Smart technologies for personalized experiences: a case study in the hospitality domain

Recent advances in the field of technology have led to the emergence of innovative technological smart solutions providing unprecedented opportunities for application in the tourism and hospitality industry.With intensified competition in the tourism market place, it has become paramount for businesses to explore the potential of technologies, not only to optimize existing processes but facilitate the creation of more meaningful and personalized services and experiences. This study aims to bridge the current knowledge gap between smart technologies and experience personalization to understand how smart mobile technologies can facilitate personalized experiences in the context of the hospitality industry. By adopting a qualitative case study approach, this paper makes a two-fold contribution; it a) identifies the requirements of smart technologies for experience creation, including information aggregation, ubiquitous mobile connectedness and real time synchronization and b) highlights how smart technology integration can lead to two distinct levels of personalized tourism experiences. The paper concludes with the development of a model depicting the dynamic process of experience personalization and a discussion of the strategic implications for tourism and hospitality management and research

Interreligious dialogue: Ecumenical engagement in interfaith action

This chapter is an exploration of some background, initial impetus and rationales whereby the Christian Church is engaged in interreligious dialogue. There is emphasis on the central agencies of the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. Particular attention is also given to the various models of dialogue that have emerged. The author proposes that in and through this comparative study the contours of an ecumenical Christian stance towards – and an engagement in – interreligious dialogue should emerge. He concludes that people of different religions, in pursuit of dialogical relationship one with another, nowadays have the possibility of transcending past histories of combative clash in favour of a future marked increasingly by co-operative engagement: faith can make things better

Competitiveness, Local Production Systems and Global Commodity Chains in the Music Industry: Entering the US Market

Power D. and Hallencreutz D. (2007) Competitiveness, local production systems and global commodity chains in the music industry: entering the US market, Regional Studies 41, -. This paper traces the principal channels and barriers that determine the conditions of access for musical products entering the US music market. It is shown that music distribution channels and retail environments exist in a networked commodity chain dominated by a limited set of oligopolistic global firms. The journey of a foreign musical product to market in the USA is a difficult one through a set of globally interlinked but highly fractured and localized commodity pools and channels. It is suggested that to understand success or failure in music sales and better develop regional production milieus, one must first understand those who control the distribution channels and retail environments through which sales are made. Power D. et Hallencreutz D. (2007) La competitivite, les systemes de production locaux et les chaines d'approvisionnement mondiales dans l'industrie de la musique: prendre pied sur le marche americain, Regional Studies 41, -. Cet article cherche a localiser les principaux circuits et barrieres qui determinent les conditions prealables a l'entree des produits de musique sur le marche de la musique americain. On demontre que les circuits de distribution de la musique et les surfaces de vente existent sous forme d'une chaine d'approvisionnement en reseau dominee par un nombre limite d'oligopoles mondiaux. Pour un produit de musique etranger, prendre pied sur le marche americain s'avere difficile, en passant par un nombre de bassins et de chaines d'approvisionnement relies sur le plan mondial mais a la fois hautement fissures et localises. L'article laisse supposer que, dans un premier temps, il faut comprendre ceux qui controlent les circuits de distribution et les surfaces de vente par lesquels les produits se vendent pour comprendre la reussite ou l'echec des ventes de musique et mieux developper l'espace de production regional. Industrie de la musique Geographie economique Marche de la musique americain Chaine d'approvisionnement Competitivite Systemes de production locaux Power D. und Hallencreutz D. (2007) Konkurrenzfahigkeit, lokale Produktionssysteme und globale Warenketten in der Musikindustrie: der Zugang zum Markt der USA, Regional Studies 41, -. In diesem Artikel werden die wichtigsten Kanale und Hindernisse beschrieben, die die Bedingungen festlegen, unter denen Musikprodukte auf den US-amerikanischen Musikmarkt gelangen. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Vertriebskanale und die Einzelhandelsumgebungen fur Musik in einer vernetzten Warenkette angesiedelt sind, die von einer kleinen Gruppe oligopolistischer globaler Konzerne beherrscht wird. Der Weg eines auslandischen Musikprodukts auf den Markt der USA steckt voller Schwierigkeiten und verlauft uber eine Reihe global verknupfter, aber hochgradig frakturierter und lokalisierter Warenpools und Kanale. Der Artikel legt den Schluss nahe, dass wir zunachst verstehen mussen, wer die Vertriebskanale und Einzelhandelsumgebungen kontrolliert, uber die der Absatz erzielt wird, wenn wir den Erfolg oder das Scheitern des Musikabsatzes verstehen und bessere lokale Produktionsmilieus entwickeln mochten. Musikindustrie Wirtschaftsgeografie Musikmarkt der USA Warenkette Konkurrenzfahigkeit Lokale Produktionssysteme Power D. y Hallencreutz D. (2007) Competitividad, sistemas de produccion local y cadenas globales de mercancias en la industria discografica: como entrar en el mercado estadounidense, Regional Studies 41, -. En este ensayo exploramos los principales canales y obstaculos que determinan cuales son las condiciones necesarias para que los productos musicales puedan llegar al mercado musical en los Estados Unidos. Demostramos que los canales de distribucion de las discograficas y los minoristas funcionan como una cadena de mercancias conectada y dominada por una serie limitada de empresas internacionales oligopolicas. El viaje que hace un producto musical extranjero hasta llegar al mercado estadounidense es un proceso dificil que tiene que pasar por una serie de consorcios y canales globalmente interconectados pero altamente fracturados y localizados. En este articulo sugerimos que para entender el exito o el fracaso de las ventas musicales y desarrollar mejor los medios de produccion regionales primero debemos conocer mejor quienes son los que controlan los canales de distribucion y los minoristas donde se hacen las ventas. Industria discografica Geografia economica Mercado discografico en Estados Unidos Cadena de mercancias Competitividad Sistemas locales de produccionMusic industry, Economic geography, US music market, Commodity chain, Competitiveness, Local production systems,

The Zimbabwe Council of Churches and 'Crisis' Ecumenical Groups

This chapter analyses the emergence of ‘non-conformist’ ecumenical groups that emerged due to the paralysis of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) during the crisis years in Zimbabwe. The author interrogates the limits of ecumenism in relation to political engagement and charges that the ZCC has not succeeded in promoting unity and cohesion. He charges that by withdrawing from active political engagement, the ZCC could not make a decisive contribution towards national development. He argues that the ZCC failed to implement the principles of ecumenism and ecumenics, namely, unity, dialogue, peace and reconciliation, that could provide the basis for resolving the Zimbabwean crisis. He describes how groups such as the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) and Churches in Manicaland (CiM) sought to contribute towards resolving the crisis. The chapter shows how they adopted different models and ways of working that enabled them to connect with the grassroots communities more effectively. Without glamorising these initiatives, it can be argued that they provide insights into how ecumenical bodies can contribute to developmen