title: The motivations, constraints and decision-making of Beijing outbound tourists

authors: Zhang, Wei

subjects: Chinese tourists

abstract: The number of international tourists from China has increased remarkably in the past two decades, and it is expected to continue growing with an increase of household income and discretionary time. This thesis aims to understand Chinese outbound pleasure travellers by identifying their travel motivations, constraints and decision making in the pre-trip stage. Beijing was selected in the research because it is one of the three largest outbound tourist generating cities in China. Hence, the characteristics of travellers from Beijing are representative of a significant part in China's outbound travel market. 
This thesis addresses the following issues. The study of motivation answers quotwhyquot Chinese tourists go overseas for holiday. The literature suggests motivation can be understood from push and pull perspectives. In this framework, push factors refer to the tourist as a subject and deal with those factors driving him or her to travel. On the other hand, pull factors are those which attract the tourist to a given resort or destination. This study attempts to identify the push and pull factors associated with Chinese outbound tourists. Furthermore, market segmentation was achieved based on this framework by clustering the respondents into four groups. 
The decision-making process is complex and involves several stages and influencing factors. The first decision is usually whether to travel or stay at home. The preposition is that motivation and constraints have certain impacts on participation. The next decision is related to where to travel. The preposition here is that the destination choice is influenced by motivation, constraints and socio-demographic characteristics as well as the attractiveness of place attributes. Moreover, these factors are expected 
to also influence the travel frequency. After selecting the destination, a number of subordinate decisions, such as accommodation, travel mode, length of stay and activities have to be made. The preposition is that decisions on these issues are greatly influenced by socio-demographic characteristics. A theoretical model of decision-making was presented on the basis of these propositions. It should be mentioned that this model focuses on the relationship of these factors instead of the sequence of decision-making. There are indeed cases in which, for example, people decide on activities before destination choice. 
A mixed method was adopted when the merits and deficiencies of both qualitative and quantitative approaches were taken into consideration. Qualitative data from interviews with 20 Beijing residents were collected with two purposes: first, to help identify the variables selected in the survey; second, to supplement interpretation of the results from the survey. Next a survey was used to gather quantitative data. T-test, ANOVA, factor and cluster analysis, as well as regression were used to analyse the data in SPSS. The combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was utilized to enhance the trustworthiness of the findings. 
The study identifies the most important push and pull motivations as well as the main constraints for Beijing outbound tourists. The results of the study also include an assessment of the influences of motivation, constraints and the role of socio-demographic variables on destination choice and travel frequency. Other useful findings about subdecisions of Beijing outbound tourists are reported such as desired activities, information search, accommodation selection etc. 
The research findings provide information for destination marketers and service providers as to the expectation, preference, and characteristics of Chinese outbound iii 
tourists, and help them better promote and service this market. Meanwhile, the research contributes to the travel behaviour literature by providing empirical evidence about the decision-making process of Chinese outbound tourists.

text: The motivations, constraints and decision-making of Beijing outbound tourists The number of international tourists from China has increased remarkably in the past two decades, and it is expected to continue growing with an increase of household income and discretionary time. This thesis aims to understand Chinese outbound pleasure travellers by identifying their travel motivations, constraints and decision making in the pre-trip stage. Beijing was selected in the research because it is one of the three largest outbound tourist generating cities in China. Hence, the characteristics of travellers from Beijing are representative of a significant part in China's outbound travel market. 
This thesis addresses the following issues. The study of motivation answers quotwhyquot Chinese tourists go overseas for holiday. The literature suggests motivation can be understood from push and pull perspectives. In this framework, push factors refer to the tourist as a subject and deal with those factors driving him or her to travel. On the other hand, pull factors are those which attract the tourist to a given resort or destination. This study attempts to identify the push and pull factors associated with Chinese outbound tourists. Furthermore, market segmentation was achieved based on this framework by clustering the respondents into four groups. 
The decision-making process is complex and involves several stages and influencing factors. The first decision is usually whether to travel or stay at home. The preposition is that motivation and constraints have certain impacts on participation. The next decision is related to where to travel. The preposition here is that the destination choice is influenced by motivation, constraints and socio-demographic characteristics as well as the attractiveness of place attributes. Moreover, these factors are expected 
to also influence the travel frequency. After selecting the destination, a number of subordinate decisions, such as accommodation, travel mode, length of stay and activities have to be made. The preposition is that decisions on these issues are greatly influenced by socio-demographic characteristics. A theoretical model of decision-making was presented on the basis of these propositions. It should be mentioned that this model focuses on the relationship of these factors instead of the sequence of decision-making. There are indeed cases in which, for example, people decide on activities before destination choice. 
A mixed method was adopted when the merits and deficiencies of both qualitative and quantitative approaches were taken into consideration. Qualitative data from interviews with 20 Beijing residents were collected with two purposes: first, to help identify the variables selected in the survey; second, to supplement interpretation of the results from the survey. Next a survey was used to gather quantitative data. T-test, ANOVA, factor and cluster analysis, as well as regression were used to analyse the data in SPSS. The combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was utilized to enhance the trustworthiness of the findings. 
The study identifies the most important push and pull motivations as well as the main constraints for Beijing outbound tourists. The results of the study also include an assessment of the influences of motivation, constraints and the role of socio-demographic variables on destination choice and travel frequency. Other useful findings about subdecisions of Beijing outbound tourists are reported such as desired activities, information search, accommodation selection etc. 
The research findings provide information for destination marketers and service providers as to the expectation, preference, and characteristics of Chinese outbound iii 
tourists, and help them better promote and service this market. Meanwhile, the research contributes to the travel behaviour literature by providing empirical evidence about the decision-making process of Chinese outbound tourists.

year: 2009

title: Book review: Women for President: Media Bias in Nine Campaigns

authors: Hight, Craig

subjects: book review

abstract: Review(s) of: Women for President: Media Bias in Nine Campaigns, by Falk, Erica, 2nd ed., University of Illinois Press, Urbana, IL, 2010, ISBN 9 7802 5207 6916, 206 pp. A$39.95. Distributor: Footprint.

text: Book review: Women for President: Media Bias in Nine Campaigns Review(s) of: Women for President: Media Bias in Nine Campaigns, by Falk, Erica, 2nd ed., University of Illinois Press, Urbana, IL, 2010, ISBN 9 7802 5207 6916, 206 pp. A$39.95. Distributor: Footprint.

year: 2011

title: An exploration of the role of semantic relations in the theory and practice of translation (with special reference to English/Māori and Māori/English translation)

authors: Roa, Tom

subjects: clause relations

abstract: It is over forty years since Beekman and Callow, working within the context of the tagmemic tradition, drew attention to the potential significance so far as the theory and practice of translation are concerned of inter-propositional relations (also referred to as ‘discourse relations’, 'semantic relations', ‘semantico-pragmatic relations’, 'rhetorical relations’ and ‘clause relations’).  Since then, the importance of these relations has been increasingly acknowledged within linguistics and a range of other disciplines, including artificial intelligence. In spite of this, inter-propositional relations remain largely unexplored by the vast majority of those involved in translation. My aim in this research project was to determine (a) what impact, if any, a short training course in inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling had on novice Māori-English/ English-Māori translators, and (b)  what impact my own understanding of these relations has had on my own practice as a translator. In connection with this, I conducted two studies.  

In the first of these studies, two small groups of novice translators were asked to translate seven text segments - some from English into te reo Māori, others from te reo Māori into English. They were then given a two-day workshop on inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling in English and te reo Māori. No translation exercises were included in the workshop. The novice translators were then asked to translate the same text segments again. Comparison of the two sets of translations revealed some interesting differences, the second set indicating a higher level of sensitivity to inter-propositional relations and their signalling in the original text segments. This resulted in, it is argued here, translations that more accurately reflect authorial intentions as indicated in the source texts (see Chapter 3). In connection with this, it is relevant to note that, as indicated in the introductory chapter (Chapter 1) and in parts of the literature review (Chapter 2), while some of those involved in the Western tradition of translation theory and practice have argued that authorial intention is largely irrelevant in relation to textual interpretation, this essentially post-structural positioning is not available to those involved in translating indigenous texts within the context of indigenous worldviews.

In the second study, I used self-reflective think-aloud protocols to record my thoughts during the process of translating, from English into te reo Māori, text segments from five very different texts, all of these translations having been commissioned by different commissioning agencies. I then, making reference to the think-aloud transcripts, compared the source texts with the translations to determine the ways in which my reflections on inter-propositional relations and their signalling had impacted on the translations (Chapter 4).

My overall conclusion is that an understanding of inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling can make a positive contribution to the theory and practice of translation and should be included in translator training and in the teaching of additional languages more generally (Chapter 5).

text: An exploration of the role of semantic relations in the theory and practice of translation (with special reference to English/Māori and Māori/English translation) It is over forty years since Beekman and Callow, working within the context of the tagmemic tradition, drew attention to the potential significance so far as the theory and practice of translation are concerned of inter-propositional relations (also referred to as ‘discourse relations’, 'semantic relations', ‘semantico-pragmatic relations’, 'rhetorical relations’ and ‘clause relations’).  Since then, the importance of these relations has been increasingly acknowledged within linguistics and a range of other disciplines, including artificial intelligence. In spite of this, inter-propositional relations remain largely unexplored by the vast majority of those involved in translation. My aim in this research project was to determine (a) what impact, if any, a short training course in inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling had on novice Māori-English/ English-Māori translators, and (b)  what impact my own understanding of these relations has had on my own practice as a translator. In connection with this, I conducted two studies.  

In the first of these studies, two small groups of novice translators were asked to translate seven text segments - some from English into te reo Māori, others from te reo Māori into English. They were then given a two-day workshop on inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling in English and te reo Māori. No translation exercises were included in the workshop. The novice translators were then asked to translate the same text segments again. Comparison of the two sets of translations revealed some interesting differences, the second set indicating a higher level of sensitivity to inter-propositional relations and their signalling in the original text segments. This resulted in, it is argued here, translations that more accurately reflect authorial intentions as indicated in the source texts (see Chapter 3). In connection with this, it is relevant to note that, as indicated in the introductory chapter (Chapter 1) and in parts of the literature review (Chapter 2), while some of those involved in the Western tradition of translation theory and practice have argued that authorial intention is largely irrelevant in relation to textual interpretation, this essentially post-structural positioning is not available to those involved in translating indigenous texts within the context of indigenous worldviews.

In the second study, I used self-reflective think-aloud protocols to record my thoughts during the process of translating, from English into te reo Māori, text segments from five very different texts, all of these translations having been commissioned by different commissioning agencies. I then, making reference to the think-aloud transcripts, compared the source texts with the translations to determine the ways in which my reflections on inter-propositional relations and their signalling had impacted on the translations (Chapter 4).

My overall conclusion is that an understanding of inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling can make a positive contribution to the theory and practice of translation and should be included in translator training and in the teaching of additional languages more generally (Chapter 5).

year: 2016