The disciplinary dilemma of tourism studies

Though tourism is a complex phenomenon crossing many disciplines, researchers tend to approach tourism studies from within the specific boundaries of the main discipline in which they have been trained. Existing tourism theory is thus fragmented and weak. This paper looks at the potential for developing more holistic and integrated theories than currently exist, and for tourism studies evolving into a distinct discipline. The current state of debate in this area is introduced, and several disciplines impacting on tourism studies are examined. Insights are drawn from two distinct philosophy of science perspectives, T.S. Kuhn and R.J. Bernstein. Suggestions are made for advancing the evolution and integration of tourism studies.     

Consumer use of the internet for health information: a survey of primary care patients

An increasing number of patients use the internet to obtain information about health. Although some information is available about how health professionals use the internet, little is known about how patients utilize this information. Some patients may actively seek information to assume more responsibility for their health. However, others may feel obliged to do so because of failing confidence in health care provision. Health professionals have the potential to assist patients to make sense of health information from the internet; however, they may not necessarily welcome this role. This study aims to evaluate patients’ use of such information in a primary care setting. The sample consisted of adult patients (n = 851) from two general practice populations at different levels of the socio‐economic spectrum in South Wales (UK). Patients were surveyed by questionnaire about the health information they use, including the internet. The majority of patients preferred to use their general practitioner as the main source of health information. The internet was jointly the second preferred source for information about an illness (6%). Just over half (51%) of patients in this study had access to the internet, of which about half use it to access health information. Just under a quarter (24%, n = 55) of health internet users had discussed information accessed from the internet during a subsequent consultation with a health professional. Of these, three‐quarters felt more prepared and able to participate in decision‐making about treatments. This study provides a greater understanding of how patients are making use of health‐related information from the internet. These findings can be used to help prepare health care professionals for dealing appropriately with internet‐informed patients.     

Utility of Ethical Frameworks in Determining Behavioral Intention: A Comparison of the U.S. and Russia

Using Reidenbach and Robin‘s ( Journal of Business Ethics 7, 871–879, 1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument, we carried out the first empirical test of Robertson and Crittenden‘s (Strategic Management Journal 24, 385–392, 2003) cross-cultural map of moral philosophies to examine what ethical criteria guide business people in Russia and the U.S. in their intention to behave. Competing divergence and convergence hypotheses were advanced. Our results support a convergence hypothesis, and reveal a common emphasis on relativism. Americans are also influenced by the justice criterion while Russians tend to emphasize utilitarianism. Rafik I. Beekun (Ph.D., the University of Texas at Austin) is Professor of Management and Strategy in the Managerial Sciences Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. His current research focuses on business ethics, national cultures, and the link between management and spirituality. He has published in such journals as the Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Relations, Journal of Management, Journal of Business Ethics and Decision Sciences. Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to him: MGRS 28, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557–0206. James Westerman is an Associate Professor of Management at Appalachian State University. He received his Ph.D. in management from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research interests include person-organization fit, employee ethics, compensation, and selection. Jamal Barghouti (B.Sc., MBA, Ph.D Management) is currently Advisor on Petroleum Affairs, H.H. Ruler’s Court, Dubai. He is also a lecturer at local universities including Dubai University College in human resources management, international business, organizational behavior and business communication. He has about 35 years of experience in the oil industry in the U.S.A., U.K., Russia, and the Middle East.     

Demand for and Assessment of Audit Quality in Private Companies

Financial statement audits are mandated in most countries, thus making it difficult to distinguish between auditing driven by private incentives versus that driven by regulation. Who would ask for an audit, and how would its quality be assessed in the absence of regulation? Many private companies in Canada get their financial statements audited even though the law does not require it. In this field study, we conduct interviews to discover reasons for demanding an audit, and criteria used to assess their quality. Our study reveals that both internal stakeholders (management, boards, and employees) as well as external stakeholders (customers, banks, and private equity firms) request audits. Users evaluate audit quality based on a variety of criteria such as the auditor's accounting expertise, the absence of errors, the fees involved, risk assessments offered, allocation of effort, internal control, and general business advice. Implications for audit regulations are discussed.     

Retail Banking and Customer Behaviour: A Study of Self Concept,Satisfaction and Technology Usage

Prior research has investigated the effects of self-image congruence on satisfaction and brand preference. With the help of empirical research, the paper argues that, while self-image congruence may be related to customer satisfaction in a normal context, it may not necessarily affect satisfaction levels when customers are using technology-based self-services. Furthermore, during encounters involving self-service technologies, customers might experience satisfying or dissatisfying incidents which may not be related to their overall satisfaction and brand preference levels. The paper discusses implications for brand managers in the retail banking sector and suggests future research directions.     

Effects of Illegal Behavior on the Financial Performance of US Banking Institutions

This study investigates whether financial performance is affected by corporate violations of laws and regulations. In a sample of 128 publicly traded banks that were subject to enforcement actions by US regulatory authorities over a 20-year period, we observed a significant negative market reaction pursuant to the violations. However, the market reaction did not vary meaningfully in accordance with the severity or repetitiveness of the violation. The results of this study are in conformity with previous research on industries other than banking, notably with regard to negative market reaction. This confirms that shareholders in the banking industry react in a manner considerably similar to their counterparts in other industries.     

The financial costs of political uncertainty: Evidence from the 2016 US presidential elections

The victory of Mr. Donald Trump came as a surprise to a wide range of market participants. Some of the elements of his economic plan were envisaged to affect all US sectors. This paper assesses the reactions of disaggregated US stock market to the 2016 US presidential election results, and possible deregulation that is to follow after his inauguration. We find that the different US sectors were significantly and varyingly influenced by the election result, and were greatly reactive during the days after the inauguration. This underscores that uncertainty tends to persist and even rises since the President-elect took office.     

Assurance of Learning and Study Abroad: A Case Study

Most academic programs are now held accountable for measuring student‐learning outcomes. This article reports the results of an assurance of learning (AOL) project designed to measure the impact of study abroad on the development of ethical reasoning, intercultural sensitivity, and environmental attitudes. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) AOL guidelines (2007 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. 2007, November 20. AACSB assurance of learning standards: An interpretation (AACSB White Paper), Tampa, FL: AACSB International Accreditation Coordinating Committee and the AACSB International Accreditation Quality Committee. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://aacsb.edu/accreditation/papers/AOLPaper‐final‐11‐20‐07.pdf [Google Scholar], 2008 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. 2008, January 31. Eligibility procedures and accreditation standards for business accreditation, 12, 15, 71, &; 74Tampa, FL: Author. Retrieved March 12, 2009 from http://aacsb.edu/accreditation/process/documents/AACSB_STANDARDS_Revised_Jan08.pdf [Google Scholar]) are used to frame the overall assessment process. Hammer and Bennett's (2002 Hammer, M. R. and Bennett, M. J. 2002. The intercultural development inventory (IDI) manual, Portland, OR: Intercultural Communication Institute.  [Google Scholar]) intercultural development inventory (IDI); Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig, and Jones' (2000 Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig, A. G. and Jones, R. E. 2000. Measuring endorsement of the new ecological paradigm: A revised NEP scale.. Journal of Social Issues, 3: 425–442.  [Google Scholar]) new ecological paradigm; Forsyth's (1980 Forsyth, D. R. 1980. A taxonomy of ethical ideologies.. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39: 175–184. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) ethics position questionnaire (EPQ); and Richins' (1987 Richins, M. L. 1987. “Media, materialism, and human happiness.”. In Advances in consumer research, Edited by: Wallendorf, M and Anderson, P. 352–56. Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research.  [Google Scholar]) materialism scale are the primary measurement rubrics used in the study. Results support the proposition that study abroad does have a positive impact on the development of cross‐cultural sensitivity and environmental attitudes. Although study abroad appears to have no direct impact on moral reasoning, changes in ethical reasoning do appear to be related to intercultural development and environmental attitudes. The AOL project demonstrates how assurance of learning programs can be extended to include experiential learning outcomes and can serve as a guide for the furthering of the globalization of a business curriculum.     

Learning outcomes in affective domain within contemporary architectural curricula

Contemporary architectural education has shifted from the traditional focus on providing students with specific knowledge and skill sets or ‘inputs’ to outcome based, student-centred educational approach. Within the outcome based model, students’ performance is assessed against measureable objectives that relate acquired knowledge and skills to performance expectations in higher level courses or real world architectural practice. Bloom’s taxonomy has been widely accepted as a useful tool for defining learning outcomes. It references three domains that impinge on the learning process including the ‘cognitive,’ ‘affective’ and ‘psychomotor.’ In practice, most of the attention is paid to the cognitive domain. Considering the interdisciplinary and multivalent character of architecture (as discipline), curriculum design cannot be founded primarily on cognitive-based outcomes. This paper argues that affective domain, especially in the field of building learners’ personalized value systems, is essential to designing outcome based architectural programs. Interactive studio-based education provides a platform to integrate cognitive and behavioural skills that are necessary for professional practice.