Social media usage in Swiss luxury hotels

An investigation in marketing communication processes for the development of innovative marketing strategies

Masterarbeit , 2014 , 98 Seiten , Note: A

Medien / Kommunikation - Public Relations, Werbung, Marketing, Social Media

The prevalent digital area is shaped by technological innovations that allow constant communication from all around the world between organizations and customers and between customers and this development has shaped communication structures and practices of organizations. This research project connects theoretical communication constructs and current communication practices examined in four luxury hotel organizations in Switzerland. The theoretical basis of the study is the marketing communication triangle that connects internal, external and interactive communication factors. Synthesizing to the theoretical construct in depth interviews were conducted to discover the role of social media in internal, external and interactive communication processes.

The study results reveal that social media communication is on the way to get an integral part of the marketing communication strategy in the examined hotel organizations. By considering the current usage of traditional and new communication tools strategies are defined that assist the luxury hotel organizations to create a communication structure that incudes communication preferences of the organization the employees and the guests and still enables a consistent message delivery.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
• 1.1 RESEARCH OVERVIEW
• 1.1.1 Communication principles in the service industry
• 1.1.2 Social media in the hotel industry
• 1.1.3 Tourism industry in Switzerland
• 1.1.4 Luxury hotel business
• 1.1.5 The research aim
• 1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE AND RESEARCH QUESTION
• 1.3 IMPORTANCE OF THIS RESEARCH
• 1.4 SYNOPSIS
• CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW
• 2.1 INTRODUCTION
• 2.2 MARKETING COMMUNICATION
• 2.2.1 Communication processes
• 2.2.2 Marketing communication mix
• 2.2.3 Integrated marketing communication
• 2.2.4 The service marketing triangle
• 2.2.5 Implementation of IMC
• 2.3 WORD-OF-MOUTH COMMUNICATION
• 2.3.1 Historical background and definition of WOM
• 2.3.2 The formation and consequences of WOM
• 2.3.3 The significance of WOM
• 2.3.4 eWOM
• 2.4 THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
• 2.4.1 The developmental history of Social Media
• 2.4.2 Social Media utilization in corporations
• 2.4.3 Social Media as marketing communication tool
• 2.4.4 Why it cannot be left behind
• 2.4.5 Hotels utilizing Social Media
• 2.4.6 Luxury Hotels and Social Media marketing
• 2.3.7 Social media as integrated part
• 2.5 SUMMARY
• CHAPTER 3 - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• 3.1 INTRODUCTION
• 3.2 METHODOLOGY SELECTION
• 3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN AND RESEARCH FIELD
• 3.3.1 Hotel A
• 3.3.2 Hotel B
• 3.3.3 Hotel C
• 3.3.4 Hotel D
• 3.4 SAMPLING
• 3.5 DATA GATHERING
• 3.6 ANALYSIS STRATEGY
• 3.7 ETHICAL CONCERNS
• 3.8 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
• 3.9 SUMMARY
• CHAPTER 4 – PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
• 4.1 INTRODUCTION
• 4.2 INTERNAL COMMUNICATION TOOLS
• 4.3 EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION TOOLS
• 4.4 INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION TOOLS
• 4.5 IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS COMMUNICATION TOOL
• 4.6 INFORMATION EMPLOYEES CAN GAIN ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
• 4.7 INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION CAN GAIN ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS
• 4.8 ONLINE INFORMATION IMPACT ON PURCHASING DECISION

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This research project aims to investigate the role of social media in marketing communication processes within Swiss luxury hotels. The study explores how social media is utilized within internal, external, and interactive communication contexts, and how these practices contribute to the development of innovative marketing strategies.

• The impact of social media on communication processes in the luxury hotel industry
• The role of social media in integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies
• The influence of social media on customer engagement and word-of-mouth communication
• The development of communication structures that consider the preferences of hotel organizations, employees, and guests
• The use of traditional and new communication tools to achieve consistent message delivery

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter introduces the research topic and provides an overview of communication principles in the service industry, social media's role in the hotel industry, and the context of the Swiss tourism industry and luxury hotels. It also defines the research aim and objectives.
• Chapter 2: Literature Review This chapter explores relevant literature on marketing communication, including communication processes, the marketing communication mix, integrated marketing communication, the service marketing triangle, and the implementation of IMC. It then focuses on word-of-mouth communication, its historical background, formation, consequences, significance, and the emergence of eWOM. Finally, the chapter examines the emergence of social media platforms, their historical development, utilization in corporations, and their role as a marketing communication tool in the hotel industry, particularly within luxury hotels.
• Chapter 3: Research Methodology This chapter outlines the research methodology employed in the study, including the selection of methodology, research design, and the specific luxury hotels involved. It also describes the sampling strategy, data gathering methods, analysis strategy, ethical considerations, and addresses validity and reliability concerns.
• Chapter 4: Presentation of Results This chapter presents the findings of the research, analyzing the use of internal, external, and interactive communication tools within the selected luxury hotels. It explores the importance of social media as a communication tool, investigates information gained by employees about the organization and by the organization about its customers, and examines the impact of online information on purchasing decisions.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This dissertation focuses on social media usage in Swiss luxury hotels, examining marketing communication processes and the development of innovative marketing strategies. It explores key concepts such as integrated marketing communication (IMC), word-of-mouth communication (WOM), eWOM, service marketing triangle, and the impact of social media on internal, external, and interactive communication.

• Hochschule: The University of Liverpool
• Note: A
• Autor: Bettina Fuesselberger (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2014
• Seiten: 98
• Katalognummer: V539142
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346156938
• ISBN (Buch): 9783346156945
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Social Media, Tourism, Marketing, Global Marketing, Kommunikation, Kommunication, Hotel, Hotellerie, Toursimus