Browsing by Author "Ivanov, Stanislav"

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Analysis of the names of accommodation establishments in Bulgaria
(Anatolia, 2021) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav; Dimitrova, Fani
This paper identifies the categories of accommodation establishments’ names in Bulgaria and determines the role of a property’s characteristics (category, location, type, and size/capacity) on the chosen name using a quantitative approach. The findings indicate that male, female, and family names, and names indicating geographic toponyms, represent nearly half of all names. Plants, emotions, and quality-related words are also widely used. Furthermore, results reveal that category, location, size, and type of establishment influence the naming of establishments. In addition, the findings illustrate that Bulgarian names prevail in the naming of establishments. Binary logistic regression reveals that urban, higher category, and larger properties are more likely to have foreign names. The theoretical and destination marketing implications are discussed as well.
A conceptual framework of the service delivery system design for hospitality firms in the (post-)viral world: The role of service robots
(International Journal of Hospitality Management, 2020) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav
This study aims to develop a conceptual framework of the service delivery system design for hospitality firms in the (post-)viral world. Several theoretical approaches such as resource-based view, value chain analysis, stakeholder theory, PESTEL analysis, positioning strategy, and service delivery system design were adopted. The paper identified three service delivery system designs (robotic, human-based, and mixed) and analyses their requirements, advantages, disadvantages, and potential target markets. According to the suggested model, hospitality firms need first to explore the expectations of tourists. Then comes the analysis phase (based on a holistic perspective, and consisting of RBV, Value chain, Stakeholder, and PESTEL analyses), which helps hospitality firms to identify how they should differentiate and position themselves in the market. Following, companies decide on what kind of service delivery system they should offer to their target customers, and position themselves in the market according to the chosen system.
A conceptual study of the strategic role of gastronomy in tourism destinations
(International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 2020) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav
The present study discusses the strategic role of gastronomy in destinations from the perspective of three theoretical foundations of strategic management, namely Resource-Based View (RBV), Emergent Strategy (ES), and Positioning Strategy (PS). Several concepts from the field of gastronomy are used, such as gastronomic identity, tourist behaviours (motivation, experience, consumption), a sense of place, and food image. Utilizing this multi-disciplinary literature, the present study provides an integrative review and develops a model explaining the strategic role of gastronomy in tourism destinations consisting of three main components (the source, process, and form of a strategy). According to the suggested model, gastronomic identity is considered a strategic resource for destinations. Depending on the gastronomic identity, a differentiation strategy can be formed in a destination that involves the presentation of gastronomic products developed and offered by discoverers (entrepreneurs, researchers, and tourists) to the relevant markets. This strategy is the result of an emergent, rather than deliberate, strategic process. However, when destination managers and stakeholders realize that a gastronomy-based strategy has emerged, such a strategy can also be transformed into a deliberate strategy. The predictions of the model are supported by the conceptual and empirical findings of earlier studies.
Hotel Managers' Perceptions Towards the Use of Robots: a Mixed-Methods Approach
(Springer Heidelberg, 2020) Ivanov, Stanislav; Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Seyitoglu, Faruk; Markova, Martina
Adopting a supply-side perspective, the paper analyses Bulgarian hotel managers' perceptions of service robots using a convergent mixed methods design. Structured quantitative data were collected from 79 managers using a questionnaire, while interviews were used for the collection of qualitative data from 20 managers. The findings indicate respondents feel that repetitive, dirty, dull, and dangerous tasks in hotels would be more appropriate for robots, while hotel managers would rather use employees for tasks that require social skills and emotional intelligence. The individual characteristics of respondents and the organisational characteristics of the hotels they currently worked in played little role in their perceptions of service robots. The managers considered that robots would decrease the quality of the service and were generally not ready to use robots. Additionally, the interviewees indicated that skilled and well-trained employees were more valuable and more adequate than robots for the hospitality and tourism industry. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided as well.
Humans and/or robots? Tourists’ preferences towards the humans–robots mix in the service delivery system
(SpringerLink, 2022) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Webster, Craig; Seyitoğlu, Faruk
This paper investigates tourists’ preferences toward the humans-robots ratio in the service delivery systems of tourism and hospitality companies and the factors that shape them. The sample includes 1537 respondents from nearly 100 countries. The fndings show that a higher preferred share of robots is positively associated with the perceived emotional skills of robots, their perceived usefulness in the tourism/ hospitality context, perceived robotic service expectations, attitudes towards robots in general, and the male gender. On the other side, it is negatively associated with the perceived disadvantages of robots compared to human servers and the household size of respondents.
Independent or chain-affiliated hotel? The dilemma of hotel employees
(Tourism and Hospitality Management, 2023) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Yaneva Ba, Victoria
Purpose – This study examines the relationships between hospitality work experience factors and employees’ preference to work in a chain or independent hotel. Methodology/Design/Approach – Quantitative data were collected from hotel employees in Bulgaria who worked in independent and chain hotels. A total of 150 valid responses were used to conduct factor and regression analyses. Findings – The results illustrate that chain hotels provide a better set of operational standards and guidelines, more and better training than independent ones. They also give more opportunities to their employees for career development, better job security and work experience, but competition among employees in chain hotels is higher than in independent properties, and their employees’ salaries are not always more competitive. The factor analysis showed the existence of five factors. Additionally, ‘Communication and decision-making’ and ‘Resources and planning’ were more important than ‘Remuneration and working conditions’ and ‘Training and development’ in shaping employees’ preferences. However, ‘Workload and stress’ was not an important driver of respondents’ choice. Finally, demographic variables had no role in shaping respondents’ preferences. Originality of the research – This paper is one of the first to examine the factors that influence hotel employees’ preferences for working in chains or independent hotels.
Metaverse Economics for Tourism and Hospitality: Economic Fundamentals in a Semi-Imaginary World
(Sage Publications Ltd, 2025) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Seyitoglu, Faruk; Webster, Craig
This study elaborates on the economics of the Metaverse in tourism and hospitality. It identifies the Metaverse stakeholders from a tourism perspective, namely: IT companies (infrastructure), IT companies (Metaverse presence), tourism and hospitality companies, other (non-tourism) companies, destination management organisations, tourists, and public authorities. The paper elaborates on the activities each stakeholder would be able to perform in the Metaverse and the associated revenue and costs. Based on this, the paper discusses the economic relationships between the stakeholders, their impacts on the financial performance of tourism and hospitality companies, and the potential economic externalities of the Metaverse. Theoretical, managerial and policy implications, limitations and future research directions are outlined as well.
The "New Normal" in the Post Viral Tourism: The Role of Technology
(An International Interdisciplinary Journal, 2022) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav
This study explores the elements of the 'New Normal' in the (post-)viral tourism and assesses the role of technology. The 'New Normal' of (post-)viral tourism includes supply-related elements (operations, marketing, and finance and strategic management) and demand-related aspects (psychological issues and travel behaviour). Companies would need to reorganise their business processes, while technology is expected to play a major role in the 'New Normal' world. Theoretical, managerial, and policy implications are also provided.
Robots and emotional intelligence: A thematic analysis
(Elsevier, 2024) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav
The research on emotional intelligence in social robots is growing. This paper provides a thematic analysis of the studies on robots and emotional intelligence, synthesising and evaluating current knowledge and research topics. In addition, based on the thematic analysis of the studies, it also provides a conceptual framework explaining the emotional intelligence of robots that includes both actors (human and robot) in a human-robot interaction setting. The findings are based on the analysis of 252 studies published until the end of 2022 and indexed in the Scopus database. The results unveiled two main themes (robot design-technical developments and characteristics and human-robot interaction), including sub-themes and topics that emerged in the literature. Finally, the themes and sub-themes were evaluated through a critical discussion to develop a conceptual framework for robots and emotional intelligence.
Robots as restaurant employees - A double-barrelled detective story
(Elsevier, 2021) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav; Atsız, Ozan; Çifçi, İbrahim
The paper evaluates the perceptions of Turkish restaurant managers and customers towards service robots. The sample includes 26 managers and 32 customers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that robots are suitable for dirty, dull, dangerous and repetitive tasks. Customers have mostly positive attitudes towards robots while managers – mostly negative. However, respondents agree that robots improve service quality. A mixed service delivery system based on human-robot collaboration is perceived as the most appropriate. Customers are willing to pay more for the robotic service experience. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed as well.
Service robots and perceived discrimination in tourism and hospitality
(ScienceDirect, 2023) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav
This study explores the influences of the incorporation of service robots in the service delivery systems of tourism and hospitality companies on the perceived discrimination of tourists and tourism employees. In doing so, a conceptual framework is proposed to explain the relationships between robots-based service delivery systems in tourism and hospitality (e.g., fully robotised and mixed service delivery systems) and discrimination. This paper demonstrates that although service robots may be advantageous in eliminating/mitigating perceived discrimination (from employees to tourists, tourists to tourists, tourists to employees, employer/employee to employee), using robots can also create or aggravate perceived discrimination. Though this study is the first attempt on the subject and presents beneficial knowledge for tourism and hospitality service providers and service robot designers, future empirical studies could shed more light on the relationship between robots-based service delivery systems and discrimination in the tourism and hospitality context.
Service robots as a tool for physical distancing in tourism
(Current Issues in Tourism, 2021) Seyitoğlu, Faruk; Ivanov, Stanislav
COVID-19 pandemic is affecting negatively the tourism and hospitality industry. As people must avoid physical interaction, service robots can be a useful tool to ensure a high level of physical social distance during the epidemic. This paper discusses whether the application of service robots to provide physical distance in the tourism and hospitality context is going to be beneficial or there will be side effects as well. The paper posits that service robots create a technological shield between tourists and employees that increases the physical and emotional distance between them.