1,233 research outputs found
Faith-Based Tourists’ Emotional Solidarity in an Anticipated Travel Setting
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
Recommended from our members
Comfortable being uncomfortable : the study abroad experiences of Black and Latinx students
Research has found that study abroad experiences positively influence undergraduate baccalaureate degree attainment, career goals, and self-awareness (Gonyea, 2008). However, scholars agree there are still gaps in study abroad literature, specifically pertaining to students of color, alumni, and short-term study abroad programs (Chang, 2015; Miller-Perrin & Thompson, 2014; Norris & Gillepsie, 2009). Guided by Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning, this study aimed to understand Black and Latinx students’ perceptions of the benefits of their study abroad experiences.
This study adds to the current body of literature by employing a phenomenological approach to assess the study abroad experiences of seven undergraduate students and eight alumni, all of whom identified as Black or Latinx, and participated in a short-term study abroad experience sponsored by the Southwest University (SU). Participants described how their experience of “learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable” in a foreign country influenced their personal, social, and professional lives. The study’s findings were presented via five large themes: (1) individual awareness, (2) my friends, family, and community, (3) career development, (4) who you study abroad with matters, and (5) program design. Fifteen subthemes emerged from the larger themes: (1) Awakening American identity, (2) ethnic identity empowerment, (3) self-assurance, (4) family change of perspective, (5) social responsibility, (6) career clarification, (7) career interviews and application navigation, (8) making connections, (9) transferable skills, (10) comfortability, (11) intragroup diversity, (12) faculty/staff support, (13) study abroad preparation, (14) host destination, and (15) experiential learning.Educational Administratio
Individual accessibility and segregation on activity spaces: an agent-based modelling approach
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
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
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
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 empĂricos. O estudo do capĂtulo 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 capĂtulo 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 capĂtulo 4 sugere que as cognições temporais partilhadas funcionam como substituto da liderança temporal na redução do conflito temporal. Para alĂ©m 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 capĂtulo 5 indica que quando a precisĂŁo dos modelos mentais Ă© baixa, quanto mais semelhantes sĂŁo 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 capĂtulo 6 revela que os modelos mentais temporais e de tarefa sĂŁo fundamentais para que os comportamentos de aprendizagem se traduzam num aumento de desempenho ao longo do tempo. A tese contribui para a compreensĂŁo do trabalho em equipa, mais concretamente para a importância dos modelos mentais partilhados e das cognições temporais partilhadas na gestĂŁo de equipas em contextos organizacionai
Resource conceptualization : the role of group dynamics in defining a firm's strategic resources
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
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
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
- …