Purpose The concept of leader–member exchange (LMX) is well accepted in the service industry. This study examines how the quality of LMX helps hotels to achieve desirable outcomes, such as innovative behavior and job performance. The model was developed based on the LMX theory, and considers the relationship among the quality of LMX, employee engagement, innovative behavior and job performance. Design/methodology/approach The model was tested on employees of hotels in South Korea using a survey method. Data were analyzed using frequency, reliability, confirmatory factor, correlation and structural equation modeling analyses. Findings LMX significantly influenced job engagement and innovative behavior but did not significantly affect organization engagement. Job engagement significantly affected organization engagement and innovative behavior but did not significantly influence job performance. Organization engagement significantly influenced job performance but did not significantly affect innovative behavior. Job performance was significantly influenced by innovative behavior. Practical implications The findings of this study suggest that an immediate leader plays a critical role in fostering engagement, behavior and performance. Originality/value The current study is the first to use the LMX theory to develop and test a research model that accounts for the antecedents and desired outcomes (i.e. innovative behavior and job performance) of two types of employee engagement in the hotel context.

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Purpose Service fairness has been conceptualized as a major part of the foodservice industry due to the intangibility of foodservice, which is difficult to be evaluated by customers. Considering this challenge, this study investigates the impacts of perceived service fairness dimensions in encouraging brand citizenship behaviors (i.e. brand enthusiasm and brand endorsement) along with the mediating roles of brand trust and brand experience in the foodservice industry. Design/methodology/approach Based on an established framework of perceived service fairness, brand trust, brand experience and brand citizenship behavior, an exploratory conceptual model was formulated and empirically assessed. Survey data were collected from customers of casual dining franchise restaurants in Korea. Data analysis consisted of frequency analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings The empirical results indicated that brand trust was significantly influenced by price, procedural, outcome and interactional fairness, while brand experience was significantly affected by price, outcome and interactional fairness. Additionally, brand trust and brand experience had positive influences on brand enthusiasm and brand endorsement, respectively. Practical implications A foodservice enterprise’s violation of customers’ fundamental need for fairness leads to negative outcomes, such as customers voicing the undesirable situation and/or leaving the restaurant. Thus, this study provides a strategy for maintaining service fairness to better develop brand relationships with customers in the restaurant industry. Originality/value There is a paucity of research on the effect of perceived service fairness on brand development in the restaurant industry. The findings provide greater insights into the impacts of perceived service fairness, brand trust and brand experience on customers’ brand citizenship behaviors.

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Purpose Although the positive impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on personal and organizational outcomes has been studied in the fields of human resource management and the hospitality industry, scholars in these fields still consider CSR as a promising area with potential. Drawing upon the dual concern and the attribution theories, this study aims to identify three stages of formations from teamwork with colleagues and personal benefits to organizational benefits from social responsibilities of hospitality companies via an integrated research model. Design/methodology/approach With the data collected from 324 frontline employees in hospitality enterprises in South Korea, this study empirically investigated the interrelationship to predict frontline employees’ job performance. Findings The empirical results from structural equation modeling indicated that perceived management support for CSR and perceived colleague support for CSR had significant influence on empathetic concern for colleague and anticipated positive affect, separately. Also, empathetic concern significantly affected psychological well-being and job satisfaction, while an anticipated positive affect significantly influenced job satisfaction. Finally, psychological well-being and job satisfaction had a significant impact on job performance. Practical implications This study provides several managerial implications for maximizing the effectiveness of hospitality companies’ CSR practices, enhancing frontline employees’ psychological well-being, job satisfaction and job performance. Originality/value Based on the empirical findings, this study provided meaningful theoretical and managerial implications to maximize the effectiveness of CSR initiatives and maximize frontline employees’ job performance in the hospitality industry.