- Email: [email protected]
Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality Management
1084
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
Fevzi Okumus: School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Mugla University, Mugla 48000, Turkey. Email.
REFERENCES Johnson, G., and K. Scholes 1999 Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. London: Prentice Hall. Lynch, R. 2000 Corporate Strategy. London: Financial Times. Thompson, A., and A. J. Strickland 1999 Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases (11th ed.). London: Harper and Row.
Assigned 28 August 2000. Submitted 24 November 2000. Accepted 1 December 2000. PII: S0160-7383(01)00010-X Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 1084–1086, 2001 Printed in Great Britain 0160-7383/01/$20.00
Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality Management Edited by John Crotts, Dimitrios Buhalis and Roger March. The Haworth Hospitality Press (10 Alice Street, Binghampton NY 13904-1580, USA) 2000, 166 pp (figures, tables, bibliography, index) $24.95 Pbk. ISBN 0-7890-0783-5
Arie Reichel Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
This book was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, a fact useful in understanding its nature. It is not a sole-authored volume which organizes and interprets information about global alliances, nor is it an edited book in which the editors predetermine themes and ensure a logical development throughout it. It is, instead, a collection of papers. The volume begins with an introduction by the editors in which they describe the meaning of the concepts: strategic alliances, relationships, strategic partnerships, and joint ventures. The terms all describe ‘the coming of two firms into a deliberate association that has some synergistic value’ (p. 1). They further explain the requisite questions regarding the creation of a partnership, such as why a partner is desired; whether there is an ability to partner; and with whom a partnership is established. The collection opens with an article by Roger March on buyer decisionmaking behavior in international tourism channels. He explores differences between the attitudes of Japanese- and Asian-market firms toward different product types in terms of price and other demand factors, as well as the importance of personal relationships in business-to-business international market-
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
1085
ing. The second article focuses on the relationships between corporations and tourism businesses with a comparison between American and Japanese firms and domestic versus foreign locations in terms of word-of mouth referrals. Japanese companies, whether operating at home or in the United States, make more extensive use of referral networks than American companies. The significance of culture also is examined by Helmut Waser and Nick Johns in their look at the management of multi-ethnic workgroups in hotels. Managers expressed themselves in predominantly individualistic terms. In contrast, workers, regardless of their cultural background, expressed collectivistic values. The authors suggest that these varying attitudes caused conflict between managers and employees. In another article, David Telfer presents a case study of a strategic alliance among the Niagara (Canada) Region’s food producers, processors, distributors, hotels, wineries, restaurants, and chefs to promote the use of local agricultural products in tourism. He illustrates the success of the alliance in forming a strong image of the region cuisine and stresses the difficulties in forming and maintaining lasting economic and social ties. Alan Fyall, Ben Oakley, and Helmut Weiss also examine interorganizational collaboration on the United Kingdom’s inland waterways. The authors explore both the theoretical and practical implications of such alliances and raise questions about the role of entrepreneurship in light of the slow public sector decision-making process. Dimitrios Buhalis returns to the issue of relationships among organizations in distribution channels in a case study of Greek resort hoteliers and Northern European tour operators. The proliferation of supply along with a lower growth of demand enabled both consumers and the tourism industry to increase their bargaining power over producers. The hoteliers accuse the tour operators of not only forcing them to reduce prices, but also of using misleading information and dubious legal and ethical practices. The author suggests that such imbalance in power in the alliance is due to the hoteliers’ marketing and management weaknesses, incompetence, and insecurity in finding new partners. Finally, Darla Domke-Demonte examines cross-sector cooperation in airlines. This longitudinal study covering 1983 through 1996 looks at the evolution of relationships between domestic American carriers and firms outside the sector. The evidence indicates that such alliances improve airlineoperating performance only during periods of economic volatility. Although this volume is basically a collection of unconnected papers, it is a useful contribution to the study of strategic alliances. As noted by the editors, “the development and management of alliances is a critical strategic skill in hospitality and tourism” (p. 1). This publication also provides insight into the tourism and hospitality industry in different countries: arrivals to Australia, tourism organizations in Japan and the United States, British hotels and inland waterways, Greek hotels and Northern Europe tour operators, and domestic airlines in the United States. However, the collection does have several weaknesses. First, the collection is presented as a book, for which one has different expectations than from a special issue of a journal. Books should be comprehensive and systematic, each chapter leading to the next. The reader can proceed from one subject to another, following a logic that is usually explicit. In a special issue of a journal, the main theme is presented and then various scholars send in their research papers. Consequently, special issues are often eclectic, presenting the current research interests and achievements of the researchers. Such is the case with this volume. The variety of the subjects covered is good, and as stated by the editors, “all the studies provide insights
1086
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as to the factors that influence the formation and stabilization of alliances as well as the theoretical contexts in which they can be viewed” (p. 1). However, as a book, the title raises expectations that are not fulfilled. Important strategic issues presented by the editors in the introduction are not dealt with subsequently. Moreover, subjects like franchising and licensing, so prevalent in the hospitality industry, are hardly mentioned. Moreover, there are some curious inclusions. For example, the article by Bruce Money on the role of culture in the choice of services by corporations raises the question of whether the choice of corporate travel agency truly represent a strategic alliance. Similarly, it is not clear why the study of multi-ethnic workgroups within hotels is an example of a strategic alliance. In sum, although this volume contributes to the understanding of strategic alliances, the editors are encouraged to write (or edit) a comprehensive book on this subject based on their theoretical introduction to this volume. 왎 Arie Reichel: Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, School of Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel. Email. Assigned 9 November 2000. Submitted 14 December 2000. Resubmitted 15 January 2001. Accepted 16 January 2001. PII: S0160-7383(01)00024-X
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
Fevzi Okumus: School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Mugla University, Mugla 48000, Turkey. Email
REFERENCES Johnson, G., and K. Scholes 1999 Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. London: Prentice Hall. Lynch, R. 2000 Corporate Strategy. London: Financial Times. Thompson, A., and A. J. Strickland 1999 Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases (11th ed.). London: Harper and Row.
Assigned 28 August 2000. Submitted 24 November 2000. Accepted 1 December 2000. PII: S0160-7383(01)00010-X Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 1084–1086, 2001 Printed in Great Britain 0160-7383/01/$20.00
Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality Management Edited by John Crotts, Dimitrios Buhalis and Roger March. The Haworth Hospitality Press (10 Alice Street, Binghampton NY 13904-1580, USA) 2000, 166 pp (figures, tables, bibliography, index) $24.95 Pbk. ISBN 0-7890-0783-5
Arie Reichel Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
This book was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, a fact useful in understanding its nature. It is not a sole-authored volume which organizes and interprets information about global alliances, nor is it an edited book in which the editors predetermine themes and ensure a logical development throughout it. It is, instead, a collection of papers. The volume begins with an introduction by the editors in which they describe the meaning of the concepts: strategic alliances, relationships, strategic partnerships, and joint ventures. The terms all describe ‘the coming of two firms into a deliberate association that has some synergistic value’ (p. 1). They further explain the requisite questions regarding the creation of a partnership, such as why a partner is desired; whether there is an ability to partner; and with whom a partnership is established. The collection opens with an article by Roger March on buyer decisionmaking behavior in international tourism channels. He explores differences between the attitudes of Japanese- and Asian-market firms toward different product types in terms of price and other demand factors, as well as the importance of personal relationships in business-to-business international market-
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
1085
ing. The second article focuses on the relationships between corporations and tourism businesses with a comparison between American and Japanese firms and domestic versus foreign locations in terms of word-of mouth referrals. Japanese companies, whether operating at home or in the United States, make more extensive use of referral networks than American companies. The significance of culture also is examined by Helmut Waser and Nick Johns in their look at the management of multi-ethnic workgroups in hotels. Managers expressed themselves in predominantly individualistic terms. In contrast, workers, regardless of their cultural background, expressed collectivistic values. The authors suggest that these varying attitudes caused conflict between managers and employees. In another article, David Telfer presents a case study of a strategic alliance among the Niagara (Canada) Region’s food producers, processors, distributors, hotels, wineries, restaurants, and chefs to promote the use of local agricultural products in tourism. He illustrates the success of the alliance in forming a strong image of the region cuisine and stresses the difficulties in forming and maintaining lasting economic and social ties. Alan Fyall, Ben Oakley, and Helmut Weiss also examine interorganizational collaboration on the United Kingdom’s inland waterways. The authors explore both the theoretical and practical implications of such alliances and raise questions about the role of entrepreneurship in light of the slow public sector decision-making process. Dimitrios Buhalis returns to the issue of relationships among organizations in distribution channels in a case study of Greek resort hoteliers and Northern European tour operators. The proliferation of supply along with a lower growth of demand enabled both consumers and the tourism industry to increase their bargaining power over producers. The hoteliers accuse the tour operators of not only forcing them to reduce prices, but also of using misleading information and dubious legal and ethical practices. The author suggests that such imbalance in power in the alliance is due to the hoteliers’ marketing and management weaknesses, incompetence, and insecurity in finding new partners. Finally, Darla Domke-Demonte examines cross-sector cooperation in airlines. This longitudinal study covering 1983 through 1996 looks at the evolution of relationships between domestic American carriers and firms outside the sector. The evidence indicates that such alliances improve airlineoperating performance only during periods of economic volatility. Although this volume is basically a collection of unconnected papers, it is a useful contribution to the study of strategic alliances. As noted by the editors, “the development and management of alliances is a critical strategic skill in hospitality and tourism” (p. 1). This publication also provides insight into the tourism and hospitality industry in different countries: arrivals to Australia, tourism organizations in Japan and the United States, British hotels and inland waterways, Greek hotels and Northern Europe tour operators, and domestic airlines in the United States. However, the collection does have several weaknesses. First, the collection is presented as a book, for which one has different expectations than from a special issue of a journal. Books should be comprehensive and systematic, each chapter leading to the next. The reader can proceed from one subject to another, following a logic that is usually explicit. In a special issue of a journal, the main theme is presented and then various scholars send in their research papers. Consequently, special issues are often eclectic, presenting the current research interests and achievements of the researchers. Such is the case with this volume. The variety of the subjects covered is good, and as stated by the editors, “all the studies provide insights
1086
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
as to the factors that influence the formation and stabilization of alliances as well as the theoretical contexts in which they can be viewed” (p. 1). However, as a book, the title raises expectations that are not fulfilled. Important strategic issues presented by the editors in the introduction are not dealt with subsequently. Moreover, subjects like franchising and licensing, so prevalent in the hospitality industry, are hardly mentioned. Moreover, there are some curious inclusions. For example, the article by Bruce Money on the role of culture in the choice of services by corporations raises the question of whether the choice of corporate travel agency truly represent a strategic alliance. Similarly, it is not clear why the study of multi-ethnic workgroups within hotels is an example of a strategic alliance. In sum, although this volume contributes to the understanding of strategic alliances, the editors are encouraged to write (or edit) a comprehensive book on this subject based on their theoretical introduction to this volume. 왎 Arie Reichel: Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, School of Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel. Email