Service innovation in the hotel industry: culture, behavior, performance

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to focus on the service innovation culture (SIC) in the formation of frontline employees’ (FLE) innovation performance based on two fit theories. More specifically, the research evaluates and examines the mediating role of challenge-oriented citizenship behavior (COCB) and charged behavior in the aforementioned relationship. To test the hypotheses, two-step structural equation modeling with bootstrapping estimation was conducted in AMOS, using data from 215 full-time frontline hotel employees over a one-month time period. This study establishes that the development of a SIC is positively related to the innovation performance of FLE. Likewise, the results indicate that there is a partially mediating role for the COCB and expanded charged behavior (encompassing vitality and creative self-efficacy) of FLE in the relationship between SIC and innovation performance. The findings of this study highlight the need for managers to incorporate a secure and trusting work environment so FLE will eagerly participate in the service innovation process by voicing their novel ideas. Managers can also consider the significance of the employee selection procedures and take advantage of employing university graduate for frontline service jobs.

摘 要

本研究的目的是以两种契合理论为基础，重点探讨服务创新文化在一线员工创新绩效形成中的作用。更具体地说，本研究评估并检验了以挑战为导向的公民行为和充电行为在上述关系中的中介作用。为了测试这些假设，在AMOS中进行了两步结构方程模型的自助估算，使用了来自215名酒店全职一线员工一个月的时间滞后数据。研究发现，服务创新文化的发展与一线员工的创新绩效正相关。同样, 结果表明，在服务创新文化与创新绩效之间的关系中, 一线员工的挑战导向公民行为和扩张的收费行为（活力和创造性自我效能）具有部分中介作用。这项研究的结果突出表明,管理人员需要为一线员工建立一个安全和可信的工作环境，通过表达他们的新想法，积极参与服务创新进程。管理人员还可以考虑员工选拔程序的重要性，并利用雇用大学毕业生进行前线服务工作。

KEYWORDS:

• Service innovation culture
• innovation performance
• challenge-oriented citizenship behavior
• charged behavior
• frontline employees

关 键 词:

• 服务创新文化
• 创新绩效
• 以挑战为导向的公民行为
• 充电行为
• 一线员工

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Sarvnaz Baradarani http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6080-4439