Examining the Selected Consequences of Customer-Related Social Stressors in the Hotel Industry

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this thesis is to develop and test a research model that examines emotional exhaustion as a mediator of the effects of customer-related social stressors (as manifested by disproportionate customer expectations, customer verbal aggression, disliked customers, and ambiguous customer expectations) on job performance, extra-role customer service, and turnover intentions. These relationships were assessed using data gathered from frontline employees in the three- and four-star hotels in Cameroon. One-month time lag for data collection was used. The relationships among variables were tested using LISREL 8.30 through structural equation modeling. According to the results of this study, customer-related social stressors increase emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion reduces job performance and extra-role customer service and exacerbates turnover intentions. In addition, customer-related social stressors influence job performance, extra-role customer service, and turnover intentions only through emotional exhaustion. In other words, emotional exhaustion has a full mediating role in this process. In light of the results given above, implications for managers are offered in this thesis. Moreover, limitations of the study and implications for future research are provided. Keywords: Cameroon; Customer-Related Social Stressors; Emotional Exhaustion; Hotel Employees; Job Performance; Turnover Intentions. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………