Young Hoon Kim, Daniel L. Spears, Elecer E. Vargas-Ortega and Tae-Hee Kim
This paper aims to review the current joint master’s program between two international institutions in the USA and Costa Rica; to identify students’ perceptions and experiences…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the current joint master’s program between two international institutions in the USA and Costa Rica; to identify students’ perceptions and experiences with the sustainability house (SH); and to apply these experiences in an effort to improve the practical learning environment for future students.
Design/methodology/approach
In an effort to understand student outcomes provided by the SH, an in-depth literature review on practical learning environments and interview methods were applied. The following open-ended questions were asked in an effort to gather and consolidate student experiences with the SH. What are your experiences in/with SH? Please tell us briefly about your experiences. The language has been adjusted and interviewers answered questions and made clarifications if asked to. Master’s in international sustainable tourism (MIST) program students were selected for this study. Participants’ responses were recorded using the computer-assisted personal interviewing technique.
Findings
The most important characteristic students recognized about the SH is that it “provided us a safe place to fail”. One student described SH as “[…] a safe space where students can gain experiences of learning new processes firsthand without external pressures (e.g., on-the-job training, eventuation, and financial analysis)”. The safety attribute of the SH environment is considered as a comfortable place to learn from other classmates or visitors (mostly volunteers and interns). It is a “real” hospitality and tourism business-learning center, which is a great benefit to the students not only because of its environment but also because of the diversity among student’s educational and professional backgrounds.
Research limitations/implications
The primary limitations of this study need to be addressed. The number of interviews was very limited with one year data which could affect the generalizability of this study. In addition, it was not clearly explained to the student what rubrics and standardized metrics were used during interview process; after interview, students were asked to provide a better way to improve the research outcomes. For further studies, it is strongly recommended to provide the direction to make sure it applies to the conditions that are prevalent in the existing site to be examined.
Practical implications
Both strategies that link the SH to this MIST program have significant merit. Students implementing best practices in the courses have clearly identified the challenges of implementation, but all agree that there is tremendous value in the experiences they have received during their studies. Furthermore, using the SH as an engagement tool has motivated students to consciously interactive and collaborative in a more proactive manner.
Originality/value
This unique experience and operational competency at the SH provides participants with an in-depth understanding of the context and challenges of sustainability but needs to be detailed and promoted more in the future. The SH is facilitating a learning environment among not only students but also faculty and staff. The results clearly indicated that the SH has influenced sustainable behaviors by promoting interactive engagement.
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Young Hoon Kim and Daniel Spears
The primary purpose of this study is to examine hospitality and tourism undergraduate students' attitudes to work and career expectations as they prepare to enter the workforce in…
Abstract
Purpose
The primary purpose of this study is to examine hospitality and tourism undergraduate students' attitudes to work and career expectations as they prepare to enter the workforce in the hospitality industry in both the United States and South Korea.
Design/methodology/approach
The measurement instrument was developed from previous studies (Chen and Shen, 2012; Kong, 2013) and included questions related to job attitudes, job satisfaction, job motivations, job involvement, and career expectations and aspirations upon graduation. T-tests were conducted first for the mean values of the constructs between the United States and South Korea to ensure the comparison of two different cultural groups.
Findings
First, students from the United States (US) have more and better work attitude than those students from South Korea. Second, students from South Korea appear to be less motivated to work and less satisfied with their current jobs and earnings than students from the US. Third, the results also have managerial implications for both countries. It is very important to know that higher grade point average is not an answer to find the right person but more likely, positive attitudes to work and higher levels of job involvement are more likely to have higher job expectations and aspirations for employment in the industry.
Originality/value
This study adds to the hospitality literature by examining the different perspectives of hospitality and tourism undergraduate students from the US and South Korea, specifically examining their attitudes toward work, job satisfaction, work involvement and job expectations as they prepare for careers in the industry. The results of this study help stakeholders (i.e. students, educators and practitioners) in the hospitality and tourism industry gain a better understanding of their undergraduate students as they prepare for careers in the industry. In addition, the study contributed to understanding cultural differences present among hospitality and tourism students from individualist and collectivist cultures.
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Mark S. Rosenbaum and Daniel Spears
This study seeks to achieve two objectives: first, to expand on Fodness's five‐dimensional travel motivation scale by empirically demonstrating that a sixth driving force �…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to achieve two objectives: first, to expand on Fodness's five‐dimensional travel motivation scale by empirically demonstrating that a sixth driving force – shopping – encourages tourists to visit particular destinations; and second, to provide a clear demonstration for using AMOS structural equation modeling to analyze group comparisons, which researchers could employ in future studies.
Design/methodology/approach
The study offers and evaluates a proposed higher‐order travel motivation structural model using confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. It also explores a tourist's country of origin (the USA or Japan) as a moderator. The empirical study is supported through data from a convenient sample of 1,042 tourists (521 American and Japanese tourists, respectively) who were vacationing in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that five of the six motivational forces encourage US and Japanese tourists to vacation in Honolulu. In addition, the results reveal that a tourist's country of origin moderates three motivational factors.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides researchers and practitioners with a 22‐item six‐dimensional travel motivational scale. Given that travel motivation is linked to customer satisfaction and loyalty, researchers should consider the travel‐quality scale (TRAVLQUAL). Although one of Fodness's five dimensions was not significant, the finding was based on tourists' motivations to visit one site, Honolulu, and thus researchers should not eliminate this dimension from future motivational studies.
Originality/value
The study links together the tourism shopping and travel motivation paradigms. Thus, it can be used as an easy‐to‐follow reference guide for exploring group comparisons with AMOS.
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Fredrick M. Collison and Daniel L. Spears
This paper aims to focus on evaluating what cultural, heritage, and historical resources exist in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and how these resources can advance…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on evaluating what cultural, heritage, and historical resources exist in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and how these resources can advance tourism development and marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
This study bases its approach on tourism development field research conducted in the RMI, first in 1989‐1990 for the entire nation and in 2002 for Bikini and Rongelap Atolls. Current literature sources provide an expansion of the previous studies.
Findings
Tourism in the RMI sees only a few thousand visitors annually, with many participating in diving and sport‐fishing. Significant potential exists to attract cultural heritage visitors, but to date few such efforts exist. Construction and sailing of traditional outrigger canoes and rediscovery of ancient Micronesian way‐finding techniques represent two important culture resources for potential tourism marketing.
Research limitations/implications
Field research includes only the atolls of Majuro (the national capital), Bikini, and Rongelap, with updates from published studies and information on the internet. The RMI has many cultural heritage resources, but more effective marketing programs are necessary, including integrated marketing among the numerous atolls, Marshall Islands Visitor Authority, and the RMI central government.
Practical implications
Tourism development for the RMI will consist of niche markets. Beyond current diving and sport‐fishing, various artifacts of previous eras in the RMI and the Marshallese culture may provide additional opportunities to increase the level of tourism.
Originality/value
This study of cultural heritage tourism development in the RMI provides information about which little is written. This study offers a framework for use in other island destinations in the Pacific and elsewhere.
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– The purpose of this paper is to develop insights about the psychological factors that contribute to lean’s success as a holistic and adaptive system.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop insights about the psychological factors that contribute to lean’s success as a holistic and adaptive system.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the best-selling book “Thinking, Fast and Slow” (TFAS) (2011) by Nobel-prize winner Daniel Kahneman to provide a familiar lens for readers who might not otherwise be familiar with the psychology theories that are used in this paper to study lean conceptually. With this approach, the paper sheds light on psychological factors that tie together many of the philosophies, principles and practices of lean.
Findings
The paper shows how lean’s philosophies, principles and practices provide a synergistic and self-reinforcing system that drives employee thinking and actions. TFAS characterizes thought processes as “fast System 1 thinking” that relies on intuition and “slow System 2 thinking” that is more rational and logical. Lean psychology eliminates waste and adds customer value by supporting, enhancing and taking advantage of beneficial fast thinking and motivating and imposing appropriate slow thinking.
Originality/value
The authors develop the concept of lean psychology to describe the relationship between psychology theories and lean. By applying lean psychology, organizations can go beyond superficially adopting a checklist of tools and techniques to more fully take advantage of lean and improve their operations performance.
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This study endeavors to deepen our understanding of intercultural conflict by the detailed development of a particular case. The case chosen is the controversy over spearfishing…
Abstract
This study endeavors to deepen our understanding of intercultural conflict by the detailed development of a particular case. The case chosen is the controversy over spearfishing between the largely white protest community in northern Wisconsin and the Native American (Anishinabe) community in the same region. This study identifies and examines a kernel image which serves simultaneously as common and uncommon ground across the two communities, thus helping to escalate and prolong the conflict. This process is further explored through the identification and articulation of the rhetorical visions which embody the common sense of a community and are expressed through the collective discourse of that community. Finally, implications for intercultural conflict in general are discussed.
Barrie O. Pettman and Richard Dobbins
This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.
Abstract
This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.
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Emmanuel Itodo Daniel and Christine Pasquire
The purpose of this paper is to present the current knowledge surrounding social value (SV) and show how lean approach supports SV realisation in the delivery of construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the current knowledge surrounding social value (SV) and show how lean approach supports SV realisation in the delivery of construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A critical literature review was adopted, to gather the current knowledge surrounding SV from mainstream management sciences, construction management and lean literature. A total of 70 studies were critically reviewed.
Findings
The study establishes that the current level of awareness on SV is still low and there is a dearth of scholarly publications on SV especially in the construction management literature. The investigation reveals the potentials of lean approach in supporting the delivery of SV on construction projects.
Social implications
This study conceptualises the community and the physical environment around where the construction project is executed as customers using lean production approach. It shows that the transformation, flow and value view supports smooth workflow, which enhances the achievement of SV objectives. This creates a new insight into how SV can be realised in construction project delivery.
Originality/value
This study extends the on-going debate around the need for SV in construction project delivery and contributes to construction management and lean construction literature on SV. Future studies could build on this to obtain empirical data and develop an approach/method that would support the evidencing of SV delivery on construction projects.