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An investigation into the branding of regional event management
Get PDFRegional event management branding is evidently in an emergent phase. Increasingly\ud
academics and tourism bodies are focusing on branding in association with places,\ud
communities and more recently regions. A new phenomenon o f associating events with\ud
locations is being considered to achieve branding of regions and attracting tourism. This\ud
is evident in regions such as Australia and New Zealand. The purpose o f the research is to\ud
identify key determinants of regional event branding, consequently developing a model of\ud
regional event branding.\ud
A triangulation approach is used incorporating qualitative, quantitative and action\ud
research. The methodology includes an exploratory phase that incorporates:\ud
questionnaires, a focus group, and in-depth interviews. More specifically practitioner\ud
based research is employed, where the researcher undertakes organisation o f Sligo’s\ud
inaugural comedy festival. Practical experience in the field o f event management\ud
branding is attained.\ud
The results clearly display a number of propositions into regional event management\ud
branding. Core constitutes in branding an event are identified in conjunction with a\ud
framework o f best practice to guide both professional and non-professional personnel\ud
intending on hosting an event.\ud
Event management branding is evidently an important area o f interest in a pre emergent\ud
growth phase. Other areas are highlighted whereby further investigations into these areas\ud
will strengthen the concept and reality of Regional event management branding
Impact of wind power generation on the electricity supply industry
Get PDFThe objective of this dissertation is to investigate the effect wind energy has on the Electricity Supply Industry in Ireland. Wind power generation is a source of renewable energy that is in abundant supply in Ireland and is fast becoming a resource that Ireland is depending on as a diverse and secure of supply of energy. However, wind is an intermittent resource and coupled with a variable demand, there are integration issues with balancing demand and supply effectively. To maintain a secure supply of electricity to customers, it is necessary that wind power has an operational reserve to ensure appropriate backup for situations where there is low wind but high demand. This dissertation examines the affect of this integration by comparing wind generation to that of conventional generation in the national grid. This is done to ascertain the cost benefits of wind power generation against a scenario with no wind generation. Then, the analysis examines to see if wind power can meet the pillars of sustainability. This entails looking at wind in a practical scenario to observe how it meets these pillars under the criteria of environmental responsibility, displacement of conventional fuel, cost competitiveness and security of supply
Implementation of the I.S. EN 16001:2009 energy management standard into GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Ltd, Cork
Get PDFAs manufacturers face an increasingly competitive environment, they seek out opportunities to\ud
reduce production costs without negatively affecting the yield or the quality of their finished\ud
products. The challenge of maintaining high product quality while simultaneously reducing\ud
production costs can often be met through investments in energy efficient technologies and energy\ud
efficiency practices. Energy management systems can offer both technological and best practice\ud
efficiencies in order to achieve substantial savings.\ud
A strong energy management system provides a solid foundation for an organisation to reduce\ud
production costs and improve site efficiency. The I.S EN16001 energy management standard\ud
specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy\ud
management system and represents the latest best practice for energy management in Ireland. The\ud
objective of the energy management system is to establish a systematic approach for improving\ud
energy performance continuously. The I.S EN16001 standard specifies the requirements for\ud
continuous improvement through using energy more efficiently.\ud
The author analysed how GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Cork\ud
implemented the I.S. EN16001 energy management system model, and defined how energy saving\ud
opportunities where identified and introduced to improve efficiency performance. The author\ud
performed an extensive literature research in order to determine the current status of the\ud
pharmaceutical industry in Ireland, the processes involved in pharmaceutical manufacturing, the\ud
energy users required for pharmaceutical manufacturing and the efficiency measures that can be\ud
applied to these energy users in order to reduce energy consumption. The author then analysed how\ud
energy management standards are introduced to industry and critically analysed the driving factors\ud
for energy management performance in Ireland through case studies.\ud
Following an investigation as to how the I.S. EN16001 energy management standard is operated in\ud
GSK, a critical analysis of the performance achieved by the GSK energy management system is\ud
undertaken in order to determine if implementing the I.S EN16001 standard accelerates achieving\ud
energy savings.\ud
Since its introduction, the I.S. EN16001 model for energy management has enabled GSK to\ud
monitor, target and identify energy efficiency opportunities throughout the site. The model has put\ud
in place an energy management system that is continuously reviewed for improvement and to date\ud
has reduced GSK’s site operations cost by over 30% through technical improvements and generating\ud
energy awareness for smarter energy consumption within the GSK Cork site. Investment in I.S.\ud
EN16001 has proved to be a sound business strategy for GSK especially in today's manufacturing\ud
environment
A visual history of St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
Get PDFA Visual History of St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, Ballinrobe Co. Mayo explores the history of this previously under-researched ecclesiastical site in the west of Ireland. This project has uncovered the complex history of the church, tracking the significant changes to the architecture and use of the established ecclesiastical sites in the town which occurred following the Reformation. While the primary locus has been on a visual exploration of the material environments of St. Mary’s Church and its graveyard, there is also an examination of the social milieu of the vanished Protestant community of Ballinrobe, which centred on the town’s former function as a garrison town. As part of this research, the previous suggestion that St. Mary’s was a 19th century structure has been disproven, and the site is now placed as reflecting the Tudor conquest in the region. In addition to this written thesis, the project includes a digital archive, created with the assistance of the National Museum of Country Life, the development of a website exploring the heritage and history of Ballinrobe and the creation of the Ballinrobe Archaeological and Historical Society. As such, this thesis is part of a broader project using primarily visual means to explore heritage
An empirical study: human resource practices in the medical device sector in the west of Ireland
Get PDFThis thesis’s key features are Human Resource Practices which are conducted and implemented in the west of Ireland. It analysis’s different HRM practice’s, various HRM’s strategies, high performance organisation techniques and best practices in HR
Marketing in SMEs during economic crises: an investigation of marketing activities within the small retail sector
Get PDFIt is a widely acknowledged fact that businesses tend to face increased difficulty during times \ud
of economic downturn. The purpose of this study is to examine how retail businesses deal \ud
with the effects of economic crises, how their level of marketing activities can impact on \ud
performance and to assess the level of emphasis on customer service in the small retail sector. \ud
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The research methodology is predominately exploratory in nature. The research approach \ud
involved phase one, semi-structured interviews with eight retail owner-managers in \ud
Letterkenny, phase two, a focus group with employees from the retail sector, and a third \ud
phase consisting of an interview with a professional of marketing. \ud
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The role of marketing in small retail outlets and the activities which are engaged in are \ud
discussed and a professional opinion on the above is offered within the research indicating \ud
that small businesses are slow to engage in newer forms of marketing and tend to employ \ud
traditional methods as they are somewhat uneducated regarding the value of marketing. \ud
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The findings suggest that marketing activities such as public relations, customer service, \ud
brand building and the use of online marketing are somewhat lacking in the operations of \ud
small businesses. In addition, it was found newly established businesses are more open to \ud
such activities than more established businesses that have been in operation for a long time. \ud
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The research did have limitations which were mainly of a financial or time related nature. \ud
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Overall the research suggests marketing activities that can be undertaken, yet do not \ud
necessarily require large financial investment, for smaller businesses
Marketing the Irish hotel industry in an economic downturn: an exploration into the rejuvenation of the Sligo hotel industry through customer innovation
Get PDFThe purpose o f this research study was to ascertain innovative ideas from a sample o f\ud
hotel customers’ from four participant hotels in Sligo in order to enhance hotel service\ud
offerings. The researcher conducted a comprehensive exploration on the previous\ud
literature regarding the topic. The literature revealed that given the ever changing\ud
nature o f the hotel industry, and the needs, and desires o f hotel guests hotel operators\ud
must increase the value o f their offerings to prosper (Victorino et al., 2005, p. 556;\ud
Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2001; Olsen and Connolly, 2000). The researcher\ud
noted that while there were some studies to advocate the importance o f customer\ud
innovation in the hotel industry such as Johns and Mattsson (2003); Preissl (2000);\ud
Jones (1996), they were limited and only a minute number directly related to the Irish\ud
hotel industry (Ottenbacher and Gnoth, 2005). Given the knowledge and through\ud
witnessing the current difficulties that the Irish hotel industry is experiencing the\ud
following research question was formed. ‘What innovations can be ascertained from\ud
hotel customers to rejuvenate the Sligo hotel industry?’ In order to achieve the overall\ud
purpose o f the study three key research aims were formed which guided the study; to\ud
examine the innovations the participant hotels in Sligo are currently implementing; to\ud
assert the perceived importance the participant hotel managers place on customer\ud
innovation; and to ascertain the innovations customers wish to see implemented in\ud
hotels in order to enhance the service offerings. The research took the form o f an\ud
explorative study. Both qualitative and quantitative research tools were used to\ud
achieve the aims o f the dissertation study. The research methodology took two\ud
primary forms; firstly, the development o f an extensive review o f existing literature\ud
was represented in the literature review; and secondly, the research methodology,\ud
guided by the findings o f the review o f secondary literature, was carried out through\ud
the collection and analysis o f primary data, and the interpretation and dissemination o f\ud
the research findings. The collection o f primary data was carried out using two\ud
methodological tools Firstly customer questionnaires containing both qualitative and\ud
quantitative questions were distributed to forty customers from each o f the four\ud
participant Sligo hotels. This culminated in a total participant sample o f one hundred\ud
and sixty; and secondly, four semi-structured interviews were conducted with the\ud
managers from each o f the participant hotels.\ud
The findings o f the study reveal that the perceptions o f the participant hotel managers\ud
and customers differ quite strongly, despite the managers’ proclamations o f their firm\ud
commitment to innovation 33% o f respondents see no current innovations in the\ud
participant Sligo hotels. The future innovations which respondents wish to see\ud
implemented are; send e-mails regarding special offers such as complementary meals;\ud
discounts on multiple night stays; family discounts; group discounts; and\ud
complementary offerings; improvements made to in-room facilities, particularly the\ud
availability o f Wi-Fi internet access; the introduction o f a loyalty card system,\ud
rewarding guests for frequent stays; and finally improving leisure facilities.\ud
In summary, these results provide important insights for hotel managers, and indeed\ud
managers in general who are involved in innovation activities. Furthermore they\ud
contribute academically by providing conceptual based new knowledge about hotel\ud
customers’ perceptions and desires. However, due to a number o f limitations,\ud
principally concerning time and resources, while the study identifies the innovative\ud
preferences o f participant Sligo hotel guests and contributing factors in developing\ud
innovation activity, the make-up o f the identified essential factors and their\ud
contributions and interrelationships are worthy o f further consideration and debate
Integrating management and marketing strategies at heritage sites
Get PDFPurpose - This paper examines the integration of management and marketing practices at heritage sites in Ireland.\ud
Design/methodology/approach - The research process involved: phase one, a survey of 224\ud
heritage attractions in Ireland and phase two, semi-structured interviews with the six organizations that represent the heritage sector on the island of Ireland.\ud
Findings - The findings suggest that market research and marketing communication are vital in\ud
achieving a balance between targeting cultural tourists and tourists with no specific interest in\ud
heritage. \ud
Research limitations/implications – The study has the restriction of being limited to the Irish case. However, these findings provide scope for further investigation, namely extending to other destinations and to sites which use different techniques.\ud
Originality/value - A combined commitment to visitor research by the individual heritage sites\ud
could provide information to the representative organizations to facilitate target marketing and\ud
improved on-site management. However, a change of mindset is required among heritage practitioners in Ireland regarding the use of marketing and the implications for on-site management. The authors propose that this is achievable through education linked to the study of models of best practice
An investigation of the marketing communications tools employed by small businesses in Sligo and Mayo with particular emphasis on the Internet marketing tools utilized
Get PDFManagement standards : alternative approaches to energy management
Get PDFDue to the interrelationship between the energy and carbon standards, the large\ud
overlap in energy data and increasing pressure on organisations to reduce their\ud
environmental impacts, this dissertation focuses on energy and carbon management\ud
standards, relative to Ireland, in order to assess the different approaches outlined for\ud
managing energy in an organisation. The research methods consisted of a review of\ud
literature to compare energy and carbon standards, coupled with the collection and\ud
analysis of empirical energy and carbon data from a service organisation case study.\ud
This provided a meaningful comparison between research and practice.\ud
It is evident from the research that there is a large energy data overlap between both\ud
standards and these standards, at an organisation level, have different approaches to\ud
the assessment and management of energy use and carbon emissions. These\ud
individual approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages. The energy\ud
standard ‘process’ driven approach ensures the organisation identifies and manages\ud
energy reduction opportunities. While the carbon standard, through is ‘scientific’\ud
driven approach, ensures that the carbon emission assessment is clear, transparent\ud
and accurate, as far as practical.\ud
The main conclusion drawn from this study is that an Irish organisation, when\ud
deciding to establish and implement an energy or carbon standard, should design a\ud
system that will comply with both standards, to maximise the benefit to the\ud
organisation through energy and carbon savings, financial savings and promote the\ud
corporate ‘green’ image of the organisation.\ud
This study recommends a move towards integrating the Government’s White Paper\ud
on Energy and the National Climate Change Strategy to reinforce the\ud
interrelationship between energy and carbon management and lead to combined\ud
objectives and targets to tackle Irelands’ key environmental challenges. The\ud
integration of national and international energy and carbon standards, at an\ud
organisation level, is also recommended. This will maximise the benefits to an\ud
organisation, energy resources and climate change without entailing the duplication\ud
of an organisation’s time and financial resources