Tourism as a mixed industry: Differences between private, public and not-for-profit festivals

This paper discusses important policy and management implications of tourism as a mixed industry in which public, not-for-profit, and private organisations such as festivals both compete and collaborate in creating the tourist product. To illustrate, four samples of festivals from the UK, Australia, Norway and Sweden are systematically compared in terms of their ownership, governance, structure, and content. Although the festivals offered a similar product and had similar mandates, they differed considerably in terms of revenue sources, cost structure, use of volunteers, corporate sponsorship, and decision-making. These differences are potentially important to destinations that view festivals as attractions and use them in place marketing. Implications are drawn for festival management and tourism policy, and recommendations are made for extending this line of inquiry to the tourism industry as a whole.     

Gender and economic performance: Evidence from the Spanish hotel industry

Recent research suggests that the stereotype of underperformance attributed to female management may not be the result so much of poorer management skills as to using unsuitable comparative performance measures, as well as not taking into account structural characteristics that may be detrimental to the financial performance of companies managed by women. Gender differences with regards to conditions and business goals can result in female underperformance when performance measures relate to firm size, such as total sales, assets, or profits. When appropriate measures of relative performance are used, women and men are likely to prove equally effective business managers. Using longitudinal panel data on a large sample of Spanish hotel firms, there are few differences found when growth and profitability are compared by gender within a bivariate framework. What's more, when a regression model designed to control other performance determining factors is estimated, the results show better management by women than by men. As such, the research provides evidence that stereotypes of women as poor performers must be abolished, and the glass ceiling preventing entry of women into management positions shattered.     

A gravity model of foreign direct investment in the hospitality industry

This paper investigates the determinants of FDI activity in the hospitality industry using a gravity model. It draws on a new and unique database of 2420 FDI projects carried out by 50 parent countries in 104 host countries from 2005 to 2011. Results show that the number of hotel FDI projects is significantly and positively related to the market size and the existence of a common language while increases in the level of business regulations, tax rates or minimum wages have the opposite effect. Geographical distance and socioeconomic factors are not relevant. Comparing the number of predicted FDI projects with those actually carried out, we find that the United Kingdom, India, and Mexico are particularly successful in attracting hotel FDI projects, whereas Russia, Germany, and the United States host much fewer.     

Present whilst absent: Home and the business tourist gaze

This paper reflects on business travel as a contemporary form of mobility and how it relates to family life. Through qualitative research with business travellers, insights are gained into the role digital technology plays in enabling connections to home and family. The paper argues that technology affords a ‘business tourist gaze’, characterised by a focus on ‘home’ rather than ‘away’ as might be the case for leisure tourists. The paper discusses how, through the business tourist gaze, the boundaries between the everyday and the exotic are dissolved and the business traveller is disconnected from the destination, simultaneously absent whilst present both at the destination and at home. Theoretical understandings of the business tourist experience are offered.     

Business engagement in a civil society: Transitioning towards a dementia-friendly visitor economy

Dementia is a growing global health condition primarily, though not exclusively, associated with ageing populations. This paper examines dementia awareness and the perspectives of businesses and organisations in the visitor economy, given that people with the early stages of dementia remain consumers of leisure and tourism experiences. It adopts the concept of the civil society where people are treated in a fair and equitable manner irrespective of their abilities and state of health to promote equality of opportunity. As an exploratory study, it evaluates the awareness, perception and experience of businesses in developing a dementia-friendly visitor economy. It focuses on dementia as a ‘hidden condition’ with a focus on the attractions sector to develop a greater understanding of how to embrace dementia as part of a civil society. The research highlights the implications for the wider visitor economy with dementia set to grow globally in scale and significance.     

Mediation effect of TQM technical factors in excellence management systems

This study seeks to examine the relationship between TQM social and technical factors and their effects on organizational results, and takes the EFQM model as a reference. Moreover, through structural equation modeling (Partial Least Squares), the study hypothesizes and tests a mediation model between social factors, technical factors and overall results. The study uses a sample of 116 Spanish firms undergoing complete assessment processes according to RADAR logic. The results show that: (1) an open, flexible and continuous improvement oriented culture, a committed and involved leadership, and efficient management of human resources (TQM social factors) exert a direct and significant impact on the effectiveness of the quality system deployed (TQM technical factors) and on the results; (2) the management and improvement of processes, the alliances with suppliers and other partners, and the management of resources (TQM technical factors) also directly influence results; moreover, (3) this variable partially mediates the effect of social TQM practices on organizational results.     

Happiness over the financial crisis

This paper adds to the literature on the macroeconomic driving forces of happiness. Using data for 106 countries over the financial crisis (2006–2013), we estimate a dynamic panel data model. We find that there is a strong relation between income and happiness. Further, individuals have a stronger aversion against unemployment than against inflation. We perform various robustness checks including cultural differences and additional driving forces such as gender inequality and macroeconomic policies. Finally, we identify happiness shocks using the performance of ones’ country at the FIFA World Cups. We show that movements in happiness can generate business cycles. Interestingly, happiness shocks increase income on impact but decrease it after 1 year.     

Discovering an accountant's tax accrual workpapers: Should auditors join the priveleged few?

This article explores the legal controversy over the limits of the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) power to summons documents in an investigation of corporate income tax liability. The controversy focuses upon IRS access to an independent auditor's tax accrual workpapers. Required by federal securities laws, these workpapers record the accountant's predictions of the likelihood of successful IRS challenges to aggressive corporate tax positions. Routine IRS access to the tax accrual workpapers would stifle management's candid disclosure of questionable tax positions to the auditors. This article defines the limits of an auditor's work-product privilege premised on the social need for full disclosure of a company's contingent tax liabilities to assure the setting aside of adequate reserves to cover those contingencies. While the privilege should serve to protect those investing in American businesses, its primary purpose is to maintain a public trust in the integrity of certified financial statements.     

Toward a gatekeeping perspective of insider–outsider relationship development in China

The aim of this study is to explore how relational gatekeepers facilitate the development of relationships between out-group members and in-group members in an intercultural business environment, and to bring to the surface the inter-cultural and inter-networked nuances of guanxi. Based on interviews with managers from China and New Zealand, the workings of Chinese–Western business relationships and the roles of relational gatekeepers are explored. Empirical findings reveal three key gatekeeping roles, namely reciprocal, adaptive and symbolic, used for enabling the development of intercultural business relationships. We offer a structural hole explanation of intercultural gatekeeping in a seemingly contradictory and irreconcilable inter-networked environment. Our study also provides strategic implications of intercultural gatekeeping for foreign outsiders and recommends practical approaches for reaching the decision makers and resource integrators in jealously protected local business networks.     

Dynamics of Firm Profitability and Growth: Do Knowledge-Intensive (Business) Services Persistently Outperform?

This paper explores the persistence of profitability and growth for firms operating in the Greek service sector, paying special attention to knowledge-intensive services (KIS) and knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS). The generalized method of moments is used on a rich panel of firms over a recent nine-year period. Quantile regressions are complementarily applied for KIS and KIBS industries. The key results from both growth and profit dynamics suggest that firms in KIS and KIBS industries persistently outperform firms in less knowledge-intensive service industries, pointing to strategic advantages of the former. Importantly, KIS and KIBS seem to be able to sustain their growth and profitability persistent trends even in times of crisis. Further insight into these issues is provided by the quantile analysis, the exploration of the profitability and growth inter-linkages, and the investigation of differences among various size groups in KIS and KIBS.