Stakeholders,industry knowledge and adaptive management in the Australian whale-watching industry

Whale watching has become an economically valuable tourism sector. The whale-watching industry is complex, involves multiple stakeholders and can involve multilevel governance. This paper uses the concept of adaptive management to underpin an investigation of industry knowledge and information exchange between two key stakeholder groups in whale watching in Australia – whale-watching operators and environmental resource managers. Twenty commercial operators and nine environmental resource managers were interviewed using both quantitative and open-ended questions. Findings showed key differences between stakeholders involved, and inconsistent perspectives across the industry. Resource managers found biological issues, species health and numbers and interpretation important; operators sought clear and consistent knowledge on compliance, legislation and rules. Only half of the operators had direct access to research and researchers. Managers found the industry to be relatively unprofessionally qualified, especially small and non-specialised operators. Whale-watching operators did not specify that any information (about new knowledge, regulations or policy) was obtained from environmental resource managers through information exchanges. There was inconsistent contact between stakeholders, limiting information exchange and the knowledge-building potential of the industry. Improved dialogue between these groups may not only address existing uncertainties, but also lead to more sustainable outcomes across the industry.     

A multistage model to evaluate the efficiency the bar industry

This research examines the efficiency of Spanish bar firms using a panel data of 1071 firms during the period 2005–2014. The analysis begins with the estimation of a dynamic multistage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to evaluate firm efficiency. Second, the study analyzes regional efficiency across regions and provinces. Third, the study sheds light on the link between efficiency scores, and location, economic conditions, labour skills and training, health, pollution problems and other environmental variables and information and communication technologies. The results offer novel insights into socioeconomic and environmental factors and regional efficiency by focusing on an industry that has yet to be explored.     

Conceptual model for analysing management development in the hospitality industry: A UK perspective

This paper presents a conceptual, contingent model of hospitality management development (MD). Having explored the dimensions and relationships in the model, it is then applied to the UK hospitality industry through analysing the nature of the hospitality industry for potential influences on MD and evaluating research into its practice. The embryonic model is presented as a vehicle to enhance understanding of the complex influences and contexts of hospitality MD and to distinguish distinctive characteristics of MD in the hospitality industry.     

The link between environmental uncertainty,organizational agility,and organizational creativity in the hotel industry

Informed by the confusion theory, this study tests the three main aspects of environmental uncertainty on organizational creativity and extends the moderating model of organizational agility in uncertain environments. The data were collected from 174 managers of five-star hotels. Construct validity and the hypotheses were tested using AMOS 26.0. The findings show that organizational agility moderates the negative impacts of competitive and technological uncertainty on organizational creativity. The results suggest that in highly dynamic and complex environments, organizations must reduce bureaucracy to manage the challenges of uncertainty. Informed by the confusion and contingency theories, this study offers new insights into the relationship between environmental uncertainty, organizational creativity, and organizational agility in the hospitality industry.     

Do green HR practices enhance green motivation and proactive environmental management maturity in hotel industry?

The devastating effects on the environment have raised many questions on the environmental performance of an organization. As the environment is severely affected by the operations of giant businesses, i.e. ‘hotel industry.’ There is a need to explore the factors that influence employee environmental performance by incorporating green motivation and proactive environmental management maturity as mediators. The data are collected using the survey method. The statistical techniques applied to the dataset were confirmatory factor analysis and partial least square structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that green HR practices positively and significantly related to green intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and proactive environmental management maturity. Similarly, green motivation is significantly and positively linked with employee environmental performance. In contrast, proactive environmental management maturity is positively and insignificantly linked with employees’ environmental performance. In contrast, mediation analysis reveals that green motivation, i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic, partially mediates the association between green HR practices and employee environmental performance. However, no mediating effect of proactive environmental management maturity is found between the proposed associations. The paper contributes to the literature in many ways. Firstly, it explains the role of Green HR practices in forming green motivation among employees of the hotel industry, and previously no researchers studied this combination in the context of the hotel industry. Secondly, green motivation and proactive environmental management maturity are incorporated as mediators to have in-depth knowledge about the employees’ environmental performance.     

Motivation of internationalization and a moderating role of environmental conditions in the hospitality industry

As internationalization has been widely implemented throughout the tourism industry, it is important to understand what motivates a firm to internationalize its business. Thus, this study examines the motivation for internationalization based on the neoinstitutional theory. This study employs a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to test the proposed hypotheses, using the annual firm-level data of the tourism industry, and finds that tourism firms including casinos, hotels, and restaurants are demotivated to diversify their international expansion into different countries as their competitors increase the scope of countries in which they operate. However, if a firm perceives its competitors as speeding up the process of internationalization, that firm will also increase the pace of internationalization. In addition, this relationship between competitors and focal firms' internationalization varies according to environmental conditions (i.e., dynamism, complexity, and munificence). The findings of the study contribute to the internationalization and tourism literature.     

Composition and optimization of environmental protection policies in the tourism industry in China: based on metrical studies of co-word network

Starting from solving the root cause of environmental problems in tourism industry, this paper visualizes the relationship of essential concepts in policy network and analyzes the centrality by applying co-word analysis with social network technique. In addition, multi-dimensional scaling analysis demonstrates the policy cluster distribution, and the structure of policy is analyzed from three dimensions. (1) In terms of policy content, the government has invested a lot in protecting tourism environment; however, with regard to means of environmental protection, systematic and specific environmental protection strategies are still inadequate. (2) In respect of policy structure, environment model policies are predominant, while supply-side policy and need-based policy are insufficient relatively. (3) Regarding policy means, the government relies on strict rules and regulations as a means of control; however, problems of inefficiency still exist. Therefore, environmental economic policies should be improved so as to stimulate fundamental role of market in allocating resources.     

Top managers’ environmental values,leadership, and stakeholder engagement in promoting environmental sustainability in the restaurant industry

This study examines the role of top managers’ values and leadership in advancing environmental sustainability. It also investigates the effects of stakeholder engagement on restaurants’ environmental sustainability and assesses the impact of related practices on restaurant performance. A web-based survey was administered to collect data from top-level restaurant managers in the United States. The sample was selected from panels recruited by a research company specializing in panel surveys. Invitation emails were sent to 2500 managers and 240 responses were returned, 218 of which were retained for final analysis (response rate: 8.7%). Structural equation modeling was used for testing hypothetical relationships among key constructs in the proposed research model: environmental values, leadership, stakeholder engagement, environmental sustainability, and restaurant performance. Findings confirmed the significant role of top management values and leadership in advancing environmental commitment. The results also demonstrated the strong impact of stakeholder engagement on restaurants’ commitment to environmental sustainability. Finally, they indicated the positive influence of restaurants’ environmental sustainability performance on both financial and nonfinancial performance. The study presents a theoretical framework, integrating theories or models from extant literature, and contributes to an enhanced understanding of restaurants’ environmental sustainability. The findings suggest several practical implications for managers in the restaurant industry.     

Corporate responsibility in the UK tourism industry

This paper represents part of a programme of research into the development of indicators that can be used to monitor movement of the tourism industry with reference to more sustainable positions. In order to determine the potential for implementing such indicators this paper asked senior representatives of the UK tourism industry what factors influenced the degree of responsibility shown by their organisation. The research also asked what factors respondents felt would trigger any change in the actions of tour operators in the future. The research reveals that while many in the industry see industry structure as the constraining force, the potential for market advantage or the fear of negative PR also determines company actions. The research utilised elite interviewing for 35 senior representatives of the UK tourism industry.     

绿色产业or黑色产业：旅游业碳排放统计边界的反思与重构

科学界定旅游业碳排放统计边界既是低碳旅游研究的难点,也是制定旅游业碳减排政策与措施的关键。已有研究在统计指标选取上多以借鉴和优化为主,计算结果难以相互佐证。文章基于经济学和法学相关领域溯源,逐一评价了现行统计指标,研究发现：（1）影响旅游业碳排放统计边界的主要因素是研究视角不同、统计口径混用,导致研究结果之间"横向不可比,纵向不可加";（2）"狭义"和"广义"统计边界的主要区别是后者在"污染者付费"的基础上兼顾"受益者负担"原则;（3）基于"属地责任原则",外部交通不属于旅游目的地碳源,而应计入"广义"的统计边界。研究指出：旅游业碳减排措施应明晰责任边界和外部性,兼顾经济收益和环境代价;在边界相对统一的前提下,不同研究对象的碳强度不同,旅游业是否为绿色产业应视具体情况而定。     

产业关联视角下中国住宿业碳排放结构路径研究

识别中国住宿业碳排放增长路径,是应对气候变化、精准制定旅游减排政策的关键。本研究从产业关联的视角出发,采用环境投入产出和结构路径分析方法,探究1997—2017年中国住宿业碳排放演变特征与影响住宿业碳排放变动的关键路径。结果表明：（1）研究期间中国住宿业碳排放量波动增长,但排放强度持续下降,电力和热力消耗是住宿业碳排放最主要的能源消耗类型。（2）最终需求引致的直接住宿业碳排放对住宿业全部碳排放量贡献始终较大,但住宿业消费中间产品投入引致的隐含碳排放量逐渐增多。（3）从供应链路径来看,"（上游供应部门）→食品制造业→住宿业→最终需求"与"（上游供应部门）→电力、热力的生产和供应业→住宿业→最终需求"是驱动中国住宿业碳排放变动的主要路径类型,上游供应部门涉及农林牧渔、道路运输、化学工业等部门。实现住宿业低碳发展应实施"源头减量、过程控制、末端治理"的综合治理战略,优化住宿业的中间产品投入结构,引导住宿业传统供应链向绿色供应链转型。     

Reservations cancelled: Consumer complaints in the tourist industry

This paper discusses the nature and dimensions of consumer complaints in the tourist industry. Tourist grievances are rooted in four structural features of the industry: the lack of coordination between the four major tiers of the service delivery chain; a “contingent” style of operation necessitated by constant environmental uncertainties; a proliferation of travel firms, many of which are small, independent businesses; and an uneven, seasonal fluctuation of consumer demand. In addition, the gap between tourist expectation and the reality of the holiday destination further creates a context favorable to the generation of tourist complaints. Based on cases handled by Canadian/American newspaper ombudsmen, the content of tourist complaints is identified and recommendations for improved industry/client relations are offered.     

Scanning,perceived uncertainty,and the interpretation of trends: A study of hotel directors’ interpretation of demographic change

This paper examines how scanning can affect the interpretation of a specific trend and the uncertainty related to this interpretation. Based on a two-stage interpretative process, this study tests a series of hypotheses linked to scanning, trend interpretation and perceived environmental uncertainty, using survey data from the Swiss hotel industry concerning the ageing population trend. The study uncovers considerable evidence to support the main propositions, and in particular, shows how general scanning relates to positive interpretations of change and builds confidence in managers, whilst lowering perceived uncertainty. It is further found that high performance hotels engage in more scanning and experience lower uncertainty related to specific issues than do low performance hotels. This paper is innovative in examining how general scanning, not just issue-specific scanning, can reduce two types of issue-specific uncertainty, as well as influence interpretations.     

The last feather-bedded industry?: Government, politics and the hospitality industry during and after the 1992 General Election

This paper examines political debate and rhetoric attendant on those issues perceived as germane to the hospitality sector by industry operators at the time of the 1992 UK General Election. By extensive use of secondary, mainly journalistic, sources, an analysis of such issues is undertaken, located in the specific context of the various conservative ideologies that are shown to be associated with the hospitality industry. The paper's main theme is that far from endorsing a commitment to the agenda of the Conservative government, the hospitality industry's conservatism reflects more a form of special pleading comprising demand for particular economic privileges based on a form of protectionist corporatism. It is concluded that rather than representing a model of the vanguard of free-market culture, the hospitality industry in the UK represents the last gasp of conservative corporatism, bent on the maintenance of economic privilege rather than offering a commitment to economic liberalism.     

Environment management in the hotel industry: does institutional environment matter?

Limited theoretical attention has been paid to understand the underlying drivers of hotels’ engagement in environment management (EM). By using institutional theory, this study provides an integrated model that captures various social drivers of hotels’ engagement in EM. The associations between the three dimensions of institutional environment and hotel environmental practices were empirically tested, as well as the moderating role of hotel characteristics. A total of 414 usable surveys representing 414 hotels were collected from hotel managers in China. The results demonstrate positive associations of hotel EM practices with supportive state regulations, shared industry standards, competitors’ EM practices and expectations from various stakeholders such as employees, local community, and investors. Particularity, the strength of positive relationships between specific institutional pressures vary across hotel sizes and scales. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed     

Modeling a green supply chain in the hotel industry: An evolutionary game theory approach

Despite extensive discussion of environmental management for hotels, little research has been done on the hotel industry’s green supply chain management. This study uses the evolutionary game approach to examine the generation of green behaviors and a green supply chain by hotels. Results show that most hotels do have an incentive mechanism for green growth; hotels with green behaviors are more profitable than those that are not. Furthermore, governments and hotel customers are critical in the “greening” of traditional hotel supply chains. The findings can assist governments in formulating effective environmental policies, provide a theoretical avenue in governing green practice, and guide stakeholders to understand the formation and evolution of green development in the hotel industry.     

The coastal tourism industry in the Mediterranean: A critical review of the socio-economic and environmental pressures & impacts

Tourism is a vital economic source in the Mediterranean basin. The sun and beach tourists are of major social and economic importance for almost all Mediterranean countries. However, this industry's extensive and uncontrolled growth may negatively impact these fragile natural coastline areas. In the present study, we review and analyse the driver's forces, pressures, and impacts of the tourism sector development in the Mediterranean countries' environment and economy by using the D (Driver) P (Pressure) S (State) I (Impact) R (Responses) analytical framework. The analysis highlights the critical social and economic roles the coastal tourism industry plays while the steady and uncontrolled growth of this sector and related activities compromise these coastal countries' ecology and environmental quality. This requires the decision-makers and stakeholders' attention toward adopting new strategies and approaches toward greening the blue tourism industry to ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental growth of this industry. In this perspective, we point out the necessity to incorporate environmental issues with economic and socio-cultural needs to obtain complete and harmonized sustainable tourism indicators in the Mediterranean.     

The efficiency of the hotel industry in Singapore

Existing literature related to evaluating the efficiency of the hotel industry, generally, uses different types of radial Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to compare the relative efficiency of different hotels in a location. This research note has adopted a different approach by treating years as decision making units (DMUs). This will allow policymakers to evaluate the relative efficiency of a hotel industry as a whole over a specified time period so that the effects of the occurrence of events on the efficiency of hotel industry can be evaluated. This study focuses on the efficiency of hotel industry in Singapore from 1995 to 2010. The analysis is carried out using the non-radial DEA called the Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) to identify the efficient years. Then the efficient DMUs are ranked with the SBM model of super-efficiency.     

Consumers’ willingness to pay for green initiatives of the hotel industry

This paper examines hotel guests’ willingness to pay a premium for environmentally friendly and sustainable practices of the U.S. hotel industry. Specifically, the goal of this research is to investigate the relationship between the level of U.S. hotel guests’ environmental concern, measured by the New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP) and their willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for hotels’ “green practices.” This study found that U.S. hotel guests with higher degrees of environmental concerns declare a higher willingness to pay premiums for hotels’ green initiatives. This avowed willingness supports the social identity theory and the means-end theory. In addition, based on the affect-based complementarity proposition, this study also examined the effect of hotel type on WTP in the U.S. hotel industry, and found that luxury and mid-priced hotel guests are more willing to pay premiums for hotels’ green practices than economy hotel guests.