scholarly journals Internationalisation at home for tourism training programmes: case studies from Vietnam

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-35
Author(s):  
Cam Thi Hong Khuong ◽  
Ly Thi Tran

Purpose Tourism is one of the most notable features of the contemporary globalised world. The tourism industry is becoming increasingly vital to the economy of many developing and developed countries around the globe. The demand of the tourism industry has posed a challenge for tourism training providers to move towards a more responsive and internationalised curriculum to enhance work readiness for tourism graduates who are expected to work with an increased number of international tourists. The purpose of this paper is analyse whether and how internationalisation has been implemented in the tourism training programmes across six institutions in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach The research deployed case studies as research strategy with interviews and document analysis as two instruments of data collection. Findings The major findings show that even though the tourism industry demands graduates to possess global competency, knowledge and skills, the curriculum does not prioritise the internationalisation dimensions and the faculty members are not facilitated to be internationally active in their roles. Overall, internationalisation is still fragmented and ad hoc in these institutions even though the private institutions in this research appear to be more responsive to the trend of internationalisation in education than their public counterparts. Research limitations/implications The paper provides recommendations on how to effectively embed internationalisation components into local tourism training programs in Vietnam. Originality/value The research bridges the gap in the literature on internationalisation of the local tourism programme in non-English-speaking countries.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Bagus Putu Purbadharmaja ◽  
Putu Yudi Setiawan ◽  
Toshikatsu Hayashi ◽  
Anak Agung Bagus Putu Widanta

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to analyze the different results between the effects of electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) on the perception of potential tourist in Japan and Indonesia regarding destination image, destination trust, satisfaction and their intention to visit.Design/methodology/approachThis research method is a structural model. Based on the existing literature review, several variables were obtained which were then analyzed by WarpPLS 6.0 software. The sampling method applied in this study is the purposive sampling technique. Samples of 200 potential tourists were collected in Indonesia and 100 potential tourists were collected in Japan. The population in this study was a potential tourist in Indonesia and Japan, with the following criteria: An Indonesian citizen, age between 19 and 60 years, who has never visited Japan and a Japanese citizen who has never visited Indonesia and have ever read or conduct online discussions regarding Japan and Indonesia as a tourist destination.FindingsThe results of the analysis of the two respondents in Japan and Indonesia prove that e-WOM has a positive effect on the image of the destination and intention to visit but not on the confidence of the destination. Destination image was also proven to significantly mediate the influence of e-WOM on intention to visit. These findings bring important implications for the theory and practice of tourism marketing.Originality/valueTheoretically, the result could be used as a reference for further research about the comparison between the effect e-WOM on destination image, destination trust and intention to visit of potential tourist in developed countries and developing countries. Practically, the result could be used as a consideration for the tourism industry and authority in both countries when formulating the destination marketing strategy.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-03-2019-0111


2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessio Cavicchi ◽  
Cristina Santini ◽  
Lucia Bailetti

Purpose – This purpose of this paper is to introduce a research model inspired by the basic principles of experiential research and apply it to the food and beverage industry. Thinkers and doers often do not speak the same language: many scholars have pursued the goal of reducing the gap between academicians and practitioners by introducing new research models or adapting existing ones. Two case studies with wine and olive oil producers illustrate how the model works and highlight its applicability. Background literature is provided to support the model. Design/methodology/approach – In defining the model, we have followed several steps. First, we searched the literature to identify research needs and insights that might be useful in formulating the model. Second, we constructed a model following some procedural steps suggested in the literature. Third, we tested a model to verify its applicability and functionality. The paper is structured as follows: the first section explores the issue of academic–practitioner collaboration to identify the obstacles to effective collaboration and to define possible benefits from reducing the gap. The second section presents background literature on methodologies for enhancing cross-profession collaboration. Finally, the model is described and two case studies are described to flesh out how the model works. Findings – According to our experience and research results, this model is, paraphrasing Phillips (1987), “warrantable” because it proposes continuous reflection to improve the alignment between thinkers and doers: this method of conducting research is objective and bridges the gap between researchers and practitioners. Because this model centres on experience, participant behaviours and beliefs can be elicited about a host of nondurable goods. Having entrepreneurs put themselves in the consumers’ position, and providing them the results of their experiment can be considered the real value added of this approach. The model proposed in this paper opens a wider perspective in qualitative research, and the two case studies demonstrate that it is particularly flexible for adaptation to various businesses. Research limitations/implications – More case studies could be useful to demonstrate the validity of this model. Particularly, a longitudinal case study aiming at collecting data about the participants’ feedback in the long run could help in understanding the deep value of the proposed model. Practical implications – While this paper illustrates two applications of the model with entrepreneurs and managers of the wine and olive oil industry, this model offers potential for analysis not only in the food and beverage sector but all fast-moving consumer goods sectors, as it can be adapted to techniques other than sensory analysis once researchers have confirmed that they fit with the aim of the research and the peculiarities of the problem observed. Social implications – Tools and methodologies must be chosen according to the type of business the problem refers to, and, while this presents a considerable challenge in organizing ad hoc research teams, it also offers an opportunity for an interdisciplinary approach and an exchange of knowledge and skills from different research fields. In this case, the choice of research methodology is much more driven by the real needs that emerge from the phenomenon observed, rather than by the researchers’ specific skills. Originality/value – This paper has helped us broaden our perspective on research and has encouraged us to reflect on critical issues such as validity of a research process and usefulness of research. Some questions about the role of research in relation to practitioners are still open, but we think that this work has the merit of further highlighting the importance of bridging the gap between researchers and practitioners during research, and the usefulness being flexible and open-minded when carrying out an investigation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 412-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan Kelman

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a first exploration of governmental duty of care towards scientists involved in science diplomacy by focusing on disaster research. Design/methodology/approach The method is a conceptual exploration, using specific case studies and potential scenarios within theories and practices of science diplomacy and duty of care, to raise questions and to suggest policy recommendations for government. The focus on disaster research links the analysis to disaster diplomacy, namely, how and why disaster-related activities (in this case, science) do and do not influence peace and conflict. Findings From examining case studies of, and outputs and outcomes from, disaster-related science diplomacy, governments need to consider duty of care issues in advance and develop a science diplomacy strategy, rather than responding after the fact or developing policy ad hoc. Practical implications Policy recommendations are provided to try to ensure that governments avoid simply reacting after a crisis, instead being ready for a situation before it arises and drawing on others’ experience to improve their own actions. Social implications Improved interaction between science and society is discussed in the context of diplomacy, especially for disaster-related activities. Originality/value Governmental duty of care has not before been applied to science diplomacy. The focus on disaster-related science further provides a comparatively new dimension for science diplomacy.


Author(s):  
Christine Wamsler ◽  
Ebba Brink

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the strategies used by Swedish citizens to adapt to changing climate variability and extremes. There is an increasing consensus that individual adaptive capacities are critical to successfully adapt to climate change and achieve sustainable development. However, little is known about individual adaptive practices, particularly in developed countries. Design/methodology/approach – The study covered a variety of geographical areas and included single-case studies of specific locations, cross-case studies and country-wide studies. Data were collected through literature review, interviews with at-risk people, observation and group discussions with municipal staff. Findings – The paper provides an overview of Swedish citizens’ adaptive practices and highlights how institutional development efforts affect individuals and their activities, including the equitable distribution of adaptation needs and resources. The paper concludes that individual adaptive capacities do not necessarily translate into adaptation. Practical implications – The results show that planned interventions are required. They emphasise the importance of more people-oriented adaptation planning that fosters the sustainable transformation of cities, together with the role that South-North knowledge transfer can play in this context. Originality/value – The paper offers critical insights into the positive and negative effects of citizens’ adaptation strategies (based on criteria such as effectiveness, sustainability and equity), and it discusses their relevance in the formulation of development policies and programmes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 815-829
Author(s):  
Boopen Seetanah

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the availability and contribution of destinations’ telecommunication structure and development on tourism development for the case of the small island economy of Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach The research uses annual data from 1992 to 2017 in a dynamic econometric setting, namely, an autoregressive distributed lag model to take into account the time series properties of the data. Findings Analysis of the results showed that telecommunication has contributed positively, albeit to a lesser extent as compared to other classical determinants, to tourist development in both the short and long run. In addition, the relatively high income elasticity also suggests that Mauritius is considered as a luxurious destination. Tourists were found to be sensitive to the relative prices and cost of the destination, tourism infrastructure and the island’s development level. Finally, the study confirms the presence repeat tourism on the island. Practical implications The result clearly provides support to the Government’s strategy to pursue an accelerated investment in telecommunication infrastructure and also to give further incentives to private operators to promote innovation and enhanced connectivity. It is recognised that the positive effect of telecommunication on the tourism industry relies on a national enabling telecommunication environment which is multi facet in nature, relying on to a large extent on infrastructure, access, capacity building and the legal framework among others. Originality/value The study is believed to supplement the literature by analysing the telecommunication–tourism link in a direct way as existing studies have largely discussed the link indirectly. Moreover, it uses a classical international demand for tourism model, augmented with a measure of telecommunication, and uses recent dynamic time series econometric framework to account for the existence of dynamism in tourism modelling. Finally, the research brings additional evidences from an island economy perspective (heavily tourist dependent and geographically remote), often neglected by the related literature which has focused mainly on developed countries.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamal El Baz ◽  
Regina Frei ◽  
Issam Laguir

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate reverse supply chain (RSC) practices and their obstacles using case studies of Moroccan companies. The authors present the main findings of case studies’ analysis along with a discussion of an RSC framework for further directions of research. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was adopted and semi-structured interviews with Moroccan companies were conducted using an interview guide. Findings The authors present an RSC model that encompasses remanufacturing, refurbishing and disposal processes. The authors believe that this model would constitute a promising framework for further research. The findings show that the successful implementation of RSC depends on many factors, but the company’s attitude (proactive or conservative) is one of the most critical determinants in RSC initiatives. Furthermore, the results of the case studies indicate two types of inhibitors: external and internal. These findings confirm the results of previous research on environmental sustainability obstacles in general and RSC obstacles in particular. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations that provide future research opportunities. Because this study is qualitative, further statistical support is needed to justify wider generalisation of its findings. Further studies might therefore investigate RSC practices in developing countries other than Morocco to increase the external validity of the results. Practical implications The findings can help firms to gain better understanding of their RSC and particularly the link between forward and RSCs. Consequently, companies can upgrade their business models to better control their RSC activities. Originality/value The relevant literature about RSC practices has mainly targeted manufacturing sectors in developed countries, and few studies have been conducted on developing countries. Research on RSC practices in developing countries in general and African countries in particular is sparse. This is one of the first articles written to address this gap by investigating RSC practices in Morocco.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghazali Musa ◽  
Shahrul Najmin ◽  
Thinaranjeney Thirumoorthi ◽  
Azni Zarina Taha

Purpose City has a continuous need to diversify its products and services to ensure longer tourists’ stays and a profitable tourism industry. Kuala Lumpur is one of the most popular cities in the world, and within its vicinity, Batu Caves are not only an important Hindu religious site, but also a popular tourist attraction. Guided by the four realms of experience dimensions (Pine and Gilmore, 1998), the purpose of this paper is to analyze 54 essays written by university students, to examine the experience of their visit to Batu Caves. The findings confirmed the application of all the four realm dimensions – entertainment, educational, esthetic and escapist – revealing both positive and negative aspects of the experience. Batu Caves may capitalize on the positive experiences as pointers to create an effective marketing communication, while negative experiences are opportunities to devise appropriate corrective measures, and perhaps further develop tourism products and services that would appeal to the visitors’ experience. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a qualitative research strategy to examine visitors’ experiences at Batu Caves using the four realms of experience theory as coined by Pine and Gilmore (1998). A total of 54 undergrads were asked to describe their visit to Batu Caves (Lucia-Palacios et al., 2016) providing a complete insight of their opinions, feelings and perceptions (Jüttner et al., 2013) using the essay writing method. Findings The authors discovered firm evidence of the theory’s application, revealing the expected four experiential dimensions in explaining experience at a cultural religious site, extending the description to include its positive and negative aspects, all of which are useful for destination management. The study points out a lot of aspects that must be managed by the site, such as the poor esthetic experience (e.g. smell, rubbish, graffiti, etc.), controlling the animal aggression (i.e. monkeys) and perhaps develop new products and services which could enhance some experiences (e.g. cultural escapism through cultural performances in which visitors could participate). Research limitations/implications The main weakness of the research is perhaps the qualitative research work in which data were collected from essays written by the university students. Data of this nature prevent us from being able to generalize the findings and reflect on the experience to the general public. Practical implications Tourist stays in Kuala Lumpur could be enhanced by providing meaningful, deep and memorable experiences. Tourist attractions such as Batu Caves should continuously examine the experience that they provide to the visitors. Batu Caves’ management could continuously measure its tourists’ experience provisions, as tourists’ needs evolve over time. From the results they could revamp their products and services offering to ensure the sustainability of Batu Caves’ natural and cultural appeal among visitors and tourists alike. Originality/value The outcome provides a better understanding of the current tourism product and services at the destination that have an impact on a visitor’s experience. The findings will assist the Batu Caves’ management to revise and develop the products and service offerings to the visitors.


Author(s):  
Michael Busler

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find the characteristics that determine the success of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in promoting economic development and specifically to determine the long- and short-term public involvement. Design/methodology/approach – A grounded theory approach is utilized, involving desk research and a review of the current literature, as well as examining case studies. This reduction in data collection was based on the availability of literature and case studies which can be assimilated to develop theoretically justifiable conclusions. Findings – In less-than-developed countries (LDC), the lack of private investment capital severely hinders economic development. In developed countries it is often high risk factors and very large capital investment that slows economic development. In both cases, an input from the public sector is needed. The findings suggest that government involvement should be time limited, so that to achieve long-term success, a public sector exit strategy should be formulated. The length of time for public sector involvement varies but is generally longer in the LDC. Research limitations/implications – While the current literature provides some conclusions regarding the effect of PPPs on economic development, there is a gap when examining the proper structure particularly for developing countries. Originality/value – While the current literature provides some conclusions regarding the effect of PPPs on economic development, there is a gap when examining the proper structure. This paper also provides some guidance for participants to determine the optimum length of time that public involvement is needed. Both academics and practitioners should find this to be valuable information.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Makrides ◽  
Linda Ross ◽  
Cameron Gosling ◽  
Joseph Acker ◽  
Peter O'Meara

PurposeThis study aims to map and examine the existing evidence to provide an overview of what is known about the structure and characteristics of the Anglo-American paramedic system in developed countries.Design/methodology/approachThe review includes results examining the structure and characteristics of the Anglo-American paramedic system in English-speaking developed countries. Databases, including Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Epistemonikos, were searched from the inception of the databases. A grey literature search strategy was conducted to identify non-indexed relevant literature along with forward and backward searching of citations and references of included studies. Two reviewers undertook title and abstract screening, followed by full-text screening. Finally, data extraction was performed using a customised instrument. Included studies were summarised using narrative synthesis structured around broad themes exploring the structure and characteristics of the Anglo-American paramedic system.Findings The synthesis of information shows that varying models (or subsystems) exist within the Anglo-American paramedic system. The use of metaphorical models based on philosophical underpinnings are used to describe two novel subsystems within the Anglo-American paramedic system. These are the professionally autonomous and directive paramedic systems, with the directive model being further categorised into the rescue and hospital-managed submodels.Originality/valueThis study is the first of its kind to explore the modern subcategorisation of the Anglo-American paramedic system using a realist lens as the basis for its approach.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugues Seraphin ◽  
Vanessa Gowreesunkar

Purpose This concluding paper filters out the main points relating to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) arising from the theme issue. The aim is to provide an insight as to how the hospitality and tourism industry is aligning its actions with the SDGs given the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent issues such as overtourism. Design/methodology/approach The approach is based on evidence and findings derived from the case studies featured in this issue presented by practitioners and academics. Findings The overall findings show destinations along with the hospitality and tourism industry are engineering a variety of strategies to make the industry sustainable. The practical solutions recommended by contributors are helpful in terms of sharing good practices and identifying potential barriers to the execution of those practices. Originality/value The articles in this theme issue address a theoretical and practical gap while proposing innovative sustainable tourism strategies directed towards the implementation of the United Nations SDGs. The value of this paper lies in the fact that it draws from a variety of original case studies, each unique in their own right and proposes innovative ideas on how the tourism and hospitality industry may implement the SDGs in their businesses while safeguarding the interest of the economy, society and the environment.


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