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Big Data and Analytics in Tourism and Hospitality: Opportunities and Risks
Get PDFPurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine and provide insights into one of the most influential technologies impacting the tourism and hospitality industry over the next five years, i.e. big data and analytics. It reflects on both opportunities and risks that such technological advances create for both consumers and tourism organisations, highlighting the importance of data governance and processes for effective and ethical data management in both tourism and hospitality.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a review of academic and industry literature and access to trends data and information from a series of academic and industry databases and reports to examine how big data and analytics shape the future of the industry and the associated risks and opportunities.FindingsThis paper identifies and examines key opportunities and risks posed by the rising technological trend of big data and analytics in tourism and hospitality. While big data is generally regarded as beneficial to tourism and hospitality organisations, there are extensively held ethical, privacy and security concerns about it. Therefore, the paper is making the case for more research on data governance and data ethics in tourism and hospitality and posits that to successfully use data for competitive advantage, tourism and hospitality organisations need to solely expand compliance-based data governance frameworks to frameworks that include more effective privacy and ethics data solutions.Originality/valueThis paper provides useful insights into the use of big data and analytics for both researchers and practitioners and offers new perspectives on the debate on data governance and ethical data management in both tourism and hospitality. Because forecasts from the UNWTO indicate a significant increase in international tourist arrivals (1.8 billion tourist arrivals by 2030), the ways tourism and hospitality organisations manage customers’ data become important
Grape seed polyphenol extract and cognitive function in healthy young adults: a randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups acute-on-chronic trial
No full textGrapes are polyphenol-rich, and grape juice intake has shown cognitive benefits in middle-aged females and older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Extracts obtained from grape seeds have similarly been associated with cognitive benefits in older adults. The aim of this research was to investigate whether a highly purified grape seed-derived polyphenol extract was associated with cognitive benefits in healthy young adults following a single acute dose, and chronically following repeated daily dosage over 12 weeks. Following an acute-on-chronic, parallel groups, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, sixty adults aged 18-30 consumed either a 400 mg grape seed polyphenol extract (GSPE, n = 30) or a placebo (n = 30). Cognitive function was assessed acutely at baseline and 2, 4 and 6 h post consumption, and chronically at 6 and 12 twelve weeks with a computerised battery of multiple cognitive tests. Mood was assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Linear marginal model analysis with baseline included as a covariate did not reveal a consistent pattern of cognitive benefits following the GSPE relative to the placebo either acutely or chronically when considering all outcome measures. GSPE was associated with some improvements in reaction time (acutely) and psychomotor skill (chronically), however the placebo was also associated with some benefits to reaction time and memory. Therefore, a 400 mg GSPE did not consistently improve cognitive function in healthy young adults. These findings suggest that younger, healthy populations are perhaps less sensitive to polyphenol extract doses <400mg relative to older, or cognitively compromised populations
The cognitive effects of an acute wild blueberry intervention on 7 – 10 year olds using extended memory and executive function task batteries.
No full textEvidence for the health benefits of blueberries is well documented. In particular, memory and executive function benefits have both been found for children aged 7–10 in the 6 hours period following acute blueberry consumption. Previous research has utilised a limited number of tasks when considering these domains. Therefore, in two separate experiments, we employed extended memory and executive function task batteries to further understand the extent of blueberry benefits. Following blueberry intervention, children aged 7–10 were tested on a memory battery at 75 minutes and an executive function battery at 3 hours. Shorter memory reaction times were observed on the visuo-spatial grid task and shorter executive function reaction times were observed on the congruent trials of the attention network task. Whilst providing further evidence for the cognitive benefits of blueberry consumption in school age children, these findings contrast with previous research where improved accuracy and reaction time benefits have most commonly been found on more cognitively demanding trials. Further research targeted to consider the areas of the brain related to each cognitive domain and how they coincide with mechanisms of action, such as increases in cerebral blood flow following blueberry intervention, is therefore recommended
COVID-19: An Opportunity to Review Existing Grounded Theories in Event Studies
Get PDFThe outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively impacted the event industry, while offering it opportunities to reinvent itself. Reviewing some of Getz (2012) futurist thoughts, is part of this reinvention process. This study concludes that: (a) Future Proposition 2 is accurate (b) Future Propositions 1 and 7 need precisions, and as a result has been reformulated as follow: New Future Proposition 1: Planned, live events, both personal and societal in scale and meaning, will always be a prominent feature of civilization, in all societies and cultures. However, in time of pandemics or other crisis, live events might be perturbed, before a staggered return to normal under certain conditions, and strict controls. New Future Proposition 7: As travel and tourism collapse, possibly because of the cascading effects of global warming, another energy crisis, war terrorism or global pandemics, events will also collapse temporarily, but will remain important globally because they meet fundamental human needs. On top of Getz (2012) future thoughts, this study suggests additional Future Propositions
Is threat in the way they move? Influences of static and gait information on threat judgments of unknown people
Get PDF“The Measure to Rank the Nations in Terms of Wealth and Power?” Transnationalism and the Circulation of the “Idea” of Women’s Education
No full textThe chapter examines comparison and abstraction as systems of reason in stadial accounts that facilitated the transnational circulation of the ‘idea’ of women’s education. It discusses the transnational circulation of texts in which stadial approaches were developed, the processes of abstraction that facilitated transnational transfer across national and nation-state/empire borders, and paradoxes of female agency in stadial approaches that supported the transnational circulation of the ‘idea’ of women’s education; and far from its origin and abstracted from European thought, the idea of women’s education gained different breadths of application. The chapter concludes that while processes of abstraction engendered transnational circulation around nations and nation-state/empires, elements of practice hidden in abstractions provided seeds of particularism to engender feminist re-workings of the ‘idea’ of women’s education. Theoretical contestation would come to stress intersectionalities and complexities, along with processes of gendered and racialized power that abstraction had occluded
Covid-19: Reflections on threat and uncertainty for the future of elite women’s football in England
No full textThis commentary offers an analysis of the implications of Covid-19 on the future of elite women’s football, with the intention of reflecting on and illuminating the threat and uncertainty facing the game. Topics covered include (1) organisational and economic repercussions; (2) consequences for player contracts, migration and investment; and (3) player wellbeing. These significant challenges require swift and decisive action in order to mitigate their potential effects. Recommendations are made for governing bodies, parent clubs and practitioners, in addition to possible future research directions for academics. We reflect upon what can be done during and post-pandemic to continue the momentum and growth of women’s football in England, highlighting the need for football clubs to learn from previous crises by embracing innovation and entrepreneurship
Chinese celebrity dossier: introduction
No full textThis short essay introduces the Cultural Report dossier on Chinese celebrity, which comprises articles that examine China’s expanding online celebrity economy
A study of the perception and use of attention in undergraduate dance training classes
Get PDFDeploying action research methods this article investigates how students perceive and use attention in undergraduate dance training classes. A main aim of this research has been to develop strategies for encouraging agency in young dancers’ attentional choices in order to facilitate confident navigation of the bricolage approaches that make up dance training today. I explore the contextual aspects of UK higher education dance training that impact upon practices and expectations of attention. I draw on the literature of mindfulness and pedagogic research to explore how attention flow can promote a sense of agency for dance students. This article contributes to pedagogic debates about the challenges of bricolage approaches and embodied connectedness in dance training. My research explores how a framework for attentional awareness could be beneficial to young dancers in training
Humanising our experience in Higher Education through Sustainable Development Education.
No full textThe chapter explores the opportunities and challenges of humanising higher education through sustainable development education and climate action. Using the framework of head, hand, heart (Devis-Rozental 2017) the premise of ‘Play with Purpose’ and the metaphor of the ‘Tree of Life’ (Sinha 2018), the chapter creates positive landscapes for change, bringing together contemporary theory and practice that provides guidance and inspiration for practitioners and academics working in this area, to be part of the community of practice of educators and professionals supporting, inspiring and challenging our future leaders and colleagues. We need to transform our HE system, and link it to positive change to protect our planet from further harm, in so doing give ourselves the best chance of a fulfilled and beautiful life