Spanish Hotel Research Articles

Examining the role of ambidextrous green innovation and green competitive advantage in stimulating sustainable performance: The moderating role of green absorptive capacity

Hotels’ sustainable performance has become a key issue in tourism. We examine the role of ambidextrous green innovation (GI) and its relationship with sustainable performance, considering the mediating effect of green competitive advantage and moderating effect of green absorptive capacity. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of Spanish hotels. We utilize variance-based partial least squares structural-equation modelling (PLS-SEM) for analysis. We find that ambidextrous GI significantly impacts the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainable performance. Additionally, green competitive advantage mediates the relationship between ambidextrous GI and sustainable performance, while the moderating effect of green absorptive capacity strengthens the impact of ambidextrous GI on environmental performance. However, green absorptive capacity does not significantly moderate the associations between ambidextrous GI and social and environmental performance. To enhance hotels’ sustainability, further investigation into the interaction between tangible and intangible resources and ambidextrous GI is indicated. This study offers valuable insights for hotel management to enhance sustainable performance.

Managing sustainability-oriented innovation in services: proposal of a scale for the future of hotel companies and travel agencies

PurposeThe concept of Sustainability-Oriented Service Innovation (SOSI) has been recently suggested from a conceptual reflection approach in an attempt to integrate innovation and sustainability in services, being an emerging field of innovation in services. This study aims to propose a scale to measure Sustainability-Oriented Service Innovation from the perspective of the company. Because the whole is different from the sum of its different parts, we need to better understand the synergy between sustainability and innovation for the future of tourism companies.Design/methodology/approachUpon a literature review, we propose a scale and explore its dimensionality with data from 268 to 256 Spanish hotel and travel agency managers, respectively. The dimensionality of the scale for measuring Sustainability-Oriented Service Innovation is similar in hotels and travel agencies.FindingsFive factors emerge from the principal component analyses carried out: two dimensions referred to technological and non-technological innovation, respectively, and three dimensions labelled as economic, social and environmental sustainability.Practical implicationsTo guide managers towards their operations, the proposed scale is expected to inspire models to assess the impact of SOSI practices in such a highly competitive industry and to identify the most influencing dimensions on the future performance of the tourism company.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, no scale has been presented so far that brings together the dimensions of technological and non-technological innovation, as well as sustainability from a Triple Bottom Line approach.

Cocreating value with hotel guests in the “new normal”: the case of Spain

Purpose This paper aims to identify the role of coproduction and value-in-use in the overall hotel experience value, and its effects on cognitive-affective satisfaction and loyalty. The country chosen is Spain, in the context of the “new normal,” where the increase in tourist flow after the COVID-19 pandemic has been very relevant, setting up the chance to better assess and discuss value creation in a post-pandemic era. Design/methodology/approach The causal model is validated with partial least squares (PLS) in a panel of 405 hotel guests (applying sampling quotas by sex, age and region). Findings The chain of effects is verified with stronger links at the end and with a greater weight of value-in-use compared to coproduction. Hotels’ efforts to adapt to the pandemic situation work better if a customized, unique experience is offered and if intensive communication is with and not just to the guest. The role of experience value is key for the cocreation to produce results for satisfaction and loyalty. Originality/value This study contributes to the value creation literature by highlighting the respective roles of coproduction and value-in-use as drivers of the satisfaction−loyalty chain, and by introducing the guest’s overall hotel experience value into this chain. This is viewed against the backdrop of the contextual changes that have occurred since 2020 in the Spanish hotel industry. The post-pandemic context “forces” the client to actively participate. Analysis of the implications of this kind of new cocreation on the overall customer experience is relevant for both tourism scholars and managers.

Returns to scale, technical and efficiency changes in the Spanish hotel industry using technological heterogeneity models

This paper analyses returns to scale, productivity growth and its decomposition in the Spanish hotel industry (period 1997–2019). To do so, we consider that hotels can have technological heterogeneity and, therefore, parameters in their production function can differ between them. Also, we use a multiple input and output production function based on an output distance stochastic frontier approach with random parameters in a Bayesian framework. Results indicate that the percentage of hotels working under increasing returns to scale decreased during the period considered. Furthermore, productivity growth was low, indicating signs of stagnation. Efficiency change appears to be the main driving force behind productivity growth, although technical change had a positive effect on productivity after the start of the global financial crisis. Several practical implications are proposed based on these results.

What is the name of Spanish hotels? An analysis of the naming of hotels in Benidorm and Alicante

The importance of branding in tourism and hospitality has been the subject of study by the scientific community. However, there is little specific work on brand names in this sector. It is necessary to delve deeper into the predominant naming criteria in the names of hotels and other types of tourist accommodations. We have analyzed the hotel company name in a sample of 212 tourist accommodations, mostly SMEs and family businesses. The results indicate that, regarding the chosen naming criteria, there is mainly a difference between the criteria chosen to name hotels and those chosen to name other types of tourist accommodations, with the latter being more descriptive and less suggestive or evocative. The most recurring naming criterion in the sector is “fantasy” or “creative”. This research aims to expand knowledge about the choice of corporate name in the hospitality sector, based on the typology established by the scientific community, so that it can serve as a reference point for future research on naming or branding.

‘If you don’t rush, you don’t finish’: Accelerating work and production of a vector body in Spanish hotel room attendants

The growth of the hotel industry in Spain in recent decades has meant, among other things, the acceleration of the hotel room attendants’ labour. An overload of physical activity, illnesses, and physical and mental exhaustion are the most visible consequences. Based on a qualitative study carried out with hotel room attendants working in Spanish hotels, the article analyses the effects of work intensification on room attendants’ representation of their bodies. The results show that rather than the typical description of their body as a machine that must withstand high pressure, hotel room attendants define it as a vector body constructed through multiple flows and demands, which has to speed up its pace, being constantly overwhelmed and self-managed in the process. We discuss how the acceleration of work in hotels is the result of a series of organizational and individual practices, impacting the representation and corporal practice of the hotel room attendants.

Green human resource management in hospitality: nurturing green voice behaviors through passion and mindfulness

ABSTRACT This study uses Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the nexus between green human resource management (GHRM) practices and employee green voice behaviors in the Spanish hospitality sector. Using a sample of 308 Spanish hotel employees, the findings indicate that employees’ perception of GHRM practices significantly predicts green voice behavior development and is positively associated with harmonious environmental passion. Employees’ GHRM perception substantially impacts organizational green mindfulness, positively influencing harmonious environmental passion. The study unveils complementary partial mediation, showcasing the significant and indirect impact of GHRM practices on green voice behaviors through harmonious environmental passion and organizational green mindfulness. Theoretical contributions involve introducing novel psychosocial processes that motivate and influence the interaction between GHRM and employees’ green behaviors. Meanwhile, practical implications underscore the role of GHRM in fostering a shared green vision and empowering employees for actively engaging in environmental sustainability within the hospitality sector.

A Cross-Sectional Observational Pilot Study of the Main Risk Factors Related to Lower Back Pain in Spanish Hospitality Workers

Lower back pain (LBP) describes pain of indeterminate duration between the lower edge of the ribs and the buttocks. LBP hinders movement, quality of life, and mental well-being, and limits work activities and engagement with family and friends. LBP represents a public health problem, and most workers are expected to experience LBP symptoms throughout their working lives. The study’s main objective was to characterize LBP in the hospitality population of the province of León, Spain, determining the risk factors. A pilot study with a cross-sectional observational design was developed following the guidelines of Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) for 150 Spanish hotel workers. Sociodemographic and lifestyle, occupational, and clinical data related to LBP were obtained through surveys. The annual prevalence of LBP in this study was 87.1% which was higher in women. A significant relationship (p < 0.05) was obtained between sex, income, smoking, sleep quality, and all labor variables with LBP. In addition, the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) results revealed that 49% of the participants had a score > 14. Also, 83.3% of patients with >6 annual LBP crises suffered from sciatica. Once the results were known, preventive intervention would be needed to reduce these main risk factors for LBP for hospitality workers.

Exploratory and co-exploratory innovation. The mediating role of digitalization on competitiveness in the hotel industry

Tourism plays a fundamental role in the economy of many countries and its growth is driven by the capacity of the tourism industry to offer new products and experiences. To compete efficiently, tourism firms need to be innovative, either through increasing their efficiency or by offering new high-quality products capable of satisfying customer demands. The complexity of the tourism environment highlights the need to understand innovation patterns that contribute to improving competitiveness in tourism firms, especially in the hotel industry. Therefore, the objective of this study is twofold. First, analyze the relationship between innovation processes and competitiveness in the hotel industry. Second, study whether digitalization in the hotel industry influences the innovation-competitiveness relationship. Following an exhaustive literature review, we develop a research model with four hypotheses, which are tested through PLS on a population of 322 Spanish hotels with at least 3 stars. The results show that innovation activities alone do not increase hotel competitiveness and that hotels should digitalize their activities in order to capitalize on innovation efforts towards efficient processes and differentiated services.

Green intellectual capital and green competitive advantage in hotels: The role of environmental product innovation and green transformational leadership

The environmental problems brought about by the rapid development of the hospitality industry can no longer be ignored, and the green transformation of the hospitality industry is imminent. This study aims to investigate the role of the mediating effect of environmental product innovation and the moderating effect of green transformational leadership on the relationship between green intellectual capital (GIC) and green competitive advantage. A questionnaire survey of 400 Spanish hotel employees was conducted, and empirical analysis was carried out using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 28.0. The results show that GIC makes a positive contribution to green competitive advantage in hotels. The mediating role of environmental product innovation and the moderating role of green transformational leadership were also statistically significant. We contribute to the development of the resource-based view theory through hypothesis testing and explores ideas for green transformation in hotel companies.

The Choquet integral supported by a hedonic approach for modelling preferences in hotel selection

This paper presents a methodology for modelling the hotel selection process by combining the hedonic pricing method and the Choquet integral, a multi-criteria decision-making approach. The hedonic pricing method is a valuable tool in revealed preference theory, enabling the acquisition of preferential information in a straightforward manner. In this study, we use hedonic pricing to identify the significant criteria that influence the tourism selection process and to evaluate their importance. We combine the hedonic methodology with the Choquet integral to consider not only the importance of each criterion but also the importance of each subset of criteria. This proposed hybrid technique – the Choquet integral supported by the hedonic price method – offers an effective methodology for hotel selection by taking into account the market valuation of the criteria. We apply this methodology to a database of Spanish hotels and demonstrate the validity of our proposal in introducing valuable preferential information into the hotel classification process. This approach holds potential benefits for both tourism companies and travellers.

Good or excellent? Factors determining online hotel ratings. A spatial approach

ABSTRACT In a competitive environment, where hotel demand is lower than market supply, it is of interest to determine what factors explain how excellence differentiates certain hotels from others. Using spatial quantile regression, this research investigates the effect of locational factors as well as those related to the management of human capital investment in Spanish hotels rated on Booking.com. The study shows that human capital investment in hotels can significantly increase guest delight. As regards location, hotels in protected natural areas that are far from large cities obtain higher guest review scores. Additionally, a spatial spillover effect due to reputation transfer among nearby hotels with median scores is found. However, this effect is not observed for hotels with very high scores. These results can serve to rationalize the available resources and inform hotel owners and managers about the factors required to achieve high scores. 在酒店市场竞争激烈的环境下，其需求低于市场供给，确定哪些因素更影响酒店评级尤为重要。本文采用空间分位数回归方法，调查了Booking.com上评级的西班牙酒店的地理因素和人力资本投资管理相关的因素的影响。研究表明，酒店的人力资本投入可以显著增加客人的满意度。在地理位置方面，远离大城市的自然保护区内的酒店获得了更高的顾客评分。此外，由于得分居中的临近酒店之间有声誉转移现象，其空间溢出效应被观察到。然而，这种效应并没有在得分非常高的酒店上观察到。这些研究结果可以帮助可用资源合理化分配，并使酒店管理者知晓获得高评分所需的因素。

Who’s asking? Social platform and research sponsors’ identity biases in guests’ hospitality experience-reviews: a case study of Spanish hotels

ABSTRACT The study here assesses the systematic variability of service performance assessments in customer reviews placed in alternative online social media platforms in the travel industry as well as responses to the firm’s requests for customer evaluations. The research includes an empirical study conducted by a national (Spanish) hotel chain of nine corporately-owned properties (hotels). Data-analyses were performed of data collected for the nine hotels from TripAdvisor and Booking.com, as well as internal data from the hotel chain’s customer data files. The findings support the general conclusion that hotel reviews on different social media platforms vary in systematic ways. TripAdvisor reviews consistently include the largest share of detractors across all social media platforms in this study, ranging from 11 to 51%. This study contributes useful benchmarks for the relative differences in performances in customer experience assessments across different social media platforms.

Global Expectations, Local Realities: All-Inclusive Hotel Reviews and Responses on TripAdvisor

Abstract In this article we examine online reviews and hotel responses of Spanish hotel chains in two overseas tourist destinations: the Caribbean and Mexico. Drawing on a dataset of 96 hotel reviews we examine the intercultural experience of travellers as mediated by direct or indirect prior knowledge of the tourist destination and subsequent knowledge that results from visiting the host country and interacting with the locals, primarily with resort staff. The analysis shows, on the one hand, the global stance taken by the travellers to construct their reviews where the creation of an “intercultural space” is typically resisted and challenged in favour of expected global standards. The hotels’ responses, on the other hand, are constructed from a local rather than a global perspective. Findings reveal the intercultural tension that arises when lived experience of the specific culture cannot be married with the expectancies of homogeneity created by an increasingly globalised experience of tourism. The article concludes with a discussion of the role of interculturality, as conceived of in pragmatics, in a contemporary era characterised by discontent with digital information systems. It includes a discussion of some of the challenges in deploying the contrastive pragmatics toolkit to capture the intercultural space reported here and the extent to which it allows us to portray interculturality in the present day.

Compassion in Hotels: Does Person–Organization Fit Lead Staff to Engage in Compassion-Driven Citizenship Behavior?

Existing research on person–organization (P-O) fit (POF) has ignored other-centered mechanisms in explaining why high levels of fit with the work environment increase employee’s organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Using four factors involved in the compassion process (common humanity, empathic concern, kindness, mindfulness), this article investigates employee compassion as a mediator that explains why POF affects OCB directed toward individuals (OCBI) and the organization (OCBO). Our structural equation modeling analysis on 280 Spanish hotel employees reveals that compassion mediates the relationship between POF and OCBs. However, considering the employment contract of the sample (temporary, permanent), the mediation for OCBO was partial and full among permanent and temporary staff, respectively. These findings suggest that staff who fit their hotel are more likely to be sensitive to others’ setbacks and misfortunes, lessening or alleviating them (compassionately) by performing OCBs. However, compared with permanent staff, temporary staff’s OCBO response to POF is more compassion-driven.

Motivations and attitudes towards consulting eWOM when booking accommodation

This study explores the process of formation of attitudes towards eWOM by analyzing the relationships among “perceived credibility, volume and confirmation of consulted eWOM—motivations—attitudes towards consulted eWOM”. Using a sample of 393 Spanish hotel guests, the results confirm this chain of relationships, except for the effect of volume on motivations, and the mediating role of these motivations. The novelty of this work lies in the study of eWOM behavior from the receiver’s perspective, since it analyzes the antecedents of eWOM motivations and their relationship with the attitudes towards that information.

How Temporary/Permanent Employment Status and Mindfulness Redraw Employee Organizational Citizenship Responses to Person-Organization Fit

This paper analyzes the role of temporary/permanent employment in the way employees respond to person-organization fit (P-O Fit) with organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and whether mindfulness redraws this relationship. Compared to permanent employees, temporary employees may have fewer future prospects in their organization, thus leading them to engage less in this type of behavior, the potential returns of which are typically unspecified in time and are likely beyond their temporary reach. However, the self-regulatory, present-moment awareness and non-judgmental acceptance functions of mindfulness could reverse this relationship. Structural equation modeling using data from 280 employees of 10 Spanish hotels revealed that temporary (permanent) employees reacted to P-O Fit with lower (higher) OCBs, unless they were mindful, in which case their OCBs increased (decreased). The findings show that employment status and mindfulness redraw the P-O Fit - OCB relationship and that mindfulness makes temporary (permanent) employees respond to P-O Fit with increased (decreased) OCBs.

The U-shaped relationship between intellectual capital and hotel performance. The moderating effect of managerial gender

ABSTRACT The aim of this research is to explore the intellectual capital in the hotel industry paying particular attention to the gender of the manager. A model is proposed that includes the determinants of the intellectual capital of hotels and the moderating effect of the general manager's gender. Our findings show the positive influence of turbulent environments and dynamic capabilities on intellectual capital development. The subsequent relationship between intellectual capital and hotel performance is U-shaped rather than linear. Furthermore, this relationship is more likely to be positive in hotels managed by women, due to their ability to enhance human, social and organizational capital. The analysis technique used is Partial Least Squares based on variance (PLS-SEM) on a sample of Spanish hotels in 2020.

Is Customer Satisfaction Achieved Only with Good Hotel Facilities? A Moderated Mediation Model

Modern hotel business models tend to split ownership of the property and its business operations. It can be assumed that a good-quality hotel facility per se can easily achieve high customer satisfaction. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of customer perception of hotel facilities on customer satisfaction by integrating the mediating effect of customer perception of the personnel and business organization and the moderating effect of the customers’ family income. Three-hundred and seventy-six surveys were completed in two four-star Spanish hotels in June 2022. The PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to test the hypothesis in a moderated mediation model, using a bootstrapping method. The results showed that customer perceptions of facilities had a positive effect on their overall satisfaction, which was partially mediated by both personnel and business organization. Family income moderated the relationship between the perception of facilities and satisfaction in such a way that it was more intense in high-income customers. Medium-income customers had a more intense relationship with the perception of the personnel and business organization, together with the hotel facilities being to their satisfaction. Therefore, not only facilities, but also personnel and business organizations are important key players for achieving customer satisfaction in hotels, and family income should also be considered.

Interaction between sustainability practices and the mediating role of hotel performance

The success of hotels and their contribution to the destination depends on the development of sustainability practices. The aim of this paper is to study possible interactions between environmental, economic and social sustainability practices with each other and with hotel performance. In these interactions, hotel performance is not considered as the final dependent variable. Hotel performance may play a mediating role as it may be considered as a consequence of environmental sustainability practices and as a means for economic and social sustainability practices. From a PLS analysis using data from 365 Spanish hotels, we find that environmental sustainability practices influence hotel performance and economic and social sustainability practices; hotel performance positively influences economic and social sustainability practices; and economic sustainability practices influence social sustainability practices. Moreover, hotel performance mediates the relationship between environmental sustainability practices and the other two dimensions of sustainability practices; and economic sustainability practices mediate the link between environmental and social sustainability practices. This study has theoretical and practical implications because it shows that environmental sustainability practices contribute to hotel performance, creating value for shareholders and owners; and environmental practices and the availability of financial resources contribute to the development of economic and social sustainability practices, also creating value for other stakeholders.