KEVIN SO

School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Prof
STILLWATER, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-5243
kevin.so@okstate.edu
Biography
Dr. Kevin Kam Fung So is William S. Spears Chair in Business, Full Professor, and Ph.D. Program Coordinator with the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. He previously served as Associate Professor (tenured) in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and as a Research Associate in the SmartState Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development at the University of South Carolina. An award-winning scholar in his field, Dr. So's research expertise lies at the intersection of hospitality and tourism marketing and service management with emphases on branding, customer engagement, social media marketing, electronic word of mouth, and the rise of the sharing economy. He is also highly interested in advanced quantitative methods and analytical techniques. To date, Dr. So has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles, 53 of which have appeared in the Spears School of Business A-level journals (39 in Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business Elite Journals). His work has appeared in many top-tier tourism and hospitality management journals including Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, International Journal of Hospitality Management, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, and Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, as well as Journal of Business Research. At present, his scholarly work has been cited over 8,000 times (over 1,200 times in 2020, 1,400 times in 2021, and 1,700 times in 2022) according to Google Scholar. He is one of few researchers in his discipline to have been named on the 2021 and 2022 list of Highly Cited Researchers from Clarivate(tm). He has also been listed by Stanford University as among The World's Top 2% of scientists in the broader field of "Sport, Leisure & Tourism" every year (2022, 2021, 2020) since Stanford University established the database in 2020. Many of his publications have been ranked among the most highly cited and most frequently downloaded articles in leading hospitality and tourism journals. Dr. So is also a Coordinating Editor of International Journal of Hospitality Management and served as a Guest Editor of Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research (special issue on "Customer Engagement in Tourism and Hospitality Services"), Cornell Hospitality Quarterly (special issue on "Service Innovation and Emerging Technologies in Tourism and Hospitality"), and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management(special issue on "The Sharing Economy in a Post-pandemic World"). He sits on the editorial board of 12 international journals in his field, including Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. Additionally, he serves as a reviewer for 13 academic journals such as Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Marketing, and Industrial Marketing Management. He has chaired or served on the dissertation committees of more than 20 Ph.D. students.Dr. So has received many prestigious awards, including the Emerald Literati Network Award for Excellence: Highly Commended Paper Award from International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management in 2011 and 2018; the Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing Martin Oppermann Best Article of the Year Award in 2014; and the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research Article of the Year Award in 2015. His doctoral dissertation won the internationally prestigious Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award in the Hospitality Management category in 2014. He was also the recipient of the 2018 William Bradford Wiley Memorial Best Research Paper of the Year Award in the field of hospitality and tourism management. He was the recipient of the 2018 Patricia G. Moody Researcher of the Year Award in College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management in recognition of his consistent and outstanding scholarly achievements. In 2018, his article "The role of customer engagement in building consumer loyalty to tourism brands," published in Journal of Travel Research (HTM A+ journal), was ranked the no. 1 most downloaded article and no. 2 most cited article published in the journal. In 2022, his article "Customer engagement with tourism brands: Scale development and validation," published in Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research (HTM A+ journal), was named the no. 1 most highly cited article published in this outlet within the past 10 years (2011-2021). In 2019, Dr. So was named a Breakthrough Star of the University of South Carolina, a university-wide research award that "recognizes faculty members who exceed expectations in their fields, demonstrate exceptional potential, and have made outstanding contributions to research and scholarship during a short time at the university." His outstanding research performance earned him The Richard W. Poole Research Excellence Award in 2022 and 2023, a college-level research award from the Spears School of Business.
Dr. So has attracted a total of over US$900,000 in external research funding. Many of these projects were funded by prestigious state and federal government agencies such as the following: the United States Department of Commerce; the American Hotel and Lodging Association; the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism; the City of Columbia, South Carolina; and peer institutions in the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong.
Dr. So earned his Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the Griffith Business School (AACSB accredited), Griffith University, Australia, where he also obtained a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management with First Class Honors. Dr. So pursued graduate studies in mathematical sciences, majoring in statistics and statistical modeling at Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Before entering academia, he gained extensive industry experience in hotel operations-including banquets, fine dining, room service, concierge, and housekeeping-at Australia's Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa Gold Coast, Sheraton Perth Hotel, Perth Ambassador Hotel, and Perth Comfort Inn Wentworth Plaza Hotel. Outside of work, he is a photography enthusiast and a passionate runner.
Education
- Ph D, Griffith Business School (AACSB-accredited), Griffith University, Australia, Hospitality and Tourism Management, 2013
- MS, School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology; Australia, Statistics and Statistical Modeling, 2010
- BBA, Griffith Business School (AACSB-accredited), Griffith University, Australia, Hotel Management, 2009
Expertise
Hospitality and tourism marketing and service management with an emphasis on branding, customer engagement, social media marketing, electronic word of mouth, and the sharing economy.
Publications
- J. Yu, A. Dickinger, K. K. F. So, and R. Egger. (2024). "Artificial intelligence-generated virtual influencer: Examining the effects of emotional displays on user engagement". Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. (76), 103560.
- J. Li, H. Kim, and K. K. F. So. (2023). "Psychological ownership in the access-based service context: A comparative assessment of hotels and Airbnb". Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management (Forthcoming).
- H. Kim and K. K. F. So. (2023). "Service failure and service recovery in hospitality and tourism: An integrative review and research agenda". International Journal of Hospitality Management.
- K. K. F. So, H. Kim, Q. S. Liu, X. Fang, and J. Wirtz. (2023). "Service robots: The dynamic effects of anthropomorphism and functional perceptions on consumer responses". European Journal of Marketing.
- Kam Fung (Kevin) So, Kim Hyunsu, Stephanie Liu, Xiang Fang, and Jochen Wirtz. "Service robots: The dynamic effects of anthropomorphism and functional perceptions on consumers’ responses". European Journal of Marketing (Forthcoming).
- K. K. F. So, J. Li, Y. He, and C. King. (2023). "The role of customer engagement in sustaining subjective well-being after a travel experience: Findings from a three-wave study". Journal of Travel Research (Forthcoming).
- K. K. F. So and X. L. Li. (2023). "Service innovation and emerging technologies in tourism and hospitality". Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. (64), 2, 140-142.
- K. K. F. So, G. Viglia, S. Liu, and D. Wang. (2023). "The sharing economy in a post-pandemic world". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
- R. Qi, K. K. F. So, D. Cardenas, and S. Hudson. (2023). "The missing link in resident support for tourism events: The role of tolerance". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research.
- J. Li, K. K. F. So, and S. Hudson. (2023). "Customer responses to the Airbnb platform: the role of Airbnb experience and memorability". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
- Li Miao, Kevin So, Jinyoung Im, and Ting Jiang. (2022). "The pandemic's effects on customer-to-customer engagement in hospitality consumption: A multi-country investigation ". International Journal of Hospitality Management . (102),
- S. Shuqair, P. D. F. Guerreiro, D. C. Pinto, F. Cruz-Jesus, A. Mattila, and K. K. F. So. (2022). "Can customer relationships backfire? How relationship norms shape moral obligation in cancelation behavior". Journal of Business Research.
- H. Kim, K. K. F. So, and J. Wirtz. (2022). "Service robots: Applying social exchange theory to better understand human-robot interaction". Tourism Management.
- H. Shin, M. Jeong, K. K. F. So, and R. DiPietro. (2022). "Consumers’ experience with hospitality and tourism technologies: Measurement development and validation". International Journal of Hospitality Management.
- L. Miao, J. Im, K. K. F. So, and Y Cao. (2022). "Post-pandemic and post-traumatic tourism behavior". Annals of Tourism Research.
- K. K. F. So, H. Kim, Yueying He, and X.R. Li. (2022). "Mapping service innovation research in hospitality and tourism: An integrative bibliometric analysis and research agenda". Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.
- H. Kim, H. Shin, and K. K. F. So. (2022). "Actor value formation in Airbnb: Insight from multi-source data". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. (34), 7, 2773-2797.
- H. Kim, J. Li, and K. K. F. So. (2022). "Enhancing consumer confidence and response efficacy in tourism: Typology and effectiveness of the hotel industry’s responses to COVID-19". Journal of Travel Research.
- Kam Fung (Kevin) So. "Cognitive dissonance - tourism". Encyclopedia of Tourism (Forthcoming).
- K. K. F. So, S. Min, and H. Kim. (2022). "Creating customer value in the sharing economy: An investigation of Airbnb users and their tripographic characteristics". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management (Forthcoming).
- H. Kim, K. K. F. So, and B. Mihalik. (2021). "Disentangling the dynamics of service failure and service recovery in peer-to-peer accommodations: A triadic perspective". International Journal of Hospitality Management.
- H. Kim and K. K. F. So. (2021). "Two decades of customer experience research in hospitality and tourism: A bibliometric analysis and thematic content analysis". International Journal of Hospitality Management.
- K. K. F. So, H. Kim, and C. King. (2021). "The thematic evolution of customer engagement research: A comparative systematic review and bibliometric analysis". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. (33), 10, 3585-3609.
- Y. Xu, S. Hazée, K. K. F. So, K. Li, and E. Malhouse. (2021). "An evolutionary perspective on the dynamics of service platform ecosystems for the sharing economy". Journal of Business Research. (135), 127-136.
- S. Shuqair, D. Pinto, K. K. F. So, P. Rita, and A. Mattila. (2021). "Pathway to consumer forgiveness in the sharing economy: The role of relationship norms". International Journal of Hospitality Management.
- X. Yi, X. Fu, K. K. F. So, and C. Zheng. (2021). "Perceived authenticity and place attachment: New findings from Chinese world heritage sites". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research.
- G. Chen, K. K. F. So, X. Hu, and M. Poomchaisuwan. (2021). "Travel for affection: A stimulus-organism-response model of honeymoon tourism experiences". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research.
- K. K. F. So, H. Kim, and H. Oh. (2021). "What makes Airbnb experiences enjoyable? The effects of environmental stimuli on perceived enjoyment and repurchase intention". Journal of Travel Research. (60), 5, 1018-1038.
- K. K. F. So, W. Wei, and D. Martin. (2021). "Understanding customer engagement and social media activities in tourism: A latent profile analysis and cross-validation". Journal of Business Research. (129), 474-483.
- W. Yang, Y. Zhang, and K. K. F. So. (2021). "Tourism experiences vs. material purchases: Effects of eudaimonic consumption motive on consumers’ reactions to invidious comparisons". Tourism Management. (83), 104247.
- J. Li, Simon Hudson, and K. K. F. So. (2021). "Hedonic consumption pathway vs. acquisition-transaction utility pathway: An empirical comparison of Airbnb and hotels". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (94),
- S Jang, M Farajallah, and K. K. F. So. (2021). "The effect of quality cues on travelers' demand for peer-to-peer ridesharing: A neglected area of the sharing economy". Journal of Travel Research. (60), 2, 446-461.
- S Hudson, F Meng, K. K. F. So, S Smith, J Li, and R Qi. (2021). "The effect of lodging tax increases on US destinations". Tourism Economics. (27), 1, 205-219.
- C. King, K. K. F. So, R. DiPietro, and D. Grace. (2020). "Enhancing employee voice to advance the hospitality organization’s marketing capabilities: a multilevel perspective". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (91),
- G. Chen, K. K. F. So, M. Poomchaisuwan, and X. Hu. (2020). "Examining affection-based travel: Development and validation of a measurement scale for honeymooners’ motivation". Journal of Destination Marketing and Management. (17),
- M. Mody, J. Wirtz, K. K. F. So, H. Chun, and S. Liu. (2020). "Two-directional convergence of platform and pipeline business models". Journal of Service Management. (31), 4, 693-721.
- P. Zhang, F. Meng, and K. K. F. So. (2020). "Co-creation experience in peer-to-peer accommodation: Conceptualization and scale development". Journal of Travel Research. 1-19.
- S. Taylor, R. DiPietro, K. K. F. So, S. Hudson, and C. Taylor. (2020). "Will travel for beer: An assessment of beer-focused and non-beer focused tourists' perceived similarity, brand loyalty and place loyalty". Journal of Destination Marketing and Management. (15),
- K. K. F. So and R X Li. (2020). "Customer engagement in hospitality and tourism services". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. (44), 2, 171–177.
- K. K. F. So, R X Li, and H Kim. (2020). "A decade of customer engagement research in hospitality and tourism: A systematic review and research agenda". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. (44), 2, 178-200.
- J Li, S Hudson, and K. K. F. So. (2019). "Exploring the customer experience with Airbnb". International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research. (13), 4, 410-429.
- L Xiong, K. K. F. So, L Wu, and C King. (2019). "Speaking up because it’s my brand: Examining employee psychological brand ownership and voice behavior in internal branding". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (83), 274-282.
- J Wirtz, K. K. F. So, S Liu, M Moody, and H Chun. (2019). "Platforms in the peer-to-peer sharing economy". Journal of Service Management. (30), 4, 452-483.
- K. K. F. So, K Xie, and Wu Jiang. (2019). "Peer-to-peer accommodation services in the sharing economy: Effects of psychological distances on guest loyalty". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
- S Hudson, K. K. F. So, D Cardenas, and F Meng. (2019). "Persuading tourists to stay – forever! A destination marketing perspective". Journal of Destination Marketing and Management. (12), 105-113.
- S Shapiro, L Reams, and K. K. F. So. (2019). "Is it worth the price? The role of perceived financial risk, identification, and perceived value in purchasing pay-per-view broadcasts of combat sports". Sport Management Review. (22), 2, 235-246.
- F Meng, P Zhang, H Li, and K. K. F. So. (2019). "Modeling precursors of impulsive tourist shopping behavior: Evidence from long-haul Chinese outbound tourists". International Journal of Tourism Research. (21), 3, 344-358.
- L Wu, K. K. F. So, L Xiong, and C King. (2019). "The impact of employee conspicuous consumption cue and physical attractiveness on consumers’ behavioral responses to service failures". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. (31), 1, 21-40.
- Y Cao, X R Li, R DiPietro, and K. K. F. So. (2018). "The creation of memorable dining experiences: Formative index construction". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (82), 308-317.
- S Min, K. K. F. So, and M Jeong. (2018). "Consumer adoption of the Uber mobile application: Insights from diffusion of innovation theory and technology acceptance model". Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing.
- S Hudson, K. K. F. So, F Meng, D Cardenas, and J Li. (2018). "Racial discrimination in tourism. The case of African-American travelers in South Carolina". Current Issues in Tourism. (23), 4, 438-451.
- K. K. F. So, H Oh, and S Min. (2018). "Motivations and constraints of Airbnb customers: Findings from a mixed methods approach". Tourism Management. (67), 224-36.
- S Taylor, R DiPietro, and K. K. F. So. (2018). "Pop-Up dining experiences: Increasing experiential value and relationship quality". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (74), 45-56.
- K Xie and K. K. F. So. (2017). "The effects of expert reviews on future reputation, popularity, and financial performance of hotels: Insights from data analytics". Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. (42), 8, 1187-1209.
- Y Hwang, K Ballouli, K. K. F. So, and B Heere. (2017). "Effects of brand congruity and game difficulty on gamers' response to advertising in sport video games". Journal of Sport Management. (31), 5, 480-496.
- G Zhu, K. K. F. So, and S Hudson. (2017). "Inside the sharing economy: Understanding consumer motivations behind the adoption of mobile applications". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. (29), 9, 2218-39.
- K Xie, K. K. F. So, and W Wang. (2017). "Joint effects of management responses and online reviews on hotel financial performance: A data-analytics approach". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (62), 101-110.
- K. K. F. So, L Wu, L Xiong, and C King. (2017). "Brand management in the era of social media: Social visibility of consumption and customer brand identification". Journal of Travel Research. (57), 6, 727-42.
- H T Bui, K. K. F. So, A Kwek, and J Rynne. (2017). "The impacts of self-efficacy on academic performance: An investigation of domestic and international undergraduate students in hospitality and tourism". Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education. (20), 47-54.
- K. K. F. So, C King, S Hudson, and F Meng. (2017). "The missing link in building customer brand identification: The role of brand attractiveness". Tourism Management. (59), 640-51.
- Y Wang, K. K. F. So, and B A Sparks. (2016). "Technology readiness and customer satisfaction with travel technologies: A cross-country investigation". Journal of Travel Research. (56), 5, 563-77.
- K. K. F. So, C King, B A Sparks, and Y Wang. (2016). "Enhancing customers' relationships with the retail service brand: The role of customer engagement". Journal of Service Management. (27), 2, 170-93.
- H Xiao, K. K. F. So, and Y Wang. (2015). "The university Student travel market: Motivations and preferences for activities". Tourism Analysis. (20), 4, 399-412.
- B A Sparks, K. K. F. So, and G L Bradley. (2015). "Responding to negative online reviews: The effects of hotel responses on customer inferences of trust and concern". Tourism Management. (53), 74-85.
- R Nunkoo and K. K. F. So. (2015). "Residents' support for tourism: Testing alternative structural models". Journal of Travel Research. (55), 7, 847-61.
- C J McLennan, S Becken, S Battye, and K. K. F. So. (2014). "Voluntary carbon offsetting: Who does it?". Tourism Management. (45), 194-198.
- C King and K. K. F. So. (2014). "Creating a virtual learning community to engage international students". Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. (26), 3, 136-146.
- Y Wang, K. K. F. So, and B A Sparks. (2014). "What technology-enabled services do travelers value? Investigating the role of technology readiness". Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. (41), 7, 771-96.
- K. K. F. So, C King, B A Sparks, and Y Wang. (2014). "The role of customer engagement in building consumer loyalty to tourism brands". Journal of Travel Research. (55), 1, 64-78.
- K. K. F. So, C King, B A Sparks, and Y Wang. (2013). "The influence of customer brand identification on hotel brand evaluation and loyalty development". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (34), 31-41.
- C King, K. K. F. So, and D Grace. (2013). "The influence of service brand orientation on hotel employees' attitudes and behavior in China". International Journal of Hospitality Management. (34), 172-180.
- A Kwek, H Bui, J Rynne, and K. K. F. So. (2013). "The impacts of self-esteem and resilience on academic performance of hospitality and tourism students". Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. (35), 3, 110-122.
- C King and K. K. F. So. (2013). "Enhancing hotel employees' brand understanding and brand building behavior in China". Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. (39), 4, 492-516.
- V Browning, K. K. F. So, and V A Sparks. (2013). "The influence of online reviews on consumers' attributions of service quality and control for service standards in hotels". Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing. (30), 23-40.
- K. K. F. So, C King, and B A Sparks. (2012). "Customer engagement with tourism brands: Scale development and validation". Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. (28), 3, 304-329.
- K. K. F. So and C King. (2010). ""When experience matters": building and measuring hotel brand equity: The customers' perspective". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. (22), 5, 589-608..
Presentations
- Scale development in tourism and hospitality research
Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management, University of Macau
Virtual - September 27 2022 - Psychological ownership in the access-based service context: A comparative assessment
of hotels and Airbnb
2022 Annual ICHRIE Summer Conference
Washington, D.C. - August 2022 - Social presence, warmth, in and service robot adoption: The effect of non-verbal communication
and customer commensality
2022 Annual ICHRIE Summer Conference
Washington, D.C. - August 2022 - The evolutionary dynamics of the sharing economy: Past, present, and future
College of Hotel & Tourism Management, Kyung Hee University
Virtual - August 15 2022 - The interrelationships between customer engagement, social media marketing activities,
and consumer stickiness with a tourism destination: A longitudinal investigation
2022 Annual TTRA Summer Conference
Victoria, Canada - June 2022 - The evolution of the sharing economy: The charted and uncharted territories
School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics
Virtual - April 13 2022 - Grant writing
Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, University of Houston
Virtual - February 24 2022 - Managing sustainable and meaningful careers
Griffith Business School, Griffith University
Virtual - February 2 2022 - Can service robots build intimate relationships with customers? A social exchange
theory perspective.
27th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Held Virtually, USA - January 2022 - The effects of affective transportation and cognitive elaboration from travel influencers:
A synthesis of ELM and TIM
27th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Held Virtually, USA - January 2022 - Traveling after the COVID-19 pandemic: effects of information exposure, negative
emotions, and risk perceptions
27th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Held Virtually, USA - January 2022 - A comparison of cross-sectional versus longitudinal data in scale development in tourism
and hospitality research
2021 I-CHRIE Conference
Held Virtually, USA - August 2021 - A Longitudinal investigation of the reciprocal relationships between remembered destination
brand experience, emotions, and brand attachment
2021 I-CHRIE Conference
Held Virtually, USA - August 2021 - How does Airbnb experience transfer to memorability and platform loyalty? Findings
from a sequential mixed method approach
2021 I-CHRIE Conference
Held Virtually, USA - August 2021 - The hotel industry’s responses to COVID-19: Insight from hybrid thematic analysis
and experience research
51st TTRA Annual International Conference
Held Virtually, USA - June 2021 - A bibliometric analysis and thematic analysis of 21 years of customer experience research
in hospitality and tourism
90th TOSOK Seoul International Tourism Conference
Seoul, South Korea - May 2021 - The reciprocal relationships between remembered destination brand experience, emotions,
and brand attachment: An autoregressive cross-lagged model
26th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - January 2021 - Actor interactive value formation in a peer-to-peer accommodation: Insight from text-mining
26th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - January 2021 - Why retirees migrate: Application of importance – performance and gap analyses of
retirement needs and destination image
25th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Las Vegas, USA - 2020 - Rethinking the customer experience: an empirical comparison of Airbnb and hotels
25th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Las Vegas, USA - January 2020 - Sharing dining experiences on social network sites: The effect of company's response
on customer’s behavioral intention
25th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Las Vegas, USA - January 2020 - Examining the interrelationships between destination brand experience, customer engagement,
subjective well-being, and intention to revisit
25th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Las Vegas, USA - January 2020 - Who should we really blame? Service failure and recovery in peer-to-peer accommodations
25th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Las Vegas, USA - January 2020 - Artificial intelligence in service management: Testing the service robot acceptance
model (sRAM)
2019 APacCHRIE & EuroCHRIE Joint Conference
Hong Kong - 2019 - Environmental stimuli of Airbnb experiences, perceived enjoyment, and repurchase intentions:
Findings from multiple studies
2019 Travel and Tourism Research Association Annual Conference
Melbourne, Australia - 2019 - Sharing dining experiences on social network sites: examining the sharer’s perspective
24th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - 2019 - The lodging shared economy experience: scale development and validation
24th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - 2019 - The role of perceived enjoyment in Airbnb experiences and repurchase intention
24th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - 2019 - Impacts of product quality cues on travelers’ demand of peer-to-peer transportation
sharing
EMAC 2019 Conference Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany - 2019 - The convergence of business models: the formula for competing successfully in the
new economy?
Frontiers Conference
Singapore - 2019 - Platform business models in the sharing economy: integration, synthesis and research
agenda
The 16th International Research Symposium on Advancing Service Research and Practice
Karlstad, Sweden - 2019 - Creating consumer values in Airbnb: testing the effects of the underlying value dimensions
2018 Global Marketing Conference
Tokyo, Japan - 2018 - Understanding consumer adoption of the Uber mobile application: Testing the moderating
effects of technology readiness
2018 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Palm Springs, USA - 2018 - Capturing unobserved heterogeneity in destination attribute evaluation and tourist
satisfaction: A response-based segmentation using FIMIX- PLS
2018 Travel and Tourism Research Association Annual Conference
Miami/Coral Gables, Florida, USA - 2018 - The Airbnb experience scale development and validation
Southeastern Travel and Tourism Research Association’s Annual Conference
Myrtle Beach, USA - 2018 - Customer loyalty in peer-to-peer accommodation services: Effects of psychological
distances on repeat purchase with hosts
2017 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Baltimore, USA - 2017 - Employee conspicuous consumption cue and consumers’ responses to service failures
2017 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Baltimore, USA - 2017 - Factors affecting consumer adoption of Uber mobile application: Insights from innovation
diffusion theory and technology acceptance Model
2017 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Baltimore, USA - 2017 - Consumer adoption of the Uber mobile application: Integrating the technology acceptance
model and technology readiness
23nd Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Hong Kong - 2017 - A meta-analytic structural equation model of brand loyalty formation: A synthesis
of studies in the hospitality literature
3rd Global Tourism & Hospitality Conference
Hong Kong
2017 - Effects of reciprocity and social proof on online customer engagement
3rd Global Tourism & Hospitality Conference
Hong Kong - 2017 - Motivations and constraints of Airbnb customers: Insights from a mixed-methods study
4th World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality: Innovation, Partnerships and Sharing
Orlando, USA - 2017 - African-American travelers and racial discrimination
7th Critical Tourism Studies Conference
Palma de Mallorca, Spain - 2017 - The symbiotic relationship between tourism and retirement migration
INVTUR 2017: International Conference - Co-creating the Future of Tourism
Aveiro, Portugal - 2017 - The joint effects of management responses and online reviews on financial performance:
A data analytics approach
2016 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Dallas, USA - 2016 - The role of customer brand identification in the era of social media
2016 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Dallas, USA - 2016 - Factors affecting consumer adoption of food ordering mobile applications: Insights
from Innovation Diffusion Theory and Technology Acceptance Model
22nd Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - 2016 - Unobserved heterogeneity in tourism shopping: A Finite mixture segmentation approach
22nd Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism
Houston, USA - 2016 - Engaged or disengaged? A latent profile analysis of customer engagement
2nd Global Tourism & Hospitality Conference
Hong Kong - 2016 - The mediator effects of tolerance on residents’ support toward tourism events
Annual International Conference of the Travel and Tourism Research Association
Vail, USA - 2016 - Building customer brand identification: Examining the role of brand identity attractiveness
2015 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Orlando, USA - 2015 - Travel motivations and constraints: segmentation using a finite mixture partial least
squares (FMIX-PLS) analysis
2015 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Orlando, USA - 2015 - Enhancing customer-brand relationship quality: The role of customer engagement
2014 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
San Diego, USA - 2014 - An examination of factors affecting customer engagement behavior
24th Annual CAUTHE Conference
Brisbane, Australia - 2014 - Investigating drivers of overall trip satisfaction and expectations: An evaluation
of Chinese visitors to Australia
G20 First East-West Dialogue on Tourism and the Chinese Dream Conference
Gold Coast, Australia - 2014 - Building hotel brand loyalty: A social identity perspective
2012 I-CHRIE Summer Conference
Providence, USA - 2012 - Developing and validating a model of customer engagement with tourism and hospitality
brands
World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality
Hong Kong - 2011 - Exploring the role of customer engagement in building service brand loyalty
Doctoral Colloquium of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference
2010
Editorial and Review Activities
- Journal of Service Management
Editorial Board Member
2021 - Psychology and Marketing
Editorial Board Member
2021 - The Service Industries Journal
Associate Editor
2021 - Cornell Hospitality Quarterly
Editorial Board Member
2020 - Industrial Marketing Management
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2020 - Journal of Vacation Marketing
Editorial Board Member
2020 - Tourism Management
Editorial Board Member
2020 - Tourism Review International
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2020 - Tourism Economics
Editorial Board Member
2018 - Journal of Travel Research
Editorial Board Member
2016 - International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
Editorial Board Member
2015 - Journal of Business Research
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2015 - Journal of Destination Marketing & Management
Editorial Board Member
2015 - Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research
Editorial Board Member
2015 - Annals of Tourism Research
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - European Journal of Marketing
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of Asia Pacific Tourism Research
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of China Tourism Research
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insight
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of Leisure Research
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of Marketing Management
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Journal of Service Theory and Practice
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - Tourism Management Perspectives
Ad Hoc Reviewer
2014 - International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
Special Issue Editor
2021 - 2022 - Cornell Hospitality Quarterly
Special Issue Editor
2019 - 2022 - Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research
Special Issue Editor
2018 - 2020 - Tourism Analysis
Editorial Board Member
2014 - 2020
Awards and Honors
- The 2023 Highly Cited Researchers List from Clarivate (2023)
- No 1. most highly cited article published in IJHM in 2022 (2023)
- The Richard W. Poole Research Excellence Award (2023)
- Best in Track Award (2023)
- Best Track Chair Award (2023)
- The 2021 Highly Cited Researchers List from Clarivate (2022)
- The 2022 Highly Cited Researchers List from Clarivate (2022)
- No. 62 in the world in the field of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism" based on total citations in 2021 (2022)
- The World’s Top 2% scientists in the field of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism" in 2021 (2022)
- The Richard W. Poole Research Excellence Award (2022)
- Fellow, The International Association for China Tourism Studies (2022)
- Best Paper Award (2022)
- Most highly cited article published in JHTR in the past 10 years (2011-2021) (2021)
- Best Paper Award Finalist (2021)
- No. 51 in the world in the field of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism" based on total citations in 2020 (2021)
- The World’s Top 2% scientists in the field of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism" in 2020 (2021)
- The third most cited article published since 2018: Motivations and constraints of Airbnb consumers: Findings from a mixed-methods approach (2020)
- Best Paper Award Finalist (2020)
- Best Track Chair Award (2020)
- Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2020: Highly Commended Paper Award (2020)
- Nominee for the American Marketing Association's 2020 SERVSIG Best Services Article Award: Wirtz, J., So, K. K. F., Liu, S., Mody, M., & Chun, H. (2019). Platform business models: Social platforms and the sharing economy. Journal of Service Management, 30(1), 452-483. (2020)
- No. 64 in the world in the field of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism" based on total citations in 2019 (2020)
- The World’s Top 2% scientists in the field of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism" in 2019 (2020)
- The fourth most downloaded article: A Decade of Customer Engagement Research in Hospitality and Tourism: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda (2020)
- The second most downloaded article: Customer Engagement in Hospitality and Tourism Services (2020)
- Breakthrough Star Award (2019)
- Best Track Chair Award (2018)
- Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2018: Highly Commended Paper Award (2018)
- The Patricia G. Moody Researcher of the Year Award 2018 (2018)
- William Bradford Wiley Memorial Best Research Paper of the Year Award (2018)
- Finalist for the Patricia G. Moody Researcher of the Year Award 2017 (2017)
- Merit Award (2017)
- Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing (2017)
- Finalist for the Patricia G. Moody Researcher of the Year Award 2016 (2016)
- Merit Award (2016)
- Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award (2015)
- Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research Article of the Year Award (2015)
- Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing Martin Oppermann Best Article of the Year Award (2014)
- Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2011: Highly Commended Paper Award (2011)
- Griffith Business School Higher Degree Research Poster Competition Second Prize (2011)
- Griffith Business School Top-Up Scholarship (GBSTOP) (2010)
- Griffith University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (GUPRS) (2010)
- International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) (2010)
- Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management Honors Scholarship (AUD 2,500) (2009)
- Full Tuition Scholarship for Honors Degree (Full year tuition equivalent to AUD18,000) (2009)
- Griffith Award for Academic Excellence, 2008 – 2009 (2009)
- Griffith Business School Honors Scholarship (AUD5,000) (2009)
- Griffith University Medal (2009)
- Griffith Award for Academic Excellence, 2007 – 2008 (2008)
- Golden Key Honor Society Award (2007)
- Griffith Award for Academic Excellence, 2006 – 2007 (2007)
- Scholarship for Griffith – Pukyong National University (Korea) Cultural Exchange Program (2007)
Contracts, Grants, and Sponsored Research
- Tourist Experience Management in the Context of Integrated Culture and Tourism
The National Natural Science Foundation of China
January 2024 - December 2028 - An Economic Impact and Visitor Profile Study for the Five Points District, Columbia,
South Carolina
The Five Points Association Columbia, South Carolina
October 2022 - May 2023 - Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center (CMCC) Expansion: Standards, Practices, and
Projections
Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau
November 2021 - October 2022 - Post-disaster recovery strategies in tourism destinations
University of South Carolina
May 1 2021 - July 30 2020 - Why do People Choose Airbnb? An Examination of Emotional Motivations behind the Sharing
Economy
Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of South Carolina
May 2017 - May 2020 - The Economic Impact of the Equine Sector in South Carolina
Department of Agriculture
September 1 2018 - February 28 2019 - Developing a Tourism & Hospitality Employment Plan for South Carolina
The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration
July 2015 - February 2019 - Examining the Priorities, Practices, and Effectiveness of Multi-National Hotel Groups
Brand Internalization and Delivery in China
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
December 2015 - December 2018 - Attracting “Hot” Asian Tourist Markets to the Real Southern Hotspot
Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau
June 2017 - September 2018 - A Longitudinal Investigation of the Role of Sensory Brand Experiences in Building
Customer Engagement
College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management Interdisciplinary Faculty Grant Program, University of South Carolina
May 2017 - May 2018 - The Effect of Lodging Tax Increases on U.S. Destinations
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation
November 15 2017 - April 15 2018 - Increasing African American Tourism in South Carolina
South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
February 2016 - December 31 2016 - Brand Associations of the Commonwealth Games: Perceptions of the Chinese Market
Griffith Business School, Griffith University
December 2015 - December 2016 - Attracting Retirees and Pre-retirees to Rural South Carolina
Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration
July 2015 - August 31 2016 - The Columbia Hospitality Tax-An Evaluation of Effectiveness
City of Columbia
March 2015 - June 2016 - A triangulated Investigation of Online Customer Engagement
Griffith Business School, Griffith University
November 2014 - November 2015 - Establishing a China U.S.-Travel Monitor Program: Gap Analysis
National Tour Association, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center, Hawaii Tourism Authority, NYC & Company, California Tourism Commission, and Visit Orlando
September 2014 - September 2015 - Beaufort North Carolina Development Evaluation: Front Street Village
Front Street Village, Beaufort
October 2014 - February 2015
Academic, Military, and Professional Positions
- School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Professor, July 2023
- Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, William S. Spears Chair in Business, August 2022
- School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Graduate Program Coordinator, January 2022
- School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Associate Professor, August 2020 - June 2023
- School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, William E. Davis Professor, August 2020 - July 2022
- School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, University of South Carolina, Associate Professor, August 2019 - May 2020
- The Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, University of South Caroline, Research Associate, August 2014 - May 2020
- School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, University of South Carolina, Assistant Professor, August 2014 - May 2019
- Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Australia, Senior Research Assistant (During Ph.D.), February 2014 - July 2014
- Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Australia, Sessional Instructor/Head Instructor/Guest-Lecturer (Multiple roles during Masters and Ph.D.), July 2008 - November 2013
- Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa Gold Coast, Main Beach, Queensland, Australia, Service Attendant, July 2006 - December 2009
- The Sheraton Perth, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, Guest Service Attendant (Internship), June 2005 - June 2006
- Gala Restaurant (a la Carte), Perth, Western Australia, Australia, Customer Service Attendant (Internship), December 2004 - June 2006
- The Perth Ambassador Hotel, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, Hotel Concierge (Internship), December 2004 - March 2005
- Comfort Inn Wentworth Plaza, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, Housekeeping (Internship), October 2004 - November 2004
Courses Taught
- HTM 5423 (2 Semesters)
- HTM 5850 (1 Semester)
- HTM 6000 (1 Semester)
- HTM 5443 (1 Semester)
- HTM 3243 (2 Semesters)
- HTM 4163 (2 Semesters)
- HTM 6713 (1 Semester)
Semester | Course | Section | Course Title |
---|---|---|---|
Fall 2022 | HTM 5423 | 68778 | Hospitality and Tourism Marketing Management |
Fall 2022 | HTM 5850 | 72489 | Social Media Marketing in Hospitality and Tourism |
Fall 2022 | HTM 6000 | 72162 | Doctoral Dissertation |
Summer 2022 | HTM 5443 | 42140 | Hospitality & Tourism Management Graduate Internship |
Spring 2022 | HTM 3243 | 30768 | The Business of Tourism |
Fall 2021 | HTM 3243 | 71043 | The Business of Tourism |
Fall 2021 | HTM 5423 | 71062 | Hospitality and Tourism Marketing Management |
Spring 2021 | HTM 4163 | 25613 | Hospitality and Tourism Marketing and Sales |
Spring 2021 | HTM 4163 | 31009 | Hospitality and Tourism Marketing and Sales |
Fall 2020 | HTM 6713 | 70760 | Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism Theory |