Konstantinos Stephanou summaa tohtorityön väitöskirjansa abstraktissaan seuraavasti:
The assumption that total quality management (TQM) leads to improved business performance has driven substantial growth in quality certifications across different sectors, most recently in tourism. Tourism businesses implementing quality certification based on the TQM approach are expected to provide quality services to meet and exceed the expectations of more demanding customers, which is anticipated to result in improved financial results. At the same time, extensive use of the internet has influenced the habits of customers as they have started to share their experiences via online platforms, and to rely upon those online reviews and ratings as their main source of information when deciding upon the next accommodation, museum, attraction or restaurant. However, it is unknown if quality certified tourism businesses also receive better online customer reviews and ratings; in other words, have higher customer satisfaction, which in turn contributes to increased financial performance. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the implementation of TQM and business performance in the tourism sector. The following research question is central in this doctoral research: what is the relationship between the implementation of TQM, online reputation and financial performance? The key outcome of this thesis is emphasizing the mediating role of online reputation in the relationship between TQM implementation and financial performance. The results reveal that TQM implementation on its own does not result in better financial performance, high online ratings are a prerequisite for financial benefits to occur for a business operating in the tourism sector. The main novelty of this dissertation is the use of online reputation to explore the relationship of TQM and business performance in the tourism sector. In addition to enhancing the theory of TQM, the results of this research support tourism managers to design existing quality certification schemes in accordance with the context of the sector. Several guidelines are offered to support, both theoretically and practically, the future development of quality management in tourism. Keywords: total quality management, customer satisfaction, online reputation, financial performance, small and medium enterprises, tourism, Estonia
Voit lukea Konstantinos Stephanoun tohtorityön väitöskirjan kokonaisuudessaan tästä.
Valvojat:
Assistant Professor Mario Martínez-Córcoles, Ph.D. Research Institute of Personnel Psychology, Organizational Development, and Quality of Working Life (IDOCAL) Department of Psychology University of Valencia, Spain
Professor Ruth Alas, Ph.D. Estonian Business School, Estonia
Opponentit:
Professor Levente Littvay, Ph.D. Professor in Political Science Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
Associate Professor, Kurmet Kivipõld, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Management University of Tartu, Estonia
Väitöstilaisuuden suora lähetys on katsottavissa Youtubessa 22. jouluukuta 2021, kello 12:00 TÄÄLTÄ
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