Sports-events, tourism and destination marketing strategies: an Australian case study of Athens 2004 and its media telecast

The focus of this study was the media telecast of the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games. The study explored the efficacy of the Australian telecast in developing positive perceptions and attitudes of Greece as a tourist  destination and was origin-based—in that a survey was undertaken of a sample of Australian residents (n = 350). Participants were segmented based on their post-consumption perceptions of Greece. Four segments were identified and labelled—'extremely positive' (n = 75), 'highly positive' (n = 153), 'positive' (n = 83) and 'negative' (n = 29). Statistical differences were found between the segments based on whether attitudes towards Greece had improved as a result of their consumption of the media telecast of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (Athens 2004). To gain insights into this phenomenon, open-ended responses provided by segment members were then analysed.

Across the sample, 38.7% of respondents indicated that their overall attitude towards Greece as tourist destination changed as a result of their consumption of the telecast of Athens 2004. Considering that the attitudes of participants in the current study improved, not as a result of first-hand experiences at the destination, but as a result of their vicarious experiences of the destination through consumption of a media telecast of a special event, the results provide insights to the efficacy of this particular telecast in developing positive attitudes with regard to Greece as a tourist destination. The results of this study could be used a benchmark for future event-related destination marketing strategies. Similarities and differences emerged between the segments with regard to the reasons as to why members of each of the clusters attitudes towards Greece as a tourist destination had improved as a result of their consumption of the telecast. While their responses appeared to be similar, the frequency in which the concepts emerged for each of the segments varied intensity. The key issues that emerged for the four clusters were the appearance of Greece; culture and history of Greece; capacity, or 'hostability', of Greece to stage the Athens 2004; and infrastructure in Greece.

A measure of 'high commitment organisation' performance values in sport management professionals and sport organisations

Many organizations have realized the growing importance of adopting a 'High Commitment Organization' (HCO) approach with a focus on shared values to assist them in meeting their competitive challenges. A survey questionnaire based on the McDonald and Gandz (1992) list of values, employing confirmatory and principal components analyses was used to create scales to (a) explore the importance the sport management professional placed on those values, (b) explore the individual's perception of the importance placed on those values by their employing organization, (c) to compare these hierarchies with the values of the HCO, and (d) to measure the extent of value congruence. Three clear sets of values emerged: Development / Adhocracy (D/A) Values, Humanistic / Clan (H/C) Values and Conformity / Hierarchy (C/H) Values. Findings indicate significant differences between sport management professionals' values and those of their organizations. Employees placed higher importance on (D/A) and (H/C) Values than their organizations, while Sport organizations placed higher importance on (C/H) Values than their employees. There is stronger support by individuals than organizations for the values underpinning the HCO approach. These levels of individual - organizational value incongruence have implications for individual job satisfaction, motivation and organizational effectiveness.

Towards an organisational disaster risk management culture and practice for banks

The disaster risk management culture and practice that is evident within banks will significantly impact upon the capability and preparedness of institutions and their personnel to plan for, and respond to, an occurrence that may affect the continuity of critical business functions. The principal outcome of this paper is the development of a structured education and training framework that will support the achievement of banks' disaster risk management objective. The education and training framework comprises three specific programs: 1. an induction/awareness program targeted to all personnel; 2. a contingency planning program - a specialist program for disaster risk management personnel; and 3. an executive program designed for senior management, directors and strategic decision makers.

Retaining the frisson of the 'other' : imperialism, assimilation, integration and multiculturalism in Australian schools

In Australia, the 1960s saw a broadening of music offerings from other cultures in school materials from the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). This is a useful indicator for changing perceptions. Since then, increasingly 'authentic' materials have become available but how far have we really come? Blacking (How musical is man? University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1973) identified the difficulty of acquiring and understanding, skill and authenticity in the music of another culture. He stressed that musical acquisition should occur in a cultural context. Removing music from one culture and presenting it in the symbolic gestures of another may strip its meaning. This is particularly true for musics from cultures removed from the Western paradigm. The further we move from our cultural norm, the harder it is to produce authentic experiences for students. By considering the African music resources offered to schools by the ABC, we can explore the attempts we have made to move from colonialism to multiculturalism.

Illegal migrants, tourism and welfare : a trade theoretic approach

Many countries receive illegal migrants but are reluctant to accept them due to possible negative externalities. We provide a rationale for not policing illegal migration by linking it to the tourism industry. By paying illegal migrants less than local workers, the relative price of the non-traded goods is shown to be lower than it would be in the absence of such workers. An expansion in tourist trade, under certain intensity conditions, necessarily raises resident welfare and employment. This tourist boom necessarily lowers the welfare of the illegal migrants. It is established that an increase in tourism increases the supply of illegal migrants.

Tourism and economic development in a cash-in-advance economy

This paper examines the impact of tourism on welfare in a cash-in-advance economy. As a result of the expansion in tourism, the price of the non-traded good increases. This gives rise to a terms-of-trade improvement. However, the cash-in-advance constraint causes a distortion in consumption. For tourism demand, where the gain from the terms-of-trade improvement dominates (does not dominate) the loss from the consumption distortion, tourism is welfare-improving (welfare-reducing). A similar condition for welfare improvement (deterioration) holds for a model of capital inflow and endogenised tourism.