Maria M. Ryan

The Selling Orientation-Customer Orientation (S.O.C.O.) Scale: A Proposed Short Form

This article reports the results of an examination of the Selling Orientation-Customer Orientation scale to determine if the number of items could be reduced while still maintaining the scales dimensionality and consistency. Analysis of a new Australian data set was undertaken using data from 250 salespeople, 157 of their managers and 276 of their customers in a range of business to business markets. The findings provide evidence that salespeoples customer orientation, as defined by Saxe and Weitz (1982), can be measured with little information loss by ten items, rather than the twenty-four items originally suggested. This significant reduction in length may contribute to a more reliable and valid scale by reducing response fatigue and acquiescence bias, as well as making it possible to include the construct in larger studies with other multiple item scales. Further research is suggested to test the revised scale across a number of industries and consumer groups, to verify its generalizability.

The Effect of Place Attachment on Pro-environment Behavioral Intentions of Visitors to Coastal Natural Area Tourist Destinations

It has been hypothesized that as individuals become attached to a place, they are more likely to protect that place. Managers of natural area tourism destinations may be able to use this relationship to assist in sustainably managing such places. An on-site visitor survey was administered at Ningaloo Marine Park, Australia, to examine the effect of a multi-dimensional place attachment construct on pro-environment behavioral intentions. The behaviors encompassed three categories based on the perceived level of commitment and where the behaviors physically occurred. They included on-site actions by visitors, visitors telling others how to act on-site, and off-site actions to conserve the Marine Park. Structural equation modeling revealed place identity directly affecting all three behavioral categories, the effect increasing with the level of commitment required to undertake the pro-environment behaviors. This suggests that a sophisticated understanding of place identity is essential for the management of natural area tourism destinations.

Examining the effects of environmental interchangeability with overseas students: a cross cultural comparison

Reports the findings from a study examining how overseas students adapt to their new country of residence. Looks at the place attachment process of migrant students studying in Australia and Singapore. Focuses the analysis on adaptation to the physical and social environments. Discusses attachments to objects and provides suggestions as to how universities can assist in the adjustment process.

New Year's Eve Consumption Plans: Consumers’ Consumption Priorities on the Eve of 2000

Abstract The celebrations that occurred on New Years Eve 1999 provided an opportunity to collect data to generate insight into the ways in which consumers behave during symbolic occasions, particularly in relation to the consumption rituals that are planned and enacted. The sample for this study comprised 126 consumers, most of whom were Australian. Respondents provided accounts of their plans for New Years Eve, including their thoughts and feelings relating to these plans. The processes of inclusion and exclusion were found to take on heightened importance for the occasion, manifesting in the greater physical demarcation experienced between in-groups and out-groups. This trend, however, was counteracted by the lowering of cognitive boundaries between groups as evidenced by the tendency for many respondents to cast their thoughts to the under-privileged. The findings have implications for the ways in which marketers promote their products at special times, and provide insights relevant to not-for-profit organisations.

The Relation Between Place Attachment and Management Preferences of Visitors at Remote Coastal Campsites in Western Australia

ABSTRACT Visitors who exhibit place attachment often demonstrate greater concern regarding how a place is managed. However, the extent to which the dimensions of attachment are related to management preferences has not been sufficiently investigated. Place attachment of visitors to coastal campsites along the southern Ningaloo coastline of northwestern Australia and its relation with management preferences were examined via an onsite survey. The relation was investigated using a suite of routines in the non-parametric multivariate statistics package PRIMER v6, providing the first example of the use of these types of statistical approaches in place research. Place attachment was measured using the dimensions of Place Identity, Place Dependence, and Everybodys Happy (a new, affective-based dimension). Within each dimension, significantly different groups of visitors were identified based on differences in their responses to the place attachment survey items. This was achieved using hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis in conjunction with a Similarity Profile (SIMPROF) test. Subsequent analysis using the BVSTEP procedure showed that the pattern of differences among visitors in their responses to place attachment items produced significant though weak correlations with their level of support for various management actions. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of the results for future research on place and associated preferences for management actions.

A Photo-elicitation Approach to Exploring the Place Meanings Ascribed by Campers to the Ningaloo Coastline, North-western Australia

ABSTRACT Although there have been numerous studies of the meanings ascribed to terrestrial places, their applicability or otherwise to coastal and marine places has received limited attention. Through the process of photo-elicitation, the meanings ascribed to a remote coastal camping environment are examined, with the coastline of Ningaloo Marine Park in north-western Australia the focus for this study. Thirty participants were provided with digital cameras and the ascribed place meanings were explored when their photographs were discussed in subsequent in-depth interviews. Key meanings related to the physical environment providing opportunities for escape, participating in multiple marine-based activities, bonding with family and like-minded people, and offering a rewarding experience that makes everybody happy. This emergent meaning of ‘everybodys happy’ progresses the understanding of the affective elements of place, especially those realised by families and groups of friends. The paper traces important implications of this meaning, and provides a paradoxical perspective on isolation evident from the interviews, for managing coast-based recreation.

Is physical activity leisure or work? Exploring the leisure-tourism-physical activity relationship with holidaymakers on Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Abstract To help overcome preventable health problems in the developed world, the ‘active living’ concept seeks to stimulate peoples physical activity in everyday environments. This study contributes to the understanding of the leisure‐tourism‐physical activity relationship by investigating the self‐reported physical activity of holidaymakers on Rottnest Island, Western Australia, compared to their home environment. The qualitative analysis of 41 participant interviews on behaviour, motivation, and constraints revealed that physical activity was seen as leisure on Rottnest but work at home. A uniquely attractive and easily accessible environment and positive social interactions were key contributors to participation in physical activity.

‘I think it adds value, but I don’t use it’: use, perceptions and attitudes of outdoor exercise equipment in an urban public park

ABSTRACT Public open spaces are important places that can contribute to public health initiatives through facilitating leisure-time physical activity. Using the findings from 400 self-completed questionnaires of park visitors, this exploratory study examined people’s use, perception and attitudes of a specific type of outdoor exercise equipment (in the form of a stretch station circuit) installed in an urban public park in a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The data highlights that the equipment is positively perceived by existing park users in that it is seen to add value to the park and is a ‘good investment’ by their local government authority. Users of the equipment did enjoy it and wanted more installed. However, there appears to be little perceived benefit in terms of its contribution to the physical activity levels of park users, particularly with regard to a key target group – those people who engage in little leisure-time physical activity.

Utilising a multi-item questionnaire to assess household food security in Australia

Abstract Issue addressed Currently, two food sufficiency questions are utilised as a proxy measure of national food security status in Australia. These questions do not capture all dimensions of food security and have been attributed to underreporting of the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate food security using the short form of the US Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) within an Australian context; and explore the relationship between food security status and multiple socio‐demographic variables. Methods Two online surveys were completed by 2334 Australian participants from November 2014 to February 2015. Surveys contained the short form of the HFSSM and twelve socio‐demographic questions. Cross‐tabulations chi‐square tests and a multinomial logistic regression model were employed to analyse the survey data. Results Food security status of the respondents was classified accordingly: High or Marginal (64%, n = 1495), Low (20%, n = 460) or Very Low (16%, n = 379). Significant independent predictors of food security were age (P < 0.001), marital status (P = 0.005), household income (P < 0.001) and education (P < 0.001). Conclusion Findings suggest food insecurity is an important issue across Australia and that certain groups, regardless of income, are particularly vulnerable. So what? Government policy and health promotion interventions that specifically target “at risk” groups may assist to more effectively address the problem. Additionally, the use of a multi‐item measure is worth considering as a national indicator of food security in Australia.

Challenges in addressing professional competence expectations in human resource management courses

Although research has identified many of the competences that human resource management (HRM) professionals need, limited research examines how competence expectations can be met in HRM courses. This study sought to generate the knowledge required to align HRM courses with competence statements in the recently revised Australian Human Resources Institute Model of Excellence. To accomplish this aim, focus groups and interviews were conducted with HRM professionals from private, public and not-for-profit organisations. Findings suggest that the process of aligning course curricula with the MoE is challenging for several reasons, including: competence statements are subject to varied interpretation; subjecting each statement to a learning needs analysis is complex; it is difficult to cluster the wide range of knowledge areas that must be covered into coherent units of learning. This paper explores the appropriateness of using a generic competence model in a curricular-influencing role and outlines implications of our findings for practice and research.