1.

Introduction

Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in a half year, it brings negative influence almost to all
walks of life. The U.S. stocks hit four times within ten days in the mechanism of circuit breaker
followed by the share prices tumbled around the world (Hu et al., 2020); the international health
emergency influences almost all global production chains from the declaration of the word health
organization (Chenguel and Derbali, 2020). As a result, all forms of economic activities are
strained. The risk perception of consumers increased the uncertainty of purchases, which lead to
the adjustment of the government's macro-policy, from the January, lots of countries such as
China, the U.S., France and the U.K. implemented lockdown policy to control the epidemic, it’s
inevitable have an impact on economic development. Among them, the hospitality industry has
been the darkest moments from the beginning of 2020, because of the travel restrictions, the
airline industry suffered from the continuous hinders, the number of flights fell sharply, the
amount of daily commercial flights has dropped 77% from 11287 on January to 24975 on April 11
(Nwaeze, 2020). According to the estimate of IATA, the revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) of
2020 will 38% lower than 2019 and generate more than 2520 billion dollars loss (IATA,2020); the
worldwide hotel industry had to accept that there was a sharp drop in guests, and couldn't make
ends meet. The revenue and occupancy rate of the hotel industry had a catastrophic decline. For
example, the revenue per available room of U.S. hotel is estimated to decline 50.6% (Gossling et
al., 2020 ); Malaysia hotel industry loosed as much as RM 3.37 billion in two months (Anis et al.,
2020), the popular tourist countries went through the similar situation. However, as for China,
the hospitality industry is recovering during the post-epidemic, despite it has confronted with the
dilemma of 89% decreased occupancy rate (Alasfi et al., 2020).

Although During the coronavirus epidemic, the hospitality industry started to operate self-rescue
activities to compensate for the loss and maintain the capacity of cash flow as much as possible.
The closure and reducing employment are mainly enforced. For instance, Marriott closed 25% of
its hotels worldwide (Clark, 2020), and reduced the capacity of daily operation by temporary
layoffs (Ellis, 2020); Hyatt hotels cut 66% of its employment in the U.S. (Crain's Chicago Business,
2020) followed with the hotels which temporarily suspending operations. On the other hand, for
those hotels which can’t carry out business activities usually, the government gave financial
support to deal with operating losses, Hilton worldwide has borrowed 17.5 billion dollars for
precaution and ensure the flexibility in persevering cash (Alasfi et al., 2020). Moreover, quite
many hotels changed the business type to survive. For instance, hotels cooperated with the
government, social isolation sites to grab stable revenue and social responsibility. As for the
hotels that can keep normal operation activities, have flexible refund and change policies, the
hygiene and cleaning standard has improved on assuring stakeholders' safety. They also turned
the attention into online marketing, the epidemic made customers adapt to online shopping
more than ever (Kim, 2020).

Utilize the electronic commerce (e-commerce), such as online travel agency (OTA ) platforms to
keep the capacity of selling for the customers who have rigid demand. In terms of the customers
who hold wait-and-see attitude, social commerce (s-commerce) performed more dynamic and
effective (lee et al., 2019 ). It helps hotel brands establish and keep the relationship with potential
customers. For example, in China, diverse social media such as Wechat, users can receive the
latest news and policies form the official accounts of hotel brands, which including the release of
offers and direct selling. To better rebuild the customer’s confidence in the purchase, the trust
needs to be highlighted in the s-commerce. Gradually, live streaming raised as a new approach of
marketing in the diverse platforms.

Live streaming became more and more popular and is accepted in society, to help hotel industry
recovery. Live streaming related to audio and video content based on internet platforms and
related equipment, the viewers are able to participate innovative events and real-time interaction
with the streamers by terminal devices, anything related to the topic of live streaming is
visualized to the viewers so that it differs from the majority of broadcast media (Melancon and
Todd, 2018). Live streaming has developed various application forms, such as real-time game-play
at Twitch for game enthusiasts, viewers watch the operation of streamers, the creative
communication channels promote the viewer-streamer interaction (Kruger, Lessel and Vielhauer,
2017). The integration of live streaming and social media giants like Facebook, YouTube, and
Instagram, which helps certain brands, even including personal brands directly show their
products or service, connect more deeply and in a more interactive manner with viewers (Wasen,
2017).

Live streaming applied to the hotel industry to recover the negative impact of the coronavirus
epidemic. As the hotel industry went from bad to worse, the live streaming as creative use, along
with the development of technology, approach customers in the most effective way (MuñozLeiva,
Méndez and Fernández, 2012). The live streaming can be regarded as a significant tool for hotel
recovery. On the one hand, it’s conducive to maintaining customer engagement. The serious
environment of consumption, forcing customer's engagement of traveling, and staying hotels
have a downward tendency, the hotels have to reconsider and construct the customer experience
(Carlson et al., 2017). During the epidemic, the live streaming enables customers to obtain the
latest status of the hotels that they are concerned and interested in, thus further conceiving
future traveling plans. On the other hand, In particular for China, the live streaming can be
utilized as a marketing tool. According to a report on China’s internet development, the number
of live streaming users is more than 560 million in March in 2020 (CGTN, 2020). The enormous
user base and cultivated user habit, with the improved epidemic situation in China and enhanced
traveling intention, the marketing would be the easier success to recover the whole hotel
industry.

The live streaming is a new concept, so that the related studies are limited. From the perspective
of users, there are various motives for them to watch live streaming, such as enjoyment of
interaction, trendsetting (Cai and Wohn, 2019), and the personal needs of celebrity-based
intention and product-based intention (Cai et al., 2018 ). Which are gradually formed as shopping
value and perceived value like hedonic and utilitarian values. Previous research has suggested
that customers prefer purchasing form live streaming on s-commerce platforms (Assarut and
Wongkitrungrueng, 2018; Vries and Carlson, 2014). Other researches show that from the
perspective of the interaction between customers (viewers) and streamers (sellers), within the
process of interaction, trust as a mediator to build up engagement and loyalty, as well as the
formation and maintenance of social communication relations (Cheng, Gu and Shen, 2019; Yeon,
Park and Lee, 2019 ). Furthermore, earlier studies indicated that there are heaps of constructions
to support live streaming commercially. Deployed hybrid CDN-P2P live streaming system such as
LiveSky emphasis the quality-control and credibility (Li et al., 2009); the independent peer-to-
peer system contribute to source assignments (Liu et al., 2006); the user-granted system aim to
the timeliness and diversity of live streaming service (Pires and Simon, 2015).

Despite those studies being done from the understanding of users and their experience the most,
it is mainly based on social networking sites (SNS) of online shopping and gaming activities. More
specifically, prior researches have mainly undertaken by the characteristics of the customer;
there is a lack of antecedent of live streaming itself within the integration of customer and live
streaming. This paper will put the features of live streaming in a significant position, and as the
major commerce to extend the study, access to the hotel industry of the worldwide covid-19
epidemic, then connect to the customer behavioral intention, to figure out what features of live
streaming are crucial to instruct and engage the customer, to finalize the purchase and help
industry recovery. Moreover, this study will develop related research, such as the research about
the motivation of customers, which can be adapted as a part of the model of live streaming
features; the shopping value and perceived value (hedonic and utilitarian value) will be integrally
regarded as the consumption value.
This study is designed through the mix-method of qualitative and quantitative approaches to
develop the existing research and as a supplement for limited research aspects. A series of focus
group interviews were conducted to reiterate previous researches by collecting more
representative or comparative views of a user of interest, and redefine the related concepts as a
result to guide the design of the questionnaire of quantitative research. Finally, this study
proposes a conceptual model, aim to integrally understand the extent that live streaming
features influence customer’s behavioral intention. By doing so, this study intends to test the
relevance and contribution of live streaming in industry recovery for the innovative development
of the hotel industry under the background of the worldwide covid-19 epidemic or a similar
situation. On the other hand, the integration of hotel industry and live streaming as one of the
forms of incorporation of s-commerce is a trend, which is close to the experience of customer
preference, would provide more choice for customer in future. Moreover, this study adds
significant literature for further research on the hotel industry's development patterns.  
2. Literature review

2.1 live streaming

Live streaming is a phenomenon of Internet-age with rapid development all over the world
(Needleman, 2015), which employs multiple communication technologies, transfer the videos
and audios to certain terminate positions (Bruce and Hamari, 2018; Chen and Li, 2018). Anybody
is able to broadcast all diverse medias over the Internet (Pires and Simon, 2015). Live streaming is
a new form of social media, the several studies are focused on video games and e-sports (Cheung
et al., 2015; Sjoblom and Hamari, 2017), in 2016, there are more than 10 million viewers on
watching game-related live streaming per day (Twitch, 2016), the viewers can see the what the
streamers does in video game at real-time. Live streaming as a niche for game area, but with the
development of live streaming, it gives more insights in broader fields, such as online shopping
area (Bruce and Hamari, 2018; Sjoblom and Hamari, 2017). In particular, for the online suppliers
in China, the live streaming can be seen as a tool of marketing, which has been changing the way
of s-commerce (Guo et al., 2019). In last few years, there are hundreds of thousands of live
streaming-related platforms and applications appeared and made China enter the new era of live
straming (Zhu, 2017), In 2018, live streaming helped the s-commerce platforms gain the high
volume of profit, for example, there was more than 1000 billion Yuan has generated by sale of
live streaming in Taobao (Taobao and JingDaily, 2019). The features of live streaming helps
customers know about the products by detailed demonstration in real-time video, rather than
only by photos and words in traditional method (Chen et al., 2017; Zhou et al., 2018 ). During the
epidemic in 2020, the live streaming as service innovation which is enhancing customer
experience, the digital sales person promoted the transactions through live streaming (Hilali,
2020).

Similarly, people tend to present themselves within the environment of digital media, which is
becoming a growing field of advertising and promoting for commercial activities (Ailawadi et al.,
2009). The major channels of marketing of consumers are dependent on social media and related
mobile devices (Gohary and Millman, 2011), to accommodate the shift of trend, the marketers
increased the use of digital marketing channels in mobile devices (Stephen, 2015). With the
frequent using of mobile devices, the mobile environment is significant to shape the attitude and
intention of users (Hui et al., 2013). Twitter as one of the best known social media platforms,
actively consistent with the trend by releasing an application named Periscope, which is a mobile
live streaming platform to involve the area of s-commerce (Lobato and Meese, 2016).

Previously, before the rise of live streaming, the video blog (Vlog) was the popular mode of
marketing in s-commerce. According to the social media report 2017, more than 50% of
marketing-related staff utilize video form in marketing (Stelzner, 2017). Tik Tok is the most
representative short-form video mobile application of displaying Vlogs, which has actively
developed around the world (Liu and Li, 2020). As for the mode of information spreading of Vlog,
it delivers information via video contents which is deliberately created by certain users (Safko and
Brake, 2009). The videos are uploaded to social media platforms, related to the personal
experience of brands and products (Liu et al., 2019). The function of Volg marketing is consist of
various media-related factors, such as text and picture, music video, the interaction with
comments and even the personality of Vlogger (Gao and Wang, 2019). On the other hand, the
younger generation in particular for millennials are targeted the most by the active contents and
thematic categories, which are supported through arithmetic and manual recommendation
mechanism (Xu et al., 2019; Wang and Zuo, 2019). The prevalent trend of Tik Tok in China,
support a consistent environment of short video sharing mobile applications, and it contributes
to the live streaming industry in China (Liu et al., 2019), in this way, the Short-form video features
are developed and new features are formed to build a unique ecosystem.

2.2 The features of live streaming

Live streaming as strong momentum and is composed by diverse segments, to differentiate with
other social media platforms. The live streaming can be regarded as the mix of video contents and
the real-time communication (Li et al., 2018). In this way, it achieved the uniqueness of online
user in synchronized interaction channels, by two-way instantaneous communications between
streamer and viewers, as well as the interactions among viewers (Wang and Wu, 2019). The
viewers posts the concerns or comments on real-time while watching the live streaming, which
are visible for both streamers and other viewers, then they might give instant responses (Chong
et al, 2019).

Real-time interactivity & Synchronicity in Live Streaming

The unique feature of live streaming is that customers can communicate in real time with sellers,
resulting in an immersive and interpersonal experience for shopping. Given the immersive real
time aspect of live streaming, even without actual human contact, consumers can feel a sense of
social presence and human touch (Gefen and Straub, 2003). Social presence refers to another
person's degree of interaction and the subsequent emergence of interpersonal relationship will
be increased by live streaming beyond those in the typical exchanges of e-commerce and s-
commerce where the seller's personal identity is or is not shown. Therefore, the greater social
interactions and social presence developed from synchronized communication between buyers
and sellers, and the exhibition of comments from others can increase consumer confidence and
reduce their uncertainty (Li et al, 2018) by the sense that the online seller is real, social and
identified with shoppers. This can lead to greater consumer confidence and social presence. The
content is generally produced while it is being broadcast in the real-time live streaming system.
That's what distinguishes it from non-real-time live systems. However, between the time a
framework is captured and the moment it is displayed on the destination device there is still a very
significant delay (Akhshabi et al, 2011). An interactive live streaming application is different from
an interactive application. Users are not just passive content viewers. They can instead interact
with or by it, affecting the stream (Zhang and Liu, 2015). The users' actions are directly dependent
on what they see on the stream. In contrast, traditional television broadcasting enables users to
experience together and dive in through their participation in Live Streaming (Haimson and Tang,
2017). Live streaming services are synchronic and interactive. The public participation takes place
in a variety of ways, including text chatting, gifts, likes or hearts clicking, polling, chatting, and
playing games using streamers in video play (Li et al, 2018). Their participation includes
streaming channels. (Li et al, 2018).

Engagement in Live Streaming

Live stream is the credibility source because consumers engage with streamers in real
time and encourage consumers to pay greater attention to the product being promoted
(Todd and Melancon 2018). Live streams appear to be used by small retailers in closer
contact with social trade diaspora customers. The knowledge gained from the deeper
commitment has also been useful when making a buying decision for consumers (Xia
Wang et al., 2012). So, by providing information and product knowledge, we identify the
importance of live streaming to support the shopping process. This increases afterwards
when consumer absorption during the product learning process which increases
consumption. Videos can gain more exposure than texted images or a combination of the
two by streaming live onto the digital social video platform and eroding the stock of blogs
and social posts. This encourages more innovative retailers to build their own live stream
channels and jump into this new idea. It therefore shows the importance of live streaming
for today's connected marketplace in marketing strategies.

Role of live streaming in building consumer trust

In order to promote the sales growth by creating a close interaction environment with its
customers, LVS strategy is seen as an action of e-retailers distributing real-time event videos. It is
an integrated IT and social interaction service. It is in comparison to other online shopping
strategies LVS has its advantages. Firstly, the information provided on static pictures on traditional
e-commerce web sites is difficult for customers. Thus, video is an effective way of showing
customers the unique character of products (Zhang et al, 2020LVS can also offer sight , sound and
movement to provide information on products, thus increasing authenticity of information and
enriching the content of information (Hsu et al, 2013). Secondly, LVS simultaneously offers live
and text videos and chatrooms. While watching the live video, clients can interact with e-retailers
and other clients. Thus LVS makes it easier for live stream participants to inter-act in real-time.

Live streaming offers authentic shopping with vivid sensory images ( e.g. listening, sighting) and
social interactions in real-time. The first thing that is done is to increase the tangible nature of the
online images caused by the observation of LVS (Wang, 2012). Increased tangibility could reduce
psychological distance according to (Darke et al, 2016). Elder et al. (2017) also found that
psychological distance would be minimally affected by imagined senses requiring proximity to the
physical (i.e., taste and touch). If the mental representation of the product is specific, the effect
of the product touch on consumer decision making is significant. The nature of LVS can increase
the knowledge and certainty of its customers too. According to CLT, familiarity, similarity and
visual fluidity contribute to psychological distance reduction (Lii et al., 2012). Edwards et al (2009)
suggested that online retailers could increase the decision-making process for customers by
creating an illusion of proximity which fosters familiarity and similarity. Whether a customer can
touch or view a product can affect his assessment of the products online.

The belief of a customer or the will to rely on the expertise and performance of the other party is
cognitive trust "(Moorman et al , 1993). In the e-commerce context, the belief of a consumer is
that the information he receives is true, he can count on the seller 's advice, get the product he
has ordered from the seller and that the product he receives is as expected. The uncertainty
about identity and product insecurity should be mitigated through live streaming that can give
utilitarian value in terms of authenticity, responsiveness and visualisation. In other words, the
seller and its products should be felt by customers to have greater confidence.

Affective trust is usually referred to as the customer's conviction about the level of care and
concern of the other party, based on his or her emotions (Rempel et al , 1985). Confidence levels
can be increased by the sympathy of a seller which can make them friendly and similar in
character as common interests, demographics and personality characteristics that the trustee
sees to the trustee (Crosby et al, 1990). Because live streaming allows customers to observe the
appearance and the character of a vendor and to measure the extent to which a vendor can
recognize it and is sensitive to their needs, the perception of the symbolic value of both
customers and the vendor's products can increase trust. While Keller ( 1993) argued that
symbolic value is less product-related than the utilitarian / hedonic value, no empirical study has
yet been conducted to examine the relationship of symbolic value and confidence in a product.

Hedonic & Utilitarian motivations for live stream purchasing

Most research has explored useful and hedonic motivations for consumers shopping (Bridges and
Florsheim, 2008). Utilitarian means multi-sensory and emotional functional, instrumental,
practical and hedonic. Babin et al. (1994) have documented that the utilitarian results were the
result of "conscious pursuit of a desired effect" and that the utilitarian value could explain
"consumer shopping trips that are described as a "consignment," or 'work," in which they were
happy to simply "get over it all." Utilitarian motives include convenience and reduced costs,
including money , time and effort.

In addition to the "hedonic value" motivating customers, it represents the recreational,

emotional and experiential advantages of shopping (Babin et al., 1994). The subjective hedonic
values may be derived from playfulness and fun (Hodgins et al . , 2009). Falode et al . ( 2016)
described hedonic shopping as a kind of good thing in which consumers can experience
emotionally satisfactory shopping, irrespective of whether a purchase is made or not, and this
was related to hedonic fulfillment, such as fun, fun and sensory stimulation. As "problem solvers"
or "fun, fantasy, excitement and pleasure seekers," Hirschman and Holbrook depicted the
shoppers (Hodgins et al, 2009). Other research described either work or fun shopping motives.
The term utilitarian value means the extent to which the expected utility provides a product /
service. When a consumption must stimulate shopping trips has been met, the utilitarian
shopping value can be seen (Babin et al., 1994). Consumers tend to be concerned about the
legitimacy and authenticity of the vendor when shopping online. This is more important if the
seller is small and separate and has no physical store. The live streaming allows buyers to look at
the face and phrases of the seller, backgrounds and products on offer (e.g. clothes), in a way that
can not be recorded or edited before they can be displayed in the online store. Unlike ads that
feel more artificial, live streaming videos that show the reality and what they offer without
production, the quality that customers increasingly seek in a brand is perceived as authentic
(Gilmore and Pine, 2007).

3. Methodology

This study will adopt a mix-methods approach, the quantitative method following the qualitative
method. Firstly, obtaining qualitative information, then collecting and analyzing data in the
quantitative stage, to extend the initial findings (JoseTari et al., 2015; Rosenthal, 2016). On the
other hand, the original qualitative research stage aims to compensate for the inadequate studies
of existing research and explicitly detect measurable variables for subsequent quantitative
research. The exploratory research model will be conceived in the qualitative research stage,
which will be tested during the quantitative research stage.

3.1 Qualitative method

Obtaining the qualitative information based on that conduct semi-structured focus interviews
with open questions. Open questioning improves the accuracy of retrospective reports (Azungah,
2018). Utilizing the qualitative method to understand the behavior and the reasons behind the
behaviors for certain people (Rosenthal, 2016). The qualitative method is also employed as the
preliminary of the quantitative method, It aims to find measurable variables to extend existing
studies and conceptualize those variables to make them represent the insights from diverse
social groups. From the perspective of demography, in this study, all interviewees will have
multiple social experiences with various educational backgrounds. Because the hotel live
streaming is a new concept and developed in recent years, the arrangement of the age of
interviewees will be above 18-year-old, but it concentrates upon the younger generation, as well
as considering the income condition and consumption-ability of them. There will be at least ten
separate interviews to be conducted. Choose the most representative person who represents a
type or more than one type of group in the society, avoid data saturation when sufficient data is
collected for research purposes (Ness, 2015). The duration of each interview will be controlled in
15 minutes, with the interviewees' consent, and all the interviews will be digitally recorded.

3.1.1 The research model

The above literature forms the conceptual model (figure 1) of how live streaming features
influence the customer behavioral attitude, which will lead to the trust and consumption value of
the customer and affects the customer engagement and purchase intention. The orientation and
construction of the qualitative interview will base on the conceptual model, the interview
questions will be designed to extend the conceptual model as a research model, as well as a
precaution for the questionnaire design of the quantitative stage.
 Figure 1. Conceptual model.

3.1.2 Sampling

This study will approach the non-probability sampling method of sampling. Qualitative research
aims to explore the insight deeply, the participants are chosen to obtain the most related
information, which is conformed with purposive sampling. In this way, it tries to get information
better and understand certain phenomena of the specific area rather than make fixed or
unchangeable results (Akbar et al., 2012). Mainly based on the reasonable judgment of
researchers and the perception of existing theories, assume that specific categories of individuals
may have unique, different, or essential views of the phenomena discussed and their existence
within them (Robinson, 2014). And select the homogeneous samples as a group who have a
relationship with the hospitality industry in China; meanwhile, make sure the maximum variation
of them, the respondents keep the different characteristics within the group, including
occupation or level of educational background. On the other hand, typical case sampling are
utilized to focus on the respondents who possibly have experience of watching hotel-related live
streaming, those typical or average members are related to account for the new trend (Lewis et
al., 2012). Moreover, the interviews with a particular objective seek small-scale groups but
processing the in-depth interviews, for example, there are 3-16 participants given a guideline in a
single study when using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) (Smith, 2009). In this
study, the number of participants will be around 10; however, the researchers need to monitor
and respond to practical situations. Because of the uncertainty of recruiting participants, the
sample size can be treated flexibly. According to the Grounded theory (Glaser, 1978), data
collection can process identically with analysis, estimate whether need further sampling or not,
to keep its validity. Besides, the data saturation needs to be noticed, for example, when repeated
data or perspective appears, or there is enough data to form and approve the certain theories,
stop collecting data while there are no new findings during the interviews (Fusch and Ness,
2015).
3.1.3 Interview guide

Interview protocol is for keeping the consistency based on the research model and literature
review. To ensure the interviews will involve the theme of research, it has high flexibility to
construct and analyze data in the semi-structured interviews (Azungah, 2018). Which is is
consistent with the early stages of hotel-related live streaming development, the semi-structured
interviews are flexible to get in touch with respondents and make them better describe the
feeling and insights. Those information from previous interviews can be approved and verified in
the subsequent interviews (Bryman and Bell, 2012).

The interview purpose

Understanding the comparison and cognition and the relevant experience and feelings of
audiences and groups on social media, including live streaming and related to the hotel industry.
In particular, focus on the features of live streaming and the extent of trust and perception of its
content to establish a relationship with customer engagement and purchase intention, consistent
with the research model. The fundamental purpose of doing interviews is to instruct and design
the questionnaire, extract the specific and measurable variables within the result of interviews,
consequently apply to the stage of big data collecting, compete for the analysis of results of
interviews and questionnaires, in order to lay a foundation for the follow-up research.

The interview time

Tentatively, from July 8 to July 14, 2020

Respondents

The interviewees are all Chinese adults who have experience in watching hotel live streaming. It
also includes those people who have less experience in hotel live streaming but have more
experience in watching other live streaming such as online shopping platforms; or those people
who have multiple experiences involving more areas of live streaming. For example, relevant
persons in the tourism industry, such as those with tour guide and travel agency experience;
people who are related to the hotel industry, such as people with hotel group work experience;
Hotel tourism professionals, such as teachers and students with relevant professional
background; People who love to travel. Respondents who have a different level of experience
with hotel live streaming were approached, as individuals with various levels of familiarity may
have different opinions about hotel live streaming.
Interview methods

Online interview, through voice phone and video, intuitive, authentic, and effective
communication. Utilize the funnel approach during the interviews to establish and maintain the
trust and minimize the bias from respondents (Hutchings, 2005).

Interview questions

The Interview questions are designed around the research questions of the research model, the
core point is the features of hotel-related live streaming and customer’s behavioral attitude.
Because interviews are semi-structured, as a result, the type of interview questions is open-
ended, the space for thinking and answering is broader for respondents. The funneling method is
employed in questions design, during the interview, start with the general question then extend
to the specific aspect, more and more details will be gradually embodied. For example, at the
beginning ask “Do you know about live streaming?”, “how do you define live streaming”,
afterward, lead respondents to the following question “have you ever watched hotel-related live
streaming?” which is starting to involve the objective of the study. The major information will be
extracted from the question of “could you share some experience of watching hotel-related lives
streaming” and similar questions of respondents. However, to deal with the situation that certain
respondents don’t have experience of watching hotel-related live streaming, there is a particular
section to ask them “do you have any experience in watching live streaming (travel, gaming,
shopping) ” , to explore information of other types of live streaming, the related answers would
be useful as supplement for the main research question. The demographic questions would also
be included to obtain the background information of respondents.

3.1.4 reliability and validity of qualitative interviews

The preciseness of the qualitative method has always been criticized, the non-probability
sampling cannot calculate the sampling error because it depends on the personal judgment of
the investigator. The reasonable manner of execution and the transparency process of analysis is
essential to reflect the result's reliability and validity (Decrop, 1999). Consequently, this study will
consider the personal bias that possibly affects the result. Because the qualitative data is more
subjective form the participants, so that the depth and correlation of data collecting to avoid
selection or sampling bias (Noble and Smith, 2015). In particular, focus on the demographic
aspect; similarly, it is necessary to avoid participants bias in the content and structure of
questions of interviews, open questions will be mainly utilized. On the other hand, for minimizing
researcher bias, forms of records of qualitative interviews must save for ensuring the
transparency and consistency of interview data (Barrett et al., 2002), which including the detail of
the process of interviews, in this study, all the recordings will be transcribed by the third
professional companies. The participants can be invited to review the transcripts to guarantee
objectivity and veracity. Moreover, investigator triangulation will be implemented to strengthen
the reliability, validity, and confirmability (Fusch et al., 2018), two researchers who have related
academic background are invited to examine the interview guide and the research procedures, as
well as the transcripts of interviews, which will generate multiple perspectives, and it helps light
up the dead zone of independent research and reduces researcher bias to emerge more
comprehensive results. Because the interview protocol is originally designed in English, so the
forward–backward translation method is employed to test the reliability and validity of Chinese
respondents (Guo et al., 2019). The Chinese version is translated from the English version, which
is examined by five customers with rich experiences in watching forms of live streaming, to
determine whether the interview procedures and questions are easy to understand after
translating. Afterward, two researchers (who has been mentioned in the investigator
triangulation part) will translate the Chinese version of the interview protocol to the English
version, to confirm the accuracy again.

3.1.5 Data analysis

This study is conducted by deductive and inductive approaches to achieve interpretive data
analysis. The deductive approach contains the codes of theme-related structure and some core
concepts. Extract initial codes from known information based on the interview questions and
existing literature (Bradley et al., 2007). This study adopts the deductive approach to analysis
based on existed theories (Gale et al., 2013) to set up a data cluster. Consequently, an inductive
approach is adopted to condense themes (Thomas, 2006), the inductive approach involves the
experiences and insights of respondents, researcher needs to familiar them with the contents of
the interviews as well as the data cluster of a deductive approach. Then distributing the codes
and themes related to the research model, which instructs the design of the quantitative
questionnaire.

(thematic 可作为补充）
3.2 Quantitative method

The quantitative approach is employed to quantify the observatory results, and better describe
and generalize certain issues and explain specific phenomena using statistical techniques based
on adequate samples to make the valuable comparisons (Babbie, 2010; Ding and Liu, 2013).
There are casual relationships will be established within those variables (Kovalchenko, 1991),
which are mainly found and formed from the previous qualitative interviews. In this study,
implementing the descriptive study to gather data by self-administered questionnaires is
instructed and designed by the results of qualitative interviews and related to the research model
to measure what features of hotel-related live streaming influence the behavioral attitude
towards to engagement and purchase intention. The data collection will be carried out by
Qualtrics Online Sample, the respondents usually proceed once, intend to build up the
connection between variables. It expected to have hundreds of respondents participating to
ensure a valid estimate of a generalized relationship of samples (Black, 1999). The structural
equation model (SEM) is utilized to analyze the potential relationship within independent and
dependent variables, those relevance and structural relationships will also be analyzed (Hage et
al., 2011). The probability sampling method will be chosen, such as a simple random sample. Still,
there is the risk of sampling bias (Kitchenham and Pfleeger, 2002), so the SPSS as an instrument
to inspect the reliability and validity.

3.2.1 Sampling

The samples are collected in China by self-administered questionnaires, the country with the
largest numbers of users in the live streaming area. Hotel-related live streaming is a new trend to
spare no effort in rebuilding Chinese customers' confidence, which is gradually active in various
social medial platforms in particular during the period of the epidemic (Liu, 2020). This study will
mainly employ the simple random samples of probability sampling of quantitative
questionnaires, each member of the population have identical rate to be chosen as the sample, it
has the minimum amount of sampling bias (Gravetter and Forzano, 2011). Apart from that, a
screening mechanism will be added to ensure that all the respondents have experience of live
streaming. Respondents with no experience of live streaming and incomplete answers will be
excluded from the sample. On the other hand, hotel-related live streaming is a new trend. The
popularity and promotion still need to develop further, so that the amount of samples is
expected at an average level.
3.2.2 Questionnaires and measures (问卷设计出以后再完成这部分)

3.2.3 Data analysis

Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is approached as the method to
analyze data, in particular for measure the casual relationship and influence of research model,
which is suitable for analyzing the samples less than 500 and examine the capacity of predicting
(Hair et al., 2014). As mentioned before, hotel-related live streaming is developing in recent
years, the number of qualified respondents after screening might be a small sample size. Hence,
PLS-SEM is utilized to allow the variables can be examined with a small sample size (Ong and
Puteh, 2017). The SmartPLS3.0 is employed for structural equation modeling.

3.2.4 Reliability and validity of the quantitative analysis

In terms of the questionnaire, except for a screening mechanism ensuring the consistency of
respondents, the pilot test is also proceeded to assess the attribute of reliability (Akbaba, 2005).
Twenty respondents are invited to complete the questionnaire with the researcher, to examine
the accuracy of the questionnaire and revise a certain description. The original questionnaire is
designed in the English version, so the forward–backward translation method is again employed
to contribute to the reliability and validity. Moreover, the SPSS Statistics 23is approached to test
reliability as well, it will make sure the relevance between the variables in the research model,
and to find out that whether latent variables are equipped statistically internal consistency, and
the extent of the common method bias (Li et al., 2019). The outer model will be assessed by the
average amount of variance extracted (AVE) and factor analysis, which is used to examine
convergent validity (Bagozzi and Heatherton, 1994).

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