1、IMPROVINGCOMPETITIVENESSCRITICALSUCCESSFACTORSFORTOURISMDEVELOPMENTRHODRITHOMASANDJONATHANLONGABSTRACTFORAVARIETYOFREASONSANINCREASINGNUMBEROFLOCALAUTHORITIESANDOTHERAGENCIESHAVETURNEDTOTOURISMASAMEANSOFECONOMICDEVELOPMENTTODATE,HOWEVER,THELEVELOFACTIVITYAMONGPOLICYMAKERSHASNOTBEENMATCHEDBYRESEARCHT
2、HATMIGHTINFORMTHEIRDELIBERATIONSALTHOUGHTHEIMPORTANCEOFDEMANDRELATEDISSUESSUCHASTHEPROMOTIONOFPARTICULARDESTINATIONSISRECOGNISED,THISPAPERSHT/ISTHEFOCUSTOTHENEGLECTEDISSUEOFSECTORSUPPLYITARGUESTHATIFTOURISMISTOCONTRIBUTETOECONOMICDEVELOPMENTTHATISSUSTAINABLE,PRIVATEANDPUBLICSECTORFACILITIESSUCHASATT
3、RACTIONSORHOTELSMUSTBENATIONALLYANDOFTENINTERNATIONALLYCOMPETITIVETHEPAPERPROPOSESAMODELFORUNDERSTANDINGTHECOMPETITIVENESSOFOTGANISATIONSINTHESECTORANDREPORTSTHEFINDINGSOFITSAPPLICATIONINACASESTUDYOFEASTANDSOUTHEASTLONDONINTRODUCTIONLOCALAUTHORITIESANDOTHERAGENCIESINTHEUKHAVETURNEDINCREASINGLYTOTOUR
4、ISMASAMEANSOFGENERATINGINCOMEANDCREATINGEMPLOYMENTCHARLTONANDESSEX,1996SUCHACTIVITYISNOTNEWNORTHESOLEPRESERVEOFOBVIOUSTOURISTDESTINATIONSBUCKLEYANDWIN,19851989LONGANDWALKE,1990INDEED,ITISINTERESTINGTHATBETWEEN1994AND1996,12OFTHE13AREASOFTHEUKELIGIBLEFOROBJECTIVE2FUNDINGDEFINEDTHENASREGIONSOFINDUSTRI
5、ALDECLINEINCLUDEDASPECTSOFTOURISMDEVELOPMENTINTHEIRREGENERATIONSTRATEGIESTHOMAS,1996YETTHEREHASBEENRELATIVELYLITTLERESEARCHINTOTHEEFFICACYOFPROMOTINGTOURISMASAFORMOFECONOMICDEVELOPMENTORREGENERATION,THUS,SOMECOMMENTATORSARGUETHATTHEREHASBEENA“SOMEWHATUNCRITICALBANDWAGONOFINTEREST”HUDSONANDTOWNSEND,1
6、993,50INTOURISMDEVELOPMENTANDTHATLOCALAUTHORITIESHAVETAKENDECISIONSWITHOUTADEQUATEINFORMATIONONITSPROBABLEECONOMICOREMPLOYMENTIMPACTSFURTHER,CONCERNHASBEENEXPRESSEDABOUTTHEQUALITYOFTHEJOBSCREATED,WITHMAJOREFFECTSSEENASTHEGENERATIONOFPERIPHERAL”EMPLOYMENTWILLIAMS,1997ORGREATERINFORMALECONOMICACTIVITY
7、THOMASANDTHOMAS1994WILLIAMSANDTHOMAS,1996OTHERS,SUCHASSHAWANDWILLIAMS1998,HAVEPOINTEDTOTHEDANGERSOFECONOMICSBECOMINGTOODEPENDENTUPONTOURISM,GIVENTHEOFTENUNPREDICTABLENATUREOFDEMANDINSPITEOFTHESECONCERNS,MANYOFTHESEAREASMAYBEABLETOIDENTIFYFEWALTERNATIVEGROWTHPATHSANDTHEREISSUFFICIENTEVIDENCETODEMONST
8、RATETHATTOURISMDOESOFFERPOTENTIALLYSIGNIFICANTLOCALECONOMICBENEFITSHOWEVER,ITISIMPORTANTTOREMAINALERTTOHOWTHESEMAYVARY,INTERALIA,ACCORDINGTOTHESTRUCTURESOFPARTICULARLOCALECONOMIESDUFFIELDANDLONG,1984ANDTHEFORMSOFPOLICYINTERVENTIONSADOPTEDSHAWETAL,1998LAW,1992ANDREW,1997WILLIAMSANDSHAW,1998BALLANDSTO
9、BART1998,344HIGHLIGHTVARIOUSPOSITIVEASPECTSOFTOURISMDEVELOPMENTASFOLLOWS“TOURISMENHANCESTHEIMAGEOFANAREATOURISMFACILITIESHAVEIMPORTANTSPINOFFSFORLOCALPOPULATIONSINTHEFORMOFRETAILANDLEISUREFACILITIESANDDEMANDSFORLOCALBUSINESSESTOURISMMAYHELPTODIVERSIFYANOVERSPECIALISEDMANUFACTURINGECONOMYTHEREAREONLY
10、LIMITEDALTERNATIVEAREASOFPERCEIVEDGUARANTEEDGROWTH”MUCHOFTHELITERATURETHATEXPLORESTOURISMDEVELOPMENTEMPHASISESTHREEISSUESFIRSTAMONGTHESEISTHEIMPORTANCEOFIMAGEANDTHEPROMOTIONOFDESTINATIONSSEEFOREXAMPLEBRAMWELLANDRAWDING,1996JENKINS,1999ASISOFTENARGUED,APRECONDITIONFORINCREASINGTHENUMBEROFBUSINESSORLE
11、ISUREVISITORSTOANAREAISTHATTHEAPPEALINGFEATURESOFTHATLOCATIONARECOMMUNICATEDEFFECTIVELYINTHECONTEXTOFURBANREGENERATION,THISHASTAKENAVARIETYOFFORMSINCLUDINGATTEMPTSTOCREATEBRANDSOFCITIESBYTHEUSEOFAPPEALINGSLOGANSPAGE,1995SHAWANDWILLIAMS,1994INOTHERWORDS,THEREISATWOWAYPROCESSHERENOTONLYISIMAGEVITALINA
12、TTRACTINGVISITORS,BUTTOURISMCANHELPTOCHANGEPEOPLESIMAGEANDENHANCEANAREATHESECONDISSUETHATRECEIVESPROMINENTATTENTIONFROMCOMMENTATORSISTHEINVESTMENTINNEWATTRACTIONSORTHEUPGRADINGOFEXISTINGONESLAW,1992LONG,1994THISISLIKELYTOREQUIRELOCALAUTHORITIESOROTHERAGENCIESTOACTASENABLERSSUCHAROLEINVOLVESENGAGINGW
13、ITHAVARIETYOFPUBLICANDPRIVATESECTORAGENCIESASADVOCATES,BROKERSORPARTNERSWITHAVIEWTOACHIEVINGSTRATEGICOBJECTIVESRELATINGTOTOURISMOATLEY,1996MEETHAN,1997THOMASANDTHOMAS,1998THETHIRDMAJORSTRANDOFTHELITERATURERELATESTOTHENEEDFORADEQUATEINFRASTRUCTURETOSUPPORTANDSUSTAINTOURISMDEVELOPMENTTHISWOULDINCLUDET
14、RANSPORTPROVISION,CARPARKING,INFORMATIONANDSIGNPOSTING,ASWELLASCONCERNFORTHEENVIRONMENTALSUSTAINABILITYOFTOURISTACTIVITYPAGE,1995BRAMWELLETAT1996COMPETITIVENESSTHISPAPERSHIFTSTHEFOCUSFROMTHECREATIONORMAINTENANCEOFDEMANDFORTHETOURISMPRODUCTTOTHENEGLECTEDISSUEOFSECTORSUPPLYATFACILITIESSUCHASATTRACTION
15、S,HOTELSETCLEVELINDOINGSO,ITARGUESTHATIFTOURISMISTOCONTRIBUTETOECONOMICDEVELOPMENTTHATISSUSTAINABLE,BOTHPRIVATEANDPUBLICSECTORFACILITIESMUSTBENATIONALLY,ORINDEEDINTERNATIONALLY,COMPETITIVEINADDRESSINGTHISISSUE,ITPROPOSESAMODELFORUNDERSTANDINGTHECOMPETITIVENESSOFORGANISATIONSINTHESECTORTHEMODELISTHER
16、ESULTOFASYNTHESISOFTHEBUSINESSANDMANAGEMENTLITERATURE,PARTICULARLYTHATWHICHRELATESTOTOURISM,WHERETHEFOCUSISONEFFECTIVEBUSINESSPRACTICESTHEPAPERARGUESTHATBYUNDERSTANDINGTHOSEFACTORSTHATAREVITALFORORGANISATIONALCOMPETITIVENESSHERETERMEDCRITICALSUCCESSFACTORSCSFSPOLICYMAKERSMAYAPPRECIATETHEEXTENTTOWHIC
17、HTOURISMORGANISATIONSCONTRIBUTETOORDETRACTFROM,THECOMPETITIVENESSOFTHESECTORINTHEIRLOCALITYFOLLOWINGADISCUSSIONOFTHERATIONALEFORTHEMODELANDITSCONNECTIONWITHSECTORALCOMPETITIVENESS,THEPAPERREPORTSTHEFINDINGSOFACASESTUDYOFTHETOURISMSECTORINEASTANDSOUTHEASTLONDONTHECASESTUDYEXAMINESTHEEXTENTTOWHICHFACI
18、LITIESINTHATLOCATIONADDRESSTHEDOMAINSOFTHEMODEL,ANDCONSIDERSTHEIMPLICATIONSFORTHEDEVELOPMENTOFACOMPETITIVETOURISMSECTORATALOCALLEVELIMPROVINGCOMPETITIVENESSTHROUGHCSFSACONCEPTUALFRAMEWORKBROOKSBANKANDPICKERNELL1999RECENTLYPROVIDEDAVALUABLEREVIEWOFTHEVARIOUSINTERPRETATIONSOF“REGIONALCOMPETITIVENESSAS
19、THEYPOINTOUT,THEREISLITTLECONSENSUSASTOHOWTODEFINETHETERMNOR,THEREFORE,AUNIVERSALLYACCEPTEDWAYOFIDENTIFYINGITSDETERMINANTSATHEART,HOWEVER,THENOTIONEMBODIESASENSEOFRELATIVEPERFORMANCECOMPAREDWITHOTHERLOCALITIESINDEVELOPINGTHEWORKOFPORTER1990ANDGUDGIN1996,THEMAINTHRUSTOFTHEWORKOFBROOKSBANKANDPICKERNEL
20、LISTOPROVIDEANALTERNATIVESETOFCOMPETITIVENESSINDICATORSWHICHTHEYCONSIDERSUPERIORTOTHOSEOFTHEDTI1998THESEARETHENUSED“TOPROVIDEACLEARERPICTUREOFRELATIVEREGIONALCOMPETITIVENESSINTHEUK”BROOKSBANKANDPICKERNELL,1999,310THEYEMPHASISETHEFOURFACTORSTHATPORTER1990ARGUESARETHECONDITIONSWHICHINFLUENCECOMPETITIV
21、ENESSFACTORCONDITIONSDEMANDCONDITIONSRELATEDANDSUPPORTINGINDUSTRIESFIRMSTRATEGY,STRUCTUREANDRIVALRYSINCETHEIRGOALISTOACHIEVEQUANTITATIVEMEASURESOFCOMPETITIVENESSTHEYUSEPROXYMEASURESFOREACHOFTHESECATEGORIESFOREXAMPLE,FOR“FIRMSTRATEGY,STRUCTUREANDRIVALRY,CONCENTRATIONRATIOSRIVALRYANDSELFEMPLOYMENTLEVE
22、LSENTREPRENEURIALACTIVITYAREUSEDASPROXIESWHILESUCHANAPPROACHMAYREPRESENTANIMPROVEMENTONOFFICIALMEANSOFEXAMININGCOMPETITIVENESS,ITDOESNOTCONSIDERTHEDYNAMICSOFINDIVIDUALCOMPETITIVENESSORGANISATIONSANDTHEPOTENTIALROLELOCALINTERVENTIONMAYHAVEINIMPROVINGTHEIRPERFORMANCETHEPROPOSITIONADVANCEDINTHISPAPERIS
23、THATIFCOMPETITIVENESSISTOBEIMPROVED,ADDRESSINGTHEISSUEONASECTORALBASISISAPPROPRIATEBECAUSENOTWITHSTANDINGAREASOFCOMMONALITYTHEPECULIARFEATURESOFLOCALORREGIONALECONOMIESARELIKELYTOHAVEDIFFERENTIALIMPACTSONPARTICULARSECTORSTHISISBECAUSETHEINTERLINKAGESWITHINLOCALECONOMIESTHATAFFECTMULTIPLIERSOPERATEIN
24、DIFFERENTWAYSDEPENDINGUPONTHENATUREOFTHEINITIALINPUT,ANDARETHEMSELVESDIVERGENTFROMONEAREATOANOTHERMOREOVER,TOIMPROVETHECOMPETITIVENESSOFINDIVIDUALSECTORSINTHISCASETOURISMREQUIRESANUNDERSTANDINGOFHOWWELLLOCALORGANISATIONSPERFORMINRELATIONTOVARIOUSSTANDARDSOFGOODPERFORMANCEORCRITICALSUCCESSFACTORS,INC
25、LUDINGTHEIRRESPONSIVENESSTOLOCALMARKETOPPORTUNITIESTHETERMS“FACILITIES”OR“ORGANISATIONS”AREUSEDDELIBERATELYINPREFERENCETO“FIRMS”BECAUSEIFTHEREGIONALCOMPETITIVENESSOFTHETOURISMSECTORISTOBESTRENGTHENED,THEPERFORMANCEOFNONCOMMERCIALORGANISATIONSSUCHASMUSEUMS,ASWELLASCOMMERCIALOPERATIONS,MUSTBEADDRESSED
26、SEVERALSTUDIESHAVEDEFINEDCSFSBYREFERENCETOTHEMOSTCOMMONLYHELDVIEWSOFASAMPLEOFOPERATORSEGBROTHERTONANDSHAW,1996SINCETHEREISNOREFERENCETOTHERELATIVEBUSINESSPERFORMANCEOFPARTICIPATINGORGANSATIONSCSFSCOULDFOREXAMPLEREFLECTTHEVIEWSOFINEFFICIENTBUSINESSESSUCHANAPPROACHCANHARDLYBEHELDTOBEARELIABLEINDICATOR
27、OFSUCCESSFACTORSANALTERNATIVE,USEDBYDEWHURSR1997,ISTOSELECTONLYTHEBESTPERFORMINGORGANISATIONSINASUBSECTORINHISCASETHEMOSTVISITEDTOURISTATTRACTIONSANDTODERIVECSFSFROMTHEMSUCHANAPPROACHHASMERIT,BUTSUFFERSFROMLIMITEDTRANSFERABILITYTOOTHERSECTORSFOREXAMPLE,INSEEKINGTOIMPROVETHECOMPETITIVENESSOFTOURISMIN
28、ANAREATHEAPPROACHWOULDNEEDTOENCOMPASSSUCHDIVERSEORGANISATIONSASHOTELS,CAFS,MUSEUMSANDGALLERIESTOPURSUEDEWHURSTS1997METHODWOULDBECOMECOMPLEXANDUNWIELDYINSTEAD,AMODELOFCSFSCANBEDERIVEDFROMREVIEWINGTHELITERATUREWHICHEXPLORESVARIOUSASPECTSOFBUSINESSMANAGEMENTINTHECONTEXTOFSERVICESFORTOURISMALTHOUGHDEVEL
29、OPINGSUCHATHEORETICALFRAMEWORKISCHALLENGING,SOMEATTEMPTSHAVEBEENMADEINTHEPASTWITHVARYINGEFFECTIVENESSGADENNE,1998OURDEVELOPMENTOFAMODELSEEFIGURE1ISPREDICATEDONAREJECTIONOFNARROWFINANCIALINDICATORSSUCHASPROFITABILITYORLEVELSOFRETURNONCAPITALINVESTMENTSASSUFFICIENTMEASUREOFORGANISATIONALCOMPETITIVENES
30、SSUCHFINANCIALINDICATORSAREBYDEFINITIONDERIVEDFROMHISTORICDATA,FOREXAMPLETHEPRECEDINGYEARSSALESREVENUE,ANDTAKENINISOLATIONPROVIDELITTLEINDICATIONOFFUTUREPROSPECTSINCONTRASTTOTHESEAPPROACHES,COMPETITIVENESSISCONCEIVEDOFHEREINAMOREHOLISTICSENSEANDONETHATEMPHASISESSUSTAINABILITYOFTHEENTERPRISEASFITZGER
31、ALDETAL1994HAVEARGUEDPERSUASIVELY,BUSINESSPERFORMANCECANBECONCEPTUALISEDINTERMSOFDETERMINANTFACTORSIETHOSEFACTORSTHATCONTRIBUTETOPROSPERITY,SUCHASQUALITYOFSERVICEOREFFECTIVEMARKETING,ANDRESULTANTFACTORS,SUCHASFINANCIALPERFORMANCEITISTHEEFFECTIVEMANAGEMENTOFTHEDETERMINANTFACTORSWHICHENSURESTHELONGTER
32、MORSUSTAINABLECOMPETITIVENESSOFORGANISATIONSITIS,THEN,THEAGGREGATEIMPACTOFEFFECTIVEMANAGEMENTOFTHESEDETERMINANTFACTORSWHICHINFLUENCESTHECOMPETITIVENESSOFTHESECTORINTHELOCALECONOMYTHISPAPEREXTENDSTHEUNDERLYINGPRINCIPLESOFTHEWORKOFFITZGERALDETAL1994BYFOCUSINGONTHEMANAGERIALASPECTSTHATINFLUENCEBUSINESS
33、PERFORMANCEFIGURE1THISISNOTTOBELIETHELITERATURETHATHIGHLIGHTSTHEIMPACTOFEXTERNALFACTORSINCLUDINGTHEPOLITICAL,SOCIALANDECONOMICONANENTERPRISERATHER,WESUGGEST,THECRITICALISSUEISHOWORGANISATIONSRESPONDTOORINDEEDATTEMPTTOINFLUENCESUCHDEVELOPMENTSOURMODELSTARTSFROMACONCERNTOENSURESUSTAINABLEBUSINESSPERFO
34、RMANCETOSECURETHISREQUIRESORGANISATIONALOBJECTIVESTHATPROVIDETHERATIONALEUNDERPINNINGACTIVITIESUNDERTAKENINEACHOFTHETHREEKEYDOMAINSOFMARKETRESPONSIVENESSUTILISATIONOFRESOURCESANDMANAGEMENTANDCONTROL,WECONTENDTHATITISTHESETHATARETHECRUCIALDETERMINANTFACTORSRATHERTHANSYMPTOMATICVARIABLESEGMARKETSHAREO
35、RPROFITABILITYINTURN,THETHREEKEYDOMAINSHAVETOBEINTERCONNECTEDFOREXAMPLE,TOBEINNOVATIVEWITHOUTEFFECTIVELYUTILISINGTHEORGANISATIONSRESOURCESANDCONTROLFUNCTIONSISNOTLIKELYTORESULTINSUSTAINABLEFINANCIALPERFORMANCEITIS,THERECOMPETITIVENESSFORE,THECOMBINATIONOFTHESEDOMAINSTHATISVITALTOSUCCESSFULOUTCOMESTH
36、ECRITICALSUCCESSFACTORSIDENTIFIEDHEREDRAWTOGETHERTHEORYANDEMPIRICALEVIDENCEFROMADIVERSELITERATURETHEINCLUSIONOF“ORGANISATIONOBJECTIVES”REFLECTSRESEARCHWHICHSUGGESTSTHATASENSEOFPURPOSEORDIRECTIONISACRITICALPRECONDITIONFORORGANISATIONALSUCCESSITISCLEARTHATINTHETOURISMSECTORTHENOTIONOF“SUCCESS”VARIESFO
37、REXAMPLE,HERITAGEATTRACTIONSMAYCONSIDERTHEPRESERVATIONOFARTEFACTSTOBEAKEYOBJECTIVEWHEREASOTHERORGANISATIONSMAYHAVESOCIAL,EDUCATIONALORFINANCIALGOALSINTHECONTEXTOFSMALLBUSINESSES,THEEXISTENCEOFOBJECTIVESMAYBEINFORMALANDCONCEALEDRATHERTHANEXPLICITCHANG,1995DEWHURST,1997STOREY,1994FORTHEPURPOSESOFTHISP
38、APER,THEEXACTNATUREOFGOALSISOFSECONDARYIMPORTANCETHECRITICALISSUEISTHATCOMPETITIVEORGANISATIONSSHOULDHAVEASENSEOFDIRECTION“MARKETRESPONSIVENESS”REFERSTOANAPPRECIATIONOFTHENEEDTOMONITORDEVELOPMENTSWITHINTHELOCALMARKETAND,CRITICALLY,TORESPONDINAMANNERWHICHMAXIMISESTHECHANCESOFACHIEVINGTHEORGANISATIONS
39、OBJECTIVESTHUS,ORGANISATIONSTHATFAILTORECOGNISETHEPOTENTIALIMPACTOFCHANGESINCUSTOMERPREFERENCESORTHEADVENTOFNEWCOMPETITIONARE,CRUDELY,LIKELYTOLOSEBUSINESSITISALSOARGUEDTHAT,TOBEEFFECTIVE,ORGANISATIONSWITHINTHETOURISMSECTORWILLNEEDTORECOGNISECOMMONINTERESTSANDLEARNFROMOTHERENTERPRISESALSOOPERATINGWIT
40、HINTHESECTORFOREXAMPLE,THESUCCESSFULDEVELOPMENTOFACULTURALQUARTERWHICHMAYBENEFITTHESECTORASAWHOLEMAYDEPENDUPONSOMEDEGRECOFCOOPERATIONWITHCOMPETITORORGANISATIONSPHILLIPSANDAPPIAHADU,1998BAUM,1996JOHNSONANDSCHOLES,1999JANJUHAETAL,1995THETHIRDELEMENTOFTHEMODELREFERSTOTHEEXTENTTOWHICHORGANISATIONSUTILIS
41、ERESOURCESEFFECTIVELYTHISENCOMPASSESHUMAN“RESOURCES”ASMUCHASTHEPHYSICALORFINANCIALASACONSEQUENCE,ISSUESSUCHASLEVELSOFTRAININGUTILISATIONOFSKILLSANDTHEEFFECTIVEMANAGEMENTANDCONTROLOFLABOURTURNOVERARECONSIDEREDTOBEASCRITICALASTHESYSTEMATICAPPRAISALOFPOSSIBLECAPITALINVESTMENTSCAMPBELL,1995GREEN,1997ICH
42、NIOWSKIETA,1995POON,1993PARSONSANDMARSHALL,1996THEFINALASPECTOFTHEMODELMANAGEMENTANDCONTROLDRAWSONEVIDENCEWHICHSUGGESTSTHATSUCCESSFULTOURISMORGANISATIONSCONTROLFINANCIALRESOURCES,HAVECLEARINTERNALCHANNELSOFCOMMUNICATIONANDMANAGEQUALITYEFFECTIVELYCARVANAANDPITT,1997CHURCHANDLINCOLN,1998GARDINERANDWHI
43、TING,1997APPLYINGCSFSACASESTUDYOFEASTANDSOUTHEASTLONDONEASTANDSOUTHEASTLONDONPROVIDESANINTERESTINGLOCATIONFORTHECASESTUDYGENERALLY,TOURISMHASNOTFEATUREDASASIGNIFICANTSECTOROFTHELOCALECONOMY,BUTTHEREGIONCONTAINSAREASWHICHATTRACTHIGHVOLUMESOFVISITORS,IMPROVINGFOREXAMPLEGREENWICHANDDOCKLANDSFURTHER,REC
44、ENTDEVELOPMENTSSUGGESTCOMPETITIVENESSTHEPOSSIBILITYOFSTRONGTOURISMGROWTHTHESEHAVEBEENIDENTIFIEDASIMPROVEMENTSTOTHETRANSPORTINFRASTRUCTUREJUBILEELINEEXTENSION,EXPANSIONOFLONDONCITYAIRPORT,AGROWTHINRIVERTRANSPORT,ANDTHEINTERNATIONALSTATIONATSTRATFORDTHEDEVELOPMENTANDPROMOTIONOFEXISTINGANDNEWATTRACTION
45、SMOSTNOTABLYTHEEXCELCONFERENCECENTREATTHEROYALDOCKSANDTHEMILLENNIUMEXHIBITIONANDPARTNERSHIPSTOSUPPORTTOURISMFOREXAMPLETOUREASTLONDON,SOUTHEASTLONDONTOURISMINITIATIVEUNIVERSITYOFEASTLONDON,1996MORFEY,1999ALTHOUGHTHECONDITIONSFORTOURISMDEVELOPMENTEXIST,THEEXTENTTOWHICHLOCALORGANISATIONSHAVETHECAPABILI
46、TYORINCLINATIONTOEXPLOITTHESEOPPORTUNITIESISUNCLEARTHECSFMODELDEVELOPEDEARLIERPROVIDESAFRAMEWORKFOREXAMININGTHISISSUETHERESEARCHSTRATEGYFORTHECASESTUDYCOMPRISEDTWOSTAGESTHEFIRSTINVOLVEDINTERVIEWSWITHKEYINFORMANTSFROMFIVELONDONBOROUGHSBEXLEY,GREENWICH,LEWISHAM,NEWHAM,ANDTOWERHAMLETSINALL,15OFFICERSWE
47、REINTERVIEWEDWHO,BETWEENTHEM,HADRESPONSIBILITIESFORTHETOURISM,LEISUREANDECONOMICDEVELOPMENTFUNCTIONSOFTHEIRAREAADDITIONALKEYINFORMANTSWEREINTERVIEWEDFROMAGENCIESWITHANINTERESTINANDINSIGHTINTOTOURISMANDBUSINESSDEVELOPMENTINTHELOCALITYTHEPURPOSEOFTHISSTAGEOFTHESTUDYWASTOIDENTIFYTHETOURISMANDECONOMIC“L
48、ANDSCAPE,WITHPARTICULARREFERENCETOTHECONDITIONSTHATCURRENTLYOBTAININTERMSOFTOURISMDEVELOPMENTTHESECONDSTAGEOFTHEPROJECTWASADETAILEDINVESTIGATIONOF27PURPOSIVELYSELECTEDTOURISMORGANISATIONSTHESEWEREDRAWNFROMACROSSSECTIONOFSUBSECTORSTABLE1ANDVARIEDINTHEIRSCALEOFOPERATIONANDMATURITYTNEACHCASE,ASENIORMAN
49、AGEROROWNERWASINTERVIEWEDAND,WHEREAVAILABLE,INTERNALDOCUMENTATIONWASSCRUTINISEDSINCEEACHINTERVIEWSOUGHTTOCOMPARETHEOUTLOOKANDBUSINESSPRACTICESOFTHERELEVANTORGANISATIONWITHTHECSFMODELDEVELOPEDEARLIER,THEINTERVIEWSWERESEMISTRUCTURED,ENABLINGTHEDETAILEDINVESTIGATIONOFDOMAINSNOTSURPRISINGLY,FEWEMPLOYERSDISAGREEDINPRINCIPLEWITHMOSTOFTHECSFSHOWEVER,THEBALANCEBETWEENTHEMVARIEDANDTHEREWASOFTENADIFCOMPETITIVENESFERENCEBETWEENTHERHETORICANDTHEMECHANISMSPUTINPLACETOENSURETHEIRACHIEVEMENTONEOFTHEMOSTINTERESTINGOUTCOMESOFTHEINTERVIEWSWITHEMPLOYERSWASTHATWHERECSFSAPPEAREDTOBEADOPTEDTHEYTENDE
