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Purpose The aim of this study is to examine cruise destination branding as a new resource for a region to promote an area as a differentiated cruise destination. The authors specifically study how the perceived brand awareness of a destination moderates the relation between cruisers’ motivation and destination satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WoM). Design/methodology/approach A statistical model was adapted from relevant literature and applied in the context of cruise destination branding. The model was tested by measuring Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and the fit of the model through confirmative factor analysis. Hierarchical regression analysis and moderated regression analysis were also conducted. The sample consisted of British cruisers (n = 182) visiting the city of Pori in Finland. Findings The findings suggest that factors that impel people to take cruises (social recognition, self-esteem, discovery, socialization, convenience and value) have a significant impact on satisfaction with the destination, whereas brand awareness is recognized as a moderator in the relation between social recognition and destination satisfaction and WoM. Research findings provide a framework to discuss and analyze the cruise tourism business in a holistic way. Whereas the earlier studies have focused on onboard experiences, in this study, the focus of attention is on the onshore experiences of the cruisers. Research limitations/implications The study is focused on one Baltic Sea cruise destination, the British Cruise Company and a limited segment of senior British passengers. Practical implications By measuring cruisers’ internal travel motives and their perceptions of the brand awareness of the port-of-call during the cruise, or the destination, the results offer destination marketing organizations valuable information to develop their offerings to meet the needs of future travelers and visitors. Originality/value The study contributes to the cruise destination literature by linking the perceived brand awareness of a destination to motivational factors of the tourist and further to destination satisfaction and WoM behavior specifically in the context of onshore experiences.

Purpose The purpose of the article is to explore how self-employed entrepreneurs commit themselves to an entrepreneurship training programme and how such commitment relates to their perceptions of learning. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through qualitative, inductive methods by interviewing and observing six entrepreneurs who took part in an entrepreneurship training programme. Findings The study reveals that entrepreneurial activities and a strong attachment to entrepreneurship may detach entrepreneurs from an entrepreneurship community. Generally, participants appreciated the social aspect of learning, peer support and confidence-building provided by the programme and the learning community. Nevertheless, the participation was a double-edged sword: it allowed those who were not active in entrepreneurship to explore entrepreneurship, but for those who were active in entrepreneurship and in professional communities, their participation represented a potential liability and a threat to their image as a credible entrepreneur. Research limitations/implications More research is needed on the social aspect related to training programmes particularly focusing on potential adverse outcomes, such as over-embeddedness in the community. Practical implications Training programme organizers could benefit from understanding the social aspects of learning in emphasizing the role of peer support but also of the potential dark sides of socializing. Originality/value The study offers insight into the relationship between commitment and learning in micro firms, and it contributes to a deeper understanding of the way community and social relationships facilitate or impede learning by self-employed entrepreneurs. There is a risk that the social aspect of peer support and the community replaces entrepreneurs’ need to ‘go out there’ and expose themselves to learning from experience.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize and outline the social infrastructure that nurtures and strengthens cooperation in business networks promoting cultural tourism and thereby facilitates entrepreneurial learning. The role of the higher-education (HE) provider is emphasized on different levels of the value-creating framework. Design/methodology/approach – To explore and analyze the benefits of cooperation in business networks promoting cultural tourism as perceived by entrepreneurs, participants in the fields of both culture and tourism in two workshops were observed. From the information produced in the workshops, ethnographically oriented data were selected. Findings – Benefits that inspired cooperation among the members of the tourism business network were identified, which were categorized as functional, relational and symbolic. On the functional level, the actors involved, the entrepreneurs, considered it important to have an opportunity to meet and discuss in a stimulating atmosphere. The role of the HE provider at this stage was that of a facilitator, in other words, to set the scene. On the level of relational cooperation it was more important to foster relations between the network actors, and the provider’s role changed to that of a matchmaker. On the symbolic level, it is essential that all parties of the cooperation work together to find new business solutions based on common values. At this stage, the role of the HE provider is that of a co-creator. Research limitations/implications – As a case study, this research represents the local context of entrepreneurial cooperation in business networks promoting cultural tourism. Further study is needed to develop a framework that encompasses change in the traditional roles of the learning environment. Practical implications – Teaching and training approaches derive from the contexts in which micro and small businesses and their networks learn. HE offers students a safe environment in which to experiment and innovate, thereby linking student academic work to “real-life” project performance. Originality/value – Interaction/network theory is combined with the discussion on entrepreneurial learning.

Research on entrepreneurship education (EE) emphasizes the role of learning environments, contexts and pedagogical choices in developing students’ entrepreneurial competences. EE has assumed that it solely carries the task of improving entrepreneurial competences. Yet, the objectives, content and methods of teaching vary, and hence non-entrepreneurship teachers’ classrooms can also provide a learning environment for entrepreneurial competences. However, whether or not this kind of unintentional teaching of entrepreneurial competences takes place has not been widely addressed. In this study, the authors investigate how business school non-entrepreneurship teachers’ teaching methods unintentionally match the known framework of entrepreneurial competences. The findings indicate that non-entrepreneurship teachers do unintentionally expose their students to entrepreneurial competences such as creativity, learning from experience and financial literacy. However, competences such as opportunity recognition, perseverance and mobilizing resources do not receive similar attention. The findings indicate that some entrepreneurial competences are not solely owned by EE, but can be embedded in non-entrepreneurship education. Accordingly, the study extends the current understanding of EE and which “niche” competences should be emphasized in it, but also demonstrates how non-entrepreneurship teachers can expose students to entrepreneurial competences while teaching in their own subject areas.