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This paper aims to facilitate an immediate immersion of academic literature in the timeshare/vacation ownership industry. Through a synthesis of 92 articles published in academic journals over the past 40 years, the authors demonstrate the breadth of the current research. Topical areas, methodologies and findings are presented, as well as opportunities for further investigation. This paper also provides the reader with a robust consolidation of literature in a tabular form to include authors, publication dates, sources and titles.

Through a comprehensive search of multiple academic research databases, university catalogues and references of existing literature and conference proceedings, the authors compiled a review of timeshare research with the aim of classifying the various components and issues that have been examined to date.

The timeshare segment of the greater lodging industry is unique due to its real estate ownership component, complex management characteristics and regulatory environment. The unique nature appeals to researchers and provides an opportunity for investigation of generally accepted theories and principles. The literature follows industry advances in the segment, with the majority of research focused on sales and marketing practices, and resort services and operations. An abundance of future research opportunities is identified in the literature, to which only a few have been addressed.

A synthesis of timeshare literature has not been published to date, either in hospitality literature or in other fields of study, i.e. real estate. Therefore, the authors provide a foundation for researchers, academics and students to utilize in further study and investigation.

Presents an overview of the timeshare industry in South Africa. Gives special attention to the reasons why the industry continues to grow, despite major failures. Emphasis is placed on the creation of the property trust in which the timeshare properties are registered with the timeshare investors as beneficiaries. Concludes that the growth of the timeshare market in South Africa is attributed to the corrective measures and bona fide intentions of the current operators.

This study aims to take advantage of segment reporting to provide empirical evidence on the impacts of increasing the share of revenue generated from the timeshare segment in companies’ portfolios for firm value and profitability.

This paper examines data from five publicity traded hospitality companies that have a timeshare component and carries out different regression analysis using 69 observations ranging from 1998 to 2016.

The findings support the idea of an inverted U-shaped relationship between the degree of timeshare business (DOT) and firm value and profitability. However, for positive values of DOT, an increase of DOT consistently has a negative impact on firm value and accounting profitability.

This study adds to previous findings through the addition of new variables and contemporary accounting practices. Though sufficient for the analyses conducted, the limited number of observations raises generalizability issues. Further research with larger data sets is advised.

This study implies that timeshare may continue to grow, but not as a segment in the lodging sector; rather as an industry mainly composed of timeshare-dedicated companies. As firms consider diversification or consolidation, this study may inform decisions related to potential firm value.

This study provides evidence to support previous literature related to spin-off activity in the lodging sector. Perhaps more importantly, this study adds value to research on firm value and profitability by extending traditional models and by developing a new “degree of business” variable using segment reporting.

The purpose of this study is to examine consumer perceptions toward the adoption of mobile technology within the vacation ownership/timeshare segment of the hospitality industry. Despite the proliferation of mobile applications in the greater hospitality and tourism industry, few timeshare companies use this technology. However, customers have expressed strong intentions to use technology. Therefore, this study examines consumers’ attitudes toward and experiences with mobile applications and then through the use of a prototype, examines consumers’ intentions to use a mobile application. The relationships between attitude, experience and usefulness are explored in relation to intention to use.

Consumers that owned timeshares in the Orlando area responded to an online survey invitation from their resort management company. The survey instrument gathered data related to consumers’ attitudes toward and experiences with technology using established measures. A total of 914 surveys were collected and the proposed model was analyzed using path analysis.

Findings indicate that traditional technology adoption antecedents (experience, usefulness and attitude) explain timeshare owners’ intentions to use a mobile application. This is consistent with prior research. However, using established measures, the model explained consumers’ intentions to use the technology with greater certainty than what previous research has reported.

The most encouraging and noteworthy implications from the findings are threefold. First, timeshare owners are using mobile technology while traveling (mobile phones, tablets and laptops). The owners’ experiences with mobile devices exert a positive influence that moderates intention to use. In addition, the impact of technology experience on intent to use is mediated by perceived usefulness and attitudes toward the application. Though the sample size was large, limitations do exist, as those surveyed were all owners of a single timeshare resort based in Orlando, Florida.

In studies reported to date, there is scarce empirical research regarding mobile application adoption for timeshare owners or information about the factors that drive usage, attitude and adoption. This study discusses important insights about mobile services for an industry that lacks research in information technology.

This paper aims to examine the value proposition of developing a vacation ownership project in Florida and Hawaii by analyzing actual company data.

The study is based on a net present value model approach that was used for analysis of the company financial data.

Results suggest that the vacation ownership alternative produces better financial performance than traditional hotel development.

Research is limited to the case of a company in two main destinations.

The paper helps practitioners by presenting a current approach to consider in their understanding and perception of vacation ownership.

Research is limited to the case of a company in two main destinations.

This study is one of the few investigations about applying real company data and comparing the main timeshare markets.

It is undoubtedly the case that advertising plays a significant part in modern economic life in most societies and many view it as an essential part of the operation of a free market system. Yet it is also the case that our knowledge of how exactly it works and whether the vast amounts spent on it are justified is still uncertain. Lord Leverhulme, the founder of Lever Brothers, is credited with the famous aphorism — ‘one half of advertising does not work but nobody knows which half’ and that perhaps sums up the situation very well. One thing that is generally accepted is that some protection must be provided both to consumers and trade competitors from false or misleading advertising which can lead to market distortions and economic loss to purchasers. Increasingly controversial, however, is the scope and extent of legal and voluntary controls on advertising. In the advertising industry fears are rising about the volume of both national and EEC proposals to restrict or limit advertising and as we move from the '80s, a decade of conspicuous consumption in which advertising flourished, to the caring '90s where environmental issues are to the fore, the advertising industry faces major challenges. Advertising as a whole is facing severe economic and legal challenges after the massive expansion of the 1980's — it is estimated that there was a 4% fall in real terms in UK advertising expenditure in the first quarter of 1990 and an estimated 5% fall in the second quarter. Clients are becoming more demanding and the cosy cartel arrangement whereby advertising agencies made a 15% standard commission on a client's expenditure has gone — commissions are down to 12%‐13% or being replaced by fixed fees. It has been estimated by the Advertising Association that proposed legal restrictions could lead to a loss of £1 bn in revenue for the industry. Multi‐farious pressure groups are campaigning against drink advertising, cigarette advertising and sexism in adverts. The advertising industry's concerns are reflected in a recent report by the Advertising Association — ‘A Freedom Under Threat — Advertising in the EC’. The report indicates a number of areas where legislative controls have been introduced or are proposed to be introduced over the next few years and expresses the fear that controls may be going too far in limiting freedom of ‘commercial speech’. Martin Boase, chairman of the Advertising Association writes in his introduction to the report:

Public and private companies have been quick to realise the potential value of a time share purchase as an incentive to employees and location for management get‐togethers.

Most business executives understand the importance of taking care of their best customers but they often limit their focus to engaging the left side of their customers' brains: the calculating side, paying attention to “hard” financial considerations such as level of discounts. In addition, executives should think about how they can engage customers' right/irrational/emotive side. One of the most effective ways to do this is to create a feeling among key customers that they are members of an exclusive club, building on the human need to affiliate. Humans want to belong to something, and preferably, something more sublime and more significant than ourselves. We want to believe that we are getting special access, special treatment, special handling – special something. Companies that can successfully tap into this left brain affiliation need will build extraordinary customer loyalty and long term value for shareholders. The author proposes four key strategies for companies considering going down this path.

In this article, Jackson considers a number of case examples of businesses that have built loyal “membership” customers who can be relied upon to keep coming back in large part because of the affiliation benefits they feel with the companies that serve them. Examples industries cited in the article include the real estate, retail, airlines, car rental and consumer durables. The author then draws lessons that can be applied broadly across any business considering strategies to build loyalty among its best customers.

Companies should proactively engage with the left brain needs of their customers. This involves developing programs that differentiate the businesses' best customers, providing visible benefits that are not available to ordinary consumers. The programs should target softer benefits and affiliation needs as well as providing good customer value. Those companies that are able to build a sense of membership among their customers will achieve increased loyalty and shareholder value.

Brand managers have always recognized how left brain thinking can overwhelm right brain hard cost‐benefit considerations in product choice. This article extends that thinking beyond brand attributes to how customers and suppliers interact. It demonstrates how company leaders who successfully target humans' left brain affiliation needs in designing customer interactions can attract and retain customers much more cost‐effectively than those who limit their focus to “hard” cost‐benefit considerations. In doing so, they can build competitive advantage and long term shareholder value.

This paper aims to provide an overview of the field of hospitality management and a guide to the major books, databases, web sites, and other resources that comprise a quality hospitality management reference collection.

Following a short introduction and overview, key sources and annotations are presented in categories that will help reference and collection librarians to better understand and serve hospitality management students. The sources were identified through the author's experience, library research guides and web sites, bibliographies, and other standard sources.

Hospitality management is growing and maturing as an academic discipline, aided by the fact that the field offers good job prospects. The key sources pertaining to hospitality management are scattered among several different industry sectors, including food and beverage, lodging, meetings and special events, travel and tourism, and theme parks and attractions.

This paper is the first to systematically identify key reference works for the field of hospitality management. It will be useful for librarians who work with business, culinary arts, hospitality management, or related fields.

This research aims to propose a model that may be used to classify product attributes according to their effect on customer satisfaction within the services industry. It also aims to apply the model to vacation ownership products and to explore attributes related to both the purchase and use of the product: an owned luxury product.

Data from 3,231 vacation ownership customers of multiple international companies were analyzed using a modified Kano model and related questionnaire.

This study reveals the effect that specific product attributes have on customer satisfaction. It addresses previously unexplored attributes (i.e. sales techniques and hotel program benefits), confirms others previously identified with customer satisfaction (i.e. amenities, exchange benefits, hotel affiliation and vacation counselors) and reveals those that had no incremental effect on overall satisfaction (i.e. financing and activities).

Results of this study suggest that attributes have varying effects on customers’ overall satisfaction and submit that companies may wish to focus their efforts in particular areas to maintain or improve overall satisfaction. Doing so may create opportunities for companies to increase satisfaction, operate more efficiently or distinguish themselves within the marketplace.

This research is the first comprehensive examination of customer satisfaction related to the purchase and consumption of an owned luxury vacation product, reveals misconceptions related to certain product attributes, uncovers previously unidentified attributes, provides a model for examining customer satisfaction that could be applied across lodging products and provides a benchmark for future studies.