The Pragmatics of Leisure Revisited

Henderson's notion of the pragmatics of leisure research is revisited in order to comment about the discipline's paradigmatic assumptions. First, the notion of an interpretive paradigm is called into question. I suggest that we should move away from talking about alternative ways of knowing to alternative ways describing phenomena under certain agreed upon standards. Then, I present a number of critical remarks on Henderson's reflection, argue for a more thoroughgoing pragmatism, as well as an orientation to leisure research that moves from traditional epistemological and ontological assumptions to cultural politics.     

Research in the field of hospitality

In this paper a model of hospitality is introduced. In this model the three elements of the hospitality offer Product, Behaviour and Environment are linked with the elements of guest satisfaction (Needs and Objectives). The model can be used for, instance, as an organizer for curriculum development of hotel and catering schools. The hospitality industry itself can apply this model in finding solutions to their problems concerning product strategies.Some further research activities showed that the model can be used for qualitative research methods. It seems possible to make the model testable in the sense that a quantitative approach could be successful.     

Ways of Experiencing Leisure

This study used phenomenography to describe different experiences of leisure meanings and to interpret experiences in terms of the complexity in understanding. Four multi-dimensional experiences differing in their phenomenal, contextual, and temporal relations were described. Leisure as achieving fulfillment was judged the most complex understanding, followed by escaping pressure, exercising choice and passing time. More complex understandings resulted in fewer distinctions between leisure and other phenomena, higher levels of contextual diversity and inclusivity in meanings, and greater flexibility in temporal awareness of leisure. Results suggest meanings can be operationalized as a continuum of experiences that display a progression in understanding.     

Converging Services Marketing and Tourism Approaches in Satisfaction and Service Quality Research

ABSTRACT

This paper attempts to converge the utilitarian or provider-based concept of service quality and the experiential or customer-based concept of satisfaction. It presents two empirical projects which examined visitor's service quality and satisfaction judgements by alternative methodological approaches. The first is a quantitative study of visitor's assessment of historic houses, illustrating that quality and satisfaction concepts can be successfully combined into a model of the means-end chain type. The second is a qualitative study of visitor's narrative assessment of successive service experiences, highlighting the various functions of service quality aspects during the entire holiday stay. Finally, the authors argue that these kinds of approaches may contribute to the academic debate on satisfaction and service quality constructs, and will equally open up new opportunities for service and destination marketers in tourism.     

Measurement and Management Issues in Customer Satisfaction Research: Review,Critique and Research Agenda: Part Two

Abstract

A two-part article was designed to review the main areas of agreement and disagreement in the debate over customer satisfaction and its measurement. The preceding article presented a synthesis of views in regard to the definition of customer satisfaction; the similarity, difference, and causality between customer satisfaction and service quality; and the use of the Expectancy-Disconfirmation Paradigm in the measurement of customer satisfaction. This second article undertakes a critical review of the debates relating to the reliability and validity of the Performance alone and the Weighted Importance-Performance models in assessing customer satisfaction. Further discussions pertaining to culture-satisfaction relationship, who should determine satisfaction (the researcher or the customer) and whether the measurement of customer satisfaction is an end in itself are presented. Finally, possible barriers that exist in the way of developing and implementing effective satisfaction improvement programmes are reviewed, and suggestions for future research are provided.     

关于旅游与休闲研究方法的思考

本文就旅游与休闲研究方面的问题谈几点认识。包括如下4个方面的思考：①研究方法在休闲探索中的涵义；②唯一可行的方法；③休闲探索的切入点；④休闲探索给我们带来些什么。     

国内外休闲研究扫描--兼谈建立我国休闲学科体系的设想

本文全面地介绍了国内外休闲研究的发展背景、演变历程、研究现状、相关机构和代表文献，提供了一个把握休闲研究脉络和体系的图景，并就建立适合我国国情的休闲学科研究体系提出了设想。     

Netherlands Research Institute for Tourism and Leisure

The Netherlands Research Institute for Tourism and Leisure (NRIT) has existed since 1970 to deal with all aspects of leisure activities—mainly through the execution of research on behalf of the Netherlands government, and industry. A working programme is drawn up every year in consultation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Advisory studies are also undertaken—not only for Dutch organizations but also for those of other countries.     

Leisure and Active Lifestyles: Research Reflections

Leisure researchers have been studying active living for many years. The research, however, has focused more on individual factors than social and environmental determinants that enable physical activity and health. The focus of the introduction to this special issue on “leisure and active lifestyles” is to highlight leisure literature that can be directly tied to active living. These dimensions include outdoor recreation, community recreation areas and facilities, time usage, barriers and constraints, and social interdependence. We provide an overview of the significance of the papers in this special issue and offer some reflections regarding future research related to active living, physical activity, health, and leisure. We underline the value of the holistic approach evident in leisure research and call for broader methods and more collaborative transdisciplinary research.     

英文休闲学研究主题与领域分析

本文对休闲学研究领域三份核心英文期刊2001-2005年所有研究文章的关键词进行频率统计并加以分类.结果显示,近年来休闲学的研究领域主要由"休闲与社会"、"休闲学科构建"、"休闲与个体/群体特征的关系"、"休闲类型"和"个人/群体休闲态度及行为分析"、"休闲与生活方式/生活质量关系"6个方面构成.在每个研究领域内,作者就其所包含的关键词及其意义逐一进行分析总结,并在文章最后探讨了近年来休闲学研究的几个重要特点.     

The Potential of Interdisciplinarity for Leisure Research

Abstract

Knowledge about preferences for campsite attributes is needed so that management strategies can be guided by users’ preferences for settings and experiences. However, results of campsite choice studies have shown great variability across settings. Reexamination of this research shows a hierarchical typology of attributes: most important are necessity attributes, which supply basic camping needs, followed by experience attributes, which enhance preferred experience outcomes, and finally amenity attributes, which are relatively minor but can improve site quality. A survey of Whitewater boaters confirmed the predicted order of attribute importance and generally supported the proposed definitions of attribute types. A tentative model of campsite choice is offered in which sites are evaluated first for their ability to provide necessity attributes, then experience attributes, and finally, if more than one potential site remains, amenity attributes. Constraints may cut the evaluation process short anytime after the initial (necessity attribute) stage.     

城市休闲与休闲城市

随着休闲概念的普及与发展,城市休闲与休闲城市建设成为城市发展的一个前沿课题.本文在研究城市休闲影响因素和城市休闲体系构建的基础上,对建设休闲城市进行了初步探索.     

休闲语境中社会资本研究进展与评析

在休闲语境中,社会资本研究已渐成为一个学术热点。研究首先回顾了早期的休闲与社会资本研究,主要对普特南关于休闲、自愿性组织与社会资本的经典研究进行评述的基础上,重点阐述了海明威的休闲、社会资本与公民民主之间的关系研究,并提出了未来休闲社会资本研究的三个路径。在此基础上,从休闲语境中的社会资本与公民民主研究、休闲语境中的社会资本的使用及其负面效应研究和休闲在社会资本生成与使用中的角色三个方面评析了十余年来国外休闲社会资本研究进展。最后提出了国外休闲社会资本研究对中国研究的借鉴与启示。     

德语国家休闲与旅游地理研究的回顾与进展

德语国家的旅游地理学研究发端于汉斯·波塞尔(Hans Poser)1939年对利森山区(Riesengebirge)旅游景区的分析研究.他将景观看作旅游的背景,认为地理学研究旅游要从分析景观和度假之间的关系入手.二战后形成的以休闲行为研究为主的慕尼黑学派,更重视游客及其休闲行为.目前的旅游地理学研究主要以应用为主,如可持续旅游发展、空间承载力以及社会变迁对旅游供求市场的影响等.另一个趋势是地理多元空间(如物理空间、行为空间、虚拟空间等)对休闲和旅游的影响研究.另外,休闲旅游发展的整体性研究方法又重新复活.     

Individual and Institutional Concentration of Leisure Research in North America

The purpose of this article is to identify key characteristics of the community of leisure scholars in North America and to use patterns derived from data about publication activity as a platform for discussing the nature and implications of concentration in leisure research at the individual and institutional levels. The study uses cluster analysis to detect patterns of research and publication activity among 1785 people who were associated with leisure research in North America in the 1990s, concentrating on the slightly smaller number of people (1631) whose names were listed as authors on at least one publication in all editions of 6 research journals and 14 conference proceedings from 1990 to 1999 inclusive. The results demonstrate that leisure research in North America is concentrated at both the individual scholar and institutional levels. For example, at the individual level, less than one-fifth of authors accounted for more than two-thirds of journal articles and conference papers. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to issues such as the critical mass of scholars and problems of disciplinary isolation detected by previous researchers.