Peer influence strategies in collectively consumed products: (Events and Festivals): An exploratory study among university students.

PURPOSE: The paper examines peer influence in the context of purchasing collectively consumed products. The particular focus of the paper is on strategies used by university students for persuasion and resistance when attending events & festivals. METHODOLOGY: Five females and three males studying for a degree in the UK were interviewed. Independent analysis of the interview transcripts was undertaken in order to identify persuasion and resistance strategies, as well as the factors influencing a strategy's success. FINDINGS: A number of persuasion and resistance strategies are used and certain strategies use specific language techniques. Some of these strategies are only applicable to reference groups who have a history of consuming products together, as they resort to past experiences as a means of producing a persuasion or resistance argument. The extent to which the influence is successful is also discussed as being very subjective and dependent on the particular context of the persuasion exercise. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This is the first study to exclusively examine peer influence in the context of collectively consumed products, notably influence and resistance strategies, and the conditions which can make these effective. The study illustrates the types of strategies peers use when attending events, in particular those used by people who live in a fairly close social system (university study) and where there is no formal hierarchy (in contrast with parent-children influence). The context can influence the types of strategies used, for example the nature of the relationship between students, which is based on high levels of trust, makes it inappropriate to use certain strategies

Factors affecting penicillium roquefortii (penicillium glaucum) in internally mould ripened cheeses: implications for pre-packed blue cheeses

The amount and vivid colour of blue veins of internally mould ripened cheeses are desirable quality characteristics. It is therefore important that there is a sufficient amount of veining and that it maintains its blue appearance to be appealing to consumers therefore leading to maximised sales potential and profit for the manufacturing company. Optimum in vitro growth mimicking the conditions typically found in prepacked blue cheeses, and using lactose as the sole carbon source, was facilitated by a gas mixture of 5% oxygen ⁄0% carbon dioxide ⁄ balance nitrogen). The work undertaken in this study determined that the factors for optimum in vitro growth of Penicillium roquefortii (strain PRB6) were: a temperature of 20 ± 1 �C, pH of 6.0 ± 0.1, and a relative humidity of 70 ± 0.1%. Further in vitro studies have also shown that the increasing ‘in-pack’ carbon dioxide concentration not only depresses the growth of P. roquefortii but also affects immature conidiospore pigmentation (no effect has been seen on mature conidiospore pigmentation). The implications of this study suggest that the majority of pre-packed internally mould ripened blue cheeses on sale in supermarkets are packaged in inappropriate materials. For some cheeses (e.g. the Roquefort-type cheeses) this is not an issue since these are packed in a much more mature state and some loss of veining colour is not appreciably noticeable

Engaging with a healthy tourism “offer”: strategies to improve place perceptions

The purpose of this paper is to explore how engagement with a healthy tourism “offer” could improve place perceptions through the development of collaborative strategies to promote a wellbeing destination. Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes a constructivist grounded theory approach drawing on semi-structured interviews conducted with local members of council from public health and tourism teams, in a seaside town in the South of England. Findings – Study findings indicate that the historical roots of the town’s creation have a bearing on current planning challenges and strategies. Findings confirm that collaborative strategies to engage with a healthy tourism “offer” will improve place perceptions and promote a wellbeing destination. Implications The paper concludes that strategies to engage with a healthy tourism offer include interventions to curb alcohol consumption, regenerate areas, and promote eudaimonic wellbeing – which could ultimately improve place perceptions. Originality/value - This paper proposes that the development of a strategic alliances bridged through the construct of wellbeing could improve place perceptions and promote a wellbeing destination. Keywords Public health, tourism, wellbeing, grounded theory, place, south of Englan

Young adults and the 5 a day campaign: perceived benefits and barriers of eating more fruits and vegetables

Although consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases, it is widely recognized that young adults’ intakes are currently well below the Department of Health’s recommended five portions a day, with men consuming even less than women. One approach in the UK has been to introduce health campaigns such as the 5 A DAY programme; however, little is currently known about how well their messages are understood amongst young adults. This study examined current knowledge of the 5 A DAY message in young adults, as well as the perceived benefits and remaining barriers towards consuming more fruits and vegetables. In total, four focus groups were conducted using male (n = 22) and female (n = 18) students at the University of Reading. Content analysis revealed that while participants were aware of the 5 A DAY recommendation, there was widespread confusion regarding the detail. In addition, men were less accepting of the message than women, reporting greater disbelief and a lack of motivation to increase intake. Finally, a range of barriers was reported by participants of both genders, despite the perceived beneficial effects for health and appearance. The results illustrate a considerable gap between awareness and knowledge of the 5 A DAY message, and underscore the challenge that changing behaviour in young adults represents. As well as stepping up education- and skill-based health campaigns, more targeted gender specific interventions will be needed to achieve sustained increases in fruit and vegetable intake

Perfect weddings abroad

Approximately 16% of UK couples are currently married abroad. However, academic or practitioner focused research that explores the complex nature of a couple’s buying preferences or the development of innovative marketing strategies by businesses operating within the weddings abroad niche sector, is almost non-existent. This exploratory paper examines the role and relevance of marketing within the weddings abroad sector. The complex nature of customer needs in this high emotional and involvement experience, are identified and explored. A case study of Perfect Weddings Abroad Ltd highlights distinctive features and characteristics. Social networking and the use of home-workers, with a focus on reassurance and handholding are important tools used to develop relationships with customers. These tools and techniques help increase the tangibility of a weddings abroad package. Clusters of complementary services that are synergistic and provide sources of competitive advantage are identified and an agenda for future research is developed

An Analysis of Factors Associated with Advancement of Selected High School Administrators in Illinois

This study was designed to research and statistically assess intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with advancement of secondary level administrators, comparing males with females. Administrators from randomly selected high schools in Illinois were surveyed. The survey sought demographic information and reactions to attitudinal statements measured on a Likert scale. An evaluation of demographic information revealed that as groups, men and women administrators are different. T-test analyses of intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with administrative advancement disclosed that no statistical significant differences exist between males and females. Based on this study, recommendations are made which may prove useful in further research endeavors

An Analysis of Factors Associated with Advancement of Selected High School Administrators in Illinois

This study was designed to research and statistically assess intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with advancement of secondary level administrators, comparing males with females. Administrators from randomly selected high schools in Illinois were surveyed. The survey sought demographic information and reactions to attitudinal statements measured on a Likert scale. An evaluation of demographic information revealed that as groups, men and women administrators are different. T-test analyses of intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with administrative advancement disclosed that no statistical significant differences exist between males and females. Based on this study, recommendations are made which may prove useful in further research endeavors

Corporate social responsibility or sustainability in music festivals

Purpose – To establish whether social considerations are valued within UK music festivals. Methodology – A case study featuring 21 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders delivering 7 music festivals. Thematic analysis enabled identification of insights into differences between organisers and suppliers. Findings - The respondents were positive towards sustainability however CSR had little recognition. Both stakeholder groups adopted ‘ethical’ practices. Suppliers want organisers to be transparent and fair. Organisers want supplier to comply with their approaches. All stakeholders need to improve their communications. Practical implications - Festivals operate in increasingly competitive environments hence the insights herein should improve stakeholder and festivalgoer engagement. Originality - Few studies of the adoption of social considerations exist within the creative industries. Research limitations – As a small qualitative study, it is not representative of the sector. Furthermore suppliers may be unwilling to critique festivals. Social desirability bias may be evident. Key words – Sustainability, CSR, Music Festivals, Stakeholders, Suppliers, Perceptions, Awareness Paper type - Researc

Understanding how sporting characteristics and behaviours influence destination selection: a grounded theory study of golf tourism

Sports tourism has received growing attention in academic research over the past two decades (Weed and Bull, 2009, Gibson, 2005) but greater understanding of the consumer is needed, particularly the factors influencing decisions to include sport as part of a leisure trip. This paper provides, through a focus on the sport of golf, insight into the characteristics of the sports tourist and how sports tourist behaviours influence the selection of locations deemed suitable for sports participation. This qualitative research employs a grounded theory methodology, underpinned by a constructivist epistemology, to evaluate twenty-six in-depth interviews with golf tourists. The findings propose a model which explains the relationship between golf tourist behaviours and destination selection. This identifies six strands which determine the relationship between the golf tourist, golf behaviours and destination selection (constructing the golf holiday, emotional rewards of taking a trip, total trip spend, amenities and support facilities, course characteristics and reputation of the destination). Furthermore it illuminates the complexity of these relationships through recognition of four spheres of influence (group dynamics, competition and ability, golfing capital and intermediaries). Discussion elucidates how this increased understanding of the golf tourist behaviours and destination selection might be applied to other sports, with conclusions exploring implications for the sports tourism industry and destinations

The performance of local authority sports facilities in England during a period of recession and austerity

This paper examines how public sport facilities in England, which are dependent on subsidy from local authorities, have performed during a period of recession and austerity. Using data derived from Sport England's National Benchmarking Service (NBS), we track the changes in a series of key operational performance measures to investigate how local authority sports centres have fared between 2005/06 and 2015/16. Four dimensions of performance are analysed, namely: access; finance; utilisation; and, customer satisfaction. The study includes 1,116 sports centres in the time frame under review. Our results show that the overall financial efficiency of English public sport facilities has improved significantly in the face of a reduction in local authority expenditure on sport and leisure services. There appears to be a business model in the sector that includes outsourcing management and raising activity charges, which has been accompanied by higher levels of customer satisfaction with price-related service attributes and with the overall experience of using a facility. A possible explanation for these findings might be an improved quality of provision and greater customer orientation. At the same time, there appears to be a diminished focus on social inclusion objectives. We therefore conclude that promoting access to public sport facilities for hard-to-reach or disadvantaged groups has been compromised in exchange for the pursuit of financial stability. A key challenge is how to achieve market development whereby new and targeted customers are attracted to these existing facilities