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1 – 10 of over 13000
Article
Publication date: 1 October 1995

Stephen E. Bechtold and Michael J. Brusco

Presents a new approach to working set generation for personnelscheduling problems. In full‐time (FT) and mixed‐workforce (MW)experiments, generates the schedules in the working…

539

Abstract

Presents a new approach to working set generation for personnel scheduling problems. In full‐time (FT) and mixed‐workforce (MW) experiments, generates the schedules in the working sets from the use of two‐phase heuristic labour scheduling solution procedures. The solution procedures were implemented on a 386 microcomputer and did not require the specification of the size of the working sets in advance. In the FT experiment, the general set‐covering formulations (GSCFs) associated with the produced working sets were solved with integer programming. The new working set procedure yielded optimal integer solutions for all 36 test problems in the FT experiment. Owing to the size and complexity of the problem data in the MW experiment, the GSCFs associated with the working sets were solved with linear programming, and heuristic rounding procedures were applied to obtain feasible integer solutions. The mean labour costs of these solutions averaged 0.69 per cent less than the mean cost of solutions obtained via the application of heuristic rounding procedures applied to the linear programme solutions for the GSCFs associated with the master sets. Compares solution costs for the new working set method with those associated with other working set generation/refinement procedures. Results indicate that the new method produces lower solution costs in less control processing unit time.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 15 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2017

Ellen R. Trahan, Leslie A. North, Margaret M. Gripshover and Jeanine M. Huss

This paper aims to explore the development narrative and usage of environmental sustainability tours available at universities and takes an in-depth look into the Western Kentucky…

2024

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the development narrative and usage of environmental sustainability tours available at universities and takes an in-depth look into the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Green Tour.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with sustainability leaders involved in tours at their university to discover how they were developed and used. An assessment of the WKU Green Tour used surveys and pre- and post-tests to determine the reach of the tour to the campus population, student learning and faculty use.

Findings

There is a lack of data on sustainability tours, making it difficult to design new tours and validate their status as an essential tool. In the case of WKU, the need for data was confirmed, as current practices that were assumed to be effective proved ineffective. Multiple suggestions for improved tours are provided.

Research limitations/implications

The case study used in this paper is not representative of all university sustainability tours as they can vary widely. Given the lack of research on the subject, especially quantitative research, it is a valuable study.

Practical implications

Though sustainability tours are touted as a valuable tool for all campuses, more data are needed to validate this claim. Data suggest the tours are effective tools for increasing knowledge, but there is need for further assessment of tours and how they can be used to create a sustainably literate campus.

Originality/value

This study is the first to assess sustainability tours using mixed-methods.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 18 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 28 December 2016

Anita Zátori

The aim of this chapter is to discuss the experience-centric strategy from the aspect of innovation management, its contribution to designing and managing valuable tourism…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this chapter is to discuss the experience-centric strategy from the aspect of innovation management, its contribution to designing and managing valuable tourism experiences, especially in context of guided tours.

Methodology/approach

The study reviews literature on experience-centric approaches and innovation, it discusses the concepts of experience-centric innovation and experience innovation, particularly the role of experience design and market intelligence in experience-centric service processes. It analyzes empirical data from interviews with eleven tour providers.

Findings

Creating novel experiences through product innovation was found as the most common type of innovation on frames of guided tours. The group size was identified as an influential feature of the experience design, and imitation has proved to be a major threat. The role of knowledge management and dynamics of knowledge were explored, too, and tour guides were identified as experiential knowledge collectors and/or creators; thus their role in knowledge management is crucial alongside the market intelligence. In contract with theoretical proposition, costumer-driven innovation is not seen by tour providers as a crucial issue in creating memorable experiences.

Research limitations

The chapter studied only traditional guided tours where the customer meets the service provider, and the data was collected only in Budapest.

Originality/value

The chapter emphasized the role of market intelligence and experience design in the process of experience-centric service provision for a successful innovation – in frames of a theoretical model. The empirical results identified some main issues and obstacles in implementation of the experience-centric approach and innovative tools and processes in context of guided tours.

Details

The Handbook of Managing and Marketing Tourism Experiences
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-289-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 1998

John C. Goodale and Enar Tunc

This paper examines the benefit of incorporating a group of employees that exhibit dynamic service rates into scheduling tours in a service operation. The service operation that…

4885

Abstract

This paper examines the benefit of incorporating a group of employees that exhibit dynamic service rates into scheduling tours in a service operation. The service operation that is examined includes a fully productive core (full‐time) workforce along with a contingent (full‐ and part‐time) workforce that experiences the learning effect. Two methods that account for the learning effect are analyzed along with two methods that do not consider learning effects. The schedules generated by each method are tested in a simulation of the service environment. The results of a full‐factorial experiment indicate that methods that account for learning effects will yield superior solutions over a variety of operating conditions when compared to alternative methods that do not consider learning effects. The performance improvement of schedules generated with the most precise learning curve method was substantially and significantly better than the other methods. The conditions in which the learning curve methods provide the most benefit are explored.

Details

International Journal of Service Industry Management, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-4233

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 March 2021

Emrah Uysal, Mustafa Çakir and Bülent Ekici

Traditional nanocomposite production methods such as in situ polymerization, melt blending and solvent technique, have some deficits. Some of these are non-homogeneous particle…

372

Abstract

Purpose

Traditional nanocomposite production methods such as in situ polymerization, melt blending and solvent technique, have some deficits. Some of these are non-homogeneous particle distribution, setup difficulties, time-consuming and costly. On the other hand, three-dimensional printing technology is a quite popular method. Especially, Stereolithography (SLA) printing offers some benefits such as fast printing, easy setup and smooth surface specialties. Furthermore, surface modification of Graphene Oxide (GO) and its effects on polymer nanocomposites are quite important. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of surface modification of GO nanoparticles on the mechanical properties and morphology of epoxy acrylate (BisGMA/1,6 hexane diol diacrylate) matrix nanocomposites.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, Ultraviolet (UV) curable end groups of synthesized resin were linked to functional groups of graphene oxide, which are synthesized by the Tour method, which is a kind of modified Hummer method. In addition, synthesized GO nanoparticle’s surfaces were modified by 3-(methacryloyloxy) propyl trimethoxysilane. Significant weight percentages of GO were added into the epoxy acrylate resin. Different Wt.% of modified graphene oxide/acrylate resins was used to print test specimens with SLA type three-dimensional printer.

Findings

Surface modification has a significant effect on tensile strength for graphene oxide nanoparticles contained composites. In addition, a specific trend was not observed for tensile test results of non-modified graphene oxide. The tendency of impact and hardness test finding were similar for both surfaces modified and non-modified nanoparticles. Finally, the distribution of particles was homogeneous.

Originality/value

This paper is unique because of the inclusion of both surface modifications of graphene oxide nanoparticles and SLA production of nanocomposites with its own production of three-dimensional printer and photocurable polymer resin.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2014

Chuanmin Mi, Xiaofei Shan, Yuan Qiang, Yosa Stephanie and Ye Chen

Tour social network data that are heterogeneous contain not only the quantitative structured evaluation data, but also the qualitative non-structured data. This is a big data…

1132

Abstract

Purpose

Tour social network data that are heterogeneous contain not only the quantitative structured evaluation data, but also the qualitative non-structured data. This is a big data scenario. How to evaluate tour online review and then recommend to potential tourists quickly and accurately are important parts of social responsibility of tour companies. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new method for evaluating tour online review based on grey 2-tuple linguistic.

Design/methodology/approach

The phenomenon of “poor information” exists in some big data scenario. According to social responsibility, grey 2-tuple linguistic evaluation model for tour online review is proposed.

Findings

Tour social networks contain data that are valuable to each individual on tourism industry's value chain. Grey 2-tuple linguistic evaluation model can be used for evaluating tour online reviews. This is a systems thinking method that takes social responsibility into account.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the complex links among reviewers in social network, network mining approaches and models are expected to be added to this research in the near future.

Practical implications

Grey 2-tuple linguistic evaluation method can contribute to the future research on evaluating a variety of tour social network comment data in the real world.

Originality/value

A new evaluation method for making evaluation and recommendations based on tour social network comment information is proposed.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 43 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2012

Michele C. Everett and Margaret S. Barrett

The purpose of this paper is two‐fold: first, to provide a description and theoretical rationale for a methodological innovation used to explore relationships visitors form with a…

960

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is two‐fold: first, to provide a description and theoretical rationale for a methodological innovation used to explore relationships visitors form with a single museum over time; and second, to examine and critique the research outcomes in light of this approach.

Design/methodology/approach

To probe individual relationships with a museum, in this narrative inquiry, a unique method of data generation was developed – a “guided tour” of the museum. The guided tour, led by participants, provided a context and purpose for rich conversations between researcher and participant and deepened the relational quality of the research.

Findings

The quality of the researcher‐participant relationship played a critical role in shaping understandings, gained through the research process, about the phenomenon under investigation and self.

Research limitations/implications

Findings from the study document that novel insights emerge when opportunities to strengthen the researcher‐participant relationship are built into the research design.

Originality/value

This paper illustrates the value of employing strategies that deepen the relational quality in narrative research.

Details

Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1443-9883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Anita Zátori

The purpose of the paper was to explore the influence of the experience-centric approach and the concept of co-creation on service design and provision and to analyze the process…

4038

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper was to explore the influence of the experience-centric approach and the concept of co-creation on service design and provision and to analyze the process of on-site experience co-creation between provider and consumer, particularly, how tour providers and tour guides enhance and support the process of co-creation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study reviews the literature on experience-centric approach and value co-creation, discusses personal resources and experience-centric service design as resources for co-creation. It analyzes primary data from 33 interviews and 28 observations of 11 sightseeing tour providers.

Findings

The methods and tools of tour providers’ service design were explored and evaluated whether they fit the criteria of the concept of co-creation and experience-centric approach. The findings show that small-group tour providers use the concept of co-creation to the biggest extent, followed by alternative tour providers. The study also analyzed what types of service designs support a co-creative service provision. Three steps were identified as steps to support and realize experience and value co-creation from the side of the service provider. Based on the empirical results, the attention-involve-make discover (AIM) model was created, which proposes that the process of value and experience co-creation happens by provoking attention, by engaging and involving and, finally, by making consumers to discover.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper lies in the creation of the AIM-model illustrating the on-site co-creation process in the context of guided tours, which can further be tested in other fields and areas.

Details

International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6182

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 September 2020

Vaishali Kaushal and Rajan Yadav

This paper attempts to identify emerging themes that focus on customer experience of culinary tourism of international tourists who opted for food tours in Delhi.

1663

Abstract

Purpose

This paper attempts to identify emerging themes that focus on customer experience of culinary tourism of international tourists who opted for food tours in Delhi.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a multi-method approach for data collection. A thorough review of literature was conducted followed by gaining insights from the industry experts for the themes and a tentative thematic table was established. Thereafter, secondary data comprising 1,744 customer reviews from world’s leading travel website – Tripadvisor.com was analysed using thematic analysis. Customer’s real-time feedback and industry insights were paired together to gather meaningful and practical insights on customer experiences of food tours in Delhi.

Findings

Culinary tourism of Delhi is facing challenge in the areas of infrastructure, hygiene and certain preconceived notions related to brand perception of Indian cuisines. The findings of the study allude that the food tour agencies must be professional with all certifications and attention must be paid to location of food tastings, as it become the representation of Indian food worldwide. The findings also indicate customization is the key to positive customer experience, thereby requiring culinary professionals to understand the customer choices and personalize the food tours accordingly. Online reputation management is another key area requiring attention as electronic word of mouth plays a major role in the hospitality industry.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study corroborates valuable academic findings and practical insights, it has few limitations that can be further investigated in the future. A quantitative study can be conducted to provide deeper insights into the factors of a culinary tour resulting in positive customer experience. Secondly, this study focuses on customer experience of food tours which is one of the forms of Culinary tourism, another elaborate study can be conducted incorporating other methods of culinary tourism such as cooking classes, food festivals, events etc. and delving into insights of customer experience and challenges in those practices.

Practical implications

Themes ascertained in this research paper provide deeper and worthy insights to all the stakeholders which would help them use their tourism resources in best optimal manner. Findings of the study would be valuable to culinary organizations, tourism department and other researchers working in the area of culinary tourism. Also, this study can be quite valuable for the academic researchers. Suggestions of the study will help the government, culinary organizations and other stakeholders to enhance culinary tourist experiences of Delhi.

Originality/value

The study is original and highly appropriate to all the stakeholders to formulate suitable strategic framework to improve customer experience in the field of culinary tourism. Using real customer experiences as data and choosing thematic analysis as a method of analysis further enhance the worth of study by opening the area for further exploration.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2018

Melissa-Vasiliki Alexiou

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of the experience economy and co-creation concepts on guided tours (GTs) and to analyze the process of the on-site…

3605

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of the experience economy and co-creation concepts on guided tours (GTs) and to analyze the process of the on-site (co-)creation of experience between the service provider and the consumer taking into account the consumer perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The objective of the study is fulfilled by reviewing the literature on experience economy and co-creation within a cultural heritage context and then using it to design appropriate research tools to collect empirical data through qualitative interviews within the context of a single case study. The Medieval Town of Rhodes (MTR), Greece, serves as the case in this study. In fact, this study analyzes primary data from 25 interviews with participants in GTs in the MTR.

Findings

The GT participant’s views of their GT experience were explored, and it was evaluated whether they fit any of the three generations of experience economy with an emphasis on co-creation of experience. The findings show that, in the MTR-GT services, the characteristics of mainly the first and second generation experience economies are found, while little emphasis is given to the third generation experience economy. Based on the empirical results, the RIF model (R: “Resources,” I: “Interactions,” F: “Feelings”) was created: this proposes that both the process of experience co-creation and optimal GT experiences are realized by providing participants with appropriate resources, multiple types of interactions and opportunities to generate positive and pleasant feelings. This model illustrates the intertwining, multi-dimensional facets of an optimal co-created GT experience that service providers and tour operators should provide to their customers.

Research limitations/implications

The present study has several limitations that need to be mentioned. First, this research is a single case study; the MTR serves as the case, focusing on one cultural heritage service, GTs. This fact can put the study’s validity in question. Moreover, as the research is conducted by a single person, there is the risk of subjective bias. Another limitation is that this study is not a longitudinal one; the latter could lead to more accurate findings. The number and the nationality of participants constitute the 4th and final limitation of the research. More specifically, the sample is not perceived to be representative of the population nor generalizable, while visitors from more nationalities could have been interviewed. In relation to this, the judgmental sampling method was used because the population of the study could not be defined. This serves as the fifth limitation of the study.

Practical implications

Tour operators and tour guides can exploit the characteristics of GT activities included in the proposed RIF model. By incorporating these elements in GT experiences, the process of experience co-creation could be effectively supported. An optimal GT experience that incorporates intertwining and multi-dimensional facets could be provided. To begin with, the physical setting where the tour takes place must be well preserved, so that it can capture the attention of the participants. The route of the tour should not be exhausting but convenient for all participants and should include various landscapes. On the other hand, tour guides should provide interesting, relevant and cohesive information. Moreover, a tour guide needs to display charismatic behavior to gain the tour group’s trust and generate positive feelings impressing and immersing participants in the experience and encouraging in them a sense of togetherness. Within the context of the tour, tangible elements such as brochures and maps should be provided, allowing vistors to tailor the experience according to their needs and preferences. Furthermore, interaction between the guide and the tour group, as well as among the participants themselves, should be encouraged. In relation to this, the tour group could be divided into sub-groups according to common features such as age. The guides could also come up with a topic to be jointly discussed and participatory activities such as games could be organized. Finally, participants should have some freedom during the tour; time to explore the setting on their own or a visit to specific places on request.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper lies in the development of the RIF model, illustrating the on-site optimal experience within the context of GTs taking place in the MTR, the setting of the research. The construction of the RIF model was based on an investigation into actual GT participant’s perspectives on GTs.

Details

International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6182

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 13000