Aggravated Fragmentation: Resistant SMEs in the Heritage Tourism Industry

Heritage tourism requires contributions from both public and private sector organisations. Aspects of the tourism product are provided by a range of government bodies resulting in a multi-sector approach to heritage tourism (Panyik 2011). This provision is dictated largely by strategic plans which are made at government level, with the intention that these will then be implemented in conjunction with the private sector. This can lead to fragmentation, a well-documented phenomenon in the industry, which is attributed to its unique structure (Gilmore 2003; Bornhorst et al 2010; Komppula 2014), requiring purposeful coordination and integration between stakeholders, which is a challenging task (Wray 2011). This research presents findings and theoretical insights from an investigation of strategic marketing planning practice of tourism organisations in Northern Ireland. Specifically, the research detected that SMEs operating in the region did so in contention with the strategic framework provided by government, given distain for the overall strategic system in place. Their activity appeared to mirror consumer resistance behaviour, from a B2B perspective. Subsequently, the specific aim of this paper is to conceptualise the SME as a business consumer within the tourism industry infrastructure, identify the extent of business consumer resistance and, uncover outcomes of such behaviour

Developing the Heritage Destination: An investigation of the implementation of strategic plans

This paper attempts to investigate the factors which are influential in the effective implementation of strategic planning in a heritage tourism setting. In particular, the paper looks at the respective roles of the public and private sectors in relation to creating an economically viable, augmented tourist experience from a core heritage resource, and the role of strategic planning in this process. This study is set within the context of a wider research programme which focuses on the strategic marketing planning of tourism at two heritage regions in Northern Ireland, which are made up of both publicly and privately owned resources. A conceptual model is presented, which serves to outline the marketing tasks of heritage tourism, making a distinction between strategic and operational dimensions and assigning each between public and private sectors. Findings are presented from in-depth interviews carried out with private sector tourism providers operating in the region

ENERGY-RELATED INPUT DEMAND BY CROP PRODUCERS

Demand and Price Analysis, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

TARGET MOTAD FOR RISK LOVERS

Although risk analyses of discrete alternatives often identify at least one efficient set for persons who prefer risk, preference for risk is usually ignored when the decision variables are continuous. This paper presents a version of Target MOTAD which can be used when there is preference for risk.risk, target MOTAD, risk seeking, risk lovers, Risk and Uncertainty, D81, Q12,

VOLATILITY OF CASH CORN PRICES BY DAY-OF-THE-WEEK

The volatility of St. Louis cash corn bids by day-of-the-week is examined for the period September 1992 through August 1999. Thursday to Friday, Friday to Monday and Friday to Tuesday (with a holiday on Monday) price changes tend to be larger than other day-to-day changes.Financial Economics, Marketing,

IDENTIFYING THE SET OF SSD-EFFICIENT MIXTURES OF RISKY ALTERNATIVES

Target MOTAD and other direct utility-maximization models provide one way of computing SSD-efficient mixtures. These models are appropriate when the utility function is known and can also be used to identify part of the set of SSD-efficient mixtures even when the utility function is not known. However, they do not always identify all SSD-efficient mixtures. A grid method was proposed by Bawa, Lindenberg, and Rafsky. A third approach, which extends the work of Dybvig and Ross, is presented here. It is illustrated by applying it to data from Anderson, Dillon, and Hardaker.Risk and Uncertainty,

SHADOW PRICE IMPLICATIONS OF SEVERAL STOCHASTIC DOMINANCE CRITERIA

Stochastic dominance criteria can be, but seldom are explicitly, applied to problems having continuous variables. A previously developed model is modified to facilitate exploration of sets of shadow price vectors for decreasing (non-increasing) absolute risk aversion stochastic dominance (DSD), a combination, TGSD, of third degree stochastic dominance (TSD) and generalized stochastic dominance (GSD) and a combination, DGSD, of DSD and GSD. The model is illustrated by applying it to two risk efficient (primal) solutions of a problem by Anderson, Dillon and Hardaker. For each of the two primal solutions and, where relevant, three risk aversion coefficient intervals, selected aspects of the sets of shadow price vectors consistent with TSD, DSD, TGSD and DGSD are compared with each other and with sets of shadow price vectors consistent with GSD and second degree stochastic dominance (SSD).Demand and Price Analysis,

Evaluating the effectiveness of a community-based dietary intervention in Nottingham

Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of the Eatwell for Life (EWL) programme, with a particular focus on longer-term effectiveness in terms of dietary behaviour and the wider impact. EWL is a 6 week community-based dietary intervention which aims to increase nutritional knowledge, cooking confidence and provide the necessary skills to support behavioural change in relation to eating a balanced diet. There have been many evaluations of community-based dietary interventions, but most focus on brief measures and changes examined at the end of each course. Design A mixed method evaluation was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire, focus groups and semi-structured telephone interviews. Follow up evaluation was conducted at 3, 6 and 12 months with a purposive sample of EWL participants. Findings Sixty-six participants completed both pre and post intervention questionnaires. A total of 22 participants took part in the qualitative follow-up evaluation. The mixed method evaluation demonstrates improvements in participants' fruit and vegetable consumption and a reduction in participants' sugar consumption. Qualitative data highlights key themes such as ‘cooking from basic ingredients’, ‘knowledge of key healthy eating messages’, ‘changes in eating, cooking and shopping habits’ and ‘wider influences on family and friends' diets’. Originality This paper is useful to public health nutritionists and other practitioners delivering community-based dietary and cooking skills programmes and those commissioning such provision. It contributes to existing evidence of sustained change over time targeting those in areas of high deprivation

Quality of life and better than Well: a mixed method study of long term (post 5 years) recovery and recovery capital

Purpose: To compare quality of life scores in a long term recovery population group (post 5 years) with a general population group and to explore how any differences might be explained by recovering individuals themselves in a small number of follow up qualitative interviews. Design: A sequential explanatory mixed method design combining quantitative Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL-Bref,WHO 1996) and six subsequent semistructured individual interviews. The Quality of Life measure compared long term recovery scores (post 5 years) with the general population group. The subsequent qualitative semi-structured interviews explored what the participants themselves said about their recovery. Findings: The quantitative data provides evidence of a significant difference in Quality of Life (WHOQoL-BREF) in two domains. The long term recovery group (5 or more years into recovery) scored higher in both the environment and psychological domains than the general population group. Of the long term recovery group 17 people who still accessed mutual aid scored higher in all four domains than those 23 people who did not. The interviews provide evidence of the this difference as result of growth in psychological elements of recovery such as developing perspective, improvement in self-esteem, spirituality, as well as contributing as part of wider social involvement. Research implications: This study provides support for the Quality of Life measure as useful in recovery research. The empirical data supports the concept of recovery involving improvements in many areas of life and potentially beyond the norm, termed 'better than well' (Best & Lublam 2012, Valentine, 2011). (Hibbert & Best, 2011). Originality/value: One of small number of studies using with participants who have experienced long term (post five years) recovery, also using Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL-Bref, WHO 1996) with this population. keywords: Recovery capital, Quality of Life, Public Health, Better than Wel