Relações de Negócio em Hotelaria: Um Modelo Estrutural Aplicado ao Segmento Empresarial

Abstract

This article aims to conduct research on the influence of the importance and quality of business relationships on a company’s decision to maintain its relationship with a certain hotel. To address the issue, we propose a model tested based on data from a survey of a final sample of 483 representatives from Portuguese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who expressed their perceptions about the business relationships with their key partners in a hotel chain. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling statistical technique. The study produced several important results. The quality of the relationship is influenced by interpersonal variables, highlighting the role of Client Manager (i.e. the representative of the hotel), and other variables associated to the relationship itself. As for the importance of the relationship, several factors emerge as significant indicators such as the benefits of the relationship and the costs of its interruption. The results suggest that the importance of the relationship plays a major role in determining the propensity for future interaction. As regards theoretical contribution, this research adds value to the relationship marketing paradigm because we test and validate a model of the influence of the importance of the relationship, in addition to the quality of the relationship, and the propensity of future interaction between SMEs and hotels. This study also suggests practical management-related implications, in light of the success of relationship marketing strategies, and with the goal of customer loyalty and profitability of the business relationship which they have established.