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Article
Publication date: 18 February 2020

Tracey J. Dickson, Simon Darcy and Caitlin Pentifallo Gadd

This study aims to explore the legacy potential of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) 2015, for the host communities across Canada.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the legacy potential of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) 2015, for the host communities across Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

The mixed-methods study included a link to an online anonymous survey being sent to all volunteers at the FWWC that explored their prior volunteering experience, motivations for volunteering, perceived skill development and future volunteering intentions. Documents were reviewed, and key stakeholders were interviewed.

Findings

The results support previous research that mega-sport event (MSE) volunteers are typically older females with prior volunteering experience. Those most likely to indicate they wanted to volunteer more are younger volunteers without prior volunteering experience. While legacy was discussed as a desired outcome, this was not operationalised through strategic human resource strategies such as being imbedded in the position descriptions for the volunteer managers.

Research limitations/implications

As this study was conducted in the real-world context of a sport event, the timing of the survey was determined by the organising committee.

Practical implications

Mega sport events typically draw upon existing host-city social and human capital. For future event organising committees planning for and delivering a volunteer legacy may require better strategic planning and leveraging relationships with existing host-city volunteer networks. In the context of a single sport, women’s MSE, multi-venue, multi-province event, greater connection was required to proactively connect younger women for volunteers to their geographic sport and event volunteering infrastructure.

Originality/value

This is the first research of volunteers for the largest women’s mega single-sport event. There are three theoretical contributions of the paper to: the socio-ecological lens, motivational theory of single event MSE and the contribution of social and human capital to understandings of legacy.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 March 2017

Tracey J. Dickson, Laura Misener and Simon Darcy

This paper aims to contribute to the event legacy discourse by exploring the nexus between event legacy literature and destination competitiveness by focusing on disability sport…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the event legacy discourse by exploring the nexus between event legacy literature and destination competitiveness by focusing on disability sport events or parasport and addressing an identified gap in the research literature.

Design/methodology/approach

This is achieved through conducting a systematic review of disability sport events literature; performing an audit of international disability sport events; developing a typology of disability sport events; and outlining a research agenda drawing upon these previous steps. The typology is then placed in context to the destination competitiveness framework to provide direction for both host organizing committees and tourism destination managers. The research framework reflects the complexity of disability sport events with specific reference to the social impact of disability sport events for destinations.

Findings

Despite calls for increased research into accessible tourism and events, the potential social legacy for communities and destinations from disability sport or parasport events remains absent from most sport, event and tourism literature. The findings and resultant typology from this study provide an interdisciplinary approach to value add to the disability sport event and destination management sectors. The combined understanding of both sectors creates an opportunity to leverage further events through marketing accessibility as a competitive advantage, seizing opportunity for international and national disability events, and the subsequent event accessible tourism and general accessible tourism that improved destination accessibility provides a host city or precinct.

Research limitations/implications

The disability sport event typology and a research agenda that supports future research are outcomes of this research.

Practical implications

These insights are beneficial to both researchers and practitioners interested in leveraging the opportunities from disability sport events to support sustainable destination development and competiveness that reflect the needs of a population with diverse access needs, including our ageing population, those with temporary disability and parents with young children.

Originality/value

This research lays the groundwork to support the desired social legacy for future host communities. From a theoretical perspective, given the paucity of research on disability sport, the typology offers a means to evaluate and monitor the impacts of various types of events from the perspectives of sustainable development, tourism, accessibility, community engagement and public policy. The addition of understanding destination competitiveness and the underlying criteria for accessible destination development provides opportunities to further leverage disability sport event beyond the event itself for ongoing accessible events, tourism and disability employment opportunities.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2007

Tracey J. Dickson and Pam Faulks

While Australian snowsport participation may represent a small part of the overall international snowsport market, the fact that Australians are renowned for their willingness to…

Abstract

Purpose

While Australian snowsport participation may represent a small part of the overall international snowsport market, the fact that Australians are renowned for their willingness to travel makes the travel motives and behaviours of Australian skiers and snowboarders a worthwhile area of research. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory research was conducted via online survey using both convenience and snowball sampling to investigate overseas snowsport travel intentions, in the next seven months, of Australian skiers and snowboarders, many of whom were advanced participants.

Findings

People who indicated that they intended to travel overseas for snowsport were mostly males, experienced snowsport participants, under 35 years of age, well‐educated, and in higher income levels. The results indicate that the key motivations of those intending to travel overseas relate to the core of on‐snow experience: reliability of snow, quality of snow, variety of terrain and off‐piste areas. Of less importance were the off‐snow and alternative on‐snow activities.

Practical implications

With the major sources of information for planning an overseas snowsport trip being the internet and families and friends, the availability of current information such as resort maps and current snow conditions via web cams, and the quality of experience of every customer visiting the resort, are key marketing strategies for this niche market.

Originality/value

This paper concentrates on those Australian holiday‐makers whose prime interest is snowsports to the exclusion of off‐piste activities/pleasures. It also highlights the significant role of both the internet and word‐of‐mouth recommendation in holiday planning, and consequently the need to ensure that every visitor experiences a high quality vacation.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 62 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2014

Tracey J. Dickson, Angela M. Benson and F. Anne Terwiel

– The purpose of this paper is to compare motivations of volunteers at two mega multi-sport events.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare motivations of volunteers at two mega multi-sport events.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used a quantitative research design to survey volunteers at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (n=2,066) and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (n=11,451) via an online questionnaire based upon the Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale.

Findings

The results indicate that the volunteers, most of whom had previously volunteered, were motivated by similar variables, including the uniqueness of the event, the desire to make it a success and to give back to their community. The results of the principal components analysis indicated that most items of the scale loaded onto similar components across the two research contexts.

Research limitations/implications

There were methodological limitations in terms of the timing of the questionnaire administration and Likert scales used, however, these issues were controlled by gatekeepers. These limitations could have research implication for comparative studies of volunteers at mega events.

Practical implications

Understanding volunteer motivations will enable event managers and volunteer managers to plan for legacy.

Social implications

Volunteer motivations include wanting to give back to their community and therefore, increases the potential for volunteer legacy.

Originality/value

This is the first research that: enables comparison of winter and summer Olympic and Paralympic Games volunteers; has substantial sample sizes in relation to the variables; applies higher item loadings to strengthen the analysis; and involves the use of the same instrument across events.

Details

International Journal of Event and Festival Management, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1758-2954

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 March 2008

Tracey J. Dickson and Jeremy Huyton

The aim of this paper is to explore the extent to which employee welfare and human resource management impacts on customer service.

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the extent to which employee welfare and human resource management impacts on customer service.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a number of operational staff of the Mount Kosciusko ski fields in Australia. The staff was selected at random and comprised both permanent local staff and seasonal staff, and completed a self‐administered questionnaire.

Findings

The results highlight the challenging living conditions of many seasonal workers on whom the industry depends and at the organizational level this research demonstrates a need for effective management skills and employment strategies that reflect the needs of seasonal staff. As was shown, there is a relationship between staff satisfaction, camaraderie and customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

To better gauge the extent to which this research is applicable to all “front line” employees this study could be replicated in such locations as islands or isolated resorts with comparisons made with the same labor in established tourism resorts. The limitation of this study would be the specific mountain location in which it was conducted, and the size of the sample.

Practical implications

This study clearly identifies an area of human resource management which needs to be considered. When a region relies heavily on seasonal staff their welfare should be of prime consideration, because disgruntled staff translates directly into disgruntled customers.

Originality/value

This paper adds a clearer understanding to the body of knowledge surrounding staff retention in the service industries.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 1 June 2010

Noëlle O'Connor

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Abstract

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 22 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Book part
Publication date: 16 October 2023

Catherine T. Kwantes, Bryanne Smart and Wendi L. Adair

While diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace means making space for all employees, it has unique implications for Indigenous employees who live and…

Abstract

While diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace means making space for all employees, it has unique implications for Indigenous employees who live and work in countries built on colonialism. Indigenous peoples represent diverse groups with unique and rich cultures that in general share values that are more holistic, spiritual, traditional, egalitarian, and other-oriented than non-Indigenous populations. Such distinct worldviews help explain why non-Indigenous organizations struggle to understand and accommodate Indigenous employees’ priorities and goal-oriented behavior. Creating equity, inclusivity, and belonging in the workplace for Indigenous employees requires more than implementing existing organizational practices with a new cultural awareness, it requires rethinking, reframing, and recreating organizational to facilitate a culture of trust. Re-examining organizational norms and assumptions with the ideas of relationship and responsibility that allow collaborative approaches to collective well-being and inclusivity is required. Creating inclusive workspaces requires that attention must be paid to both organizational (group-level) factors, such as organizational cultures of trust, and interpersonal (individual-level) factors, such as interpersonal trust. However, to build foundations of high-functioning and supportive organizational cultures and interpersonal trust that are sustainable, time and resources are necessary. Without this, the ability to reach the crucial result of engaging Indigenous employees and creating safe workplaces serves only to be performative and not meaningful in terms of action, longevity, and the overall well-being of Indigenous people in the workplace.

Details

Inclusive Leadership: Equity and Belonging in Our Communities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-438-2

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Applying Partial Least Squares in Tourism and Hospitality Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78756-700-9

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2018

Kristin Malek, Sheryl Fried Kline and Robin DiPietro

There are decades of research analyzing turnover in the hospitality industry and yet it remains nearly double other industries. Whereas previous studies have analyzed training and…

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Abstract

Purpose

There are decades of research analyzing turnover in the hospitality industry and yet it remains nearly double other industries. Whereas previous studies have analyzed training and its impact on turnover, the purpose of this paper is to look at the direct relationship between training at the management level and how this impacts their direct employees’ turnover intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized annual evaluation data from two luxury resorts in the southeast USA. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted which resulted in four factors: management style, manager/employee relations, manager training and employee turnover intentions. Multiple regression was utilized to assess these relationships between factors.

Findings

The analyses show that an employee’s perception of his or her manager was inversely related to turnover intentions. Additionally, it was found that management training and management style had a significant inverse relationship with employee turnover intentions. Finally, this study found that as manager training increases, employee turnover intentions decrease. This research indicates that if hotels invest in management training then there will be a reduction in employee turnover intention.

Research limitations/implications

The sample consisted of only two luxury full service hotels in the southeastern USA. Both luxury hotels recruited a significant amount of employees from local universities; therefore, the workforce was more educated than other hotels. This study should be replicated across hotel types and throughout various locations.

Practical implications

This research has relevant implications for practitioners. General managers should analyze their training requirements and fiscal appropriations. This research finds that if hotels invest in management training then there will be a reduction in employee turnover. If managers had more training, this study indicates that employees would view their managers more favorably, feel closer to their managers and have less of a desire to leave the organization.

Originality/value

Extant research has shown that employee training programs impact employee turnover and that manager training programs impact manager turnover. This study extends that research by showing that these segments are not autonomous; manager training has a significant direct effect on employee turnover intention. This has not been studied in turnover intention literature suggests that this could be the missing variable in the body of turnover research.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 1 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 April 2019

William J. Schell

The purpose of this chapter is to provide the reader with tools to help change their organizational culture. Specifically, this chapter investigates the importance of leadership…

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to provide the reader with tools to help change their organizational culture. Specifically, this chapter investigates the importance of leadership in understanding and changing culture within organizations and explores different change management models to effectively change culture within organizations. This chapter summarizes tools from the Leadership and Change Management literature, including findings from the author’s studies, and best practices from a variety of industries.

Tools are provided so that readers can target leadership changes in preparation for cultural change. Leadership behaviors at the top of an organization are discussed using the full-range leadership model, with a specific focus on understanding, developing, and harnessing transformational leadership behaviors within an organization. Leadership at the top of an organization is complemented with a discussion of the importance of middle leadership throughout the organization including a model to understand and develop those behaviors. The chapter ends with seven different approaches to structuring and managing change that organizations can adopt to improve the probability of driving successful change in their organizations.

For organizations seeking to develop or improve their safety culture, these tools provide a roadmap for harnessing the needed leadership behaviors and organizational tools to effectively make change. By understanding and applying these tools, organizations can find success in their culture change initiatives faster and with fewer problems.

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