Le concept de cluster est-il soluble dans le tourisme ?

Dans les approches scientifiques, le concept de cluster (grappe) met en évidence, d’une part, le rôle des proximités organisationnelles, construites à partir des proximités spatiales dans la dynamique de compétitivité des destinations touristiques. D’autre part, des clusters tourisme se développent partout dans le monde. Or, le concept de cluster, tel que proposé par Porter (1998), émane de l’économie industrielle.L’enjeu de cet article consiste donc à montrer que le simple transfert d’un outil scientifique élaboré dans le contexte industriel au management des destinations touristiques pose problème. Il doit être enrichi pour comprendre les dynamiques de développement touristique local et acquérir plus d’efficacité opérationnelle. Trois axes de réflexion théorique, mais inspirés par des études de cas rencontrées dans différents travaux de recherche, sont proposés pour interroger les analyses des clusters tourisme. Il convient en effet de prendre en compte trois dimensions spécifiques qui seront abordées à partir du processus de coproduction inhérent à l’activité touristique, des dynamiques de proximités singulières dans ce champ du tourisme et des caractéristiques de l’encastrement des activités touristiques dans le territoire. Enfin, les auteurs proposent un modèle de cluster plus adapté aux destinations touristiques

Les clusters tourisme : quels enjeux pour les systèmes d’information ? Une analyse exploratoire

National audienc

Le concept de cluster est-il soluble dans le tourisme ?

Dans les approches scientifiques, le concept de cluster (grappe) met en évidence, d’une part, le rôle des proximités organisationnelles, construites à partir des proximités spatiales dans la dynamique de compétitivité des destinations touristiques. D’autre part, des clusters tourisme se développent partout dans le monde. Or, le concept de cluster, tel que proposé par Porter (1998), émane de l’économie industrielle.L’enjeu de cet article consiste donc à montrer que le simple transfert d’un outil scientifique élaboré dans le contexte industriel au management des destinations touristiques pose problème. Il doit être enrichi pour comprendre les dynamiques de développement touristique local et acquérir plus d’efficacité opérationnelle. Trois axes de réflexion théorique, mais inspirés par des études de cas rencontrées dans différents travaux de recherche, sont proposés pour interroger les analyses des clusters tourisme. Il convient en effet de prendre en compte trois dimensions spécifiques qui seront abordées à partir du processus de coproduction inhérent à l’activité touristique, des dynamiques de proximités singulières dans ce champ du tourisme et des caractéristiques de l’encastrement des activités touristiques dans le territoire. Enfin, les auteurs proposent un modèle de cluster plus adapté aux destinations touristiques

The assessment of the relationship between information technology (IT) and airport performance

The evolution of the airport business is demonstrated by airports that are adopting new business strategies and commercial models, which allow them to be, for example, service providers instead of real-estate managers, with the focus on cost reduction and increasing non-aeronautical (commercial) revenues. Information technology (IT) can be used by airports to achieve their business goals, such as enhancing performance by delivering cost reductions and generating additional revenue streams. Airports operate in an increasingly competitive and dynamic market, with the aim of attracting a larger share of hub traffic from neighbouring airports. Therefore, financial and operational performance will be key elements for airlines when choosing a new airport destination. The research shows that airports are more focused on passenger satisfaction, resulting in airport performance indicators that have the passenger at its operational core and performance targets (e.g. Airport Service Quality passenger satisfaction survey). IT plays an important role in increasing airport performance through the automation of processes such as the deployment of common-use check-in desks and self-service check-in kiosks. Studies of other industries have shown evidence that IT impacts firm performance, but there have been few studies related to the airport industry. Thus, the aim of this research is to assess the relationship between IT and airport performance, and it proposes a conceptual framework to assess the relationship between IT and airport performance by drawing from studies in other industries. Two methodologies were used in this research, the first one was the case study, and the second one was the online survey. The case studies consisted of 16 faceto- face interviews with senior staff representing two airports in Asia, one airport in Australia, and one airport in Europe. The case studies result show that there is a relationship between IT and airport performance ... [cont.]

Study of a high spatial resolution 10B-based thermal neutron detector for application in neutron reflectometry: the Multi-Blade prototype

Although for large area detectors it is crucial to find an alternative to detect thermal neutrons because of the 3He shortage, this is not the case for small area detectors. Neutron scattering science is still growing its instruments' power and the neutron flux a detector must tolerate is increasing. For small area detectors the main effort is to expand the detectors' performances. At Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) we developed the Multi-Blade detector which wants to increase the spatial resolution of 3He-based detectors for high flux applications. We developed a high spatial resolution prototype suitable for neutron reflectometry instruments. It exploits solid 10B-films employed in a proportional gas chamber. Two prototypes have been constructed at ILL and the results obtained on our monochromatic test beam line are presented here

Some Restrictions Abroad Affecting Corporations

A neutron detector concept based on solid layers of boron carbide enriched in 1 B has been in development for the last few years as an alternative for He-3 by collaboration between the ILL, ESS and Linkoping University. This Multi-Grid detector uses layers of aluminum substrates coated with (B4C)-B-10 on both sides that are traversed by the incoming neutrons. Detection is achieved using a gas counter readout principle. By segmenting the substrate and using multiple anode wires, the detector is made inherently position sensitive. This development is aimed primarily at neutron scattering instruments with large detector areas, such as time-of-flight chopper spectrometers. The most recent prototype has been built to be interchangeable with the He-3 detectors of IN6 at ILL. The 1 B detector has an active area of 32 x 48 cm(2). It was installed at the IN6 instrument and operated for several weeks, collecting data in parallel with the regularly scheduled experiments, thus providing the first side-by-side comparison with the conventional He-3 detectors. Results include an efficiency comparison, assessment of the in-detector scattering contribution, sensitivity to gamma-rays and the signal-to-noise ratio in time-of-flight spectra. The good expected performance has been confirmed with the exception of an unexpected background count rate. This has been identified as natural alpha activity in aluminum. New convertor substrates are under study to eliminate this source of background

La troisième révolution touristique

This paper proposes a conceptual framework to understand how tourism evolves. By using the work of historians it reaffirms the historicity of tourism rejected by some authors, in the sense that tourism has not always existed and that it appeared in parallel with western civilization as an effect and a need of industrial society. This was the first revolution that led to tourism and has subsequently evolved, transiting several systemic states before the move to mass tourism as a new revolution. Finally, a third tourist revolution can be identified by the changes we are witnessing today: the switch from Western tourism to a truly global one, the development of more personalized activities, a break from standardized formulas and the emergence of newcomers to the industry, etc. In this evolution we will reveal that social forces are powering this change, rather than techniques which are used by individuals and societies to regenerate different types of tourism

Winter Bird Assemblages in Rural and Urban Environments: A National Survey

Urban development has a marked effect on the ecological and behavioural traits of many living organisms, including birds. In this paper, we analysed differences in the numbers of wintering birds between rural and urban areas in Poland. We also analysed species richness and abundance in relation to longitude, latitude, human population size, and landscape structure. All these parameters were analysed using modern statistical techniques incorporating species detectability. We counted birds in 156 squares (0.25 km2 each) in December 2012 and again in January 2013 in locations in and around 26 urban areas across Poland (in each urban area we surveyed 3 squares and 3 squares in nearby rural areas). The influence of twelve potential environmental variables on species abundance and richness was assessed with Generalized Linear Mixed Models, Principal Components and Detrended Correspondence Analyses. Totals of 72 bird species and 89,710 individual birds were recorded in this study. On average (±SE) 13.3 ± 0.3 species and 288 ± 14 individuals were recorded in each square in each survey. A formal comparison of rural and urban areas revealed that 27 species had a significant preference; 17 to rural areas and 10 to urban areas. Moreover, overall abundance in urban areas was more than double that of rural areas. There was almost a complete separation of rural and urban bird communities. Significantly more birds and more bird species were recorded in January compared to December. We conclude that differences between rural and urban areas in terms of winter conditions and the availability of resources are reflected in different bird communities in the two environments