bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using the Knowledge Transfer Partnership approach in undergraduate education and practice‐based training to encourage employer engagement
Authors: Harris Margaret , Chisholm Colin , Burns George
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual viewpoint which proposes the use of the post graduate Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) approach to learning in undergraduate education and practice‐based training.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an examination of the KTP approach and how this could be used effectively in undergraduate education and training to encourage and increase practice‐based learning and employer engagement. The methodology consists of a literature review, and a case study of the KTP approach. The literature reviewed examines the KTP approach, employer engagement in education and strategic government approaches to stimulate investment in knowledge and skills for workforce development, and the development of practice‐based learning in the UK. The KTP provides a case study to illustrate a successful model of employer engagement, which benefits all parties to it, and assists with the strategic development required by successive governments.

Findings

The suggestions are based on the authors’ investigation and their understanding and experience of: the KTP approach; practice‐based learning; undergraduate education; and learning and teaching approaches. The paper suggests that the KTP approach (normally a post‐graduate model) could be extended to undergraduate education to provide sustainable practice‐based learning that fits well with the strategies and ideologies of government, employers and academia.

Practical implications

Barriers to employer and academic engagement, such as that linked to the confused terminology used to describe practice‐based learning, and competing political ideologies, should be researched further to gain a better understanding of how to mitigate these in order to make the KTP approach in undergraduate education successful. The implications are that synergistic development of the KTP approach in an increased range of academic and workplace partnerships needs to be done before a fully tested model could be agreed.

Originality/value

The originality is the idea of utilising a well acknowledged post‐graduate model of learning within an undergraduate environment. The value is to increase the awareness of the benefits of the KTP and how the approach could be adapted for use in undergraduate environments for the eventual benefit of students, academics, employers and policy makers.
The need for inclusion of entrepreneurship education in Malaysia lower and higher learning institutions
Authors: Zamberi Ahmad Syed
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to focus on relevant issues of entrepreneurship education, such as target groups for the subject. It advocates the need for inclusion of entrepreneurship education as a subject in the curricula of all primary, secondary and tertiary learning institutions in Malaysia and other developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses the current structure of entrepreneurship education at the different educational levels.

Findings

Enterprise education should not be equated solely to any specific institutions but throughout all phases of education systems.

Practical implications

Entrepreneurship education is reviewed in its totality. This is beneficial to educators and policy‐makers that are involved in setting or facilitating entrepreneurship educational programmes.

Originality/value

The paper provides an evaluation of the state‐of‐the‐art of entrepreneurship education in Malaysia. The educational institutions will require much restructuring to enhance skill development for entrepreneurship.
Teachers implementing entrepreneurship education: classroom practices
Authors: Ruskovaara Elena , Pihkala Timo
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This study aims to highlight the entrepreneurship education practices teachers use in their work. Another target is to analyze how these practices differ based on a number of background factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This article presents a quantitative analysis of 521 teachers and other entrepreneurship education actors. The paper first examines the overall picture of entrepreneurship education practices. Then, after a factor analysis, the paper builds new sum measures of entrepreneurship education practices. Finally, the paper studies the teachers’ background information to further analyze the entrepreneurship education practices.

Findings

The findings provide information on which methods appear to be used the most frequently in basic and upper secondary education, and how these practices vary between different school levels. The results also indicate that the perception teachers have of their own entrepreneurship education skills is closely connected to the implementation of entrepreneurship education. Moreover, the findings present the connection between teacher training and the implementation of entrepreneurship education.

Originality/value

Teachers’ entrepreneurship education practices and related teaching and working methods are important in many respects. As research has primarily focused on higher education where the transferability of the results to basic and upper secondary education seems vague, this paper concentrates on the teachers’ role and especially their practices in lower education. The authors consider that their article has a special value in exploring and opening dialogue in this area.
ICT and knowledge management: perspectives from the SECI model
Authors: Sian Lee Chei , Kelkar Rujuta S.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The primary purposes of this paper are to understand perceptions regarding ICT use to support knowledge management (KM) and to identify suitable ICTs to support such initiatives. The aim is to study these objectives from the theoretical perspectives of the SECI model (i.e. socialization, externalization, combination and internalization).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 100 working professionals who had prior KM implementation experiences participated in an online survey.

Findings

The authors found that survey respondents held positive attitudes towards the use of ICT to support different phases of the SECI model. It was also found that single ICT as well as varied combinations of ICTs were frequently used to facilitate the different phases of the SECI model.

Research limitations/implications

The nature of this study may reduce the generalizability of its findings to other tasks or economic and cultural environments. Replication of this study in other contexts (e.g. other industries) would be extremely useful.

Practical implications

Understanding individuals' perceptions of ICT use as well as use of ICTs to support KM practices is important as it may affect the outcome of KM initiatives. Further, since spending on KM software and services are predicted to increase in the coming years, this research is therefore very timely.

Originality/value

This study systematically examines the use of single ICT as well as combinations of ICTs to facilitate different phases of the SECI model. This will contribute to an understanding of how ICT can be used to support KM initiatives in organizations.
China's new energy vehicles: value and innovation
Authors: Kimble Chris , Wang Hua
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The overarching theme of this article is the importance of innovations that are created within the emerging economies. More specifically, the article aims to focus on the development of various alternatives to vehicles powered by the internal combustion engine, new energy vehicles (NEVs), within China.

Design/methodology/approach

The broad strategic approach of two sectors within the NEV sector in China, the pure electric vehicle (EV) and the low‐speed electric vehicle (LSEV) sectors, are compared using recent data and conclusions are drawn.

Findings

The EV sector is viewed by central government as a key sector for China's future industrial growth and is heavily supported. In contrast, the LSEV sector receives no support from central government and yet clearly outstrips the sales of EVs. The article argues that the latter's success is a reflection of the LSEV sector's focus on business model rather than technological innovation.

Practical implications

The article highlights the importance of monitoring innovations that come from within emerging economies and also illustrates the benefits that can come from commercially focused innovations rather than those based on technology.

Social implications

Finding alternatives to vehicles powered by fossil fuels is one of the most important challenges facing the world today. This article looks at the search for one alternative and examines its implications.

Originality/value

The article examines a business sector that is peculiarly Chinese and yet has potential implications far beyond China. It also contains recent sales figures and other data collected directly from sources in China.
Consuming spirituality: the pleasure of uncertainty
Authors: Shaw Deirdre , Thomson Jennifer
Published: March 2013

Purpose

Although consumption of spirituality and growth of the market in this area have been well documented, it has been largely neglected in marketing. Existing literature exploring spirituality has suggested consumers in this area can experience uncertainty, but lacks clarity as to whether this uncertainty results in negative or positive affective states. The aim of this paper is to explore the theoretical concept of consumer uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a qualitative exploratory approach through the use of interviews. It explores the theoretical concept of consumer uncertainty and its impact on affect.

Findings

The research reveals that consumers of spirituality did indeed embrace many of the products and services offered by the market in this area and they also experienced uncertainty, however, rather than negative as much of the literature surrounding uncertainty suggests, the uncertainty they experienced resulted in positive affective states.

Research limitations/implications

It is acknowledged that the current research is limited by its exploratory nature, however, it highlights that consumer uncertainty should not always be viewed as negative and provides important insights into the consumption of spirituality.

Originality/value

The current research makes a number of contributions. First, consumption of spirituality in marketing is under researched. The current research found that individuals did embrace the market in this area and enjoyed the uncertainty inherent in many of the products/services on offer. Second, uncertainty as pleasure is under researched generally in the literature. The current research has contributed to this literature through findings which reveal that uncertainty can result in positive effect and this is stable even when individuals do not know that the outcome of uncertainty will be positive or that their uncertainty will be reduced.
Branding activities of a micro industrial services company
Authors: Sandbacka Jenny , Nätti Satu , Tähtinen Jaana
Published: March 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the internal and external corporate branding activities of micro-sized industrial business services companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– An abductive research approach and a case study method were used. Data were gathered with thematic interviews from three sources, a case company, its distributors, and its end customers.

Findings

– A model for building a corporate brand identity and image in a micro-sized industrial business services company was devised. Key activities, including defining company values and the business idea, designing, managing and stabilizing the service process, utilizing holistic corporate communications, networking as well as activating and retaining stakeholders and utilizing feedback, to build a corporate brand were identified.

Research limitations/implications

– As the importance of the internal branding can be presumed to rise with headcount, the repeatability of this study is weakened by the case organization being a micro company. Several suggestions for future research can be made based on this study: the causality of the presented model ' s connections with quantitative methods, the network branding and service company brand hierarchies.

Practical implications

– This paper shows how a micro company can build its brand, without deploying extra resources. Moreover, it suggests ways of utilizing external resources, by exploring how the company ' s stakeholders can participate in the branding process.

Originality/value

– This study expands the service branding literature to industrial services micro companies by identifying activities that they can undertake.
Attributes, consequences, and consumer values
Authors: Ha Jooyeon , Jang SooCheong (Shawn)
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify consumer‐dining values for each restaurant segment (fast food restaurants, casual restaurants, and fine dining restaurants) using a means‐end approach and to suggest useful information for restaurant operators to develop differential marketing strategies for each segment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied a means‐end chain approach to identify underlying consumer values across three different restaurant segments. The participants responded to questions in a one‐on‐one interview procedure regarding attributes of restaurants, consequences, and values. Based on the responses, hierarchical value maps were developed to better understand consumer value patterns across the three restaurant segments.

Findings

The results suggested that attributes of fast food restaurants were largely associated with convenience, success, and economic values; attributes of casual dining restaurants were related to emotional and belonging values; and attributes provided by fine dining restaurants were linked to emotion and quality life values.

Practical implications

This research suggested what customers really want from the dining experience so that restaurant operators in each restaurant segment can develop effective marketing strategies, such as advertisements or promotions, which are distinguished from other competitive restaurants.

Originality/value

By using a means‐end chain approach, this study showed a holistic picture of the consumer dining values customers desire when they visit each restaurant segment, which is a unique contribution of this study.
Creating and sustaining meaningful engagement: what managers need to develop in their five roles as engagers
Authors: Sparrow Jane
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The aim of this article is to show how middle managers can influence sustained engagement by fulfilling five keys roles of prophet, strategist, storyteller, coach and pilot.

Design/methodology/approach

This article outlines the critical task managers face in securing meaningful, long‐term engagement, based on the author's personal views, experience and analysis of effective engagement strategies. The five key roles were identified from extensive qualitative interviews that the author conducted across many organizations. These findings were further supported with the bespoke development of a profiling tool and used with a representative management population to analyze the key strengths and development areas across the five roles. The effectiveness of the roles is supported with the author's observations of managers and leaders who all excel as engagers.

Findings

Engagement for performance has a lasting impact on the bottom line and, in today's tough and challenging economy, organizations cannot afford to carry employees who do not contribute to the best of their abilities. Whilst many organizational level engagement strategies are concerned with building the understanding and awareness of the business strategy and how it impacts their role, the five roles as engagers builds on this core level of engagement and provides managers with practical, everyday ways to boost performance.

Originality/value

The identification of the five roles is based on the unique research of Jane Sparrow, author of The Culture Builders: Leadership Strategies for Engagement. The article explains each of the roles in detail and outlines practical examples of how high‐performing managers excel in each of the roles.
Limitations and potential misinterpretation of the National Disease and Therapeutic Index
Authors: Kolassa E.M. (Mick) , Bynum Leigh Ann , Holmes Erin
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper seeks to clarify the use and limitations of the IMS National Disease and Therapeutic Index database, which is frequently used by scholars and courts to provide insights into pharmaceutical markets. Specifically, the paper aims to discuss appropriate and inappropriate uses of the data and details the limitations as a means of drawing generalizable conclusions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a literature review and critical evaluation of data and its uses.

Findings

The IMS NDTI can provide useful insights into pharmaceutical markets, and also provide indications of potential trends or behaviors, but cannot be relied on for conclusive evidence of such phenomena in the marketplace. The NDTI has limitations that result from sampling and design issues, as well as the specific method by which the data are collected and coded. Although IMS is clear and forthright in addressing these limitations, many researchers have apparently chosen not to heed these cautions and have drawn unsupportable conclusions from NDTI data.

Originality/value

The implications of drawing inappropriate conclusions from the NDTI database can range from the development of a crucial misunderstanding of the market by pharmaceutical marketers, the establishment of erroneous theories or assumptions into the literature or even the miscarriage of justice when the data are used as the basis for a legal judgment or claim. Users must be cautious when drawing any conclusions from these data.
Modeling patient satisfaction construct in the Indian health care context
Authors: Chahal Hardeep , Mehta Shivani
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The paper aims to establish structure of patient satisfaction construct in Indian health care settings.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 528 indoor patients who were seeking treatment from Government Medical College (GMC), Bakshi Nagar and Acharya Chandra Medical College and Hospital Sidra (ASCOMS), Sidhara, the two teaching and research hospitals operating in Jammu City, India. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are used to verify the scale dimensions.

Findings

The results reveal that patient satisfaction is a multidimensional construct comprised of four dimensions, namely: physical maintenance, physician care, nursing care and internal facilities. Among the four hypothesized models, only model 2 depicting the impact of dimensions on satisfaction showed a good fit while the other three models showed either average (model 4) or poor (models 1 and 3) fit. The analysis of the models indicates that all patient satisfaction dimensions positively and significantly contribute to patient satisfaction and which also act as an important mediating factor between the satisfaction dimensions and patient loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

The cross‐sectional design of the research is the limitation as all measures were collected at a single point‐of‐time. Because the findings of the study are based on overall satisfaction of the patients, no comparison is made between the degree of patient satisfaction achieved in public and private health care hospitals.

Originality/value

The paper measures patient satisfaction in the Indian context.
Managing the World Heritage Site of the Acropolis, Greece
Authors: Kavoura Androniki , Bitsani Evgenia
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine practices for the presentation of specific sites in Greece, and in particular the way the Acropolis, Greece, a World Heritage Site, is communicated at national, local, and international levels, seeking to identify the policy for the presentation of heritage in the specific venue with its historical and current developments.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents data collected from the analysis of archival documents and interviews with curators who offered the researchers ground to explain the purposes and reasons for the implementation of decisions related to the management of heritage following a case study design.

Findings

The paper argues for the need of a critical approach towards the implementation of communication activities for many sites rather than the world‐renowned ones. Issues that associate with the relationship of heritage with social aspects of the contemporary world receive little attention in the literature, let alone the masked political and economic implications that state governments often do not admit. The projection of the perceived distinct characteristics of a country, nationally and internationally, signifies the role that these properties may have when states present them at national level while retaining their international character.

Originality/value

The article makes a theoretical and practical contribution to the way the marketing of heritage for the Acropolis can consist of a typical recourse for other sites in other areas and is associated with socio‐economic and political implications.
Economic analysis of clean energy options for Kuwait
Authors: Yessian Kevin , DeLaquil Pat , Merven Bruno , Gargiulo Maurizio , Goldstein Gary
Published: March 2013

Purpose

An economic assessment was performed of the potential for clean energy options to contribute to the power and desalination needs in the State of Kuwait over the next 20 to 40 years. The paper aims to summarize two analyses that were performed for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research to develop a strategy promoting renewable energy and evaluating alternative technologies including nuclear energy.

Design/methodology/approach

The analyses were performed using a power and water model for Kuwait that was constructed using the International Energy Agency – Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (IEA‐ETSAP) TIMES modeling framework. Data provided by the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) and the Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) characterizes the projected demand for power and water; the existing and planned power generation and water desalination plants, including the expected retirement of existing plants; and future fossil fuel prices and availability. New power generation options – including renewable energy (RE), nuclear, combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) and reheat steam power plants (RHSPP) – were compared in this least‐cost optimization framework.

Findings

The model results indicate that by 2030 the cost‐effective RE share is 11 percent of electricity generation in the reference case and 8 percent in the case with the nuclear option. The RE technologies alone provide a 2030 net‐back value compared to the reference case of US$2.35 billion, while in the nuclear case they increase the 2030 net‐back value by an additional US$1.5 billion. Increasing the RE share, as a government policy, to 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent, decreases the 2030 netback benefit by US$1.0, $3.6 and $8.3 billion, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

Sensitivity runs based on scenarios that assume higher RE costs or lower availability, lower demand growth, lower oil and gas prices, higher nuclear plant investment costs, and RE capacity credit were analyzed.

Practical implications

The analysis provides a compelling economic basis for initiating a renewable energy program in the State of Kuwait. However, these forecasted benefits will only materialize to the extent the projected RE investments are achieved if they begin in earnest soon.

Originality/value

The analysis identifies a cost‐effective share of renewable energy use in Kuwait as about 11 percent of electricity generation in 2030. The investment in renewable energy provides the State of Kuwait with a net‐back value of US$2.35 billion, due to the fuel savings that are generated by using renewables.
Modes of innovation in the Canadian wine industry
Authors: Doloreux David , Chamberlin Tyler , Ben‐Amor Sarah
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the sectoral variety and common patterns of innovation in the wine industry. It intends to explore the nature, extent and sources of variety of innovation in the Canadian wineries.

Design/methodology/approach

The data employed come from a firm‐level survey addressed to 146 wine establishments in Canada. Results were analysed using factor analysis and non‐parametric statistical analysis.

Findings

The results reveal wineries tend to introduce many innovation activities which are internalised or externalised, draw on a variety of different sources of information, with a clear distinction between market sources, government sources (laboratories, research centres) and educational establishments, and introduced different types of innovation, including product and process but also organisational innovation.

Practical implications

The results suggest individual wineries innovate differently, but within a limited number of fairly consistent modes.

Originality/value

There is presently no published research investigating the different modes of innovation with regards to the wine industry and the case of Canada can provide valuable insights to understand how innovation is developed and sustained in cool climate regions.
Chilean wine producer market orientation: comparing MKTOR versus MARKOR
Authors: Rojas‐Méndez José I. , Rod Michel
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the degree of market orientation of a sample of Chilean wine producers; to compare two different instruments for assessing market orientation in this context; and to comment on the possible cultural sensitivities of these two measurement instruments developed from a North American context but applied in culturally dissimilar contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 69 CEO and Marketing Managers, representing approximately one quarter of the total number of wineries in Chile, completed a face‐to‐face survey questionnaire that utilized both the Narver and Slater MKTOR and the Kohli and Jaworski MARKOR market orientation scales. SmartPLS was used to carry out the measurement and structural analysis.

Findings

Results reveal that more than half of surveyed Chilean wine producers are market oriented, with 65 per cent congruence between the two scales. Cluster analysis also reveals three distinct segments and sets of characteristics that distinguish market oriented from non‐market oriented wineries. MKTOR and MARKOR scales show similar level of predictive power when using subjective or perceptual measures of performance as dependent variables. However, the MARKOR scale is found to be better in explaining changes in the dependent variable when the latter is measured by actual sales and gross margins (objective performance). National cultural dimensions (power distance and uncertainty avoidance) have an impact within organizations in the implementation of a market‐oriented strategy in a consistent and coordinated manner.

Research limitations/implications

The MARKOR scale appears to have superior predictive validity and to be more practical for measuring market orientation since it explains the change in dependent variables to greater degree when performance is measured with objective as opposed to the perceptual measures.

Practical implications

Chilean winery managers should devote significant attention to market sensing activities and competitive intelligence gathering. The competitive and national cultural environment plays an important role in moderating the relationship between market orientation and a firm's business performance. They may also wish to consider becoming involved in various trade organisations, as well as collaborative partnerships with academic institutions, to enhance their competitive intelligence and technological competences.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to illustrate the market orientation of Chilean wine producers, and one of only a few to discuss the impact of national cultural values on market orientation.
The first systematized uses of the term “management” in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
Authors: Le Texier Thibault
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to seek to reveal the familial roots of modern management thought, largely overlooked by a vast majority of management historians.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a hermeneutic approach, the early uses of the word “management” are analyzed, as well as the different literature where it is the most frequently employed.

Findings

“Management” does not mean primarily “business management.” Rather, the first meanings of this word refer to the family realm. As such, the development of early management thought is not a matter of technical or scientific innovation, nor is it a matter of institutional size or profit. For a long time, management practices have concerned things more than people. In the twentieth century, the principle of control comes to supersede the principles of care and self‐government.

Research limitations/implications

The paper's findings call for another history of management thought, as against the too narrow histories of modern business management and the too inclusive histories of management as an ancestral and universal practice.

Practical implications

This research sheds light on two forgotten roots of management thought: the principles of care and of self‐government, which management practitioners could bring up‐to‐date. By presenting the family as the first locus of true “management” thought, it is an invitation to draw from domestic ways of governing.

Originality/value

The historical material here analyzed remains largely unknown to management historians. The method, focusing on text analysis rather than on the study of practices, remains rare in the field of management history.
Cost accounting and scientific management in libraries: a historical overview
Authors: Kont Kate‐Riin
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to focus on the history of cost accounting, costing, and time and motion studies, which were initially developed for industry and private sector organisations, in libraries. At the same time, the article attempts to deal with the question of when and why the need for the evaluation of costs and the standardisation of different library work processes emerged.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this paper are based on reviewing and summarising relevant studies, which have been conducted in libraries, and was inspired by the ideas of scientific management and cost accounting.

Findings

The implementation of cost accounting systems and scientific management ideas in libraries has historically been treated as a technical innovation rather than an organisational or management innovation. The most important consideration is that librarians are not machines, which can be set at a given speed and expected to produce a uniform product. Fortunately, there is no indication that production standards for libraries are going to be set up.

Originality/value

This article raises a perspective in library management that has not been dealt with before. Namely, it explores how the profession of a librarian as an erudite scholar changed into a profession requiring routine work and considers the impact that the ideas of scientific management and cost accounting research had on library employees when they reached libraries.
Innovations in hotel administration in Canada
Authors: Jayawardena Chandana (Chandi) , Jarvis John , Adams Kristy , Lu Zhen , Tyrewala Ameet
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse challenges, trends and innovations in the hotel industry in Canada, focusing on large corporate hotels as well as small limited service hotels.

Design/methodology/approach

The foundation for this paper was laid during a well attended Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) roundtable discussion between industry leaders and hospitality educators in May 2012. The subject of hotel administration was discussed in the context of the theme for the 2012 Canadian WHATT roundtable and the strategic question: “What innovations are needed in the Canadian hotel industry and how might they be implemented to secure the industry's future?”

Findings

The paper presents findings from a recent survey on strategic issues compiled by hotel managers in the greater Toronto area (GTA). The paper lists valuable information on innovative practices in different types of hotels.

Practical implications

Practical tips in the body of the paper and in the conclusion section are provided.

Originality/value

As the team of authors includes a former president of a Canadian hotel company, a former international hotelier, and the current general manager of the largest hotel in the capital city of Canada (Ottawa), this paper will be of immense value to students, educators, and researchers, as well as industry leaders. The paper draws on expert experiences to explain how innovative initiatives can be implemented in order to achieve greater success in hotel administration.
Marketing Canadian hotels in the future
Authors: Jayawardena Chandana (Chandi) , Horsfield Andrew , Gellatly Joanne , Willie Paul , Sovani Altaf
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse literature relevant to four imperative aspects of hotel marketing, to discuss current challenges and opportunities, and to make suggestions for marketing Canadian hotels in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

The foundation for this paper was laid during a well‐attended Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) roundtable discussion between industry leaders and hospitality educators in May 2012. The subject of marketing hotels is discussed in the context of the theme for the 2012 Canadian WHATT roundtable and the strategic question: “What innovations are needed in the Canadian hotel industry and how might they be implemented to secure the industry's future?”.

Findings

The paper identifies innovation as the main ingredient for success in marketing Canadian hotels in the future. In the conclusion suggestions for strategic shifts in hotel marketing and tactics, which would help Canadian hoteliers in marketing their hotels in the future, are identified.

Practical implications

The paper reviews past concepts and industry practices as well as current practices to identify practical, effective and innovative approaches for the future.

Originality/value

As the team of authors represents both the industry and academia, this paper will be of immense value to students, educators, and researchers, as well as industry leaders. The paper captures significant strategy shifts, lists the top integrated digital awareness systems, and presents a new model in innovative hotel pricing empowerment for hotels.
Trends and sustainability in the Canadian tourism and hospitality industry
Authors: Jayawardena Chandana (Chandi) , Pollard Anthony , Chort Valerie , Choi Chris , Kibicho Wanjohi
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to address the key sustainability issues in Canada's tourism and hospitality industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The foundation for this paper was laid during a well attended Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) roundtable discussion between industry leaders and hospitality educators in May 2012.

Findings

The paper provides valuable information on the concept of sustainable development and outlines key sustainability issues and trends in the Canadian tourism and hospitality industry. The umbrella organization for the hotel industry in Canada, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), collaborates with key stakeholders to find innovative and sustainable solutions to challenges the industry is facing. Top future trends are captured in the conclusion.

Practical implications

As the team of authors includes the president of the Hotel Association of Canada and a partner/Canada's national leader of the sustainability practice in the world's largest consulting firm, this paper will be of immense value to students, educators, researchers and industry leaders. Supports two innovative economic options to boost Canada's tourism marketing – reinvesting a portion of international visitor's GST and charging an international visitor arrival levy.

Originality/value

The paper draws on sustainability theories and best practices in Canada to explain the role of innovation in facing challenges in the tourism and hospitality industry in Canada. As the team of authors represents both the industry and academia, this paper will be of immense value to students, educators, and researchers, as well as practitioners.
Travellers' behavioral intentions depending on their beliefs: an empirical study
Authors: Pantouvakis Angelos
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first is to study and analyse the personal beliefs of the customers regarding their generic assessments for the main issues of today: environment, culture or equal opportunities for everyone. Second, it will attempt to compare the differing opinions different customers from several countries possess. Finally, it is to relate, link and model the influence these opinions may have on the country selection made by the tourist.

Design/methodology/approach

Evidence is drawn from a sample of approximately 1,600 customers/tourists who visited Crete island. Those in the sample were from ten different countries of origin. The research attempts to shed some light on the importance of travellers' beliefs by using the multinomial logistic model that tested whether it can produce results for prediction and comparisons.

Findings

Results suggest that tourist beliefs can be categorized in three factors, namely country's characteristics, tradition and hygiene that are differentiated among nationality groups. No robust support is provided for any relationship between travellers' values and country selection and thus arguing for further research in tourism marketing and policy.

Practical implications

By using the findings of this work, hotel managers and tour operators can identify the multicultural diversity of international tourists.

Originality/value

This work addresses the ways with which customers by using their personal beliefs select destinations (countries). It diverts from the mainstream relevant literature that focuses almost solely on the level of satisfaction or the level of service the customer enjoys. One of the issues that remains rather neglected is the importance that personal characteristics and attributes of the tourist/customer influence the final decision on where to spend his/her holidays.
Real and monetary policy convergence: EMU crisis to the CFA zone
Authors: Asongu Simplice A.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

A major lesson of the European Monetary Union (EMU) crisis is that serious disequilibria result from regional monetary arrangements not designed to be robust to a variety of shocks. The purpose of this paper is to assess these disequilibria within the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and Financial Community of Africa (CFA) zones.

Design/methodology/approach

In the assessments, monetary policy targets inflation and financial dynamics of depth, efficiency, activity and size while real sector policy targets economic performance in terms of GDP growth. The author also provides the speed of convergence and time required to achieve a 100 percent convergence.

Findings

But for financial intermediary size within the CFA zone, findings, for the most part, support only unconditional convergence. There is no form of convergence within the CEMAC zone.

Practical implications

The broad insignificance of conditional convergence results has substantial policy implications. Monetary and real policies, which are often homogenous for member states, are thwarted by heterogeneous structural and institutional characteristics, which give rise to different levels and patterns of financial intermediary development. Therefore, member states should work towards harmonizing cross‐country differences in structural and institutional characteristics that hamper the effectiveness of monetary policies.

Originality/value

The paper provides warning signs to the CFA zone in the heat of the Euro zone crises.
“No man's land”: the transition to civilian life
Authors: Brunger Helen , Serrato Jonathan , Ogden Jane
Published: March 2013

Purpose

Ex‐service personnel face numerous and significant problems upon discharge from the forces. The purpose of this paper is to explore experiences of the transition from military to civilian life and to identify some of the barriers and facilitators to re‐employment.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews were carried out with 11 ex‐servicemen who had previously served in the UK armed forces and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Findings

Participants described their experiences in terms of three broad themes: characteristics of a military life; loss as experienced upon return to civilian life; and the attempt to bridge the gap between these two lives. Transcending these themes was the notion of identity, illustrating that the transition from military to civilian life can be viewed as a shift in sense of self from soldier to civilian.

Research limitations/implications

The current study only recruited male ex‐service personnel and therefore the findings may not accurately represent the experiences of female service leavers.

Practical implications

The military needs to ensure that not only is support provided for all service personnel, but that it goes beyond basic vocational advice. Although the needs of ex‐service personnel are defined by factors other than unemployment, such as trauma or the sudden loss of security, they do relate back to unemployment in some capacity. Methodological changes to the discharge process could help this population to achieve a more continuous trajectory rather than a fragmented one.

Originality/value

The present study has provided further insight into the identity experiences of ex‐service personnel along their journey from soldier to civilian. Breakwell's Identity Process Theory provided a valuable framework for understanding the experiences of ex‐service personnel.
Violence against women in Stockholm County: does marital status matter?
Authors: Macassa Gloria , Walander Anders , Soares Joaquim
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate differences in victimization among single and married mothers using data (n=6,388 women) from the 2006 Stockholm County Public Health Survey (SCPHS), a cross‐sectional survey based on a self‐administered postal questionnaire.

Design/methodology/approach

Results showed higher odds of victimization among lone mothers compared to married ones. Additionally, the greatest odds of victimization were observed among those with low education, low income, and decreased social and practical support.

Findings

In Sweden, particularly in Stockholm, there is a need for future population‐based surveys regarding the prevalence of violence and to identify high risk groups. Furthermore, it is crucial that these surveys include items that will enable investigation of direct links between violence and health effects, and the utilization of health care for these women.

Originality/value

This paper is original and it addresses for the first time violence among single mothers within a social epidemiology perspective.
Doctoral students' key learning experiences in the natural sciences
Authors: Vekkaila Jenna , Pyhältö Kirsi , Hakkarainen Kai , Keskinen Jenni , Lonka Kirsti
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This article is intended to contribute towards furthering the understanding of researcher development as demonstrated by doctoral students' learning within scholarly communities. The article does this by reporting the findings of a study that explored the students' key learning experiences during their doctoral journey.

Design/methodology/approach

The 19 participants were natural science doctoral students from a top‐level research community in Finland. The data were collected through interviews that were qualitatively content analysed.

Findings

The participants emphasised the significance of participation, development as a scholar, developing specific research competences as well as learning to balance between doctoral research and other institutional tasks. They situated the key learning experiences in collaborative academic contexts such as research activities, taking courses, and academic meetings. The participants generally perceived their experiences as positive and enhancing.

Originality/value

Significant learning experiences identified by natural science doctoral students themselves are rarely studied. The results of the study reported in this article may be used by doctoral trainers, supervisors and students to create environments that foster students' learning and researcher development through their participation in scholarly communities.
The relationship between ownership structure and club performance in the English Premier League
Authors: Wilson Robert , Plumley Daniel , Ramchandani Girish
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is three‐fold. First, to explore the relationship between the financial and sporting performance of clubs competing in the English Premier League (EPL). Second, to investigate the effect of different models of EPL club ownership on financial and league performance. Third, to review the finances of EPL clubs in the context of UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations.

Design/methodology/approach

Financial data from annual reports for the period 2001‐2010 was collected for 20 EPL clubs. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the finances of EPL clubs and their league position. One‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were then used to examine the effect of ownership type on clubs’ financial and league performances. Where the results of ANOVA testing revealed statistically significant differences between groups, these were investigated further using appropriate post hoc procedures.

Findings

The stock market model of ownership returned better financial health relative to privately owned (domestic and foreign) clubs. However, clubs owned privately by foreign investors or on the stock market performed better in the league in comparison with domestically owned clubs. The stock market model was more likely to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

Originality/value

The paper confirms empirically that football clubs that float on the stock market are in better financial health and that clubs in pursuit of short‐term sporting excellence are reliant on substantial investment, in this case from foreign investors.
Bilingual and special educational needs in inclusive classrooms: some critical and pedagogical considerations
Authors: Liasidou Anastasia
Published: March 2013

In the light of educational reforms aimed at promoting greater inclusive policies and practices, it is important to put a more pronounced emphasis on the needs of English language learners (ELLs) with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Simultaneously, a focus should also be placed on understanding and dealing with the disproportional representation of English language learners in special education categories. This dual and arguably sometimes mutually reinforcing phenomenon, along with its potential implications for education policy and practice, needs to be discussed against a convergent analytical framework drawn from bilingual and special education. The cross‐fertilisation of these disciplinary fields can provide a multimodal and comprehensive approach to meeting the intersectional needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students with special educational needs. To this end, it is important that issues of culture and language should become indispensable aspects of the special education knowledge base in inclusive classrooms.