Technological mediation and user created content in tourism

A development in Information and Communication Technologies promising to have a large impact on tourism is the phenomenon known as the Web 2.0. A key to this development is the encouraging of interactivity due to User Generated Content (UGC). This paper focuses on a specific type of UGC: Tourist Created Content (TCC). Based on an exploratory examination of the Web and an extensive analysis of the content, the study systematizes the knowledge about TCC, presents a classification system and provides an overview of its characteristics. The paper shows the processes that allow the tourist to digitalize content and reveals how TCC relates to the cultures of the Internet and shapes the tourism experience

Revealing the attractiveness of outrageous beer tourism

Tourism is often linked to ideas of escapism and release from everyday duties and obligations. Modern societies are characterized by highly complex systems of social and cultural control, and citizens of these societies find forms of liberation in travel (Jafari 1987). Tourism destinations act as magnetic spaces of leisure and relaxation that can be visualized as the realm of ‘touristhood’– a theatrical arena in which individuals adopt different masks and conduct themselves according to expectations and norms that differ from those that rule their everyday lives. The consumption and enjoyment of alcoholic drinks constitutes a relevant element of the scenery of touristhood. In touristic spaces the beer product is socially transformed and constructed; tourists enact beer tourism through drinking practices and rituals performed at the destination. Alcohol, and in this case beer consumption, is constitutive of socio-cultural traditions in many national cultures (such as those in Northern Europe). National and local beer cultures are however being transformed and re-shaped in tourism destinations. This study examines the interrelation of beer cultures, more specifically German beer culture, and tourism. It examines how beer culture, combined with touristhood, produces extreme and novel forms of consumption transforming both tourism practices and the world of beer

Diseño de modelo para la implementación de la oficina de gestión de proyectos (PMO) de dirección, con estándar PMI, para H2O Consulting S.A.S., pyme de consultoría colombiana en el sector de infraestructura y obra civil

225 páginas y anexosEl presente informe recopila los resultados del trabajo de grado elaborado para optar al título de “Magíster en Gestión y Evaluación de Proyectos de Inversión” de la Universidad Externado de Colombia, a partir de una intervención empresarial realizada a H2O CONSULTING S.A.S., empresa colombiana de Ingeniería Civil dedicada al desarrollo de actividades de consultoría relacionadas con la evaluación y formulación de proyectos, la ejecución de estudios de mercado y los análisis de pre factibilidad y factibilidad, para el sector de infraestructura y obra civil. Dicha intervención pretende contribuir al conocimiento, los valores y las habilidades necesarias para el fortalecimiento de la gestión de proyectos en esta organización, a partir de una propuesta que responda a la estandarización de procesos y a la implementación de buenas prácticas que estimulen el alcance de los objetivos estratégicos de la organización, la toma de decisiones y la creación de ventajas competitivas en el sector. Así mismo, se reúnen algunos conceptos y fundamentos teóricos sobre la gestión de proyectos, el diagnóstico de la situación actual de la empresa, la propuesta de implementación para la conformación de una PMO de dirección y un informe de conclusiones y recomendaciones finales.This report gathers the results of the thesis prepared to qualify for the degree title of "Master in Management and Assessment of Investment Projects", granted by the Externado de Colombia University. The presented analysis is derived from a business intervention made at H2O CONSULTING SAS, a Colombian civil engineering company, dedicated to ongoing consultancy activities related to the assessment, formulation and development of projects, the execution of market studies and the pre-feasibility and feasibility analysis for the infrastructure and civil works sector. The afore mentioned intervention aims to contribute to the knowledge, values and skills necessary to strengthen project management in this organization. It is based on a proposal that responds to the standardization of processes and the implementation of good practices that encourages successful attainment of strategic objective aspects of the organization, proper decision making and inception of competitive advantages in the sector. Furthermore, we present concepts and theoretical foundations on the management of projects, the diagnosis for the current situation of the company, the implementation proposal for the conformation of a PMO management and a final report with conclusions and advised recommendations.Magíster en Gestión y Evaluación de Proyectos de InversiónMaestrí

Revealing the attractiveness of outrageous beer tourism

Tourism is often linked to ideas of escapism and release from everyday duties and obligations. Modern societies are characterized by highly complex systems of social and cultural control, and citizens of these societies find forms of liberation in travel (Jafari 1987). Tourism destinations act as magnetic spaces of leisure and relaxation that can be visualized as the realm of ‘touristhood’– a theatrical arena in which individuals adopt different masks and conduct themselves according to expectations and norms that differ from those that rule their everyday lives. The consumption and enjoyment of alcoholic drinks constitutes a relevant element of the scenery of touristhood. In touristic spaces the beer product is socially transformed and constructed; tourists enact beer tourism through drinking practices and rituals performed at the destination. Alcohol, and in this case beer consumption, is constitutive of socio-cultural traditions in many national cultures (such as those in Northern Europe). National and local beer cultures are however being transformed and re-shaped in tourism destinations. This study examines the interrelation of beer cultures, more specifically German beer culture, and tourism. It examines how beer culture, combined with touristhood, produces extreme and novel forms of consumption transforming both tourism practices and the world of beer

What Social Media Tell us About the Heritage Experience

Tourists have happily embraced the possibilities of interactivity and publication provided by social media and Web 2.0. The last decade has seen a massive increase of digital content generated by tourists online. This paper examines the digitalization of tourists’ heritage experience, analyses the impact of social media and user generated content in the consumption of heritage sites, and discusses new forms of technologically mediated authenticity in tourism. Netnography and a constructive approach have been adopted for the examination of online communities and social networks. There are different types of tourist generated content online. This study focuses on the review genre and examines a purposive sample of data collected from Tripadvisor which, with over 30 million contributions, is the largest online community focusing on tourism and travel. Through a systematic analysis of tourists’ narratives and socio-technical structures, this study assesses how technologies influence tourists’ heritage experience. The research findings provide insights into the role that tourists’ online reviews play as mediators of the tourism experience and illustrate the features of an emerging virtual tourism culture

The Challenge of Social Media

Over the years online marketing has grown in importance in the airline industry. This media space offers airlines numerous marketing tools, one of the most recent being social media. Social media allows airlines to interact directly with customers via various Internet platforms, and monitor customer opinions and evaluations of services. This exploratory paper studies airlines’ use of social media on Facebook and Twitter for a defined period of time. The paper analyses the content of social media posted by airlines and provides a categorization of the content according to the promotional marketing mix. A netnographic method has been adopted for the examination of these social media platforms. Study findings show that there is poor strategic perspective and a lack of continuity in the use of social media. Results may aid marketing departments in their marketing and social media communication strategies, while at the same time complementing current marketing research

Reference List About Implicit and Unconscious Bias

The compilation of this reference list is one of the initiatives of the action plan developed by the Council for Diversity and Inclusion at Copenhagen Business School (CBS). This reference list is the first in a series of efforts initiated by this Council to develop an academic resource pool and knowledge base on diversity- and inclusion-related topics. An implicit and/or unconscious bias is a bias that we are unaware of and is therefore expressed unwillingly and unknowingly. As recent studies on implicit bias indicate “we now know that the operation of prejudice and stereotyping in social judgment and behavior does not require personal animus, hostility, or even awareness. In fact, prejudice is often ‘unconscious’ or ‘implicit’ – that is, unwitting, unintentional, and uncontrollable even among the most well-intentioned people. […] Prejudice also lives and thrives in the banal workings of normal, everyday human thought and activity” (Hardin and Banaji, 2013, pp. 13-14). Research also indicates that it is possible to implement procedures and strategic actions that help reduce implicit biases (Devine, Forscher, Austin, & Cox, 2012). Although extensive, this list does not include all existing academic work on the topic of implicit and unconscious bias. Our objective here has been to focus on publications that could be of relevance for higher education and research environments. This list takes its point of departure in the comprehensive literature review “Unconscious Bias in Higher Education” (Equality Challenge Unit, 2013) and expands and updates it with other references – including literature published up to July 2016. The list aims to be used as a working document for employees or students at Copenhagen Business School. Therefore, besides the references, it includes direct links to publications accessible through the CBS library website and/or specifications of where and how to access each publication. In addition, as part of this effort and in line with the task list of the Council for Diversity and Inclusion, the report “Gender and Leadership Practices at Copenhagen Business School” (Munar & Villesèche, 2016) features a section that provides an analysis of the views of the heads of department/the leadership group at CBS regarding the topic of implicit bias. This report can be accessed via the CBS open archives (openarchive.cbs.dk/). To reduce unconscious biases and their related discriminatory effects is a responsibility of all of us working at academic institutions. It is our hope that this literature list will contribute to raising awareness and providing inspiration to action

Optimización en operaciones en divisas bajo normas antievasivas contenidas en la ley 1607 de 2012

A través de esta investigación se pretenden analizar las posibilidades de optimización cambiaria a través de la realización de operaciones en divisas y las implicaciones que ello conlleva la más reciente reforma tributaria contenida en la Ley 1607 de 2013, específicamente en los referente a las normas antievasión. Así las cosas, este trabajo tiene como objetivo principal, analizar las alternativas más óptimas para que un residente realice operaciones en el mercado de divisas, dentro del marco de las normas de antievasión que trajo el artículo 122 del Ley 1607 de 2013 (Reforma Tributaria).The objective of this research is to analyze the existing possibilities that may help to optimize operations through the implementation of foreign exchange operations and it will also analyze the implications that araises from the most recent tax reform contained in Law 1607 of 2013, specifically with regard to the tax anti - evasion dispositions. The main objective of this document is to analyze the best alternatives suited for a resident to perform operations on the foreign exchange market, within the framework of the tax anti - evasion law that was established under article 122 of the Act 1607 of 2013 (Tax Reform).Especialista en Derecho TributarioEspecializació