Simone Splendiani

Quality and value in university services: The experience of the placement service at the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: on the one hand, to point out the concepts of quality and value; on the other hand to explain how university placement services can increase the value created for the various stakeholders of a University.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is based on empirical study carried out through the analysis of the placement service of the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo” through “participant observation”, related to the experience gained by the authors within the service.Findings – This study reveals that the placement service at the University of Urbino is innovative in terms of organization and management. The involvement of all actors in design and implementation of the initiatives is a strategic factor, crucial for meeting the expectations of stakeholders, raising levels of quality and satisfaction and, ultimately, the value created.Originality/value – Although limited to only one placement case – the University of Urbino – the research presents origina...

The experiential offering system of museums: evidence from Italy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new management approach to analyse the processes of museums in the experience logic and, on the basis of such a model, to study the management processes of the National Gallery of the Marches in Urbino, one of the most important museums in Italy. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative methodology and a descriptive-exploratory approach. The proposed model, which aimed to create and manage experiences and transformations in museums, was tested in the National Gallery of the Marches by adopting the case study method. Findings The empirical research underlined the partial application of the proposed model in the museum under examination and the potential for the museum to improve the offering value to its visitors. Research limitations/implications Although a single case was investigated, the present work offers a preliminary theoretical contribution, which is useful for perfecting the conceptual framework and applying it to a wider number of cases. Practical implications The management of the National Gallery of the Marches should first plan a greater number of more detailed experiences and transformations around the theme of the Renaissance, and promote the active role of visitors. Second, it should improve the communication of the offer, especially through social networks. Third, personnel (especially front office) should be motivated and trained to create value for visitors. Originality/value The paper aims at developing a new management approach for the museums to create value for the visitors and museums by bringing the insight of the experience logic into the field of cultural heritage management.

Enhancement of the “Blue Flag” Eco-label in Italy: an empirical analysis

Abstract Focusing on the Blue Flag, the paper aims to illustrate the role played by certification programmes in destination management and branding, as well as their potential for destination enhancement. The awareness of the benefits and the importance of the Eco-label as perceived by the Italian Blue Flag-awarded destinations and the degree to which the certification is effectively used in their communication strategies have been investigated. The research was conducted by submitting two different questionnaires to all Italian 2012-Blue Flag municipalities. The study reveals that the dynamics leading local authorities to join the Programme have more to do with the return in terms of brand image than with their environmental concerns, although they do little to promote the obtained award.

Sustainable Management of Events in an Experiential Perspective

Events are complex value propositions that are realized by specialists to meet different leisure and entertainment needs. They are highly intangible and experiential-type products (Pencarelli and Forlani 2016) to which the application of logical experience is particularly suitable (Bartolazzi et al. 2008; Pegg and Patterson 2010; Manthiou et al. 2014; Getz and Page 2016). This chapter aims to describe the role played by events in the experience economy for territories involved in sustainable tourism strategies. The authors also propose a model for event impact analysis and evaluation. Starting from the idea that tourist destinations represent a stage on which tourism products can be displayed, so as to satisfy the demands of travelers seeking engaging experiences (Pencarelli and Forlani 2016), the importance of the role played by destination management in managing the events is further underlined. Tourists searching such experiences want to be in the spotlight and co-participate with territorial players in the creation of value. As such, event management requires the use of tools such as planning, organization, and control in order to design, plan, and put on a balanced program of events while monitoring the impact on value creation for both tourists and regional stakeholders within the perspective of sustainability. This chapter proposes to redefine the experiential perspective of a set of indicators that are useful in holistically evaluating the performance of events in a traditional tri-faceted dimension, i.e., economic, social, and environmental.

Enhancing the Tourism Image of Italian Regions Through Urban Events: The Case of Steve McCurry’s Sensational Umbria Exhibition

The study analyses the case of the Sensational Umbria photography exhibition by Steve McCurry, held in Perugia in 2014. The event proved to be of particular interest, not only for its success in terms of visitors number and impact on the media, but in particular for the innovative use of a photo exhibition for the purpose of promoting tourism in the region. The paper, after a theoretical introduction on the relationship between tourism events and destination image, offers an analysis of the event from different perspectives: economic impact, visitor satisfaction, and effect on the media. The methodology has been twofold, involving both desk analysis and a survey conducted by administering a questionnaire to 455 visitors. The results that emerge illustrate a situation that, while generally positive, leaves margins for improvement, especially in terms of greater involvement by local stakeholders.

The Role of the Blue Flag in the Communication of Seaside Destinations

The paper aims to illustrate the role played by certification programmes in beach destination management and branding. Focusing on the Blue Flag, we analysed the awareness of the benefits and the importance of the Eco-label as perceived by the Italian awarded beach destinations. Also, the degree to which the certification is effectively used in their communication strategies has been investigated. The research was conducted by submitting two different questionnaires to all Italian 2012-Blue Flag municipalities. The study reveals that the dynamics leading local authorities to join the Programme have more to do with the return in terms of brand image than with their environmental concerns, although they do little to promote the obtained award.

Il ruolo della Bandiera Arancione per la valorizzazione dei piccoli comuni dell’entroterra / The role of the “Bandiera Arancione” (Orange Flag) for the enhancement of inner small towns

Obiettivo del lavoro e illustrare l’efficacia dei marchi ambientali nella valorizzazione dei piccoli comuni dell’entroterra, sia dal punto di vista della comunicazione turistica che da quello della qualita del territorio. La ricerca si focalizza sulla Regione Marche. Si analizzano le modalita di sfruttamento e valorizzazione del marchio Bandiera Arancione di tutti i comuni che hanno ricevuto il riconoscimento, oltre che la percezione degli enti locali circa le performance turistico-ambientali conseguite grazie ad esso. L’indagine e stata svolta somministrando un questionario (metodo CAWI) ai referenti dei 19 comuni Bandiera Arancione 2014. Dallo studio emerge come essi non sfruttino appieno le potenzialita offerte dalla certificazione, sia in termini di co-branding che di coinvolgimento degli stakeholders , ma riconoscano, tuttavia, l’importanza strategica rispetto alle finalita che l’adesione a Bandiera Arancione si propone di raggiungere a beneficio del territorio. The main purpose of this paper was to determine the extent to which environmental awards may help enhancing the small-towns heritage. Focus was set on the Orange Flag to understand if municipalities properly take advantage of the award both in their communication policies and in the sustainable development of their territory. The survey was based on a questionnaire (CAWI method) forwarded to the 2014 Orange Flag municipalities in the Marche region. The research revealed that municipalities do not take full advantage of the possibilities provided by the award mainly in terms of co-branding and stakeholders’ involvement. Even if they recognize great validity to the programme, the findings raised in this paper suggest a more efficient use of the award. In particular, a better use of co-branding policies and a wider sharing of sustainability issues are suggested.

Marketing e strategie competitive in un settore turbolento: il caso eden viaggi

Eden Viaggi e una media impresa pesarese operante nel settore dei viaggi organizzati, settore da considerarsi turbolento sia per l’innata instabilita che lo caratterizza sia per le conseguenze della negativa congiuntura economica globale. Negli ultimi anni (2008-2012), nonostante la forte contrazione della domanda domestica, l’azienda ha conseguito positive performance, attraverso l’adozione di condotte strategiche capaci di coniugare la presenza in segmenti di ampie dimensioni come in nicchie di mercato, differenziando le strategie competitive in base ai contesti competitivi presidiati. Strategie basate perlopiu sull’innovazione di prodotto, sull’elevata qualita dei servizi e sul rapporto fiduciario con il trade (la rete di agenzie), che le hanno permesso di affrontare in modo proattivo la crisi.