THE STRATEGIC CHOICES IN ACHIEVING TOURISM'S COMPETITIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE AMONG HOTELS IN INDONESIA

The current debate between external strategy and a resource-based approach as a driver of competitiveness is rarely investigated in a developing region. This study investigates whether an external focus or a resource-based strategy is better for leveraging the hotel industry's competitiveness and performance in a developing area in Indonesia. The authors obtained saturated responses from 204 managers and analyzed them with PLS-SEM's two-stage and repeated indicator approach while interviewing some of them. This study developed a formative model in PLS-SEM as a better method for investigating an organization's performance than a reflective approach. Quantitative analysis revealed the resource-based view as a better basis for supporting hotels' competitiveness and performance; however, the interview revealed considerable concerns over arising externalities. This paper suggests that hotel managers improve their internal core competence instead of wasting resources and worrying about external issues.

Inter-Regional Cooperation in Waste Management: New Trends in Moscow and the Moscow Region

Globalization metrics rank Moscow as an alpha global city and the second most populous city in Europe. The city’s rate of urbanization and population growth has increased over the past decade triggering outward urban sprawl and the attendant need for spatial development within the city’s suburb – the Moscow Region municipality. This study focuses on internal factors and trends facilitating the need for inter-municipal waste management cooperation between the Moscow metropolis and the Moscow Region municipality. The paper reviews the policies driving this partnership and the inter-sectoral network facilitating waste management. Partnership effectiveness is evaluated via a multi-indicator approach, alongside qualitative thematic analysis comprising public surveys and the review of legal, administrative and operational documents. The findings reveal that cooperation between the municipalities is primarily driven by the convergence of socio-cultural factors, common territorial boundaries, the provision of public utilities and urban spatial constraints.

National Forest Inventory Data to Evaluate Climate-Smart Forestry

National Forest Inventory (NFI) data are the main source of information on forest resources at country and subcountry levels. This chapter explores the strengths and limitations of NFI-derived indicators to assess forest development with respect to adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, that is, the criteria of Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF). We reflect on harmonizing NFI-based indicators across Europe, use literature to scrutinize available indicators to evaluate CSF, and apply them in 1) Switzerland, where CSF is evaluated for NFI records and simulation model projections with four management scenarios; 2) 43 selected European countries, for which the indicators for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) are used. The indicators were aggregated to composite indices for adaptation and mitigation and to an overall CSF rating. The Swiss NFI records showed increased CSF ratings in mountainous regions, where growing stocks increased. Simulations under business-as-usual management led to a positive CSF rating, whereas scenarios of increased harvesting decreased either only adaptation or both mitigation and adaptation. European-level results showed increases in CSF ratings for most countries. Negative adaptation ratings were mostly due to forest damages. We discuss the limitations of the indicator approach, consider the broader context of international greenhouse gas reporting, and conclude with policy recommendations.

Multidimensional Rural Livelihoods in Indian Sub-Himalaya: Regional Analysis, Households Well-Being and Its Determinants

A cursory review of literatures shows a void in regional patterns analysis of rural livelihood in the sub-Himalayan West Bengal, India. Therefore, this study has attempted to examine the regional pattern of multidimensional rural livelihoods (assets, accessibility, health and education) in the study area. The study has attempted to look at the various determinants that make a region different from others in the same geographical space in terms of livelihood practices and household well-being. The study has applied a mixed research method, that is, Principal component analysis (PCA), household well-being indicator approach, multiple regressions, and focus group discussions (FGDs). The community blocks of the study area are found to be differently endowed in terms of different assets. The results show that marginalised castes and non-Hindu households have a relatively lower well-being score than the other households. The results suggest that daily work opportunities and an increase in the number of casual labourers positively impact the generation of decent and sustainable livelihood. It also shows an increase in the household well-being score to occupation groups such as businesses and salaried jobs. However, collection of sandstone and other construction materials from the river bed is emerging as a new source of livelihood.

The Analysis and the Measurement of Poverty: An Interval-Based Composite Indicator Approach

The study of poverty and its quantification is a critical yet unresolved problem in social science. This work seeks to use a new composite indicator to assess poverty as a multidimensional concept. However, subjective decisions, such as various weighting systems on the indicator’s creation, may affect its perception. In order to solve this issue, we propose to use random different composite indicators based on simulated weightings and specifications to get a comprehensive interval-based composite indicator. Our method generates robust and trustworthy measurements based on a meaningful conceptual model of poverty. Furthermore, we use some interval parameters such as the upper bound, center, and lower bound to compare the different intervals related to the different statistical units and rankings to aid in analyzing extreme situations and policy scenarios. In Sicily, Calabria, Campania, and Puglia, we identify urgent circumstances. The findings reveal a consistent indicator measurement and the shadow sector’s influence on the final measurements.

Vulnerability of Fishery-based Livelihoods to Climate Variability and Change in a Tropical Island: Insights From Small Scale Fishers in Seychelles

An indicator approach based on six major components and their corresponding sub-components was applied in order to assess community vulnerability of small-scale fishers on Mahe and Praslin Island with the framework of the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI). These major major components include socio-demographic profile, livelihood strategies, food, health, social networks, and natural disasters and climate variability from which questionnaires were designed based on expert judgements. Fisher associations on Mahe and Praslin provided guidance for the selection of fishing households and a total of 80 surveys were completed with 40 from each island. Three shared dialogue workshops (SDWs) were conducted to gather additional qualitative data. A composite index was used to aggregate the data and the LVI-IPCC methodology was applied in the calculation of the contributing factors of the sub-components to the major components and the overall vulnerability was deduced for exposure, adaptive capacity and sensitivity. Results showed that the percentage of fishers’ households that depend mainly on fisheries as a source of income was 95% and 97% for Mahe and Praslin respectively with alternative income streams along the fishing value chain such as transportation, fish mongers and processor. Fishers on Mahe Island had a dependency ratio index that was slightly higher than those on Praslin. Overall, fishing households on Mahe showed greater vulnerability on socio-demographic profile index compared to their counterparts on Praslin. However, greater livelihood diversification was recorded for householders on Mahe than Praslin – an indication that the level of development on the former as the largest island and capital of Seychelles offer greater opportunities for diversification. The SDWs revealed that fishers earned income from tourism-related activities such as guest house, car rental, boat ride, and sales of coconuts. While householders on Mahe struggled to find fish for 3 months during the southeast monsoon season, those on Praslin had just 2 months given that they are granted access to fish in the lagoon during this season. More importantly, the voluntary closure of some fishing zones between the months of November to April on Praslin is a sustainability strategy with an increase in size and number observed for rabbit and parrotfish. Further studies are needed in two key areas as follows: the role of subsidies and sustainable fisheries management, and a value-chain approach to vulnerability of small-scale fishers within the fishery sector in Seychelles.

Measuring Household Resilience to Cyclone Disasters in Coastal Bangladesh

The main objective of this paper is to measure the level of household resilience to cyclone and storm surges in the coastal area of Bangladesh. We draw on four general disaster frameworks in terms of addressing household-level resilience to cyclones and storm surges. We use a composite indicator approach organized around four components: (1) household infrastructure (HI); (2) household economic capacity (HEC); (3) household self-organization and learning (HSoL), and; (4) social safety nets (SSN). Drawing on a household survey (N = 1188) in nine coastal union parishads in coastal Bangladesh purposively selected as among the most vulnerable places in the world, we use principal components analysis applied to a standardized form of the survey data that identifies key household resilience features. These household index scores can be used for the assessment and monitoring of household capacities, training, and other efforts to improve household cyclone resilience. Our innovative methodological approach allows us to (a) identify patterns and reveal the underlying factors that accurately describe the variation in the data; (b) reduce a large number of variables to a much smaller number of core dimensions of household resilience, and (c) to detect spatial variations in resilience among communities. Aggregated to the community level, our new index reveals significant differences in community cyclone resilience in different areas of the coastal region. In this way, we can show that shoreline and island communities, in particular, have significant deficits in terms of household resilience, which seem to be mutually reinforcing one another and making for lower resilience.

AN INTEGRATED SYNERGETIC-INDICATOR APPROACH TO THE MANAGEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROCESSES ON BUSY AND LOW-DENSITY LINES

The article considers the complex problem of effective functioning and the methodology development for managing transportation on low-density railway lines when interacting with intensive highways, which is urgent for railway transport. The article raises complex problems and investigates theoretical provisions of the problems of functioning of low-density railway lines and their interaction with intensive and projected (modernized) lines. The solution to this problem is of great socio-economic and economic importance for the operation of the railway transport network, ensuring the needs of production and the population in transportation. The article proposes a comprehensive synergetic-indicator approach to the management of intensive and low-density railway lines based on existing management functions, including analysis, organization, stimulation, control and coordination of the transportation process. A general assessment of the dynamics of the functioning of low-density railway lines is given. The conceptual structure of the integrated synergetic-indicator approach is presented, which has empirical foundations, prerequisites, theoretical foundations and implementation, confirmed by reliability criteria. The structure of the proposed railway transport management system is developed for the selection of management objects. The elements of interaction of busy, low-density and projected railway lines are established. The mathematical model diagram of the interaction of intensive modernized low-density lines and the state function of the system under consideration have been developed. The modeled transport system is classified.