In this paper we examine whether proximity to market affects the extent and form of corporate environmental reporting of companies listed in the FTSE 250. The reason for examining this issue is that it is frequently asserted, but not demonstrated, that closeness to market will correlate positively with proactive communication of environmental activities. Our results show that this assertion is, in particular reporting contexts, true. In particular, we find that companies who are close to market, or are brand-name companies, are highly likely to adopt one of the several forms of environmental reporting considered (particularly reporting on product life-cycle or supply chain and reporting through the BitC benchmark system). We also show that companies proximate to market are more likely to be the target of media attention, but are unable within the bounds of the research to assess whether this is a cause of increased environmental reporting or an effect of it.
This paper examines the extent to which the end-consumer appears to infl uence corporate behaviour towards reporting specifi c environmental management activities, through examination of environmental disclosures by the UK FTSE 100 companies. The paper also explores whether proximity to the end-consumer is associated with particular motivations for environmental management -whether cost-reducing or reputational benefi ts, hypothesizing that close-to-consumer companies (C2C) will have a greater focus on reputational benefi ts than their counterparts.The results established that C2C companies were signifi cantly more active in particular environmental measures (climate change and management processes) than their counterparts. They were also more likely to undertake environmental activities for which there was no explicit cost-reduction benefi t, suggesting that reputation with consumers/society may be a particular business motivator for them. These fi ndings are important to policy makers, government and investors in terms of identifying which companies are leading particular aspects of the corporate environmental agenda and understanding the driving forces for it.
Within the dynamic global tourism industry, understanding the reasons for a destination's competitiveness is essential in order to enhance its performance, facilitate more effective destination management, and inform its overall sustainable economic development. This paper applies Kim and Wicks' (2010) tourism cluster development model to Bali -a small, mature destination in the developing economy of Indonesia. It demonstrates that there are complex relationships between: (i) cluster actors; (ii) barriers preventing effective networking; and (iii) the significance of these interactions for the local host community. This paper contributes to the debate by addressing new and different attributes and actors such as transnational corporations (TNCs), universities, and the concept of co-opetition, as being significant attributes in Kim and Wicks' initial model. Through a qualitative approach involving n=23 semi-structured interviews, 2 this paper illustrates intricate issues and relationships that are identified in Bali, a small mature destination. Purposive sampling methods were employed to generate a range of key stakeholders who informed our understanding of 'cluster actors' in Kim and Wicks' terms. The systematic examination of these key tourism elements provides a detailed analysis of the destination's strengths and weaknesses, and a more nuanced understanding of what facilitates a destination's competitive position.Key words: destination competitiveness; cluster theory; impacts; island tourism; Indonesia As part of this, we explore the elements within Porter's Diamond (reformulated by Kim and Wicks); the relationship of cluster actors ( Figure 1); and how such factors affect the competitiveness of a small developing destination. This analysis illustrates complex relationships and linkages between cluster actors; barriers preventing effective networks; and highlights the significance of those interactions, which leads to wider understanding of the socioeconomic implications for the host community. Our analysis enables tourism policymakers to develop a more comprehensive understanding to enable strategic planning; helps identify destination strengths and weaknesses; as well as identification of barriers to progress.The paper is divided into six sections. First, we explore and critique the key literature relating to competitiveness models, rationalising the application of the Kim and Wicks (2010) model for this research. Second, a description of tourism in Bali is presented, followed by the methodology and research approach used. The main findings are analysed, highlighting destination competitiveness issues specifically for Bali, followed by a discussion. The paper concludes noting how this framework provides academics and policymakers with a useable tool to understand certain complexity, destination dynamics, and main actors.
Literature Review of Competitiveness modelsMost academic work on destination competitiveness models (Dwyer and
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