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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Rebounding through the pandemic
T2 - towards the digitized and digitalized small hospitality business in China
AU - Zhu, Ruilin
AU - Zhang, Jinyuan
N1 - This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
PY - 2021/8/31
Y1 - 2021/8/31
N2 - PurposeGrappling with the sweeping pandemic, the small hospitality business (SHB), smaller in scale and weaker in risk mitigation, has been seriously affected. The purpose of this study aims to supplement the unrepresented area of SHB in China from the digital perspective by drawing on instrumentalization theory (IT).Design/methodology/approachBased on two appropriate and detailed SHB cases, this paper adopted a qualitative approach to understand and conceptualize the focal issue.FindingsThis study identified the factors affecting SHB at operational, managerial and transformational levels amidst the crisis. It further developed a theoretical framework of the SHB rebound matrix, highlighting the importance of digitization and digitalization.Research limitations/implicationsThe research theoretically confirmed that SHB is internally, externally and essentially restricted and developed a corresponding rebound matrix. It practically supports SHB’s transformation by making recommendations to unleash the potential of digital business.Originality/valueThis study complements extant descriptive and atheoretical research by focusing on SHB’s underlying digital nature through the lens of IT, providing an evidenced theoretical understanding of SHB’s development amidst and after the pandemic.
AB - PurposeGrappling with the sweeping pandemic, the small hospitality business (SHB), smaller in scale and weaker in risk mitigation, has been seriously affected. The purpose of this study aims to supplement the unrepresented area of SHB in China from the digital perspective by drawing on instrumentalization theory (IT).Design/methodology/approachBased on two appropriate and detailed SHB cases, this paper adopted a qualitative approach to understand and conceptualize the focal issue.FindingsThis study identified the factors affecting SHB at operational, managerial and transformational levels amidst the crisis. It further developed a theoretical framework of the SHB rebound matrix, highlighting the importance of digitization and digitalization.Research limitations/implicationsThe research theoretically confirmed that SHB is internally, externally and essentially restricted and developed a corresponding rebound matrix. It practically supports SHB’s transformation by making recommendations to unleash the potential of digital business.Originality/valueThis study complements extant descriptive and atheoretical research by focusing on SHB’s underlying digital nature through the lens of IT, providing an evidenced theoretical understanding of SHB’s development amidst and after the pandemic.
KW - China
KW - Digitization
KW - Case studies
KW - Small businesses
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Pandemic
KW - Digitalization
KW - Small hospitality business
KW - Case study
U2 - 10.1108/IJCHM-09-2020-0982
DO - 10.1108/IJCHM-09-2020-0982
M3 - Journal article
VL - 33
SP - 2676
EP - 2694
JO - International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
JF - International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
SN - 0959-6119
IS - 8
ER -