Vol. 5, no. 1/2023

Bucharest University of Economic Studies - The first 110 years

By Nicolae Lupu

Exploring war tourism through the use of virtual reality in the context of conflict situations

By Remus-Ion Hornoiu, Delia Popescu, Ionut-Andrei Militaru

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had a significant impact on the country's tourism industry, with many regions becoming inaccessible or unattractive due to safety concerns. VR tourism in war zones, a form of tourism that involves visiting areas affected by conflict, disaster, or civil unrest, has become a topic of interest in the context of the war in Ukraine. To investigate the intention to use VR tourism in the war zone, an integrated framework was proposed by combining key elements such as interest in VR tourism in the war zone and the technology acceptance model (TAM). A sample of 121 respondents was collected in January 2021, and hypotheses were tested using a PLS-SEM model. This research tested a conceptual model that showed that the intention to use VR tourism in the war zone was influenced by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude toward the use of VR tourism in the war zone, all partially or fully mediated by people's interest in VR tourism in the war zone. This paper has theoretical and managerial implications.

Generation Z vs. Generation Y: different from or similar? A comparison of centennials and millennials regarding the use of social media for travel purposes

By Andreea Fortuna Șchiopu, Ana-Maria Nica, Ana Mihaela Pădurean, Mădălina-Lavinia Ţală

The tourists’ decision-making process and sharing behaviors while travelling and social media are intertwined, especially for the young tech-savvy generations. Nevertheless, papers comparing generation Y and Z in this respect are scarce. By surveying two samples, this paper aims to investigate if generations Y and Z are different in terms of social media use for travelling purposes. The results indicate Centennials get more information about journeys from social networks. Moreover, they give more value to online photos during the travel decision-making than generation Y. During the actual journey, Centennials depend less on Facebook and more on Instagram than Millennials. The two samples are significantly different in terms of sharing behavior of their travel experiences. Last but not least, the number of hours spent daily on social media influences the usage of social media while travelling for both generations.

Potentials of developing Artificial Intelligence technology in the Sri Lankan hotel industry with special reference to Colombo district

By Dananjaya Duleepa, Jayawardena Hasini, Ranasinghe Ruwan

The intense competition and unpredictable challenges in hotel operations in Sri Lanka have led to the need to adopt new technologies to provide better services to guests and maximise efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to examine various Artificial Intelligence tools used in hotels in Sri Lanka, explore managers' perceptions of Artificial Intelligence, and identify barriers to the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in hotels in Sri Lanka. Using a purposive sampling, 15 managers of star category hotels in the Colombo district were selected and interviewed using a structured interview method to explore the objectives. The findings derived from the thematic analysis showed that hotels in Sri Lanka have limited knowledge of AI applications and that the respondents' perception of AI technology is still at an early stage where they doubt and question its effectiveness compared to human resource services. The study found that the use of AI technology has significant potential, especially in new and emerging hotels, as these new hotels tend to engage with tech-savvy guests compared to existing hotels in Sri Lanka. Moreover, technological advancements in artificial intelligence will undoubtedly lead to an unimaginable hotel experience that will increase guest satisfaction in Sri Lanka's hotel industry.

Leadership in the Digital Era: Exploring the AI-EI Nexus

By Alexandra Bianca Tîrnăcop

The main focus of this study is how the use of AI technology can improve leaders' emotional intelligence (EI),such as empathy, self-awareness, and social skills. The study employs a research methodology that involves the use of a questionnaire and game-based techniques to examine the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI) in leadership. The main objective is to determine how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to improve leaders' emotional intelligence. The findings highlight the importance of aligning artificial intelligence (AI) technology and emotional intelligence (EI) capabilities to achieve optimal leadership outcomes.

Business use: is AI surpassing human creativity?

By Andrei Daniel Niculae

This study aims to assess people’s perceptions regarding AI-generated images compared to those made by humans. This study used quantitative research in the form of a survey to find out how much respondents prefer AI-generated images. The findings indicated that most respondents favoured artificial intelligence (AI)-generated visuals. Age and time spent online were key determinants of this choice. These discoveries have important implications for organisations and people who produce and consume visual content in their jobs. It implies that as people become familiar to them and as technology advances, AI-generated images are likely to gain popularity in the future. It also emphasises how critical it is to be aware of audience preferences and adjust to the evolving state of technology and visual media. In conclusion, this study offers insightful information about the prospective effects of AI-generated images on the creative sectors and the larger society.

Acting used as a tool for training managers

By Radu-George Baciu

In business schools in Western countries, acting is used as a tool for training managers. However, in the Eastern countries, including Romania, the concept is underdeveloped. In this scientific research, the opinion of both business professionals, i.e., managers with experience in this field, and students from the Faculty of Business and Tourism within The Bucharest University of Economic Studies on the usefulness of introducing acting courses to support the training of managers is investigated. The professionals interviewed believe that acting benefits a manager through the leadership and communication lessons it provides, helping them to manage situations by appealing to emotional memory, relating to their team members by using emotional intelligence, and sharing their vision by developing the qualities necessary for a leader. The students' perspective underscores the ideas expressed by practicing managers and demonstrates that management contains an artistic component to a significant degree and that acting as an art form is intertwined with management in beneficial ways. The overall conclusion of the study highlights students' confidence in the impact of acting on a manager's professional development. The percentage of students who would take acting courses if they were introduced in Romanian business schools is over 90% of all respondents. Thus, it can be stated that acting is a real tool for the development of a manager, which should be adopted and used by all Romanian business schools.

Hotel of the future

By Călin Ile

We live in a world of change, and the pace of change has never been faster. The consequences are very far-reaching, and adaptability has become the most important success factor for people, for different industries, for countries, and indeed for everyone. The impact is enormous and comes from so many sources that the hospitality sector, of course, cannot be excluded. There are changes in the way we live, in the way we interact, changes in demographics or politics, new resources appear in our lives and others simply disappear, and climate change and sustainability are now hot topics for everyone. This paper aims to explore how these changes will affect the future of the hotel industry and how a hotel may look in the near future considering the influences and pressures of so many changes.