Putting together RT paper on all work done in the area -
with summary of each paper - then look to key indicators coming out of the papers -
env - guilt - ethical consumerism - social - economic - etc.
try to marry up the papers and the indicators
by wednesday next. tall order.
Thursday 31 January 2008
Monday 14 January 2008
Kozak 2001
Chapter nineteen ACritical Review of Approaches to Measure Satisfaction with Tourist Destinations
excellent review of literature in satisfaction
tracks all the interesting trends and does not commit to one or the other.
goes into good debates about lots of pertinent topics
CS/D
Importance
perf
scales
attibutes
sampling
multiple member of groups
first and repeat
timing of data collection
all very useful
excellent review of literature in satisfaction
tracks all the interesting trends and does not commit to one or the other.
goes into good debates about lots of pertinent topics
CS/D
Importance
perf
scales
attibutes
sampling
multiple member of groups
first and repeat
timing of data collection
all very useful
Sunday 13 January 2008
Experience
Starting to look more closely at the experience side of the holiday
how is this usueally measured?
the literature seems to move towards CIT
asking people about their most positive and negative experiences...
the natural follow up is then to ask what the consumer attributes this credit/blame to....
(Attribution theory)
this is a key area for Soft-adventure tourism, as i want to know what people think of the TO when all sorts of things happen - do they look at themselves - or luck - or the TO - ar the destination? The group I am with - does that mean i am lucky or the TO is good?
how is this usueally measured?
the literature seems to move towards CIT
asking people about their most positive and negative experiences...
the natural follow up is then to ask what the consumer attributes this credit/blame to....
(Attribution theory)
this is a key area for Soft-adventure tourism, as i want to know what people think of the TO when all sorts of things happen - do they look at themselves - or luck - or the TO - ar the destination? The group I am with - does that mean i am lucky or the TO is good?
Friday 11 January 2008
Dalton 2007
A survey of tourist operator attitudes to renewable energy supply in Queensland, Australia
Good leads to follow up on
pretty much all about RES - renewable energy supply - but links are to consumers opinions.
need to follow up.
Good leads to follow up on
pretty much all about RES - renewable energy supply - but links are to consumers opinions.
need to follow up.
Martin 2000
Attitudes Towards Package Holidays and ABTA–2000, MORI
Pages 8-9 has the key question
How important is it to you that your holiday should...?
Not damage the environment
Include visits to experience local culture and food
Benefit the people of the destination you are travelling to (for example, through jobs and business opportunities)
MORI
Another interesting point - satisfaction with holidays in general has gone up significantly since 1988
Pages 8-9 has the key question
How important is it to you that your holiday should...?
Not damage the environment
Include visits to experience local culture and food
Benefit the people of the destination you are travelling to (for example, through jobs and business opportunities)
MORI
Another interesting point - satisfaction with holidays in general has gone up significantly since 1988
Miller 2003
Consumerism in Sustainable Tourism: A Survey of UK Consumers
Good piece - from 2000
Asks all the usual kinds of questions. Some good references to follow up on.
The aim of the survey is to gain an indication as to whether consumers were willing to use a wider spread of information in the purchase of their future tourism products.
Good piece - from 2000
Asks all the usual kinds of questions. Some good references to follow up on.
The aim of the survey is to gain an indication as to whether consumers were willing to use a wider spread of information in the purchase of their future tourism products.
Bargeman 2005
The role of routines in the vacation decision-making process of Dutch vacationers
No real link to what I am looking at - the article looks at routines and I thought that maybe RT behaviour might have been approached, but it wasn't really.
No real link to what I am looking at - the article looks at routines and I thought that maybe RT behaviour might have been approached, but it wasn't really.
Wednesday 9 January 2008
Interview with Claudia
Spoke to Claudia at length about her 86 day trip in South America.
the trip was with Exodus in august-sept-october 2007
the trip ran from rio to quito.
In general Claudia was not particularly happy with Exodus, although she enjoyed the trip inmmensely.
1. from day one, the trip notes provided were from quito to rio and so no precise notes were available for the inverse trip. This meant that some of the timings were out, in particular the was pretty much no time in Rio, while the inverse trip had 3 days!
2. the tour was supposed to have 1 tour leader and 1 assigned driver, but it turned out that it was more like 2 drivers - they didn't seem too interested in the TL part.
3. There was no real initial briefing - this left people a little unsure as to how things would run. Claudia also felt there was a lack of info in general - the expertise of the tour was a big let-down.
It was more diffiult to "engage with the places you were" because of the TL.
4. The bus broke down on the way out of Rio - for several hours and this happened a number of times in the first 3 weeks - this was seen as unacceptable, especially as they got to see buses from other companies liek Tucan and Budget which seemed far superior. The drivers told the group that the vehicles were to be sold after the tour, as the coompany was no longer going to run these types of trip. This basic failing was seen as particularly galling.
5. The guides along the way were very good, especially thse at Machu Pichu in Peru - some were better than others, but in general very good.
6. The group had 16 people - 2 aussies, 2 kiwis and the rest British. 1 man was somewhat older, and all people seemed to be in some sort of transition - fitting in with the idea of a 3 month trip.
The group seemed to get on well - and were happy that they were not with the likes of the BEX group they came across - it seemed to be a more 18-30 trip. Although the group was mainly mid 20s - mid 30s.
7. The local payment was not explained properly as the group suspected it was to pay for things along the way, which it was not. When 'over-budget' the group wondered where the local payment money had gone. I guess there was a general lack of understanding about where the money was going/ had been.
8. Hidden extras were linked to the local payment issue as people began to question what they were getting for their money - there is a huge list of includeds in the trip notes, but the group did not feel there was so much included.
9. the drivers offered the option of restaurants, but the ones they went to as a group were not so good and were generally more expensive - this led to further issues with the drivers. On one occasion they had trouble dividing a group bill, and it turned out that the TL had ordered 2 bottles of wine, and that was the difference - again fuelling the fire.
10. the bus was more of a truck, with the drivers 'up front' and separate from the group. this alienated them a little.
11. one of the drivers 'hooked up' with one of the girls on the trip - seen as unprofessional by some group members.
12. No mention of RT or environmental considerations at all. By all accounts, unlikely with the drivers thay had.
13. On the whole the group and Claudia would not recommend Exodus, and would travel with Explore instead having previous experience with them. The lack of expertise and basic failings of the bus were too much to overcome.
the trip was with Exodus in august-sept-october 2007
the trip ran from rio to quito.
In general Claudia was not particularly happy with Exodus, although she enjoyed the trip inmmensely.
1. from day one, the trip notes provided were from quito to rio and so no precise notes were available for the inverse trip. This meant that some of the timings were out, in particular the was pretty much no time in Rio, while the inverse trip had 3 days!
2. the tour was supposed to have 1 tour leader and 1 assigned driver, but it turned out that it was more like 2 drivers - they didn't seem too interested in the TL part.
3. There was no real initial briefing - this left people a little unsure as to how things would run. Claudia also felt there was a lack of info in general - the expertise of the tour was a big let-down.
It was more diffiult to "engage with the places you were" because of the TL.
4. The bus broke down on the way out of Rio - for several hours and this happened a number of times in the first 3 weeks - this was seen as unacceptable, especially as they got to see buses from other companies liek Tucan and Budget which seemed far superior. The drivers told the group that the vehicles were to be sold after the tour, as the coompany was no longer going to run these types of trip. This basic failing was seen as particularly galling.
5. The guides along the way were very good, especially thse at Machu Pichu in Peru - some were better than others, but in general very good.
6. The group had 16 people - 2 aussies, 2 kiwis and the rest British. 1 man was somewhat older, and all people seemed to be in some sort of transition - fitting in with the idea of a 3 month trip.
The group seemed to get on well - and were happy that they were not with the likes of the BEX group they came across - it seemed to be a more 18-30 trip. Although the group was mainly mid 20s - mid 30s.
7. The local payment was not explained properly as the group suspected it was to pay for things along the way, which it was not. When 'over-budget' the group wondered where the local payment money had gone. I guess there was a general lack of understanding about where the money was going/ had been.
8. Hidden extras were linked to the local payment issue as people began to question what they were getting for their money - there is a huge list of includeds in the trip notes, but the group did not feel there was so much included.
9. the drivers offered the option of restaurants, but the ones they went to as a group were not so good and were generally more expensive - this led to further issues with the drivers. On one occasion they had trouble dividing a group bill, and it turned out that the TL had ordered 2 bottles of wine, and that was the difference - again fuelling the fire.
10. the bus was more of a truck, with the drivers 'up front' and separate from the group. this alienated them a little.
11. one of the drivers 'hooked up' with one of the girls on the trip - seen as unprofessional by some group members.
12. No mention of RT or environmental considerations at all. By all accounts, unlikely with the drivers thay had.
13. On the whole the group and Claudia would not recommend Exodus, and would travel with Explore instead having previous experience with them. The lack of expertise and basic failings of the bus were too much to overcome.
Tuesday 8 January 2008
Schwarz 2006
Feelings and Phenomenal Experiences
Seriously in-depth look at social psychology.
If I ever need to go deeper - this is probabaly the way to go.
Seriously in-depth look at social psychology.
If I ever need to go deeper - this is probabaly the way to go.
Churchill 1982
An Investigation into the Determinants of Customer Satisfaction
Strange old paper - good because it gives an accurate explanation of disconfirmation/satisfaction/expectation
Points to performance as a KEY VARIABLE
I think it is this article that is oft-cited as the first real
cited 636!
Strange old paper - good because it gives an accurate explanation of disconfirmation/satisfaction/expectation
Points to performance as a KEY VARIABLE
I think it is this article that is oft-cited as the first real
cited 636!
Tse 1988
Models of Consumer Satisfaction Formation: An Extension
Trying to unrvel CS/D, performance, satisfaction
Pretty deep and not sure if at all helpful
probably one to avoid.
Trying to unrvel CS/D, performance, satisfaction
Pretty deep and not sure if at all helpful
probably one to avoid.
Bigne 2004
Emotions in segmentation An Empirical Study
Amazing piece of work. Explains the emergance of affect and how marketeers need to start integrating emotions!
Very key article I must follow up on.
Link to Xavier as well
Amazing piece of work. Explains the emergance of affect and how marketeers need to start integrating emotions!
Very key article I must follow up on.
Link to Xavier as well
Ravald 1996
The value concept and relationship marketing
Interesting article - really the start of an idea - maybe good to check how many have cited this article.
nice idea of value - not just adding things on/in, but looking at the sacrifices - how can it be reduced - not juct by lowering the price but by reducing the other "hassle factors"
275 citations - very popular!
Interesting article - really the start of an idea - maybe good to check how many have cited this article.
nice idea of value - not just adding things on/in, but looking at the sacrifices - how can it be reduced - not juct by lowering the price but by reducing the other "hassle factors"
275 citations - very popular!
Sirakaya 2004
The Role of Mood on Tourism Product Evaluations
Interesting piece - points to 'mood' as influencing people's views on satisfaction, without staggering results. may be something to consider - petrick seems to have just included one item on his questionnaire of cruise.
Interesting piece - points to 'mood' as influencing people's views on satisfaction, without staggering results. may be something to consider - petrick seems to have just included one item on his questionnaire of cruise.
Benkenstein 2003
Emotional and cognitive antecedents of customer satisfaction in leisure services: the case of the Rostock Zoo
Extols the virtues of Emotion-based measures of satisfaction. Looks at combinations of cognitive and affective. Looks at integrating them. Initially mentions Gronroos Nordic model.
Points to the need to come up with an integrated approach.
Extols the virtues of Emotion-based measures of satisfaction. Looks at combinations of cognitive and affective. Looks at integrating them. Initially mentions Gronroos Nordic model.
Points to the need to come up with an integrated approach.
Carman 1990
Consumer perceptions of service quality: an assessment of the SERVQUAL dimensions
Critique of SERVQUAL - all a bit convoluted, but does discuss the role of expectations and the role of importance and how it can be used.
still unsure of the role of importance and expectations in my research - are they built into perf evaluations?
Critique of SERVQUAL - all a bit convoluted, but does discuss the role of expectations and the role of importance and how it can be used.
still unsure of the role of importance and expectations in my research - are they built into perf evaluations?
Oh 2001
Revisiting importance–performance analysis
A detailed loko at IPA with a full grid of all articles looking at the subject. Points out key issues; definition of importance / difference between expectations and importance.
Still not sure about IPA - pretty sure that I don't want to use it, as it is a simple tool for TOs, but I am still grappling with the intricacies of importance vs expectations and how they affect satisfaction.
A detailed loko at IPA with a full grid of all articles looking at the subject. Points out key issues; definition of importance / difference between expectations and importance.
Still not sure about IPA - pretty sure that I don't want to use it, as it is a simple tool for TOs, but I am still grappling with the intricacies of importance vs expectations and how they affect satisfaction.
Pizam 1978
Dimensions of tourist satisfaction with a destination area
The most basic study to date on customer satisfaction. possibly the pre-cursor to all satisfaction - factor analysis work. Nice explanation of why we use factor analysis - maybe able to use the battery as well - although it is designed for Cape Cod, USA.
The most basic study to date on customer satisfaction. possibly the pre-cursor to all satisfaction - factor analysis work. Nice explanation of why we use factor analysis - maybe able to use the battery as well - although it is designed for Cape Cod, USA.
Bitner 1994
Critical Service Encounters: The Employee's Viewpoint
Interesting kind of article - not particularly relevant though - looking at employee views of incidents
Uses CIT - Critical Incident Technique
And offers useful management implications.
(May have jumbled the order of the journals)
Interesting kind of article - not particularly relevant though - looking at employee views of incidents
Uses CIT - Critical Incident Technique
And offers useful management implications.
(May have jumbled the order of the journals)
Mohr 1991
Mutual understanding between customers and employees in service encounters
Building on Mohr and Bitner's previous work - The idea that when employee and customer understand each other, then satisfaction can be gained.
This isn't really what I want to look at.
Building on Mohr and Bitner's previous work - The idea that when employee and customer understand each other, then satisfaction can be gained.
This isn't really what I want to look at.
Wednesday 2 January 2008
Update 2008
I have been looking through the articles I have with a different set of questions in mind. My first run-through showed the emergence of factor analysis as the prefered approach, and the lack of consensus on satisfaction, quality, value.
My first impressions are that some authors are looking at quite different things:
the SERVQUAL approach and many of its buddies are really geared towards services made up of one encounter, or closer to one encounter than a tourism product, defined more through time than anything else (2 weeks for example).
The models that consider 'overall' satisfaction etc. are perhaps more applicable to the 'walking into the bank' style services than a complex jumble of encounters. This leads me more towards a division of the tour product into parts! but how should this be structured? Chronologically? or by function? or outcome? or encounter? or by feelings? cognitive / affective?
The danger of overally things is that the nuances of a tourism product may be lost - even a hotel attribute model is not spread over time like a series of encounters. A hotel is made up of a series of features, whilst an adventure tour is made up of a series of encounters over time - so it makes sense to divide the tour by encounters over time. to some extent.
One big light-bulb today was the realisation that value is a kind of non-starter, as each encounter would need to have a price associated with it - this may be possible for excursions, but not really in general. An overall value assessment may be possible, but not divided up.
Am I going to consider the tour as a series of encounters? a series of people? what about tangibles?
The more I think about it, it is more like a theatre production 'an experience' how is this assessed in the literature?
My first impressions are that some authors are looking at quite different things:
the SERVQUAL approach and many of its buddies are really geared towards services made up of one encounter, or closer to one encounter than a tourism product, defined more through time than anything else (2 weeks for example).
The models that consider 'overall' satisfaction etc. are perhaps more applicable to the 'walking into the bank' style services than a complex jumble of encounters. This leads me more towards a division of the tour product into parts! but how should this be structured? Chronologically? or by function? or outcome? or encounter? or by feelings? cognitive / affective?
The danger of overally things is that the nuances of a tourism product may be lost - even a hotel attribute model is not spread over time like a series of encounters. A hotel is made up of a series of features, whilst an adventure tour is made up of a series of encounters over time - so it makes sense to divide the tour by encounters over time. to some extent.
One big light-bulb today was the realisation that value is a kind of non-starter, as each encounter would need to have a price associated with it - this may be possible for excursions, but not really in general. An overall value assessment may be possible, but not divided up.
Am I going to consider the tour as a series of encounters? a series of people? what about tangibles?
The more I think about it, it is more like a theatre production 'an experience' how is this assessed in the literature?
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