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This paper aims to analyze the antecedents of two variables concerning the presence of quality certifications in hotel chains: the (ex ante) decision to become a member of the quality system and the (ex post) trend to increase or decrease the number of certified properties. Six hypotheses are posed and tested.

The empirical investigation is carried out on the Spanish Q for Quality in Tourism using a database including 295 hotel chains and 2,727 hotels.

The results evidence the presence of differences in the behavior of hotel chains relative to certification depending on their size, market segment, customer origin and the geographical concentration of their establishments.

This research deepens in how the hotel chain characteristics affect the effectiveness of a quality certification. The consideration of two stages in investment decisions allows the authors to identify differences in the ex ante and ex post decision processes. As a result, one factor (geographical concentration) has been detected as being underrated by managers in the first stage.

Este artículo analiza los antecedentes de dos variables relacionadas con las certificaciones de calidad en cadenas hoteleras: La (ex-ante) decisión de formar parte de un sistema de calidad, y la (ex-post) tendencia a incrementar o reducir el número de establecimientos certificados. Seis hipótesis han sido propuestas y contrastadas.

La investigación empírica ha sido desarrollada en el marco de la marca Q de calidad para el turismo en España usando una base de datos que incluye 295 cadenas hoteleras y 2,727 hoteles.

Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la presencia de diferencias en el comportamiento de las cadenas hoteleras en materia de certificación dependiendo de su tamaño, segmento de mercado atendido, origen de la clientela y del grado de concentración geográfica de sus establecimientos.

El artículo profundiza en cómo las carfacterísticas de la cadena hotelera afectan a la eficacia de la certificación de calidad. Tener en consideración la existencia de dos etapas en las decisones de inversión nos permite identificar diferencias entre los procesos de decisión ex-ante y ex-post. Como resultado, hemos observado que un factor (la concentración geográfica) está siendo infravalorado por parte de os directivos en sus decisiones en la primera etapa.

The aim was to prove the efficacy of the five cooperative learning elements applied in English classrooms and to demonstrate how effective they were to develop social skills in students.

The qualitative approach allowed to analyse the data in order to determine the benefits of using these elements which help students to create a good rapport among them and do more productive activities to retain the knowledge. The instruments were Cooperative Learning Activity Planning Template that included 20 major steps in designing and assessing a cooperative learning activity designed by Susan Johnston. Additionally, rubrics that included the cooperative learning elements: face-to-face (promotive) interaction, positive interdependence, individual accountability, group processing and collaborative skills were necessary to assess students' accomplished tasks.

Furthermore, when students played different roles, they attained their goal and did cooperative tasks more productively. All mentioned above enables Ecuadorian educational institutions to include better teaching methods and provokes consciousness of students' accomplishment towards their goals.

In the beginning, some constraints were presented; students did not have a clear idea about the main difference between group work and cooperative work. However, once they were aware of cooperative learning elements, they did incorporate them appropriately in each assigned activity which allowed them to obtain better results. Another limitation referred to master students who did not always provide learners with constant monitoring when they were working on cooperative activities; they simply believed that strong students could help the rest in the group if there was any inconvenience with the task, taking this situation for granted.

The originality of this study is reflected in the results obtained in the final product students presented since they used the elements in a more effective way to build social skills and achieve higher grades.

This paper, which is part of a wider research process, identifies the categories of quality management, from the answers provided by those responsible for quality in 106 certified firms, in order to determine the importance of these categories, identify areas for improvement to progress beyond ISO 9000 quality management system series and compare our results with other studies in Spain. We conclude by indicating a set of recommendations for managers of certified firms which wish to progress beyond ISO 9000 series registration advancing towards total quality.

Defining quality of healthcare and determining how to improve organisational performance in developed countries is still an unresolved issue among healthcare professionals. However, given that it is an important area of responsibility and accountability it is no longer acceptable to view the issue as discretionary. An increasingly acceptable operative option for achieving continuous improvement and excellence seems to be the self‐assessment of an organisation, based on the principles of knowledge management and total quality management (TQM). This article provides an explanation of a two‐level self‐assessment approach for implementing TQM within the Spanish healthcare system. The first level integrates a client‐centred approach using classical healthcare accreditation criteria along with ISO 9000 standards, the aim being to establish quality assurance systems in the whole organisation. The second level uses the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model as a road map for self‐assessment and continuous improvement towards excellence.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of quality certifications on apparent labour productivity in a sample of hotels in Spain.

In line with Mairesse and Kremp (1993), the theoretical model was based on a Cobb–Douglas production function readapted to the goals of the study.

The descriptive results show that labour productivity increases only when certifications and quality standards specific to the hospitality industry are implemented and the tourist destination is committed to quality. The econometric analysis shows that the hotel category, belonging to a chain, and outsourcing services have a positive impact on labour productivity. In contrast, the location of the establishment in areas other than the coast or the capital city of a province has a negative effect on labour productivity. Of the quality models and certifications studied, only the Spanish Q-Mark certificate significantly improves hotel productivity (an average increase of 23.27 per cent).

These results provide support for the Spanish Tourism Quality System implemented by the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, which has not only attempted to increase the quality of tourism hotels by increasing their competitiveness and performance but also by providing them with a quality certificate that can be used as a marketing strategy in international markets.

The main contribution of this study is to show how the adoption of quality standards and certifications increases or decreases labour productivity in hotels. Given that most of the previous literature has only taken into account quantities, this study adds to the literature by incorporating the concept of quality into productivity issues.

The insufficient attention given up to now by Spanish academic researchers to quality in tourism, does not by any means invalidate the generalised conviction that the subject has a basic influence on the competitive future of Spanish tourism. Quality has become a key dimension of the tourist product and of tourist enterprise. For this reason a profile of the lines of research developed by Spanish experts on the subject has been undertaken in the article, in order to provide a retrospective overview. This effort remains limited, though we are beginning to see the creation of research centres which will, in the forseeable future, set the pace in this area of specialisation.

Employee well‐being (WB) is a strategic reference of prime importance due to its impact on human capital, employee health and quality in working life, factors that are key to achieving successful organisations. The purpose of the current study is to assess the WB of female managers in the European workplace. The research analyses three dimensions (job satisfaction, comfort and enthusiasm) and the effect of job‐related factors on each one of these.

The Mental Health and Vitamin models (Warr, 1987) were taken as the starting‐point of the research. An alternative econometric method – an artificial neural network known as extreme learning machine was applied to a sample of 99 female managers collected from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey‐2010

The results obtained confirm that this methodology is valid to efficiently classify European female managers into those who feel satisfied with their jobs, calm and relaxed, and cheerful and in good spirits, and those who do not. Furthermore, the resulting model identifies the strongest factors important in determining the varied dimensions of occupational WB achieved.

Even today, despite the important contribution women managers make to the management of organisations, they have to face many challenges and overcome serious barriers in achieving and staying in positions of leaderships when compared to their male counterparts.

El bienestar laboral constituye un referente estratégico de primer orden por su impacto sobre el capital humano – salud y calidad de vida laboral de los empleados –, en aras de alcanzar organizaciones exitosas. El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar el bienestar laboral a partir de sus tres dimensiones (satisfacción, confort y entusiasmo) de las mujeres que ocupan puestos de dirección en Europa y el efecto de ciertos factores laborales.

Se adopta como punto de partida los modelos teóricos de salud mental y vitamínico (Warr, 1987), aplicando un método econométrico novedoso – redes neuronales artificiales –, a una muestra de 99 mujeres directivas extraída de la V Encuesta Europea de Condiciones de Trabajo (2010).

Los resultados obtenidos confirman la validez de esta novedosa metodología para clasificar eficazmente a las mujeres directivas que presentan un elevado grado de bienestar laboral. Por otra parte, con el modelo resultante se identifican los factores más determinantes para el logro de cada una de las dimensiones que constituyen el bienestar laboral.

Las mujeres directivas, quienes a pesar de lo mucho que tienen que aportar en la gestión de las organizaciones, aún hoy encuentran que su acceso y permanencia en los puestos de dirección está colmado de desafíos y barreras difíciles de superar en comparación con sus homólogos masculinos.

The aim of the paper is to study the reasons for the adoption and certification of quality systems and the subsequent impacts on performance.

The methodology selected is a study based on the perceptions of two hotel managers in Spain.

On the one hand, the results show that the most important reasons to adopt and certify quality systems are internal and, on the other hand, that although positive effects on performance can be identified, the impact on financial performance is low.

The value of this paper lies in that it provides the perceptions of hotel managers for others who wish to know the reasons leading to the implementation and certification of a quality system and the subsequent impacts on performance.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the anniversary issue marking 30 years of academic publication.

This anniversary issue contains 12 articles from 11 countries and 17 academic institutions which present literature reviews, meta-analyses, and novel studies. It also contains testimonials about the history of the journal from Enrique Ogliastri (Editor and/or Director between 1998 and 2018), Elvira Salgado (Editor between 2002 and 2013), and Carlos Pombo (Chief Editor, 2013 to the present).

The history of the journal may be divided into five stages: first, the foundation at the Universidad de Chile (1988-1998); second, the move to the Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá) and the preparation of a proposal to the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) for inclusion among the scientific journals of the world (1999-2004); third, a period of consolidation in Latin America (2004-2007); fourth, the acceptance of the journal in ISI and the development of an electronic platform with free access to the journal (2008-2013); and fifth, the entry of the Emerald group as editorial partner (2013-2018).

The 12 articles present literature reviews, meta-analyzes, and novel studies.

El propósito de este editorial es presentar el tema del aniversario.

Se publican doce artículos provenientes de once países y 17 instituciones académicas. Se presentan los testimonios de Enrique Ogliastri (editor y/o director entre 1998 y 2018), Elvira Salgado (Editora entre 2002 y 2013), y Carlos Pombo (jefe editorial 2013-2018).

Se publican doce artículos provenientes de once países y 17 instituciones académicas. Se presentan los testimonios de Enrique Ogliastri (editor y/o director entre 1998 y 2018), Elvira Salgado (Editora entre 2002 y 2013), y Carlos Pombo (jefe editorial 2013-2018). La historia de la revista de CLADEA se podría dividir en cinco etapas: la fundación en la Universidad de Chile (1988-1998); pasó a cargo de la Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá), un período de puesta a punto para presentar al Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) la solicitud de ser analizada e incluida entre las revistas científicas del mundo (1999-2004); el período de consolidación en América Latina (2004-2007); la aceptación en ISI y el desarrollo de una plataforma electrónica de acceso libre a la revista (2008-2013); y el ingreso del grupo Emerald como socio editorial (2013-2018).

Los 12 artículos presentan revisiones de literatura, metanálisis y estudios novedosos

El presente trabajo indaga acerca del estado actual de la legislación de alojamiento turístico bajo la modalidad de apartamentos turísticos y viviendas de uso turístico en España.

Se trata de una investigación exploratoria centrada en el análisis de una tipología específica dentro del subsector hospedaje. Se basa en un trabajo de gabinete (recopilación bibliográfica y normativa).

Como resultado, se advierte que la legislación de alojamiento turístico bajo la modalidad de apartamentos y viviendas de uso turístico en España ha experimentado un creciente desarrollo en la última década y presenta un importante nivel de dispersión, un alto grado de heterogeneidad en los criterios de categorización, y en algunos casos falta de incorporación de aspectos claves como la accesibilidad, la calidad y la sostenibilidad.

La originalidad del estudio se fundamenta en el análisis comparativo de la regulación que las Comunidades Autónomas realizan de esta modalidad de alojamiento turístico denominada en la mayoría de las normativas analizadas de apartamentos turísticos y viviendas de uso turístico. El trabajo comprende un estudio actualizado de la legislación autonómica en la materia.