The role of collaborations in the development and implementation of sustainable livestock concepts in The Netherlands

This paper discusses the role of collaborations in the development and implementation of sustainable livestock farming. The study reflects upon the experiences with two innovative pig farming concepts in the Netherlands that aim to address sustainability-related concerns regarding the economic viability, environmental impact and social responsibility of livestock production. The findings show that collaborations can result in smarter and innovative solutions and provide support in the development of more sustainable farming concepts. The study also shows that collaborations do not safeguard the implementing of these concepts in practice. Pioneers are confronted with higher production costs and the complex context of agricultural policies and regulations. These pioneering efforts are, however, the seeds for change, and the key ingredient for a transition towards more sustainable production. We rely upon their innovations, social networks and learning experiences in the transition towards more sustainable production. Therefore, pioneers need to be protected from market influences and regulatory barriers, and supported by intermediaries when developing novelties for a more sustainable agriculture. The findings emphasize the need for more knowledge exchange and understanding between farmers, policy-makers and researchers to navigate towards a more sustainable agriculture in the future.     

Theoretical Perspectives Applied to Inter-Organisational Collaboration on Britain's Inland Waterways

Summary

The increasing need to forge partnerships to accomplish collective and organisational goals in tourism has been theorized at length in recent literature. However, limited research has been published to apply such ideas to existing collaborative forms. Within the context of inland waterway boating holidays in Britain this paper explores the inter-organisational behaviour of a contemporary case, the inland Waterways consortium, an initiative led by the British Tourist Authority. The paper considers the findings of a series of in-depth interviews and survey work with members of the inland Waterways consortium, which is comprised of local authorities, government agencies, and private firms. Theoretical contributions from the literature are used throughout to identify predictive possibilities and advance existing knowledge of the internal dynamics of an inter-organisational collaborative tourism initiative. The first half of the paper compares theoretical perspectives on the origin and development of collaborative action to the genesis and development of the Waterways case. The second half of the paper addresses the inter-organisational dynamics and structure of the inland Waterways consortium with consideration of the future potential of this new collaborative entity. The paper concludes with a set of specific recommendations for the consortium as well as offering general directions for future research.     

Gains from horizontal collaboration among ski areas

Ski areas are known to expand by linking their lifts to neighbouring systems. Based on data from approximately 250 winter sport destinations in Austria, pooled over the years 1998–2014, this study explores the effects of such horizontal collaboration on the number of overnights stays in the area. A difference-in-differences (DID) approach combined with propensity score matching shows that new lift-linkages or expansions lead to a consolidation in the number of overnight stays at a level 12 per cent higher than before the introduction of the lift-link. However, there is a certain degree of heterogeneity in the causal effects. Satellite ski areas, remote villages and those who combine lift-linking with new connecting slopes benefit the most. More recent lift-linkages seem to lead to smaller gains than those established in the early years.     

Bridging the cultural divide: Trust formation in university–industry research collaborations in the US,Japan, and South Korea

Academia and industry increasingly work together, but this is not always an easy endeavor. In this article we investigate how relational mechanisms facilitate trust formation in university–industry research collaborations (UICs) in three countries and contribute to the understanding of international similarities and differences in UICs by considering institutional factors, specifically, the strength and maturity of UICs in each country. Analyzing survey data of 618 recent UICs in the US, Japan, and South Korea, we identify the activities of innovation champions as a critical trust building mechanism between firms and universities that complements initial trust formation through tie strength, partner reputation, and contractual safeguards. We find that partner reputation and champion behavior are more important for trust formation in South Korea than in the US and Japan, indicating that in ‘emerging UIC countries’ where most firms and universities have little collaboration experience, reputation and the leadership by innovation champions are more important for trust formation in UICs than in ‘advanced UIC countries’ with strong and mature UIC networks. From a public policy perspective, our findings suggest that networks between firms and universities should be generally strengthened and collaboration partners should be provided with effective contractual safeguards to enhance trust formation in UICs.     

Why do firms seek to share human resource management knowledge? The importance of inter-firm networks

This study untangles the social processes and inter-firm mechanisms underlying human resource management (HRM) knowledge networks. The research questions serve to advance understanding of why HRM knowledge flows between firms under contractual relationships and in the absence of formal relationships. The study analyzes data from a complete network of 51 high-technology firms located in a science and technology park to report the structural properties and relational dimensions of inter-firm flow of HRM knowledge. The results from this social network analysis show that the firms in the study actively engage in the sharing of HRM knowledge. Specifically, the results not only indicate the preeminence of formal ties but also of relational factors relating to firm legitimacy, prestige, and collaborative interaction. Participation in inter-firm knowledge networks appears to be an effective tool for obtaining HRM knowledge as well as for enhancing legitimacy and prestige between firms and developing trust and reciprocity within collaborative relationships.     

A study on X party material flow: the theory and applications

A thorough study of X party material flow (XPMF), its theory and its applications is conducted in this research. The X material flow concept is an extension of the material flow (MF) theory. To further elucidate that XPMF is one type of MF service model with PMF (party, material, flow) fractal structure and the characteristics of XPMF, we develop the three-pyramid synergetic operational model of XPMF. Through the analysis of several cases, we believe that OIR (Objective relational grade, Information sharing grade, and Resource complementary grade) is the set of order parameters that control and determine the formation of XPMF new structure and its degree of being ordered. Therefore it reveals the mechanism of XPMF formation and evolution. We also provide the principles and the methods for XPMF control.     

Executive GDSS: Behavioral considerations at individual,organizational, and environmental levels of analysis

This article emphasizes the importance of behavioral considerations at individual, organizational, and environmental levels of analysis when researching and evaluating the design, implementation, and use of group decision support systems (GDSS) within complex organizations. Discussion is based on interview and archival data collected on an executive level GDSS used within a corporate setting. Issues that are considered generalizable to organizational computing, coordination, and collaboration technologies concern (a) viewing organization participants as strategic, intuitive information processors, (b) understanding the importance of organizational power, politics, and situational constraints on decision making, and (c) appreciating the symbolic value of advanced information technologies to an organization's external environment.     

Curriculum Development in International Convention and Conference Management at Meio University,Okinawa, Japan

Abstract

Many factors, political, economical, and environmental, are conducive to the introduction of a specialized convention and conference management curriculum in Okinawa, Japan. Recent changes in the Japanese government's industrial policies to expand and reinforce the Okinawa Free Trade Zone by 2005 is one such factor. To handle this increase, Okinawa will require an infrastructure that will support and maintain this expansion, which includes educating the workforce with a sound convention and conference university curriculum in Okinawa. Therefore, this study documents the process and results of a convention and conference management curriculum development endeavor between Meio University in Nago, Okinawa, Japan, and the University of Houston in the United States.     

The Knowledge Café–A Knowledge Management System and Its Application to Hospitality and Tourism

SUMMARY

Knowledge management is identified as a key success factor in most industries today. While data or information can be stored independently from people, knowledge is bound to people who use it for their interactions. The main goal of knowledge management is to improve the usage of knowledge in the enterprise. Knowledge management systems are not only organizational memory information systems. They also contain organizational standard procedures and a certain cultural attitude. A reference framework gives implementation hints mainly influenced by technical possibilities. The knowledge management system reference architecture contains layers of sources, repositories, taxonomy, services, applications and user interfaces. A software tool that largely corresponds to this reference framework is the Knowledge Café. Possible applications of this tool to the area of hospitality and tourism are described in this paper.     

Ecosystem cross‐sector collaboration: conceptualizing an adaptive approach to sustainability governance

This paper explores the theoretical underpinnings of collaboration and ecosystem management in order to identify the relationships and processes involved in implementing ecosystem management programs through cross‐sector collaboration. Ecosystem management requires a highly adaptive and resilient social–ecological governance approach, which addresses spatiality and temporality issues. In order to explore possible implementation issues with ecosystem management, propositions are developed dealing with adaptive governance, institutional isomorphism and collective action. The paper concludes with a discussion of the theoretic underpinnings involved in implementing ecosystem management through cross‐sector collaborations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.