Carmelo Pellejero Martínez and Inmaculada Martin Rojo
Actualmente, Sol Meliá es la compañía líder en el mercado español por su oferta en hoteles urbanos, vacacíonales, y de reuniones y convenciones. Además de dominar la industria…
Abstract
Actualmente, Sol Meliá es la compañía líder en el mercado español por su oferta en hoteles urbanos, vacacíonales, y de reuniones y convenciones. Además de dominar la industria hotelera española, disfruta también de una posición de privilegio a nivel internacional. En el presente artículo se estudia su origen y su evolución durante las últimas cuatro décadas, periodo en el que ha pasado de disponer de un hotel en alquiler en Mallorca a convertirse en una compañía de servicios hoteleros que, a través de la gestión o franquicia, explota 227 establecimientos repartidos en 4 continentes y 25 países.
David A. McEntire and Christopher Fuller
Is a holistic approach to the disaster problem required? Seeks to answer this question by examining the 1997‐1998 El Niño disasters in Peru. Explores the key factors that…
Abstract
Is a holistic approach to the disaster problem required? Seeks to answer this question by examining the 1997‐1998 El Niño disasters in Peru. Explores the key factors that contributed to the disaster and highlights the subsequent effects and response operations. Discusses the need for a theory of disaster management that takes into account all types of hazards, numerous variables from the physical and social environments, as well as each phase of emergency management.
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Araceli Almaraz Alvarado and Javier Vidal Olivares
The internationalization process in recent decades has been discussed from different approaches. In this chapter, we study the evolution of selected Latin American and Spanish…
Abstract
The internationalization process in recent decades has been discussed from different approaches. In this chapter, we study the evolution of selected Latin American and Spanish companies that have experienced a growing evolution from small or medium-sized enterprises to large corporations with participation in global markets and a strategic role played by the family organizations and small business groups. It is a study of multiple cases scope focused on two main lines of discussion. In one hand, the trajectories of internationalization and, and the other, the family firm organization and structure, correspondingly to sectorial aspects and the global situations that have encouraged the expansion of markets, the acquisitions of assets outside the countries of origin, and the outsourcing system. The group of companies selected to discuss the heterogeneity of the internationalization processes is based in case studies: Lojas Amerianas-Brazil, Crystal Lagoons-Chile, Despegar.com-Argentina, Sol-Meliá, Spain, Ferrovial, Spain, Talgo, Spain. Among the findings of this comparative study, the following stand out: (1) debates about the family business are alive, (2) multidimensional perspectives between countries are needed to understand not only internationalization but also the relevance of competitive learning, entrepreneurial vision evolution, and diversity of trajectories between sectors and companies, and finally (3) the importance of culture and immigration in business and family development from Small and Medium Enterprises (hereafter SME) to large businesses.
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Patricia Ahmed and Rebecca Jean Emigh
Two perspectives provide alternative insights into household composition in contemporary Eastern Europe. The first stresses that individuals have relatively fixed preferences…
Abstract
Two perspectives provide alternative insights into household composition in contemporary Eastern Europe. The first stresses that individuals have relatively fixed preferences about living arrangements and diverge from them only when they cannot attain their ideal. The second major approach, the adaptive strategies perspective, predicts that individuals have few preferences. Instead, they use household composition to cope with economic hardship, deploy labor, or care for children or the elderly. This article evaluates these approaches in five post‐socialist East‐European countries, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Russia, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The results suggest that household extension is common in these countries and provide the most evidence for the adaptive strategies perspective. In particular, the results show that variables operationalizing the adaptive strategies perspective, including measures of single motherhood, retirement status, agricultural cultivation, and poverty, increase the odds of household extension.
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Babu George, Gina Marano and Tony Henthorne
Desarrollar un plan de negocios integral para una empresa nueva. Entender el ambiente de negocios. Prepare un análisis DAFO. Desarrollar planes funcionales (de mercadeo, finanzas…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
Desarrollar un plan de negocios integral para una empresa nueva. Entender el ambiente de negocios. Prepare un análisis DAFO. Desarrollar planes funcionales (de mercadeo, finanzas, recursos humanos, operaciones, etc.). Entender las oportunidades y desafíos del proceso de desarrollo de un nuevo producto.
Case overview/synopsis
Este estudio de caso traza el desarrollo de un plan de negocios para Ch’ulel Mendoza, un complejo de villas ubicado en la Cordillera de los Andes en Argentina, en donde los huéspedes disfrutan de lujosos tratamientos de spa basados en el uso de vino. El plan de negocios debe ser integral, pues se convertirá en la base de un proyecto completamente establecido para posibles inversionistas. Ch’ulel Mendoza está rodeado por los exuberantes viñedos de algunas de las fincas vinícolas más famosas de Argentina. El spa, las instalaciones y los servicios rinden homenaje al patrimonio vitivinícola de la región, promoviendo el vino entre sus huéspedes como algo placentero para consumir y propicio para llevar una vida saludable. El diseño arquitectónico es un guiño directo a la vid: el spa cubierto de tierra es donde los huéspedes absorben los nutrientes curativos de los tratamientos de vinoterapia y de agua, de la misma manera en la que las raíces se nutren de los elementos y el agua provenientes de la tierra; el área del resort aprovecha el espacio al aire libre con terrazas, patios abiertos y piscinas en las que los huéspedes pueden tomar el sol y disfrutar de otros elementos naturales, tal y como lo hacen las plantas de uva. Cuando entre en operación, Ch’ulel Mendoza simbolizará bienestar, recreación y el encanto de la cultura latinoamericana.
Complexity academic level
Nivel de pregrado y posgrado
Supplementary materials
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Subject code
CSS 12: Tourism and Hospitality.
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The purpose of this research is to analyse the accessibility of Spanish beaches for blind people and their guide dogs as an inclusive tourist destination for national and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to analyse the accessibility of Spanish beaches for blind people and their guide dogs as an inclusive tourist destination for national and international tourists.
Design/methodology/approach
This empirical research used a quantitative and qualitative methodology from public and private organizations, which intends to give voice to blind people to improve their quality of life.
Findings
This study presents a new and surprising contribution to the issue of accessibility of beaches for blind people and future studies related to this topic. Findings revealed that Spain has only nine adapted beaches for blind people, and most Spanish tourist destinations exclude blind people and its guide dogs from enjoying the beach and the sun and their facilities. In Spain there are in total 3,547 beaches; 10.3% of these are adapted beaches for people with reduced mobility, whereas only 0.25% are adapted beaches for blind people. Indeed, results also suggest that more efforts are required in response to the needs of blind people in tourism and transport activities by researchers, academics and government bodies.
Originality/value
The contribution of this paper is especially important for the management of the accessibility of Spanish beaches for blind people and their guide dogs by public and private organizations.
设计/方法/方法(100字内)
这项实证研究采用了来自公共和私人组织的定量和定性方法, 旨在让盲人发声以改善他们的生活质量。
目的(100字内)
本研究的目的是分析作为国内和国际游客包容性旅游目的地的西班牙海滩对盲人及其导盲犬的可达性。
调查结果(100字内)
这项研究对盲人的海滩可达性和与该主题相关的未来研究提出了新的和令人惊讶的贡献。 调查结果显示, 西班牙只有9个适合盲人的海滩, 大多数西班牙旅游目的地都将盲人及其导盲犬排除在享受海滩和阳光及其设施外。 西班牙共有 3,547 个海滩, 其中 10.3% 是适合行动不便人士使用的海滩, 而只有 0.25% 是适合盲人使用的海滩。 事实上, 结果还表明, 研究人员、学术界、政府机构、私营企业以及一个更加公平、团结和慷慨的社会需要做出更多努力来满足盲人在旅游和交通活动中的需求。
独创性/价值(100字内)
本文的贡献对于公共和私人组织管理盲人及其导盲犬在西班牙海滩的可达性尤为重要。
Objetivo
El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar la accesibilidad de las playas españolas para personas ciegas y sus perros guía como destino turístico inclusivo para turistas nacionales e internacionales.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Esta investigación utilizó una metodología cuantitativa y cualitativa apoyada con datos de organizaciones públicas y privadas, con la finalidad de dar voz a las personas ciegas para mejorar su calidad de vida.
Resultados
Este estudio presenta una nueva y sorprendente contribución sobre la accesibilidad de las playas para personas ciegas y futuros estudios relacionados con este tema. Los resultados revelaron que España tiene solo 9 playas adaptadas para invidentes, la mayoría de los destinos turísticos españoles están excluyendo a las personas invidentes y sus perros guía para disfrutar de la playa y el sol, y de sus instalaciones. En España hay un total de 3.547 playas, el 10,3% son playas adaptadas para personas con movilidad reducida, mientras que solo el 0,25% son playas adaptadas para invidentes. De hecho, los resultados también sugieren que se requieren más esfuerzos en respuesta a las necesidades de las personas ciegas en las actividades de turismo y transporte por parte de investigadores, académicos, organismos gubernamentales, empresas privadas y una sociedad más justa, solidaria y generosa.
Originalidad/valor
La contribución de este trabajo es especialmente importante para la gestión de la accesibilidad de las playas españolas para personas ciegas y sus perros guía por parte de organismos públicos y privados.
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Activation policies in most Western countries have discovered the private tool of contract and in a short period of time the contract has penetrated the whole domain. Among the…
Abstract
Purpose
Activation policies in most Western countries have discovered the private tool of contract and in a short period of time the contract has penetrated the whole domain. Among the forerunner countries contracts in different forms, collective as well as individual, have become the central steering instrument. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on what this change can and does entail for the individual job seeker on benefit. Job seekers are no longer expected to passive undergo treatment but expected to contribute actively to one's own return into the labour market. The main rationale behind this shift is the idea that working with contracts increases the level of involvement and, therefore improves results over time: results in terms of better motivated clients, more focused policymakers, providers and frontline workers delivering client‐orientated services.
Design/methodology/approach
Using qualitative research the article maps the different types of contracts using empirical material from eight countries.
Findings
The findings are presented in the form of the practical potentials and pittfalls of contracts for the individual.
Originality/value
A major added value is the multidisciplinary approach used by the authors; the phenomenon of contracts is analysed from a social science and a legal point of view.
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Segundo J. Castro-Gonzáles, Orquídea Arias Díaz and Anamari Irizarry Quintero
Using a proposed model, the purpose of this paper is to categorize small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) owners/managers’ perceptions of customer service, and of the manifestations…
Abstract
Purpose
Using a proposed model, the purpose of this paper is to categorize small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) owners/managers’ perceptions of customer service, and of the manifestations and observable behaviors in relation to the most frequent repercussions of domestic violence in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 73 SME owners/managers was selected; a survey with 44 variables was used for data collection; and factorial and canonical analysis techniques were used to analyze the data.
Findings
The following were found: among the most frequent manifestations of domestic violence in SME customer services, there are four categories that explain 69.46 percent of the model of variance: threats and continuous absences, frequent mistakes and bad relationships, physical damage/lack of concentration and negative manifestation with low self-esteem; among observable behavior at the workplace, there are four categories that explain 65.35 percent of the model of variance: lack of concentration/tearfulness, fear/insecurity, limited attention to customers and continuous threats; finally there is a 96.70 percent probability of the SMEs’ productivity being affected (loss of customers and low production), through three manifestations of domestic violence detected in the employees: tiredness, sleepiness and tearfulness.
Research limitations/implications
This research is circumscribed to only one geographical zone in Puerto Rico.
Practical implications
Even only three manifestations of domestic violence in workers will significantly decrease productivity. When SME managers detect these, they can take action to mitigate the problem for the benefit of the workers.
Originality/value
This study is a pioneer proposal in its analytical quantitative approach on domestic violence in Puerto Rico and its repercussions on the productivity of the service sector, using canonical analysis.
Propósito
Este estudio categoriza mediante un modelo propuesto, la percepción que tienen los gerentes/dueños de pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes) de servicio al cliente, sobre las manifestaciones y los comportamientos observables con respecto a las repercusiones más frecuentes que tiene la violencia doméstica en el lugar de trabajo.
Diseño/Metodología
Se seleccionó una muestra de 73 dueños/gerentes de pymes; como herramienta de recolección de datos se utilizó una encuesta con 44 variables y para encontrar los resultados se usaron técnicas de análisis factorial y análisis canónico.
Hallazgos
Se encontró lo siguiente: 1) entre las manifestaciones más frecuentes de violencia doméstica en las pymes de servicio al cliente, existen cuatro categorías que explican un 69.46% de varianza del modelo: amenazas y ausencias continuas, errores frecuentes y mala relación, daños físicos/desconcentración y manifestaciones negativas con baja autoestima; 2) entre los comportamientos observables en el lugar de trabajo, existen cuatro categorías que explican el 65.35% de varianza del modelo: falta de concentración/lloroso, temor/inseguridad, poca atención a clientes y amenazas continuas; finalmente 3) las pymes son afectadas en su productividad (pérdida de clientes y baja producción) con una probabilidad del 96.70% cuando se detectan en los trabajadores, tres manifestaciones de violencia domestica: cansado/a, dormido/a y lloroso/a.
Implicancias prácticas
Los dueños o gerentes de pymes al detectar en sus trabajadores solo tres manifestaciones de violencia doméstica es probable que tengan un efecto significativo en la disminución de su productividad y ayudará para que los gerentes tomen acciones a fin de mitigar este problema en beneficio de sus trabajadores.
Limitaciones
esta investigación está solo circunscrita a una zona geográfica de Puerto Rico.
Originalidad
Propuesta analítica cuantitativa pionera sobre la violencia doméstica en PR y sus repercusiones en la productividad en el sector servicios, usando análisis canónico.
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Niels Ketelhöhn, Roberto Artavia, Ronald Arce and Victor Umaña
This paper is a historical account of the process by which Michael Porter and INCAE Business School put together a regional competitiveness strategy for Central America that was…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper is a historical account of the process by which Michael Porter and INCAE Business School put together a regional competitiveness strategy for Central America that was officially adopted by the governments of five participating countries, and implemented through a series of Presidential Summits that occurred between 1995 and 1999. The paper provides a unique case study on the adoption of the concepts put forth by Porter in his book “The Competitive Advantage of Nations” (1990) at the highest level of government. The study arrives at a series of practical implications for policy makers that are particularly relevant for the implementation of supra-national regional strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct an extensive literature review of 190 policy papers produced by INCAE Business School, that are used to recreate the historical evolution of the regional competitiveness strategy. The effect of Porter’s intervention is also assessed by comparing the main economic indicators of each participating country with those of 2005-2010. One of the authors was the main protagonist in the successful implementation of the strategy, and the paper relies partially on his accounts of events.
Findings
This study describes how economic policy in Central America was profoundly influenced by Michael Porter’s thinking in the second half of the 1990s. These policy changes promoted international competition of Central American clusters and firms, and opened the region for international investment and tourism. The region experienced important increases in its economic integration, its international trade, foreign direct investment and tourist arrivals. Gross domestic product growth was accelerated in Honduras and Nicaragua.
Research limitations/implications
Like all case studies, this study has limits related to the generalizability of its conclusions. Additionally, it is not possible to determine the precise nature of the relation between the implementation of the regional economic strategy, and the impact on economic growth, integration, FDI attraction and exports.
Practical implications
The paper has several practical implications that relate to the design of regional economic strategies. First, it identifies policy areas that are more effective as part of regional strategies, and distinguishes them from those that should be resolved at the national level. Second, it suggests a process that can facilitate execution. Finally, it provides an example of the coordinating role that can be assumed by an academic institution such as INCAE.
Originality/value
The Central American Competitiveness Initiative provides a unique setting to study the implementation of competitiveness policy for several reasons. First, in all countries in Central America, Michael Porter’s diamond framework (1990) and cluster theory were officially adopted at the highest level of government. Second, in addition to their individual competitiveness strategies, all countries adopted a regional strategy for cooperation and economic integration. Finally, the Central American Competitiveness Initiative was founded on one of the first competitiveness think tanks of the world.
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José G. Vargas-Hernández, Elsa Patricia Orozco Quijano and M. C. Omar C. Vargas-González
Like many other countries, Mexico has invested in finding measures to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to its territories. In 1994, Mexico signed the United…
Abstract
Like many other countries, Mexico has invested in finding measures to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to its territories. In 1994, Mexico signed the United States–Canada–Mexico (USCM), a pact that positions Mexico as the United States' greatest direct exporter, with the prospect of leaving the treaty following the renegotiating of the USCM. This study seeks to analyse the benefits and drawbacks of renegotiation inside the USCM. It is said that the renegotiation of the Treat of Mexico, United States and Canada (Tratado de México, Estados Unidos y Canadá, TMEC) does not have to cause a wave of anxiety surrounding agricultural commodities and goods from the State of Sinaloa's exports because the renegotiation was accepted and a fair arrangement was established for the three countries. Looking directly at Sinaloa's agricultural exports, the study suggests that such a renegotiation is not beneficial for Sinaloan agricultural exportation putting forth the evidences to support the hypothesis applied.