Each spring, the 麻豆原创鈥檚 Division of Graduate Studies honors student excellence in academic achievement, teaching, research, leadership and community service with the Graduate Awards of Excellence. Among the 2012-2013 award winners were two recent graduates of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Dr. Anil Bilgihan and Heidi Albus, who both graduated in 2012, received the college鈥檚 Award for Outstanding Dissertation and the Award for Outstanding Master鈥檚 Thesis, respectively.
Bilgihan, who received a doctorate in hospitality education, won the award for the quality and contribution of his dissertation. His award-winning paper examined the concept of 鈥渙nline customer experience鈥�, 鈥渇low鈥�, and its role in influencing online customers鈥� loyalty to a hotel booking website.
鈥淭his study provided further insights to the researchers and industry leaders regarding the impact of hedonic and utilitarian features of a booking website on the overall flow experience of consumers,鈥� said one of the ad hoc committee members for this award. 鈥淭he findings are of practical importance to enhance the 鈥榚-loyalty鈥� of consumers.鈥�
Albus, who earned a master鈥檚 degree in hospitality & tourism management, won the Outstanding Master鈥檚 Thesis聽award for quality and contribution of her thesis research. Her award-winning paper examined the effects of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on service recovery in terms of customer satisfaction, repeat patronage, word of mouth, and consumer trust in casual dining restaurants.
鈥淭he experimental design that she used in her thesis is interesting and we don鈥檛 see this type of data collection procedure in our field that often,鈥� said one of the ad hoc committee members for this award. 鈥淚 believe her thesis will contribute more valuable theoretical and practical implications.鈥�