Integrirana marketinška komunikacija u visoko kategoriziranim hotelima Dalmacije: istraživanje iz perspektive menadžera i gostiju

Although the implementation of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) has been studied in different contexts and countries all over the world, further contributions are needed to consolidate the concept. Little research has been done on the integration of marketing communications in tourism-related sectors. Moreover, previous studies have focused mainly on managers’ opinions while overlooking consumers’ perceptions of IMC. The purpose of this research is to study in greater detail the IMC concept in the tourism sector, specifically in the hotels of Central and Southern Dalmatia, from a double perspective: managers-guests. Therefore, managers of 15 high-quality hotels and 118 guests were interviewed during April and May 2010. The results of descriptive statistical analysis showed a high degree of IMC implementation in hotels and a high degree of guests’ perceptions of IMC. However, the Mann-Whitney U test revealed small but significant differences between managers’ and guests’ perceptions of some of the IMC items. The findings of this study are expected to provide useful information to hotel managers, who deal with an increasingly competitive marketplace where traditional marketing approaches are no longer sufficient to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Thus, IMC should be considered as a new approach which might enable hotels to gain competitive advantages.Iako se primjena integrirane marketinške komunikacije (IMK) istražuje u različitim kontekstima i zemljama diljem svijeta,ipak su potrebni novi doprinosi za afirmaciju koncepta. Konkretno, u turističkom je sektoru provedeno vrlo malo istraživanja na temu integracije marketinških komunikacija. Osim toga, prethodne su se studije uglavnom usredotočile na mišljenja menadžera zanemarujući potrošačevu percepciju IMK. Cilj ovog istraživačkog rada jest podrobnije razraditi koncept IMK u turističkom sektoru, posebno u hotelima u Dalmaciji, iz dvojne perspektive menadžera i gostiju. U tu svrhu tijekom travnja i svibnja 2010. godine ispitani su menadžeri 15 visoko kategoriziranih hotela Dalmacije i njihovih 118 gostiju. Rezultati deskriptivne statističke analize otkrili su visok stupanj primjene IMK u hotelima i visok stupanj njezine percepcije od strane gostiju. Međutim, Mann-Whitney U test pokazao je male, ali statistički značajne razlike među procjenama menadžera i gostiju o primjeni IMK. Rezultati ovoga rada pružaju korisne informacije menadžerima hotela koji posluju na sve konkurentnijem tržištu, gdje tradicionalni marketinški pristupi više nisu dovoljni da bi se razlikovali od konkurencije. Prema tome, IMK treba biti razmotren kao novi pristup koji će hotelima omogućiti stjecanje konkurentske prednosti

El futuro de los hipermercados en España: ¿qué se puede aprender de la experiencia francesa?

La historia del hipermercado empezó hace más de 40 años y se ha convertido en este tiempo en uno de los grandes protagonistas de la distribución comercial moderna. El objetivo de este trabajo es explicar su desarrollo, con el fin de predecir futuras implantaciones en Francia, su lugar de origen, y de forma comparada en España, en donde el formato inició su actividad diez años después. Los resultados obtenidos establecen la validez del concepto «ciclo de vida» para explicar la evolución del hipermercado en ambos contextos geográficos, predicen un futuro incierto en Francia, y apuntan dificultades probables, a las que el formato tendrá que hacer frente, en el contexto españ[email protected]

ICT for external use in Croatian four- and five-star hotels

The Purpose – The objective of the paper is to examine the implementation of advanced technology and promotional supports in hotel companies and to compare their performance in four- and five-star hotels. More specifically, ICT for external use are analysed, i.e. customer relationship management (CRM), communication with customers, promotional supports, and online order receptions. Design/Methodology/Approach – The empirical research took place in 38 upscale (26 four and 12 five-star) hotels located in Croatia, in the regions of Dalmatia, Istria, and Kvarner, and in the city of Zagreb. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered mainly during personal interviews with hotel and marketing managers. The SPSS software was used for data analysis. Findings – Findings reveal a relatively high implementation of technology solutions, reaching promotional supports the highest scores. Four-star hotels perform significantly better than fivestar hotels in most of the ICT items. Originality – The study provides insights into the external role of ICT for upscale hotels from the standpoint of customer relationship management (CRM), communication with customers, promotional supports, and online order receptions as tools for enhancing hotel promotion. These can be used as a valuable source of information between academics and can be additionally useful to marketing managers in hotels that intend to find as more as innovative ways for hotel promotion

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: ANALYSIS BETWEEN UPSCALE HOTELS IN ITALY AND CROATIA

Uvođenje novih tehnologija i upravljanje informacijama neprestano pružaju priliku za diferencijaciju unutar uslužnog sektora, a posebice u hotelijerstvu. Napredak informacijsko komunikacijske tehnologije (ICT) dao je pozitivan doprinos ugostiteljstvu. Oblikovanje usluga i jačanje lojalnosti klijenata uvelike ovise o dostupnosti podataka o njima. Stoga je svrha ovog istraživanja ispitati primjenu novih tehnologija i upravljanja podacima u hotelijerstvu iz perspektive menadžera i korisnika usluga. Cilj rada je utvrditi postoje li razlike u njihovoj uporabi i percepciji između visokokategoriziranih hotela u Italiji i Hrvatskoj.The adoption of new technologies and information management continuously provide opportunities for differentiation within the service industry in general and the hotel context in particular. Advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have positively contributed to the hospitality industry. Moreover, the supply of information about customers is an inevitable practice for service customization and encouragement of customer loyalty. The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation of new technologies and information management in the hotel context from both manager and consumer perspectives. It aims to observe whether there are differences in their use and perception between upscale hotels in Italy and Croatia

Do IMC and ecological knowledge drive value co-creation? The new way to loyalty in hospitality

Despite co-creation being considered a valuable strategy for incremental changes towards more sustainable activities and consumers’ declared interest, hospitality businesses still did not experience the expected level of client engagement in their service interactions. Therefore, the primary purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of value co-creation and its antecedents and consequences within the hotel industry context through the lens of sustainability. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) and ecological knowledge are examined as factors that enhance value co-creation. Satisfaction is observed as a mediator of the relationship between value co-creation and customer loyalty. A closed-response, in-person structured survey was used to collect data from 303 guests of hotels located in Ukraine. The hypotheses were tested using the partial least squares method. The findings reveal that company IMC causes a higher impact on value co-creation. However, ecological knowledge does not seem to affect value co-creation. Furthermore, value co-creation shows a significant influence on customer satisfaction, and directly and indirectly affects loyalty through satisfaction. This study’s theoretical and practical implications are included to assist both scholars and practitioners in the hospitality industry in enriching their understanding of effective value co-creation and communication strategies related to sustainability to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty

Exploring relationship variables and Information and Communication Technologies use in industrial segmentation

Purpose - In tourism, the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (hereinafter ICT) and variables concerning firms' links with suppliers have been recognized as key determinants to improve companies' competitiveness. From the perspective of efficient management of company resources, segmentation has become a key tool and is particularly significant and current in the business-to-business context. The purpose of this paper is to study the segmentation of firms in the tourist industry according to perceived ICT use and relationship value and benefits. In addition, from the management approach, the authors seek to describe the segments that enable the development of differentiated strategies aimed at consolidating relationship benefits in the long term. Design/methodology/approach - Using a sample of 310 travel agencies who evaluated the relationship with their main supplier, the authors attempt to examine the utility of these variables as segmentation criteria for identifying heterogeneous groups. Findings - The estimation of a finite mixture model suggests that these bases are able to discriminate firms into four latent segments with different levels of ICT use and relationship variables. Research limitations/implications - This research contributes to the understanding of the role that ICT and relationship variables have in the segmentation processes of tourism companies. Literature on segmentation in the business-to-business (B2B) context is limited and it is hard to find studies which apply latent methodology using behavioral criteria related to the use of ICT and relationship variables. Practical implications - Segmentation of the tourism organizational market based on valuations of supplier relations and ICT use can help suppliers to design or adapt differentiation marketing strategies. Since agencies place the most value on confidence and value, tourism service suppliers should focus their efforts on improving the elements of service provision that increase perceived trust/confidence and value (i.e. growing the number of contacts, proximity to customers or sincerity, etc.). If agencies feel they can rely more on their providers, they will value their relationship more positively thereby favoring its long-term continuity. Originality/value - The novelty in this work lies in the application of latent segmentation methodology and the simultaneous use of bases associated with ICT and relationship variables in B2B tourism

Segmenting customers according to online word-of-mouth about hotels

There is a renewed interest in the study of online word-of-mouth behavior due to the increasing use of the Internet and the development of social networks. This paper focuses on the receiver perspective to analyze the unequal influence of the antecedents of online consumer searches. The main purpose is to detect the heterogeneity of the effect of different motivations (convenience, risks reduction and social reassurance) and the volume of comments on the willingness to check online reviews. Based on 393 guests of hotels, a mixture regression model indicates the existence of three internally consistent segments, which reveal the varying influence on consumer intentions to look at online comments

Analyzing heterogeneity on the value, satisfaction, word-of-mouth relationship in retailing

Purpose - The literature recognizes the need to study differences in consumer behavior in highly competitive and dynamic markets. In this paper, the authors look at how the heterogeneous evaluation of retailing influences customer satisfaction and loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to analyze unobserved heterogeneity on customer value dimensions perceptions in retail establishments, and their potential effects on positive forms of behavioral outcomes considering customer satisfaction as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach - On a sample of 820 retail customers, the authors apply a finite mixture structural equation modeling that analyzes unobserved heterogeneity simultaneously. In this model, the authors study the influence of heterogeneous perceptions of excellence, efficiency, entertainment and aesthetics on customer satisfaction and of satisfaction on word-of-mouth (WOM) referral and WOM activity. Findings - The results show two latent segments where the intensity of causal relations varies, which means that the effect of value dimensions and satisfaction are over or underestimated when heterogeneity is ignored. Originality/value - The main value of the paper has been to analyze the potential heterogeneity of value dimensions (intravariable approach), and their links with satisfaction and some dimensions of loyalty (intervariable approach). Customer heterogeneity must be studied to understand the satisfaction process and WOM responses in order to design more efficient and effective relationship marketing strategies

Effects of value and innovation on brand equity in retailing

This paper analyses retailer brand equity on the basis of two variables that are particularly relevant in marketing: the perception of value, because of its renewed interest for retailing, and retail innovativeness, because it is a recent line of research with interesting challenges. Considering Holbrook's (Consumer value: a framework for analysis and research. London: Routledge, 1999) value dimensions of efficiency, excellence, entertainment and aesthetics, this study investigates the relationship between those values and brand equity as well as the moderator effect of innovation. The study was conducted on a sample of 820 individuals who purchased from various stores selling food, household goods, textiles and electronics. Hierarchical linear regression methodology was applied. The results indicate that value has a direct significant effect on brand equity and entertainment is the dimension with the greatest contribution. In addition, efficiency and aesthetics stimulate brand equity more when perceived innovation is high than when it is low. Given that value dimensions influence brand equity in different ways, retailers should direct their efforts according to the importance of each dimension for the consumer. The study of brand equity and innovation has traditionally focused on the product, and so the novelty of this study lies in the application of these concepts to the services context