The Impact of Role Stress on Turnover Intention of Thai Cruise Crew: The Mediating Effect of Burnout and the Moderating Role of Service Climate and Itinerary
Keywords:
Role stress, Burnout, Turnover intention, Service climate, Itinerary, Cruise tourismAbstract
This study investigates the influence of role stress on the turnover intention of Thai cruise crew members by integrating both mediating and moderating mechanisms into the analysis. Specifically, the research aims to (1) examine the effect of role stress on burnout; (2) investigate the influence of burnout on turnover intention; (3) assess the mediating role of burnout in the relationship between role stress and turnover intention; (4) evaluate the moderating effect of perceived service climate on the link between role stress and burnout; and (5) examine the moderating role of perceived itinerary in the relationship between burnout and turnover intention. Using a sample of 400 questionnaires collected from Thai cruise crew members, this study identifies role stress as a three-dimensional construct consisting of role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload. The findings revealed that role stress positively affects burnout (β = 0.45), and burnout, in turn, positively influences turnover intention (β = 0.61), confirming its mediating role. The interaction between role stress and service climate negatively and significantly affects burnout (β = -0.52), indicating that a positive service climate alleviates the impact of role stress. Similarly, the interaction between burnout and itinerary negatively affects turnover intention (β = -0.43), suggesting that itineraries can mitigate the adverse effects of burnout. The model explained 54% of the variance in turnover intention (R² = 0.543). Overall, the results provide strong empirical evidence for the importance of positive organizational factors, particularly service climate and itinerary, in buffering the negative consequences of stress and burnout on Thai cruise crew members’ turnover intention. This study addresses a research gap in cruise tourism and offers practical insights for cruise companies, emphasizing that fostering a supportive service climate and optimizing crew itinerary rotations can effectively mitigate burnout and turnover intention.
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