Tourist satisfaction indices. A critical approach

In literature, analyses can be found of the competitiveness of internationaltourist destinations, based on tourist satisfaction with different attributes. However,most of these analyses do not use one single measure to make a global assessment,which makes it difficult to compare destinations. The aim of this paper is twofold.First, some alternatives that can be used as a synthetic index of tourist satisfaction arediscussed. Second, the indices that are proposed are used to analyse a group of rivaldestinations for the European sun and sand tourism market. From the results that areobtained, the advantages of each of the proposed indices are discussed

Entrepreneurial orientation, organizational learning capability and performance in the ceramic tiles industry

La orientación emprendedora es susceptible de tener un impacto positivo sobre el desempeño de la empresa. Sin embargo, empíricamente esta relación directa no es completamente consistente. Proponemos el desempeño innovador como una variable intermedia y, además, argumentamos que la relación entre orientación emprendedora y desempeño innovador no es incondicional, sino dependiente de la capacidad de aprendizaje organizativo. Utilizamos modelos de ecuaciones estructurales para contrastar nuestras hipótesis sobre la industria cerámica italiana y española. Los resultados sugieren que (1) el desempeño innovador actúa como una variable mediadora entre la orientación emprendedora y el desempeño de la empresa; (2) la orientación emprendedora puede ser considerada como un antecedente de la capacidad de aprendizaje organizativo; y (3) la capacidad de aprendizaje organizativo juega un papel importante en la determinación de los efectos de la orientación emprendedora sobre el desempeño. Finalmente, señalamos las limitaciones del estudio y proponemos futuras líneas de investigación. Entrepreneurial orientation is considered to have a positive impact on firm performance. However, this direct relationship does not seem to be empirically conclusive. In our research we consider innovation performance as an intermediate variable, and explain that the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovation performance is not unconditional, but subject to organizational learning capability. Structural equation modeling has been used to test our research hypotheses on a data set from the Italian and Spanish ceramic tile industry. Results suggest that (1) innovation performance acts as a mediating variable between entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance; (2) entrepreneurial orientation can be considered as an antecedent of organizational learning capability; and (3) organizational learning capability plays a significant role in determining the effects of entrepreneurial orientation on innovation performance. Finally, we highlight our study¿s limitations and we posit avenues for future research.Entrepreneurial orientation, organizational learning capability, performance. Orientación emprendedora, capacidad de aprendizaje organizativo, desempeño.

An Analysis of the Microeconomic Determinants of Travel Frequency

A critical factor in predicting the demand for tourism within a certain period of time is the number of trips individuals take. New tourists’ behaviour shows a tendency toward more frequent travel. Nevertheless, the frequency of travel has received little attention in empirical literature. This paper uses household data to examine the determinants of the number of quarters with positive tourist expenditure within a year. The results highlight the relevance in travel frequency analyses of distinguishing between the participation decision and the frequency decision conditional on participation. Many socio-demographic variables only show explanatory power for the participation decision. The two most relevant factors by far in explaining each decision are the previous year tourism demand decisions (suggesting evidence of habit persistence in tourism decisions) and disposable income, although with an income elasticity below the unit.Tourism demand, frequency of travel, habit persistence, household data.

Tour operators' price strategie in the Balearic Islands

In this paper we analyse the package tours prices from a sample of British and German tour operators. The offers correspond to one-week tourist packages in the Balearic Islands in a specific hotel establishment. The period studied comprises the 2002 and 2003 high seasons, what provides us with a dynamic perspective. The paper shows the existence of persistent differences in the mean prices from tour operators, as well as price distributions with different dispersion and shape among tour operators and markets. The time variation of these distributions seems to be linked to the market situation and structure. Although the paper is presented as an empirical investigation, the results can be interpreted in the context of theoretical literature on price dispersion.price dispersion, tour operators’ industry

El paquete turístico de todo incluido: un análisis de sus implicaciones económicas para el caso de las Islas Baleares

The percentage of tourists visiting the Balearic Islands that choose the all inclusive package holiday has increased impressively since the turn of the century. The aim of this paper is to analyse the reasons behind this increase, as well as the economic effects that it is causing. For that purpose, several econometric models are estimated with data drawn from the Tourist Expenditure Survey and the brochures of the main tour operators in the Balearics. The main results are the following: (1) it cannot be accepted that the all inclusive product is capturing new segments of demand. (2) The increase in the percentage of tourists that choose the all inclusive product seems to be the result of a price strategy from tour operators. (3) The comparison of mean expenditure among the different types of board shows that the all inclusive option implies an expenditure per tourist per day clearly lower than that from the rest of types of board. (4) The increase of the importance of the all inclusive package is causing a dramatic change in the distribution of tourism receipts among the different economic agents. In fact, the all inclusive package shows levels of revenues paid in origin and in the Balearics highly different from those detected with the other tourist options.Tourism, all inclusive package, tourist expenditure, tour operators.

Consumo y desempleo de los hogares españoles nueva evidencia microeconómica

Uno de los elementos singulares de la economía española es su elevada tasa de paro, entre las más altas de los países de la OCDE. En este artículo se contrasta en qué medida los hogares españoles con miembros que experimentan transiciones al desempleo son capaces de mantener su nivel de consumo previo. Para ello se utiliza la Encuesta Continua de Presupuestos Familiares para el período 1999 a 2005. En el trabajo se examina si el efecto del desempleo difiere en función de que recaiga en el cabeza de familia, el cónyuge u otro miembro del hogar. También se analiza si la capacidad de protección del consumo se ve afectada por la duración del desempleo y el cobro de prestaciones.One of the outstanding features of the Spanish economy is its high unemployment rate, among the highest in the OECD countries. In this article we test whether Spanish households with members that experience job loss shocks are able to protect their previous level of consumption. We use microdata drawn from the Encuesta Continua de Presupuestos Familiares for the period 1999 to 2005. In this paper we analyze whether the effect of unemployment depends on the household member (household head, spouse or other family’s members) are fired. The paper also examines to what extent households' reaction to unemployment depends on the duration of unemployment and receiving unemployment benefits

Aprendizaje organizativo, innovación y propensión exportadora

  En la actualidad, cualquier empresa debe afrontar el cambio tecnológico, la competencia internacional y unos mercados cada vez más exigentes. La innovación de productos y la exportación siempre han sido considerados factores clave de la competitividad de la empresa, pero el actual entorno competitivo les está otorgando un protagonismo fundamental. Este trabajo tiene por objeto esclarecer las conexiones entre la innovación de productos y la exportación y, además, destacar el papel desempeñado por la capacidad de aprendizaje organizativo a la hora de fomentar la creatividad necesaria para desarrollar nuevos productos que resulten atractivos en los mercados locales e internacionale