School of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Interactive Gambling in Australia

Sally M. Gainsbury — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:51:41 PDT

Should disaster management strategies in Bangladesh be just about constructing new shelters?

Muhammad Nateque Mahmood et al. — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:30:24 PDT

Impact of sport specific and generic visual stimulus on a reactive agility test while carrying a rugby ball

Rudi A. Meir et al. — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:01:47 PDT

Risk factors for problem gambling among indigenous Australians: an empirical study

Nerilee Hing et al. — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:00:34 PDT

Despite a long history of gambling amongst many Indigenous peoples, knowledge about contemporary Indigenous gambling is sparse. In Australia, previous studies of Indigenous gambling have been severely limited in number, scope and rigour. The research reported in this paper is based on the first Indigenous-specific quantitative gambling research undertaken in Australia since 1996 and draws on the largest sample to date. This study examined numerous aspects of gambling among Indigenous Australians. After appropriate consultations and permission, the study collected surveys from 1,259 self-selected Indigenous adults in 2011 at three Indigenous festivals, online and in several Indigenous communities. This paper draws on these data to identify problem gambling risk factors by comparing selected socio-demographic characteristics, early exposure to gambling, gambling motivations, gambling behaviour, gambling cognitions, and substance use while gambling, amongst non-problem, low risk, moderate risk and problem gamblers. A logistic regression investigated the difference between problem gamblers and all other PGSI groups. Risk factors associated with being a problem gambler were: being older, commencing gambling when under 10 years old, always being exposed to adults gambling as a child, using alcohol and/or drugs while gambling, having family and friends who gamble, having an addiction to gambling and not gambling to socialise, having a high expenditure on commercial gambling, and living in a state or territory other than NSW or QLD. Public health measures to address these risk factors are identified.

The gambling behavior of Indigenous Australians

Nerilee Hing et al. — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:00:30 PDT

The gambling activities of minority groups such as Indigenous peoples are usually culturally complex and poorly understood. To redress the scarcity of information and contribute to a better understanding of gambling by Indigenous people, this paper presents quantitative evidence gathered at three Australian Indigenous festivals, online and in several Indigenous communities. With support from Indigenous communities, the study collected and analyzed surveys from 1,259 self-selected Indigenous adults. Approximately 33 % of respondents gambled on card games while 80 % gambled on commercial gambling forms in the previous year. Gambling participation and involvement are high, particularly on electronic gaming machines (EGMs), the favorite and most regular form of gambling. Men are significantly more likely to participate in gambling and to gamble more frequently on EGMs, horse/dog races, sports betting and instant scratch tickets. This elevated participation and frequency of gambling on continuous forms would appear to heighten gambling risks for Indigenous men. This is particularly the case for younger Indigenous men, who are more likely than their older counterparts to gamble on EGMs, table games and poker. While distinct differences between the gambling behaviors of our Indigenous sample and non-Indigenous Australians are apparent, Australian Indigenous behavior appears similar to that of some Indigenous and First Nations populations in other countries. Although this study represents the largest survey of Indigenous Australian gambling ever conducted in New South Wales and Queensland, further research is needed to extend our knowledge of Indigenous gambling and to limit the risks from gambling for Indigenous peoples.

All mixed up together: women’s experiences of problem gambling, comorbidity and co-occurring complex needs

Louise Holdsworth et al. — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:00:26 PDT

While there has been minimal recent gendered gambling research conducted in Australia and elsewhere, there is some evidence to suggest that gender differences do exist in various ways including gambling motivations such as gambling used as a coping strategy to alleviate or ‘escape’ from stress and anxiety, help-seeking and prevalence of comorbidity. In this Australian qualitative study we explored the experiences and concerns of 20 women electronic gaming machine players through in-depth interviews. Ten women self-identified as recreational gamblers and 10 had received help for their gambling. We present findings as they relate to specific issues of comorbidity and complex needs. For the 10 women who had received gambling help the range of comorbid issues was extensive. Greater understandings of the range of complex issues often involved for women who gamble problematically will assist in the identification of moving from recreational to problem gambling and in the implementation of effective treatment strategies.

Employee stress and stressors in gambling and hospitality workplaces

Margaret Tiyce et al. — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:00:21 PDT

Employee stress has harmful effects for employees, organizations, families and society. However, employee stress, and the workplace stressors that create it, go largely unaddressed by organizations. Hospitality workplaces, including gaming venues, appear especially conducive environments for employee stress, although little research has focused on stressors in gaming venues. Through qualitative analysis of data from a previous study of gaming venue employees, the authors of this study investigated stressors in gambling workplaces. The analysis revealed that employment conditions, shift work, demanding work roles, emotional labor, patron interactions, uncertainty and lack of control, legal responsibilities, ethical concerns, and super-charged environments are key stressors for employees in gambling workplaces. In this regard, gaming venue employees may face additional stressors to hospitality employees more generally. Policy and practical implications for human resource managers are discussed.

Looking towards Asia: an analysis of Australian Asian-themed postgraduate tourism disseratations

Gary Lacey et al. — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:08:37 PDT

Australia is increasingly focusing on the Asian region, including the export of education and research, and the field of tourism is illustrative of this focus and growth. Aside from the large number of Asian students who are attracted to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework tourism programs in Australia, there has been a notable growth in the number of Asian students enrolling in and completing higher degree (masters and PhD) research qualifications, as well as increasing interest by both local and international students in undertaking Asian-themed tourism research. The aim of this paper is to report and critically evaluate trends and patterns in Asian-themed Australian higher degree tourism research dissertations as evidence of the contribution to knowledge about tourism in Asia and the preparation of academics, researchers and scholars who can teach and conduct Asian-themed tourism research. An analysis of Australian tourism dissertations illustrates that studies in the field of business, and especially economics and marketing, have been the main focus of Asian-themed tourism research, with a number of disciplines and topics having been largely or wholly neglected. Patterns vary for individual countries, and the paper draws on socio-demographic trends and government policy to explain these as well as the more macro patterns and trends.

Postgraduate tourism research in Australia: a trend analysis 1969-2005

Jennifer Laing et al. — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:08:33 PDT

This paper draws on an archival analysis of 461 dissertations completed by research Masters and PhD students in Australia over the past forty years primarily to identify patterns, trends and gaps in postgraduate tourism research, as well as to explore the contributions that different disciplines make to postgraduate tourism research. The results reveal an uneven distribution of research both geographically and with respect to discipline, with a noticeable emphasis on business-related dissertations and an increasing focus on environmental topics. In terms of trends over time, there have been periods of slow growth, rapid growth and, more recently, slight decline in the numbers of postgraduate tourism theses. Also revealing are the gaps with respect to disciplinary context and focus, providing a valuable platform for new research.

Place attachment, place satisfaction and pro-environmental behaviour: a comparative assessment of multiple regression and structural equation modelling

Haywantee Ramkissoon et al. — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:20:32 PDT

Using data collected from 452 visitors at the Dandenong Ranges National Park, Australia, this paper applies multiple regression (MR) and structural equation modelling (SEM) approaches to test the relationships between the respective sub-constructs of place attachment (place dependence, place identity, place affect, place social bonding), place satisfaction, and visitors' pro-environmental behavioural intentions. Findings revealed differences in strength and magnitude of the regression paths. The SEM analysis further reveals insignificant regression paths between place identity and place satisfaction, and place social bonding and low-effort pro-environmental behavioural intentions in contrast to the MR results. An empirical comparison of the MR and SEM results is expected to shed light on the application of these two powerful techniques in tourism research.

Visitors' attitudes towards responsible fossil collecting behaviour: a structural attitude-based segmentation approach

Aise KyoungJin Kim et al. — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:07:17 PDT

The purpose of this study was to examine visitors' attitudes towards an environmentally-responsible tourist behaviour – fossil collecting – and towards the visitor management strategies for managing this behaviour at an environmentally sensitive tourism destination. In particular, a market segmentation approach based on environmental attitudes was applied to identify distinct types of tourist groups and understand differences between segments in terms of demographic, attitudinal and behavioural characteristics. Data from 453 visitors were collected from the Charmouth coastal area, located in the South West of England, which is popular for fossil collection. The results of the research highlight that such nature-based areas tend to attract tourists who have favourable environmental attitudes and support management approaches related to responsible fossil collection. However, further analysis reveals that two distinct types of environmental attitude-based market segments exist that are significantly different in terms of gender, age and usage patterns of on-site interpretation. This study suggests that targeting the two segments (namely, the “high environmental attitude” versus “low environmental attitude” groups) with different on-site communication strategies is not only possible, but may prove to be a more efficient and effective approach to visitor and site management.

From memorable to meaningful: tour guiding as a tool for sustainable tourism

Betty Weiler — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:07:13 PDT

Saving our national parks from experience extinction

Betty Weiler — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:07:10 PDT

Testing the dimensionality of place attachment and its relationships with place satisfaction and pro-environmental behaviours: a structural equation modelling approach

Haywantee Ramkissoon et al. — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:48:43 PDT

Drawing on literature from environmental psychology, the present study examined place attachment as a second-order factor and investigated its relationships with place satisfaction and visitors' low and high effort pro-environmental behavioural intentions. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to test a model using a sample of 452 visitors at the Dandenong Ranges National Park, in Australia. Results supported the four-dimensional second-order factor of place attachment and indicated (a) positive and significant effects of place attachment on both low and high effort pro-environmental behavioural intentions of park visitors, (b) a significant and positive influence of place attachment on place satisfaction, (c) a significant and positive effect of place satisfaction on low effort pro-environmental behavioural intentions, and (d) a negative and significant influence of place satisfaction on high effort pro-environmental behavioural intentions. The main theoretical contribution relates to the inclusion of the four dimensions of place attachment in a single model. Findings are discussed with respect to their applied and theoretical relevance.

The Simpsons 'on strike': what a viewing audience learns about work from a TV series

Johan Richard Edelheim et al. — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:05:25 PDT

Uncovering the impact of oganisational culture types on the willingness to share knowledge between projects

Anna Wiewiora et al. — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:34:07 PDT

Current literature has established that organisational culture influences knowledge management efforts; however, it is only recently that research on project management has focused its interest on organisational culture in the context of knowledge sharing and some preliminary studies have been conducted. In response, this paper adds a significant contribution by providing rich empirical evidence of the relationships between culture and the willingness to share knowledge, demonstrating which cultural values are more and which are less likely to improve inter-project knowledge sharing behaviours. The use of interviews and the Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) (Cameron & Quinn, 2005) in the cross-case examination of culture in four participating cases has resulted in rich empirical contributions. Furthermore, this paper adds to the project management literature by introducing the Competing Values Framework (CVF) of Cameron and Quinn (2005) to evaluate knowledge sharing in the inter-project context.

Integrated strategic asset management: frameworks and dimensions

Martin Laue et al. — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:30:36 PDT

In this paper we build on the conceptualisation that asset management is embedded in organisations through the a) temporal, b) organisational, and c) spatial dimensions as suggested by Amadi- Enchendu et al. (2007) to characterise asset management in a comprehensive way. Our research question examines how an integrated approach to asset management might consider the whole range of interrelations and interactions of these dimensions. It is argued asset management should address the operational management of the asset as well as the strategic management of the asset (time dimension). It should take the overall organisational management, the technology and information management, and the human factors management into account (organisational dimension). In addition the inclusion of the different management topics which arise from the interaction between the asset and stakeholders and clients, ecological environment, industrial sector, and the government is critical (spatial dimension). We argue that a strategic standpoint for asset management establishes a framework that includes governance, policy, tactical and operational aspects that are brought into a comprehensive integrated approach. Prior research and frameworks have identified the various elements that need to be considered, however, these models have not addressed how to operationalise the various levels and have neglected governance and broader contextual factors in building an asset management model. The research considers the provision of a coherent framework as a possible alternative to start to develop integrated asset management from a strategic point of view. Based on our integrated asset management approach we present a possible approach to developing a capability maturity model which addresses all three outlined dimensions. For the development of such a capability maturity model it is necessary to define asset management process areas, capability and maturity levels, and capability and maturity indicators for each process area.

Resourcing resilience through recreational music programs

Benjamin Farr-Wharton et al. — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:27:32 PDT

I cant look: disgust as a factor in the zoo experience

N Cushing et al. — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:47:32 PDT

Slow tourism: experiences and mobilities

Simone Fullagar et al. — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:36:00 PDT