Over the last decade there has been a rapid development of United States quick service restaurant companies such as KFC and McDonalds in China. Increasingly urban Chinese consumers patronize these restaurants as a way to experience American culture. For some it is becoming a part of their eating pattern. Recent health studies have demonstrated that nutritional diseases are increasing in China. This study accessed urban Chinese consumers' perceptions about U.S. quick service restaurants and their knowledge about the nutritional value that U.S. quick service food can provide. This study revealed that Chinese consumers' perceptions and knowledge about U.S. quick service impacts their patronage. Additionally, the study determined correlation between consumer patronage and reported health status as well as consumers' length of patronage negative influence on their health status. The results of this study will help U.S. quick service restaurants in educating consumers on nutrition and improving the menus.

Employee turnover has been one of the most serious issues facing the hotel industry for many years. Both researchers and practitioners have devoted considerable time and effort to better understand and indentify ways to decrease employee turnover. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of individual differences focusing on career motivation and polychronicity on job satisfaction and its influence on employee turnover intention in the hotel industry. This study surveyed 609 non-supervisory employees working at two Dallas hotels. Respondents provided information regarding career motivations, polychronicity, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. Career motivations were significantly related to employee job satisfaction which impacted employee turnover intention. This finding can be useful to hotel companies and their managers when attempting to understand employee motivation.

This study investigates the consumers' intention towards Internet shopping. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used to predict behavioral intention (BI), which is a function of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (PBC). The effects of demographic and personal variables on BI are also examined. Data analysis (n = 303) indicates that attitude, subjective norm, perceptions of behavioral controls, and previous purchases are significant predictors of behavioral intention. Product/Convenience, Customer Service (attitude factors), Purchase and Delivery, Promotional Offers, Product Attribute (factors of PBC), subjective norm, hours spent online, money spent online, and previous purchases discriminate respondents of high BI from low BI. Behavioral intention of shopping online is highest for Specialty Products followed by Personal, Information Intensive, and Household Products.

The purposes of the study were to: 1) identify the underlying dimensions of consumer shopping motivations and attitudes toward online auction behaviors; 2) examine the relationships between shopping motivations and online auction behaviors; and 3) examine the relationships between shopping attitudes and online auction behaviors. Students (N = 341) enrolled at the University of North Texas completed self-administered questionnaires measuring shopping motivations, attitudes, online auction behaviors, and demographic characteristics. Using multiple regression analyses to test the hypothesized relationships, shopping motivations and shopping attitudes were significantly related to online auction behaviors. Understanding the relationships is beneficial for companies that seek to retain customers and increase their sales through online auction.

Cruise travel has become very popular worldwide. The North American cruise market is the world's biggest. Asian countries are among the fastest-growing outbound market for cruise travel. The Taiwanese cruise market has grown substantially. However, few research studies have examined Taiwanese travelers' motivation to experience a cruise vacation, and their satisfaction with the experience. Primary data was collected from a convenience sample of Taiwanese tourists who had been on North American cruise tours. Survey respondents were first time cruisers, over 40 years old, married, and had a Bachelor's degree, or higher. Push and pull motivational factors were identified. Respondents were influenced by recommendations from media and people. Respondents were satisfied with tangibles, cleanliness, food choices and selection, and responsiveness of staff. An overwhelming majority of cruisers would re-visit and recommend this trip. Implications for researchers and practitioners are suggested.

The purposes of the study were to: 1) identify Indian tourists' demographics and travel patterns; 2) examine Indian tourists' motivation to take the Bangkok area trip; 3) examine the level of importance of information sources; 4) identify the level of satisfaction of Indian tourists on their travel experience on the Bangkok area attributes; and 5) examine the intention to return and willingness to recommend the Bangkok area and Thailand. The findings showed that Indian tourists were motivated to visit the Bangkok area by both push and pull factors. Family and/or friends and the Internet were considered as important sources in trip decision making. Indian tourists were generally satisfied with the Bangkok area's attributes. They also showed the desire to revisit and recommend Bangkok and Thailand as travel destinations.

The purpose of the study was to determine customer perceptions of fairness concerning pricing policies charged by the hotel industry, and to examine how different outcomes in pricing policies affect customer perceptions of fairness. Convenience-Interception survey sampling was used to collect 460 sample data at the Dallas Love Field Airport. After analyzing data, one can infer that when revenue management information was provided, customers are satisfied. Further, age, education, Airline FFP enrolled and redeem miles, and pricing based on marketing channels plays an imperative role in this study.

Dining out has become an important part of the American lifestyle, greater frequencies as well as increased portion sizes have led to concern. The number of Americans that are classified as overweight or obese has also increased considerably, and the foodservice industry has become a target. Mandatory labeling of menu items has been avoided to this point, but the subject has moved to the forefront and continues to be debated. This study surveyed 502 patrons at a student-run restaurant in Texas. Respondents provided information concerning their health and dining habits as well as their attitudes toward and intended usage of nutritional information (NI) on menus in full-service restaurants. Gender, education levels, age, and household income affect the attitudes toward and intended usage of NI. Exercise frequency, the current use of nutritional information on packaged foods, and the practice of healthy eating habits are all related to the intended use of NI while dining out.