Knowledge-advanced innovative behaviour: a hospitality service perspective
通过案例研究，探讨酒店员工创新行为中知识的性质与作用，将知识分为接触前和接触依赖两类，揭示四种创新行为模式，为酒店服务创新提供微观层面的见解。
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and implications of knowledge advanced through service employees’ innovative behaviour and leading to initiating innovation within the hotel service subsector. Design/methodology/approach A case study research method was applied to achieve the research objectives, which investigated two hotel properties resembling two personal–interactive service systems. In total, 52 semi-structured interviews were conducted along with other qualitative research methods, including the direct observation of employees, review of management archives/literature and the assessment of “micro cases”. Findings The research outcome highlights the role of knowledge as supplementary to the interlinked process of idea generation and development. A novel classification of two types of knowledge is revealed as pre-encounter and encounter-dependent knowledge, implicating four patterns of service employees’ innovative behaviour. Practical implications This paper recommends practical measures to nurture service employees’ innovative behaviour, leading to innovation. Originality/value This study contributes to service innovation research by providing an in-depth assessment at the micro level, overlooked to date, of the nature of knowledge and the service employees’ role in initiating innovation within the hotel service subsector.