This study examined the role of interior design in a hotel context. Although the role of interior design is clear in daily life and managerial activities, little consumer research has been conducted to identify the influential elements of interior design and capture their impacts, specifically within the hotel industry. Additionally, there is limited theoretical support for the integration of design and business disciplines, and the integration of consumer culture theory (CCT) and service dominant logic (SDL) theories. Addressing these gaps, this study sought to understand the underpinnings of hotel interior design, and explain its role from the distinct perspective of cosmopolitan consumers, through servicescape, CCT and SDL lenses. Drawing on the CCT and SDL theories in this research, the perspective of value creation in SDL is combined with the meaning creation in CCT, to explore what meanings hotel interior design can convey to hotel consumers, what it means to them, and how it influences them. An interpretivist research paradigm was employed using an inductive approach, and qualitative data was collected through thirty-seven semi- structured interviews. The findings of the research have indicated that consumers perceive hotels’ interior design holistically as a first impression. However, over time and with usage experience certain design elements increase in importance relative to others (e.g. colour, lighting). Therefore the findings highlighted that the perception is formed by both the functionality and the aesthetic appearance of the interior design, and identified the most influential interior design elements. The findings also revealed that hotel interior design is very critical in forming customers’ perceptions, creating value, symbolizing meanings, and shaping their overall experience. This study is of both theoretical and managerial importance. Theoretically, this study developed the “Hotelscape” framework as the core contribution and the final outcome of the study. This framework identifies the elements that form the overall interior design of a hotel servicescape, along with their impacts on customers and hoteliers in one comprehensive framework. It also unites separate concepts such as design and business, and integrates several theories including SDL and CCT. Managerially, this study will enhance the hotel managers’ awareness of the practical value of interior design. It will help hoteliers understand their consumers better, and enable them to manipulate their service environments to differentiate their offerings through interior design. As such, this study sends an overriding message to academics and managers that the coordination between design and business is necessary and beneficial, especially in a globalized and competitive industry such as hotels.

Hospitality and tourism are important sectors of any economy. In the service sector, achieving a level of service quality that satisfies customers usually results in a competitive advantage in the market. The concept of service quality in hotels has been the subject of many research studies and there are numerous published works in the field. However, only a few studies have focused on the determinants of service quality for hotels using a set of comprehensive criteria. Thus, conceptualizing a service quality model that identifies the dimensions of service quality that affect customers' satisfaction is needed for hotels. In addition, the role of operations management practices in managing service quality cannot be denied. The available literature on the hotel industry in terms of managerial practices is unfortunately poor and needs to be enriched. Logically, better operations management practices in managing hotels' service quality would have a direct positive impact on performance, but there could also be some indirect (mediating) impact on performance through customer satisfaction. The purpose of this research is to build an effective model for measuring service quality in the hotel industry through critical evaluation of the available literature in service in general and hotels in particular. The built model has aspects of customer's perceptions of service quality, management's perceptions of operations management practices and of performance. The existing literature has been used to conceptualize a service quality model that meets the purpose of this research. The conceptualized model has eleven dimensions; seven for customer perceptions on service quality and four for management perceptions of operations management practices in managing service and on performance. The dimensions of customer's perceptions are: employee behaviour/attitude, price fairness, non-technological tangibility, technological tangibility, in-consumption positive emotions, in-consumption negative emotions and overall customer satisfaction. The introductions of technology and in-consumption emotions are one of the main contributions of this research. Though previous researchers have supported the use of these two criteria in evaluating service quality of hotels, the researcher is not aware of any quantitative service quality study that used these two dimensions. Of particular note is that emotion is evaluated in terms of its frequency of occurrence during the service experience, unlike previous studies. The dimensions of operations management practices are managing employees, managing process and customer feedback. Managers' perceptions on hotel performance were also included in the conceptualized model. Linking operations management practices to overall customer satisfaction is another contribution of this research. Many previous studies attempted to understand the direct link between service quality and performance; although there is an equally dominant view in the literature that the relationship between service quality and performance could be more complex. Hence, there could also be some indirect (mediating) impact on performance through customer satisfaction. This research tested whether there is a mediating effect by customer satisfaction between operations management practices and performance. This test also contributed to the existing literature on service as a whole and on hotels in particular. Moreover, a moderation test of customers' characteristics; gender, purpose of hotel stay, age and education, is also performed in this research, further strengthening the value of this research. Responses from two independently administered surveys have been used in this research, one for hotel customers and a second for hotel managers. Data has been collected in two international airports and a number of hotels in Oman. A sample size of 689 observations was used to test the relationships developed in the conceptualized model. First, factor analysis was carried out on the data to validate the developed dimensions. Exploratory factor analysis (EF A) was performed to explore the dimensions and then confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm the validity of the dimensions. The measurement model has been checked for its reliability and validity using criteria developed from the available literature. Then, the developed hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model (SEM) using partial least square approach (PLS-SEM). The results have generally confirmed the original conceptualizations. All service quality dimensions, namely employee behaviour/attitude, non-technological tangibility, technological tangibility, positive in-consumption emotions and negative in-consumption emotions and operations management practices, namely managing employees, managing process and customer feedback, have been found to have a statistically significant influence on the overall satisfaction of guests. The hypotheses on the moderating effects of customers' characteristics were partially supported. The results proved that management practices have direct and significant effects on performance. In addition, customer satisfaction was found to be partially mediating the relationship between operations management practices and performance. Knowledge about the dimensions of service quality and operations management practices in hotel industry is valuable for managers in the context of managing and assessing the quality of their service. This research has used the available literature to build a model that has interrelationships between operations management practices, customer perceptions of service quality and performance in the hotel industry. The model has introduced two new dimensions, technology and emotions, which has enriched the literature of service quality evaluation. There is no doubt that managerial awareness of the dimensions influencing customer satisfaction will help in developing competitive advantages for their hotels. In addition, linking operational management practices to overall customer satisfaction and testing its direct and indirect effect on performance has also contributed to knowledge. Thus, in order for managers to increase the hotels' performance in terms of customer satisfaction, special considerations need to be carried through their practices. Moreover, managers' awareness of the moderating role of the customers' characteristics will help in better managing the quality of service provided. The findings of this study in particular will open new directions for future research in the hotel industry in particular and the service industries as a whole.

The Twentieth Century’s hotel industry saw a shift from independently managed grand hotels to the increasing influence of multinational hotel companies whilst processes of globalisation contributed to the international movement of people, ideas and practices. The London Hilton was the first subsidiary of this American branded chain to open in Britain undergoing, at the time, cultural and social changes associated with the ‘Swinging Sixties’. The history of grand hotels has been thoroughly documented however there is lack of business history research into the expansion process of modern multinational hotel companies. The aim of this study is to explore the process of internationalisation of Hilton Hotels through the transference of knowledge between the parent company and the London subsidiary. International business theory is investigated in pursuit of establishing relationships between the concepts of transference of knowledge, multiple-embeddedness and negotiation of legitimacy, collectively forming a conceptual framework driving this research. A single embedded case study is adopted to comprehend the nuanced relationships and pressures resulting from the multiple-embeddedness of the case. An extensive range of archival material is collected to construct an in-depth case study of the London Hilton embedded in the contexts of its parent company as well as home and host countries. The case is synthesised with the theory using interpretive research methods and employing a three-stage coding process. The London Hilton appears to be representative of a case of effective knowledge transference which avoided the pressure for homogenisation from the host environment. It is an example of an organisation whose foreignness served as a differentiating, rather than restraining factor. These findings contradict the traditional institutional assertion of the necessity for adaptation to local settings and confirm the notion that legitimacy can be negotiated. The appearance of the Hilton hotel on the 1960’s London hotel market can be perceived as an emblem of the wider historical changes in the globalising world. The main contribution of this research is adding a new dimension to the paradigms of institutionalism and the resource-based view by illuminating the complex associations between these concepts underpinning international business theories. The study also extends the existing theory of foreignness and contributes to the body of business history research in the field of hotel management. It recommends the application of oral history and network analysis for further exploration of these concepts.

High labour turnover and associated costs have been subjects of considerable debate in the hospitality industry. Central to this ongoing discussion is understanding why hospitality management graduates leave the industry. Research studies suggest some answers, such as the nature of work conditions in the industry or a lack of career planning by hospitality students. This doctoral thesis is concerned with the process of leaving the hospitality industry. It explores the interplay between self-efficacy and career inheritance, and its influence on career commitment by gaining insights into how hospitality management graduates arrived at the decision to leave the hospitality industry. In the context of the changing nature of careers, from traditional linear to flexible protean, this interdisciplinary research provides insights into the process that leads to the individual leaving the hospitality industry. Career commitment, conceptualised as a psychological contract between the individual and a chosen career, informs this process of leaving, which is further explored using the interplay between the concepts of self-efficacy and career inheritance. Drawing on life history methodology, which allows for an exploration of unique life experiences and an in-depth understanding of academic and career decisions, semi-structured interviews were conducted with hospitality management graduates no longer employed in the hospitality industry. Underpinning and informing data collection and analysis was critical realism, with its unique perspective on epistemology as constructed, and ontology as realist yet stratified. The interview data were analysed thematically, which involved coding participants’ responses into pre-assigned and emergent themes. Empirical evidence reveals that the decision to leave the hospitality industry is a result of a cumulative power of events. The concept of the leaving process is the original theoretical contribution of this thesis, which explains the interaction between the three concepts indicated above. It demonstrates that exiting the industry is a developmental journey punctuated by significant career turning points. The speed of decline in commitment, which is representative of the duration of leaving, is dependent on the interaction between career inheritance and self-efficacy. Alongside an integrative definition of career, characteristics of a career manager and the principles of the legacy of hospitality as further research findings, this doctoral thesis concludes by proposing a collaborative approach to career management. Limitations of this study are evaluated and avenues to further research are also proposed.

This doctoral investigation explores the area of emotional labour in relation to aggressive customers’ behaviours. In more detail, it is focussing on the way employees engage in emotional labour, which can be done either by surface acting or deep acting, when they are interacting with aggressive customers and the consequences that may arise due to this method. The thematic and narrative literature review conducted by the researcher on the initial stages of this thesis provided the basis and foundations of the creation of the initial conceptual framework on managing the negative consequences of surface acting when interacting with aggressive customers and achieving the desired deep acting during those interactions. The researcher follows the constructivist / interpretivist philosophical approach in her study, and adopts the methodological triangulation for conducting her primary research by using a combination of two qualitative methods, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The semi-structured interviews were contacted first, and the focus groups, as an additional method, had the purpose of either validating the results or adding to them accordingly. This study revealed that employees are only engaging in surface acting when they are interacting with aggressive customers. This results in a number of negative consequences. The current research has focussed on how to overcome those negative consequences. It further explored the ways that would engage employees in deep acting during those challenging interactions with aggressive customers and the positive effects. The results were presented in the empirically validated conceptual framework that has been created. The findings of this doctoral investigation have contributed both in theory as well as practice. The theoretical contributions include innovative additions to the existing theoretical gaps in the area of emotional labour in terms of how to overcome the negative consequences of surface acting and enhance the use of deep acting during interactions with aggressive customers. Further on, there are also contributions in the literature of the hospitality industry that has been under-researched in regards to this area. In addition, this research is adding to the existing knowledge of how to handle aggressive customers since it is including important findings on how to handle employees’ emotions so that aggressive customers are being treated more effectively. This also benefits the theory of marketing by offering the opportunity for further researchers to use the current empirically tested theoretical framework in order to test the relationship between engaging in deep acting and eliminating customer dissatisfaction. In terms of practical contributions, this research is adding knowledge to the hospitality industry employees, the management and the industry as a whole. While utilising this framework, both management and employees will be able to offer more genuine emotions to their aggressive customers and therefore be able to achieve the best possible results for the organisations they are working for.

The overall aim of this study is to investigate the phenomenon of performance measurement in independently owned hotels in Ireland in order to understand the role of measurement in the management of the largest component of the hotel sector. The primary objectives of this study are to investigate the extent to which Irish hotel operators are utilising performance measurement techniques, to establish the rationale for the use of selected performance measures in independent hotels and to understand approaches to performance measurement in the management of independent hotels. A comprehensive investigation of existing performance management and measurement activity is provided in this study. A mixed methods approach to the research was undertaken to gather data on the phenomenon of performance measurement, allowing for a triangulation of data through multiple sources. A survey questionnaire was carried out within the hotels in Ireland followed by focus groups and indepth interviews carried out in a number of small and medium-sized hotels in Ireland. A number of key' performance measurement issues were investigated and include the rationale for performance measurement, the benefits of performance measurement, those responsible for carrying out the function, critical success factors impacting on the business and performance dimensions and measures utilised by hotel operators in the study. The findings of this research have implications for a number of stakeholders, however, the greatest impact will be on the small and medium-sized hotel operator. The research shows there is a need for these hotel operators to adopt a more structured formal approach to performance measurement. A number of models of performance measurement for small, medium-size and large hotels are proposed. These models will contribute to the management of performance in the hotel sector in Ireland, leading to increased effectiveness which is especially important in the current economic climate that the hotel and tourism sector is facing and will face into the future.

This study is set out to assess the effectiveness of customer relationship management (CRM) in the hotel industry. Relying on the integration of several CRM scholars, the study seeks to answer questions about the relationship between CRM and performance. A mixed research method approach was adopted. The research targeted 106 hotels in Pretoria. 47 responses were received from the hotel personnel who answered the questionnaire. The findings of the survey clearly indicate that hotel performance is dependent on CRM, as shown in the variance of performance levels in line with the level of CRM practised by a specific, named hotel. The study further suggests that hotels’ management should continuously embark on various CRM practices in order to improve their performance. Responses will be captured and analysed using the SPSS computer software. The results will be subjected to quantitative data analysis. It is expected that the findings will highlight important implications for hotels and other hospitality and tourism stakeholders in Pretoria and beyond. Stakeholders wishing to improve their understanding of the effectiveness of CRM in hotels will find this study helpful. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

This study is set out to assess the effectiveness of customer relationship management (CRM) in the hotel industry. Relying on the integration of several CRM scholars, the study seeks to answer questions about the relationship between CRM and performance. A mixed research method approach was adopted. The research targeted 106 hotels in Pretoria. 47 responses were received from the hotel personnel who answered the questionnaire. The findings of the survey clearly indicate that hotel performance is dependent on CRM, as shown in the variance of performance levels in line with the level of CRM practised by a specific, named hotel. The study further suggests that hotels’ management should continuously embark on various CRM practices in order to improve their performance. Responses will be captured and analysed using the SPSS computer software. The results will be subjected to quantitative data analysis. It is expected that the findings will highlight important implications for hotels and other hospitality and tourism stakeholders in Pretoria and beyond. Stakeholders wishing to improve their understanding of the effectiveness of CRM in hotels will find this study helpful. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)