Business Commons^™

Moderating The Impact Of E-Commerce Expenses On Financial Performance In Us Upper Upscale Hotels: The Role Of Property Size, Agnes L. Defranco, Cristian Morosan, Nan Hua

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The heavily fragmented hotel industry, embracing the changes in their guests’ use of electronic devices, has spent considerable resources to incorporate electronic commerce (e-commerce) practices. The extant literature offers inconclusive findings with regard to the effect of e-commerce on firm performance, especially when firm size is considered. Given the high fragmentation of size in the hotel industry, understanding its role in the deployment of e-commerce could result in substantial benefits for both hotel firms and consumers. Using the financial performance of 689 observations of over 110 hotels during 2007 to 2012, this study finds that e-commerce expenses positively impact firm …

Pharoah And Roger, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

In the world of sport or in the world generally, how often can you say that today there are two major pieces of good news? Yesterday was such a day.

Consumer Reviews And The Creation Of Booking Transaction Value: Lessons From The Hotel Industry, Edwin N. Torres, Dipendra Singh, April Robertson-Ring

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In recent years, much has been said about online consumer-generated feedback. Concern typically emerges regarding consumer decision-making as well as the preservation of an organization's image. Additionally, a company's financial performance can be affected by customer online ratings. The present study explores the impact of a hotel's rating and number of reviews on the value generated through online transactions. Through collaboration with consulting company Travel Click, the research team gathered a sample of 178 hotels representing various companies and brands within the United States. Research results demonstrate that TripAdvisor ratings as well as the number of reviews had positive relationship …

Brady And Goodell, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The success of the NFL derives in part from its mastery of the electronic media as the league is able to blanket that world at all times and places. There is no off-season for the NFL. On the rare occasion, there can be drawbacks to this dominance. The last seventy-two hours is not what the media mavens at the NFL would call “a good run.”

Hall Of Fame Denial, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

This past Tuesday the U.S. Justice Department announced that it was dropping the obstruction of justice case against Barry Bonds. He had been charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in 2007 for testifying to a grand jury that he had never knowingly used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone, Bonds’ testimony was given to the grand jury in 2003 as part of a federal investigation into steroid use by athletes popularly known as the BALCO case. Estimates of the cost of this failed pursuit of Bonds run upwards of $100M.

The Use Of Consumer-Generated Feedback In The Hotel Industry: Current Practices And Their Effects On Quality, Edwin Torres, Howard Adler, Carl Behnke, Li Miao, Xinran Lehto

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Consumer-generated feedback is hard to ignore these days. Word-of-mouth has expanded beyond a customer’s immediate friends and family; with the help of technology it reaches thousands of current and prospective guests. In light of this, scholars and practitioners are exploring the subject of consumer-generated feedback. Today, most of the research regarding this subject focuses on the use of consumer-generated feedback to make purchase decisions. In contrast, the present study explores the use of such information for the purposes of improving hotel operations. This article examines the amount of value placed on consumer-generated feedback, the relative importance placed on positive and …

Women's World Cup, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It was a remarkable performance. Two goals in five minutes, four goals in sixteen minutes. Five overall in a 5-2 World Cup Victory in front of over 53,000 fans in Vancouver. According to NPR early reports put the peak U.S. television audience at nearly 23 million viewers. It is the highest rating and largest audience for any U.S. World Cup match in U.S. television history. The overnight rating approached the ratings of the recently concluded NBA Finals. The game had such excitement that even FOX’s commentators and announcing team could not put a damper on the event.

The Accelerator, Volume 8 Issue 15, Summer 2015, Christa Santos

The Accelerator

No abstract provided.

Ucf Cocoa & Palm Bay Newsletter Summer 2015, Megan M. Haught

UCF Cocoa & Palm Bay Newsletter

This is the Summer 2015 edition of the UCF Cocoa & Palm Bay Newsletter which celebrates the accomplishments and community activity of the faculty, staff, and students from the University of Central Florida Cocoa and Palm Bay campuses.

Some of the exciting news in this edition:

• Knights Helping Knights Pantry will be opening in Cocoa
• Dr. Lauren Miller and Sheryl Schagen were interviewed by Brevard Business News about UCF's new Integrated Business program
• A school supply drive was hosted to benefit Brevard County Public School's Supply Zone for Teachers
• Free flu shots will be offered to students on November 9 …

A-Rod, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The past few weeks have been full of riveting sport. The Stanley Cup Final proved to be one of the most exciting in several years as no team enjoyed more than a one goal lead until the last few minutes of the final game. The NBA finals were marked by expected and unexpected star performances. The College World Series went down to the final game in the best of three series with Virginia besting Vanderbilt. And continuing this week is the Women’s World Cup which has offered both newcomers and established teams a chance to shine in this world class …

Happy Valley, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Documentary film can be one of the most effective forms of journalism when done right. “Happy Valley” directed by Amir Bar-Lev is an impressive, haunting, and powerful example of documentary at its very best. The subject on its surface is the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal at Penn State University. Bar-Lev follows the story from the first revelations of November 2011 through the cascading fallout over the next year.

Triple Crown, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It was a just a year ago that I wrote about the last attempt at a Triple Crown. This year we are at that point again where a race of approximately two minutes and twenty seconds will either end a remarkable era of Triple Crown futility or extend it for yet another year. And so with a few changes of the cast I submit again these observations on this marvelous weekend in horse racing history.

Women At A Music Festival: Biological Sex Defining Motivation And Behavioral Intentions, Robertico R. Croes, Seung Hyan Lee

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study aims to assess whether biological sex impacts motivation and experience at a music festival in Curacao and is premised on different consumption behavior induced by biological sex. Differences in motivations and behavioral intentions based on biological sex were observed. The study further revealed that biological sex plays an important role in framing the experience and behavior intentions of the female segment. This finding is relevant as females are becoming an important mainstream at music festivals and travel and leisure consumers. Biological sex as a predictor of motivation and behavioral intentions has wider effects than just increasing demand; it …

Deflategate, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As I mentioned previously it seems as if there are always some bizarre or hilarious developments in the world of sport while I am out of touch. A few days ago I reported on my experiences watching hockey in Russia. Now I want to revisit what many of you will consider old news.

Catching Up, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As I mentioned previously it seems as if there are always some bizarre or hilarious developments in the world of sport while I am out of touch. A few days ago I reported on my experiences watching hockey in Russia. Now I want to revisit what many of you will consider old news.

Hockey In Russia, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It may be my imagination but it seems as though every time I leave the country for a few weeks the world of sport goes through some sort of convulsion or some extraordinary developments take place. This past couple of weeks seems to have been no exception and I will come back to those later.

Ruth's First, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

A hundred years ago, Babe Ruth strode to the plate and cracked his first major league home run on May 5, 1915. Twenty years later he would hit No. 714, a milestone that would stand for generations. 712, 713, and 714 came in Pittsburgh a few weeks before his retirement, and 714 was the first ball ever hit over the roof of Forbes Field in right, and it came to rest in a small park across the street. It was the longest home run, some would say, of his career.

Analysis And Implications Of Guest Attitudes Towards Queuing In Theme Parks, Austin Lemaster

HIM 1990-2015

Queue lines are a fundamental inevitably of the modern theme park. Parks have begun to introduce various systems for combating the normal queue, some of which are at no extra cost to guests and some of which are an extra cost. These systems feature a variety of methods by which guests can bypass the normal queue and enter one featuring a minimal wait. Parks have also started to introduce elements within queues that make waiting in them easier and change guests’ perception of time, thus making the waits seem shorter. This thesis attempts to determine the attitudes of guests towards …

Geography Lessons, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As most sports fans and others who have become collateral damage know, the NCAA basketball tourneys are underway. The men’s version started on Thursday, unless you count Tuesday, and the women began play on Friday. Aside from several exciting finishes in this first flurry of games, several other things are worth noting. Or, as they say on TV after a particularly exciting play or game, “This is what college basketball is all about.”

Ncaa Geography, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As most sports fans and others who have become collateral damage know, the NCAA basketball tourneys are underway. The men’s version started on Thursday, unless you count Tuesday, and the women began play on Friday. Aside from several exciting finishes in this first flurry of games, several other things are worth noting. Or as they say on TV after a particularly exciting play or game, “this is what college basketball is all about.”

March Madness, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It is March Madness time. This usually means it is time for the NCAA to take those to court who are violating their copyright of that phrase.

The Influence Of Others On The Vacation Experience: An Ethnographic Study Of Psychographics, Decision Making, And Group Dynamics Among Young Travelers, Edwin Torres

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The vacation experience is often enjoyed in the company of others. Whereas scholars have focused on the consumer behaviors of mature travelers, young travelers have received less attention. The present study explores customer-to-customer interactions among young travelers (in their 20s and 30s) within a European tour-group setting. Furthermore, it attempts to understand the influence such travelers have on one another. The decision-making patterns, role of the tour guide, group dynamics, and psychographic preferences are studied from an ethnographic approach. Results indicate that the young travel segment is not as homogeneous as previously conceived. Notable differences in activities, interests, and opinions …

History Curriculum Needs More Coverage Of Black Inventors, Anthony Major

UCF Forum

There is a reason we study Russian and European history as an integral part of our history curriculum. History is required from pre-K to college because it is a vital part of knowing how you and your country came to be.

Alison Gordon, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Over the past ten days there has been an avalanche of deaths of major sports figures. The obituary writers have been kept busy and tributes have been coming from all directions in sportsworld. The death of Dean Smith attracted the attention of sports writers and social commentators across the country. A few days later tributes came for Jerry Tarkanian another legendary college basketball coach. The passing of Charlie Sifford, golf’s Jackie Robinson led to reflections on the central place race has played in the world of sport. So too with the death of Ernie Banks came a reminder of the …

Super Bowl Xlix, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It is a 153 page document made public by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that begins with these awkward sentences: The day of the Super Bowl game (the “Game” or the “Super Bowl”) is America’s unofficial holiday, a day when the attention of an entire nation is focused on the Game in one region between the championship teams of the American and the National Football Conferences. The most highly anticipated annual sports event in North American sports is also a time for festive celebration and civic pride.”

Selig Retires, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

On Sunday, with no real NFL Football to clutter the world of sport, the man who I once referred to as the “Acting Commissioner for Life,” will retire. It turned out that the “Acting-Commissioner for Life” was very nearly Commissioner for Life. It is clear that over his long and rocky tenure as Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig left a massive legacy. The business and sport of major league baseball was impacted for good and for ill by the man who began his professional life selling used cars in Milwaukee. He will end his tenure as Commissioner by becoming the …

Tourism Potential To Benefit The Poor: A Social Accounting Matrix Model Applied To Ecuador, Robertico Croes, Manuel A. Rivera

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The study examines the distributional effects of tourism expansion applying a Social Accounting Matrix model to the case of Ecuador. Specifically the study examines what share of tourism expansion benefits poor people. The study finds that tourism has large multiplier effects on the Ecuadorian economy and has the potential for substantial benefits to the poor. The study also found that distributional effects of tourism development are spread across all household incomes in both urban and rural areas benefiting the lowest and low households the most. Tourism has the potential of reducing inequality and is pro-poor in the case of Ecuador. …

The Internationalization Benefits Of A Music Festival: The Case Of The Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival, Manuel Rivera, Kelly Semrad, Robertico Croes

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

A longitudinal research design was used to assess the potential internationalization benefits that may occur when hosting a music festival in a small island destination. A macroeconomic analysis was used to assess these benefits. The results reveal that a music festival may make a positive economic impact and provide internationalization benefits for a small economy under the eclectic paradigm and the OLI Framework. The study contributes to the understanding of music festivals as a strategic resource to enhance the competitiveness of small island destinations.

The Effects Of Facial Cues On Consumer Judgment And Decision-Making, Fan Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the roles of facial cues in consumer behavior. Specifically, the research examines the effect of facial structural resemblance, facial expressions, and other perceptual cues—in both individual and group settings—on consumer judgment and decision-making. Essay 1 examines the influence of facial resemblance on consumers* product purchase likelihood. This effect is moderated by consumers* mental construal, such that the effect of increased facial resemblance on product purchase likelihood occurs among consumers with high-level construals but not among those with low-level construals. Results of three experimental studies show that increased facial resemblance among team members enhances the perceived entitativity of …

Destination Competitiveness: A Comparative Study Of Hong Kong, Macau And Singapore, Louise Todd, Anna Leask, Alan Fyall

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article presents a comparative study of the destination competitiveness of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macau and those strategies developed to enhance their future positions in the global destination “marketplace.” The methodology adopted is secondary in nature in that a critical review of the existing literature was conducted along with a synthesis of current practices across the three city-state destinations. The 15 Cs Framework provides the research parameters for the study in that it advocates an inclusive approach to those challenges and opportunities facing destinations as they seek to enhance their overall competitiveness. In particular, the study explores the specific …