Sustainability-oriented Service Innovation: fourteen-year longitudinal case study of a tourist accommodation provider

Abstract

Progressing sustainable tourism requires both an innovative transition from “unsustainable” tourism and innovative research methods to develop theory and concepts for a sustainable tourism. While there are many ad hoc examples of initiatives, there are very few examples of firms systematically recording their medium-term evolutionary progress. This case study of an accommodation provider uses longitudinal data over 14 years, deductive and inductive methods, and comparison with other similar eco-friendly providers, to provide the first exploration of sustainability-oriented innovation by a firm attempting to make transitions. Findings show how important hindsight and insight are for continuous learning, and how broader community sustainability issues influence the owners’ worldviews. Both learning and changing views are required to support innovation. A Sustainability-oriented Service Innovation model is recommended, recognising the characteristics of a service industry where innovation can be an organic process led by humans for humans and consequently more fuzzy in its progress than the clearly defined steps that are suggested by previous research. This model seeks to assist researchers and practitioners to better measure innovative progress of service firms, and develop more relevant strategies to ease transitions towards sustainable business practices.     

The packaging industry is not carried away by public opinion

The size and composition of our bin has changed over the years, as a result of the evolution of our way of living and our consumption habits. The wider range of goods now offered to consumers has resulted in significant augmentation of waste discarded in the form of packaging. The latter is estimated to represent about 30% by weight of total domestic waste. More than ever concerned about environmental issues, the public, alarmed by the media, has shown a strong interest in the problem of waste and waste management. Packaging is now felt as excessive, wasteful and bad for the environment, in particular plastic packaging since plastics are not as easily recycled as other materials. This paper, which includes the results of a consumer survey, brings to light the attitude and misconception of European consumers towards packaging and packaging materials and gives another insight into the problem.     

新飞机的大问题

空客公司经过无数次调研之后,总算正式推出了A380这个全球最大的飞机。尽管当时有部分客户提出需要得到全货机型号,但是在一开始设计时,空客公司并没有过多考虑货机的改型问题。空客已经表示货机型号依然有潜力,只是该型飞机实际上机腹运力相对小,对货运而言并非最佳。该型飞机投入运营后已经＂迫使＂部分货运公司增加了全货机服务和变更了航班时刻。     

人道主义救援：如何化难为简

航空货运业在救灾方面所扮演的,角色一直备受称道,设想一下,向面带菜色的灾民发放救济品可是功德无量的事情。Maximus公司的CEO FathiBuhazza曾这样表示：“我们都是尽可能达到目的地,这事关生死。”物流企业Agility公司负责人道救援项目的经理Frank Clary表示：“我们有两个层次的客户,一面是救援组织,另一面则是接受救援的人员。     

Interact with me on my terms: a four segment Facebook engagement framework for marketers

Abstract

Facebook is used by over 1 billion highly heterogeneous users each month. However, there exists little guidance for marketers when it comes to actionable consumer engagement strategies for this social media platform. The purpose of this article is to profile key segments of Facebook users and build an implementable marketing strategy framework that can help marketers better target their Facebook consumers, and better craft their marketing mix and Facebook campaigns. Based on focus group interviews and a qualitative survey, four distinct types of Facebook users are identified and profiled: attention seekers, devotees, connection seekers and entertainment chasers. Correspondingly, a four-segment marketing strategy framework is proposed to guide content creation and engage consumers in thriving Facebook brand communities.     

Does Taste Beat Food Safety? Evidence From the “Pêra Rocha” Case in Portugal

Nowadays, fresh fruits such as pears are differentiated by cultivars, origins, and appearances, as well as by companies' production and processing methods. We may now observe many denominations of origin, retailers,' and private labels in order to signal the differentiation to the consumers, who are often willing to pay large price premiums for products with specific attributes. In this article, we used an experimental auction to assess how information on quality attributes affects consumers' willingness to pay for different types of pears. The main results show that information on the products' characteristics related to food safety instantly influences consumers' willingness to pay. However, it appears that in the end, sensory intrinsic attributes related to taste beat the guarantee of food safety in driving the buying behaviour.