Entrepreneurial responses to uncertainties during the COVID-19 recovery: A longitudinal study of B&Bs in Zhangjiajie, China

Weizheng Zhang; Allan M. Williams; Gang Li; Anyu Liu

doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104525

Entrepreneurial responses to uncertainties during the COVID-19 recovery: A longitudinal study of B&Bs in Zhangjiajie, China

Weizheng Zhang, Allan M. Williams, Gang Li, Anyu Liu

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought sweeping changes to global tourism alongside large-scale travel restrictions, posing complex challenges to entrepreneurs and firms seeking to find their footing in a turbulent climate. This study presents a theoretical framework linking uncertainty, capital, and innovation to analyse how bed-and-breakfast small and medium-sized enterprises have innovatively responded to unprecedented obstacles during COVID-19 recovery. Three-stage longitudinal interviews were conducted with more than 30 entrepreneurs between April and November 2020 to unpack their ongoing responses to the pandemic. The recovery process was found to be non-linear due to the shifting nature of sources of uncertainty and changes in entrepreneurs' capital. These alterations shaped interviewees’ responses, especially in terms of product and marketing innovations, which ultimately generated new uncertainty.

Original language	English
Article number	104525
Journal	Tourism Management
Volume	91
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104525
Publication status	Published - Aug 2022

Keywords

Bed and breakfast
Capital
Crisis management
Innovation
Longitudinal study
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Uncertainty

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Development
Transportation
Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management
Strategy and Management

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

More information

10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104525

Cite this

@article{b387b33cf3cd4f6bb17a64b2039dbc6a,

title = "Entrepreneurial responses to uncertainties during the COVID-19 recovery: A longitudinal study of B&Bs in Zhangjiajie, China",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has brought sweeping changes to global tourism alongside large-scale travel restrictions, posing complex challenges to entrepreneurs and firms seeking to find their footing in a turbulent climate. This study presents a theoretical framework linking uncertainty, capital, and innovation to analyse how bed-and-breakfast small and medium-sized enterprises have innovatively responded to unprecedented obstacles during COVID-19 recovery. Three-stage longitudinal interviews were conducted with more than 30 entrepreneurs between April and November 2020 to unpack their ongoing responses to the pandemic. The recovery process was found to be non-linear due to the shifting nature of sources of uncertainty and changes in entrepreneurs' capital. These alterations shaped interviewees{\textquoteright} responses, especially in terms of product and marketing innovations, which ultimately generated new uncertainty.",

keywords = "Bed and breakfast, Capital, Crisis management, Innovation, Longitudinal study, Small and medium-sized enterprises, Uncertainty",

author = "Weizheng Zhang and Williams, {Allan M.} and Gang Li and Anyu Liu",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022",

year = "2022",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104525",

language = "English",

volume = "91",

journal = "Tourism Management",

issn = "0261-5177",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Entrepreneurial responses to uncertainties during the COVID-19 recovery: A longitudinal study of B&Bs in Zhangjiajie, China

AU - Zhang, Weizheng

AU - Williams, Allan M.

AU - Li, Gang

AU - Liu, Anyu

PY - 2022/8

Y1 - 2022/8

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has brought sweeping changes to global tourism alongside large-scale travel restrictions, posing complex challenges to entrepreneurs and firms seeking to find their footing in a turbulent climate. This study presents a theoretical framework linking uncertainty, capital, and innovation to analyse how bed-and-breakfast small and medium-sized enterprises have innovatively responded to unprecedented obstacles during COVID-19 recovery. Three-stage longitudinal interviews were conducted with more than 30 entrepreneurs between April and November 2020 to unpack their ongoing responses to the pandemic. The recovery process was found to be non-linear due to the shifting nature of sources of uncertainty and changes in entrepreneurs' capital. These alterations shaped interviewees’ responses, especially in terms of product and marketing innovations, which ultimately generated new uncertainty.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has brought sweeping changes to global tourism alongside large-scale travel restrictions, posing complex challenges to entrepreneurs and firms seeking to find their footing in a turbulent climate. This study presents a theoretical framework linking uncertainty, capital, and innovation to analyse how bed-and-breakfast small and medium-sized enterprises have innovatively responded to unprecedented obstacles during COVID-19 recovery. Three-stage longitudinal interviews were conducted with more than 30 entrepreneurs between April and November 2020 to unpack their ongoing responses to the pandemic. The recovery process was found to be non-linear due to the shifting nature of sources of uncertainty and changes in entrepreneurs' capital. These alterations shaped interviewees’ responses, especially in terms of product and marketing innovations, which ultimately generated new uncertainty.

KW - Bed and breakfast

KW - Capital

KW - Crisis management

KW - Innovation

KW - Longitudinal study

KW - Small and medium-sized enterprises

KW - Uncertainty

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85127347916&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104525

DO - 10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104525

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85127347916

SN - 0261-5177

VL - 91

JO - Tourism Management

JF - Tourism Management

M1 - 104525

ER -

Entrepreneurial responses to uncertainties during the COVID-19 recovery: A longitudinal study of B&Bs in Zhangjiajie, China

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

More information

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this