bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MEDTOUR: a scale for measuring medical tourism intentions
Authors: Martin David S. , Ramamonjiarivelo Zo , Martin Warren S. 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use a theoretical model to create a scale to predict medical tourism (MT) intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe theory of planned behavior (TPB) model was applied to MT by creating a 49‐item questionnaire and collecting data from a convenience sample of 453 undergraduate students enrolled in a university located in the USA. Factor analysis was used to evaluate the results, and yielded a MEDTOUR scale containing 29 items.FindingsA regression of the three variables on an intentions scale of participation in MT had an R‐value of 0.587. The model was able to explain around 35 percent of the variance in intentions. Given the general nature of the model and the first attempt at predicting MT, the results are positive.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited due to the use of a convenience sample of undergraduate students. Further research utilizing additional samples is needed to verify the MEDTOUR scale. In addition, future research can focus on demographic or other areas of interest in relation to the intention to participate in MT.Originality/valueThe creation of the MEDTOUR scale represents a new application of the TPB to the area of MT. This theory‐based scale is offered as a new tool for future research.
Branding new services in health tourism
Authors: Boga Tanja C. , Weiermair Klaus 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to serve as an introduction to the usefulness of means‐end chain (MEC) theory and analysis for branding in health tourism.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted within the transnational EU‐project Alpshealthcomp and with two of the largest public health insurances in Germany. Research design is based on hard laddering according to Walker and Olson. MEC items were derived from Rokeach and from Hiesel and from results of a consumer survey (n=1.607) for Alpine health and wellness tourism.FindingsSeveral research questions are proposed regarding consumer association structures for health tourism using principal component analysis, cluster analysis and t‐test contrast of hypothesis. Personal values have proven to be most valuable for establishing brand associations. Here an identifiable and describable common structure exists for Alpine health tourism. With increasing product experience, consumers concentrate on viewer values closely linked to their personality. If product experience is low, consumers depend on a multitude of values.Research limitations/implicationsThe proportion of female participants in the sample is very high. A more balanced sample and analysis for gender differences could be valuable. Also it should be tried to replicate findings for other types of intangible services.Practical implicationsThe identified value structure can be addressed in brand communication and could complement the concept of brand personality. When shifting emphasis in staging and communicating values according to product experience, tourism managers can establish a stable and strong brand. Behavioral branding can be a useful tool in this context.Originality/valueBranding started to expand into the tourism industry only recently. Specific research work on branding in health tourism is scarce. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there exists no article in which MEC analysis was applied in order to analyze possible carrier of brand associations in health tourism. This work aims to bridge the gap.
Sustainable medical tourism in Costa Rica
Authors: Bristow Robert S. , Yang Wen‐Tsann , Lu Mei‐Tsen 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to ascertain the relative importance of sustainable tourism practices to medical tourists. Sustainable management practices have become the accepted and appropriate model for tourism. Medical tourists, those who visit a foreign country for a medical procedure unavailable at home due to high costs, timeliness or local laws and customs, are asked how important a set of sustainable management practices are in their experiences. Selected for this study are the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC). These criteria have been designed to be the minimum practices to ensure sustainability for the business as well as protect the natural and cultural resources.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was employed to gather the travel patterns, motivations and socio‐demographics of medical tourists and to test their ranking of the GSTC on a five‐point Likert scale.FindingsMedical tourists who travelled to Costa Rica, a recognized ecotourism destination, are more likely to support some of the sustainable criteria designed to maximize social and economic benefits to the local community and minimize negative impacts, than those who travelled elsewhere.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the sample size is modest, this is an exploratory assessment by medical tourists of sustainable management practices.Practical implicationsResearch into sustainable medical tourism practices is timely given that hospitals are not traditionally in the tourism business, but are now rapidly seeking to provide this service to their foreign patients.Originality/valueThe paper presents what is believed to be the first investigation into medical tourists' preferences in sustainable tourism practices.
Medical tourism: emerging biosecurity and nosocomial issues
Authors: Hall C. Michael , James Michael 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe major purpose of this research note is to explore some of the potential biosecurity and nosocomial risks associated with international medical tourism.Design/methodology/approachThe note reviews relevant medical tourism and cognate literature.FindingsThe note finds that there are substantial risks associated with nosocomial infections and complications as a result of international tourism. Although these are clearly significant at an individual level they also represent significant biosecurity risks to the home country of medical tourists and particularly to medical facilities which they may visit if they have an infection. Medical tourists are therefore identified by the medical community as posing significant risks for the spread of pandemics, as well as further contributing to increased antibiotic resistance. Further systematic research is required to assess risk management strategies including the appropriateness of international and national regulations which currently shows considerable variability.Social implicationsThe development of international medical tourism is demonstrated to have potentially significant negative implications for global public health.Originality/valueThe relevance of the paper lies in its identification of considerable risks associated with international medical tourism which may have considerable economic and personal costs associated with them. Such risks are not usually incorporated into assessments of the economic benefits of medical tourism.
Domestic vs outbound booking and channel choice behavior: evidence from New Zealand
Authors: Pearce Douglas G. , Schott Christian 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThis paper seeks to analyze the extent to which New Zealand domestic and outbound travelers' book components of their trip in advance or at their destination and to explore the factors that influence this. Furthermore, the paper compares the distribution channels used by domestic and outbound travelers to purchase different travel products and to examine why these channels have been selected.Design/methodology/approachThe study involves the collection and analysis of data on the profiles, trip characteristics and distribution behavior of domestic and outbound travelers based on a nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 respondents.FindingsLittle variation was found in the profile characteristics of domestic and outbound travelers but significant differences occurred in terms of the trip characteristics, the extent of booking in advance and at the destination, reasons why advance bookings were not made, how bookings were made and the channels used all exhibited significant differences according to domestic or outbound travel. This pattern was less consistent with regards to the factors influencing how the bookings were made and the factors affecting channel choice.Research and practical implicationsThe findings illustrate the complexity of travel decision‐making issues, underline the need to take account of differences between domestic and outbound travel and across trip components, and to examine the factors that underlie distribution related behavior.Originality/valueThe value and originality of this paper lie in the systematic comparison of the booking and channel choice behavior of domestic and outbound travelers, the search for factors influencing this behavior and a sectoral approach that differentiates transport to and at the destination.
A new perspective on tourist information search: discussion in couples as the context
Authors: Bronner Fred , de Hoog Robert 
Published: June 2011

PurposeInformation‐search for vacation decision‐making can occur in two different contexts: an individual one, in which one forms one's preferences, and a social one in response to discussions with partners and family members. This paper focuses on the latter.Design/methodology/approachBy means of a longitudinal study the research investigates the main topics of discussion in couples, and the information sources couples use in their discussion. Furthermore, the research investigates whether the information sources used depend on the nature of the sub‐decision – search‐determined or experience‐determined – the couples discuss.FindingsThe research finds that there is considerable discussion between partners and that the amount of discussion varies in relation to the type of sub‐decision. During these discussions, the use of different information sources is widespread. More generally, the study confirms the overall importance of the social context: information sources used in the social context are different from sources used in the individual context. The research does not confirm the expected relationship between the nature of a sub‐decision and the type of information source used. As the decision process proceeds over time, the role of objective information sources increases in discussions.Research limitation/implicationsCompared with the classical individual approach to researching tourist information search, the social context of information‐searching needs other market research data, to provide insight into the topics of discussion. Tourism marketing messages in a social decision context should be directed to significant others, as these messages are likely to be used as important information sources during the joint vacation decision process in couples. In this respect, the use of electronic word‐of‐mouth offers new opportunities for vacation marketing.Originality/valueA new perspective on information search: the relevance of social contexts.
Marital power bases as predictors of spousal influence strategies in a vacation purchase decision
Authors: Bokek‐Cohen Ya'arit 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to uncover the relationships between marital power and influence strategies used during couples' vacation decision processes. Marital power includes two dimensions: the first dimension is objective and composed of actual economic resources; the second is subjective and composed of feelings such as spousal love or self‐esteem.Design/methodology/approach192 couples completed a questionnaire that included statements describing different influence strategies utilized during the vacation purchase‐decision process; respondents indicated the frequency with which they employed each strategy.FindingsSubjective marital power is associated with the use of spousal influence strategies. Objective marital power does not predict the use of these strategies.Research limitaions/implicationsThese findings highlight a hitherto understudied aspect of marital power – subjective power.Practical implicationsConsumer researchers and vacation marketers should take into account the subjective marital power balance and its impact on influence strategies during couples' vacation decision processes.Originality/valueThis study shows that during a vacation decision process, the marital power balance between partners impacts on the choice of spousal influence strategies. Secondly, economic power is not the dominant factor that affects the choice of influence strategy; rather, interpersonal power is influential in the use of spousal influence strategies during the vacation decision process.
Expertise, experience and self‐confidence in consumers' travel information search
Authors: Teichmann Karin 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumer self‐confidence, product expertise, and travel experience in the context of travel information search during vacation planning.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is based on a panel study to monitor trip planning processes of Austrian travelers. A structural model is used to assess to what degree consumer self‐confidence, product expertise, and travel experience affect travel information search and to examine the influence of consumer self‐confidence on product expertise.FindingsFindings from the study show that consumer self‐confidence significantly affects product expertise. Travel experience, on the other hand, positively influences product expertise that again is positively related to travel information search. No significant relationship is established between travel experience and travel information search.Research limitations/implicationsWhile most of the previous studies investigated information search using cross‐sectional data, this study addresses the need for more accurate research on information search adopting a panel design. One major limitation of the study is the small sample size. Results from a larger sample might be different in regards to the magnitude of the relationships.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the overall understanding of how knowledge and ability‐related factors impact travel information sourcing. The tourism literature reveals no other study that has simultaneously quantified consumer self‐confidence and product expertise during trip planning.
Tourists' dual‐processing accounts of reasoning, judgment, and actions
Authors: Martin Drew , Woodside Arch G. 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe theory building and testing of dual processing of tourist reasoning, judgment, and actions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies micro‐tipping point theory and qualitative comparative analysis, using case study data.FindingsMaps of the reasoning, judgments, and actions of five parties of tourist buying major services support dual‐processing theory of deciding on destination choices.Research limitations/implicationsThis report does not include the attempt to generalize the findings to large survey samples of informants.Practical implicationsExecutives need to go beyond recognizing that what tourists report consciously may differ substantially from what they think unconsciously and to plan on collecting data on both dual processing modes of thinking.Originality/valueThis paper breaks new ground in applying dual‐processing theory in tourist behavior of buying major tourist services.
Sources of enterprise success in Amish communities
Authors: Kraybill Donald B. , Nolt Steven M. , Wesner Erik J. 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThis research project aims to investigate Amish small businesses in North America to determine their success rate and the factors that explain their vitality. Amish entrepreneurs have developed some 10,000 small businesses despite taboos on motor vehicles, electricity, computers, the internet, and education. A theoretical model consisting of five types of socio‐cultural capital (human, cultural, social, religious, and symbolic) was conceptualized to explain and interpret the success of Amish enterprises. The model includes capital deficits that identify the hurdles that successful enterprises must overcome.Design/methodology/approachThe research employed qualitative ethnographic methods that included participant observation, face‐to‐face interviews with business owners in eight states, and document analysis.FindingsThe paper finds that Amish businesses have a success rate above 90 percent, which is much higher than that of other American small businesses. Five types of socio‐cultural capital (human, cultural, social, religious, and symbolic) account for the high success rate of Amish enterprises.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative methods do not permit quantitative analysis or tracking the performance of businesses over an extended period of time.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the importance of socio‐cultural capital assets and deficits for business success is critical for entrepreneurs, consultants, and scholars.Originality/valueThe five concepts of socio‐cultural capital assets and deficits are a significant expansion of traditional social capital theory. These concepts offer a rich resource for understanding small business failure and success and merit inclusion in future research. Religious and symbolic capitals are especially pertinent for understanding enterprise building in religious and ethnic communities.
Environmental dynamism, innovation, and dynamic capabilities: the case of China
Authors: Jiao Hao , Alon Ilan , Cui Yu 
Published: June 2011

PurposeBased on the resource‐based view, creating and maintaining a long‐term competitive advantage requires significant attention to developing and nurturing dynamic capabilities in emerging markets. With increasing research attention given to the dynamic capabilities view, the need to explore the building mechanism has continued to escalate. This study aims to consider environmental dynamism as a moderating variable, to build a theoretical model for innovation strategy and dynamic capabilities, and finally to summarize the building mechanism for dynamic capabilities.Design/methodology/approachA total of 400 high‐tech and knowledge intensive and other kind business firms in Yantz River Delta region in China were approached. In total, 158 responses were received, of which 110 were usable. To check for possible response bias, early and late respondents were compared and no response bias was found in the study.FindingsThe empirical results find that the coefficient for innovation strategy is positive and significant for dynamic capabilities. However, it also finds that the interaction term between innovation strategy and environmental dynamism is not significant in predicting dynamic capabilities. Therefore, an innovation strategy can build and upgrade dynamic capabilities in both stable and rapidly changing environments.Originality/valueAn empirical verification of the links between innovation strategy and dynamic capabilities is conducted, and the role of environmental dynamism on innovation strategy and dynamic capabilities in the context of an emerging market is also examined, which there is a lack of in the current literature. This study provides implications for both government and entrepreneurs in finding the right way to build dynamic capabilities through employing innovation strategy.
Entrepreneurship, the informal economy and rural communities
Authors: Williams Colin C. 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate whether early‐stage entrepreneurs and the established self‐employed in rural communities trade off‐the‐books and whether this tendency varies across deprived and affluent rural localities.Design/methodology/approachFace‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 350 households in both affluent and deprived rural communities in England.FindingsIn both the affluent and deprived rural communities surveyed, wholly legitimate enterprises represent just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface is a large hidden enterprise culture of both registered businesses trading off‐the‐books and unregistered wholly off‐the‐books enterprises. However, the preponderance of both early‐stage entrepreneurs, as well as the established self‐employed to trade off‐the‐books is greater in deprived than affluent rural communities, intimating that deprived rural communities are perhaps relatively more enterprising and entrepreneurial than is currently recognised.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings are based on a small‐scale study of five English rural communities. Further studies are now required to evaluate whether similar findings are replicated elsewhere.Practical implicationsThe paper reveals that legitimising the hidden enterprise culture in deprived rural communities could be an important but so far untapped means of promoting enterprise and economic development.Originality/valueEvaluates the extent of informal entrepreneurship in rural communities and how this varies spatially.
Rural sustainability and the built environment
Authors: Bantjes Rod 
Published: June 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is first, to assess the applicability of the ideal of mixed‐use nodal development to a small town and rural setting. Second, it aims to model the patterns of density of the built environment, distribution of amenities and associated variations in travel distances and to show how all three have changed over the last decade in Antigonish town and county (Nova Scotia, Canada).Design/methodology/approachThe core of the paper is a quantitative analysis, using GIS software to measure the changes in the built environment described in the second purpose (above).FindingsThe trend in Antigonish has generally been away from nodal development and towards increased commercial sprawl and increased distances between residences and amenities. However, there are realistic opportunities for reversing this trend.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper suggests improved measures of access to amenities (to include employment) and improved measures of walkability using GIS.Practical implicationsThe findings of this paper are directly applicable to planning to improve the social amenities and environmental sustainability in a small town/rural context.Originality/valueThere is very little literature on the applicability of theories of nodal development in a small town/rural setting. This paper addresses that problem and brings innovative GIS techniques to bear on it.