'The topic of market orientation has been the subject of much recent empirical investigation. While there is a substantial amount of research to be found on the relationship between market orientation and performance in the general domain of marketing, research into this relationship within tourism organisations remains scant. Thus, the purpose of this research is to investigate the degree of market orientation in Irish tourism organisations and its impact on organisational performance. The study employs a two-stage research strategy. The first stage of the research includes an extensive literature review and exploratory interviews with respondents from four sectors of the industry (i.e. hotels, transport, travel organiser's and attractions). This resulted in the development of a research model and thirteen hypotheses establishing the links between market orientation antecedents and market orientation and its impact on organisational performance. In the second stage, data from 322 respondents was analysed to test the hypotheses. The findings of the research suggest that certain antecedents are necessary in order to adopt a market orientation. Such antecedents having a positive impact on the degree of market orientation include, senior management emphasis on market orientation, interdepartmental co-operation and financial resources allocated to marketing. The findings are consistent with evidence from the literature where significant positive links between market orientation and overall performance were found. The results also show that significant differences in the degree of market orientation exist across four sectors of the Irish tourism industry. Transport providers and hotel operators exhibit greater degrees of market orientation compared to those organisations in the other two sectors.

In this thesis there has been a systematic analysis of the changes in technologies, work organisation and control that have been found in Hyundai Motor, Ulsan plant, over the last two decades. For this, current theoretical perspectives are divided into the following five categories ; labour process, efficiency bias, social action, the institutionalist, and political economy. Each perspective has its own merits and, in fact, to obtain a balanced view of events in the plant in terms of the key issues, all five theoretical perspectives will be used to construct the analysis. From the first two categories, management's two basic motives for changes are seen as the accumulation of capital through effective control of workers and the improvement of o~erall efficiency to provide the optimum conditions for market Success. ' Before 1987, technological changes were mostly intended to improve efficiency. But after 1987, when massive workers' resistance arose, they have been used for labour control purpose. Throughout the period there has been a gradual transformation from a rigid Fordism to flexible forms of technology In terms of work organisation and control, the elements of both labour control and the improvement of efficiency were always behind the changes. As far as the outcomes are concerned, Taylorism is central. But it did not stand alone, but with various other forms of control. Before 1987, it was combined with coercive management structure and style. But since that year changes have become more consent based. Alongside labour process and efficiency perspectives, the social action perspective also has to be used to explain workers' passivity in resistance, at least before 1987, which was caused by coercive management structure and style. Some sustaining as well as changing behaviour, even after 1987, and the emergence of political process in the changes to' work organisation and control can also be explained by it. But we must not rest here. The whole situation has to be understood in the wider context. Before 1987, all circumstances surrounding Hyundai were in favour of _. the management, who were able to do whatever they wanted. But structural changes after 1987 took the side of workers and a consent based management style has followed these changes. In this view, there can be no doubt that from the view-point of Korean society in general, and Hyundai in particular, the year 1987 was a turning point.

The Portuguese textile/clothing industry is vital to its economy. Export markets such as the UK represent significant sales for the industry. However the importance of this market has been declining as UK retailers have switched to lower cost countries. The research investigates the strategy and competitiveness of the Portuguese textile industry by comparing the views of UK retail buyers and Portuguese exporters on the decision making of UK buyers. This research examines the buying decision making process of UK retail buyers of textiles/clothing and compares it with the perceptions held by Portuguese textiles/clothing suppliers on how UK buyers make decisions. The research methodology involves the use of a multi-criteria modelling technique (IAS), where buyers were asked to imagine that they were considering a 'new buy', where they could source from either the UK or Portugal. Six buying criteria were used to scope the buying decision and identified from the general literature on buying and that specifically on retail buying. These were: cost, work quality, delivery time, responsiveness to requests, innovative ability and design ideas. Respondents were asked to evaluate the salience of each criterion and rate each source on all criteria. The resultant scores for each source were used to identify which sourcing option buyers would select. The methodology was repeated with Portuguese suppliers who were asked to adopt the role of a UK buyer in answering the same questions. 102 UK retail buyers in 35 companies and 66 Portuguese suppliers from 40 companies were interviewed in personal, face to face interviews. Qualitative as well as quantitative data were obtained, so that the author could better understand the decision making process being modelled. Two bodies of literature are of relevance to this study, that on buying in general and retail buying in particular and the literature on the country of origin (COO) effect. Hypotheses were derived from the literature on the relationship between buying decision making, the personal characteristics of the buyer and the nature of decision making in the retail organisation. Insights from the literature on the COO effect were used to predict the presence and nature of the gap between UK buyer and Portuguese supplier perceptions. The work is unique in its attempt to combine the buying and COO literatures. The context of commercial rather than consumer buying for a COO study is unusual, as is the dyadic nature of the interview process. The main contribution from the work is the confirmation of the hypothesised association of personal characteristics with the salience of decision criteria, the identification of what is labelled the 'country of destination' effect and its linkage again to buyer characteristics. The practical contributions from the work, include the conclusion that while Portuguese suppliers recognise the nature of the stereotyping of them by UK buyers, they underestimate the scale of this effect. Portugal is still seen predominantly as a low cost source. Cost as a competitive advantage has and will become less significant for Portuguese companies who need to educate the British market as to their true potential.

This thesis is a business and technical history of James Nasmyth's engineering Firms established at the Bridqewater Foundry, Patricroft, near Manchester, between 1836 and 1856. Th~ First two chapters examine the role and contribution of his partners in providinq capital resources, business connections end commercial expertise. Contrary to the impression propagated by Smiles, it is demonstrated that Nasmyth was heavily dependent on the Financial support of these associates for achieving the speedy transition From small workshop to large-scale enqineering factory. Holbrook Gaskell's introduction of efficient accounting systems, credit controls and other monitoring processes was equally important and olaced the activities of the Firm on a sound business Footing. The third chapter investiqates Professor A.E.Musson s observation that Nasmyth was an early pioneer of massproduction engineering, and confirms that he was extensively involved in the production of standardised products, based on stocks of standard patterns,. which were advertised for sale in printed catalogues. This section also attempts to quantify Nesmyth's stock selling activities and argues that this practice was of limited significance when expressed as a percentage of annual turnover. Nasmyth's early plans to establish the "ready-made concern" were diverted by his Firm's preoccupation with heavy capital goods such as locomotives and tools of the largest dimensions. Chapters Four and Five evaluate Nasmyth's mechanical inventions usinq the sales records where appropriate. The steam hammer invention debate is examined, as is the part played by Robert Wilson, who designed the self-acting mechanism. It is suggested that Nesmyth's contribution has been both exaggerated and overpersonalised, though he was primarily responsible For promoting the invention and applying its principle to pile-driving. Chapter Six analyses the markets For locomotives, stationary steam enqines, machine-tools and miscellaneous products, stressing the importance of London and the export trade. Railway company contracts and qovernment orders, both domestic and foreiqn, are shown to have dominated the business. The final chapter looks at working conditions, Nasmyth's system of Factory management and the effect of his labour policies on the work Force. Strike action is explained as a predictable response to the threat posed by the introduction of self-acting machine-tools, which displaced skilled labour. The thesis concludes by emphasising Nasmyth's entrepreneuriel skills. His Fortune and early retirement were as much the result of his commercial perception and business acumen as the product of his undoubted mechanical talent.

Countryside tourism and recreation has increased considerably in scale and diversity over the last three decades, and as a result, environmental impacts are being experienced, especially in popular locations. Impacts include disturbance of wildlife, visitor over-crowding, and erosion of footpaths. Areas freely open to public access such as National Parks and the open countryside are particularly susceptible to pressure. Climate change exerts a strong influence on landscape condition, and this may increase the vulnerability of recreational landscapes to visitor pressure. Since most outdoor tourism relies on the attraction of visitors to the countryside, such as to coasts or mountains, these resources are likely to be vulnerable to changes in climate. The overarching aim of this thesis is to explore climate change interactions with tourism and visitor capacity, with a view to developing adaptation strategies. In particular, the thesis is concerned with developing a methodology through which the impacts of climate change on tourism and the landscape can be assessed at the regional and landscape scales. Thus, it develops and applies a novel approach to explore climate change impacts through Landscape Character Assessment and capacity analysis. The research focuses on the analysis of geospatial data which provides an indication of visitor pressure and landscape sensitivity. Multi-level governance is an emerging theme in climate change adaptation (EU, 2007), and this thesis shows how scientific understanding of climate change and visitor capacity can inform policy across different levels of scale. North West England is chosen as the case study region, as its landscapes are considered a nationally important tourism resource and have been the focus for previous research in this area. The regional scale analysis indicates that the capacity of the landscape to accommodate visitor pressure varies within and between landscape character areas. The output of this analysis enables the identification of critically vulnerable locations, and highlights that the rural upland domain is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The Peak District National Park is one such critical vulnerable area in the uplands. This National Park is researched in more detail through footpath erosion: a key process which provides strong interactions between visitors and the landscape that will be intensified by climate change. Reponses are then explored through costed adaptation strategies to prevent adverse impacts on the landscape.

The central aims of this research are: 1. To investigate the new product development process in the wound care market 2. To identify the strengths and weaknesses of this process 3. To develop a model to improve processes of requirements capture during the early stages of new product development. Examination and development of the early stages of new product development in a mature industry, like woundcare, have been ignored previously. The principal notion in this area of research is that a new product should include all the elements that will satisfy major stakeholders in the product, both internal and external to the company developing the product, to improve likelihood of success when launched. Current investigations into the early stages of product development have looked at how requirements are integrated into a new product and how this is achieved in high technology firms but have not investigated the processes, competencies and people management involved in mature and heavily regulated industries like wound care. A survey of personnel at a company involved in wound care was carried out, in addition to development of a case study of the same company. This was complemented by a case study of a company operating within the healthcare field and a benchmarking exercise was completed. The new product development and requirements capture processes were described by several individuals, with different perspectives, involved in product development at the companies. This led to the identification of strengths and weaknesses of the process. The questionnaire also elicited information from different individuals who may, or may not, have been directly involved in product development. The benchmarking study enabled the author to compare the product development and requirements capture process of companies involved in the healthcare market. This led to emerging factors for improvement in product development, particularly during the early stages. The research was used to develop a process model of requirements capture to be implemented during the early stages of product development with particular reference to the healthcare market.

Over the years, the season of Hajj has always represented the major source of living not only for the people of Makkah, but for the whole region of Hijäz In the years preceding World War II and before the oil was discovered, Hajj was the economic backbone of the whole Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, after the economy of the country became dependent on the revenues of the oil, at the end of the World War II, the revenues of Hajj became a substantial influential factor, boosting the commercial activities of the private sectors in Makkah, and hence developing the entire economy of the city. The objective of this study is to investigate and evaluate the overall impact of the season of Hajj on the economy of Makkah with special investigation on the trade in consumer goods. In pursuing this objective, the, study has employed both library and empirical researches. The library research was adopted in the investigation of the overall effect of Hajj on the economy of Makkah, while the empirical research was conducted to investigate the effect of Hajj on the trade in consumer goods. A large survey was carried out on two samples: 484 shopkeepers and 434 pilgrims (consumers) in three major areas within Makkah, namely the Pram Area, Ma`äbdah Area and Aziziyyah Area. The collected data from these samples were analyzed in the computer with the aid of the SPSS programme. The investigation concerning the overall effect of Hajj on the economy of Makkah focuses mainly on the private sectors, namely the Hajj service industries i.e., Twäfah Establishments (Pilgrims' Guilds), housing industry and transport industry, and the industrial sector. With respect to the effect of Hajj on the trade in consumer goods, the investigation focuses on the shopkeepers in terms of types and characteristics, of the shopkeepers involved in the trade in consumer goods, the significance of the location selected by shopkeepers during Hajj, their motives for trading in Hajj, their purchasing decisions relating to prices, quality, quantity and variety when they supply their goods. In relation to the consumer goods supplied by the shopkeepers, the investigation focuses on their types, characteristics i.e., origins, source of supply, types of sale. It also covers some related issues i.e., official procedures for trading in consumer goods, utilization of advertisements and employment in the trade in consumer goods. In addition, the effect of Hajj on the commercial renting business within the context of the trade in consumer goods is also investigated. Concerning the pilgrims (as consumers), the study focuses on their socio-economic and demographic characteristics, their purchasing criteria with respect to necessary and supplementary goods, their opinions on the market of goods and their attitudes towards their treatment by the shopkeepers and finally their expenditure profile and the major factors influencing it.

The thesis addresses ways of both conceptualising and researching the experience of urban tourists. A framework for conceptualising urban tourist experience is developed, and an experiential methodology is applied to Cardiff, the capital of Wales. A range of theoretical contributions and research is reviewed, drawing upon tourism, marketing, and geographical perspectives. It is argued that whilst dominant epistemologies are incapable of an adequate conceptualisation of urban tourist experience, important insights are provided by three different areas of literature. Substantive contributions from within the tourism and marketing literature include the application of service quality models to urban tourism, and the conceptualisation and measurement of place images according to the different stages of the consumer decision-making process. Cultural studies offers a more sophisticated conceptualisation of place image, enabling tourism representations and landscapes to be read as cultural texts. An understanding of place consumers, and the concept of place is provided by a humanistic perspective, drawing upon the work of phenomenologist Alfred Schutz. The experiential framework enables the design of an exploratory methodology. Combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, the methodology is applied to urban tourism in the city of Cardiff. The results reveal interesting discrepancies between the first-hand experiences of tourists, and images of Cardiff from outside. The application of factor analysis enables groups of consumers with particular images and experiences to be identified, along with particularly salient representations or experiences of the urban landscape. The results are discussed in the context of theoretical, methodological, and tourism policy implications.

Poverty is the scourge of many developing countries, including Kenya. The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) upholds tourism as a vehicle for economic development and poverty alleviation (EDPA) in developing countries. Amongst EDPA strategies, WTO highlights small enterprise development and underscores the need for government support. Tourism is a key economic sector in Kenya, yet the tourism development model is anachronistic and colonial emphasising safari/coastal products based in the southern and coastal regions and overlooks the rich cultural resources available countrywide. Furthermore, the fact tourism is foreign-owned means that economic benefits leak from the local economy. A new model of tourism development, involving small indigenous enterprises and promoting cultural products to new markets would be an appropriate means of EDPA in Kenya. Thus, a clarification of Kenya's capacity to promote the development of indigenous enterprises and to link tourism revenue to the local economy is essential. This study presents a case study methodology of indigenous micro, small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Southern and Coastal regions of Kenya and has been developed through semi-structured interviews with owner-managers of Kenyan SMTEs and representatives of support organisations. The fieldwork reveals a typology comprising independently owned enterprises (IOEs), subdivided into formal (licensed) and informal (illegal) enterprises and community-based enterprises (CBEs). The formal IOEs are owner-managed legal enterprises in which the owners exhibit knowledge of administrative systems, have access to significant capital, pursuing second career moves, possess significant levels of skills and knowledge and are able to circumvent the bureaucratic red-tape. The informal IOEs on the other hand do not possess most of these characteristics. The CBEs are enterprises based on communal ownership of tourism resources. The CBEs studied faced significant challenges, notably in the leadership for tourism product development, entrepreneurship, funding, infrastructure development, business and management skills. This study also critically analyses the relevant literature on the various issues and concepts of community capacity building, identifies the best practice strategies and proposes a theoretical model. These factors are tested within the Kenyan context through adaptation of constructive and choice-ordering projective techniques and in-depth semi-structured interviews with community members, community leaders, CBE managers, government officials, members academia and representatives of support organisations. The Draft National Tourism Policy favours the development of CBEs to enhance linkage and proposes raising tourism awareness in primary schools as part of its long-term strategy. The study reaches the conclusion that formalising tourism enterprises as a vehicle for EDPA in Kenya requires significant government investment in public-sector support mechanisms to provide sustainable tourism development opportunities for Kenyan communities. It also asserts that the models of CBEs offer a progressive route for EDPA.

Between 1979 and 1988, the number of visitor nights spent at British seaside resorts declined by 39 million, or 27 per cent (Wales Tourist Board, 1992). Several explanations have been proposed for this relatively sudden downturn in fortunes, ranging from the emergence of competition (within the market for holidays of four nights or more) from overseas resorts offering virtually guaranteed sunshine, to the deteriorating environmental quality of a product built for the nineteenth, as opposed to the twentieth, century. Rarely, however, do these explanations transcend the 'symptoms' of resort decline, to interrogate the 'root causes'. Accordingly, this study interprets the influence of late twentieth century cultural change (to wit, the transition from modernism to postmodernism as dominant cultural 'formations' or 'experiences') upon the production of the tourism resource(s) and place image(s) of Rhyl (a traditional resort on the North Wales coast), as mediated by the local state, with a view to identifying those material and symbolic transformations consistent with its decline and attempted rejuvenation as a long holiday destination. This was operationalised via a reading of Rhyl's townscape and municipal brochure as 'text', for the period 1951 to 1996 (using the analytical methods of iconography' and 'semiotics'), and a form of records analysis known as 'tracking', as applied to the committee minutes of successive local authorities with responsibility for the provision and promotion of the Rhyl 'product', namely Rhyl Urban District Council and Rhuddlan Borough Council (pre and post 1974, respectively). The study's findings were conceptualised in the form of a model, and shown to be consistent with the ontology and epistemology of critical realism (which holds that social reality is not constructed by individuals or science, but by underlying 'generative mechanisms').