DOES POTENTIAL AND REALIZED ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY MATTER FOR COST ADVANTAGE?

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between potential and realized absorptive capacity and cost advantage. This research was questioned by the quality department managers of the five star green star certificated hotels operating in Antalya through surveys and supporting interview forms. The reason for the selection of hotels with a green star certificate within the scope of the research is the positive results of the increasing in the environment-friendly business practices observed in the hospitality sector on the competitive advantage in recent years. The motivating factor in the present study is that in the literature, a limited number of studies were found that reveal the relationship of the cost-leadership strategy with the absorptive capacity that is described as acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation of the knowledge on the environmental-friendly activities of hotels. With an empirical study of 9 semi-structured interviews with quality managers and 74 surveys of five star environmental friendly hotels in Antalya, both quantitative and qualitative findings provide evidence that potential and realized absorptive capacity reduce operational costs in environmental-friendly activities at hotels. In addition, the findings have shown that realized absorptive capacity has a mediating effect on the relationship between potential absorptive capacity and cost advantage.

MALİYET ÜSTÜNLÜĞÜNDE POTANSİYEL VE GERÇEKLEŞEN ÖZÜMSEME KAPASİTESİ ETKİLİ Mİ?

Bu çalışmanın amacı potansiyel ve gerçekleşen özümseme kapasiteleri ile maliyet üstünlüğü arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi olarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırma soruları Antalya’da faaliyet gösteren yeşil yıldız sertifikasına sahip beş yıldızlı otellerin kalite departman yöneticileri ile soru formları ve destekleyici görüşme formları aracılığıyla sorgulanmıştır. Araştırma kapsamında yeşil yıldız belgesine sahip otellerin seçilmesindeki gerekçe, son yıllarda konaklama sektöründe gözlemlenen çevreye duyarlı işletmecilik uygulamalarındaki artışın rekabet üstünlüğüne yansıyan olumlu sonuçlarıdır. Mevcut çalışmayı motive eden faktör literatürde otellerin çevreye duyarlı faaliyetleri ile ilgili bilginin edinilmesi, benimsemesi, dönüştürülmesi ve uygulanması olarak açıklanan özümseme kapasitesinin maliyet liderliği stratejisi üzerindeki etkilerini ortaya koyan sınırlı sayıda araştırmaya rastlanmış olmasıdır. Antalya'daki beş yıldızlı çevre dostu otel ile yapılan 74 anket ve kalite yöneticileriyle yapılan 9 yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmenin (nicel ve nitel) bulguları otellerin çevreye duyarlı faaliyetlerinde potansiyel ve gerçekleşen özümseme kapasitelerinin operasyonel maliyetleri düşürdüğüne dair kanıtlar sunmuştur. Ayrıca bulgular gerçekleşen özümseme kapasitesinin, potansiyel özümseme kapasitesi ve maliyet üstünlüğü ilişkisinde aracı etkiye sahip olduğunu göstermiştir.

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