A descriptive survey was sent to 434 food service and lodging companies May, June, and August of 1983. The objective of this survey was to investigate and assess current cash management practices. A response rate of 21.89% was received. After the surveys were returned, results were analyzed in two ways: by frequency distribution tables and hypotheses testing. The frequency distribution tables described the results of the data. Hypotheses testing described the relationship between the independent variables, which are; the percent of assets held as cash, dollar value of net corporate assets, and level of revenue, and the dependent variables, which are prescriptive cash management techniques. Survey results concluded that the larger the firm, as measured by asset base and level of revenue, the more sophisticated its cash management practices. Larger firms, as measured by asset base and level of revenue, more often follow prescriptive cash management practices than smaller firms. Based on the conclusions of the Survey of Cash Management, it is recommended that small firms follow theoretical cash management practices. / M.S.

The present study investigated the potential of personal values to segment business traveler markets in the hospitality industry. The study was conducted both in the U.S. and Korea. Mail surveys were sent to a random sample of one-thousand business travelers in each country. Two hypotheses were tested to examine the relationship between personal values and hotel choice criteria, and two other hypotheses were tested regarding cultural differences of personal value structures and hotel choice criteria. In the U.S. sample, two major value groups were identified with distinct hotel choice criteria whereas three value groups were found in the Korean sample. In the both samples, respondents' value structures appeared to be related to the importance of hotel choice criteria. Consumer groups with homogeneous value structures seemed to have similar needs and wants regarding hotel services. The influence of personal values on hotel choice criteria was identified across cultures. However, the specific value-to-choice criteria relationship appeared to be culture dependent, preventing generalization of value-choice criteria relationships across cultures. Results revealed considerable cross-cultural differences relative to consumers' value structures and hotel choice criteria. Findings of the present study suggested that personal values hold potential for market segmentation in the hotel industry both in the domestic and international market. Several implications regarding existing consumer behavior theory and application to marketing management practices in the hospitality industry were investigated. / Ph. D.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are revolutionizing the traditional paradigm of business operations and transforming consumers’ experiences by promoting human–robot interaction in tourism and hospitality. Nonetheless, research related to customers’ experiences with robot-related services in this industry remains scant. This study thus seeks to investigate hotel customers’ experiences with service robots and how robot-based experiences shape customers’ satisfaction with hotel stays. Specifically, three research questions are addressed: (a) What are hotel customers’ primary concerns about robots and robot-related services? (b) Do hotel customers’ experiences with robotic services shape guests’ overall satisfaction? (c) How do service robots’ attributes affect guests’ forgiveness of robots’ service failure? This dissertation consists of three chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the overall research background. Chapter 2 answers the first two research questions by combining text mining and regression analyses; Chapter 3 addresses the third question by introducing social cognition into this investigation and performing an experiment. Overall, sentiment analyses uncovered customers’ generally positive experiences with robot services. Machine learning via latent Dirichlet allocation modeling revealed three key topics underlying hotel guests’ robot-related reviews—robots’ room delivery services, entertainment and catering services, and front office services. Regression analyses demonstrated that hotel robots’ attributes (e.g., mechanical vs. AI-assistant robots) and robot reviews’ characteristics (e.g., sentiment scores) can influence customers’ overall satisfaction with hotels. Finally, the experimental study verified uncanny valley theory and the existence of social cognition related to service robots (i.e., warmth and competence) by pointing out the interactive effects of robots’ anthropomorphism in terms of their facial expressions, voices, and physical appearance. These findings collectively yield a set of theoretical implications for researchers along with practical implications for hotels and robot developers. / Tourism and Sport

Problem discussion: Budgeting is about different assessments of the future and is based onthe premises that are considered when the budget is drawn up. When these assumptions turnout to be incorrect, the forecast can be misleading. This means that when organizations needa tool they can rely on the most, the budget will be the least helpful. Covid-19 has brought abig change in conditions for the hotel industry. The industry lost around 4 million guestnights between 2019 and 2020 in Sweden. Some research on how Covid-19 has affectedgovernment budgeting already exists, but when it comes to research regarding how Covid-19and economic crisis have affected budgeting in the private sector, previous research isrelatively limited. This study therefore intends to further contribute to observing how the roleof budgeting has been affected during the economic crisis. This with a focus on the privatesector, by examining how the role of budgeting in hotels has been affected as a result ofCovid-19. Research Questions: How has the role of the budget in Swedish hotels been affected byCovid-19? What was the role of the budget in the hotel before the pandemic? What role hasthe budget played in the hotel during the pandemic? Which part of the budget now has a moreor less prominent role than before? What are the underlying factors for the changes? Purpose: The initial purpose of this thesis was to, through a selection of hotels, examine howthe role of budgeting has been affected during Covid-19 in Sweden, as well as the underlyingfactors behind the changes. Due to absence of some respondents, a shift in the work processoccurred, to instead specifically examine the Elite Hotels Group, but the examined topic inthe essay remained the same. Method: The method used in this study is a qualitative interview study. The study is basedon secondary as well as primary data. Primary data has been collected from two semistructured interviews with different respondents from the Elite Hotels Group. One of theseinterviews was conducted over Microsoft Teams and the other was conducted over the phone,as personal meetings could not be conducted during Covid-19. Conclusion: Prior to the Covid-19 break out in Sweden, the budget played a central role inElite Hotels management system. They used a fixed annual budget which was supplemented 3by short-term forecasts and similar complements. During the pandemic Elite Hotels budgetlost its applicability, which, apart from a budget-like forecast led them to a completelybudget-free management and a shift in focus towards cost reductions and finding revenueswherever they could. Complements such as forecast and other management tools such asfocus on key figures, comparisons with the competition, communication and a generally moreefficient way of working were given a more prominent role. The underlying factors that madethe budget lose its applicability have mainly been people's behavior during the Covid-19pandemic, which arose as a result of the advice and restrictions issued by the authorities.These constrictions also contributed to major restrictions on the hotels operations as well as asteep fall in demand for guest nights / Problemformulering: Budgetering handlar om diverse olika framtidsbedömningar ochbygger på de premisser som beaktas när budgeten upprättas. När dessa antaganden visar sigvara felaktiga, kan prognosen bli missvisande. Detta leder till att när organisationer behöverett styrmedel de kan förlita sig på som mest, är då budgeten kommer att vara minst hjälpsam.Covid-19 har fört med sig kraftigt förändrade förutsättningar för hotellbranschen. Branschentappade omkring 4 miljoner gästnätter mellan 2019 och 2020 i Sverige. En del forskningkring hur Covid-19 påverkat statlig budgetering finns redan, men när det kommer tillforskning om hur Covid-19 och ekonomisk kris påverkat budgeteringen inom den privatasektorn är tidigare forskning relativt begränsad. Denna studie ämnar därför att ytterligarebidra till att observera hur budgeteringens roll påverkats under ekonomisk kris. Detta medfokus på den privata sektorn, genom att undersöka hur budgeteringens roll i Hotell påverkatstill följd av Covid-19. Frågeställningar: Hur har budgetens roll i svenska Hotell påverkats under Covid-19? Vadhade budgeten för roll i hotellet innan pandemin? Vad har budgeten haft för roll i hotelletunder pandemin? Vilken del av budgeten får nu en mer respektive mindre framträdande rollän tidigare? Vilka är de bakomliggande faktorerna till förändringarna? Syfte: Det initiala syftet med denna uppsats var att genom ett urval av hotell undersöka hurbudgeteringens roll har påverkats under Covid-19 i Sverige, samt de faktorer som legatbakom förändringen. På grund av bortfall av respondenter skiftade arbetsprocessens till attspecifikt undersöka Elite Hotels koncernen, men det undersökta ämnet i uppsatsen bestoddensamma. Metod: Metoden som använts i denna studie är en kvalitativ intervjustudie. Studien ärbaserad på både sekundär- och primärdata. Primärdata har samlats från två semistruktureradeintervjuer med olika respondenter från Elite Hotels koncernen. En av dessa intervjuergenomfördes över Microsoft Teams och den andra var en telefonintervju, då personligamöten ej gick att genomföra under Covid-19. Slutsats: Innan Covid-19 bröt ut i Sverige hade budgeten en central roll som styrmedel i EliteHotels. De använde sig av en fast årsbudget som kompletterades med kortsiktiga prognoser och liknande komplement. Under pandemin tappade Elite Hotels budget sin tillämplighet,vilket ledde till att de bortsett från en budgetliknande kostnadsprognos, övergick till en heltbudgetlös styrning med fokus på kostnadsreduceringar och att skrapa intäkter där de kundehittas. Komplement såsom prognoser fick en centralare och mer framträdande roll. Ävenandra styrmedel som fokus på nyckeltal, jämförelser mot konkurrensen, kommunikation ochett allmänt mer effektiviserat arbetssätt fick ett större fokus. De bakomliggande faktorerna tillatt budgeten tappat sin tillämplighet har huvudsakligen varit folks beteende under covid-19som uppstod till följd av de råd och restriktioner som myndigheterna gav ut, som även bidrogmed stora inskränkningar mot hotellets verksamhet och att efterfrågan på gästnätter minskadedrastiskt.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

A elevada competitividade dos dias atuais e a conscientização do consumidor para a qualidade dos produtos delimitam um contexto no qual os edifícios são entendidos como ativos que contribuem para a produtividade das organizações. Entretanto, a concepção dos edifícios nem sempre assegura soluções adequadas ao seu \"uso e operação\", devido à falhas na consideração das reais demandas dos usuáios. O objetivo desta Tese é formular um modelo conceitual para integrar as fases de \"concepção\" e de \"uso e operação\" do edifício por meio do planejamento da qualidade. O edifício do segmento hoteleiro apresenta uma diversidade de componentes, processos e agentes envolvidos em sua produção e operação; complexidade do programa arquitetônico; e papel relevante das atividades de manutenção predial para o desempenho do empreendimento, que justificam sua escolha como objeto da pesquisa. Os métodos de pesquisa envolvem revisão teórica e estudo de caso, a fim de verificar a aplicação prática dos conhecimentos levantados e avaliar o desempenho desses edifícios, com uso da Avaliação Pós-Ocupação, cujos resultados estabelecem a avaliação qualitativa desse desempenho e as prioridades dos usuários quanto a esses requisitos. Com base nas análises realizadas, a Tese é concluída com a elaboração de um modelo para o Planejamento da Qualidade de edifícios hoteleiros aplicado às fases de \"concepção\" e \"uso e operação\", como forma de integrá-las, elevar o desempenho do edifício e a satisfação de seus usuários. / The fierce competition in the market and the alertness of the consumer to the quality of products define a context in which buildings are perceived as assets that contribute to the productivity of organizations. However, the design of buildings does not always ensure solutions that will promote adequacy to their operation, once the real demands of their users tend not to be taken into consideration. The aim of this thesis is to propose conceptual model capable of integrating the building design stage with its operation stage by means of a high quality plan. There is a wide variety of components, processes and players involved in the production and operation of hotel buildings, not to mention the complexity of their architectural program and the relevant role played by building maintenance activities in its performance, aspects which justify the choice of the object of the research. The research methods comprise theoretical revision and case studies in order to establish the practical application of the knowledge acquired and evaluate the performance of these buildings, by means of the Post-Occupation Evaluation, whose results establish the qualitative evaluation of their performance and the priorities of their uses regarding these requisites. Based on the analyses undertaken, the Thesis is concluded with the elaboration of a model for the Quality Planning for hotel buildings applied on design and operation stages, in order to integrate these stages, enhance their performance and promote client satisfaction.

by Chou Tak-Ki Dicky. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Bibliography: leaves 55-57. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF EXHIBITS --- p.v / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.vi / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.4 / Chapter III. --- A STATISTICAL REVIEW --- p.5 / Chapter IV. --- CASE STUDY 一 HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS --- p.10 / Introduction --- p.10 / Background of the Target --- p.10 / The Raider --- p.11 / The Scenario of Takeover --- p.11 / Initiation --- p.11 / Fighting for Control --- p.12 / Climax - The Annual Shareholders Meeting --- p.13 / Trigger Point - 35% --- p.13 / Settle Down --- p.15 / A Review of the Issues --- p.17 / Why Did This Takeover Take Place --- p.17 / Strategy Used --- p.19 / Acting in Concert --- p.20 / Reasons of Failure --- p.21 / Who Are the Winners --- p.21 / The HK Hotels Afterwards --- p.22 / Chapter V. --- PROCEDURES OF TAKEOVERS --- p.24 / Chapter VI. --- "COST, RISK AND BENEFITS IN CORPORATE TAKEOVERS" --- p.26 / Cost --- p.26 / Risk --- p.26 / Benefits --- p.27 / Chapter VII. --- ATTACK AND DEFENSE STRATEGIES --- p.28 / Private Company --- p.28 / Public Company --- p.28 / Takeover Strategies --- p.28 / Public Relations and Advertising --- p.28 / Move Fast --- p.29 / Anti-Takeover Strategies --- p.29 / Active Strategies --- p.29 / Keep Share Price High --- p.29 / Stock Watch --- p.30 / Multiple-Vote Common Stock --- p.30 / Employee Stock Ownership Plans --- p.31 / Golden Parachutes --- p.31 / Reactive Strategies --- p.31 / Anti-Trust Suit --- p.32 / Selling the Crown Jewels --- p.32 / Pac-Man --- p.32 / Greenmail --- p.33 / Chapter VIII. --- THE EFFECTS OF TAKEOVERS ON ECONOMY --- p.34 / Effects on Company and Management --- p.34 / Effects on Stock Prices and Stock Market --- p.36 / Effects on Economy --- p.37 / Effects on a Nation --- p.38 / Chapter IX. --- CONTROL OF TAKEOVERS --- p.40 / Why Control is Needed --- p.40 / Investors --- p.40 / General Public --- p.41 / Nations --- p.41 / Control of Takeovers in Hong Kong --- p.42 / The Hong Kong Code on Takeovers and Mergers --- p.42 / General Principles --- p.43 / Power of the Code --- p.45 / Main Problem with the Code --- p.47 / Possible Future Control --- p.48 / Chapter X. --- ROLE OF MARKET PARTICIPANTS & FUTURE TRENDS CONCERNING MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS --- p.49 / Hong Kong Government --- p.49 / Management --- p.49 / Merchant Banks --- p.50 / Financial Consultants --- p.50 / Europe Economic Community --- p.51 / Junk Bond --- p.52 / APPENDIX --- p.53 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.55

Thesis (M.Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: p. 87-88. / by Kimberly Ann Weller. / M.Arch.

There is a lack of attention and understanding of how smaller hotel businesses understand and engage with social responsibility. The lack of understanding has led to a situation where the knowledge of how hotel corporations operate regarding Corporate social responsibility unproblematically is applied across scales onto Small and medium sized hotels behaviour regarding social responsibility. This thesis examines this lack of understanding by analysing discourses related to social responsibility that can be found in online reviews written by former guests of SME hotels in Tällberg, Sweden. The results of the discourse analysis show that SME hotels mainly perform social responsibility through the performance of hospitality and by acting as cultural brokers allowing socialisation to happen. They suggest that the notion most SMEs have of hospitality links into social responsibility without them realising it. However, the unreflective conflation of knowledge across scales regarding social responsibility and the term Corporate social responsibility risk disrupting this performance, as it makes SME hotel owners and managers act counterproductively to this. Thus, this thesis suggests that the very use of the term CSR when talking about SMEs in the hotel sector is problematic. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that the creation and performance of social responsibility in hotel SMEs are mainly dialogic, unlike previously assumed, as it is created in the interaction between two persons.

<p>Dagens samhälle brukar betecknas som en upplevelseindustri där kundens drömmar, fantasier och upplevelser står i fokus. I flertalet turism- och resetidningar syns reportage där unika koncept ökat för att uppfylla den efterfrågan som råder på upplevelser. Idag krävs något utöver det vanliga för att utmärka sig på marknaden och de senaste tio åren har begreppet storytelling intagit folks medvetande och beskrivs som ett effektivt marknadsföringsverktyg, vilket handlar om att berätta en historia kring sin verksamhet. Då konkurrensen ständigt hårdnar är det viktigt att hitta en speciell inriktning som får folk att komma tillbaka samt prata om verksamheten. Storytelling är en differentieringsstrategi inom marknadsföring som fler och fler verksamheter anammar då de inser hur berättandets kraft kan skapa starka varumärken.</p><p>Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva och undersöka begreppet storytelling genom att se hur tre gotländska hotell väljer att arbeta med detta, samt undersöka vilka eventuella effekter storytelling har gett verksamheterna. En kvalitativ utgångspunkt har använts där undersökningen har skett genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer med tre hotell, en verksam storyteller samt marknadschefen på Gotlands turistförening. En omvärldsspaning har genomförts för att urskilja dagens användning av storytelling inom hotellbranschen samt övriga samhället.</p><p>Studien kopplar ihop storytellingbegreppet med teorier inom marknadsföring såsom differentiering, varumärkesuppbyggnad, word-of-mouth samt profil-, image- och identitetsskapande. Teorier valdes då storytelling är en differentieringsstrategi, där förhoppningen är att uppnå ett starkt varumärke genom att profil, image och identitet harmoniserar, och en vanlig effekt är word-of-mouth. I analysen ställs sedan teorier mot intervjuunderlag för att få svar på ställd problemfråga där bland annat förtroende och trygghet, storytellingens sanningsgrad och uppkomna effekter diskuteras.</p><p>Slutsatsen i denna uppsats visar att storytelling är en effektiv strategi som hotell kan använda när de vill stärka sitt varumärke. När profil, image och identitet harmoniserar i en verksamhet blir varumärket starkt. Positiva effekter som nämns av de responderande hotellen är den nyfikenhet som väcks i kundens medvetande, word-of-mouth samt kundtillströmning. Det är viktigt att berättelsen är trovärdig och sann, och att all hotellpersonal har samma kunskap om berättelserna samt delar samma värderingar. Dock kan sanningen till viss del modifieras för att få historien eller berättelsen mer intressant samt vinkla berättelsen så den blir målgruppsanpassad.</p> / <p>Today’s society is called the experience society where customers’ experiences and dreams are in focus. Companies are finding ways to differentiate themselves in the market and customers are demanding more than just good service. A new marketing strategy has emerged called storytelling. Storytelling is about telling a story about the organization to create an interest in, for example, the history of a hotel. It is important to find a way to get the guests to talk about your hotel and an effect of storytelling could be word-of-mouth.</p><p>The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze the word storytelling, how it is used in the hospitality industry as well as how it affects the hotels. The method used is qualitative and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The respondents chosen are three gotlandic hotels, a storyteller and the marketing manager at Gotland’s Tourist association.</p><p>The conclusion of the study, through the interviews combined with used theories, shows that storytelling is an effective strategy to use when hotels want to strengthen their brand. When profile, image and identity of a business are harmonized, the brand will be strong if the story is true. Positive aspects mentioned by the respondent hotels when using storytelling as a marketing tool was the curiosity it creates in the brand, word-of-mouth and customer flow. It is also important that the story is true and credible and that everyone working for the hotel has the knowledge of the story and shares the same values.</p>