Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

OTHER PROPOSED FUTURE RESEARCH 
It is not easy to examine the application of a widely used theory like the GST in a conceptual paper like this 
one, where space is limited, but it is hoped that the presentation can be a source of motivation and organization of 
future research. From the framework, several areas of research relevant to hospitality research have been identified. 
It is suggested that research examines the effect of the feedback loop and information exchange in the switching 
system. Besides “word of mouth” on consumer behavior, other exciting areas of research identified include the 
effect what we refer to as “”
return consumers
.” Even more interesting would be research on what we refer to as 
“
nomadic-consumers
,” a group of consumers that keep moving from one service provider to another.
Social responsibility has been a focus of interest in the consumer research literature. Social responsibility 
has been defined by Farmer & Hogue (1985) as “how companies manage the business processes to produce an 
overall positive impact on society.” Unfortunately, the focus of this action has mainly centered on corporations. It 
will be interesting for future research to examine the effect of social responsibility on consumer switching behavior 
too.
Focusing on culture reveals that, it’s possible for a company to experience a “culture disruption” as a result 
of accepting one or a group of consumers that have switched from other service providers. Switchers have different 
cultures and expectations. Future research should examine the disruption effects likely to result from a company 
either accepting or rejecting switchers. Specifically, further research interest should include how switching affects 
other consumers at both firms and strategies service providers take to resolve these conflicts (Bansal et al., 2005). 
Consumers have to receive a stimulus in order to decide to switch hospitality service providers, it can theoretically 
be conceived that there are those consumers that respond promptly and the slow ones (the leaders and followers). 
Consequently, it would be interesting to examine if in fact there exists a threshold below which a stimulus can not be 
expected to act on the consumer or an upper limit beyond whose effect can not be felt (Mabogunje, 1970). 
REFERENCES 
Ackoff, R. (1981). 
Creating the corporate future
. New York: Wiley. 
Ajzen, I. (1991). The Theory of Planned Behavior
. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
, 50(2): 
179-211. 

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