- Email: [email protected]
Codes of Ethics in Tourism: Practice, Theory, Synthesis
Publications in reviews/Annals of Tourism Research 35 (2008) 600–618
607
This book would be useful for any leisure, sport, or tourism student who has no previous knowledge of research methods. Its style and language make it particularly useful for first-year students in degree or diploma programs. While written from a British perspective, its plain and accessible writing style makes it a suitable primer for students for whom English is not their first language. Although the brevity of some chapters limits the depth of treatment, it does provide a useful introduction, being well conceived, and easy to read and understand. As such, students will find it a good starting point with helpful guidelines and indications for further reading to follow up before tackling their first research project. Paul Brunt: Faculty of Social Science and Business, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, United Kingdom. Email
Assigned 20 July 2007. Submitted 12 September 2007. Accepted 18 September 2007 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2007.09.003
Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 607–608, 2008 Printed in Great Britain
Codes of Ethics in Tourism: Practice, Theory, Synthesis By David Fennell and David Malloy. Channel View
This timely book balances theory, philosophy, business pragmatism, and application in its examination of ethics in tourism. As more regions with sometimes questionable civil and social practices emerge as destinations, it addresses crucial issues related to codes of ethics for the industry and the professionals interested in more responsible corporate citizenship and sustainability. Unlike other books that deal with ethics by using strong philosophical language, which may make them unattractive to a non-academic reader, the authors of this volume have attempted to write in a non-complicated and approachable way. Nevertheless, its part one looks at the current state of codes of ethics in the tourism landscape. Next, it examines conceptual issues in codes of ethics such as the nature of morality. The final part offers a Synthesis of the practical and conceptual material already discussed. The book is addressed to scholars and professionals in the corporate world who wish to develop practical and effective codes of ethics. It recognizes the need to
608
Publications in reviews/Annals of Tourism Research 35 (2008) 600–618
look at them as dynamic tools that help shape social and environmental changes. As societies evolve and tourists are exposed to new experiences, professionals need to monitor their conduct and commit to a ‘‘social contract’’ guiding moral behavior among businesses, tourists, and the local community. The book provides a critical look at codes of ethics as well as practical advice for evaluating current sets or formulating new ones. The approach offered argues that organizations should move from a simple focus on compliance to embedding values and internalizing good behaviour. Two of the most useful chapters are 4 and 5. The former, on mapping the theoretical terrain of ethics, translates a theoretical framework into an applied one. Chapter 5 addresses issues of commitment, value systems, codes’ content, and the importance of ensuring a compatibility between an organization’s and individuals’ value systems. The authors offer an extensive range of examples accompanied by critical analysis, thus helping the reader draw conclusions and think further. The topics presented in the text progress in a logical and coherent fashion, leading to a very useful concluding chapter offering teaching tips to academics working in tourism ethics. From a conceptual model, they discuss moral development within organizations, arguing that a major challenge in tourism organizations is to move from a reliance on personal values to a more formal, internalized approach. Evolution to a more structured and functional view of ethics is essential for the development of a more sustainable tourism. Indeed, it becomes evident throughout the book that the formulation of codes of ethics is only a small piece in the puzzle of how to achieve sustainability and responsible corporate citizenship. This understanding explains why Fennell and Malloy have included monitoring, auditing, and reporting as important elements of the formulation of codes of ethics, as well as the issues of morality associated with the subject matter. There are a couple of gaps in the book that might have been filled. A more extensive discussion differentiating between legal compliance and codes of ethics could have been useful to the reader. Because codes of ethics are still a relatively new concept in tourism, the authors might have more fully discussed the impact and effectiveness of some of their examples to assist professionals in understanding what worked well and what did not. Still, the book can be described in just a few words: small in size but big in content. It will be especially valued by anyone interested in applied ethics. Olga Kampaxi: The Emirates Academy, Umm Suqeim 3, Dubai, PO 29662, Unite Arab Emirates. Email
Assigned 20 June 2007. Submitted 12 September 2007. Resubmitted 25 September 2007. Accepted 26 September 2007 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2007.09.005
607
This book would be useful for any leisure, sport, or tourism student who has no previous knowledge of research methods. Its style and language make it particularly useful for first-year students in degree or diploma programs. While written from a British perspective, its plain and accessible writing style makes it a suitable primer for students for whom English is not their first language. Although the brevity of some chapters limits the depth of treatment, it does provide a useful introduction, being well conceived, and easy to read and understand. As such, students will find it a good starting point with helpful guidelines and indications for further reading to follow up before tackling their first research project. Paul Brunt: Faculty of Social Science and Business, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, United Kingdom. Email
Assigned 20 July 2007. Submitted 12 September 2007. Accepted 18 September 2007 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2007.09.003
Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 607–608, 2008 Printed in Great Britain
Codes of Ethics in Tourism: Practice, Theory, Synthesis By David Fennell and David Malloy. Channel View
This timely book balances theory, philosophy, business pragmatism, and application in its examination of ethics in tourism. As more regions with sometimes questionable civil and social practices emerge as destinations, it addresses crucial issues related to codes of ethics for the industry and the professionals interested in more responsible corporate citizenship and sustainability. Unlike other books that deal with ethics by using strong philosophical language, which may make them unattractive to a non-academic reader, the authors of this volume have attempted to write in a non-complicated and approachable way. Nevertheless, its part one looks at the current state of codes of ethics in the tourism landscape. Next, it examines conceptual issues in codes of ethics such as the nature of morality. The final part offers a Synthesis of the practical and conceptual material already discussed. The book is addressed to scholars and professionals in the corporate world who wish to develop practical and effective codes of ethics. It recognizes the need to
608
Publications in reviews/Annals of Tourism Research 35 (2008) 600–618
look at them as dynamic tools that help shape social and environmental changes. As societies evolve and tourists are exposed to new experiences, professionals need to monitor their conduct and commit to a ‘‘social contract’’ guiding moral behavior among businesses, tourists, and the local community. The book provides a critical look at codes of ethics as well as practical advice for evaluating current sets or formulating new ones. The approach offered argues that organizations should move from a simple focus on compliance to embedding values and internalizing good behaviour. Two of the most useful chapters are 4 and 5. The former, on mapping the theoretical terrain of ethics, translates a theoretical framework into an applied one. Chapter 5 addresses issues of commitment, value systems, codes’ content, and the importance of ensuring a compatibility between an organization’s and individuals’ value systems. The authors offer an extensive range of examples accompanied by critical analysis, thus helping the reader draw conclusions and think further. The topics presented in the text progress in a logical and coherent fashion, leading to a very useful concluding chapter offering teaching tips to academics working in tourism ethics. From a conceptual model, they discuss moral development within organizations, arguing that a major challenge in tourism organizations is to move from a reliance on personal values to a more formal, internalized approach. Evolution to a more structured and functional view of ethics is essential for the development of a more sustainable tourism. Indeed, it becomes evident throughout the book that the formulation of codes of ethics is only a small piece in the puzzle of how to achieve sustainability and responsible corporate citizenship. This understanding explains why Fennell and Malloy have included monitoring, auditing, and reporting as important elements of the formulation of codes of ethics, as well as the issues of morality associated with the subject matter. There are a couple of gaps in the book that might have been filled. A more extensive discussion differentiating between legal compliance and codes of ethics could have been useful to the reader. Because codes of ethics are still a relatively new concept in tourism, the authors might have more fully discussed the impact and effectiveness of some of their examples to assist professionals in understanding what worked well and what did not. Still, the book can be described in just a few words: small in size but big in content. It will be especially valued by anyone interested in applied ethics. Olga Kampaxi: The Emirates Academy, Umm Suqeim 3, Dubai, PO 29662, Unite Arab Emirates. Email
Assigned 20 June 2007. Submitted 12 September 2007. Resubmitted 25 September 2007. Accepted 26 September 2007 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2007.09.005