hospital located in Orlando, Florida. …

Online Leisure Hotel Selection Criteria And Booking Behavior Of Young Middle-Income Singaporeans, Kin Wai Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Internet has changed the face of purchasing and customer behaviour over the last decade or so. Traditional concepts of marketing must be reviewed and businesses must be ready to fully embrace the online marketplace. The hotel industry is no different and evidently, has much to gain from this new medium with online sales figures climbing annually (Carroll & Sileo, 2007; PhoCusWright, 2006).

Studies have shown that more and more consumers are moving towards the Internet to find their products and services and ultimately making the purchase online (Starkov & Price, 2003). Singaporeans make for interesting subjects in this area, …

Service Dimensions Of Service Quality Impacting Customer Satisfaction Of Fine Dining Restaurants In Singapore, Ko King Lily Harr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper is an exploratory study of customer satisfaction of fine dining restaurants in Singapore. Since there is a causal relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality and services literature and studies have shown that service quality is an antecedent of customer satisfaction, this paper seeks to find out the service dimensions of service quality, which lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction. This study suggested that the service dimensions of assurance, empathy and tangibles are the most important to customers’ evaluation of service quality, and thus, may have a positive influence customer satisfaction. The service aspects of each of …

The Hotel Guest Questionnaire: An Assessment Of Its Role As A Service Encounter Interface, Alfred W. Ogle

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This exploratory study on hotel stakeholder behaviour uses a 'service innovation' approach to investigate how the hotel guest questionnaire can function in a way not previously considered in the hospitality management literature. viz as a remote service encounter interface between the hotel management and guest. The paper-based guest questionnaire. also commonly known as comment card. is an old hotel tradition that is the most widely used method or guest feedback elicitation by hotels. Primarily a method of measuring guest satisfaction. studies show that its inherent limitations as a survey Instrument result in inaccurate and ungeneralisable data. The trend for e-based …

An Examination Of Variables Influencing Undergraduate Hospitality Management Majors' Moral Reasoning, Tamantha L. Brooks

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifying factors that facilitate moral reasoning among hospitality management majors are important since it provides insight into their capacity for ethical decision making. This study examines if the variables of age, education level, gender, ethics coursework, or supervisory experience influence hospitality majors' moral reasoning. Participants (n=449) included students taking required hospitality management courses from five Midwestern universities in the United States. The Defining Issues Test II (DIT2) instrument and a demographic supplement were used to collect data. Results showed that there was no correlation between age and moral reasoning; the level of education did not influence moral reasoning; moral reasoning …

Expatriate Training For The Hotel And Gaming Workforce: Don't Leave Home Without It, Chien Chien Serene Lim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Globalization is fast becoming the new trend of the hospitality industry. It remains as a highly complex and controversial concept that is not a new phenomenon. Researchers have suggested that globalization is likely an irreversible forceful process that will change the face of businesses (Mrak, 2000). In the recent Global Relocation Trends Survey conducted annually by GMAC Global Relocation Services (2007), it was reported that more than two-thirds (69%) of the multinational corporations surveyed reported an increase to the number of international assignments. This is the highest percentage that was ever reported, with more companies (65%) indicating their intent in …

Managing Halal Quality In Food Service Industry, Siew Fun Vivienne Soong

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Muslim world population survey conducted in 2005 found that Islam is the fastest growing religion on earth, both through birth and adoption. There were 2 billion Muslims scatted around 148 countries and the figures are rising each day. It is estimated that by 2010, the Muslim population will exceed 3 billion (Evans, 2005). The recorded growth rate for Muslim population is as follows: the Europe Muslim population of around 25 million increased at a rate of 140% over the past 10 years, America’s by 25%, Australia’s by 250% and Asia’s increased by 12% over the same period. The healthy …

Effects Of An Upbeat And Positive Attitude In Customer Service Interactions, Brent Pritchett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In an extension of research demonstrating the effects of an upbeat and positive attitude in customer service interactions, the experiment and case studies examined in this paper identified evidence in support of displaying a positive behavior during customer service interactions. In the experiment, casino table game dealers were identified that exuded a consistent upbeat and positive attitude. These dealers were compared to other dealers who were inconsistent in their behavior. The experiment revealed that dealers, who engaged customers with a positive attitude, earned more in tipped income. In a series of case studies, service surveys were taken from customers that …

The Relationship Between International Expansion And Firm Performance: An Investigation Of U.S.-Based Restaurants And Firms, Soyeon Jung

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study has three objectives. First, based on the above argument, this study aims to examine whether there is an association between international expansion and U.S.-based restaurants performance in terms of accounting-based measures. Second, this study intends to examine how the performance of service firms will indeed change within an observed time frame of international expansion. Finally, the research hopes to provide insights and assistance both to academics and to company strategists who are in charge of the international operations of service firms.

An Analysis Of The Environmental Content Of Las Vegas Strip Hotels, Andrew M. Levey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the environmental content of hotel properties websites. The central question of this study is whether Las Vegas Strip properties have gone green, or plan to go green. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the frequency of the environmental content of twenty-three Las Vegas Strip hotels’ websites as well as five upcoming hotel projects and one hotel expansion project on the Strip. The twenty-eight hotels are all located along Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as the Strip. All properties examined have over two thousand rooms each. The goal is to determine how prevalent and important …

Inside Unlv, Shane Bevell, David Ashley, Tony Allen, Mamie Peers, Allison Miller

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

The Waiting Game, Dennis Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A study of wait times in the hospitality industry, and the guest satisfaction as related to those waits. When faced with waiting, what are the perceptions of the customer, and what can be done to help shorten the perception to help guest satisfaction. Finally, to look into the technology that is available today and in the near future, and what some industries have done to help alleviate the wait time to satisfy their customers’ needs.

High Occupancy Strategy At Thehotel: Is It Worth The Negative Impacts?, Joe Tidwell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

THEhotel in Las Vegas, Nevada operates on a high occupancy throughout the year. Taking advantage of traffic flow through other areas of the property while maintaining a high reputation for customer service on the rooms side is the most efficient way to produce profit that will please the executive team, the guests, the employees and the shareholders of MGM Mirage.

A Comparative Analysis Of Mice Destinations Between Macau And Singapore, Cheong Su Richard Tan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Macau is probably best known worldwide for its gaming industry which has always been a staple of its economy and has surpassed Las Vegas as the world’s biggest gambling market in 2006 (Cheung, 2007). After its return to Chinese rule in 1999, the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) government decided to diversify its economy and liberalized the gaming market with an aim to transform the territory into a centre of gaming, cultural events, conference and exhibition (Pao, 2004). Recognizing the economic benefits of MICE, the SAR government aims to nurture the city into a prominent MICE destination (Macau Government Tourist …

Technology And Social Anxieties, Attitudes And Behavioral Intentions Of Singaporeans Towards Using Self-Service Technology (Sst), Mukesh Kumar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The interactions between customers and service organizations, known as service encounters, have generally been between front-liner and consumers. Gradually however, these encounters are changing with the introduction of self-service facilities that are quickly replacing service staff. The use of self-service technology has seen an incredible amount of growth globally over the last few years. Self-service technologies are currently being used in more diverse ways for new services than once thought possible. The expenditure on self-service kiosks is expected to rise by 88% and the dollar value of transactions taking place through self-service technology should exceed 1.3 trillion by 2007 (Avery, …

Premier, Stuart H. Mann, Karen Sharp, Stephen Michaelides, Robert N. Grimes, Erin O'Donnell, Judy Nagai, Christian E. Hardigree

Premier: The Magazine of the UNLV Harrah Hotel College

No abstract provided.

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Erin O'Donnell, Cate Weeks, Shane Bevell, Grace Russell

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Variable Check-In Time: Raising Room Revenue With Multiple Daily Check-In Times, Matthew Kaplan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An exploration of a new theory of hotel room valuation and pricing called “Variable Check-In Time”. The theory holds that hotels could increase room revenue by instituting multiple daily check-in times, rather than the typical, universal 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. room-day. In doing so, hotels could accommodate guests for more hours per day, thus raising the room night’s salable value. The paper presents the concept of the room-hour and of room-hour utility, making a quantitative case for increased room revenue on utility-maximization grounds. A model for the optimization of room-hour utility is presented, as well as a demonstration of …

Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy: An Examination Of Harrah’S Entertainment, Inc., Michael Mehling

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This professional paper is going to examine marketing communications, specifically the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) strategy. The paper will look at how to develop an IMC strategy, discussing the necessary components. The author will then apply Harrah’s current strategy of their Total Rewards program to the IMC model discussed in the literature review.

Developing A Managerial Plan To Guide The Planning Process For Charity Events, Nicole Molina

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper was to develop a managerial plan to guide the planning process for charity events. A guideline was developed, tested and refined based on a case study of the Prostate Cancer Foundation charity held in October, 2007 at Wynn Las Vegas. A strategy arose from an adaptation of the standard business plans outlined by the Small Business Administration. The resulting business plan, detailed event checklist and timeline will be a guiding tool when planning other charity events.

Interview With Dan J. Wilson, Sudan Farms, 2007 (Audio), Dan J. Wilson

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Dan J. Wilson by Jason Keaton at Canby, Oregon on August 10th, 2007.

The interview index is available for download.

Manager Retention And The Steamboat Ski Resort, Michael D. Gumbiner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The material for this paper centers on the Steamboat Ski Resort Corp. The ski resort was chosen for this study because of its need for a management retention plan. Steamboat was ranked as a top 10 international ski resort in North America by Snow Country Magazine (“Top 50 ski resorts,” 1997). It has maintained this distinction for many years. It has been noted for its idealistic “champion power” and its unpopulated vast terrain. In particular, it has always scored high in the customer experience categories for exceptional down-home friendly people. A chart, prepared by Net promoters.com, on customer and employee …

Premier, Stephen Michaelides, Deirdre Flynn, Robyn Campbell-Ouchida, Karen Sharp, Judy A. Nagai

Premier: The Magazine of the UNLV Harrah Hotel College

No abstract provided.

Developing A Dining Customer Satisfaction Measurement And Response Tool, Mike Distefano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There are many customers and guests who depart a hotel or its dining and entertainment facilities with a "bad taste" in their mouths due to customer service situations that either went wrong completely, or simply did not meet those particular guests' expectations. This frequently results in the seeking by guests of better service experiences by going to the competition, which ultimately represents lost or foregone revenue. These are situations from which management could have actually benefited. It is merely a matter of construing them as opportunities to consummate long-term customer relationships. This misconception is often due to ignorance or oversight …

Exploring Revenue Management In Spas: Yield Management Concepts In The Spa Industry Today, Elaine M. Balkoulis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The primary goal of this paper is to further explore the applications of yield management in the spa industry and identify the techniques that are currently used by spa operators. The paper will also evaluate the most popular spa software systems utilized. Furthermore, the paper will investigate the existence of yield management features in the current spa software systems. In addition an effort will be carried out to examine the spa patrons’ perception on yield management strategies in the spa environment.

Hotel Energy Use Contributes To Global Warming, Christine Faja

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Before learning about the consequences of global warming and the efforts hotels are making to reverse the effects, it is important to get a better understanding of what exactly is the phenomenon that scientists call global warming. According to the EPA (2006), the earth’s climate has changed several times since the beginning of Earth’s existence. The earth is hotter than ever. NASA has reported that the earth’s average surface temperature has risen from 1.2 degrees to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. They also found that the warmest years have occurred within the last 15 years, with 1998 and 2005 being …

Wifi Availability And Accessibility As Stated On Hotel Websites, Michelle Millar, Thomas R. Schrier, Eun Kyoo Kim

Hospitality Management

Competition among hotels is increasing. As such, hotels are constantly looking for ways to increase both their competitive advantage and guest satisfaction. Hotels have discovered ways to do this through the use of technologies such as wireless networks. Wireless networks have the potential to provide guests with additional amenities as well as allow for greater productivity among staff members. This can both increase a hotel’s competitive advantage, and satisfy guest expectations. The purpose of this exploratory study, therefore, is to determine if hotels are taking advantage of this opportunity by promoting wireless internet availability via their property’s website and using …