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Antecedents and consequences of e-tourism

Mengerink, Esther (2011) Antecedents and consequences of e-tourism.

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Abstract:BACKGROUND. This research has been conducted on behalf of Vakantiepark de Twee Bruggen and the University of Twente. PURPOSE. While research in e-tourism is increasing, so far no research article provides a systematic overview of antecedents and consequences of e-tourism implementations for the involved stakeholders. This Master thesis endeavors to provide a foundation and first attempt at filling this gap. METHOD. We accurately searched and selected 49 international peer reviewed articles covering 20 years of e-tourism research. Using open coding procedures, we analyzed antecedents and consequences related to the transformation from tourism to e-tourism. We used the DeLone and McLean (2003) information success model to identify and code antecedents. Consequences of e-tourism implementations are presented in line with three salient stakeholders: organizations, customers, and partners. RESULTS. Besides information, system and service quality as antecedents of effective information services, we identified a new category which is relevant in the context of e-tourism services: technology quality with the subcategories innovation and technology diffusion. Several of the De & Lone & McLean‟s subcategories required conceptual alteration to fit the identified antecedents of e-tourism. For instance, we expanded variety of information as new subcategory of information quality. We derived three new subcategories of e-tourism service quality: building relationships, knowledge support, and service support. It appeared useful to categorize consequences for three groups of stakeholders; organizations, customers, and partners. While the analyzed literature provided in depth insight into positive and negative consequences of e-tourism for organizations and customers, little research has investigated consequences for partners and affiliates of organizations. Positive consequences for organizations include financial benefits, strengthening competition, business development, cooperation, increasing market share, advertising/marketing opportunities, new communication possibilities, possibility to influence customer behavior, relationship development, and market research opportunities. Positive consequences for customers include saving time, reducing costs, better service, more personalized products and services, 24/7 5 availability, improved information gathering and enabling interaction. Interestingly, we found consequences that are positive for organizations while at the same time negative for partners. We expect more research on this subject since cooperation, internationalization and outsourcing activities will continue to increase organizations usage of partners to advertise and sell e-tourism services. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS. This literature analyses provides little insights on negative consequences due to the transformation from tourism to e-tourism. We expect this finding to be biased since we did not specifically search articles on negative consequences. Considering the careful search for e-tourism journal articles, we observed that scant research has been published on negative consequences. IMPLICATIONS. This paper offers academics in tourism and service management a systematic overview of empirically studied antecedents and consequences of e-tourism. The analysis helps organizations to more comprehensively understand the value and pitfalls of using information technology in delivering tourism services. Tourism organizations can use the frameworks to develop e-strategies. There is also the possibility to develop a business strategy with the help of the frameworks in order to be more successful in the domain of e-tourism. KEYWORDS. E-tourism, antecedents, consequences, success factors
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Clients:
Vakantiepark de Twee Bruggen, Winterswijk
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:85 business administration, organizational science
Programme:Business Administration MSc (60644)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/62767
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