Developing Student Engagement in China Through Collaborative Action Research

As its market and society open up, China has transformed itself from a closed agrarian socialist economy to an urban state and an economic force. This has released accumulated tourism demand, led to the development of a diversified industry, and the spread of university and vocational courses in this field. However, the industry faces challenges to recruit and retain staff, with tourism education in higher education blamed for the shortfall in numbers and quality of candidates with suitable purpose, knowledge, and passion to serve. This chapter provides a background to the development of and problems facing tourism education in China, and suggests how to support student engagement and hence the future workforce

Tactical Service Failure : A Case Study on Public Funding as a Marketing Issue

This article analyzes the ways in which public-sector service providers may use service-delivery failure as a way of securing resources. In tactical service failure, an organization tactically delivers nonadequate service, so as to project a media image of being harmed by its funding cuts. Analyzing this process enables new insight into both public funding and provider-to-funder (P2F) marketing and selling. This research uses a single case study method to confirm the existence of the phenomenon first detected through long-term media analysis. To explore the single case, the authors interviewed a former city official who participated in tactical-service-failure processes and their marketing. The article shows how and why service providers may opt for this tactic and the potential gains and pitfalls of utilizing it. New insight is offered into how media connections are used to influence public-funding decisions

A Case Study on Public Funding as a Marketing Issue

This article analyzes the ways in which public-sector service providers may use service-delivery failure as a way of securing resources. In tactical service failure, an organization tactically delivers nonadequate service, so as to project a media image of being harmed by its funding cuts. Analyzing this process enables new insight into both public funding and provider-to-funder (P2F) marketing and selling. This research uses a single case study method to confirm the existence of the phenomenon first detected through long-term media analysis. To explore the single case, the authors interviewed a former city official who participated in tactical-service-failure processes and their marketing. The article shows how and why service providers may opt for this tactic and the potential gains and pitfalls of utilizing it. New insight is offered into how media connections are used to influence public-funding decisions.peerReviewe

Building a Service-Centric Business Model in SMEs in the Business-to-Business Context

Building a service-centric business model requires new knowledge and capabilities in companies. This paper enlightens the challenges small and medium sized firms (SMEs) face when developing their service-centric business models. This paper examines the premise for knowledge transfer and capability development required. The objective of this paper is to increase knowledge about SME’s transformation to service-centric business models. This paper reports an action research based case study. The paper provides empirical evidence from three case companies. The empirical data was collected through multiple methods. The findings of the paper are: First, the developed model to analyze the current state in companies. Second, the process of building the service–centric business models. Third, the selection of suitable service development methods. The lack of a holistic understanding on service logic suggests that SMEs need practical and easy to use methods to improve their business

Customer preferences in mobile game pricing: a service design based case study

This article examines the service design of freemium game pricing. Freemium games are a type of game that is partially free to play, but its players are able to access various options by playing real money. The article increases knowledge of the usability of service design processes in the pricing of mobile games, as well as the understanding of central aspects of freemium pricing models from the perspective of user experience and customer value. Existing research shows that one major reason for failing freemium pricing models is the orientation for technology development, alongside poor content and too aggressive monetization, rather than customer experience. The article presents a process in which an alternative pricing model was developed for freemium games, through the use of service design workshops.peerReviewe

Non-academic service quality: comparative analysis of students and faculty as users

The research focus was a non-academic service quality assessment within higher education. In particular, non-academic service quality perceptions of faculty and students were evaluated using a service profit chain. This enabled a comparison which helped understanding of non-academic service quality orientation from a key users' perspective. Data were collected using a self-completion questionnaire that was posted on Survey Monkey. A four point Likert scale without a mid-point was used to record respondent perceptions. In total 296 usable questionnaires (192 from students and 104 from faculty) were collected, representing a response rate of 17 percent. Key results indicated that on the whole service users (both faculty and students) were satisfied with non-academic services and this had a positive impact on their loyalty. However, in the case of students, there was a disconnect between loyalty and its 'productive' propagation to the external environment