Paula Cristina Almeida Remoaldo

Residents' perceptions of tourism impacts in Guimarães (Portugal): a cluster analysis

In this investigation, a cluster analysis was used to separate Guimarães (Portugal) residents into clusters according to their perceptions of the impacts of tourism development. This approach is uncommonly applied to Portugal data and is even rarer for world heritage sites. The world heritage designation is believed to make an area more attractive to tourists. The clustering procedure analysed 400 data observations from a Guimarães resident survey and revealed the existence of three clusters: the Sceptics, the Moderately Optimistic and the Enthusiasts. The results were consistent with the empirical literatures results, with the emergent nature of the destination found to be relevant. The fact that tourism is relatively recent in this destination has its major reflex in the devaluation by most of the residents of the negative impacts of tourism development.

Does Gender Affect Visiting a World Heritage Site

ABSTRACT The city of Guimarães in Portugal is a place of strong symbolic and cultural significance, and the nomination of its historical center as a World Heritage Site in 2001 enhanced its tourism potential. This study presents the results of a survey conducted in 2010 and 2011 to capture the profile and motivations of tourists visiting Guimarães as a cultural tourism destination. The study addressed two main issues: whether males and females have similar or different preferences in choosing the city as their destination, and whether there are gender differences in the perception of the attributes of Guimarães. A better understanding of the gendered nature of the destination is a valuable cue for shaping products and services according to visitors’ preferences. The results suggest that both men and women are aware of the main elements responsible for the citys World Heritage status. That the destination is a Heritage Site that also offers the opportunity to tour the region has a significant positive effect on male tourists’ choice of Guimarães. Regarding the perceived attributes of the city, results indicate minor gender differences with one exception: Women expressed more apprehension than men regarding the perceived security of the destination.

Institutional context and hotel social responsibility

Purpose – The authors want to study the connection between institutional theory and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the set of hotels with three, four and five star situated in Galicia (Spain) and in the Northern region of Portugal. The authors aim to see whether there is a contrast of isomorphic behaviour in the institutional context of both regions. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative study in which the authors apply the partial least square (PLS) technique, a methodology based on structural equations models using the software Visual-PLS. The authors intend to study the relationships between the pressures of institutional context and CSR practices, together with the relationship between legitimacy and these practices. The focus of the proposed model is based on the system theory. Findings – The main findings of this research clearly show that hotels are incorporated into an institutional context marked by enforced and regulatory pressures. Research limitations/implications – The propos...

Tourists’ perceptions of world heritage destinations : the case of Guimarães (Portugal)

Guimarães is a UNESCO world heritage site, deemed as such in 2001 and hosted the 2012 European Capital of Culture. This paper examines the profile, destination image, and motivations of tourists’ visiting behaviors in Guimarães before the cultural event. Based on survey responses from 276 tourists, we found that tourists arriving in Guimarães had previously visited the two most important cities in the northern part of Portugal. These respondents were relatively young and well educated compared to the average tourists that visited Portugal. The results suggest that many tourists were aware of the city status as a world heritage site that encompasses a historic center, monuments, and architectural buildings. Furthermore, these perceptions shape the image of Guimarães, as the factor analysis indicates that “historical background and functionality” was the most reliable and valid factor behind the choice of visiting the city.

Representações da enfermeira obstetra na perspetiva da mulher grávida

Neste estudo, procurou-se identificar as representacoes sociais da enfermeira especialista em saude materna e obstetrica sob o olhar da mulher gravida, realizando, para o efeito, um estudo qualitativo com 50 mulheres gravidas, residentes em tres municipios do Noroeste Portugues e que realizaram a vigilância pre-natal no Centro de Saude da sua area de residencia. Os dados foram colhidos por meio de entrevista semiestruturada realizada entre os meses de fevereiro e julho de 2007, e foram analisados com base na analise de conteudo. Os resultados demonstram que a enfermeira obstetra e, quase sempre, considerada como uma amiga, uma guia e um suporte fundamental que ajuda a gravida na vivencia de todo o processo inerente ao nascimento. Esta pesquisa pode constituir um contributo para um incremento da qualidade dos cuidados a prestar ao longo da gravidez.Este estudio busco identificar las representaciones sociales de enfermera especialista en salud materna y obstetrica bajo la mirada de la mujer mediante un estudio cualitativo con 50 mujeres embarazadas, en tres municipios del noroeste portugues, que realizaran su vigilancia prenatal en el centro de salud de su zona de residencia. Los datos fueron recogidos a traves de entrevistas semi-estructuradas entre febrero y julio de 2007 y se analizaron con base en el analisis de contenido. Los resultados muestran que la enfermera partera se contempla como una amiga, una guia y un apoyo fundamental para ayudarle a experimentar todo el proceso inherente en el nacimiento. Esta investigacion puede ser una contribucion a la mejora de la calidad de la atencion prestada durante el embarazo.This study aimed to identify the social representations of the nurse specialist in maternal health and obstetrical care under the gaze of the pregnant woman using a qualitative study of 50 pregnant women in three municipalities of the Northwest Portugal, which carry out their antenatal care in the health center of their residence area. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews between February and July 2007 and analyzed based on content analysis. The results showed that the nurse midwife is faced as a friend, guide and support in helping to experience the whole process inherent in the birth. This research can be a contribution for the improvement of the quality of care provided during pregnancy.

Representations of the midwife in the perspective of the pregnant woman

Neste estudo, procurou-se identificar as representacoes sociais da enfermeira especialista em saude materna e obstetrica sob o olhar da mulher gravida, realizando, para o efeito, um estudo qualitativo com 50 mulheres gravidas, residentes em tres municipios do Noroeste Portugues e que realizaram a vigilância pre-natal no Centro de Saude da sua area de residencia. Os dados foram colhidos por meio de entrevista semiestruturada realizada entre os meses de fevereiro e julho de 2007, e foram analisados com base na analise de conteudo. Os resultados demonstram que a enfermeira obstetra e, quase sempre, considerada como uma amiga, uma guia e um suporte fundamental que ajuda a gravida na vivencia de todo o processo inerente ao nascimento. Esta pesquisa pode constituir um contributo para um incremento da qualidade dos cuidados a prestar ao longo da gravidez.Este estudio busco identificar las representaciones sociales de enfermera especialista en salud materna y obstetrica bajo la mirada de la mujer mediante un estudio cualitativo con 50 mujeres embarazadas, en tres municipios del noroeste portugues, que realizaran su vigilancia prenatal en el centro de salud de su zona de residencia. Los datos fueron recogidos a traves de entrevistas semi-estructuradas entre febrero y julio de 2007 y se analizaron con base en el analisis de contenido. Los resultados muestran que la enfermera partera se contempla como una amiga, una guia y un apoyo fundamental para ayudarle a experimentar todo el proceso inherente en el nacimiento. Esta investigacion puede ser una contribucion a la mejora de la calidad de la atencion prestada durante el embarazo.This study aimed to identify the social representations of the nurse specialist in maternal health and obstetrical care under the gaze of the pregnant woman using a qualitative study of 50 pregnant women in three municipalities of the Northwest Portugal, which carry out their antenatal care in the health center of their residence area. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews between February and July 2007 and analyzed based on content analysis. The results showed that the nurse midwife is faced as a friend, guide and support in helping to experience the whole process inherent in the birth. This research can be a contribution for the improvement of the quality of care provided during pregnancy.

Cultural mega-events and the enhancement of a city's image: differences between engaged participants and attendees

ABSTRACT A citys image can serve as the basis upon which to develop a strong sense of community. This, in turn, fosters trust and cooperation which may attract tourists and investment, and drive regional economic growth. One strategy to enhance a citys image is to host cultural mega-events. This study focuses on Guimarães, one of the European Capitals of Culture of 2012, and adopts a marketing communication perspective to explore issues of city image. The objective of the study reported was to understand whether images of Guimarães improved after it hosted the cultural mega-event. To attain this goal, we compare the perceptions of residents who participated in the event (engaged participants) and attendees. Several significant findings are reported and their implications for event managers and public policy administrators are presented, along with the limitations of the study.

O conceito de modo de vida: entre traduções, definições e discussões

A concepcao de “modo de vida” tem sido muito utilizada nas Ciencias Sociais, principalmente, para assinalar mudancas culturais, tal como pode ser observado desde Durkheim, Weber, Wirth, Rambaud, Lefevbre, Bourdieu, dentre outros. No entanto, o termo “modo de vida” assume uma pluralidade de significados, dificultando a compreensao das nuances interpretativas que o perpassam. As traducoes para o portugues de estudos em lingua inglesa e francesa, por vezes, apresentam termos identicos para ideias originalmente distintas. Dada essas ambiguidades na definicao do modo de vida, esse artigo se propoe a analisar os significados a ele atribuidos na literatura nacional e internacional. Como metodologia foram utilizados dados secundarios oriundos de artigos e teses que utilizam o termo modo de vida e/ou traduzem a terminologia para a lingua portuguesa, aplicando-se a analise em redes como ferramenta para avaliar o seu uso. Os resultados indicaram que termos distintos em sua lingua original, como no franceses genre de vie e style de vie , tem, rotineiramente, a mesma traducao para o portugues, modo de vida, reforcando a imprecisao do termo.

The Planning of Tourism on Rural Areas: The Stakeholders' Perceptions of the Boticas Municipality (Northeastern Portugal)

Abstract Most of the strategies developed to “save” rural territories in Europe have not been successful. One of their main problems has been the adoption of the top-down paradigm when approaching the development of those territories. Portugal is a good example of the difficulty in adopting a bottom-up paradigm. The main objective of this paper is to present the perceptions of the local (including the residents) and regional stakeholders acting at Boticas, regarding the set of resources available and the development of the tourism industry. Boticas is a northern Portuguese, rural low-density municipality. In capturing those perceptions, the research contributes to the establishment of a more integrated and innovative development strategy and thus, a more capable strategy for profiting from the potential associated with the growth of the tourism industry that has been experienced recently in Portugal. The adoption of a mixed-method was suggested for evaluating these resources and capturing the perceptions of the tourist potential by different stakeholders. Empirical data was collected through a survey of 373 of its residents and 25 interviews conducted with local and regional actors, further supported by an inventory of the cultural resources and their capacity for visits. We conclude here that, residents tend to have a very positive perception of tourism development, and indeed, their perceptions largely met those of other stakeholders.

Resident’s Perceptions on Impacts of Hosting the Guimarães 2012 European Capital of Culture: Comparisons of the Pre- and Post Periods

This chapter investigates residents’ perceptions on the impacts of hosting the 2012 European Capital of Culture (ECOC) in a before-and-after approach. Two surveys were applied to residents in Guimaraes, one in the pre-event (2011) and another in the post-event period (2013). After a factor analysis, the results of t-tests indicate that there were significant differences between the before and after 2012 ECOC samples in two positive impact factors (Investment and immaterial benefits and Economic and social benefits) and in one negative impact factor (Economic, social and environmental cost).