Search results

Tourism has become a global industry, with the destination being at the core of the tourism product. Due to an increasingly competitive market place, ensuring destination competitiveness is vital. The aim of this study is to detect which factors destination suppliers perceive as important for the competitiveness of their destination.

A quantitative research paradigm was chosen. A survey was conducted using a self‐administered questionnaire containing questions referring to the five dimensions of the destination competitiveness model by Ritchie and Crouch. The convenience sample comprised n=71 stakeholders of the supply‐side. Indices for the dimensions were computed. A MANOVA was conducted to test for differences in the perception of the destination competitiveness dimensions. Post‐hoc tests were employed to test between which groups the differences lay.

Six stakeholder groups were detected. The estimated model suggested that significant differences regarding the stakeholder's perception of destination competitiveness and the dimensions core resources, destination management, and destination policy exist.

The sample size is rather small and, moreover, future research should additionally include the demand‐side of destinations.

Communication from the destination managing organization is recommended in order to promote a more coherent picture of the destination toward the tourists.

This study emphasizes the complexity of the tourism product. Moreover, it is shown that differences in the perception of the destination competitiveness dimensions occur based on the industry the respondent works in. Overall, the usefulness for measuring destination competitiveness by the Ritchie and Crouch model is confirmed.

This conceptual article aims to contribute to the design of a theory of family-influenced firms by a framework for the management of business-family dilemmas.

It combines systemic principles with the tetralemma, a tool from ancient Indian logic that families and businesses can use to manage and reframe dilemmas without dissolving the dilemmatic tensions or blurring their boundaries.

In applying the tetralemma, the article offers a range of suggestions, such as observing business and family as two discrete, yet codependent, social systems and envisioning conceptual and methodological imports from codependency research and therapy into family business research and practice.

The article proposes a framework for the selective and flexible navigation of family-business tensions without dissolving them or blurring their boundaries.

Drawing on institutional theory and existing international business practice transfer and e-HRM models this paper develops an e-HRM diffusion model to ascertain the institutional factors that determine the successful diffusion of e-HRM practices in multinational corporations (MNC). The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The research is based on the analysis of 25 semi-structured interviews with 15 key stakeholders in the German and Irish subsidiaries of a single US-based MNC as well as two interviews with a senior manager in one of its main competitors.

The findings suggest that the successful transfer of e-HRM is mediated by an interchange of various institutional-level factors (external, relational, organizational and individual) within the corporation and its subsidiaries. Successful implementation of e-HRM is synonymous with the successful integration and institutionalization of e-HRM practices in the subsidiaries.

As this analysis is founded upon a single case study, it is difficult to make assumptions concerning the broad population of all MNC and their subsidiaries. Further research may be required to test the model and the findings presented in this paper.

The findings and the model presented in this paper demonstrate the impact of the institutional context and of key success factors of technology implementation on e-HRM diffusion success. These findings may be of particular relevance to organizations and practitioners who are embarking on an e-HRM installation in an international context.

This paper enriches the e-HRM and international management debate by identifying the key institutional factors impacting the diffusion of e-HRM practices in the subsidiaries of an MNC. In addition, the model put forward in the paper shows how these factors interact and how successful e-HRM diffusion can be characterized.

Implementing climate change adaptation measures immediately is considered both to minimize considerably negative impacts on biodiversity as well as on outdoor recreation in protected area management. This study aims to give answers, why, however, climate change issues receive very limited implementation by practitioners in day-to-day-management.

Using a motivation model by Rheinberg (2006), a more differentiated understanding was gained why stakeholders took almost no action regarding climate change adaptation. A participatory spatial scenario method including a map exercise was used to motivate stakeholders to develop, discuss, exchange and negotiate strategies under different possible future developments and their implementation in protected area management.

According to the motivation model, taking action is dependent on a number of factors and will only happen when all correlations are positive. It can be shown that for adaptation to climate change, concerning almost all of the various factors, no stimuli existed or actors expected a positive outcome when taking action. More motivation was generated for halting the loss of biodiversity and visitor management. In the participatory spatial scenario planning work, stakeholders from different sectors and decision-makers found consensus to implement integrated strategies, considering adaptation to climate change, reduction of greenhouse gases, better protection of biodiversity and different future developments in outdoor recreation activities.

The paper demonstrates the importance of single motivation factors such as perceived competence, abilities to act and perceived positive outcomes including rewards for taking action. Using participatory spatial scenario planning methods can be powerful tools to stimulate joint action, though implementing organizations must be willing to make real use of the outcome of such work.

To advance the learning of professional practices in teacher education and medical education, this conceptual paper aims to introduce the idea of representational scaffolding for digital simulations in higher education.

This study outlines the ideas of core practices in two important fields of higher education, namely, teacher and medical education. To facilitate future professionals’ learning of relevant practices, using digital simulations for the approximation of practice offers multiple options for selecting and adjusting representations of practice situations. Adjusting the demands of the learning task in simulations by selecting and modifying representations of practice to match relevant learner characteristics can be characterized as representational scaffolding. Building on research on problem-solving and scientific reasoning, this article identifies leverage points for employing representational scaffolding.

The four suggested sets of representational scaffolds that target relevant features of practice situations in simulations are: informational complexity, typicality, required agency and situation dynamics. Representational scaffolds might be implemented in a strategy for approximating practice that involves the media design, sequencing and adaptation of representational scaffolding.

The outlined conceptualization of representational scaffolding can systematize the design and adaptation of digital simulations in higher education and might contribute to the advancement of future professionals’ learning to further engage in professional practices. This conceptual paper offers a necessary foundation and terminology for approaching related future research.

Although a need for innovative approaches to the strategic management of human resources (HR) has been identified, many firms continue to rely solely on their HR information systems instead of adapting to the digital consumer with innovative tools and digital HR management (d-HRM). This research aims to evaluate critically the degree of digital innovation of HR practices in the Irish hotel industry.

For this qualitative study, a total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key personnel at both corporate and property level HR in the two largest Irish hotel groups.

Findings show an overall lack of technological innovation and most of the principal HR activities are digitalised to a very limited extent. In addition, the perception of the degree of digitalisation varies significantly between the managers in both organisations.

In order to attract digital natives and to increase their competitiveness within the sector, Irish hotel corporations will need to invest significantly in innovation within their HR departments to capitalise on the strategic and operational advantages of d-HRM. Thus, a more strategic approach towards HR innovation is needed.

This chapter operationalises the concept of HR innovation in the context of the hotel industry; it analyses the key HR activities in hotel operations with regard to the extent to which they are digitalised; and it develops a model of HR digitalisation that can be applied to the hotel and other industries. This research, therefore, contributes to the existing body of knowledge on HR innovation with a specific focus on the hotel industry.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a new perspective on existing definitions of culture and systems for classifying cultures, leading to a standardized model for describing and categorizing cultures.

A review of the literature on definitions of culture and systems for classifying cultures is presented; a model for standardization of these definitions and systems is proposed, illustrated, and described; the potential benefits to cultural researchers of a comprehensive, standardized model are presented.

There is a need for a comprehensive, standardized model for definition and classification of cultures; creation of such a model is possible by combining elements from existing, segmented definitions and classification systems.

A standardized classification model is offered as a basis for cultural research, subject to adoption and validation by researchers worldwide.

If the proposed standardized model is adopted and validated by researchers worldwide, study findings will be communicated more clearly and more widely, and the quality and global application value of cultural research will be enhanced.

A review of the literature reveals segmented studies on cultures but no generally accepted model for looking at the “big picture” of human cultures, their evolution and interactions; the proposed model offers a framework for such a perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese and German consumers react to print advertisements that are potentially offensive.

Using culture theories about information context, individualism and feminine consciousness, the paper hypothesizes that Chinese consumers will be less accepting of the advertisements than German consumers. It also compares the dimensions of consumer perceptions for both countries and how consumer perceptions are related with intentions to reject the products and the brands because of the ads. A survey of 563 respondents aged 17‐58 from urban China (Shanghai) and Germany was conducted in October 2005 and June 2006. A questionnaire with six print advertisements containing sexism and other themes was constructed. Data were collected through five universities.

Findings on perceptions of the offensive advertisements among Chinese and German respondents were mixed. Overall, as expected, Chinese respondents were less accepting of offensive advertising, as they liked the advertisements less than German respondents. However, they were also more likely than German respondents to find the advertisements convincing and informative. Results showed that Chinese respondents and German respondents had different dimensions of advertising perceptions. The two print advertisements that received the most negative perceptions both contained sexually oriented body images. The study also found that advertising perceptions had a significant impact on consumers' intentions to reject the products and the brands.

The city surveyed in China is highly advanced in terms of economical and advertising development when compared with all other Chinese cities. Consumer responses were derived from a student sample. Only the “manner” of offensive advertising was studied, and the “matter” as well as “media” were not covered.

Useful advice for marketers and advertisers to understand how far they can stretch the line for controversial advertisements and to assess the possible risk involved.

This paper offers insight to design communication and message strategies for consumers of very different cultural backgrounds.