Antecedents and consequences of hotel customers' psychological ownership. (February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Shuhao; Qu, Hailin; Wei, Min
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 93(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-02
• Subjects: Customers' psychological ownership -- Self-image congruity -- Functional congruity -- Impression in memory -- Customer engagement; Hotel management -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Periodicals; Hôtels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Restaurants -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Services alimentaires -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Food service management; Hotel management; Restaurant management; Periodicals; 647.94
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102773
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Highlights: This study broadens the antecedents of CPO based on self-congruity theory. This study enriches the outcomes of CPO by introducing customer engagement. Self-image congruity positively affects CPO partially through impression in memory. Functional congruity positively influences CPO fully through impression in memory. CPO positively predicts the two types of customer engagement addressed in this study. Abstract: This study aims to broaden the current knowledge on the antecedents and consequences of customers' psychological ownership (CPO) from new perspectives in the hotel context. Specifically, this study investigates how self-image congruity and functional congruity affect CPO through impression in memory based on self-congruity theory and also examines two types of customer engagement—customers' social influence engagement and knowledge-sharing engagement—as new CPO outcomes. Using survey data collected from 433 Chinese hotel customers, this study finds that self-image congruity positively predicts CPO partially through impression in memory, whereas functional congruity positively influences CPO fully through impression in memory. Moreover, the findings indicate that CPO significantly drives customers' social influence engagement and knowledge-sharing engagement. This study contributes theoretically to the CPO literature by further developing its linkages with congruity perceptions and customer engagement. Practical implications of the findings can help hotel managers effectively promote CPO and customer engagement.