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The Homecharm Group, which consists of Texas Homecare, Texas Bulk, Multicolour Wallpapers and Surplus Sales, is now set for full computerisation. The group has developed its own tailor‐made retail systems, and the story of how these were tried and tested and finally implemented in Texas Homecare and Bulk, was described by Graham Brown, the company's operations director. He delivered his paper, of which we are reproducing a slightly modified version, at the Retailing and Distribution Systems conference organised by Arthur Andersen, management consultants, in October 1985.

The purpose of this conceptual study is to offer an assessment and evaluation of the literature in the field of international marketing negotiations and to propose a descriptive organizing framework which could serve as a basis to integrate and evaluate the existing empirical and conceptual work. The premise of the model is that certain cultural value orientations will be reflected in the characteristics of individuals and in those of their respective companies. Cultural value orientations will, thus, indirectly affect the process of negotiation and the outcomes of the dyadic interaction.

With an initial investment of between £400,000 and £500,000, Huntrose Ltd. is one of the more notable recent additions to the PCB manufacturing scene. Situated in Chard, Somerset, this new company is an off‐shoot of Production Engineering & Electricals Ltd. (PEEL), a sub‐contract manufacturing company specialising in the production of cable forms and electrical sub‐assemblies. Based for 10 years in Chard, PEEL has two factories with a work force exceeding 250. A family business, the company is headed by Managing Director, Graham Brown.

The design and introduction of new pay programs may be particularly challenging for multinational corporations (MNCs) because, given their diverse employee base, they face varied employee expectations regarding pay. We offer a model of how national cultural norms affect employee expectations for, and judgments about, pay fairness. We also describe how firms can best use two international compensation strategies for MNCs (a global integration strategy and a local responsiveness strategy) to optimize employees' justice judgments regarding new pay programs. More favorable justice judgments should improve the chances of new pay program survival and, subsequently, contribute to firm competitiveness.

HelpAge International carries out work on issues of ageing and development across a worldwide network. Experience suggests that older people are struggling to be seen, heard and understood, and are still excluded from action to improve their situation. This paper also reports on the Madrid Plan, the first international agreement to recognise the potential of older people to contribute to the development of their societies.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the benefits sought by three different types of wellness tourists: beauty spa, lifestyle resort, and spiritual retreat visitors.

Based on the findings from 27 semi‐structured interviews with wellness tourists a benefits of wellness tourism scale (BWTS) was developed. It was used to measure 46 benefit items and was mailed to people included on the client/member lists of three Australian wellness tourism organisations.

In total, six benefit factors emerged from a principal axis factor analysis: transcendence; physical health and appearance; escape and relaxation; important others and novelty; re‐establish self‐esteem; and indulgence. A one‐way MANOVA, followed by a series of ANOVAS, revealed significant differences between the three types of tourists regarding the importance attributed to each of the six benefit factors. While all participants in the study sought transformation of the self, each identifiable group of tourists placed different emphasis on physical, psychological or spiritual transformations. Moreover, each group differed significantly in terms of demographic and travel behaviour characteristics.

The relevance of this paper lies in its adoption of a comprehensive approach to the investigation of the potential differences between three wellness tourist groups regarding the socio‐demographic profile, travel behaviour, and the benefits sought. Previous studies have focused on a single particular wellness tourist group. Furthermore, the BWTS may be applicable for use in future comparative studies of wellness tourist motivation.

The Gold Coast is Australia′s premier tourist destination, attracting over 2,500,000 visitors annually. Discusses the characteristics of this rapidly growing region and examines recent tourism trends such as the development of international hotels. After analysing factors which are likely to shape the future prospects of the hotel sector, suggests that, despite increased occupancy rates, the competitive environment may limit the scope for rate increases.

This paper seeks to develop a framework for comparisons and benchmarking between wine tourism destinations.

A regional case study was undertaken, including data from a survey of 23 wineries in Canada's Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. The survey provides the winery perspective on development of wine tourism, as well as opinions on what should be done to improve wine tourism.

Wineries were found to be pursuing tourism developments, but kept little data on visitors and related spending. Their goals and opinions on what is needed in the region revealed that they are mostly oriented toward domestic, independent travelers. One hypothesis emerging from this case study is that the growth and increasing sophistication of wine tourism infrastructure, both at wineries and elsewhere in the region, is in large part a function of market potential. On the supply‐side, a critical mass can be facilitated through establishment of major, landmark wineries that are purpose‐built as tourist attractions.

Using this profile of the Okanagan, implications are drawn for comparisons and benchmarking among wine tourism destinations, including a suggested process and measures.

The single case study limits generalizability to other destinations, and the achieved sample of wineries does not necessarily reflect the major corporate wineries in the Okanagan Valley. More systematic comparison of wine regions is recommended.

This research makes an original contribution for applying the concept and method of benchmarking to wine tourism destinations. It is of value to the wine industry, destination marketers, and host community planners.