The impacts of corporate social responsibility, service quality, and transparency on relationship quality and customer loyalty in the hotel industry

The purpose of this study was to test how potential customers’ perceptions of a hotel’s corporate social responsibility activities, service quality, and transparency affect relationship quality constructs such as trust, satisfaction, and customer loyalty. Our research design consisted of utilizing a convenience survey of 487American potential hotel customers. We then followed a two-step approach, projecting a measurement model and then analyzing a structural model to test the theoretical relationships between the constructs. The following findings within the context of U.S. hotels show: Corporate social responsibility and reputation had positive relationships with trust and satisfaction, while service quality had a direct effect on customer loyalty. In addition, transparency had a significant influence on customer trust. Customer trust had a significantly positive influence on customer loyalty. The influence of satisfaction on customer loyalty is mediated by trust. This research will contribute to scholarly and managerial debates.