This study provides preliminary empirical insight into the contemporary tourist phenomenon of sightrunning. This combined offering simultaneously concurs with and evades theoretical perspectives of ...hybrid tourists, sport tourism, cultural tourism and urban tourism, favouring examination of such phenomena through first-hand experiences of the participants. For the purpose of the empirical study, automated content analysis was applied in order to analyse 858 reviews of sightrunning tours extracted from Tripadvisor web pages. Results reveal that running is the dominant concept, which refers to a gratifying 'way to see and experience the city' (rather than the sights). Additional concepts and themes, such as knowledgeable guides and proper pace, further mediate and effect participant experiences. Findings suggest that sport tourists might be concurrently interested in involving cultural experiences, and this offers some preliminary theoretical and managerial implications. They namely identify the potentially neglected tourist segment, which is of relevance for conceptualization, research and management of tourist offerings and experiences from (and beyond) the perspective of 'running shoes'.
Building upon the rich tradition of research on governmentality, this paper introduces the notion of market-based governance (i.e. the coordinated efforts of companies to align the conduct of its ...constituents with the institutional norms, values and interests of the company), and presents an empirical investigation of market-based governance in the context of a sharing economy platform, Airbnb. Whereas existing governmentality research has focused on specific discourses or aspects of governance in the marketplace, our aim is to develop broader-spectrum conceptual tools for ‘ordering’ the increasingly multifaceted forms of marked-based governance. We show that Airbnb mobilizes three distinct logics of governance (i.e. the regulatory, competitive and communitarian) which subsume diverse modes of power (i.e. the sovereign, disciplinary and pastoral) that contribute to the cultivation of governable subjects (i.e. the compliant subject, entrepreneurial subject and community member). The theoretical framework developed in this work is applied to critically reflect on emergent forms of market-based governance, the dilemmas of multi-logic governance and the uneven geographies of market-based governance.
Purpose
This paper aims to inform the promotion of sustainable modes of transport. For this purpose, it deploys a means-ends framework as a type of second-order cybernetics and uses it to explore ...cognitive transport mode choice structures.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical study relies on a purposive sample and a qualitative research methodology known as laddering. It is aimed at the identification and comparative analysis of the cognitive means-ends structures of transport users.
Findings
The results reveal more positive and complex associations for the car than for public transport. Two main positive means-ends structures are identified for public transport, one related with the relaxation and the other with doing useful things while travelling. Dominant positive structures for the car are related with self-confidence, satisfaction and personal freedom. Negative means-ends structures in addition reveal important justifications and rationalizations for car use.
Practical implications
Based on the identified distinct means-ends elements and structures, this study holds important implications for developing a communications strategy and policy interventions seeking to promote public transport.
Originality/value
Means-ends theory is proposed as an integrative cybernetic framework for the study of stakeholders’ (customers’) mental models. The empirical study is the first to concurrently and comparatively examine positive and negative means-ends chains for the car and for the public transport modes.
This paper contributes to the package design research by proposing and verifying process-based framework that explain how various package features affect customers visual attention. An exploratory ...study was carried out in virtual settings, deploying eye-tracking methodology in combination with package collages in order to assure a reasonably realistic product category context, yet better control over non-package factors that affect attention. Findings suggest that physical and semantic package features affect attention during the ‘orientation’ phase and reveal how efficiently attention is transferred to the brand in the ‘discovery’ phase. Results in addition reveal that packages that attract the most attention are not necessarily likeable or suitable, but also that recall is a questionable measure of attention. The study provides important implications by informing management on how to break the visual clutter and stand out from competitors, while staying in line with the product category ‘code’.
•Sequential phases of visual attention are affected by different package features.•Visual attention does not necessarily correspond with package preferences.•Package design factors depend upon visual competitive context and category ‘code’.•Eye-tracking measures needs to be complemented with survey methods.
Purpose
This paper theoretically and empirically aims to explore customer group flow experiences with an urban adventure game called “escape rooms”.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive model ...of group flow antecedents and consequences is proposed and empirically verified by means of survey research and SEM methodology.
Findings
The results indicate that key determinants of group flow experiences are the collective challenge/skills balance, and theming and storytelling. Group flow, in turn, significantly affects participants’ revisit intentions and word-of-mouth communications, as well as group cohesion and subjective quality of life.
Practical implications
The supported research model provides an insight into how group flow experiences can be facilitated by means of gamification and yields important managerial implications. These are systematically discussed in regard to antecedent and consequence constructs.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first papers to systematically examine the antecedents and consequences of group flow experiences at adventure game-based attractions. It contributes to the understanding and management of peak experiences in contemporary hospitality and tourism.
This paper reports findings and introduces an innovative methodological approach deployed to explore how complex visual imagery on Pinterest represents Thailand and how commercial and private users ...differ in this respect. For this purpose, visual content analysis of 300 images was performed in which computer vision labelling and a subsequent manual thematic analysis were deployed during a two-step procedure. The obtained findings reveal that significant differences exist among both types of users regarding some frequently depicted themes (architecture, animals) and regarding textual, graphic and substantive content. These differences in turn inform the theoretical and practical implications for improved communication on social media. The limitations of the study are also discussed.
The notion of 'students as customers' continues to be prominent, yet is insufficiently explored, especially from the standpoint of various stakeholders. To address this inadequacy, the present study ...employs a multigroup analysis of the service profit chain (SPC) model in higher education (HE). Its purpose is to examine the complete SPC model regarding stakeholder perceptions in order to inform its validation and implementation. A cross-sectional survey was employed in order to enable multigroup comparison of a comprehensive research model on subsamples of employees and students by means of structural equation modeling (SEM). Results provide support for the proposed SPC model within the sample of vocational colleges. Besides strongly linked constructs (quality-satisfaction-loyalty), some notable weaknesses (cracked 'satisfaction mirror') are found. Multigroup analysis also indicates some important differences between employees and students. Implications are provided for strategic service management in HE, which should acknowledge the differences among stakeholder perceptions.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether internet forums are an appropriate source for identification of causes of dissatisfaction of patients with non-medical aspects of healthcare ...services.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the guidelines of netnography qualitative research the authors identify relevant posts or comments on selected online forums in which web users show their dissatisfaction with healthcare services. Five popular Slovenian forums representing different interest communities have been chosen and 42 forums’ topics have been reviewed.
Findings
Online communities have an important role in exploring patient dissatisfaction. Through content analysis comments were coded into meaningful categories and subcategories.
Research limitations/implications
Some comments were more explicit, while others have provided general and looser reasons for dissatisfaction, and in such cases coding and content analysis of comments was more difficult.
Practical implications
Contents expressed within online communities are helpful in designing improvement activities since they enable determination of concrete relevant measures aiming at eliminating and preventing the established causes of discontent, such as instituting new policies, introducing training programs, determining desired changes in culture.
Originality/value
Usefulness of the netnography as a qualitative method of research is confirmed through confirmation that causes of dissatisfaction of Slovenian patients, which have been identified in the authors research are similar to those identified in previous research in the field of patient satisfaction conducted in Slovenia. Results constitute a new form of researching patient dissatisfaction and expose the specific causes of patient dissatisfaction with healthcare services in Slovenia.
This study examines the relevance and conceptualizations of the authenticity concept in cultural tourism from the managerial standpoint. We propose a consumer-based model in which authenticity is a ...key mediating construct between cultural motivation and loyalty. The model is empirically examined by means of a survey conducted on 25 Romanesque heritage sites in four European countries. A confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed using LISREL 8.72. The results indicate that cultural motivation is an important antecedent of both object-based and existential authenticity, which in turn influence tourist loyalty. Theoretical, managerial and marketing implications of authenticity are discussed, showing that the consumer-based perspective can transcend some 'irreconcilable tensions' related to this concept.
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