Conference Proceedings 2004http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/253932024-03-28T12:26:50Z2024-03-28T12:26:50ZTourism impacts and an ecotourism case studyhttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254942014-03-14T18:35:16Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZTourism impacts and an ecotourism case study
This paper illustrates the complexity and the impacts of tourism choices and decisions in a region. A framework for analyzing tourism impacts is developed and operationalized into a mapping model for the decision variables. A qualitative case study focuses on the niche ecotourism sector. Findings indicate the framework is useful for a region to evaluate tourism strategy decisions.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZLocal culture: a rural community’s most valuable capital asset?http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254932014-03-14T18:37:22Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZLocal culture: a rural community’s most valuable capital asset?
While smaller rural communities cannot compete in the same arena of larger, mega tourism destinations, they do have one competitive advantage – their specific and unique local cultures. This cultural element differentiates a community from all other communities. While some rural communities have turned local cultural festivals and traditional celebrations into tourism attractions that draw visitors to the community, the benefits of these attractions to the local rural community are generally limited. Others have taken more aggressive strategies to commodify specific aspects of living local culture, traditions, customs and heritage into products to be directly sold to and consumed by tourists, providing a steady flow of economic benefit to the community. In this sense, local culture is a capital asset. While not all rural communities have strong or substantial cultural dimension, there are many that do which have not yet realized its economic potential. Drawing from recent doctoral research and theory, this concept paper discusses the notion of local culture as cultural capital and community capital asset when considering tourism development.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZChallenges, approaches and impacts of IT adoption among SMEs in the tourism industryhttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254922014-03-20T17:51:52Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZChallenges, approaches and impacts of IT adoption among SMEs in the tourism industry
A tremendous amount of technological growth and innovation has marked the past decade in business. Information technology has revolutionized businesses and organizations throughout the world. The end result of Internet adoption appears to be a more dynamic, better-managed and aggressive marketing-oriented firm. This review paper investigates the impact on information technology on businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry, focusing on adoption of technology, its effects on strategic management and anticipated future developments. Special consideration is given to small and medium-sized enterprises with 200 employees or less. The paper begins with an overview of the adoption of technology among Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a primary focus on those in the tourism industry sector. Issues impacting the adoption of technology are discussed, then the paper discusses the impact of technology on the industry marketing system and individual marketing strategy plans. The paper concludes with recommendations to enhance the adoption of technology among SMEs in Canada.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZUnderstanding the adoption of E-commerce by small retailers in Atlantic Canada: literature review & a preliminary modelhttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254912014-03-20T17:53:08Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZUnderstanding the adoption of E-commerce by small retailers in Atlantic Canada: literature review & a preliminary model
This report begins with an outline of the literature search aspect of a project investigating the adoption of B2C E-Commerce by small retail businesses in Atlantic Canada. It examines two aspects of the literature: the background to our research topic and relevant conceptual models, beginning with those used to investigate EDI. The second part of the report describes the development of a preliminary model, based on
the literature, to be used to create a data gathering instrument and to guide the data analysis.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZWhere in the world versus what’s on the web: an examination of web- based locational information for selected firms in the hospitality sectorhttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254902014-03-20T17:55:24Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZWhere in the world versus what’s on the web: an examination of web- based locational information for selected firms in the hospitality sector
Transactions between hospitality service providers and their customers are often facilitated by locational information obtained from web-based, map-serving business directories. This article reports the results of an examination of web-based locational information for a convenience sample of small hospitality service providers. To illustrate the transaction-jeopardizing potential of locational mis- information, the article juxtaposes assessments of the ‘importance of place’ with the state of web-based locational information for four of the service providers in the larger sample. Results suggest that directory-provided locational information often mis-informs and potentially mis-directs prospective customers.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZDeterminants of the usage of public computer lab facilities in rural communitieshttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254892014-03-20T17:56:34Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZDeterminants of the usage of public computer lab facilities in rural communities
For those without information technology in the household, the importance of public computer lab facilities which can offer access to such technology free of charge is very great. However, the sustainability of such facilities is a difficult challenge for rural communities which do not have a large population to uphold such an endeavour. This research examines those factors influencing the usage of public computer lab facilities in rural communities. This research objective is achieved by examining such a facility located in a small rural community in Nova Scotia. Interviews with various stakeholders indicate that the lack of computer technology within the home, desire for social interaction, desire to increase knowledge of information technology, accessibility of the site, sophistication of the site, services offered, and technical support all influence the perceived usefulness of the facility, which in turn, influences the intention to use the facility and ultimately self-reported system usage.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZDeveloping a market orientation in Atlantic Canada’s seasonal industry sector: evidence from New Brunswickhttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254882014-03-20T17:57:36Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZDeveloping a market orientation in Atlantic Canada’s seasonal industry sector: evidence from New Brunswick
In the past decade, market orientation (MO) development has been at the fore for many researchers and practitioners. It has been argued that MO leads to improved firm performance and profitability. Many gaps remain in the literature base. This paper examines market orientation development in seasonal industry settings, focusing on the primary industry sector (fishing) in New Brunswick. To legitimize this study, a discussion of the economic value and importance of seasonal industries is presented. Using the Parsimonious Modelling Approach (Gray et al.,1998), a seasonal market orientation model (MO) has been developed.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZCues used in the formation of corporate reputation: an empirical study of department storeshttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254872014-03-20T18:16:11Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZCues used in the formation of corporate reputation: an empirical study of department stores
The present study seeks to highlight elements of information that impact the perception of corporate reputation of department stores. For the purposes of this study, 174 undergraduate and graduate students of a business school in a medium-sized Canadian university were randomly selected to respond to a questionnaire. The data analyzed shows four significant elements that contribute to corporate reputation: (1) quality of service, (2) capacity of innovation, (3) policy of staff management, and social and environmental responsibility, and (4) physical environment. The results emphasized the capacity of department stores to adapt to the changing needs of their environments through innovation and enhancement of services, and improve their corporative reputation within target groups.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZThe influence of individual characteristics on moviegoers’ satisfaction ratingshttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254862014-03-20T18:57:54Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZThe influence of individual characteristics on moviegoers’ satisfaction ratings
This study examined individual characteristics that could potentially influence moviegoers’ satisfaction ratings. The study conducted among 470 moviegoers showed a significant but modest effect of age and need for emotions on satisfaction ratings. Based on a correlation analysis, involvement, mood and gender have no effect on moviegoers’ satisfaction ratings. However, mixed results from a regression analysis call for further research to explore the potential effect of gender and involvement on moviegoers’ satisfaction ratings.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZThe big pictures: sources of national competitiveness in the global movie industryhttp://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/254842014-03-20T18:59:18Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZThe big pictures: sources of national competitiveness in the global movie industry
The competitive dynamics of the global film industry are not frozen in time. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) studios have pursued an utterly transparent strategy of buying out or otherwise dominating their domestic and international distribution chains, while generally avoiding cooperation with other nations’ producers. This strategy has gone unchallenged largely because other nations and film production companies have lacked perspective on their own position and potential in the global film industry. With keener use of existing tools, including co-production, these countries can establish themselves. For instance, Canada, having co-production treaties with both mainland China and Hong Kong while no other nation has co-production treaties with either, has uniquely positioned its film industry to enter the Chinese mass market either directly or via Hong Kong’s free trade without the crippling import expenses that other foreign producers face. However, Canada’s producers to date have made less creative use of the co-production treaty with China, using it to more easily access low-cost animation inputs.
2004-01-01T00:00:00Z