How COVID-19 influences the future of service management professions

Abstract

PurposeCrises influence individuals’ career development. The COVID-19 crisis has global impacts in financial, health and social aspects and service industries are at the forefront of the pervasive impacts. This study investigated how college students’ perceptions of COVID-19 interplayed with self-efficacy on their academic plans and further identified major differences between students in service-oriented and nonservice-oriented majors.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered online survey was conducted with 299 undergraduates at a large Midwestern university during COVID-19. Regression analyses, including conditional analyses, examined the study hypotheses using SPSS.FindingsThe results showed that, in general, students’ self-efficacy reduced their intentions to change their academic majors. The joint effects of self-efficacy and perception of COVID-19 diverged among students in nonservice-oriented majors but converged among students in service-oriented majors (e.g. hospitality and tourism). These students in the service fields showed more commitment to their current majors even as their concerns about the social implications of COVID-19 increased.Practical implicationsThis study suggests that academic institutions should try to improve students’ self-efficacy to maintain their career commitments during crisis times. Furthermore, service organizations should highlight the importance of social aspects as recovery from COVID-19 begins as a tool to recruit college graduates.Originality/valueThe literature on career decisions of students in service industries is quite limited. This study enriches the body of career decisions research in the context of service management by highlighting how service sectors are influenced by COVID-19.

Consumer confusion and decision postponement in the online tourism domain: the moderating role of self-efficacy

“…According to social cognitive theory, self-efficacy is crucial in governing individuals' behaviour (Lee et al, 2021). It is the person's confidence in their capacity to accomplish the predetermined goals (Lee et al, 2019).…”

“…Therefore, it is necessary to moderate the influence of confusion on consumers' decision postponement. Self-efficacy is a person's belief in their ability to show a behaviour required to achieve pre-established goals (Lee et al , 2021). High self-efficacy motivates a person towards approach behaviour than avoidance behaviour (Ding, 2022).…”

Adapt or Die

“…For example, Kohli and Jaworski [33] discuss that organizational resilience includes the use of information in two sets of activities: response and execution of response. Similarly, researchers have discussed that there are two dimensions of organizational resilience-planned and adaptive [34]. Planned resilience is related to crisis management, or planned before the crisis evolves, while adaptive resilience appears after the crisis has happened [35].…”

Resident loyalty formation for the survival of African-ethnic restaurants during COVID-19: the adaptive capabilities logic

“…In the current COVID-19 crisis, the concept of adaptability becomes even more critical, especially in sectors with high physical contact between the service provider and the customer (see Ioannides and Gyim othy, 2020;Lee et al, 2021). In their earlier work, Helfat and Peteraf (2003) seem to suggest that AERs can easily be adaptive since it basically involves adjusting existing practice to accommodate the emerging conditions.…”

“…The increasing significance of hospitality and tourism in the economic advancement of many countries and/or regions has led to over-dependence and heavy investment of resources to expand the scope and value of the industry world over (Otengei and Ahebwa, 2020). Nonetheless, the current COVID-19 crisis has severely paralyzed travel and tourism business (Lee et al , 2021; WTTC, 2021). Due to the closure of many international borders and travel restrictions, the usually hyper-mobile public has been grounded to nearly a halt (Ioannides and Gyimóthy, 2020).…”