Rob Lawson

Community issues and resident opinions of tourism.

Abstract This paper examines how a sample of residents of ten New Zealand towns perceives the effect of tourism on their communities. Local opinions and perceptions of tourism were used to segment the sample into four distinct opinion groups using cluster analysis. It was found that those least in favor rated community-oriented issues to be of greater importance than did other residents. Furthermore, importance of local issues to respondents was found to be more useful in interpreting opinion groups than were demographic variables. Thus, researchers interested in investigating antecedents of resident perceptions of tourism need to focus more on personal values (and related constructs) and less on demographic factors.

Patterns Of Tourist Expenditure And Types Of Vacation Across The Family Life Cycle

This study examined the relationship between the family life cycle and tourist behavior, and found that stages in the family life cycle are reflected in both the type of vacation taken and financial expenditure made. Social orientation of young singles is evident, as are constraints imposed by children. Vacation activities correlate with the age of adult members of the group. Data are presented for accommodation, travel, meals, tours, shopping and entertainment, and reveal strong and consistent patterns of use for market segmentation.

The Nature of Independent Travel

Independent travel is an important and growing sector of worldwide tourism. This study examines the extent of travel planning by independent travelers, the extent to which travel plans are actioned, and the temporal sequence in which vacation elements are chosen. In-depth case studies were completed on 20 international travel parties who were first-time visitors to New Zealand. Travel parties were interviewed at both the beginning and the end of their vacations. Using an inductive-deductive process of research, a series of propositions was developed and tested using pattern-matching procedures. The study demonstrates that the motivations for independent travel are reflected in the decision processes adopted by independent travelers. Three characteristics are identified that distinguish the nature of independent travel: the traveler experiences an evolving itinerary, the traveler is willing to take risks in selecting vacation elements, and the traveler possesses a desire to experience the unplanned.

Measuring tourists' destination perceptions.

Abstract This article describes an exploratory study that tests the consistency of two response formats. They are both originally based on the semantic differential scale and have been widely used in the tourism literature to generate measures of perceptions regarding destinations. The results indicate that while the two response formats are reliable, there is evidence to suggest that they are not equivalent. This brings into question the comparability of research findings utilizing different data collection forms and indicates a need for more fundamental work on validity and measurement in tourism research.

Reconstituting knowledge management

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to improve traditional knowledge management models in light of complexity theory, emphasizing the importance of moving away from hierarchical relationships among data, information, knowledge, and wisdom.Design/methodology/approach – Traditional definitions and models are critically reviewed and their weaknesses highlighted. A transformational perspective of the traditional hierarchies is proposed to highlight the need to develop better perspectives. The paper demonstrates the holistic nature of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom, and how they are all based on an interpretation of existence.Findings – Existing models are logically extended, by adopting a complexity‐based perspective, to propose a new model – the E2E model – which highlights the non‐linear relationships among existence, data, information, knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment, as well as the nature of understanding as the process that defines the differences among these constructs. The meaning of m...

The symbolic consumption of music

Abstract The relationship between music, the self/identity, and consumption is significant and widely acknowledged, yet it remains under-researched. To further our understanding of the symbolic consumption of music, this study evaluates the usefulness of Larsen, Lawson, and Todds (2009) conceptual framework of the consumption of music as self-representation, and presents a revised framework. Twenty-two individuals provided data, including in-depth interviews and participant diaries. The resulting framework details the cognitive and communicative processes involved in the symbolic consumption of music. It is based on an evaluation of the level and acceptability of congruency between the image of the music and the self-concept, both of which are socially situated. Identity is expressed through a variety of consumption rituals, which allow the individual to ‘own’ or ‘possess’ the associated meanings. The framework demonstrates that music is a rich and important site of symbolic consumption, and could also be used in contexts other than music to describe symbolic consumption.

Revealing the lifestyles of local food consumers

Purpose – Changing consumption patterns have led to a number of transformations throughout the food cycle, and understanding how and why people purchase local food is important. This paper aims to examine the characteristics of the people leading this phenomenon: those that prefer to buy locally produced food.Design/methodology/approach – In order to explore the characteristics of local food purchasers, a single item question, “I try to buy a lot of locally produced food”, was included in the food section of a New Zealand consumer lifestyles survey for which 3,556 responses were collected. The full survey included 600 questions across the full attitude, interest and opinion schedule.Findings – For people who express a strong intention to purchase local food, this behaviour is linked to the types of food they eat (e.g. unprocessed foods), where they buy it (e.g. at speciality stores), and how they cook it (e.g. follow recipes). A range of personality and other personal characteristics differ between local ...

Consumer Lifestyles: A Social Stratification Perspective

Although a link between lifestyles and social class has long been acknowledged, marketers have more closely identified lifestyles with psychographics and therefore with psychological segmentation. We propose that the origins of lifestyle are more correctly reflected in Weber’s approach to status and that it can be viewed more appropriately as the most relevant form of social stratification for a contemporary society. Evidence from an ongoing national study of consumer lifestyles is used to demonstrate how consumer lifestyle segmentation can be used to reflect structural inequalities within society. The ability of lifestyle measurements to evolve and adapt is illustrated. In this sense, lifestyle segmentation is found to be related to, but different from, class and the term psychographics is arguably redundant.

Towards an Understanding of Frugal Consumers

Consumer frugality has recently started to attract attention, with suggestions that it needs to be understood as a lifestyle. Alternative discussions of frugality posit it as either a personality trait or as a value. This research aims to further our understanding of frugality in some of these respects by examining its association with values as measured using the modified version of Schwartz’ value survey. Results of an analysis of frugal and non-frugal New Zealand consumers’ values indicate that, although logical significant differences in values do exist, the pattern is too unclear to indicate that frugality exists as a single value. Rather, findings appear consistent with the contention that frugality may be best viewed as a lifestyle choice.

Linking Personal Values to Energy-Efficient Behaviors in the Home

Laddering techniques are used to identify personal values underlying a range of 21 potential energy-saving behaviors or purchases. At an individual level, ladders (or means-end chains) are quite simple; when aggregated, however, they are complex and show many different paths between underlying values and behaviors. The values identified can promote energy-efficient behaviors or act as obstacles to change. The value “pleasure,” for example, was found to influence energy-efficient behavior, such as hanging the laundry on the line, and inefficient behavior, such as taking long showers. Results show that values relating to “achievement” are most influential on the way people use energy in the home. Thus, social marketing campaigns promoting energy efficiency and conservation should tap into achievement values such as capability and intelligence because these campaigns are more likely to be effective than those that use other types of appeal.