bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Demographic and Technological Growth in the Tourism Market
Authors: Faria João Ricardo
Published: September 2010

This paper examines, in a differential game framework, demographic and technological growth in the tourism market. The number of tourists is assumed to follow a logistic growth, being influenced by demographic and technological factors, as well as the size of the market and investment in the tourism industry. The market for tourism is an oligopoly with differentiated products. In the steady-state equilibrium, the optimal population level of tourists is directly proportional to optimal investments in infrastructure, and they increase with demographic and technological factors and the size of the market and decrease with the number and diminished differentiation of destinations, production costs for tourism service and investment and the impatience of the tourism authority.
Congestion in Popular Tourist Areas: A Multi-Attribute Experimental Choice Analysis of Willingness-to-Wait in Amsterdam
Authors: Riganti Patrizia , Nijkamp Peter
Published: September 2010

Many mature and popular tourist destinations are attracting large volumes of tourist flows. This may lead to congestion phenomena in different parts of tourist cities, especially during peak periods. This paper presents the results of a tourist survey carried out in the city centre of Amsterdam, during the high tourist season (2006), when tourism congestion phenomena were clearly present. In addition to a descriptive and exploratory statistical analysis based on multi-attribute choice analysis, the paper also presents unique findings from a statistical choice experiment on virtual questions regarding the willingness-to-accept tourism congestion, coined willingness-to-wait. Various interesting results are presented and discussed, with a specific focus on the question as to how these results can feed into the policy debate to manage congestion in mature cultural destinations.
Persistence in International Monthly Arrivals in the Canary Islands
Authors: Cunado J. , Gil-Alana L.A. , de Gracia F. Perez
Published: September 2010

This study analyses persistence in international monthly arrivals to the Canary Islands using a model based on fractional integration and seasonal autoregressions. Thus, the estimate of the fractional differencing parameter gives an indication of the long-run evolution of the series, while the AR coefficient refers to the short-run seasonal dynamics. The authors use both aggregate and disaggregate data by location of origin and island destination. The results show that the aggregate series corresponding to the total number of international arrivals in the Canary Islands is an I( d) process, with d slightly above 0.5, and the most persistent arrivals are those coming from Scandinavia and travelling to La Palma.
Is There an Economic Rent for Island Hotels?
Authors: Prieto-Rodriguez Juan , Gonzalez-Díaz Manuel
Published: September 2010

This paper examines whether there is an ‘insular rent’ for Spanish hotels. The authors look at whether the hotels located in the Balearic and Canary Islands establish higher prices once quality has been controlled. They use quantile regression because it has informational advantages, given that independent variable effects are not constant along the hotel price distribution. The main result is that, once quality is taken into account, it seems there is a positive rent for island hotels. However, this rent is highly related to a hotel brand name effect. It seems that the hotel brand name reduces consumer information asymmetry problems by signalling higher quality standards or reducing the variance in the quality of a hotel given its ex ante known characteristics.
Reconciling Work and Family from a Gender Perspective: An Application to the Balearic Hotel Industry
Authors: Tugores Maria
Published: September 2010

This paper analyses gender inequality in the distribution of paid and unpaid work of men and women in the Balearic hotel industry. More precisely, the author considers the differences between men and women in the number of hours worked and the amount and type of family responsibility (household chores, caring for dependants, etc). She also examines, through a regression analysis, the factors that help explain how much time is spent on unpaid work, taking into account personal, family and job characteristics. In light of the study's findings, the author highlights the factors that may help to change the current situation and recommends appropriate active policy measures.
Nanotechnogy and Biotechnology: Enterprising Futures
Authors: Conway Clifford
Published: September 2010

‘Internet Review’ provides critical commentary on entrepreneurship, small business and innovation information on the Web.
University Challenge? Innovation Policy and SMEs in Welsh Economic Development Policy
Authors: Pickernell David , Packham Gary , Thomas Brychan , Keast Robyn
Published: September 2010

There is a clear research issue for Wales regarding the roles and interactions of government policy, HEIs, SMEs and the creation and dissemination of innovation. A study of the views of key policy makers concerning innovation and entrepreneurship in Wales is undertaken, especially with regard to the development of innovation within SMEs and the policy implications for economic regeneration. The role of a variety of actors (including users and suppliers) is considered, as is the impact of networks of SMEs linked together in patterns of cooperation and affiliation. From the results and the analysis of interviews, key points of significance to innovation, entrepreneurship, higher education and economic regeneration policy making in Wales are reported.
Promoting Technology-Based Enterprise in Higher Education
Authors: McGowan Pauric , Cooper Sarah
Published: September 2010

The research discussed in this paper explores the impact of a higher education initiative targeted at developing entrepreneurial capability and encouraging student technology venturing activity in Northern Ireland. The initiative in question is the £25,000 enterprise competition run by the Northern Ireland Centre for Entrepreneurship (NICENT). The authors report the outcomes of exploratory survey-based research to establish the competition's impact on participants and its contribution to the development of positive attitudes towards technology transfer and enterprise by aspiring, would-be new venturers.
A Finnish Concept for Academic Entrepreneurship
Authors: Laine Kari
Published: September 2010

In a knowledge-driven economy there is a growing need for deeper and more productive interaction between higher education and industry. The full exploitation of knowledge requires strategies, incentives, appropriate systems and strong interaction between the transfer processes and the main processes in higher education. In a knowledge-based economy, knowledge is more likely to be created if there is collaboration on the potential applications. In such a knowledge creation process, the creation, dissemination and utilization of knowledge are carried out in quick succession or even simultaneously. Also, basic research and applied research can no longer be separated. Knowledge creation is, in many cases, achieved through long-term partnerships based on trust, commitment and mutual benefit. This paper explores ways of supporting and creating entrepreneurial activity in higher education. It studies the case of Satakunta University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
From Food Safety Guidelines to Quantified Sustainability Indicators
Authors: Haverkort A.J. , Jansen D.M. , de Ruijter F.J. , Verhagen A.
Published: September 2010

Over the last decade and a half various aspects of the sustainability of food production have been evaluated by different groups of stakeholders. National and federal legislators have looked at the types of chemicals allowed and the acceptable maximum residue levels permitted for particular crops and conditions. Commercial firms (in both the processing and retail sectors) have developed private company labels that distinguish them from competitors. Their suppliers have to comply under a‘licence to deliver’. Some organizations that are concerned with environmental issues have developed guidelines. Finally, producer organizations have developed their own labels. The assumption is that farmers who comply have products with added value, which give rise to better opportunities to sell. Some processors source only from growers complying with such schemes. This paper highlights past endeavours, rules and tools to assure food safety, and present initiatives to bring sustainability into the pre-competitive domain. It also identifies future requirements for sustainability indicators and baseline studies, and demonstrates the need to move from indicator values to target values. This approach allows for the quantitative monitoring of environmental safety that will be required for the food industry of the future, just as food safety is now and was in the past.
A New Direction for Technology-Based Economic Development
Authors: Bendis Richard A. , Seline Richard S. , Byler Ethan J.
Published: September 2010

Accelerating innovation to drive economic growth is the foremost goal for technology-based economic development organizations today. Realizing this goal through programmes is challenged by limited and outdated operating models. The authors outline their 21st Century Innovation Intermediary model, which pairs commercialization with regional connectivity to accelerate innovation for regional economic growth.
Determinants of the Voluntary Behaviour of Firms in Their Relationships with Universities
Authors: Marzo-Navarro Mercedes , Pedraja-Iglesias Marta , Rivera-Torres Pilar
Published: September 2010

Faced with a substantially changing environment, universities must reformulate their strategies if they are to operate effectively in the new context. Among their key strategic considerations should be how the positive voluntary behaviour of firms towards them can be encouraged and increased. The objective of this study is therefore to identify the variables that determine such voluntary behaviour. The paper shows how firm satisfaction, the university's commitment as perceived by firms and the commitment of firms themselves act to exert a positive impact on the degree of participation, cooperation and loyalty of firms. The analysis is intended to help university managers make appropriate strategic decisions in their efforts to confront the challenges of the new environment.
The Entrepreneurial University and Spin-Out Firms in the UK
Authors: Lynskey Michael J.
Published: September 2010

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study into spin-out firms established during a five-year period at ten UK universities. The author suggests that merely counting the number of spin-outs formed reveals little about the overall efficiency of technology transfer efforts at universities. Instead, one has also to consider other aspects, such as the institutional setting from which spin-outs emerge, as well as several characteristics of the spin-outs themselves, including their origins and growth, the investments received and their continuing presence in the local economy. The paper also conveys the attitudes of directors of technology transfer offices on issues such as technology transfer policy, the management of the spin-out process, and the demand to achieve targets for spin-out numbers. The directors reveal reservations about the legitimacy and value of count data and simple comparisons between universities as a measure of commercialization efforts, and express concern about the use of targets as performance indicators.
Assessment of Tourism Competitiveness by Analysing Destination Efficiency
Authors: Cracolici Maria Francesca , Nijkamp Peter , Rietveld Piet
Published: September 2010

The notion and measurement of destination competitiveness have received increasing attention in the economics literature on tourism. The reason for this emerges from both the growing economic importance of the tourist sector and the increasing competition in the tourist market resulting from the transition from mass tourism to a new age of tourism that calls for a tailor-made approach to the specific attitudes and needs of tourists. The central subject of this paper – inspired by the conceptual competitiveness model developed by Crouch and Ritchie – concerns the efficiency of tourist site destinations. Using a data set of 103 Italian regions for 2001, an economic efficiency analysis is carried out, based on a production frontier approach. The study deploys a measure of tourist site competitiveness in terms of its technical efficiency using parametric and non-parametric methods, a stochastic production function and data envelopment analysis, respectively.
Anglers' Valuation of Water Regulation Dam Removal for the Restoration of Angling Conditions at Storsjö-Kapell
Authors: Laitila Thomas , Paulrud Anton
Published: September 2010

This paper presents results from a choice experiment (CE) study of anglers' valuations of the characteristics of an angling site at Storsjö-Kapell in the Swedish mountain region. In particular, the study presents value estimates of a dam removal and restoration to natural angling conditions. Values of catch, size and species are considered, as are values of bag limits. Also, value estimates are related to a trip frequency model, making it possible to predict visiting frequency under different scenarios. Thus, the model estimates provide a step towards developing dynamic fisheries management models, as the policies analysed may change the age structure of the stock. In addition to empirical results, the paper contributes a derivation of bounds on willingness to pay (WTP) based on the notion that new visitors may have smaller WTP for a change than those already selecting the site for angling.
Rejoinder: The Rhetoric and Reality of Yield at the Destination Level
Authors: March Roger
Published: September 2010

The author comments on the paper by Larry Dwyer, Peter Forsyth, Liz Fredline, Marg Deery, Leo Jago and Sven Lundie, ‘Yield measures for special-interest Australian inbound tourism markets’, published in Tourism Economics, Vol 13, No 3, September 2007, pp 421–440. This rejoinder is followed by a response from Larry Dwyer.
Regional Growth and Beaver Lake: A Study of Recreation Visitors
Authors: Kemper Nathan P. , Popp Jennie S. , Miller Wayne P.
Published: September 2010

Beaver Lake is the primary water supply for a rapidly growing region in Northwest Arkansas. The lake is a popular tourist destination and land surrounding it is highly sought after for development. Some voice concern that development could affect lake water quality negatively and threaten future regional growth. The results of the study presented here suggest the spending of 2.4 million annual visitors to Beaver Lake generates 600 jobs, US$12.9 million in income and US$20.9 million in value added to the region. However, this economic activity is not likely to offset the costs to the region of maintaining the water supply and the water quality of the lake.
The Impact of Heritage Tourism on an Urban Economy: The Case of Granada and the Alhambra
Authors: Viu Joaquín Murillo , Fernández Javier Romaní , Caralt Jordi Suriñach
Published: September 2010

The authors present an example of the impact of a cultural heritage site on its environment – in this case, the Alhambra and Generalife complex (AG) in Granada, Spain, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. They then quantify the impact and analyse the effects by sector, including a brief explanation of the methodology. The results show that tourism exercises strong push–pull effects through vigorous intersector relationships.
Experiential Learning from the Khoi-Khoi (Namibia) and Maori (New Zealand) Communities
Authors: April Wilfred Isak
Published: September 2010

Fostering a spirit of indigenous entrepreneurship is a courageous idea and envisages a multicultural and post-colonial world. As such, it deserves support from both indigenous and non-indigenous communities. From this perspective, the author considers two aboriginal communities, the Khoi-Khoi and the Maori peoples, arguing that the fostering of an entrepreneurial spirit in such communities may be realized in part through the exchange of ideas between them and a mutual learning of lessons. In particular, the paper focuses on the importance of culture in sustaining social capital and the emotional/social intelligence necessary for entrepreneurial motivation. Fostering a culture of entrepreneurship requires the sustenance of the social capital that culture identifies, whilst maximizing trading opportunities for societies to develop. Much can be learnt from indigenous practices in indigenous communities on how to recover and maintain this vibrancy in diversity. Entrepreneurial activity provides the primal leadership that results in a reorganization of disempowered societies. Moreover, local cultural tradition is a necessary component in establishing the networking and trust that will provide the solidarity required for the emergence of entrepreneurial activity for local self-determining development.
Australian Indigenous Entrepreneurship: A Capital-Based View
Authors: Furneaux Craig , Brown Kerry
Published: September 2010

Encouraging entrepreneurship has been advocated as the most promising avenue for economic development of Indigenous communities in Australia. Unfortunately, the number of Indigenous people engaged in small businesses in Australia is low compared with participation rates in other countries. One explanation suggested for this low participation rate in small business is that Indigenous Australians lack the traits or cultural attitudes necessary for success. This paper advocates a different view, arguing instead that analysing Indigenous access to capital in its multiple forms provides for a richer explanation – and exploration – of the barriers to Indigenous entrepreneurship.
The Effects of Location and Economic Cluster Development on Native American Entrepreneurship
Authors: Pascal Vincent J. , Stewart Daniel
Published: September 2010

This study investigates the relationship between indigenous entrepreneurship and the location of indigenous firms near economic clusters. In recent years there has been a fundamental shift in the way regional economic development is viewed. Promoting economic cluster formation has become the new strategy for regional competitive advantage and entrepreneurial growth. Cluster development has been shown to facilitate entrepreneurship and business performance, yet no research has been undertaken to investigate whether all entities benefit from local cluster development, especially less well represented parties such as Native American entrepreneurs, who are often located in rural areas away from economic clusters. The findings support the contention that Native American entrepreneurs located near economic clusters enjoy competitive advantages not experienced by their counterparts outside of cluster economies. The implications for Native American entrepreneurship and culture are discussed and areas for future research proposed.
Community-Based Entrepreneurship in Norway
Authors: Dana Leo Paul
Published: September 2010

Until the middle of the twentieth century, a self-employed Sámi reindeer herder in Norway could subsist on 250 reindeer. These were owned individually but cared for collectively by means of flexible entrepreneurial networks. Human existence reflected the needs of herds, and rather than manage their reindeer, herders read their cues and followed the herds. Flexibility was the key to success. Non-breeding male reindeer were useful in that they helped females find food in winter. When an animal was slaughtered, care was taken to minimize pain and avoid waste; every part of a reindeer was used. Today, snowmobiles, GPS technology, helicopters and increased regulation are transforming the sector. Reindeer herders, interviewed for this article, have been adapting successfully to technological, regulatory and other changes. Yet they are concerned that, if herding is reduced to an element of the food industry, the essence and efficiency of their community-based, symbiotic entrepreneurship will be undermined. The reindeer remain a symbol for the Sámi. However, while reindeer herders are attracted or pulled towards traditional community entrepreneurship, many are forced or pushed into secondary money-driven enterprises, less close to their tradition.
Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture
Authors: Mandal Subhasis , Datta K.K. , Hore D.K. , Mohanty Suchitra
Published: September 2010

This article highlights the potential of organic agriculture for enhancing biodiversity in the north-eastern hill region (NEHR) of India. Maintaining databanks on the status, utilization, magnitude of threat and rate of loss of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture is essential for evolving suitable institutional arrangements. Ecologically sound sustainable agriculture needs to be evaluated in terms of biodiversity conservation and improvement of farmers' income if it is to be established as the best option for attaining these twin objectives, particularly for this hilly region. In-depth analyses are required for ethno-botanical and socioeconomic research to understand farmers' knowledge and expertise, selection/breeding and utilization and management of plant genetic resources. This will require the approval of the farmers involved, and their knowledge and technologies will have to be protected. Changes in the local species and varieties and those used by farmers need to be understood in detail and appropriate scientific expertise should be exploited together with traditional agricultural practices and natural resources, thereby ensuring synergy between biodiversity and organic agriculture in the NEH region.
China's New Cooperation Strategy with the World Food Programme: A SWOT Analysis
Authors: Shuai Chuanmin
Published: September 2010

This paper compares China's position with those of the major donors to the World Food Programme (WFP). It provides, in particular, an in-depth analysis of the motives of the USA and India for their large-scale food aid to the WFP. Based on the experiences in these countries and through a SWOT analysis, a new cooperation strategy and relevant policy recommendations are proposed for the policy makers of the Chinese government.
Matching Livestock Systems with Available Feed Resources in the Bale Highlands of Ethiopia
Authors: Bogale Solomon , Melaku Solomon , Yami Alemu
Published: September 2010

The quantity and quality of feed resources in relation to the livestock population were assessed in the Bale Highlands of Ethiopia. Crop residues and stubble accounted for 74% of the feed supply. Crude protein (CP) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were higher (P < 0.001) for feed from natural pasture than for crop residues. Fibre content was higher (P < 0.05) for crop residues and stubble. The feed available per household satisfied the maintenance DM requirement of the livestock. The dominant feed resources throughout the year met 131% of the maintenance metabolizable energy (ME) requirement of the livestock per household. However, CP was deficient even for maintenance, meeting only 87% of the maintenance requirement of the animals and indicating the need for supplementation.
New Horizons in Industry, Business and Education
Authors: Papadourakis George M.
Published: September 2010

This special issue of Industry and Higher Education is devoted to a selection of papers from the Fifth International Conference on ‘New Horizons in Industry, Business and Education’ (NHIBE 2007) held on the island of Rhodes, Greece, in August 2007. In this introductory paper the author provides an overview of the conference, summarizes the most important presentations and offers his reflections on the conference outcomes. The key objective of NHIBE 2007 was to identify the impact of new technologies on education, business and industry. The major topics were: educational strategies; career counselling; new educational methods; industry and education; entrepreneurship; corporate finance and governance; and business strategies. Special attention was drawn to the innovative approaches and experiences developed in education in an effort to adapt teaching methods to the new technological era. Furthermore, business strategies and worldwide educational strategies were emphasized.
Clustering Analysis of Common Tasks Undertaken by Engineering Technicians in Informatics and Manufacturing in Seven European Countries
Authors: Papadourakis George M. , Natsika Christina , Magnan Myrna , Barsics Joseph
Published: September 2010

VALEURTECH is a pilot project under the European Commission's Leonardo II programme. It includes 35 partners from higher education institutions and professional organizations in eight European countries and has the major objectives: of (a) setting up a homogeneous ‘labelling’ process, such as a diploma supplement, based on a common reference system for skills and a harmonized assessment procedure, so that experience acquired in a professional situation abroad becomes explicit and more easily assessed; and (b) setting up a database which will give students useful information to prepare themselves for their professional placement in one of the partner countries' firms. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire was organized for firms to identify the relevance and weight of each skill. More precisely, the questionnaire focused on the composition of the professional profile (qualifications and capabilities) that the students should have in three industrial sectors: informatics, civil engineering and manufacturing. This paper concentrates on the informatics and manufacturing sectors. The results are assessed using hierarchical clustering analysis to compare the answers in seven European countries.
The Greek Challenge in Work-Based Learning
Authors: Taousanidis Nikolaos I. , Antoniadou Myrofora A.
Published: September 2010

Work-based learning is generated, controlled and used within a community of practice and brings new understanding to pedagogical principles as the role of worker becomes also that of learner. This paper presents a series of opportunities of this type of learning, which even enables students to work at a distance, using open-learning techniques, as self-managed learners in their work-related context. The author analyses the legitimacy of work-based knowledge in a higher education setting: this is crucial in understanding the differences and similarities both within the field of work-based learning itself and between work-based learning and more conventional educational programmes. Finally, a method of facilitating and managing such work- based learning in universities is presented.
Devising and Implementing a Suitable Graduate Education Platform for Dublin's Institute of Technology (DIT)
Authors: Carton Janet , Jerrams Steve
Published: September 2010

Graduate education platforms have received general acclaim as key components in the future structural development of third-level and fourth-level education in Europe. In Ireland the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has endorsed the restructuring of postgraduate education to incorporate the training of research students in key generic and transferable skills. This provides enhanced suitability for employment of research students in industry and the professions, rather than the educational sector. In addition, graduate programmes must provide improved structured support for research supervisors including training, particularly in respect of mentoring skills. This paper examines the challenges associated with the identification and implementation of an appropriate graduate platform model for a large, internationally recognized Institute of Technology, which offers a spectrum of academic programmes. The pros and cons of two models – a structured, institute-wide, non-discipline-specific platform and multiple, discipline-specific platforms – are highlighted. The difficulties attached to establishing comprehensive training programmes for students and staff with an underlying cross-disciplinary, inter-institutional framework are examined. Models currently being adapted by other Irish institutions are also critiqued. Finally, the ability of these educational models to meet the requirements of the industrial and professional sectors is explored. The question of whether graduate-level platforms have been created as higher education's proposed solution to a non-academic employment problem is also discussed.
Which Professionalizing Education Programmes for Which Sustainable Development?
Authors: Nicolas Alain , Radja Katia , Schembri Patrick
Published: September 2010

This article is concerned with professional needs emerging from the French labour market and their implications in terms of university training. The authors carry out their analysis by looking at the implications for sustainable development. In particular, the paper emphasizes how educational programmes can be built to provide sustainable employability for students. University vocational programmes are conceived using the skills-based approach, considering such programmes as an intersection between knowledge and activities in terms of skills. After having set out in detail their analytical framework (definition of sustainable development, the skills approach and the notion of sustainable employability), the authors provide a methodology for addressing the links between job activities, skills and training schemes. This methodology consists of several steps: first, they identify job sectors and levels of management; second, they translate jobs into key skills; third, they build educational programmes based on these key skills. The paper emphasizes the multidimensionality of the approach and its contribution to our understanding of the relationship between the missions of universities, professional needs and individuals' professional paths.
Strategy in Small Growth-Oriented Firms in Finland: A Discourse Analysis Approach
Authors: Kohtamäki Marko , Kraus Sascha , Kautonen Teemu , Varamäki Elina
Published: September 2010

This paper seeks to increase understanding of strategic planning in small growth-oriented firms by focusing on what strategy actually means in their everyday business practice. The results of a discourse analysis of 22 interviews with Finnish small business managers show three different approaches to strategy: (1) strategy as an emergent process of reactive problem solving, (2) strategy as a formal planning process, and (3) strategy as a shared process. The results can be used as a starting point in further research to study the impact of strategy on business growth and performance.
The Nascent Small Business: An Evolutionary Approach
Authors: Breslin Dermot
Published: September 2010

This paper expands on recent research, using an evolutionary approach to study entrepreneurship and drawing on related concepts from the cognitive- and learning-based schools. It develops a process model that can be used as a basis for future research into the study of nascent small businesses. Following a brief overview of Universal Darwinism, the paper proposes new definitions for the concepts of the replicator and interactor, and describes the evolution of these concepts through the mechanisms of variation, selection and retention for the nascent small business. Finally, implications for practitioners and directions for future research are discussed.
Knowledge-Intensive University Spin-off Firms in South Africa: Fragile Network Alignment?
Authors: Kruss Glenda
Published: September 2010

This paper analyses the conditions for sustaining spin-off firms from university-based research in South Africa through follow-up case studies of three high-technology networks, using a ‘network alignment’ approach. Commercialization failed in the first case because of a lack of interactive capability and an absence of networks between the university and the industrial sector. Initial success was short-lived for the second case, given misalignment between firm and market conditions and in the coordination of key functions in the firm. In the third and most successful case, there was misalignment between the firm and a key global supplier, impacting on networks between firm and market and threatening turnover and future viability. The degree of alignment in the South African national system of innovation is fragile, in that networks may exist but not sufficiently widely across the system, or they may not function effectively. Hence, as the empirical evidence suggests, it is difficult to sustain competitive spin-off firms.
Co-Movement in Tourist Arrivals in the Caribbean
Authors: Lorde Troy , Moore Winston
Published: September 2010

Since the 1960s, the Caribbean has made numerous attempts at regional integration. One of the reasons for the failure of these attempts is the difference in business cycles across the region. Given the importance of tourism to the region, if arrivals to the Caribbean are converging over time, the differences in the business cycle characteristics of each country should decline. Using a panel of 22 countries and monthly data from 1977 to 2004, this study investigates the co-movement in tourism penetration and the growth in tourist arrivals for the region. The empirical results presented in the paper suggest that there is no convergence in tourism penetration across the group but that there are similarities in the rates of growth of tourist arrivals.
The Economics of Regulation and Taxation Policies for Casino Tourism
Authors: Benar Hasret , Jenkins Glenn P.
Published: September 2010

A number of states and countries have promoted the development of a casino industry primarily to attract tourists. The policies operated have generally used regulatory or taxation instruments. Such policies may or may not lead to an efficient level of investment and production for the sector. This paper considers four alternative forms of regulatory and taxation policies and examines the interactions between these two sets of investments. The authors find that a turnover tax yields an efficient outcome with a competitive industry and also in the case of a cartel association; but it will be distortionary if a multiplant private monopoly controls the sector. Furthermore, a pure public sector-owned multiplant monopolist is efficient, while a tax on the fixed costs is inefficient if a casino association regulates the sector.
The Relationship between the Use of Hospitality Firms' Financial Derivatives and Cash Flow/Earnings Volatility
Authors: Kim Dong Jin , Kim Woo Gon
Published: September 2010

Firms use financial derivative instruments to manage risks. Smoothing cash flows and earnings are an important aspect of financial risk management. This study investigates the use of financial derivatives in the lodging, hotel real-estate investment trusts (REITs) and casino industries. The data for the study were collected from both the Compustat database and firms' Form 10-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The findings verify that there are significant differences between financial derivatives users and non-users in terms of financial characteristics, cash flow volatility and earnings volatility.
An Assessment of the Impact of Tourism in the Balearic Islands
Authors: Polo Clemente , Valle Elisabeth
Published: September 2010

According to the official Institute of Tourist Studies, the Balearic Islands, a Spanish region with just over one million inhabitants, received 9.6 million international arrivals in 2005 out of 55.8 million for the entire country. Although a rather impressive figure, it is 8.2% below the 10.5 million recorded in 1999, which might partially explain why the Balearic Islands has recorded the worst growth performance of all 17 autonomous Spanish regions since 2000. A look at the 1997 regional input–output table confirms the Balearic Islands as a service-oriented economy highly specialized in the production of services for tourists. The main purpose of this paper is to provide the first assessment of the impact of tourism in the Balearic Islands using input–output techniques and several alternative assumptions on endogeneity of final demand components. The paper also estimates, under the same assumptions, the effects on the economy of a 10% fall in tourist flows. Finally, the results are compared with those obtained with a social accounting matrix model.
Distribution of Income from Tourism-Sensitive Employment
Authors: Marcouiller David W. , Xia Xianli
Published: September 2010

Travel and tourism represent important economic activities that contribute to the vibrancy of regional economies and provide a source of both entrepreneurial and household income. Understanding the role of tourism in providing household income requires a thorough assessment of occupational structure and labour market characteristics. Furthermore, spatial differences of where labour is employed and income is generated are needed to understand better the role of tourism across the varied landscapes of alternative region types; from urban and suburban communities to remote, rural towns. This paper reports on a detailed assessment of income distribution resulting from wage and salary employment in tourism-sensitive sectors. Empirically, this was accomplished using secondary data from a variety of standardized sources for counties at state in the Upper Midwest portion of the USA. The results suggest that aggregate statistics on total jobs created and income generated mask important elements that allow a more complete understanding of the jobs and income created by travel and tourism sectors as they respond to the spending of tourists. Income inequality in tourism employment is both a sector-specific and spatial attribute.
University–Industry Collaboration, Knowledge Management and Enterprise Innovation Performance
Authors: Chen Jin , Wei Shiyang
Published: September 2010

This empirical study is concerned with university–industry collaboration from a knowledge management perspective. The authors introduce the concepts of ‘enterprise-level core elements’ to define the principle status of an enterprise during university–industry collaboration, and ‘network embeddedness’ as an indication of the closeness of the collaboration. Furthermore, they examine the method of knowledge management. Finally, they use both learning performance and product innovation performance to measure an enterprise's innovation performance.
Organizational Attributes and Learning beyond the Boundaries
Authors: Zhong Jing , Wu Sizong , Li Jun
Published: September 2010

This study compares two high-tech firms in terms of their differences in organizational characteristics and learning activities beyond the boundaries. It finds that the larger company continuously develops new technology to achieve long-term survival through a balance between exploration and exploitation while the smaller enterprise grows quickly by leveraging focused technology and core business. The innovation-oriented firm gives more emphasis to learning beyond its knowledge boundary and the customer-oriented firm focuses on learning beyond its organizational boundary. The two firms' sustainable development illustrates two strategies to adapt to the complexity of the external environment.
Transferring Management Knowledge in Anglo–Chinese Higher Education Collaboration
Authors: Ringwald Kathryn
Published: September 2010

Since the initiation of China's ‘Open Door Policy’ in the late 1970s, the People's Republic of China has been considered a lucrative location for higher education partnerships, and many UK institutions have established collaborative relationships with universities in China. This paper considers the transfer of management knowledge that enables partnerships to function and thrive. In particular, it considers Chinese and UK perceptions of relationships and asks whether the conditions exist for knowledge transfer to be effective. Qualitative research was undertaken in China, Hong Kong and the UK to establish attitudes to interpersonal and interorganizational relationships. The study concludes that knowledge will be most effectively transferred where trust and social capital have been developed and where communication is open and unambiguous. However, the research indicates that there are certain cultural barriers to be overcome before the right conditions for effective knowledge transfer can be developed.
The Evolutionary Process of Secondary Innovation in the Context of Globalization
Authors: Wu Xiaobo , Xu Guannan , Ma Rufei , Du Jian
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the evolutionary process of secondary innovation in a typical Chinese equipment manufacturing firm in the context of globalization and elaborates how to achieve latecomer's advantage from imitation to innovation. Four stages are identified in the process of international manufacturing: the equipment import stage, the production cooperation stage, the R&D cooperation stage and the global operation stage. Technological innovation evolves as follows: from duplicative imitation to creative imitation, and then from exploitative innovation to explorative innovation. Through the evolutionary process, a firm can take advantage of globalization to accumulate knowledge and improve its capabilities, which enable it to upgrade in the global manufacturing network.
The Socioeconomic Determinants of Innovation
Authors: Griffiths Mark D. , Kickul Jill
Published: September 2010

While previous research has provided an unprecedented amount of data on entrepreneurial activity across countries (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, GEM), this study takes an expanded yet nuanced view, and questions previous assumptions regarding what is both an input and outgrowth of such activity – innovation. By adopting a cross-cultural perspective that utilizes information from multiple datasets, the authors investigate the distinct role that government, business/technical and human capital has on enabling innovation. By employing a number of robust empirical tests across multiple countries in a longitudinal manner, the authors determine which hierarchy of factors affects how a particular country initiates and fosters innovative behaviour. Directions for future research, study limitations and the role of government in innovation are discussed.
Revisiting the Business Life-Cycle
Authors: Lichtenstein Gregg A. , Lyons Thomas S.
Published: September 2010

In this article, the authors offer a critique of 26 different models of the business life-cycle. They find that the models lack clarity in the specification of their stages, blur the distinction between the entrepreneur and the business, suffer from inconsistencies and biases, and suggest that movement through their stages is inevitable. The authors maintain that a new model is needed that unmistakably bounds these stages so that a company's position can clearly be assessed in order to facilitate efficient and effective business development. With this in mind, they propose an actionable six-stage constructivist model and discuss its implications for improved practice and research.
Environmental Quality Index for the Hong Kong Hotel Sector
Authors: Chan Wilco W. , Wong Kevin K.F. , Lo Jennifer Y.
Published: September 2010

In recognition of the growing concern about the likely detrimental environmental impacts of hotel activities, an increasing number of tourism research publications highlight the importance of achieving sustainable tourism and accommodation. However, there is still a scarcity of numerical data which reflect the severity of the negative impacts on the environment created by the operations of hotel owners. This study compiles a database for hotels to design and construct an appropriate environmental impact index for Hong Kong as a first significant step towards creating a ‘green’ tourism satellite account for the city. It is estimated that the total environmental cost of the local hotel sector has increased by 400% in 16 years to HK$265 million in 2005. Computable or measurable environmental costs were used to establish a composite environmental index and it was discovered that it reached a peak in 2005. In the final analysis, the growth rate of the composite environmental index is compared with that of the value-added index of the local hotel industry and it is found that they generally have the same trend over the study period.
The Role of Economic Development in Tourism Demand
Authors: Eugenio-Martin Juan L. , Martín-Morales Noelia , Sinclair M. Thea
Published: September 2010

This paper investigates the relevance of the supply-side characteristics of countries as determinants of the growth of tourism. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of economic development as a driver of tourism over time. Much of the literature on tourism has focused on the effects of tourism as an income generator. However, to attract tourists, it may be necessary to have a minimum threshold of economic development. This paper examines whether economic development is relevant to tourists' decision making. A cross-sectional time series model which deals with autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity in the error term is proposed. First, the model considers a worldwide panel data set of destination countries for tourists from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK and the USA. Then, the sample is divided into smaller areas according to geographical and GDP criteria to investigate differences within competing countries in the same area. The results show that for the worldwide case, economic development matters and makes a difference to tourists' decision making. Subsample analysis shows that in those countries with high GDP levels, differences in economic development are not significant, whereas in developing countries they are.
The Potential Effects of a Change in the Distribution of Tourism Expenditure on Employment
Authors: Polo Clemente , Ramos Vicente , Rey-Maquieira Javier , Tugores María , Valle Elisabeth
Published: September 2010

Many mature tourist destinations are considering replacing low category hotel beds with high category beds. This study estimates the potential effects that these proposals will have on employment, assuming that labour is homogeneous. The methodology used is based on the input–output model and the social accounting matrix, which allow direct, indirect and induced effects to be taken into account. In addition to conventional employment and output multipliers, the paper presents projections for different bed replacement scenarios and analyses the replacement ratios which would allow aggregate gross value added or employment to remain constant. Finally, the analysis extends to include the change of tourist expenditure distribution on complementary tourism facilities.
A Model of Tourism Demand for Tunisia: Inclusion of the Tourism Investment Variable
Authors: Choyakh Houssine
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the determinants of European tourism demand for Tunisia. France, Germany, Italy and the UK are considered as the four major origin countries of Tunisian tourism since they generate more than 70% of the total number of hotel nights. The author applies a cointegration analysis to examine the long-run relationship between the number of nights spent by Europeans in Tunisian hotels and leading macroeconomic variables such as income in the origin countries, relative prices and the volume of tourism investment for the period 1962–2005. Error correction models are also constructed and estimated to study the short-run dynamics of tourism demand for Tunisia. The paper finds that the first determinant of tourism demand is the income of the tourist-generating countries, whereas Tunisian tourism is less sensitive to price variations and tourism investment. The results of the study are consistent with both economic theory and empirical fact.