Evaluating successful strategies in creation of innovative services in hospitality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine manager attitudes about innovative processes in Croatian hospitality and to compare the research results with previous research. Customers in hospitality – guests, have low levels of brand loyalty, they are always looking for the best value, and service innovations can make benefits for hospitality firms. Methodology – The objective of this research was to discover what factors impact the performance of innovation processes. The study took place in Croatian regions Istria and Kvarner which represent a benchmark of Croatian tourism. A survey was performed to examine manager attitudes of hotel innovation, and it used a five-point Likert-type scale measuring levels of agreement with the given statements. Findings – The research results reveal that new service development success for innovative new services depends on four key factors (Service product, Market, Process and Organizational), which are the focus of this research. The study results are limited with regard to generalizability since the study was conducted only in four and five-star hotels in the regions Istria and Kvarner resulting in a small sample size and a weak statistical analysis. Contribution – Managers involved in processes of new service development are tied to the key success features and innovative or new service development (NSD) increases the likelihood of success. The findings present the foundation for future scientific research. The analysis provided guidance for organizational leaders in designing the process to address critical paths or control points to increase the likelihood of successful implementation.