Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques

This article makes the case for the socioemotional wealth (SEW) approach as the potential dominant paradigm in the family business field. The authors argue that SEW is the most important differentiator of the family firm as a unique entity and, as such, helps explain why family firms behave distinctively. In doing so, the authors review the concept of SEW, its different dimensions, and its links with other theoretical approaches. The authors also address the issue of how to measure this construct and offer various alternatives for operationalizing it. Finally, they offer a set of topics that can be pursued in future studies using the SEW approach.

Socioemotional Wealth in Family Firms Theoretical Dimensions, Assessment Approaches, and Agenda for Future Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review research and is to gather conceptual perspectives on the role and nature of e‐service, and the e‐service experience. Recent advances in technology have created a surge in technology‐based self‐service or e‐service, and there is an increasing recognition of its role in differentiation and customer interfaces.Design/methodology/approach – An exploration of the inherent characteristics of technology facilitation of service, including notions of information service and self service, leads to definitions of e‐service and the e‐service experience. The following section explores two differentiators to the service experience: e‐service encounters, elements and episodes; and e‐service's role in the total multi‐channel experience. Finally the growing body of work on e‐service quality is reviewed in pursuit of an understanding of how work on dimensions of e‐service quality informs understanding of the nature of the e‐service experience.Findings – In order to understan...

An analysis of the e‐service literature: towards a research agenda

A comparative study of CB-SEM and PLS-SEM for theory development in family firm research

Destination marketing organizations invest considerable amounts of money in the development of Web sites as part of their overall promotion efforts. With increasing pressure on their budgets, it becomes ever more important for these organizations to assess the effectiveness of their Web sites, evaluate the return on their investments, and derive feedback on necessary improvements. Web site evaluation measures have been proposed in many ways and various contexts over the past decade. The study presented in this article used a qualitative meta-analysis methodology to synthesize the diverse findings. A unified framework of commonly used Web site success factors emerged from the analysis and included a total of nine factors: (1) information quality; (2) ease of use; (3) responsiveness; (4) security/privacy; (5) visual appearance; (6) trust; (7) interactivity; (8) personalization; and (9) fulfillment. Additional factors to further inform Web evaluation efforts were identified based on Werthner and Klein's dime...

Success Factors for Destination Marketing Web Sites: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis

While family-owned businesses are considered to have specific advantages in customer relationships, limited research has been conducted into how these abilities are developed or understood by the public. Consumers may indeed perceive family businesses differently from non-family businesses, but this aspect has received scant attention within the literature. This paper sets out exploratory work designed to gain an understanding of Irish and UK consumer perceptions of family-owned businesses, within both urban and rural communities. The study provides insight into the meaning of `familiness' in consumers' minds when linked to family businesses, and explores the relationships and experiences that respondents have of family firms. Emerging issues include family business heritage, community bonds and social stewardship, consumer loyalty and generational transfer, distinction, choice and retail heterogeneity. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that researchers should be paying more attention to the positive aspects of family businesses within communities, and concludes with suggestions for future research to further extend this area of study.

'What's so special about family business?' An exploratory study of UK and Irish consumer experiences of family businesses

Definitions of e‐service and e‐government are considered in seeking to contextualise the discussion, and a distinction is drawn between e‐government and e‐public service. Current theoretical and empirical work is considered in conjunction with the contribution of the usability school and the commercial literature related to outcome measurement. While profit motivation has little relevance in the public sector, homogeneity of consumers, definability of tasks and finite and measureable outcomes can serve as likely conditions of success in e‐public service. The public sector is then considered in light of this knowledge. It is proposed that there is a continuum of public sector organisations based on complexity of task. Initial evidence suggests that e‐service delivery has greater potential for success in public sector tasks that have low or limited levels of complexity. Finally, the paper concludes that any discussion of e‐public service must take cognisance of the context, both internal and external, in which e‐service is delivered.

E‐service quality and the public sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the city break travel decision, and in particular, to develop a decision making model that reflects the characteristics of this type of trip taking.Design/methodology/approach – The research follows a sequential mixed methods approach consisting of two phases. Phase One involves a quantitative survey of 1,000 visitors to Dublin. The research distinguishes and compares city break and non‐city break visitor cohorts. Phase Two entails a qualitative analysis (involving 40 in‐depth interviews) that specifically examines the decision making behavior of city break visitors.Findings – The research shows city break trips to be relatively inexpensive, uncomplicated, and discretionary in nature. The city break travel decision emerges from quite distinct motives where situational factors proved particularly influential. The decision process mostly entailed low involvement / limited problem solving behavior with strong internet usage evident throughout.Originality/valu...

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Towards a decision making model for city break travel

This paper explores city break tourism and, in particular, the distinctive characteristics of this form of travel. The city break is examined and compared with other types of trips. The research follows a sequential mixed methods approach involving both a visitor survey and in-depth interviews. The findings show the international city break trip to have a number of distinctive characteristics. These are summarised into five main areas (5 Ds) — duration, distance, date flexibility, discretionary nature and destination travel party. These distinguishing features provide a useful insight into one of the most important yet least examined travel segments in tourism research. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Joan Buckley

Papers

'What's so special about family business?' An exploratory study of UK and Irish consumer experiences of family businesses

E‐service quality and the public sector

Towards a decision making model for city break travel

Towards an Understanding of International City Break Travel

Pharmaceutical Marketing - Time for Change