By measuring intentions to purchase, this research gives insight into environmental attitudes, pressures to purchase environmentally friendly apparel, factors that inhibit environmentally friendly apparel purchasing, awareness of environmentally friendly apparel purchase options, and marketing insight into the eco-friendly consumer. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to assess consumer purchasing intentions for environmentally friendly apparel. The TPB consists of a three-pronged measurement: individual attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Individual attitudes were gauged on three dimensions which included environmental attitudes, demographic patterns, and environmentally friendly apparel purchase intentions. Subjective norms involve social pressure to engage in eco-friendly behavior, perceived individual environmental impact, and desire for uniqueness in dress. Finally, perceived behavioral control was studied through previous environmentally friendly apparel purchases, accessibility of environmentally friendly apparel purchase options, and cost of environmentally friendly apparel. The results revealed that individual environmental attitudes, social pressure to behave environmentally friendly, perceived individual environmental impact, desire for uniqueness in dress, past environmentally friendly apparel purchases, accessibility of environmentally friendly apparel purchase options, and cost of environmentally friendly apparel all have an impact on intentions to purchase environmentally friendly apparel. The variable with the strongest relationship to intentions was social pressure. A demographic profile …

The purpose of this study was to investigate supply chain relationships within the apparel retail product development process under a single site case study setting. Relationship determinants (i.e. drivers, facilitators and barriers) that facilitated or impeded the degree of collaborative efforts between the retailer and the supply chain members were identified. As the retailer integrated its product development process with its suppliers, a triangular relationship was formed between the retailer, the overseas manufacturers, and the designated suppliers. The study found that the retailer sought operational efficiency in its business relationships with supply chain members, but continued to seek long-term commitment in these relationships to establish a virtual vertical company.

Travel is now the largest online business-to-consumer product in the United States. Online hotel bookings are the second largest segment of online travel. Leisure travelers online spending will increase dramatically from 2002 to 2007. However, a majority of hospitality companies do not currently take advantage of the Internet as the cheapest and most efficient distribution medium. The purpose of this study examined leisure travelers' demographic and psychographic characteristics, online booking and travel frequency that influence travelers' desired hotel Website features and functions. The results found out that demographics (gender, occupation, and ethnicity), and psychographics (travel benefit sought), number of leisure travel trips per year, and number of online hotel bookings per year have impact on hotel Website attribute preferences.

This study investigated college student's image of apparel retail stores associated with shopping environment, price, and fashion innovativeness and their self-perception of appearance and fashion innovativeness. These served as the dependent and independent variables, respectively. University of North Texas students residing in on-campus housing completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring each variable. Repeated measure ANOVAs determined differences in self-perceptions and store images across four stores varied by fashion (innovative/mass) and price (high/low). Results indicated that perceptions for shopping environment, price, and fashion innovativeness differed by store. Students' appearance and fashion innovativeness had no significant effect on their perceptions of apparel retail store image. Students perceive stores differently based on shopping environment, price, and fashion innovativeness.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference in opinion between chain and franchise restaurant managers and independent owner/operators toward the effects of a smoking ordinance. Results of this study showed a significant statistical difference between restaurateur groups toward the perception of economic effects.

This study examined consumer attitude towards adding branded quick-service items on domestic airline in-flight menus with the aim of assessing the variables of perceived customer value and customer satisfaction. A random sample of one hundred sixteen frequent flyers residing in the United States participated in the study. An examination of consumer attitude towards branded quick-service menu items if introduced on domestic in-flight menus was performed. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine which of the four relationships was the most significant. The results showed that frequent flyer satisfaction with branded quick-service food items had the most significant relationship with perceived satisfaction of adding branded quick-service foods to coach class in-flight meal service.

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.

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.

With the development of free and easy-to-use software programs, blogging has helped turn Web consumers into Web content providers. Blogging provides distinctive insight into comprehending e-consumer behavior explicitly with respect to social networking and information searching behaviors while facilitating a state of flow. The objectives of this study are to identify determinant dimensions of blogging motivations and flow, and to investigate the hypothesized relationships of the motivational blogging behavior. Analyzing data (n = 432) from a southwestern university, results reveal the critical dimensions of motivations, behaviors, and flow in blogging. Upon extending Hoffman and Novak's (1996) flow model, 14 out of 26 hypotheses were confirmed regarding the significant impacts of blogging motivations and flow on blogging behaviors. The findings revealed that the desire for information, enjoyment, and loyalty are the primary drivers for experiential blogging behavior. Specifically, information-seeking is the decisive motivation to urge experiential and e-shopping behavior concurrently. This study shows that indulgence and telepresence in flow might play pivotal mediating roles to promote the goal-oriented e-shopping behavior resulting enjoyment and loyalty-seeking motivations.

This study focused on the hotel front office management course and how this course and related topics were taught in hospitality management programs. The results of the study can guide faculty in developing and expanding the hotel front office management course, related textbooks and teaching resources to best prepare students to meet the future needs of the lodging industry.