1,233 research outputs found

    Faith-Based Tourists’ Emotional Solidarity in an Anticipated Travel Setting

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    Tourists often travel in anticipation of affective bonds or emotional solidarity that comes from their relationships with other tourists. Studies on pilgrimage tourists (Kaell, 2014), heritage tourists (Caton & Santos, 2007), or volunteer tourists (Zahra & McIntosh, 2007) have commented on the influential role that emotional solidarity plays in shaping tourists’ expectations and experiences. Nevertheless, the studies to date have mostly relied on qualitative research methods in examining the topic, leaving limited possibility for explaining what makes tourists anticipate emotional solidarity with other tourists or how the resulting emotional solidarity guides their behavior. To address this literature gap, this study undertook mixed methods research of potential faith-based tourists in the United States by using the emotional solidarity theory (Durkheim, 1912/1995) and the interaction ritual theory (Collins, 1990; 1993) as the guiding theories. It was considered that the two theories were in a complementary relationship where the emotional solidarity theory specified the predictors (i.e. shared beliefs, shared behavior, and propensity to interact) of emotional solidarity while the interaction ritual theory supported the relationship between emotional solidarity and travel intention. The mixed methods research included three phases: a) content analysis of archival data to develop preliminary scales for the predictors of emotional solidarity, b) exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of pilot survey data (N = 124) to purify the preliminary scales, and c) structural equation modelling (SEM) of main survey data (N = 439) to test the psychometric properties of the purified scales and the hypothesized relationships between the constructs. Unlike other studies on tourists’ or residents’ emotional solidarity, this study posited two different types of shared beliefs and shared behavior: one specific to faith-based tourists’ iii anticipated trip and the other addressing their religion. Consequentially, scales were developed for five constructs (i.e., shared beliefs regarding the trip, shared beliefs regarding religion, shared behavior regarding the trip, shared beliefs regarding religion, and propensity to interact) that predict emotional solidarity. The scales were then proven sound in their validity and reliability in measuring their respective constructs. Structural models showed that potential faith-based tourists’ shared beliefs regarding the trip (b = 0.232), shared behavior regarding the trip (b = 0.211), and propensity to interact (b = 0.418) with other faith-based tourists positively influenced the formers’ emotional solidarity with the latter (R2 = 0.778). This in turn increased the former’s travel intention to the destination (R2 = 0.387). However, shared beliefs regarding religion and shared behavior regarding religion were not effective in predicting emotional solidarity. Furthermore, emotional solidarity fully mediated the influence of shared beliefs regarding the trip, shared behavior regarding the trip, and propensity to interact on emotional solidarity. Theoretically, the findings of this study can extend the scope of the emotional solidarity theory to include tourists’ intergroup relationship and anticipated travel settings. More importantly, they support a positive association between tourists’ social emotion and their economic behavior. In a practical sense, the findings of this study can help market diverse forms of tourism (e.g., nature tourism, fair-trade tourism, or sport tourism) where emotional solidarity among tourists makes up a significant part of their experiences. Some limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are also discussed in the final chapter

    Individual accessibility and segregation on activity spaces: an agent-based modelling approach

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    One of the main challenges of cities is the increasing social inequality imposed by the way population groups, jobs, amenities and services, as well as the transportation infrastructure, are distributed across urban space. In this thesis, the concepts of accessibility and segregation are used to study these inequalities. They can be defined as the interaction of individuals with urban opportunities and with individuals from other population groups, respectively. Interactions are made possible by people’s activities and movement within a city, which characterise accessibility and segregation as inherently dynamic and individual-based concepts. Nevertheless, they are largely studied from a static and place-based perspective. This thesis proposes an analytical and exploratory framework for studying individual-based accessibility and segregation in cities using individuals’ travel trajectories in space and time. An agent-based simulation model was developed to generate individual trajectories dynamically, employing standard datasets such as census and OD matrices and allowing for multiple perspectives of analysis by grouping individuals based on their attributes. The model’s ability to simulate people’s trajectories realistically was validated through systematic sensitivity tests and statistical comparison with real-world trajectories from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and travel times from London, UK. The approach was applied to two exploratory studies: São Paulo, Brazil, and London, UK. The first revealed inequalities in accessibility by income, education and gender and also unveiled within-group differences beyond place-based patterns. The latter explored ethnic segregation, unveiling patterns of potential interaction among ethnic groups in the urban space beyond their residential and workplace locations. Those studies demonstrated how inequality in accessibility and segregation can be studied both at large metropolitan scales and at fine level of detail, using standard datasets, with modest computational requirements and ease of operationalisation. The proposed approach opens up avenues for the study of complex dynamics of interaction of urban populations in a variety of urban contexts

    Individual accessibility and segregation on activity spaces: an agent-based modelling approach

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    One of the main challenges of cities is the increasing social inequality imposed by the way population groups, jobs, amenities and services, as well as the transportation infrastructure, are distributed across urban space. In this thesis, the concepts of accessibility and segregation are used to study these inequalities. They can be defined as the interaction of individuals with urban opportunities and with individuals from other population groups, respectively. Interactions are made possible by people’s activities and movement within a city, which characterise accessibility and segregation as inherently dynamic and individual-based concepts. Nevertheless, they are largely studied from a static and place-based perspective. This thesis proposes an analytical and exploratory framework for studying individual-based accessibility and segregation in cities using individuals’ travel trajectories in space and time. An agent-based simulation model was developed to generate individual trajectories dynamically, employing standard datasets such as census and OD matrices and allowing for multiple perspectives of analysis by grouping individuals based on their attributes. The model’s ability to simulate people’s trajectories realistically was validated through systematic sensitivity tests and statistical comparison with real-world trajectories from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and travel times from London, UK. The approach was applied to two exploratory studies: São Paulo, Brazil, and London, UK. The first revealed inequalities in accessibility by income, education and gender and also unveiled within-group differences beyond place-based patterns. The latter explored ethnic segregation, unveiling patterns of potential interaction among ethnic groups in the urban space beyond their residential and workplace locations. Those studies demonstrated how inequality in accessibility and segregation can be studied both at large metropolitan scales and at fine level of detail, using standard datasets, with modest computational requirements and ease of operationalisation. The proposed approach opens up avenues for the study of complex dynamics of interaction of urban populations in a variety of urban contexts

    Why Trust Matters in Top Management Teams: Keeping Conflict Constructive

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    People who study conflict in decision making groups divide group conflict into that based on issue-focused controversy and conflict arising from personal tensions or grudges. While issue-based controversy is typically constructive in decision making, personal tensions and grudges are invariably dangerous. The two types of conflict, though, usually occur simultaneously, and this linkage creates a problem when considering how to manage conflict in groups. Clearly, the ideal situation would be to encourage and channel constructive conflict while discouraging the destructive type. The conundrum is how to do so, and, indeed, whether that is even possible. Drawing on a sample of top management teams in 70 hotel companies, this study explores the interrelationship of issue-focused conflict and personal conflict, with an eye to limiting personal conflict without diminishing the open discussion that characterizes personal conflict. The results suggest that within-group trust is the moderating factor that allows teams to gain the benefits of issue-focused conflict without suffering the costs of personal conflict. Moreover, executives\u27 tactical choices during debate seem also to make a big difference. Thus, we recommend trust-development and training in constructive debate practices to enhance executive teams\u27 effectiveness

    Shared mental models and shared temporal cognitions: contributions to team processes and team effectiveness

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    JEL Classification System: D23 Organizational Behavior; O15 Human Resources, Human DevelopmentThe main goal of the thesis is to analyze the effects of shared mental models and shared temporal cognitions on team processes and effectiveness over time. The thesis includes five empirical studies. The findings of the study reported in chapter 2 suggest that relationship conflict mediates the relationship between team mental model similarity at the beginning of the team lifecycle and team effectiveness. Chapter 3 describes a study that reveals that team creativity positively mediates the relationship between shared mental models and team effectiveness; and that intragroup conflict and creativity sequentially mediate the relationship between shared mental models and team effectiveness. Chapter 4 describes a study that suggests that shared temporal cognitions function as a substitute of temporal leadership in reducing temporal conflict. Further, this study provides evidence for the mediating role of temporal conflict between temporal leadership and team performance, and between shared temporal cognitions and team performance. The findings of the study reported in chapter 5 indicate that when accuracy is low, the more similar team members’ temporal mental models are, the less they engage in learning behaviors; and that team adaptation mediates the relationship between team learning and performance. Finally, the findings of the study reported in chapter 6 show that temporal and task mental models are crucial for the translation of team learning behaviors into performance improvement. The thesis contributes to the understanding of teamwork, in particular to the important role of shared mental models and shared temporal cognitions for managing teams in organizational contexts.A presente tese pretende analisar o efeito dos modelos mentais partilhados e das cognições temporais partilhadas nos processos de equipa e na eficácia ao longo do tempo. A tese inclui cinco estudos empíricos. O estudo do capítulo 2 sugere que o conflito relacional medeia a relação entre a semelhança dos modelos mentais de equipa e a eficácia da equipa. O estudo do capítulo 3 sugere que a criatividade da equipa medeia a relação entre modelos mentais partilhados e eficácia; e o conflito intragrupal e a criatividade medeiam sequencialmente a relação entre modelos mentais partilhados e eficácia. O estudo do capítulo 4 sugere que as cognições temporais partilhadas funcionam como substituto da liderança temporal na redução do conflito temporal. Para além disso, o conflito temporal medeia a relação entre liderança temporal e desempenho, bem como a relação entre cognições temporais partilhadas e desempenho. O estudo do capítulo 5 indica que quando a precisão dos modelos mentais é baixa, quanto mais semelhantes são os modelos mentais temporais, menos a equipa se envolve em comportamentos de aprendizagem; e a adaptação da equipa medeia a relação entre aprendizagem e desempenho. O estudo do capítulo 6 revela que os modelos mentais temporais e de tarefa são fundamentais para que os comportamentos de aprendizagem se traduzam num aumento de desempenho ao longo do tempo. A tese contribui para a compreensão do trabalho em equipa, mais concretamente para a importância dos modelos mentais partilhados e das cognições temporais partilhadas na gestão de equipas em contextos organizacionai

    Resource conceptualization : the role of group dynamics in defining a firm's strategic resources

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    This study extends the Dynamic Resource-based view, which suggests managerial processes as a source of resource heterogeneity between firms, to analyze the role that group dynamic processes may have in the identification of strategic resources. The paper contends that resource heterogeneity is not only determined by substantive characteristics of a management team, but also by the very process of the group decision process. Two different groups’ resource conceptualization processes were analyzed in search for the relationship between resource conceptualization process and the conceptualized set of resources. Contrasting group processes indicated differences in various group dynamic variables; deliberateness, cognitive overload, and cognitive and affective conflicts during the process of identifying strategic resources. The distinct group dynamics, in turn, determined diverse levels of understanding of the contribution of strategic resources to firm performance

    Exploring the Cognitive Nature of Boards of Directors and Its Implication for Board Effectiveness

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    In this paper we propose a theoretical framework that emphasizes the development of a shared mental model (SMM) of a board of directors and its impact on board effectiveness and suggest that the accuracy and scope of the SMM in a board will moderate the relationship between a board’s SMM and board effectiveness. Also, we examine the impact of task and relationship conflict on the development of a SMM. Finally, we examine three board attributes (board size, CEO duality, and the proportion of outside directors on a board) as antecedents to the development of conflict among board members.Boards of directors, corporate governance, shared mental models

    Generation Z and Attending Traditional Spectator Sports: A Study of Contemporary Sport Consumer Behaviour

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    Understanding consumer behaviour and attracting new generations of consumers are important aspects of operating a successful sport organization (Teed et al., 2008). However, limited academic attention has been given to the most recently emergent generation: Generation Z (Gen Z). Moreover, it has been shown that the interest level in traditional spectator sports is waning amongst younger consumers (Richelieu & Pons, 2005; 2009) and, most recently, Gen Z (Kuchefski, 2018; Whistle, 2018). The purpose of this research was therefore to better understand the sport consumption behaviours of this Gen Z by examining both the motivators and inhibitors to their nominal spectator sport consumption. Participants (n=17) were recruited physically in Hamilton, Ontario and virtually through social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Using a semi-structured format, a total of three synchronous online focus group interviews were conducted with individuals from Gen Z. It was clear from a thorough analysis of the data that participants viewed the consumption of traditional spectator sports analogously with attending live games. Thus, the data, its themes, and its implications were inherently linked to attending traditional spectator sports. Although there were important intragroup differences found, several important motivators and inhibitors were present. Socialization, status, and experimental behaviours all presented as significant motives for Gen Z to attend traditional spectator sports. Alternatively, issues with affordability and a shared unrest proved to be important inhibitors to nominal spectator sport consumption. Directions for future research and recommendations are presented and discussed

    The role of external board members in high tech start-ups : a resource dependency and board capital perspective

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