Innovative drivers for family business models in tourism

Exploring tourism business model importance with the emergence of blockchain system: directions for tourism industry of China

The study aims to explore the importance of the tourism business model with the emergence of the blockchain platform in China. The study focused on the importance of the tourism business model of china, studied the need to improve the tourism business infrastructure, and traced the value of the blockchain system in the tourism industry of china. For this, the researchers used a semi-structured interview approach to conduct a qualitative research design. About nine Chinese tourism and travel industry experts were interwar after initial screening using purposive sampling techniques. The respondents' responses were analyzed by applying a thematic analysis approach, and by this, the researchers extracted the main themes on study topicality to fill the gap in the literature. The study's novelty is in its topicality and context, for which it also provides viable, practical directions for stakeholders.

The interplay between digital social capital and family-owned SME performance: a study of social media business networks

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship between being members of social media business networks and SME performance by comparing business performance between family-owned SMEs that are members and non-members of social media business networks.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis empirically draws on cross-sectional data of 9,292 English and Welsh family-owned SMEs from the UK's Government Small Business Survey 2015. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) is applied to control for selection bias and differences in firm characteristics before comparing business performance, measured in terms of annual turnover, sales-growth intention and innovation between family-owned SMEs that are members and non-members of social media business networks.

Findings

The findings show that family-owned SMEs that are members of social media business networks are more likely to have higher prior turnover and to grow their sales than non-members. Also, they are more likely to report being innovative in products and processes than non-members. The empirical results acknowledge the importance of online business networks and digital social capital on enhanced family-owned business performance.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to explore the comparative analysis of business performance between family-owned SMEs that are members and non-members of social media business networks. This paper is important for the development of family business research by providing a comprehensive evidence-based analysis regarding the importance of online business networks to improve family-owned business performance, given the significant contribution of digital business activities to the UK economy.

Family businesses in tourism – the use of digital technologies in times of uncertainty and crisis

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of digital technologies on the promotion of tourist offer from the perspective of family businesses. The paper tries to provide a better understanding of the factors that determine the use of digital technologies in the family tourism business, both in the modern digital world and in times of uncertainty and crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey method was used in the realization of the research. Data were collected using a stratified random sample of 86 tourism providers in Montenegro and analyzed by using SEM models, logistic regression and descriptive statistics.

Findings

The results showed that the demographic characteristics of the respondents were the least important factors in the analysis; while factors that significantly affected the use of digital technologies in Montenegrin tourism included the nature of future tourism trends perceived by respondents, crisis and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, participants’ perceptions, attitudes and understanding of the specificities of digital technologies and benefits they offer to tourists, perceived from the perspective of the family business representative. Furthermore, the results of logistic regression revealed that pandemic had stronger consequences on micro and small enterprises, compared to those imposed on medium-sized firms. These impacts relate to changes in organization and redesign of workflows, altered communication from traditional to digital and increased importance of business innovations. On the other hand, the increased significance of integration of marketing channels for multiple target segments, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, was stronger pronounced in medium-sized businesses compared to micro and small ones.

Originality/value

The results obtained may serve the holders of the tourist offer, managers and decision-makers when making decisions on the imposition of digital technologies in tourism, in order to secure global reach business, multi-channel tourist interaction, cost-saving and being ahead of competitors. This enables an integrated analysis that forms the basis for further creation of tourism and marketing policies at the individual and collective level to attract tourists and strengthen Montenegro’s competitiveness as a destination.

Sustainable business model innovation literature: a bibliometrics analysis

Sustainable business model innovation (SBMI) has received growing attention since it can provide sustainable competitive advantages for corporations under a dynamic external environment. This paper aims to understand the current situations and progress of SBMI research by conducting a bibliometric study of the existing literature. By collecting data from Web of Science and using bibliometric tools, the basic characteristics of SBMI research are first presented to show the productivity and citations of publications utilizing recognized bibliometric indicators. Then, the cooperation networks among countries/regions, institutions, and authors are drawn to determine their collaborative relationships. Furthermore, keyword analysis is presented to explore the evolution of the hotspots and themes of SBMI research through co-occurrence analysis, burst detection analysis, and thematic evolution analysis. Finally, we integrate the antecedents-decisions-outcomes framework for SBMI research. The findings in this study indicate that the development of SBMI research is positive and that greater collaboration among institutions and authors is required to explore the internal drivers and design SBMI as well as other topics to be developed.

Online branding strategies of family SME wineries: a Hungarian-German comparative study

Purpose

Both Hungary and Germany belong to the old-world wine-producing countries and have long winemaking traditions. This paper aims at exploring and comparing online branding strategies of family SME (small and medium sized enterprises) wineries at Lake Balaton (Hungary) and Lake Constance (Germany), as two wine regions with similar geographic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper, based on a total sample of 37 family wineries, 15 at Lake Balaton and 22 at Lake Constance, investigates the differences in brand identity on the website, brand image in social media and online communication channels deployed in both wine regions. The study applies a qualitative methodology using MaxQDA software for conducting content analysis of texts in websites and social media. Descriptive statistics and t-test were conducted to compare the usage of different communication channels and determine statistical significance.

Findings

At Lake Balaton, the vineyard, the winery and the family, while at Lake Constance, the lake itself and the grape are highlighted regarding family winery brand identity. The customer-based brand image of Hungarian family wineries emphasizes wine, food and service, with the predominant use of Facebook. In the German family wineries, the focus of brand identity is on wine, friendliness and taste and includes more extensive usage of websites.

Originality/value

The paper deploys a novel methodology, both in terms of tools used as well as geographic focus to uncover online branding patterns of family wineries, thereby providing implications for wine and tourism industries at lake regions. It compares the share of selected most-used words in the overall text in websites and in social media, and presents the key findings from this innovative approach.

We are in survival mode: how family-owned small foodservice firms in India responded to the Covid-19 pandemic

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the crisis faced, strategies adopted, barriers for recovery and the future outlook by the operators of family-owned small foodservice business firms in responses to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded unprecedented challenges, severely disrupted the family-run small foodservice business units and often put them on the brink of closure of business.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted is a qualitative research approach. The data for the research is collected through a semi-structured interview. The data was collected from the 13 family-owned foodservice providers. The data is collected through a semi-structured telephone interview as there is a restriction of travel between different regions.

Findings

The finding reveals that small family-operated foodservice firms faced multiple challenges, including threat for existence, the pressure of fixed cost, feeling unethical, financial instability, uncertainty on future and feeling of loss of goodwill with lenders.

Originality/value

The current research work is the first to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on small family-owned food services businesses in an Indian context.

Promoting family business in handicrafts through local tradition and culture: an innovative approach

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to investigate the potentiality and dimensions of promoting handicraft family business practices in handicraft as well as the extent to highlight the local tradition and culture.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is an insight from the existing relevant literature on family-owned businesses in handicrafts from time immemorial. Furthermore, data were collected from the 300 respondents using a purposive sampling procedure in which the rate of response was 67%. The structural equation modeling (i.e. SmartPLS 3.0) was used to analyze the construct and test the hypothesis.

Findings

According to the result, among the 4 hypothesized paths all were supported, but out of 22 relationship paths, 15 paths are considered significant This study shows the relationship among the promotional factors, economic factors and motivational factors, and support and challenges factors have a crucial effect on the adoption of handicraft family business.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study will assist the tourism scholars and managers to apprehend an authentic relationship between age-old practices of the family business as well as the legacy of the family business in art and crafts to empower the local people.

Originality/value

The study is a foremost to ascertain the critical success factors of the adoption of family business practices in art and crafts through rural tourism to empower the local economy.

Exploring the life cycle of family-owned tourism businesses in maturity

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyze the life cycle of family-owned hotels in the maturity phase from the integration of theoretical models for family-owned tourism businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative multiple case study was used to analyze four mature family-owned hotels through eight interviews and four observation guides with an abductive method. Three axes were analyzed; the ownership with the Gersick model, the family with the Tobak and Nábradí model and the business with the Butler tourist areas model to identify whether they are going through the consolidation stage, stagnation, rejuvenation or decline within its maturity.

Findings

The cases studied evolve in the three axes. In the business axes, two go through the stagnation stage, another in decline and the last in consolidation; all remain under controlling owners. In the family, there are different generations in charge. The boost to the destination plays a key role as a force for deterministic change in the internal transformation of these organizations, and to remain in consolidation, discontinuous changes and voluntaristic actions are necessary.

Originality/value

Family businesses seek longevity, although a low percentage reaches maturity. This research proposes the integration of life cycle models to understand its development in the axes of family, ownership and business, where aspects of the tourism industry are considered and allow the stage identification through which it passes in maturity, supporting internal decision making.

Encouraging consumer loyalty: the role of family business in hospitality

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to understand the importance of consumer loyalty in the specific context of Hotel Family Business. This study proposes a conceptual model to examine how perceived service quality and corporate social responsibility (SCR) influence guest satisfaction and loyalty, and also how they relate to corporate image, perceived value and price.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the structural equation model (SEM), a research model was proposed to examine SQ and CSR affect satisfaction and loyalty to the Douro Family Hotel and also, how they interact with corporate image, perceived value and price. The main purpose is to analyse the drivers of guest loyalty and its importance for the development and sustainability of family hotels in Douro (Portugal).

Findings

The results of the study indicate that CSR and SQ perceived by the guest have a direct and positive effect on guest satisfaction and loyalty to Douro family hotels. These variables are also determinants of the perceived value, corporate image and price.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is restricted and obtained by the convenience technique, but with sufficient size for the application of the structural equations model. However, the results obtained cannot be generalised to all hotels or contexts, as they only reflect information on family hotels in the Douro.

Practical implications

Family businesses are a substantial share of the European economy, from the industrial sector to the services industry, including also hospitality. In Portugal, family businesses likewise play a key role, both in terms of wealth creation and job creation.

Originality/value

These findings provide knowledge to family hotels on how they should implement a CSR policy that promotes service quality, corporate image and guest satisfaction, and therefore their loyalty and the competitiveness of the family hotel business.

Thriving family businesses in tourism and hospitality: A systematic review and a synthesis of the relevant literature

Purpose

This contribution appraises previous theoretical underpinnings that are focused on family businesses in tourism and hospitality. It discusses about the opportunities and challenges for their development.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was carried out through peer-reviewed publications that were indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. It relied on the PRISMA protocol to evaluate rigorous articles and reviews. A content analysis sheds light on high impact contributions on “family business” and “tourism” or “hospitality”, which were published since 2010.

Findings

This bibliographic research captured, analyzed and synthesized the findings from previous contributions to identify the factors that are facilitating the growth prospects, long-term sustainability and innovative approaches of family businesses within the tourism and hospitality industry.

Originality/value

Currently, there are just a few contributions that advance relevant knowledge and understanding on the business development of family firms in tourism and hospitality. This research addresses this academic gap as these entities constitute the life blood of tourist destinations in various contexts.

Mapping research on family business in tourism and hospitality: a bibliometric analysis

Purpose

This study aims to map the development of research on family business in tourism and hospitality and provides insights into the key contributors, key areas and current dynamics, and suggests future research directions in the field.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the Web of Science (WoS) database to identify the 124 articles published in the theme. The study uses bibliometric indicators such as the co-citation network, word co-occurrence network to analyze the publication and citation structure using Science of Science (Sci2), OpenRefine, and Gephi.

Findings

The top authors, top journals and major themes are recognized using bibliometric techniques. The study identifies six keyword clusters: entrepreneurship, innovation, and empirical collaborating with tourism, hospitality, and family business. The country-wise collaboration indicates the lack of research in the eastern hemisphere of the world. The co-authorship shows studies shared among individuals of a few organizations. The trends from bibliographic coupling depict the evolution of research.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of data collection for the network analysis is limited to the WoS. Incorporating papers from other databases might provide different network structures and insights.

Originality/value

The study is the first of its kind in the theme of family businesses in tourism and hospitality and will contribute to the literature by identifying future research directions.

Family businesses in the tourism industry: a research agenda

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to construct a comprehensive review on family businesses in the tourism industry since glocalization and small businesses comprise most of the industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper which utilizes qualitative research methods. Bibliometric analysis is applied to the selected 35 articles from specific databases which include not only the general tourism industry but also subsectors of airline, hospitality, restaurant, etc. Articles in this study fixate on the family businesses within the tourism industry.

Findings

In total, 35 articles are found with the keywords “family business and tourism”, “family business and hospitality and hotels”, “family business and restaurant” and “family business and airline”. Though the family business studies focus on hospitality, tourism and restaurants as F&B, there is a research gap in the subsectors like rent-a-car companies, travel agencies and tour operators and recreation facilities. Overall qualitative research design is preferred, but majority of the authors’ focus is on business development, profit, performance and succession. For further studies, quantitative analysis on research gap areas are recommended.

Research limitations/implications

The most general limitation is that only specific selected databases are used for the data gathering process such as double reviewed indexed journals published within Web of Science, Emerald, Elton B. Stephens Company (EBSCO) and Elsevier databases from the period of 1970s. Some other databases and some different periods may be considered as well as different keywords for other research. Secondly, few studies have analyzed quantitative data, since the specific nature of the family business dynamics require qualitative data. As a suggestion, not only qualitative analysis but also mixed methods may also be studied since the literature lacks the studies conducted with these methodologies.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive review on hospitality and tourism family business management emphasizing the research gap on subsector application areas.

Assessment of the quality of the service perceived in specific contexts of management of a family business

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to apply the SERVQUAL model to evaluate the quality perceived by customers in the context of family hotel management in Portugal. More specifically, to assess the influence of interpersonal relationships (service providers and customers) in family business services in the wine tourism segment (i.e. wine hotel and spa). In this way, it aims to provide data that can support this family hotel to reinforce the quality of the services provided to guests and therefore their satisfaction and loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The statistical techniques, using Microsoft Excel 2016® and SPSS Statistics 25.0®, were multivariate for the analysis and validation of the results. In this analysis it can be seen that except the empathy dimension, in which the evaluation of perceived quality is positive, i.e. customer perceptions were higher than expectations, the remaining dimensions of the SERVQUAL model were negative. The safety dimension ranked second, followed by service delivery dimensions, problem solving and tangibility.

Findings

The results show that the empathy dimension positively influences the evaluation of the perceived quality and thus also the satisfaction and loyalty of guests to the family hotel in the wine tourism segment. So, it is recommended that the hotel management of this family hotel reinforces service quality by investing in the improvement of physical facilities, problem-solving capacity, and service delivery, to obtain higher levels of perceived quality service and hence customer satisfaction and loyalty and, simultaneously, increase its performance and organizational sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

In addition to the direct contributions to the hotel management of this family business hotel, this study contributes to the development of the marketing scientific area, tourism and hospitality industry.

Practical implications

Several studies argue that the competitive advantage of the hotel business is based on the creation of value and of experiences for the customer, but in the context of family hotels, the creation of value for the customer is even more relevant, given the characteristics of this type of business, such as its small size and the reduced number of employees. Family hotels should invest in tools and techniques that allow them to create value for the customer through the quality of service offered to their guests.

Originality/value

This paper aimed to evaluate perceived quality in the context of family hotel management in Portugal. In particular, the contribution of interpersonal relationships (between service providers and guests), in hotel services in the wine tourism segment in Portugal. According to the analysis of the results of the exploratory study to Hotel context, it was concluded that there are differences between the perceptions and expectations of hotel guests.

Family firm succession in tourism and hospitality: an ethnographic case study approach

Purpose

Grounded in stewardship theory, this study explores the motives, actions and meanings of multiple stakeholders involved in an inter-family hospitality family firm succession.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal, ethnographic case study approach collects data from 15 in-depth interviews, one year of observation and a one-month on-site internship.

Findings

Results show that a well-defined succession plan and the active involvement of the successor/s in the succession process would foster a strong stewardship commitment to the family business. Moreover, a clear and open communication strategy is required to strategically manage rivalry and competition among potential successors during an inter-family succession.

Originality/value

The succession process of family firms remains an intensely discussed phenomenon, and despite its importance to the tourism and hospitality industry, the intersection between tourism and hospitality and family business literature is sparse. Notably, the tourism and hospitality literature lacks a multiple stakeholder perspective to holistically capture the motives, actions and meanings of numerous stakeholders involved in an inter-family succession.

Understanding the relationship among factors influencing rural tourism: a hierarchical approach

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyze the interrelationship between factors conducive to rural tourism development. This touristic segment has enormous potential but still lacks consistent means and measures to ensure rural tourism's holistic development in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study identified 14 factors, of which nine are from the literature review and five are from interaction with the experts, which influence rural tourism development. The research design comprises three segments, i.e. identifying factors from the literature and expert opinion, conducting interviews with the academic experts and managers, and analyzing the responses recorded. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) technique is used to determine the interlinkage between the factors and develop a hierarchical relationship.

Findings

The results indicate that infrastructure development, growing environmental conscience, support of local government and community, availability of funds with the government and participation of the private sector are the primary factors channelizing rural tourism development. Also, attitudes of locals to adapt, tourist travel motives, marketing of the destination, destination characteristics and recommendation by others are the major dependent factors identified. The findings broaden the knowledge on suitable channels for rural tourism development and provide vital information for the formulation of flexible strategies for developing rural tourism in India.

Originality/value

This paper's originality lies in providing information to clarify the relationships between factors conducive to rural tourism development, an area where limited research has been done.

Abusive supervision and job outcomes: a moderated mediation model

Purpose

This study examined the link between abusive supervision and subordinates’ turnover intentions via job dissatisfaction. In addition, this study examined the moderating effect of continuance commitment in this process.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected three-wave time lagged data (N = 190) from the hospitality industry in China.

Findings

The analysis showed that abusive supervision predicts subordinates’ turnover intentions both directly and indirectly via job dissatisfaction. Moreover, continuance commitment was considered to be a boundary condition such that the mediated link was weaker when higher levels of continuance commitment were present.

Practical implications

This study explains how and when abusive supervision leads to turnover intentions in the hospitality industry. This study also helps hospitality managers to understand the abusive supervision prevalence and provide interventions that can reduce detrimental effects of abusive supervision in hospitality organizations.

Originality/value

Prior research examining the influence of supervisor abuse in hospitality organizations was scant. To bridge this noteworthy gap, this study examined the influence of abusive supervision in Chinese hospitality organizations. This study also discussed the theoretical and practical implications for the hospitality industry.

Factors influencing touristic consumer behaviour

Purpose

This paper aims to present a content analysis of two major constructs among tourism settings, namely involvement and emotions, strictly related to tourist behaviour, due to the fact that there are still some critical gaps in the knowledge about tourists' emotions and involvement.

Design/methodology/approach

An in-depth content analysis of involvement and emotions was adopted as the methodological approach. This methodology addressed an amalgam of different definitions, frameworks, mixed theoretical and practical applications and approaches, results, comparisons as well as a blend of a set of scales of involvement and emotions by confrontating of authors.

Findings

The major findings state that emotions and involvement demonstrate greater progress and scientific development to the level of tourism, marketing and consumer behaviour, representing an important issue for the integrated tourism experiences.

Originality/value

This study presents a critical reflection on the importance of emotions and involvement in specific contexts of leisure and tourism.

Individual-level absorptive capacity and multidimensional work behavior in tourism

Purpose

This study aimed to advance the understanding of employees' individual-level absorptive capacity by examining the mechanisms of three dimensions of their work outcomes: contextual performance, citizenship behaviors toward customers and service sabotage. Drawing on the theory of psychological ownership, the author theorized and assessed how employees' individual-level absorptive capacity predicts different facets of employees' work outcomes through psychological ownership.

Design/methodology/approach

Multisource data were collected from 334 subordinates from the hospitality industry in Taiwan over two time periods. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling, the results of which indicated that employees' individual-level absorptive capacity was positively related to psychological ownership.

Findings

Psychological ownership positively predicted contextual performance and citizenship behaviors toward customers; however, it was negatively associated with service sabotage. Finally, it was found to mediate the effects of employees' individual-level absorptive capacity on contextual performance, citizenship behaviors toward customers and service sabotage.

Originality/value

This study contributed to understanding the relationship between individual-level absorptive capacity and shaping perceptions of service workers and provided several theoretical implications for absorptive capacity and tourism literature.

Sustainability engagement’s impact on tourism sector performance: linear and nonlinear models

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the level of sustainability reporting and tourism sector’s performance (operational, financial and market).

Design/methodology/approach

Using data culled from 1,375 observations from 37 different countries for ten years (2008–2017), an independent variable derived from the environmental, social and governance (ESG score) is regressed against dependent performance indicator variables (return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and Tobin's Q (TQ)). Two types of control variables complete the regression analysis in this study: firm-specific and macroeconomic.

Findings

The findings elicited from the empirical results of the linear models demonstrate that there is a significant relationship between ESG and operational performance (ROA) and market performance (TQ). However, there is no significant relationship between ESG and financial performance (ROE). Furthermore, the results of the nonlinear models suggest that the relationship between sustainability performance and firm's profitability and valuation is nonlinear (inverted U-shape).

Originality/value

The models in this study presents a valuable analytical framework for exploring sustainability reporting as a driver of performance in the tourism sector's economies. In addition, this study highlights the tourism sector's management lacunae manifesting in terms of the weak nexus between each component of ESG and tourism sector's performance.

The organizational impact of Covid-19 crisis on travel perceived risk across four continents

Purpose

It became a fact, and the world's countries went under confinement due to the pandemic of the Covid19. There are severe impacts on tourism with the supply chain experiencing a full pause. This research investigates the influence of governance, media coverage, crisis severity, former travel practice and Covid-19 incidences on the perceived risk related to travel and tourism during the pandemic and in cross-countries.

Design/methodology/approach

We collected the data from a sample of 1845 individuals from more than 12 countries and four continents representing quarantined and most impacted areas in the world in March and April 2020. A multilevel linear model was applied to predict the perceived risk across countries as a level 2 research unit.

Findings

The finding confirms the clustering in the data with media coverage, governance and crisis growth affecting the outcome. There are cross-level interaction effects, as the growth rate of the pandemic per country and media coverage impact tourists' perception of risk. Finally, there are lower-level direct effects, with lower-level variables affecting tourists' perceived risks.

Research limitations/implications

The survey is randomly administered online due to the nearly complete quarantine implemented in the studied areas. Besides, and considering the latter, the responses might have been subjective due to the non-containment of the crisis by the study's time, directing to possible alteration of feelings and responses from respondents. This leads to suggest a future extension of this research, similarly, post-crisis.

Originality/value

This research pinpointed the impacts of predictors, concerning the countries' level, during the crisis phase on the perceived risk. Therefore, it gives insights into professional bodies on future concerns to be considered during the recovery phase.

Empowering leadership and knowledge management: the mediating role of followers' technology use

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of empowering leadership in intraorganizational knowledge management practices and to reveal how followers' acceptance and use of the hotel management system affect this role.

Design/methodology/approach

A serial multiple mediation model was evaluated and tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The database was created from the results of a structured questionnaire obtained from 401 employees working in hotels in Turkey.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that empowering leadership has a significant effect on followers' knowledge creation, sharing and application. It was also found that the acceptance and use of the hotel management system were partially complementary to the impact of empowering leadership on followers' knowledge management practices.

Practical implications

This paper gives an insight into the empowering leader's role in gathering useful knowledge, which is self-managed within the organization, by encouraging, motivating, providing autonomous and supportive conditions and making it beneficial and easier for their followers to adapt to the organization's technologies.

Originality/value

The efficient management of knowledge in organizations through the use of technology is possible by distributing power to subordinates through expanding the theory of knowledge management, leadership and the acceptance and use of technology. Furthermore, this study contributes to the literature by establishing the theoretical foundation of the relationship between empowering leadership and knowledge management practices based on Dalkir's knowledge management model and by discussing the mediating effect of the core variables of the UTAUT model.

Filling structural holes? Guanxi-based facilitation of knowledge sharing within a destination network

Purpose

This study examines the relationships between structural holes, guanxi and knowledge sharing among groups of stakeholders within a Chinese destination network.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted surveys, social network analysis and semi-structured interviews to gather data from the stakeholders of a popular Chinese tourist destination to test its hypotheses.

Findings

Knowledge sharing within the destination network was impeded by structural holes but facilitated by guanxi. Furthermore, the impeding effect of structural holes on knowledge sharing is alleviated by guanxi.

Originality/value

This study illustrates the ways that stakeholders exploit structural holes and guanxi to promote knowledge sharing, and thus offers novel insights into how destination network structures affect the efficacy of stakeholders when it comes to sharing knowledge and promoting their destination.

Towards a framework for the global wine tourism system

Purpose

Wine tourism has stood out as a very recognized and valid tourism and marketing segment, growing worldwide and urging the complex needed advances on wine tourism practices performance. This paper aims to develop a new framework strictly applied to the global wine tourism system, taking into account emerging and future constructs and dimensions that precede and consequence it.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic mapping study (SMS) was adopted as the selected research methodological approach, both to analyze and to structure a broad research field concerning methods, designs and research, focuses on the papers published in reliable academic databases such as Emerald, ProQuest, Sage, Science Direct, Scopus, Wiley, Web of Science, Taylor and Francis and Wiley were properly selected and analyzed.

Findings

The following four dimensions were found to comprise the global framework of the wine tourism system: (1) support features (governance, public policies and economic investment; supply development; physical and capacity conditions; requirements of health safety; opinion makers and leaders: managers/stakeholders/players/marketers and benchmarking and value chain); (2) innovation ecosystem (profile of the new generations of wine tourists; virtual and augmented reality: digital and hybrid wine events; smart wine tourism companies; digital channels and platforms: blogs, websites, applications; wine tourism creative activities for all [from kids to seniors] and sustainable and ecologic wine tourism practices); (3) wine tourism experience dimensions (storytelling; involvement; winescape; attachment; emotions and sensory) and (4) behavioural intentions (satisfaction; loyalty; and WoM).

Research limitations/implications

The framework still needs to be empirically applied in wine tourism settings to enrich tourists’ robustness in cross-cultural wine tourism experiences, covering a wider spread of abroad wine tourism destinations and products.

Practical implications

This framework is a useful tool and becomes vital to their continued success, as a key reference of wine tourism management and marketing. As a wine tourist's visitation frequency plays a role in his/her travel motives, product and service quality of tour packages must be improved and monitored.

Originality/value

This is the first research study to demonstrate the combined use of the main domains forming the wine tourism system within a global perspective, covering of the most critical aspects.

Network science and sustainable performance of family businesses in tourism

Purpose

There is a little appreciation for the role network science can play in sustainable tourism, and it is not quite clear to what extent generic models from the tourism network analysis literature are applicable. In the international management literature, then, few significant studies exist that deal with the effects of network structures on the sustainable performance of tourism family businesses. This research analyzes these issues and discusses the state of the art of this area.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a scrutiny of the literature conducted on research papers published in the last twenty years, this analysis focuses on the relation between network analysis methods and sustainable performance within the tourism family business domain. The paper uses a limited set of keywords, restricting the selection to tourism and hospitality works on sustainability. A qualitative content analysis is performed.

Findings

The results suggest a critical reflection on how the methods of network science can be profitably and advantageously used for supporting a sustainable performance of family businesses in tourism.

Originality/value

The paper contains a critical consideration on the potential drivers and drawbacks of the relationship between sustainability and networking in tourism and highlights some managerial implications. The analysis closes with some suggestions and indications for future research work.