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Customer transformation is currently overlooked in service research. This article aims to conceptualize customer transformation and develop a research agenda to encourage more exploration in this area.

This conceptual article builds on the literature on transformation and related topics in psychology, sociology, education and anthropology.

The presented definition of customer transformation distinguishes itself from other related concepts such as minor change. The research agenda, structured around five themes, reveals four distinctive attributes of customer transformation that warrant academic investigation. These include the inability of businesses to guarantee transformations, the potential tension between transformational aspirations and immediate needs and well-being, the imperative of cultivating long-term engagement and the likelihood of encountering customer resistance. This highlights the criticality of embracing a customer-centric approach in transformational services.

Given the vastness of the topic, the literature review is limited and the research agenda could be widened. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the subject introduces the possibility that the conceptual framework and research agenda may become outdated. Lastly, the universal applicability of the findings and the proposed conceptual framework are uncertain, necessitating potential validation across diverse contexts. The practical implications may also fall short of addressing the specific challenges encountered by different industries or businesses.

The article provides insights on customer transformation and strategies for businesses to support ongoing transformations, emphasizing personalized engagement and co-creating value to meet evolving customer aspirations.

The need for development and growth is more pressing and decisive than ever. This need is often not well understood and, as a result, is not addressed by either scholars or companies. This paper helps address that social need.

The research enriches the service literature by paving the way for a crucial subfield in service research. Additionally, it establishes a shared understanding of customer transformation by highlighting its distinct characteristics and analyzing their implications for service management, proposing a conceptual framework and research agenda.

Although many studies have concentrated on analyzing the impact of the implementation of ISO 9001 certification, there is still a clear need for research in specific sectors. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the implementation of this international management system standard in the tourism industry, and in particular the motivations conducting to its adoption and the satisfaction derived from it.

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 120 ISO 9001-certified Spanish tourism companies. Confirmatory factor analysis tests were used to verify the scales validity and reliability. The logit model was utilized to investigate the statistical effects of ISO certification.

The paper findings showed that the certified companies in the tourism industry implement ISO 9001 more for internal reasons, like improving processes and procedures or products and/or services, than for external reasons, like the image of the company or promotional or sales tools. The variables size, age and use of a consultant affect the cost and time factors for the implementation of a quality system. In addition, the certification process generated three categories of benefits, with the organizational and control benefits being the more relevant. These benefits are correlated to the antiquity of the certificate. In the final analysis, results show that tourism companies are generally satisfied with the ISO 9001 certificate.

The ISO 9001 quality management system is part of the modern management tools. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the motivations and benefits for implementing the ISO 9001 certification and to the analysis of its application in a particular industry as important as the tourism industry in Spain, a country that is recognized for its leadership in tourism.

The pressures driving successful organisations toward top quality services make the measurement of service quality and its subsequent management of overall importance. The study compares four different methods for measuring service quality within an airline setting. Six instruments are used to measure the service quality of three international airline companies. The validity and reliability of the six different models is examined: it is concluded that unweighted SERVPEX methods are superior to the others. The dimensionality of quality in airlines is explored and three factors appear as determinants: tangibility, reliability, and customer care. The author states that understanding customer expectations is a prerequisite for delivering superior service, since customers evaluate service quality by comparing their perceptions of the service with their expectations. As a result, a model to manage expectations is proposed. A set of research directions is offered.

A growing number of people are using tourism as an escape from the fiction of their daily lives. The purpose of this chapter is to explore a dimension of tourism where the outer search is the vehicle for an inner journey of spiritual development. The chapter introduces a novel concept, tourism of spiritual growth, which it perceives as a variety of spiritual tourism with an esoteric motivation. In this regard, the individual undertakes an intentional “voyage of discovery” for inner awareness and transformation. The term is conceptualized, and its central dimensions—meaning, transcendence, and connectedness—analyzed in relation to the motivations it involves.

Latin America has not been exempted from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, this study aims to identify the actions of 50 main multilatinas to face the pandemic.

A qualitative content analysis was conducted on newspapers published in Latin America and corporate websites from March 2020 to April 2020, during which the multilatinas took their first actions toward the pandemic.

Results identified 106 actions taken by multilatinas in social, operational, philanthropic and financial areas. This paper analyzes the results, discuss the implications for business theories and develops three theoretical propositions.

First, this study can serve as a reference for business decision-makers as it offers guidance in taking actions during a pandemic. Second, it highlights the importance of the speed of responses to unforeseen challenges. The study recommends that business managers include in their contingency plans procedures for addressing unforeseen situations, such as the pandemic, with a focus on increasing their response capacity.

The importance of this study lies in understanding multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) initial actions taken during unexpected disasters and rare events. This study fills two important gaps in the business literature that have not been addressed in the Latin American context, namely, the actions taken by MNEs facing a public health disaster and how MNEs cope with disastrous and rare events.

América Latina no ha estado exenta de los efectos de la pandemia de COVID-19. Por lo tanto, este estudio tiene por objetivo identificar las acciones de las 50 principales multilatinas para enfrentar la pandemia.

Una técnica cualitativa de análisis de contenido fue llevada a cabo en periódicos publicados en América Latina y páginas web corporativas entre marzo y abril de 2020, durante los cuáles las multilatinas tomaron sus primeras acciones hacia la pandemia.

Los resultados identificaron 106 acciones tomadas por las multilatinas en las áreas sociales, operacionales, filantrópicas y financieras. Además, se analizan los resultados, discuten las implicaciones para las teorías de negocios, y se desarrollan tres proposiciones teóricas.

Primero, este estudio puede servir como referente para los tomadores de decisiones ya que ofrece una guía de acciones tomadas durante la pandemia. Segundo, se muestra la importancia de la velocidad de respuesta a retos imprevistos. El estudio recomienda que los gerentes incluyan en sus planes de contingencia planes y procedimientos para abordar situaciones imprevistas, tales como la pandemia, enfocados en incrementar su capacidad de respuesta.

La importancia de este estudio recae en el entendimiento de las acciones tomadas por las empresas multinacionales durante desastres inesperados y eventos raros. Este estudio cubre dos huecos importantes en la literatura que no han sido abordados en el contexto de América Latina: las acciones tomadas por las multinacionales encarando un desastre de salud pública y como las multinacionales afronta los eventos raros y desastres.

A América Latina não está isenta dos efeitos da pandemia COVID-19. Portanto, este estudo tem como objetivo identificar as ações das 50 principais multilatinas para o enfrentamento da pandemia.

Uma análise qualitativa de conteúdo foi realizada em jornais publicados na América Latina e sites corporativos de março de 2020 a abril de 2020, período em que as multilatinas realizaram suas primeiras ações em relação à pandemia.

Os resultados identificaram 106 ações realizadas pelas multilatinas nas áreas social, operacional, filantrópica e financeira. Analisamos os resultados, discutimos as implicações para as teorias de negócios e desenvolvemos três proposições teóricas.

primeiro, este estudo pode servir como uma referência para os tomadores de decisão de negócios, pois oferece orientação na tomada de medidas durante uma pandemia. Em segundo lugar, destaca a importância da velocidade de resposta a desafios imprevistos. O estudo recomenda que os gestores de negócios incluam em seus planos de contingência procedimentos para enfrentar situações imprevistas, como a pandemia, com foco no aumento de sua capacidade de resposta.

La importancia de este estudio recae en el entendimiento de las acciones ocorres for las empresas multinacionais durante desastres inesperados y eventos raros. Este estudio cubre dos huecos importantes na literatura que não foi público no contexto da América Latina: las acciones por las multinacionales encarando um desastre de salud e como las multinacionales afronta los eventos raros y desastres.