tourism management
Narges Larijani; Morteza Shafiee; Seyyed Ismail Najafi
Abstract
The present study aims to identify the cultural strategies of the ecotourism centers of Mazandaran province with an approach based on thematic analysis. This study is practical based on the purpose. The qualitative research approach and the statistical population included 137 narratives related to cultural ...
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The present study aims to identify the cultural strategies of the ecotourism centers of Mazandaran province with an approach based on thematic analysis. This study is practical based on the purpose. The qualitative research approach and the statistical population included 137 narratives related to cultural strategies of Mazandaran province ecotourism centers in online social media. One hundred thirteen narratives were analyzed with the help of theoretical saturation and judgmental sampling. Narratives were manually coded by searching tourism websites and using a three-step open, central, and selective method, and then based on the SWOT method; different points were combined and shown in the form of a network of topics. The results indicate the identification of 10 organizing themes and 75 basic themes regarding the cultural strategies of the eco-tourism centers of Mazandaran province as comprehensive themes. Also, the results show that the cultural strategies of Mazandaran eco-tourism centers include a learning culture strategy, e-learning culture strategy, technology application culture strategy, creative tourism culture strategy, food tourism culture strategy, green culture strategy, social-cultural strategy, artistic, cultural strategy, economic, cultural strategy, and cultural marketing strategy.Introduction Ecotourism is a new type of tourism that appeals to educated and adventurous personalities who enjoy undeveloped and unspoiled natural, cultural, and historical places. Developing ecotourism aims to protect the nature of areas by providing income, protecting the environment, and educating and involving local communities. To develop the culture of ecotourism, the culture of ecotourism centers must be compatible with its strategies. Otherwise, they prepare themselves to face almost a strategic failure. Having multiple strategies is essential to having a successful system. These strategies reflect tangible and intangible organizational objectives and are determined by strategic management. A manager can determine the strategies and how to implement them through strategic management. Then, organizations are evaluated based on the implementation of these strategies. Organizations that implement strategies achieve a high level of performance. In this regard, identifying the cultural strategies of ecotourism can be one of the essential steps in moving the ecotourism cycle forward and introducing potential capabilities. Through cultural strategies, plans to strengthen the region's potential and development can be effectively advanced. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to identify the dimensions of cultural strategies of ecotourism centers in Mazandaran province. MethodologyThe approach of this research is qualitative, and its strategy is narrative analysis. The statistical population includes all narratives related to the cultural strategies of ecotourism centers in Mazandaran province (websites and blogs), which amounted to 137 narratives, and the sample size was estimated based on the logic of the judgmental sampling method. To achieve this goal, all published narratives on websites and blogs were first examined to determine the author and date of composition. Additionally, websites and blogs containing narratives about ecotourism centers in Mazandaran province were categorized. Then, these media were examined based on their communication channels and accessibility to their managers and audiences, the level of visitors, and the presence of electronic trust symbols. Those lacking such features were excluded from the research domain, and only 113 selected narratives were considered. After identifying the themes, they were manually coded in three open, axial, and selective coding stages and displayed on the thematic network. In addition, sub-strategies were also presented based on the SWOT Method and by combining different points. Discussion and conclusionIn this study, in response to the question raised, using the narrative Analysis Method and three Open, Axial, and Selective Coding Methods, as well as the SWOT Model, ten organizational themes, 75 basic themes, and one overarching theme, namely the cultural strategies of ecotourism centers in Mazandaran Province, were identified and displayed on the thematic network. In response to the main question, the results indicate that ecotourism centers should focus on the cultural learning strategy to attract tourists. Additionally, the results show that the electronic cultural learning strategy, food tourism culture strategy, and creative tourism culture strategy are cultural strategies that previous research needs to pay more attention to but are important for ecotourism. In addition, the green culture strategy is another strategy that previous research has primarily referred to as a green strategy in other statistical societies and not in tourism industries or ecotourism centers. Although it has similar indicators and criteria, such as health, non-pollution, cost-effectiveness, and adherence to environmental commitments, none have been referred to as a green cultural strategy. The social-cultural strategy is another dimension of cultural strategies of ecotourism centers in Mazandaran Province. Another result was the artistic and cultural strategy, which, although previous research has focused on various arts to attract tourists to ecotourism centers, has yet to be referred to and examined as a cultural strategy. Finally, the results showed that the economic, cultural, and cultural marketing strategies are other dimensions of the cultural strategies of ecotourism centers in Mazandaran Province.ConclusionOverall, the results showed that ecotourism centers that intend to improve their performance could use cultural strategies such as the learning culture strategy, electronic cultural learning strategy, technology application culture strategy, creative tourism culture strategy, food tourism culture strategy, green culture strategy, social-cultural strategy, artistic, cultural strategy, economic, cultural strategy, and cultural marketing strategy to achieve their objectives.
Marketing economics
Nader Seyed kalali; kamyar Raissifar; Elham Heydari
Abstract
In recent years, the economic potential of the tourism industry has attracted the attention of economic players. Studying the performance of active businesses in this industry and identifying effective factors in it has become more important. One of the variables that have been studied in this regard ...
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In recent years, the economic potential of the tourism industry has attracted the attention of economic players. Studying the performance of active businesses in this industry and identifying effective factors in it has become more important. One of the variables that have been studied in this regard has been entrepreneurial orientation. Most studies have shown that entrepreneurial orientation positively affects performance as a unidimensional construct. However, scholars have urged to investigate the effects of the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation on performance separately due to the existence of contradictory results and different conceptualizations. Moreover, adding other variables as moderators or mediators of this relationship has been helpful. In the present research, the effects of innovativeness, proactiveness, and riskiness on the performance of Iran's tourism sector firms, considering the mediating effect of marketing capabilities and the moderating effect of learning culture, have been studied.IntroductionDespite the vast potential of tourism in Iran, this industry has yet to grow enough. One of the reasons for this is the conditions of the enterprises working in this sector. Growth occurs when companies make a profit and capital increase becomes possible. The profits of travel agencies in Iran are usually low, and their managers need help to grow their businesses. Managing these firms is a critical factor in their success, and understanding how travel agencies in Iran can perform better than their competitors is of major importance.The strategic management domain is concerned with studying how organizations grow. Various factors can have an impact on the performance of firms. Among them, strategic orientations can be named. Entrepreneurial orientation is one of the major strategic orientations. Many empirical studies have shown that firms with entrepreneurial orientation have high-performance levels.The question is how entrepreneurial orientation can affect performance. Drawing on the capability theory of the firm, we study how the entrepreneurial orientation strengthens organizational capabilities, including marketing capabilities, and these capabilities affect performance. Marketing capabilities are organizational capabilities that target current and potential customers of the firm and encompass functions such as pricing, promotion, distribution, product/service development, communications, and marketing planning.Contextual factors such as organizational culture should also be taken into account. Companies have different characteristics that reflect their culture. This research studied the effects of entrepreneurial orientation and learning culture on business performance with the mediating effect of marketing capabilities.MethodsThis study looks at travel agencies in Teheran and uses a questionnaire to gather data. The survey has been piloted to ensure the questions are clear and comprehensible. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized for data analysis. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) method was used because its characteristics have led to its increasing application in strategy and entrepreneurship research. One hundred three surveys were collected from travel agency managers in Teheran.ResultsThe survey results indicate that proactiveness and innovativeness significantly impact and marketing capabilities mediate this relationship. The impact of riskiness on performance is not significant. In addition, although the moderating effect of the learning culture is not confirmed, its positive effect, as an independent variable on marketing capacities, is significant.ConclusionThis study aims to evaluate the connection between research variables in the tourism sector of Iran through the use of the capability theory of the firm. The results indicate that the performance of travel agency firms is influenced by the resources and capabilities of firms. The managers of these firms are involved with the day-to-day administration of their firms’ issues. They need to pay more attention to their business’s innovative, proactive, and risky nature, which may impact their performance. This research emphasizes the role of strategic orientation, capabilities, and cultural dimensions in improving business performance. The sample of this research is limited to the managers of the travel agencies and the geographical area of Tehran in Iran. Therefore, prospective researchers may conduct studies in other industries and geographic areas. They may also utilize larger samples. Future research may explore the role of other cultural dimensions in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Prospective researchers may also study the role of several marketing capabilities separately in mediating the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on performance.
Morteza Shafiee; Milad Fakhr
Abstract
An assessment of the performance of organizations is a process through which useful information can be provided on the success rate of services. In this research, the performance of Shiraz hotels in the tourism industry has been evaluated using mathematical models, their service quality has been measured, ...
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An assessment of the performance of organizations is a process through which useful information can be provided on the success rate of services. In this research, the performance of Shiraz hotels in the tourism industry has been evaluated using mathematical models, their service quality has been measured, and in the end, ways to improve the performance of Shiraz hotels in the tourism industry have been identified. The Stochastic frontier production function method has been used for analysis. Initially, two Cobb-Douglas and Translog production functions are investigated by examining structural parameters and the importance of accuracy in the correct selection of the function, two functional forms are estimated and, according to the likelihood ratio test, the best production function is selected. Data collection was carried out using panel data provided by the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization with criteria such as the length of stay of tourists in hotels and the number of rooms available, to the researcher. It should be noted that the hotels under study are those that operate under the supervision of the municipality's modernization and improvement center or use the financial facilities of the organization. In the end, the results indicate that the municipality of Shiraz can increase its efficiency by increasing the budget of the renovation and improvement organization and the number of hotel rooms. In addition, hoteliers can improve their performance in a more economical and optimal way by filling their technical gaps, such as budget and labor.
