Search results

A meta-evaluation is an assessment of evaluation practices. Meta-evaluations include assessments of validity and usefulness of two or more studies that focus on the same issues. Every performance audit is grounded explicitly or implicitly in one or more theories of program evaluation. A deep understanding of alternative theories of program evaluation is helpful to gain clarity about sound auditing practices. We present a review of several theories of program evaluation.

This study includes a meta-evaluation of seven government audits on the efficiency and effectiveness of tourism departments and programs. The seven tourism-marketing performance audits are program evaluations for: Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Minnesota, Australia, and two for Hawaii. The majority of these audits are negative performance assessments. Similarly, although these audits are more useful than none at all, the central conclusion of the meta-evaluation is that most of these audit reports are inadequate assessments. These audits are too limited in the issues examined; not sufficiently grounded in relevant evaluation theory and practice; and fail to include recommendations, that if implemented, would result in substantial increases in performance.

Having considered models and frameworks which assist in the implementation of entrepreneurial policing, it is now helpful to consider complex scenarios where entrepreneurial innovations would help change policing practices. Policing systems and practices are based on the knowledge gained from years of practice and on what works. This entails following procedures and often general orders which act as instructions on ‘how to do’ particular tasks. Indeed, the on-the-job training which officers receive reinforce the rigidity of thinking and inflexibility of thought and action often associated with police practices. Following the rules and being seen to follow them are important. The traditional ‘crime fighting model of policing’ is one such tried and tested system. However, what do officers do when they face a new phenomenon, or other complex scenario where their standard operational procedures do not work or produce the expected results. They must of necessity innovate, improvise, and make changes. In Section 6.1 the pernicious scenarios of the Albanian Mafia in the UK is discussed, and ideas presented on how to implement a more entrepreneurial approach which may help disrupt of interdict such Mafia gangs. In Section 6.2, a contemporary US problem namely that of so-called ‘Police Gangs’ which appear to operate as neo-criminal fraternities is considered. Both of these complex scenarios are ongoing situations which will require a more entrepreneurial multiagency approach in the future to bring them under control. In Section 6.3, two examples from the authors own policing career which are examples of the power and utility of ‘intrapreneurial policing’ practices which were implemented to bring about change in local policing scenarios are considered. Finally, in Section 6.4, the take-away points are discussed.

Main purpose of this chapter is to broaden current knowledge of marketing plan design and implementation. In this context, main scope is to explain why marketing planning is a crucial managerial function and procedure for tourism business ventures.

Literature review combined with examples and a case study is the methodological approach of this chapter.

This chapter presents the main components of a marketing plan and it explains in a practical way with simple steps how marketing objectives can be set up and how monitoring and evaluation can be developed.

Although the study is not completely theoretical, as it has several practical examples and a case study, it still is based on literature review.

Tourism businesses have to develop marketing plans to help them cope with the market’s dynamism. In this chapter, we present the main elements of a marketing plan. SMEs usually are unable on focusing on long-term goals since they have significant time constraints. This chapter explains which procedure business should follow to achieve smart objectives set by entrepreneur/manager with limited resources.

This chapter presents the main elements that should be taken into consideration before starting to design a marketing plan, as well as its components. Additionally, a very interesting case study is presented to illustrate a real-time example of successful implementation of a marketing plan by a tourism enterprise.