The effects of quality and environmental management on competitive advantage: A mixed methods study in the hotel industry

This paper reports results derived from a mixed methods study where 13 hotel managers were initially interviewed, followed by a quantitative study of 355 additional managers. Data were analysed using partial least squares path modelling. The research question related to the relationship between quality and environmental management and the competitive advantage sought by hotels. The results indicate that quality management and environmental management permit the improvement of competitive advantage in terms of both costs and differentiation. Moreover, hotels implementing quality programmes find fewer obstacles in implementing environmental management.

Quality management, environmental management and firm performance in the Spanish hotel industry

Comunicación presentada en el XVI Simposio Internacional de Turismo y Ocio, ESADE, 23 mayo 2007.

Quality Management, Environmental Management and Organizational Design in the Hotel Industry: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the paper analyzes the relationship between quality management and environmental management and their effects on hotel performance. Second, the article examines the relationship between these two management systems and organizational design. The paper uses an exploratory, qualitative approach based on interviews with managers and experts in the hotel industry. Based on a content analysis of interviews, the results lead to several propositions. Specifically, quality and environmental management influence hotel performance through mediating variables. Moreover, the implementation of quality management facilitates the implementation of environmental management. Furthermore, the implementation of these two management systems is associated with an increase of formalization and decentralization. The paper contributes to the analysis of quality management, environmental management, organizational design and performance in a joint manner, which has not been attempted before in the hotel industry. In addition, it helps extend the findings about these links in manufacturing and service organizations to the hotel industry.

Bioindicators as metrics for environmental monitoring of desalination plant discharges

Development of desalination projects requires simple methodologies and tools for cost-effective and environmentally-sensitive management. Sentinel taxa and biotic indices are easily interpreted in the perspective of environment management. Echinoderms are potential sentinel taxon to gauge the impact produced by brine discharge and the BOPA index is considered an effective tool for monitoring different types of impact. Salinity increase due to desalination brine discharge was evaluated in terms of these two indicators. They reflected the environmental impact and recovery after implementation of a mitigation measure. Echinoderms disappeared at the station closest to the discharge during the years with highest salinity and then recovered their abundance after installation of a diffuser reduced the salinity increase. In the same period, BOPA responded due to the decrease in sensitive amphipods and the increase in tolerant polychaete families when salinities rose. Although salinity changes explained most of the observed variability in both indicators, other abiotic parameters were also significant in explaining this variability.