How do online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience influence hotel online ratings?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role and influence of online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience on online review ratings of Russian hotels by taking a direct measurement approach. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopt an explanatory sequential research design consisting of two stages. In the first stage, based on a sample of almost 75,000 Booking.com online reviews covering hotels located in Moscow (Russia), this study examines quantitatively to what extent the cultural traits of online reviewers and hotel guests’ perceived experience in online reviewing affect online ratings also using censored regressions. In the second stage, it interprets the results in light of semi-structured interviews conducted with a convenience sample of managers. Findings Each of the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (namely, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance) exerts a significantly negative influence on the hotel online ratings. More specifically, the higher the levels of individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance, the lower the hotel’s online ratings. Reviewers’ perceived experience in online reviewing is negatively related to online ratings. Research limitations/implications The study’s findings bear relevant practical implications for hotel managers and online platform managers in countries that are not typically covered by online consumer behavior studies in hospitality such as Russia. From a theoretical viewpoint, this study contributes to cultural studies in hospitality management and marketing with a further development of the nascent research stream taking a direct measurement approach to the study of cultural influences on consumers’ behaviors. Furthermore, this study offers a better and in-depth understanding of the role of cultural traits on electronic word of mouth, as well as international market segmentation theory in online settings. Originality/value The conjoint exploration of the effects of cultural differences and perceived experience in online reviewing adds to the nascent research stream taking a direct measurement approach to the study of the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on online consumers’ behaviors. The authors make multiple theoretical and methodological contributions, highlighting that online hospitality customers cannot be considered as one homogeneous mass. Instead, the application of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions allows identifying distinctively different online behaviors across international online customers: different online customer groups can be clustered into segments, as they display different online behaviors and give different online evaluations

The Competencies of Master Program Graduates: Employers’ Demands in Hospitality

Introduction, Purpose. This paper deals with one of the research questions arising in connection with the problem of Master degree students teaching who intend to work in the hospitality industry. The purpose of the article is to present results of research aimed at identifying the competencies required by the graduates of Master programs who start working in the Russian and international hotel industry organizations. Methods. The research methodology is based on the conceptual approaches to the study of competencies, developed by Russian and international researchers. In particular, this investigation capitalizes on the competency-based approach which was implemented during the course of the Bologna Process. The main data collection methods include analysis of documents (professional and educational standards) and in-depth interviews with experts (top and middle managers of hotels) with experience in the industry, complemented by questionnaires. Results. The result of the study is a list of graduates competencies of pre-experience Master programs that are in demand on the labor market in the hotel industry. The identified competencies are of interest primarily to the sphere of education. Discussion. The result can be employed for the development of educational standards, as well as curricula of educational Master programs in hospitality and syllabi of individual disciplines. In addition, the results of this study can be used by HR managers dealing with recruitment and selection of personnel for hospitality industry companies