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1 – 10 of over 5000Recently, ancillary services' (e.g. bag processing, preferred seating) contribution to the overall air travel revenues has become substantial. Yet, no study to date has addressed…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, ancillary services' (e.g. bag processing, preferred seating) contribution to the overall air travel revenues has become substantial. Yet, no study to date has addressed how these services are purchased. This study aims to investigate air travelers' adoption of mobile phones to purchase ancillary air travel services.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive structural model was developed based on the Technology Acceptance Model and augmented with constructs like trust, privacy, security, innovativeness, and personalization. The model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling.
Findings
The model explained 84 percent of the variability in intentions to use mobile phones to purchase air travel ancillary services. The strongest predictor of attitudes was perceived usefulness, followed by perceived ease of use and trust.
Research limitations/implications
First, this study's extended theoretical framework was well supported, as it captures relevant system perceptions (e.g. usefulness, ease of use) and personal traits of consumers (e.g. innovativeness), thus extending the classic paradigmatic approach to technology adoption beyond system beliefs. Second, the study explains the relationships among trust, security, and privacy in m-commerce. Third, this study explicates the roles of innovativeness and personalization, which have not been examined in the context of m-commerce in travel.
Practical implications
This study offers managers an understanding of factors leading to adoption of mobile phones for purchasing air travel ancillary services.
Originality/value
This study provides a first theoretical perspective on the purchasing behavior of services that have not been studied so far, but have an increasingly substantial financial significance for the airline industry.
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The paper aims to provide a simulation optimization solution to improve patient scheduling that accounts for varying ancillary service time such as x-ray to minimize patient wait…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to provide a simulation optimization solution to improve patient scheduling that accounts for varying ancillary service time such as x-ray to minimize patient wait time.
Design/methodology/approach
The two-step approach is to: identify patients' needs for ancillary services while scheduling appointments; and propose an algorithm to determine ancillary service time via simulation optimization. The main aim is to provide sufficient time between arrival at the clinic and the actual examination time for a patient to complete pre-visit activities without contributing significantly to patient wait time. Two case studies are included to demonstrate the approach.
Findings
Triaging at the appointment-scheduling time saves an average 17 minutes for physician's first consultation in a clinic day, and a 7 percent reduction on current average patient wait time for case 1. Case 2 results in a 9 percent reduction on average patient wait time. The scheduled ancillary service time depends on the frequency and the ancillary service time, and appointment slot design.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation is the impact of modeling error on the account of ancillary service times and the modeling assumptions.
Practical implications
The proposed approach provides a studying method for clinic staff to account for ancillary services prior to physicians' visits for a better patient care. Two case studies demonstrated the practicability and promising results on reducing patient waiting.
Originality/value
This article presents a unique approach to considering the required ancillary services in outpatient scheduling system that minimizes patient wait times. The approach will strengthen the existing scheduling methods to allow the time for ancillary services.
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The purpose of this study is to suggest possible approach which can be applied to estimate the monetary value of the ancillary services in today’s multichannel environment where…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to suggest possible approach which can be applied to estimate the monetary value of the ancillary services in today’s multichannel environment where consumers tend to exhibit cross-channel purchase behavior across the online and offline.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts literature reviews to identify ancillary services and discuss their service paths across online and offline channels based on service-dominant logic. It then proposes discrete choice modeling approach with stated preference data to estimating the implicit value of services.
Findings
By examining consumer decision-making process, some ancillary services attached to the products/services that consumers target at are revealed and discussed. By applying the discrete choice modeling approach which have been widely applied in the marketing and transportation area to describe consumers’ multichannel choices, it is believed that the implicit value that consumers are willing to pay for having those ancillary services can be estimated.
Originality/value
Value is generally considered transitory, stochastic and multidimensional and understood imprecisely. Past research recognized the importance of value to the service industry, but failed to give it a widely accepted definition. Issues on the value of time, value of information and value of services have been widely discussed in the literature, but most of them remained unsolved. The approach proposed by this study to estimating the value of services seems practicable and is worth a further validation by empirical study.
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Jacqueline Douglas, Robert McClelland and John Davies
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a conceptual model of student satisfaction with their higher education (HE) experience, based on the identification of the variable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a conceptual model of student satisfaction with their higher education (HE) experience, based on the identification of the variable determinants of student perceived quality and the impact of those variables on student satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction with the overall student experience. The paper will also identify those determinants most likely to have either a positive or negative impact on subsequent student loyalty behaviours.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports the results of a study of 163 undergraduate students at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, which utilised Critical Incident Technique (CIT) as the method that encouraged the recording of situations that the students themselves perceive as critical incidents. It is envisaged that these situations have occurred in their experience of HE teaching, learning and assessment and their experience of other university ancillary service aspects, i.e. within and beyond the classroom experience.
Findings
The results of this study indicate that responsiveness, communication and access are the critical areas that Education Managers need to focus upon. Also the CIT method of data capture could be adapted and adopted by the wider Higher Education sector.
Research limitations/implications
There are a number of limitations with this study. For the quantitative results, the sample size was relatively small and involved only one Faculty within a University. There is also an assumption that the statements made in relation to the loyalty behaviours would actually be acted upon, i.e. they would do what they say. The study is based on the respondents' recollections of past events and it is assumed that these were accurate.
Practical implications
The implications for university managers are that creating and maintaining a responsive, communicative and useful environment is necessary across the teaching, learning and assessment areas, whilst within the Ancillary areas responsiveness, access and socialising are the important factors. Reducing the number of dissatisfying experiences may not be an easy task, but if successful, then improved student recruitment, retention and ultimately financial stability for the Institution should ensue. The wider implication is that CIT should be considered by HEIs as a means of collecting student intelligence.
Originality/value
Critical Incident Technique is a method that is already attractive to many researchers. However, within higher education, the norm is to use traditional student feedback questionnaires which restricts the student to questions that have been predetermined. CIT allows respondents to freely describe their experiences and unreservedly express their feelings without being constrained to specific areas.
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Rafael Illescas Ortiz and Pilar Perales Viscasillas
This article aims to take a critical look at the proposed Common European Sales Law (CESL) and its field of application.
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to take a critical look at the proposed Common European Sales Law (CESL) and its field of application.
Design/methodology/approach
The article provides a comparative analysis of the scope of application of CESL with that of the Convention on Contracts for the International Sales of Goods (CISG). The approach is critical in nature in that it questions the regulation of business‐to‐business (B2B) transactions under CESL. It also takes a critical look at the CESL and its coverage of three areas of contracting – sale of goods, supply of digital content, and supply of services.
Findings
The article exposes some of the shortcomings of the CESL in relation to its field of application.
Research limitations/implications
The CESL as proposed offers an optional regulation that complicates the law of transborder sales within the European Union (EU) and between EU member states and non‐EU states. The article recommends that CESL not extend its coverage to B2B transactions and leave transborder commercial transactions to the CISG. The article also suggests other changes to improve the CESL.
Practical implications
Further analysis is needed and more defined rules should be considered before CESL is enacted into law.
Originality/value
This article questions the wide scope of application of CESL. It further questions the rationality and practicality of the CESL's coverage of B2B transactions.
Details
Keywords
- Common European Sales Law (CESL)
- Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG)
- European Union cross‐borders sales
- Internet trading
- Consumer protection
- Opt‐in instruments
- EU Acquis
- Small to medium‐sized enterprises
- Supply of goods
- services
- and digital content
- Supply chain management
Yanhong Chen, Luning Liu and Zhenyuan Zhang
This paper aims to investigate the causal inferences between mobile application adoption and changes in travelers’ purchasing behavior regarding services supported by the travel…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the causal inferences between mobile application adoption and changes in travelers’ purchasing behavior regarding services supported by the travel and tourism industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a quasi-experiment conducted by an airline, data sets from more than 10,000 travelers were collected, and hypotheses were tested using propensity score matching and difference-in-difference methods.
Findings
Mobile application adoption has a significant positive effect on the total purchasing frequency of services and a significant adverse effect on booking tickets in advance and purchasing frequency from self-owned websites. Besides, this finding also suggested that members or travelers who had high average purchases in the past tend to buy more air tickets on average after mobile application adoption, while the number of days to book tickets in advance and purchase auxiliary services declined after mobile application adoption. However, males purchased more auxiliary services via mobile applications.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on the causal effect of mobile application adoption on purchasing behavior. Nevertheless, the theoretical basis remains relatively weak. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms that cause the changes in purchasing behavior via mobile applications need to be elucidated.
Practical implications
This study enriches the hospitality and tourism literature on mobile application adoptions, multichannel purchasing behavior and revenue management. First, a quasi-experimental design is used to verify a causal relationship between mobile applications’ adoption and travelers’ purchasing behavior in the travel and tourism industry. Second, this study adds to examining travelers’ multichannel purchasing behavior in the travel and tourism industry. Third, this work enriches the current literature that explores auxiliary services and revenue management in the travel industry.
Originality/value
Mobile application adoption significantly impacted the travel and tourism industry. Besides, To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first empirical studies that examined changes in purchasing behavior due to mobile application adoption from the perspective of service type. The findings provide the first evidence of the impact of mobile application adoption on service purchasing in the travel industry.
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Vicky Katsoni and Ioulia Poulaki
The rapid digital transformation (DX) that airlines experienced during the past decade has been proven to be the driving force of significant benefits for the airlines when it…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid digital transformation (DX) that airlines experienced during the past decade has been proven to be the driving force of significant benefits for the airlines when it comes to cost reduction, branding and revenue opportunities when passengers purchase tickets and ancillaries directly from their websites. This paper aims to contribute empirically to the theoretical approaches of DX and revenue management (RM) with the investigation of the Aegean airlines DX progress, focusing on emerging RM practices and digital distribution channels.
Design/methodology/approach
A content analysis of the airlines’ website and social media performance is used to note the current situation combined with previous and upcoming developments. Evaluation of the company’s digitalization progress is approached by using a combination of two selected DX models, the digital transformation maturity (DTM) concept and the technology acceptance model (TAM).
Findings
The analysis of qualitative and quantitative secondary data provided by the Aegean airlines indicates that the adoption of a digital evolution marketing plan, enriched with emerging RM practices, is leading to the increase of the bookings coming from the airline’s direct distribution channels (Web & Apps) over those from intermediaries (GDSs). Consequently, Aegean airlines’ DX progress favors cost reduction and revenue increase at the same time.
Originality/value
DX model-based airline steps combined with direct versus indirect ticket purchase pattern compose a tool to evaluate the airline digitalization progress toward revenue integrity and product customization, as the latest trend in customer-centric strategy of businesses and customer relationship management (eCRM).
研究目的
近十年来的快速数字化改革(DX)证实了航空体验成为航空公司在降低成本、品牌效应、以及收益机会的时候显著受益的驱动因素, 这体现在当乘客通过网站购买飞机票和附加服务的时候。本论文旨在以Aegean航空DX进展为实例, 以事实来验证DX和收益管理(RM)的理论论断, 尤其在新兴RM措施和数字化分销渠道方面。
研究设计/方法/途径
本论文采用文本分析航空网站和社交媒体表现的方法, 以展示结合过去和未来发展的目前情况分析。本论文通过结合两种DX模型, 数字化改革成熟概念(DTM)以及科技接受模型(TAM), 对该航空公司的数字化进程进行评估。
研究结果
本论文对Aegean航空公司的定量和定性的分析结果表明, 数字化改革营销计划, 结合新兴RM措施, 能够增加航空公司直接分销渠道(网站&APP)的订单收益, 相较于中间分销渠道(GDS)。因此, Aegean航空公司DX进程同时也降低了成本和增加了收益。
研究原创性/价值
DX模型航空业措施, 结合直接vs间接售票模式, 能够评估航空业数字化进程改进收益情况和产品定制化的有效工具, 这作为以客户为核心的商业战略和客户关系管理(eCRM)最潮流的趋势。
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Norma Heaton, Bob Mason and Joe Morgan
Contributes to the social partnership debate by exploring ways in which inter and intra‐union relations influence the development of partnership within a National Health Service…
Abstract
Contributes to the social partnership debate by exploring ways in which inter and intra‐union relations influence the development of partnership within a National Health Service Trust, by using observation techniques, focus groups and semi‐structured interviews involving ancillary workgroup members, shop stewards and managers (conducted in 1998). Argues, on an empirical basis, that union relationships may both facilitate and constrain management decision making and, ultimately, the implementation of policy. Views, conceptually, the parties’ understanding of partnership as changing over time, within a context that is contradictory; with management, trade union representatives and employees developing competing perspectives on “social partnership”, in part as a response to, and in turn recreating, a pluralistic workplace environment.
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Tonino Pencarelli, Simone Splendiani and Daniela Cini
The purpose of this paper is twofold: on the one hand, to point out the concepts of quality and value; on the other hand to explain how university placement services can increase…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: on the one hand, to point out the concepts of quality and value; on the other hand to explain how university placement services can increase the value created for the various stakeholders of a University.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is based on empirical study carried out through the analysis of the placement service of the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo” through “participant observation”, related to the experience gained by the authors within the service.
Findings
This study reveals that the placement service at the University of Urbino is innovative in terms of organization and management. The involvement of all actors in design and implementation of the initiatives is a strategic factor, crucial for meeting the expectations of stakeholders, raising levels of quality and satisfaction and, ultimately, the value created.
Originality/value
Although limited to only one placement case – the University of Urbino – the research presents original features regarding the application of service management principles to an institution like the University, which is increasingly directed towards value creation for its stakeholders. This application appears necessary given that increased competition among universities is based not only on traditional core activities – research and training – but also on the ability to contribute to student employability after the obtainment of a degree.
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Suk-kyu Kim, Brian H. Yim, Kevin K. Byon, Jae-Gu Yu, Sung-Min Lee and Jae-Ahm Park
The purpose of this paper is to examine spectator perceptions of service quality at the Formula One (F-1) event in Shanghai by means of Martilla and James’ Importance and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine spectator perceptions of service quality at the Formula One (F-1) event in Shanghai by means of Martilla and James’ Importance and Performance Analysis (IPA).
Design/methodology/approach
The items were plotted on the four IPA dimensions, including: Concentrate Here; Keep Up the Good Work; Lower Priority; and Possible Overkill.
Findings
The results indicated that staff courtesy seems to be the strength of the event. However, concession quality, food prices, and arena accessibility, including restrooms at the Shanghai F-1 event, did not meet spectators’ expectations. In addition, the results suggested that in any spectator sporting event, food consumption helps to create a positive experience. Therefore, IPA revealed that service quality related to concessions, food pricing, and arena accessibility at the Shanghai F-1 are in need of immediate improvement, whereas staff courtesy and race visuals were satisfactory.
Originality/value
The findings will help marketers prioritize certain services and offer strategic direction in effective service provision by highlighting management problems.
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