Catarina Marques

Profiling the segments of visitors to Portuguese protected areas

This study identifies the diversity of domestic visitors to Portuguese protected areas (PPA) based on benefit segmentation. The segments of PPA visitors are also compared with other nature-based tourist segments using some empirical benefit segmentation literature. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire and multivariate statistics techniques (principal components, hierarchical and K-means cluster analyses) were applied. Five distinct segments of visitors were identified based on the motivation for their visit and further characterized by the perceived importance of activities, facilities and services, frequency of visit and socio-demographics. Three segments are nature-focused and two are focused on activities or events. Only one segment shows specific interests and motivations associated with ecotourism and similar characteristics to international ecotourists; moreover, the reasons for the visit in one segment are unrelated to any of the motivations of nature-based tourism. Some implications for management are also described.

Exploring the linear and quadratic effects of customer and competitor orientation on export performance

Purpose – Despite some attempts to integrate the market orientation construct into the international marketing area, most conceptual and empirical studies have been conducted in the context of domestic operations. In addition, few studies have examined the quadratic effects of customer and competitor orientation on export performance. To address this gap in the literature we test a model that examines whether customer and competitor orientation have linear or quadratic relationships with export performance. We also investigate if competitive intensity moderates the linear and quadratic relationships between customer and competitor orientation and export profit.Design/methodology/approach – The hypotheses are tested using survey data collected from 197 Brazilian export firms. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the hypothesized relationships and to validate the proposed conceptual model.Findings – Empirical evidence reveals that, while customer orientation has a U‐shaped relationship with ex...

Modelling preferences for nature-based recreation activities

This research contributes to a better understanding of visitors’ preferences and behavioural patterns in national parks and protected areas. A conceptual model is proposed to explain why visitors prefer particular nature- or culture-based activities. It integrates three components – outdoor recreation participation, expectancy-value and environmental attitudes. The New Environmental Paradigm is used to capture environmental attitudes, and the motivations for travelling to parks are based on the push and pull motivation factors. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model using data from 401 domestic visitors to Portuguese parks and other protected areas. Results show that nature-based sports are influenced by motivation to do adventurous sports and by social norms; the pro-environmental attitudes, the motivation to enjoy nature and the influence of others affect the interest in interpretation activities; the model’s strongest impact on recreation activities is from culture-related motives.

Examining the relationship between market orientation and export performance: The moderating role of competitive intensity

Abstract Despite some attempts to integrate the market orientation construct into the international marketing area, most conceptual and empirical studies have been conducted in the context of domestic operations. To address this gap we examine whether competitive intensity moderates the relationships among the components of market orientation and export performance. Data was used from 197 Brazilian export companies. Results suggest that interfunctional coordination enhances customer and competitor orientation. Moreover, customer orientation has no direct effect on export performance, while competitor orientation has a positive effect on firm’s international performance. Findings also indicate that competitive intensity moderates all the relationships tested in the model.

A Finite Mixture Approach to Uncover the Heterogeneity in the Relationship Between Visit Motivation and Activity Preferences

This research uses a model-based segmentation approach in partial least squares path modeling—the FInite MIXture Partial Least Squares (FIMIX-PLS) methodology—to capture the unobserved heterogeneity in the inner path model estimates of the influence of motivation to visit the Portuguese protected areas on visitors’ preferences for different types of activities. Three distinctive visitor segments were identified. Results confirm the assumption of heterogeneity as the relationships differ across segments.

Do initial respondents differ from callback respondents? Lessons from a mobile CATI survey

Mobile phones are increasingly being used to conduct mobile computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) surveys and some say it is just a question of time before they replace fixed phones. Although mobile phones allow their users to be called anywhere and at any time, a 100% response rate (RR) is unlikely to be achieved with a single call attempt. Callbacks are costly and delay fieldwork completion, but they are worth the effort when better overall RRs as well as those for specific subgroups of the population are obtained. Using data collected on a nationwide mobile CATI survey, this article investigates the differences between initial and callback respondents. Findings reveal that although the majority of interviews were achieved with a single call attempt, the initial sample differed from the callback sample in terms of the age and residence of respondents. Additionally, callback respondents were more likely to be interviewed outside home.

Methodology to design a Map of Alert for Population and Housing Censuses: the Portuguese case

The Portuguese Population and Housing Census is carried out every 10 years by Statistics Portugal. In the Census 2011, a new tool was developed to assist the Quality Assurance system in order to make the monitoring of fieldwork operations more efficient and thus diminish the uncertainties that could cause coverage error in the results. This tool, named as Map of Alert, presents a three-level typology of alert that ensures advance knowledge of the potential risk of each freguesia’s failure to meet the quality standards defined for the enumeration process. This article describes the methodological process that guided the development of the Map of Alert and presents the Map itself.

Uncovering unobserved heterogeneity in the ECSI model: an application in higher education in tourism

This research explores the European Consumer Satisfaction Index model applied to higher education in tourism by accounting for unobserved heterogeneity. In particular, it intends to identify segments of High Education Institutions (HEI) consumers based on the structural model estimates of the European Consumer Satisfaction Index (ECSI), enlarged with the employability construct. A model-based segmentation approach using FIMIX in PLS path modelling is used. The ECSI was properly adjusted to the educational framework and has shown its effectiveness when assessing students’ satisfaction regarding the attended HEI. Two distinctive graduates’ segments were identified using a sample of 166 HEIs’ consumers. Results confirm the assumption of heterogeneity as the relationships differ across segments and the need for HEIs to differently target those segments in such a competitive context.