A pilot study assessed the clarity and reliability of the two-pronged survey instrument. A sample drawn from the target population was asked to complete the survey after which they were interviewed to assess understanding of the questions asked. The survey instrument was refined based on their input, and the study was subsequently conducted during summer and fall of 2006. Freshmen and sophomore students in an entry level hotel management course were asked to evaluate hotel web sites during the first week of class. This class was selected to target students who had an interest in the hospitality industry but had not yet received much, if any, instruction on the theory behind web site development, hotel marketing, or e-distribution. Note, this study sought to identify the impressions of the emerging
consumer market (i.e. the population ages 18-25) and compare its responses to previous research using other markets and populations. It is the authors’ belief that this lower division course therein closely resembles the typical consumer, age 18-25. Students were asked to complete a short survey concerning three hotel web sites, either single property
or corporate sites (see the Appendix). Based on the pilot study, the decision was made to have each respondent look at and critique three separate web sites based on the expected time needed to complete the evaluation of each site. Having each subject review more than one site allowed him or her to compare and contrast the sites, distinguishing likes and dislikes. Students self-selected the hotel web sites, but were encouraged to select sites they would actually use to travel. Participants had the freedom to use their favorite web browsers and access these sites from their preferred locations. Some used home computers, some laptop computers connected through a variety of wired and/or wireless locations, and some used university desktop computers connected to the internet. Intentionally, the study did not control for internet connection speed or method of access in order to more closely replicate the participants’ regular access to the internet.
A pilot study assessed the clarity and reliability of the two-pronged survey instrument. A sample drawn from the target population was asked to complete the survey after which they were interviewed to assess understanding of the questions asked. The survey instrument was refined based on their input, and the study was subsequently conducted during summer and fall of 2006. Freshmen and sophomore students in an entry level hotel management course were asked to evaluate hotel web sites during the first week of class. This class was selected to target students who had an interest in the hospitality industry but had not yet received much, if any, instruction on the theory behind web site development, hotel marketing, or e-distribution. Note, this study sought to identify the impressions of the emerging
consumer market (i.e. the population ages 18-25) and compare its responses to previous research using other markets and populations. It is the authors’ belief that this lower division course therein closely resembles the typical consumer, age 18-25. Students were asked to complete a short survey concerning three hotel web sites, either single property
or corporate sites (see the Appendix). Based on the pilot study, the decision was made to have each respondent look at and critique three separate web sites based on the expected time needed to complete the evaluation of each site. Having each subject review more than one site allowed him or her to compare and contrast the sites, distinguishing likes and dislikes. Students self-selected the hotel web sites, but were encouraged to select sites they would actually use to travel. Participants had the freedom to use their favorite web browsers and access these sites from their preferred locations. Some used home computers, some laptop computers connected through a variety of wired and/or wireless locations, and some used university desktop computers connected to the internet. Intentionally, the study did not control for internet connection speed or method of access in order to more closely replicate the participants’ regular access to the internet.
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