The channel relationship between tour operators and travel agents in Britain and Poland

A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ofthe University of LutonThe aim of this research was to compare the distribution channel relationships in two different tourism markets: the mature market of Britain and the evolving market in Poland, with a view to assessing likely courses of tourism development in Poland. Relationships in channels of distribution can be understood as all the interactions, processes and flows taking place between companies involved in exchange of products and services. The focus of the research was an investigation of channel relationships between travel agents and tour operators. The evolution of tourism channel relationships in Britain and Poland was investigated in three stages: initiation, implementation and review, following the Kale and McIntyre (1991) and Crotts et al. (1998) models. Analysis of existing literature established that historical, political and economic backgrounds, as well as demand and supply, impact in different ways upon the structure of such channels in each country. Following that recognition two phases of empirical research were conducted using a mixed methods approach. The exploratory phase was based on interviews with British and Polish travel agents and tour operators, and from this phase a set of propositions was developed regarding travel agents' and tour operators' attitudes towards channel relationships. These propositions were explored using data collected from a detailed questionnaire survey distributed to a sample of British and Polish tour operators and travel agents. The results from this quantitative research were qualitatively augmented by outcomes from indepth interviews. The key findings from the research were that the Polish distribution system resembled to some extent the old British tourism structure. It was, however, unable to directly follow the development route undertaken by British companies. The pattern of operation was different in both countries due to four factors. Firstly, the distortions in operations in Poland originated from the post-socialist business structure; secondly, the diversity of business in Poland was much greater than in Britain, whilst, thirdly, the level of vertical integration between companies and the level of the development of information technology was more extensive in Britain. Finally, although the relationship development process consisted of similar stages in both countries, the field investigations showed differences in partners' selection, monitoring and support. The Polish companies relied heavily on social bonding and social ties in the selection stage, while in Britain the transparency and higher stability in the market reduced the necessity of close social bonding between employees and companies. The overall conclusion from the research is that the Polish travel companies are likely to follow many aspects of the British route, though with some specifically Polish characteristics. The initial evaluation of channel partners and the evaluation of the relationship between agents and tour operators would be strengthened in Poland, if there were a strong, regulatory and advisory association in the Polish market such as ABTA in Britain. Further research is recommended in terms of the impact of information technology on channel relationships in tourism and the role of tourism associations in the organisation of the tourism market

Historical geography of Yellagonga Regional Park, Western Australia

The principle aim of this study was to reconstruct the land use history of the Yellagonga Regional Park wetland landscape. Located approximately twenty kilometres north of Perth, covering about 1400 hectares, the Park lies within the North-West Corridor of the metropolitan area. This research, assisted by archival sources, demonstrates that prior to early European settlement the Yellagonga wetlands were quintessential summer hunting and gathering sites for the Nyoongar Aboriginal people. The wetlands were utilised for water, food gathering, hunting, corroborees and rituals that governed their tribal lives. Early European settlers, market gardeners, and later subdivision for urban development, have adversely transformed the Park over time. These pressures stem as a result of groundwater abstraction (bores), pollution, removal of native vegetation, invasion of weeds, stormwater drainage from residential and industrial areas, and more recently climate change, a global phenomenon. Consequently, the environmental quality of the Park has been undermined and it faces significant challenges for current and future management of its ecological and cultural values. This study offers an ecological perspective on the Park\u27s wetlands, chronologically measures the human footprint on its landscape, and maps the changes faced by the Park since the Aboriginal people\u27s sustainable ecology and guardianship was removed. Research such as this is essential to ensure that disappearing wetland landscapes such as the Yellagonga Regional Park are maintained and protected. The information from this study might be applied to other localities and environment

A comparative study of indigenous people\u27s and early European settlers\u27 usage of three Perth wetlands, Western Australia, 1829-1939

This study takes as its focus the contrasting manner in which the Nyoongar indigenous people and the early European settlers utilised three wetland environments in southwest Australia over the century between 1829 and 1939. The thesis offers both an ecological and a landscape perspective to changes in the wetlands of Herdsman Lake, Lake Joondalup and Loch McNess. The chain of interconnecting linear lakes provides some of the largest permanent sources of fresh water masses on the Swan Coastal Plain. This thesis acknowledges the importance of the wetland system to the Nyoongar indigenous people. The aim of this research is to interpret the human intervention into the wetland ecosystems by using a methodology that combines cultural landscape, historical and biophysical concepts as guiding themes. Assisted by historical maps and field observations, this study offers an ecological perspective on the wetlands, depicting changes in the human footprint on its landscape, and mapping the changes since the indigenous people’s sustainable ecology and guardianship were removed. These data can be used and compared with current information to gain insights into how and why modification to these wetlands occurred. An emphasis is on the impact of human settlement and land use on natural systems. In the colonial period wetlands were not generally viewed as visually pleasing; they were perceived as alien and hostile environments. Settlers saw the land as an economic commodity to be exploited in a money economy. Thus the effects of a sequence of occupances and their transformation of environments as traditional Aboriginal resource use gave way to early European settlement, which brought about an evolution and cultural change in the wetland ecosystems, and attitudes towards them

Social marketing in promotion of energy-efficient building

Energy-efficient buildings or passive in the coming years should become a standard in Poland and Europe. Energy-efficient buildings are generally more expensive than traditional, so there are some psychological barriers before making a decision on their implementation. Despite a significant increase in awareness of investors in this area it is essential to disseminate knowledge about the need and benefits coming from the use of such solutions. Changing standards for buildings results from changes in building regulations, the use of various forms of financial support and educational activities

Dragons, Flashes and Torches as Elements of the Literary Vision of Decline in Jan Paweł Woronicz’s the Post-Partition Work

The subject of analysis and interpretation in the article Dragons, flashes and torches as elements of the literary vision of decline in Jan Paweł Woronicz’s the post-partition works is Jan Paweł Woronicz’s writings (poetry, sermons and homilies), who lived from 1757–1829. Through the careful observation of the language used in Woronicz’s works, the author tries to extract metaphors which show a sense of apathy and decline at the turn of the century. The author also attempts to reach the substructure of the preacher-poet’s thinking and to make a critical reflection on the state of culture in a specific period of time — namely the last years of the 18th century and the first decades of the 19th century. She treats metaphors not only as stylistic means, but also as visible signs (phenomena) of feelings towards the world, and recognizes at the same time that Woronicz’s work is one of many testimonies to the intensified intellectual and cultural movement of Poland at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the article, the author presents Woronicz as a representative of time “in between,” and as an individual who has experienced something new, an often difficult situation that occurred within the framework of intense changes to the political and aesthetic paradigm that took place at the turn of the centuries

Sądownictwo w dobrach magnackich w XVII wieku

"Problematyka szlacheckiego, miejskiego i wiejskiego wymiaru sprawiedliwości w Rzeczypospolitej XVI-XVIII w. doczekała się okazałej bibliografii, w tym edycji źródłowych oraz opracowań syntetycznych. Podjęto także próby jej popularyzacji. Przedmiotem szczegółowych badań stał się stanowy charakter sądownictwa oraz jego terytorialne zróżnicowanie. W latach międzywojennych, a głównie po II wojnie światowej, dużym zainteresowaniem badaczy cieszył się wiejski wymiar sprawiedliwości doby przedrozbiorowej."(...

Antysemityzm oraz totalitaryzm w świetle twórczości dramatycznej Antoniego Słonimskiego i Marii Pawlikowskiej-Jasnorzewskiej

The aim of this work is to present Nazi anti-Semitic practices and totalitarian actions in the interwar satire. The subject of the analysis are Antoni Słonimski’s and Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska’s comedies. The analysis of the topic shows that the threats of totalitarian regimes was seen at the beginning of the twentieth century.Tematem niniejszego artykułu jest sposób przedstawiania i kreowania nazistowskich praktyk antysemickich i działań totalitarnych przez autorów międzywojennej satyry. Przedmiotem analizy uczyniono komedie Rodzina Antoniego Słonimskiego oraz Mrówki i Baba-Dziwo Marii Pawlikowskiej-Jasnorzewskiej. Ujęcie pokazuje, że zagrożenia ze strony ustrojów totalitarnych, w tym szczególnie nazizmu, odczuwano już na początku lat trzydziestych ubiegłego wieku

Wzorce osobowe synow kasztelana krakowskiego Marcina Zborowskiego (Z problematyki obyczajowości szlacheckiej XVI wieku)

Marcin Zborowski’s, castellan of Cracow, sons’ personalitypatterns (from research on nobility habits) (Summary) The problem of origins of early modern personality patterns has been a research field for historians, historians of Polish literature and pedagogy for long time already. A history of a raise and a fall of social, economic and political career of the Zborowski’s family from Malopolska still provides some controversies, what is the reason of not getting into consideration the context of their public activity: political situation in Commonwealth of Poland. Despite the huge amount of written sources, characteristics of Marcin Zborowski, castellan of Krakow, and his five sons: Piotr, Jan, Andrzej, Krzysztof and Samuel, are still biased with stereotypes of “an admiration of a looser” or “a negation of a career”. In case of Zborowskis as “great victors”, and afterwards – “great losers”, there can be found visible traces to common education and nobles’ way of thinking in 16th century, results of defeating reformation, as well as long term being in a political opposition to the throne. An everyday life shown quite often a divergence between an ideology and a reality, although many people in 16th century tried to remember about the commonly esteemed patterns of behaviour. Those were situated in the tradition of the family, but the most basic source of a knowledge about them were: religion, education, and good breeding. Zborowskis’ activity, although controversial in many points, was quite typical for nobility. Different noble families tried to maximise their advantages that might result from the end of Jagiellonian House and a change on the throne, what very often determined a collision of law and morality, and wide use of a demagogy and a propaganda. Despite the differences in personalities, Zborowskis remained in a mainstream of values of a historical period. Reading pro- or contra- stories may nevertheless lead to creation of black-and-white vision of a past, while reality is commonly different, far from perfection and its contradiction, but influenced by popular patterns of behaviour. An explanation of a behaviour, especially controversial or blameworthy from present point of view, can facilitate knowing the historical period