This paper examines the links between cosmopolitanism, self-identity, and a desire for social interaction perceived destination image and behavioural intentions. A model tested using a sample of 538 Iranian visitors to Mecca for the purpose of Umrah. The result from the structural model suggests that destination attributes influence perceived destination image. Further, such tourists are likely to revisit or recommend Islamic destinations if their experience matches their perceived image of the destination. This implies that, while the religious characteristics of the destination remain important, destination managers cannot disregard the tangential, non-religious attributes of a destination which are crucial in order to satisfy more conventional tourist desires. As such, this study suggests that those managing religious travel destinations should endeavour to foster a welcoming image, where experience, interaction and tolerance are at the forefront of the destination's offering.

This study is a systematic review of the literature on eWOM in hotels. Previous reviews of eWOM specific to the hotel and hospitality context have documented the state of research in the field but can be considered outdated with the literature almost doubling since 2011. Emergent themes in the literature therefore need to be considered for us to identify gaps in knowledge and provide researchers opportunities for future study. Using systematic searches of articles published between 2000 and 2015, 45 journal articles were selected for the review beginning in 2008. Our findings indicate 8 research themes: 1) Motivations for contributing eWOM, 2) Motivations for reading eWOM, 3) Platforms used to facilitate eWOM, 4) 'Big data' analytics of eWOM, 5) Impact of eWOM on consumer behaviour, 6) Impact on hotel performance, 7) Hotel responses to eWOM, 8) Consumer cultural differences. We culminate these findings to provide a thematic framework of eWOM research in the hotel and hospitality industry, mapping the research relationships that have been established. We then provide areas for future researchers to develop.

Purpose Augmenting employees’ commitment is of important interest to hospitality managers, particularly in the branded restaurant industry where the workforce is often transient. This paper aims to identify and analyse if levels of personal motivation and flow are drivers of commitment, and if the relationship between the variables is moderated by length of service, age and gender. Design/methodology/approach The study is a large-scale empirical investigation of hospitality staff in the UK branded restaurants through 1,133 survey responses, measuring levels of personal motivation, flow and commitment, as well as the moderating effects of multi-group differences among age, gender and length of service. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used for analysis of data. Findings Using PLS-SEM found personal motivation to be important in determining employees’ level of flow and, in turn, employees’ commitment. Using multi group analysis, results revealed that relationship among personal motivation, flow and commitment played superior role for older employees and working for a long time in a hospitality organisation than those younger and working less than five years. No significant differences between male and female staff are found. Research limitations/implications Through finding flow and personal motivations to be drivers of commitment, branded restaurant practitioners can focus on emphasising these elements in their employees to increase commitment. Further, part-time roles are often taken by people likely to be non-committal in their job needs, e.g. students funding their studies. By focussing on extending lengths of service to meet the optimum years identified, managers can fortify their businesses. Originality/value The paper is one of few large-scale quantitative studies to examine personal motivation, flow and commitment in the context of UK branded restaurants. It identifies that employees exhibit higher levels of commitment through intrinsic values over time, and establishes relationships between the constructs of flow, personal motivation and commitment.

Feminism, gender and women's issues have been side-lined within business and management studies in the United Kingdom, evidenced by the inclusion of only one highly ranked gender journal in the recent ABS journal quality list. While there have been some efforts to critique gendered research norms within business and management schools, less is known about the experiences of those engaged in designing and delivering curricula. This article begins by examining the extant literature on the experiences of feminist academics, leading to a discussion of the limited research on business and management schools. It then moves to a description of the methods adopted, namely, qualitative interviews with academics engaged in feminist teaching, and reflections from the authoring team. The findings are presented, highlighting how participants conceptualize feminism, the use of feminism in curricula development, and how the academic community responds to the teaching of feminism. The article concludes with a consideration of areas for future research. The study contributes to the understanding of the experiences of working within the contemporary business school, specifically for academics engaged in a social justice approach to teaching. It identifies that experiences are not universal, with feminism creating space for excitement for both staff and students, but potentially increasingly vulnerability for isolation and marginalization. This article is published as part of a thematic collection on gender studies.

The concept of work-life balance is an increasingly important issue in today’s society as a result of changing labour demographics. The traditional 9-5 working week cannot cater for all workers and many employers recognise this. Research from the CIPD (2012) indicates that 96% of employers in the UK offer some form of work-life balance practice, with part-time working (88%) and homeworking (54%) being the most common arrangements offered. Despite the increased interest in the work-life balance, there is ambiguity around what work-life balance is. Much of the confusion comes from a lack of agreement over what constitutes ‘work’, and what is ‘life’. This chapter explains the concept of work-life balance, the measures organizations can take to support the work-life balance of its members and the potential benefits and barriers associated with their implementation. The chapter also considers the role of gender in work-life balance, as women are more likely than men to use a work-life balance policy, with 77% working flexibly in some way (CIPD, 2012).