Full metadata record
| DC Field | Value | Language |
|---|---|---|
| dc.contributor | School of Hotel and Tourism Management | en_US |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Leung, Daniel (SHTM) | en_US |
| dc.creator | Yang, Yi | - |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/14255 | - |
| dc.language | English | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | en_US |
| dc.rights | All rights reserved | en_US |
| dc.title | An importance-performance analysis of rural homestay servicescape attributes from the Chinese consumer's perspective | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | The rural homestay industry in Mainland China has experienced significant growth in recent years benefiting from tourists' increasing demand for unique accommodation products and authentic rural experiences. However, unplanned large-scale expansion and overzealous investment has led to a high degree of product homogenization and inefficient resource allocation, resulting in intense market competition and an uneven consumer reputation. In service industry, servicescape plays a crucial role in shaping customer experiences, delivering brand image, building competitive advantages, establishing emotional connection, and enhancing employee performance. Given its significance, building a differentiated servicescape can enable rural homestay practitioners to achieve sustainable and high-quality development. However, there is limited research on rural homestay servicescape attributes. Moreover, few studies have examined consumers' perceptions toward the importance of rural homestay service attributes and performance of those homestays operating in China. Although extensive research has been conducted on servicescape in the hotel industry, the findings are not directly applicable to the rural homestay industry due to notable differences between the two industries. Therefore, the key attributes of rural homestay servicescape and how consumers perceive their importance and performance still remain unknown. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | To address these research gaps, this thesis first identified thirty-three servicescape attributes relevant to the accommodation industry via a comprehensive literature review. Based on this list of key attributes, a questionnaire was designed to collect Chinese rural homestay consumers' ratings of the importance and performance of these attributes. After conducting a pre-test and a pilot test, the formal questionnaire was distributed on the researcher's social platform including Wechat, QQ and Weibo. Ultimately 558 valid responses were collected for analysis using SPSS 26.0. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify the underlying factor structure and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to validate the robustness of the extracted factor model consisting of five factors. Comfort and Functionality Factor consisted of ten attributes: air quality, accessibility, cleanliness, facility, furnishing, furniture, safety, security, smell and soundproof conditions. Spatial and Environmental Factor consisted of seven attributes: temperature, transportation, layout, lighting, music, sign and space. Atmosphere and Aesthetic Factor consisted of six attributes: atmosphere, architecture, authenticity, color, decor and natural cues. Employee Related Factor consisted of six attributes: employee behavior, employee competence, employee-customer interaction, personalized service, service attitude and service quality. Customer Related Factor consisted of three attributes: customer appearance, customer behavior, and customer-customer interaction. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | The importance- performance analyses (IPAs) integrating with 45° ISO line were conducted at both factor-level and attribute-level for the full sample as well as for demographic subgroups. The modified IPA provided a more nuanced classification of attribute of six categories and gave detailed managerial suggestions. Attributes that located in Quadrant I and above the 45° ISO line required top priority for improvement. Attributes that located in Quadrant I and below the 45° ISO line required moderate priority for improvement. Attributes that located in Quadrant II and above the 45° ISO line required low priority for improvement. Attributes that located in Quadrant II and below the 45° ISO line required maintenance performance. Attributes that located in Quadrant III and Quadrant IV required monitoring only and reduce investment respectively, regardless of its positioning relative to the 45° ISO. For the full sample, four attributes- - - -furbishment, furniture, smell, soundproof condition required top priority for improvement; two attributes- - - -lighting and atmosphere required moderate priority for improvement; five attributes- - - -cleanliness, facility, safety, security, and service quality required low priority for improvement. When focusing on each segmented group, the allocation of most attributes across the quadrants varies, indicating that age and gender have an impact on consumers' perceptions of the importance and performance of rural homestay servicescape attributes. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | This study made both theoretical and practical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, it validated the classic servicescape framework and extended it to a rural homestay-specific model, laying a solid foundation for future studies aiming to examine the relationship between rural homestay servicescape and consumer behavior. Additionally, the study demonstrated the usefulness of Importance-Performance Analysis and the value of the 45° ISO line. From a practical perspective, the study's findings provide direction for product and service improvements for rural homestay designers and practitioners. | en_US |
| dcterms.extent | xix, 287 pages : color illustrations | en_US |
| dcterms.isPartOf | PolyU Electronic Theses | en_US |
| dcterms.issued | 2025 | en_US |
| dcterms.educationalLevel | DHTM | en_US |
| dcterms.educationalLevel | All Doctorate | en_US |
| dcterms.LCSH | Lodging-house -- China | en_US |
| dcterms.LCSH | Guesthouses -- China | en_US |
| dcterms.LCSH | Rural tourism -- China | en_US |
| dcterms.LCSH | Consumer satisfaction | en_US |
| dcterms.LCSH | Tourism -- China | en_US |
| dcterms.LCSH | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations | en_US |
| dcterms.accessRights | restricted access | en_US |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8707.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.76 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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