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Events play a strategic role to attract tourist flows especially during the low season. The purpose of this paper is to explore the gap between consumers’ expectations and actual satisfaction at cultural events.

A principal components analysis identifies a set of orthogonal factors related to visitors’ expectations and actual satisfaction at two different events. The empirical data were collected during two events. The geographical setting is Sardinia (Italy) where two important cultural events are held in the low season: the Cavalcata (held at the end of May) and the Sartiglia (held during Carnival). A representative random sample is collected taking into account gender, age and visitors’ nationality heterogeneity (Italian, English-speakers, French and Spanish).

Some homogeneous findings have been obtained for the two events, regardless of the different levels of attractiveness. Notably, both the events are perceived as authentic and as the expression of identity. On the whole, the empirical results indicate that the events were able to generate high levels of satisfaction.

The main limitation of this research is that the data refer to only one year, while a wider time series could allow a more accurate evaluation of both the expectations and the performance results deriving from the management of the two events. The findings provide directions to local policy makers to adopt tailored strategies to boost strengths and to contrast weaknesses of low season events.

The methodological approach presented in this paper helps practitioners and policy makers to deepen their understanding of visitors’ actual experience as well as to improve the overall quantity and quality of services offered during the events.

An in-depth analysis of the perceived quality of the services provided at events can allow public and private organizers to identify critical issues, enabling them to improve event planning, efficiency, profitability and overall performance.

This paper employs an “Importance-Performance” model (Martilla and James, 1977; Riviezzo et al., 2009) to study the gap between visitors’ expectations and their perceived performance in two events held during the low tourist season. Thanks to the use of an equivalent survey, the comparison offered the opportunity to highlight common features that allowed a generalization of results and a broader discussion.

Over 15 years have passed since the first paper was published applying data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure airport productivity. Since then, a wave of studies has appeared refining and validating this technique as one of the most reliable in the airport context. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical review of this accumulated literature.

This paper presents an exhaustive review of approximately 60 peer-reviewed published papers on business performance measurement through DEA applications in the airport industry.

The paper analyses the research on DEA technique chronologically and by geography. Managerial and academic practitioners’ interest in conducting performance measurement studies has grown and benchmarking techniques have become more sophisticated.

Despite the popularity of the methodological framework of DEA, it can be improved by further research to continue refining and exploiting deeply the basic DEA scores. Some innovations have appeared from studies using alternative approaches to DEA, e.g. a Bayesian approach.

The conclusions explore the research contribution, its final value delivered to airport management and some practical aspects and recommendations for the selected field of work.

The paper explores the contribution of research to final value delivered to airport management by describing the main complementary procedures refining DEA technique scores for improving the operational efficiencies of airports through benchmarking. As well as by presenting the results of the assessment of major determinants of efficiency at airports around the world.

This Chapter undertakes an empirical analysis of the relationship between air transport demand and economic growth in Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, using annual data from 1970 to 2019. The results indicate a cointegration relationship between air passenger movements, real exchange rate, and GDP for Brazil and Uruguay, but not for Argentina, while for Chile bivariate cointegration exists. Moreover, exogeneity analysis and impulse response simulations show that in the long run there is a bidirectional causality between transport and economic growth for Uruguay, but for Brazil air transport is not influenced by GDP growth. Air transport is, however, positively affected in the long run by Chile's GDP growth. For Argentina, the probability of causality from air transport to economic growth is low and conversely is not significant.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of the relevance of shore excursions in the distribution of cruise passenger flows; an approach which has been overlooked by many studies on cruise tourism. Specifically, the paper focuses on two destinations: Barcelona, a mature cruise destination suffering from the impact of overcrowding; and Valencia, an emerging cruise destination facing the risk of future (similar) impacts.

The method used is multiple-case study with replication logic. First, web content analysis is conducted of shore excursion descriptions of the destinations selected so as to identify the itineraries, as well as the municipalities and the specific tourist attractions included in the tours. Then, word-processing tools are used to create a regional and local data set to arrange the narrative data. Finally, density maps are drawn in order to examine the different visitor flows within the tourist hinterlands from the supply perspective.

The results indicate that most shore excursions are concentrated in the port cities. Comparing the two destinations, the paper argues that the redistribution within the cities is not equally balanced. Nevertheless, the results also reveal that the excursions offered by local shore tourism operators (TOs) in both destinations have contributed to the expansion of the cruise tourist hinterland over a wider regional area.

This paper evaluates the visitor flow distribution from a supply perspective. Hence, future studies should examine the demand dimension in order to gain a deeper understanding of the concentration intensity. Additionally, it would be worth examining not only visitors taking guided tours but also the independent ones (those who visit the destination on their own).

Despite the growing importance of cruise tourism, research on the role of local shore TOs in this sector is quite limited. One element that deserves more research attention is related to the role of shore excursions in the spatial configuration of the cruise tourist hinterland. Finally, the results obtained could also have significant implications for policy makers developing and promoting effective measures to prevent overcrowding.

The purpose of this paper is to present knowledge acquired through examining three cruise lines’ social media strategies over a three-year period, analyzing the network structures involved and demonstrating the value of the STAR (storytelling, triggers, amusement and reaction) model for enhancing social media activity.

This study gathered data from three cruise lines’ official websites and Facebook and Twitter accounts, examining variables such as internet presence, engagement and fans/followers. Furthermore, the work also addresses several issues that researchers encounter when using the STAR model.

Digital activity was found to vary significantly between the three cruise lines’ websites and Facebook and Twitter accounts, with the companies adopting different approaches and obtaining different results. Each company tended to have its own base of fans and followers, who shared a common language, reflected in the hashtags they used. The results show that cruise lines wishing to develop a content-oriented strategy that maximizes engagement in social media should share rich multimedia content that supports storytelling values and can be used on multiple platforms.

This work can be of interest to practitioners aiming to use a comparison and assessment tool for their digital activity. It could also assist future researchers focusing on cruise line activity, as few researchers have analyzed the online content strategies of cruise lines, particularly on Facebook and Twitter.

The purpose of this paper is to support the management of organizational knowledge retention through a multi-criteria decision aiding–constructivist model.

This exploratory and descriptive case study presents a decision support model guided by the constructivist approach and proactive in its operationalization.

The objectives and concerns of decision-makers regarding the retention of organizational knowledge are identified and organized into six strategic areas of concern, namely, recognition, knowledge dissemination, organizational culture, succession of professionals, management of vulnerability origins and knowledge management; a multi-criteria model is constructed and operationalized by a cluster of cardinal scales, showing and measuring the status quo of the performance profile, both in a local and global way, to support the management of the organization's knowledge retention; activities are classified into three performance levels (compromising, competitive and excellent), supported by graphical and numerical evidence; and the process to generate actions to improve the performance of critical activities and create the conditions to maximize the results of the organization is illustrated.

Based on the model, decision-makers are now aware of the essential aspects to support knowledge retention management, enabling them to monitor the current situation and proactively respond to ensure that the current knowledge potential is maintained and exploited.

Use of a constructivist approach to support the management of knowledge retention, incorporating into the model the specifics of the context and the values of its managers, and thus giving it legitimacy.

Scholars and practitioners in the OB literature nowadays appreciate that emotions and emotional regulation constitute an inseparable part of work life, but the HRM literature has lagged in addressing the emotional dimensions of life at work. In this chapter therefore, beginning with a multi-level perspective taken from the OB literature, we introduce the roles played by emotions and emotional regulation in the workplace and discuss their implications for HRM. We do so by considering five levels of analysis: (1) within-person temporal variations, (2) between persons (individual differences), (3) interpersonal processes; (4) groups and teams, and (5) the organization as a whole. We focus especially on processes of emotional regulation in both self and others, including discussion of emotional labor and emotional intelligence. In the opening sections of the chapter, we discuss the nature of emotions and emotional regulation from an OB perspective by introducing the five-level model, and explaining in particular how emotions and emotional regulation play a role at each of the levels. We then apply these ideas to four major domains of concern to HR managers: (1) recruitment, selection, and socialization; (2) performance management; (3) training and development; and (4) compensation and benefits. In concluding, we stress the interconnectedness of emotions and emotional regulation across the five levels of the model, arguing that emotions and emotional regulation at each level can influence effects at other levels, ultimately culminating in the organization’s affective climate.

Due to the rapid increase in environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, there has been a recent shift in global focus from economic concerns to environmental ones. The purpose of this research is to examine the relevant literature on the use of blockchain technology to promote environmental sustainability through customer integration.

The proposed framework is based on the theoretical lens of systems theory (ST) and knowledge-based view (KBV) theory, and is developed by conducting a systematic literature review of 51 articles, (16) from 2022, (17) from 2021, (10) 2020, (5) 2019, (2) 2018 and (1) from 2017 on blockchain technology (BCT), environmental supply chain performance (ESCP) and customer integration.

Three main propositions are formulated and demonstrated using the developed framework, which shows that BCT has the potential to revolutionize the supply chain from an environmental sustainability perspective through facilitating waste management, reduction of energy consumption and reduction of carbon emissions/pollution. The technology will not only enhance the environmental sustainability but also facilitate customer integration through resolving transparency issues, protecting data/enhancing security, database decentralization, promoting trust and immutability.

The effects of blockchain on supply chain performance has been studied in the past; however, no studies were found which shed light on how BCT can affect ESCP through the mediation of customer integration.

This paper aims to analyse the transnational activities of Colombian migrants in the USA; the reasons why migrants engage, or not, in these activities; and the impact of migrants’ transnational activities at the household, community and national levels.

This paper analyses data obtained from focus groups with migrant families and interviews with government officials and an expert researcher, as well as secondary data sources.

The main transnational activities in which Colombian migrants engage in are individually oriented, while participation in collective actions such as philanthropy or membership of political parties and hometown associations is limited. The impact of those activities varies when analysed at different levels. Overall, transnational activities of Colombian migrants can be seen as contributing to the perpetuation of south–north dependency, even if they help improve the socioeconomic situation of migrants and their families.

This paper contributes to the migration–development nexus debate by pointing to the significance of distinguishing the level of analysis (micro, meso and macro) when studying the impacts of transnationalism on development.