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: Youth perceptions and practices of leadership: The influence of structured leadership development programmes in a community context

authors: Hawthorne, Rachel

subjects: youth leadership

abstract: There has been much research focused on adult conceptions and experiences of leadership and its impact on both individuals and organisations. What has not been investigated as fully, is youth leadership and the contexts within which young people’s leadership experiences and emerging understandings are developed. Most opportunities for youth leadership are centred within educational contexts with traditional and hierarchical structures that limit access for all but an elite minority. This thesis presents findings from a research project involving a school-community partnership. It examines perceptions of leadership by youth participating in a 12 week experiential community leadership development programme, and the how involvement within this context influenced the leadership perceptions of nine participants involved in the study. 

Youth voice was integral as participants actively reflected on ideas of leadership through youth-centric research methodologies. Findings indicated that the youth who participated in this study perceived leadership as relational and transformational actions experienced on a personal level by someone they have an on-going relationship with; they felt there is inadequate acknowledgement of extra-curricular youth leadership experience and perceived inequity in access to leadership development opportunities for youth within school contexts; they desired experiential leadership development opportunities that were authentic, challenging and inclusive; and that participating in an experiential youth leadership development programme in a community context provided positive benefits for all participants.

This research is of significance to those working with youth in experiential leadership contexts, youth themselves, and those with an interest in leadership and youth development from a practitioner, or research perspective. Through representing a positive exemplar of a school-community partnership that broadens the context within which positive leadership development opportunities take place, it provides particular challenges to schools regarding the way that they perceive, acknowledge and grow leadership in youth. It will help to inform practitioners regarding effective practice when working with youth, and crucially, gives youth a voice as to the influence contextual experience has on their developing understandings.

text: Youth perceptions and practices of leadership: The influence of structured leadership development programmes in a community context There has been much research focused on adult conceptions and experiences of leadership and its impact on both individuals and organisations. What has not been investigated as fully, is youth leadership and the contexts within which young people’s leadership experiences and emerging understandings are developed. Most opportunities for youth leadership are centred within educational contexts with traditional and hierarchical structures that limit access for all but an elite minority. This thesis presents findings from a research project involving a school-community partnership. It examines perceptions of leadership by youth participating in a 12 week experiential community leadership development programme, and the how involvement within this context influenced the leadership perceptions of nine participants involved in the study. 

Youth voice was integral as participants actively reflected on ideas of leadership through youth-centric research methodologies. Findings indicated that the youth who participated in this study perceived leadership as relational and transformational actions experienced on a personal level by someone they have an on-going relationship with; they felt there is inadequate acknowledgement of extra-curricular youth leadership experience and perceived inequity in access to leadership development opportunities for youth within school contexts; they desired experiential leadership development opportunities that were authentic, challenging and inclusive; and that participating in an experiential youth leadership development programme in a community context provided positive benefits for all participants.

This research is of significance to those working with youth in experiential leadership contexts, youth themselves, and those with an interest in leadership and youth development from a practitioner, or research perspective. Through representing a positive exemplar of a school-community partnership that broadens the context within which positive leadership development opportunities take place, it provides particular challenges to schools regarding the way that they perceive, acknowledge and grow leadership in youth. It will help to inform practitioners regarding effective practice when working with youth, and crucially, gives youth a voice as to the influence contextual experience has on their developing understandings.

year: 2014

title: Engaging and working with Maori? Effective practice for psychologists in education

authors: Glynn, Ted

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: I believe this whakatauki captures the reflective processes I am now engaged in, as I assess where I have come from and where I am going, as a second-generation pakeha of Irish descent, who completed postgraduate degrees in Psychology and Education in New Zealand and Canada, and who has been engaging and working with Māori in the field of education for many years.

text: Engaging and working with Maori? Effective practice for psychologists in education I believe this whakatauki captures the reflective processes I am now engaged in, as I assess where I have come from and where I am going, as a second-generation pakeha of Irish descent, who completed postgraduate degrees in Psychology and Education in New Zealand and Canada, and who has been engaging and working with Māori in the field of education for many years.

year: 2008