Search

Purpose This study aims to highlight the importance of developing academic research in tourism and hospitality management into a more responsible approach, applying a multistakeholder model. This multistakeholder approach forces the tourist community to be considered when identifying the gaps and impacts of academic research. Design/methodology/approach This study suggests action research as one of the appropriate methodological approaches for conducting responsible research, as action research allows challenges to be overcome through the interaction of researchers and stakeholders. Principles of responsible research are indicated and exemplar studies that use action research are described. Findings Proposals and recommendations for responsible research are identified, such as demand-driven research, action research as a methodological approach and a way to address societal challenges, and the importance of considering the research ecosystem. In addition, some advantages (funding, reputation and legitimacy) and barriers (resources and publication) of responsible research are explained. Practical implications Practical implications are described. Conducting responsible research is oriented toward identifying real practical implications proposed and validated by the tourist community instead of being proposed solely by the researchers. Social implications This paper emphasizes the need to work together with the tourist community and their stakeholders to enhance the real societal impact of academic research in tourism and hospitality management. Originality/value The authors would like to raise a self-critical debate for the future enrichment of research in the tourism industry. Research in this industry can contribute to solving significant societal problems. Responsible research can help scholars to be part of the solution to these challenges, working together with different tourism stakeholders.

The relationship between sustainability, competitive advantages, and performance is a topic with no conclusive results in the tourism industry. To contribute to the debate, the purpose of this study is i) to analyze the influence of sustainability on cost and differentiation competitive advantages and ii) to examine the possible synergistic relationship between sustainability and performance. Perceptual as well as hotel-specific objective performance measurements are used, such as occupancy rate, average daily rate (ADR), and revenues per available room (RevPAR), to examine all the relationships. Structural equation models based on Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) are applied to test all the hypotheses. Data is collected from 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels in Spain. The results show that sustainability positively and significantly influences cost and differentiation advantages, perceptual performance, ADR, and RevPAR. In addition, those hotels with these three performance variables whose values are above the median obtain a significant relationship between sustainability and performance. Consequently, there is evidence of a synergistic sustainability-performance relationship in the hotel industry. Therefore, this study offers academic evidence on the strong relationships that exist between these variables in the hotel industry. This research work analyses all three sustainability pillars (economic, environmental, and social sustainability), and the practices that best explain each of the three sustainability pillars are indicated so that hotel managers can optimize their sustainable management.

The aim of this paper is to examine the internalisation of a quality standard and its effects on employee, social, and customer results, and the relationships between these three types of results in the hotel industry. The paper first performs a qualitative study. Second, it presents the results of a quantitative analysis using structural equations based on 176 hotels in Spain. Third, it carries out another qualitative analysis to better understand the quantitative results. The results show that the internalisation of a quality standard facilitates employee and social results and then customer results. The study contributes to prior research about the relationships between quality measures and guest/business outcomes, expanding the relationships between quality standards and customer and employee results previously examined in the literature by including social results. Managers should understand the importance of continuous improvement and the fundamental role of employees in the internalisation process of a quality standard to enhance employee, social, and customer results. This work was supported by Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [Grant Number ECO2012-36316].

This work empirically examines the importance of the internalization of a quality standard for environmental sustainable development in Spanish hotels. It aims to examine the direct relationships between the internalization of a quality standard and environmental practices and performance and the mediating role of environmental practices on the relationship between the internalization of a quality standard and environmental performance. The work uses a sample of 176 hotels and applies the partial least squares (PLS) approach to test these relationships. The results show that (a) the internalization of a quality standard (through daily practices and continuous improvement) is positively related to environmental practices and performance and (b) environmental practices partially mediate the relationship between the internalization of a quality standard and environmental performance. The study extends the literature by explaining that the internalization of a quality standard strengthens environmental sustainable development. This study has been carried out as part of research project ECO2012‐36316, funded by the Spanish government (National R&D&i Plan).

This work aims to identify quality standard adoption levels and their relationship with quality management practices and performance (customer, employee and social results, and organizational performance) in tourism organizations in Spain. This work uses 279 tourism organizations in the following subsectors: hotels, travel agencies, restaurants, and rural accommodations. The work applies cluster and regression analyses. Results show three levels of adoption and a lower degree of development of the continuous improvement dimension. Organizations with a significantly lower level of development of the quality standard have started to integrate the quality requirements in their daily practices to some extent and where continuous improvement practices are little developed. These organizations have significantly lower results than those organizations with higher adoption of quality. The results also indicate that a greater level of adoption of a quality standard leads to a higher development of QM practices. These results are interesting for managers, destination managers, and the wider tourism professional community. It contributes to supplementing previous studies about taxonomies of quality standard adoption in the particular case of tourism organizations in Spain and may serve as a starting point for further research on that topic.

Firm success depends on economic performance, but also on social and environmental factors. We use abilities, motivations, and opportunities theory and resource-based view to analyse the role of human resources management (HRM) as an antecedent of environmental management and how this relationship contributes to a deeper understanding of the linkage between environmental management and performance. This is because there are no conclusive results of the costs and profits derived from environmental practices and HRM could add more information to this topic. Here, we show that a set of HRM practices, and specially employee participation processes and communication between managers and employees, significantly improves environmental management. Moreover, environmental management explains significantly competitive advantages and performance in the hotel industry. Findings show that hotels should have an HRM structure to train, motivate, develop, and retain employees to develop environmental management aimed at obtaining cost and differentiation advantages and improve their perceptual performance, average daily rate, and revenues per available room. Our findings have implications towards advancing theory because we develop an integrative framework which includes the link between HRM (antecedent) and environmental management, and the relationship between environmental management and competitive advantages and performance (consequences) in the hotel industry. This research work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain (grant number ECO2015-67310P).

Purpose This work analyses quality management (through the European Foundation for Quality Management-EFQM-model) and transformational leadership in hotels in Spain. Design/methodology/approach The study analyses 102 5-star and 5-star large luxury hotels that answer a questionnaire on transformational leadership and the EFQM model. It analyses the degree of importance of quality and transformational leadership in hotels, the significant differences between groups of hotels (according to stars, size, modality and type of product) and the association between transformational leadership and quality. Findings The results show the levels of quality and transformational leadership, minor significant differences between groups and an association between the two variables. In general, chain-affiliated hotels have a higher level of leadership and a more advanced employee and process management than independent hotels. Also, those hotels that focus on a vacational product show a lower attention to the strategy dimension in the EFQM model. The number of employees is not an important factor to adopt quality. Finally, transformational leadership allows hotels to advance in the development of quality management. Originality/value Although there are studies on quality management that show the importance of leadership for quality, there are few studies that examine transformational leadership and quality in the same study, mainly in the tourism industry, and especially in the case of the hotel industry.

The hotel industry is characterized by operating in a global, dynamic and uncertain environment where stakeholders' concerns on sustainable development are growing. However, there is limited research on whether hotels have flexibility and capacity for change, to develop environmental practices that meet stakeholder demands and improve their competitiveness. Through the dynamic capabilities theory, the resource-based view and the stakeholder theory, this paper develops a model that considers agility and innovation as antecedents of environmental management and competitive advantages as consequences. A Partial Least Squares analysis is carried out based on data from Spanish hotels. The results indicate that agility and innovation influence environmental management positively; agility influences innovation positively; and agility influences environmental management indirectly through innovation. Moreover, environmental management positively influences cost and differentiation competitive advantages. This study contributes to the literature by examining the role of two important dynamic capabilities and their impact on environmental management and showing how the interaction and mediation between these capabilities favors competitive advantages. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number ECO2015-67310P).

The analysis of ambidexterity at the individual level may help to open the black box of organizational ambidexterity and to address the microfoundations of the exploration/exploitation dilemma in order to know how it can be achieved. The purpose of this article is to examine the main characteristics, antecedents, and consequences of individual ambidexterity, highlighting several key theoretical and methodological issues. Through a systematic literature review, we synthesize and integrate knowledge about individual ambidexterity, identifying opportunities and challenges for future research. We propose a multilevel framework that includes antecedents, consequences, and contingent effects of individual ambidexterity and their relationships. This multilevel framework may help to overcome the micro–macro divide in the management field. We also provide a synthesis of future research proposals. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number ECO2015-67310P).

This research study explores the relationship between three dynamic capabilities and their impact on hotel performance. Specifically, we examine the relationship between human resource management (HRM), quality management (QM) and sustainability. In addition, we analyse how QM and sustainability explain hotel performance measured by occupancy rate, average daily rate (ADR) and revenues per available room (RevPAR). These capabilities can generate income, enabling hotels to adapt as quickly as possible to the changing environment. Findings show a significant relationship between HRM, QM and sustainability. The relationship between QM and hotel performance and between sustainability and hotel performance is fully mediated by the differentiation competitive advantage. Our results represent an advance in hotel theory and management because they integrate HRM, QM and sustainability, and show their ability to be a source of competitive advantage and profitability. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number ECO2015–67310P).

This study analyzes the influence of quality management practices on organizational ambidexterity and on performance, and the mediating role of ambidexterity in the relationship between quality management practices and performance in the hotel industry. The paper uses Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis based on data from 365 Spanish hotels. The results show that quality management practices favor the development of organizational ambidexterity, that is, they help balance exploitation and exploration activities, and this contributes to improving hotel performance. Moreover, ambidexterity acts as a partial mediator between quality management practices and hotel performance. These findings imply that quality management practices can create an appropriate organizational context to simultaneously develop both service improvements (exploitative innovations) and service innovations (explorative innovations). This paper contributes to theory by developing new knowledge regarding quality management as a facilitator of ambidexterity, and the mediating role of ambidexterity in the relationship between quality management and hotel performance. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number ECO2015-67310P).

Purpose – This paper examines the relationships between: (1) motives for internalization of a quality system, (2) the internalization of a quality system and (3) customer results, employee results and social results in public organizations by means of replication research Design/methodology/approach – First, the work applies a quantitative study to test hypotheses using structural equations based on the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach. Then, a qualitative study is carried out to support the quantitative results obtained Findings – Results show that internal and external motives affect internalization, and that the most important issues for internalization are commitment, communication, training, recognition and follow-up. In addition, continuous improvement is key in order to enhance customer results, employee results and social results Originality/value – The contribution of this work is that it provides empirical support to prior research on internalization focused on manufacturing and service organizations, and extends these results to the case of public organizations. Propósito – Este trabajo analiza la relación entre: a) los motivos para interiorizar un sistema de calidad, b) la interiorización de un sistema de calidad y c) los resultados de clientes, empleados y sociedad en organizaciones públicas, a través de un estudio que replica los análisis previos sobre interiorización realizados en organizaciones manufactureras y de servicios. Diseño/metodología/enfoque – Interiorización de la calidad en organizaciones públicas Para conseguir este objetivo se realiza primero un estudio cuantitativo para comprobar las hipótesis a través de un análisis de ecuaciones estructurales desde el enfoque Partial Least Squares (PLS). Posteriormente se realiza otro estudio cualitativo para apoyar los resultados cuantitativos obtenidos. Resultados – Los resultados muestran que los motivos internos y externos influyen en la interiorización y que los aspectos más importantes para interiorizar un sistema de calidad son la implicación, la comunicación, la formación, el reconocimiento y el seguimiento interno. Además, la mejora continua es clave para mejorar los resultados de clientes, empleados y sociedad. Originalidad/valor – La contribución del trabajo es que proporciona apoyo empírico a los resultados de trabajos previos sobre interiorización centrados en organizaciones manufactureras y de servicios y extiende estos resultados al caso de organizaciones públicas. This study has been carried out as part of research project ECO2012-36316, funded by the Spanish government (National R&D&i Plan).

As in the previous two issues of 2017, we continue a year-long celebration of a decade of mixed methods research scholarship in the Journal of Mixed Methods Research. Here, we introduce the contributions of this issue, and then for a timely substantive focus of this editorial, we introduce the concept of the “mixed methods research integration trilogy” (below, ‘MMR integration trilogy’).

This work examines the literature on the internalization of quality management standards via database searches (Web of Science, Emerald, ScienceDirect, and ABI/Inform-ProQuest). This review describes the characteristics of the relevant literature (theoretical or empirical, countries of study, and methods used), the internalization process (two constructs to measure internalization and items under each construct), drivers (reasons for seeking certification, quality culture, leadership, and training), and the effects of internalization (customer, people, and social results). Engineering managers can consider these aspects and associated drivers when they seek to improve the current processes and performance of their firms. On the basis of this review, this article identifies gaps in the literature and proposes future research areas. This work has been carried out as part of the research project ECO2012-36316 funded by the Science and Innovation Ministry (Plan Nacional de I+D+i).

The aim of this chapter is to examine the important role that mixed methods research may play as an appropriate methodology to develop responsible research. Mixed methods can produce credible and useful knowledge for business and for society. In this chapter, we indicate the foundations of mixed methods research. Next, we examine two examples of research projects that use mixed methods and that promote better business and a better world addressing two important grand challenges: poverty and environmental sustainability. We also analyze how the seven key principles of responsible research may be addressed through the use of mixed methods.

This paper aims to analyze the relationship between internalization (heterogeneous adoption) of quality standards, human issues and competitive advantage using 407 organizations in six tourism subsectors: hotels and tourism apartments, travel agencies, restaurants, rural accommodation, beaches and tourism information offices. The results contribute to expand the previous studies about the effects of internalization of quality standards on operational and business performance by considering other effects related to human issues (training, motivation and involvement of employees). It also contributes to extend the results of these previous works by showing the effects of internalization on competitive advantage, and the role of human issues in the case of tourism organizations. This work was supported by Spanish government (National R&D&i Plan) [grant number ECO2012-36316].

With great pleasure, we announce the debut of a new feature at Journal of Mixed Methods Research (JMMR): Commentaries. The purpose of the Commentary feature is to provide a venue for more interactive dialogue about current issues in mixed methods research methodology. As editors, we want JMMR to be responsive to the needs of our readers and rapidly changing advances. We have created this venue to encourage vibrant and scholarly dialogue about the innovative articles published in JMMR and about developments in the field. By virtue of JMMR’s founding focus on innovation, new contributions to JMMR reflect the latest advances in the field. Through Commentaries, members of the mixed methods community have an opportunity to reflect, raise areas for concern and consideration, and provide alternative or reinforcing views about the compelling mixed methods issues of our time.

A growing methodological trend is emerging from the recognition that integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study, that is, employing a mixed methods approach, can provide the necessary empirical intricacy and rigor to match the complexities of organizational phenomena. The authors describe opportunities and challenges of mixed methods research in the organizational sciences, explain how the articles offered in this Feature Topic help to advance mixed methods in our field, and offer suggestions for future work that may create additional progress.

With the past issue, The Journal of Mixed Methods Research (JMMR) has completed 10 years of publication. In celebration of JMMR’s success over a full decade, and in anticipation of its journey into the future, we have decided to take the entire 11th year to celebrate and reflect. We must start with a hearty expression of gratitude to and awe of the entire mixed methods community that has come together as a field and to support the journal. From the founding and subsequent editors, to all the associate editors, to the editorial board members, to those who have submitted manuscripts, to those who have published, to those who have reviewed, to those who have cited the work of JMMR, and to those who are readers, the mixed methods community has propelled JMMR and the field forward. We send our special thanks to the many of you who have contributed at multiple levels. Now, we wish to share several exciting developments at JMMR.

The impact of proactive environmental management on the competitiveness of a firm is the subject of an ongoing debate, and a review of the existing literature provides no clear conclusion, and, at times, conflicting results. In this paper, we advance the understanding of this relationship through a joint analysis of external (voluntary norms and stakeholders) and internal factors (firm resources), examining their influence on proactive environmental management and whether firms that adopt proactive environmental management achieve competitive advantages in costs and differentiation. Drawing on a data set of 208 firms, this paper fills gaps in the extant literature on the potential for using a contingent approach integrating external and internal aspects. Thus, this work addresses an important gap by presenting a multi-theoretical approach combining two theories, institutional theory and the resource-based view, to recognize the wider influencing factors impacting on environmental management, and showing that those theories are complementary rather than mutually exclusive. We provide managerial implications that can guide managers in their choice of approach, as a way to contribute to the competitive advantage of their firms.

PurposeThe aim of this study is to examine the relationship between practices of quality management (QM) and the characteristics of organizational design, and QM and competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a partial least squares approach to test these relationships in 350 hotels in Spain.FindingsThe findings show that QM influences specialization, formalization and interdepartmental interactions, and that QM practices influence both cost and differentiation competitive advantage. The results also indicate the importance of QM strategic and operational systems as practices that have a key impact on the characteristics of organizational design. Similarly, the QM operational system is key in the relationship between QM and cost competitive advantage. Finally, the QM operational, information and strategic systems positively influence differentiation competitive advantage.Practical implicationsWhen hotels adopt QM practices, there will be significant changes in a number of organizational variables, including specialization, formalization and interdepartmental interactions. This paper provides empirical evidence that QM practices improve both cost and differentiation competitive advantage in the hotel industry.Originality/valueThere has been little research on the effects of QM on organizational design in the hotel industry. The contribution of this paper is that analyze the effects of QM on organizational design and competitive advantage, extending knowledge about these issues in a specific sector.

The purpose of this methodological insight is to analyze the foundations of multilevel research, answering two main questions: why this methodological approach is important for management research and how to conduct a multilevel study. We examine why multilevel research is relevant, emphasizing its potential, opportunities and basic principles. Moreover, we point out the main theoretical, methodological and analytic aspects to be considered for an appropriate application of multilevel research. The paper refers throughout to the basic literature on multilevel research, reviewing conceptual, methodological and empirical works. This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Research Grant ECO2015-67310-P).

ResumenEl propósito de este trabajo es analizar por qué hay hoteles más competitivos y rentables que otros. Para responder a esta pregunta, se integran dos enfoques teóricos recientes en el campo de la dirección estratégica de la empresa como son los microfundamentos y las capacidades dinámicas. Concretamente, se analiza cómo la sostenibilidad, la gestión de la calidad y la innovación, como capacidades dinámicas, son capaces de incidir en la competitividad hotelera. El análisis se realiza mediante una investigación cualitativa a través de entrevistas en profundidad a expertos del sector hotelero español. Palabras clave: sector hotelero, sostenibilidad turística, calidad, innovación, competitividad. AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to analyze why there are more competitive and profitable hotels. To answer this question, two recent theoretical approaches are integrated in the field of strategic management of the company, such as microfoundations and dynamic capabilities. Specifically, it analyzes how sustainability, quality management and innovation, as dynamic capabilities, influence hotel competitiveness. The analysis is carried out through qualitative research through in-depth interviews with experts from the Spanish hotel sector.Keywords: hotel sector, tourism sustainability, quality, innovation, competitiveness

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impact of external and internal drivers on the dimensions of internalization (daily practices and continuous improvement) of quality standards, the relationship between the dimensions of internalization and their effects on customer, employee, society and organizational results in hotels. Design/methodology/approach The study applies a structural equations analysis to test these relationships using empirical data from 176 quality-certified hotels. Findings Hotels need internal drivers to internalize a quality system because the external drivers themselves are not able to explain significantly the quality internalization process. This paper shows the significant relationship between the dimensions of internalization (daily practices and continuous improvement) and the importance of continuous improvement (e.g. innovations from quality standards and reflection on how to improve the current work processes) for improved customer, employees, society and organizational results. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no empirical studies jointly analyzing the drivers of internalization, the relationship between the dimensions of internalization and their effects on different dimensions of results (customers, employees and society) in hotels.

The analysis of the antecedents or determinant factors of environmental management is an important research topic. In this article, we examine the influence of organizational design and quality management. Our main purpose is to analyze the impact of organizational design on environmental management and the mediating role that organizational design may play in the relationship between quality management and environmental management in the hotel industry. The results indicate that organizational design positively influences environmental management and partially mediates the relationship between quality management and environmental management. This work has been carried out as part of the research project ECO2009-12231 funded by the Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry.

This paper has several aims: (a) to identify an empirical taxonomy of quality management (QM), (b) to assess whether more advanced QM hotels achieve better performance levels and (c) to analyse whether hotels with better performance levels have more advanced QM levels. This paper contributes to identify a taxonomy of QM in hotels showing the association between a particular level of QM and different performance dimensions. In addition, the paper sheds light on the possible selection effect in the hotel industry. The study finds that hotels with higher QM levels have better hotel guest satisfaction and employee satisfaction, efficiency and better business performance. It also shows that hotels with better performance levels develop QM to a greater extent. Accordingly, QM level is one factor among others that explain better performance levels in hotels. Also, good performance can facilitate the implementation of QM practices. This work has been carried out as part of the research project ECO2009-12231 funded by the Science and Innovation Ministry (Plan Nacional de I+D+i).