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1 – 10 of 15Luqi Yang, Xiaoni Li and Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
The purpose of this study is to investigate the recovery and resilience tourism strategies and possible future development of four main Chinese tourism cities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the recovery and resilience tourism strategies and possible future development of four main Chinese tourism cities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data from the official accounts of tourism administrations of these cities, tourist attractions and opinions from media and newspapers in Sina Weibo platform. The authors adopted an inductive approach in observing relevant social media posts and applied content analysis to identify main China’s tourism prevention and recovery strategies.
Findings
During the mass pandemic infection period, top-down prevention and control measures were implemented by the Chinese central and local governments, with feasible and regional recovery policies and protocols being adapted according to local situations. Measures related to tourism industrial re-employment, improvement of international images and governmental financial supports to re-boost local tourism in Chinese cities were paid great attention. Digitalization, close-to-nature and cultural heritages became important factors in the future development of China’s tourism. Dark tourism, as a potential tourism recovery strategy, also obtained huge emergence, for the memory of people deceased in the pandemic and for the inheritance of national patriotism.
Originality/value
This study enriches the current literature in urban tourism recovery studies analyzing the specific case of Chinese tourism cities and fulfill some voids of previous research mostly focused on the first wave of the pandemic and the recovery strategies mainly of Western cities. It also provides valuable suggestions to tourism practitioners, destinations and urban cities in dealing with regional tourism recession and finding possible solutions for the scenario associated to the COVID-19 and other similar health crisis.
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Ali Mohamad Mouazen and Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
Smart cities attract efficient and profitable economic activities, contribute to the societal welfare of their citizens and foster the efficient use and conservation of natural…
Abstract
Purpose
Smart cities attract efficient and profitable economic activities, contribute to the societal welfare of their citizens and foster the efficient use and conservation of natural resources. Developing smart cities has become a priority for many developed countries, but as they are preferred destinations for migrants, this raises sustainability issues. They attract people who are seeking a better quality of life, smart services and solutions, a better environment and business activities. The purpose of this paper is to review the state of the art on the relationship between smart cities and migration, with a view to determining sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
A bibliometric review and text mining analyses were conducted on publications between 2000 and 2019.
Findings
The results determined the main parameters of this research topic in terms of its growth, top journals and articles. The role of sustainability in the relationship between smart cities and migration is also identified, highlighting the special interest of its social dimension.
Originality/value
A bibliometric approach has not been used previously to investigate the link between smart cities and migration. However, given the current relevance of both phenomena, their emergence and growth, this approach is appropriate in determining the state of the art and its main descriptors, with special emphasis on the sustainability implications.
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Angels Niñerola, Maria-Victoria Sánchez-Rebull and Ana-Beatriz Hernandez-Lara
The purpose of the paper is to analyse the entry mode choice of the Spanish companies in China, the factors that influence it and the barriers that they found.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to analyse the entry mode choice of the Spanish companies in China, the factors that influence it and the barriers that they found.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach is used by interviewing the partners of management consulting firms (MCFs) specialised in internationalisation processes in China.
Findings
The decision on the entry mode choice depends on whether the firm has incentives for investment with a partner rather than the size or the international experience of the board and the top managers. The barriers faced by Spanish companies in China are related to legal issues, bureaucracy, culture, language, trust and human resources.
Practical implications
Companies must have a differential factor to succeed in China and use a legal form that lets them to protect this advantage regardless of the entry form chosen. MCFs pointed out the need to collaborate with local people and to rely on a management team capable of overcoming the barriers.
Originality/value
One of the major contributions of this study is the methodology, as the view of the consultants in the internationalisation process of companies had not been studied before.
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Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara, Alexandre Perera-Lluna and Enric Serradell-López
With the growth of digital education, students increasingly interact in a variety of ways. The potential effects of these interactions on their learning process are not fully…
Abstract
Purpose
With the growth of digital education, students increasingly interact in a variety of ways. The potential effects of these interactions on their learning process are not fully understood and the outcomes may depend on the tool used. This study explores the communication patterns and learning effectiveness developed by students using two basic synchronous and asynchronous communication tools in e-learning environments, specifically business simulation games.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct a quasi-experiment research with 478 online business students, 267 of whom used online discussion forums and 211 interacted via an instant messaging app. The application of learning analytics and text mining on natural language processing allows us to explore the student communication patterns with each of tools and their effectiveness in terms of learning.
Findings
The results confirm the complementarity of the communication tools, asynchronous tools being especially the suitable for task-related communication and synchronous ones for speeding up and facilitating student social interactions.
Originality/value
The main value of this research lies in the use of data analytics and text mining to access and analyse the content of student interactions to assess the learning process in greater depth, comparing synchronous and asynchronous learning modes, considering that little is known about the impact of online synchronous interaction or instant messaging, and even less about the different features, content and performance that emerge when these two learner interaction modalities are compared.
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Raquel Ferreras-Garcia, Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara and Enric Serradell-López
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to study which perceived and attained entrepreneurial competences acquired by students while developing a business plan are rated most…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to study which perceived and attained entrepreneurial competences acquired by students while developing a business plan are rated most highly; and second, to analyse the differences observed in entrepreneurial competences, depending on whether the business plan developed is real or fictitious.
Design/methodology/approach
To analyse the role played by business plans in perceptions and attainment of competence, data were collected from students enrolled on a final project course of a bachelor’s degree, specifically the Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. The course in question focussed on entrepreneurship and business plans. The data on perceived and attained competences were obtained through questionnaires and assessment rubrics, respectively. Mean comparison analyses were conducted to investigate any differences in entrepreneurial competences existing between students developing real or fictitious business plans.
Findings
The paper finds evidence that the process of creating a business plan results in entrepreneurial competence being highly rated and that whether the business plan is real or fictitious does not affect the level of entrepreneurial competence.
Research limitations/implications
A longitudinal study will be required to analyse how entrepreneurial competences evolve during the business plan creation process.
Originality/value
This paper finds that few studies have been conducted to explore entrepreneurial competences in relation to business plan development and shows that more complete research is required. Moreover, both perceived and achieved competences are considered, an analysis not previously carried out.
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Bilal Afzal, Xiaoni Li and Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
This study aims to undertake a comprehensive analysis of innovation models, tracing their evolution from Innovation 1.0 to Innovation 4.0 and introducing the concept of Innovation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to undertake a comprehensive analysis of innovation models, tracing their evolution from Innovation 1.0 to Innovation 4.0 and introducing the concept of Innovation 5.0. It explores the intersection between innovation models and the principles of sustainability, resilience and human-centeredness, providing insights into their implications for Industry 5.0, and their potential to foster a resilient ecosystem amidst challenges and multiple crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this objective, the authors used a systematic literature review approach, considering academic articles on Innovation 4.0, Industry 5.0 (specifically in the context of innovation) and helix models of innovation. The authors conducted thematic analysis and content analysis, followed by keyword co-occurrence analysis, enabling us to systematically synthesize and interpret the relevant literature.
Findings
The results conclude that Innovation 5.0 is a new paradigm for innovation that fosters broader societal engagement, and emphasizes sustainability, resilience and human-centeredness. Innovation 5.0 is evolving, but it has the potential to transform the way we produce, consume and live. Using insights from the sextuple helix model, this research leverages media and ICT as sixth helix vital role of knowledge sharing, digital transformation, innovation ecosystem and next industrial revolution in this process.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on exploring Innovation 5.0 through the sextuple helix model, offering a fresh perspective on innovation models and their collaborative potential. Its contribution lies in providing practical insights into the transition to Innovation 5.0, emphasizing the need for sustainability, regulatory support and awareness while also offering clear recommendations for future research.
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Ali Mohamad Mouazen and Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
The negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic situation, especially in certain countries, have compelled organizations to shrink their hierarchies…
Abstract
Purpose
The negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic situation, especially in certain countries, have compelled organizations to shrink their hierarchies, reduce working hours, freeze hiring, and rely on gig workers to perform tasks. While these circumstances may be seen as a threat, certain vulnerable labor groups, such as women, seized the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills and launch their own firms. Others addressed smart platforms to engage in gig economy activities. This research investigates the aspects that drive women to be entrepreneurs, exploring the relationships between the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the gig economy, and women's entrepreneurship in a developing country.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 300 female entrepreneurs in Lebanon through questionnaires that measured the indicators and variables of the proposed model, which was tested applying partial least square.
Findings
The results show a positive influence of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and gig economy on women's entrepreneurship, stronger in the case of entrepreneurial ecosystem elements and almost similar for opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
This research achieves empirical evidence on the relationship between the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the gig economy, and women's entrepreneurship in the case of a developing country. The originality of this paper lies in its empirical and gendered approach, considering together the effects of entrepreneurial ecosystem factors and gig economy practices on women's entrepreneurship, especially relevant in a regional context like Lebanon, where digital economy may constitute an opportunity for economically vulnerable groups.
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Maria-Victòria Sánchez-Rebull, Ramon Ferrer-Rullan, Ana-Beatriz Hernández-Lara and Angels Niñerola
Cash flow deficit situations and working capital control are major challenges for many companies, especially those whose suppliers and clients have strong bargaining power. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Cash flow deficit situations and working capital control are major challenges for many companies, especially those whose suppliers and clients have strong bargaining power. This study aims to describe the application of the Six Sigma methodology for solving these problems in a large German food can manufacturing company.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper follows the qualitative methodology of case study research. During different define, measure, analyse, improve and control process phases, the problem and critical aspects are identified to improve the quality of the payment process and improvements are suggested and implemented.
Findings
The results provide evidence of how Six Sigma can be useful in administrative–financial processes that are carried out within a company. This result is particularly interesting because it is about processes that have not applied Six Sigma methodology. For the company studied, this methodology has balanced its cash flow and this meant large amounts of savings, especially in bank interest to avoid having to ask for bank credits.
Originality/value
This case can be extrapolated to other companies, regardless of the company size, that present similar symptoms of cash deficit, especially if their bargaining power with suppliers and customers is low.
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Luqi Yang, Xiaoni Li and Ana-Beatriz Hernández-Lara
The main purpose of this research paper is to generate a holistic bibliometric study of the tourism industry and COVID-19 fields, to further investigate the current interests and…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this research paper is to generate a holistic bibliometric study of the tourism industry and COVID-19 fields, to further investigate the current interests and trends emerging from scientific collaboration and thematic analysis and to identify research gaps that indicate future research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts several analyses, which include the co-authorship and social network analysis, co-citation and keyword co-occurrence knowledge structures. The authors generate a knowledge map of the leading articles and link them with previous literature to elucidate the debates and consensus in research on COVID-19 and tourism.
Findings
Research interests concentrate in the USA, China, Europe and the Oceania areas, so more cross-continental collaborations are expected among them and with other regions. Popular topics are tourism sustainable transformation, crisis management and multidisciplinary fields like tourism, hospitality, information technology and environmental sciences. This paper also identifies underexplored topics for future investigation on the social, environmental, cultural and governance dimensions of sustainable tourism.
Research limitations/implications
This paper contributes to guiding tourism researchers in identifying and finding publication references and future collaborations. Moreover, the investigation of knowledge structures could be beneficial for scholars hoping to broaden the current understanding of this field and discover potential for future tourism research, especially in the global pandemic and other severe health crises.
Originality/value
This study enriches the existing literature in the fields of tourism and the pandemic and highlights current interests and research trends exploring scientific collaboration, thematic analysis and knowledge mapping.
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Alba Barbarà-i-Molinero, Rosalía Cascón-Pereira and Ana beatriz Hernández-Lara
In the last few years, the interest on professional identity development (PID) and the factors that influence PID has become central in higher education (HE) literature. However…
Abstract
Purpose
In the last few years, the interest on professional identity development (PID) and the factors that influence PID has become central in higher education (HE) literature. However, the knowledge developed in this domain has focussed on a factor at a time and on a degree or discipline, thus being difficult to have a general picture of all the factors that influence the development of professional identity in HE. The purpose of this paper is to try to go further by proposing a systematic and integrative conceptual framework on the factors that influence PID of HE students.
Design/methodology/approach
To identify the influencing factors on PID the authors used primary and secondary data sources. In particular, the authors first conducted a thorough literature review to identify the influencing factors on PID already studied, and second the authors conducted a qualitative pilot study through four Focus Groups to identify new factors not acknowledged before.
Findings
The resulting integrative conceptual framework considers the following categories of influencing factors on PID: social experience, educational context, perceived congruence with the profession, demographic characteristics, professional image, professional experience, personal development and self-engagement.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed framework constitutes a roadmap for future research on career development and counselling to develop in order to enhance PID at university. Nonetheless, this proposed conceptual framework needs to be validated with empirical data.
Originality/value
This paper integrates all the existing knowledge on the influencing factors on PID from different disciplines by constructing a conceptual framework to be validated with further research.
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