Business Commons^™

Slow Tourism: A Means-End Approach To The Motivations Of Slow Travelers, Eunkyeong Jung

Doctoral Dissertations

The primary objective of this dissertation was to examine the phenomenon of slow tourism by exploring tourists’ motivations and end-state values of slow tourism. Two research questions were developed: What are the important attributes, consequences/ benefits, and end-state values of slow tourism that travelers perceive? What are the structural relationships among attributes, consequences, and values of slow tourism? To address the questions, this dissertation applied a mixed method design by which both qualitative and quantitative investigations were performed.

First, building upon means-end chain theory (Reynolds & Gutman, 1988), in-depth interviews with slow travelers were conducted and were analyzed by laddering …

Modeling The Consumer Acceptance Of Retail Service Robots, So Young Song

Doctoral Dissertations

This study uses the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) and domestication theories as the underlying framework of an acceptance model of retail service robots (RSRs). The model illustrates the relationships among facilitators, attitudes toward Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), anxiety toward robots, anticipated service quality, and the acceptance of RSRs. Specifically, the researcher investigates the extent to which the facilitators of usefulness, social capability, the appearance of RSRs, and the attitudes toward HRI affect acceptance and increase the anticipation of service quality. The researcher also tests the inhibiting role of pre-existing anxiety toward robots on the relationship between these facilitators and attitudes …

Social Exchange Between Destination Marketing Organizations And Stakeholders In Tennessee’S Rural Counties, Angela Gray Sebby

Doctoral Dissertations

Promoting local culture and heritage, natural resources, farm-to-table opportunities, and outdoor recreation, more visitors are now travelling to rural communities for these experiences.

The goal for rural areas interested in tourism is to create viable and sustainable tourism through destination-marketing strategies. These strategies require extensive research, appropriate planning, and allocated funding, often managed by a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). With the creation of the Tennessee Rural Development Task Force, Tennessee’s strategy is to increase economic growth in rural communities.

While there is a need for the DMO to form an alliance with industry stakeholders, lack of incentives and strained relationships …

Be Our Guest: A Hotel's Guide To Guest Service Hospitality Training, Abigail Ehlert

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Advertising And Consumer Responses In The Lodging Industry: Functions Of Green Marketing Motive And Appeal Type, Donghwan Yoon

Doctoral Dissertations

Hotel chains are increasingly engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) marketing to fulfill their social responsibilities. This study primarily aimed to contribute to the hospitality marketing literature and derive findings from the applied theoretical frameworks that would provide practical information for hotel CSR marketers. The study introduced three theoretical concepts: the information-processing model to provide a comprehensive framework of the attitude formation process, the attribution theory to explain the different effects of CSR motives, and the hierarchy-of-effects model to explain the relational effects of affect, cognition, and conation on consumer responses. In this sense, the study was conducted to test …

Measuring Academic Leadership Effectiveness Of Hospitality And Tourism Academic Administrators: A Transformation Leadership Framework, James Edward Talbert Iii

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to extend the existing knowledge of academic administrator leadership behaviors that are necessary for effective academic leadership in hospitality and tourism higher education, as viewed through the transformational leadership framework. This study also investigated hospitality and tourism administrators’ previous industry experience, management experience, and management experience in the industry. This dissertation research was guided by three primary objectives. First, this study aimed to develop a model that measures hospitality and tourism academic leadership effectiveness. Second, this dissertation intended to explore the relationship among different leadership styles & leadership effectiveness. Third, this dissertation aspired to …

Sistemas De Salud En Latinoamérica: El Estado De La Industria De Salud Latinoamericana Y Avances Basados En Operaciones De Sistemas De Salud Extranjeros, Morgan Ward

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Most Powerful Mouse In The World : The Globalization Of The Disney Brand, Michaela J. Robbins

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Luxe-Bargain Shopping: Consumer Orientations, Perceived Values, Satisfaction, And Future Intentions, Chae Mi Lim

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the phenomenon of “massclusivity” of luxury (i.e., increased accessibility and affordability of luxury) in the current luxury market. To do so, this study introduced the concept of “Luxe-Bargain Shopping,” which referred to purchasing a luxury brand at a bargain, and developed an empirical framework that portrayed both luxury consumption and the bargain process. The specific research objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate whether luxury-related consumer orientations (i.e., prestige sensitivity and fashion leadership) influence perceived product values (i.e., social, emotional, and quality values); (2) investigate whether bargain-related consumer orientations (i.e., price mavenism and …

The Smart Shopping Construct: Scale Development And Validation, Kelly Green Atkins

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to gain a better understanding and conceptualization of the term smart shopping. The specific research objectives were to: (a) investigate consumers‟ perceptions of the term smart shopping; (b) develop a measure of smart shopping; and (c) validate the measure of smart shopping.

A comprehensive literature review was used to identify existing smart shopping theories and to identify opportunities for expanding on the existing meanings of the term. To obtain consumers‟ perceptions of the term smart shopping, two focus group interviews and fifteen face-to-face in-depth interviews were employed for initial item generation and instrument development. Scale development …

Relationships Between High School Students’ Perception Of Teacher Effectiveness, Attitudes Towards Hospitality And Intent To Select Hospitality As A Career, Eva Marie Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

The aspects of the learning environment have the potential to be an important influence in the career decision-making process of students. Teacher effectiveness was also a revealed as a component of student success. However, the connection between teachers’ effectiveness and student’s career development exhibited a gap in the literature. The idea that a teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom can have a direct impact on a students’ decision to choose a vocation, particularly hospitality, as a post secondary career path has not been thoroughly examined. The purpose of this study was to explore possible relationships between student perception of teacher effectiveness …

Revenue Management Concept Training: Its Efficacy As An Intervention Methodology For Hotel Front Desk Employees And Hotel Managers, Warren Thomas Jahn Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was determine if a basic Revenue Management (RM) concept training program can successfully teach hotel front desk employees and managers RM fundamentals. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate the reaction or satisfaction level of hotel front desk employees and managers in reference to the training program, and (b) to examine the training program’s effectiveness in teaching basic RM concepts. A basic revenue management training program and examination was utilized in a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design model with a treatment and control group to examine if learning had taken place. The study …

Analysis Of Town Center Mixed-Use Developments To Determine Key Retailer Success Factors, Kelly G. Atkins

Masters Theses

The socio-economic changes and the population growth concentrated in cities in the U.S. have resulted in increasing interest in urban life that combines living, shopping and work in one centralized location. This type of area, called a mixed-use development, meets the needs of changing American lifestyles. To build successful retail businesses in the mixed-use developments, more information must be identified concerning key retail success factors. Based upon this need, this study examined the town center mixed-use development through case studies. The scope ofthe study included identifying successful town center mixed-use developments in the U.S., identifying locations for each case study …

An Examination Of Consumer Opinions Regarding Hotel Websites, Jeremy Burnett

Masters Theses

Internet reservations are a growing portion of the distribution channels in the hotel industry. With this growing area of marketing and sales of hotel rooms comes a need for clarification of the needs of both the hotel and the consumer. This study examines consumer preferences and opinions about the features and functions available on hotel websites with respect to the type of website used by the consumer. Two researcher developed survey instruments were used in this study. The first survey process identified and refined the features and functions to be examined through a series of interviews with users of online …

Effect Of The Nutrition Labeling And Education Act Of 1990 On Independent Restaurants In Tennessee, Katherine D. Gattis

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate what effect current and proposed regulations of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 would have on independent restaurant operations in the state of Tennessee. A rule proposed in June of 1993 will expand the NLEA to include restaurant menus.

The sample was identified and selected from the population of independent restaurateurs in the state of Tennessee who were members or were eligible for membership in the Tennessee Restaurant Association (TRA) and operated ten units or less. Cities with populations greater than 25,000 were used to stratify the sample due to …