PurposeThe purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scale for host sincerity. Design/methodology/approachThe 10-item host sincerity scale was developed by following a multi-stage scale development procedure (Delphi technique, qualitative interviews, and surveys). FindingsThe findings reveal that host sincerity is a second-order construct with two underlying dimensions: 'sincere social interaction' and 'sincere emotional response'. By incorporating host sincerity into the consumer-based model of authenticity, the findings established significant relationships among all constructs, confirming the predictive validity of the host sincerity construct. Research limitationsData was gathered from visitors to troglodyte heritage sites (Kandovan and Cappadocia). Future studies should test the newly formed sincerity scale at other cultural destinations in order to further explore the generalisability of the scale. Further, data was gathered from tourists. Future studies should consider host sincerity from a host perspective. Practical implicationsCultural destination managers and local hosts can use this instrument as a supplementary tool in order to evaluate how sincere their hospitality offering appears to tourists. Originality/valueThis paper develops a host sincerity scale in order to explore the importance of sincere hostguest interactions, and tourists' emotional response to these interactions. It extends the consumer-based model of authenticity by drawing further attention to the importance and impact of host sincerity in stimulating memorable tourism experiences.

This article has three main objectives. Our first is to turn to sport as a particularly illuminating and revealing example of consumer culture in the making. Marketplace logic suffuses consumer culture, and exploring practices of fandom as performed thus becomes particularly revealing of the tensions and contradictions which are thrown up when passions collide with finance and branding strategies. Our second objective is to mobilise this insight to further research on brand communities through better situating social practices as entangled in this heady nexus of passions, power and cultural politics. Through a netnographic analysis of forum posts from Celtic Football Club’s notorious ‘Green Brigade’ ultras-style fan-group, we focus on how such social formations forge counter-identities, which act not in harmony with the larger brand ethos but serve to legitimate and affirm a counter-philosophy. As such, our final objective is to better understand the roles of brand agitator and brand heretic as key roles within this contested social formation. Fandom as dramatic ritual and social drama brings in its wake contradictions and tensions especially when it goes toe-to-toe with the forces of economics, branding and marketing strategy. Here, a counter-brand community as we reveal mobilises marketplace logic and appears to adopt their own practices of mimicking brand strategising for their own ends, or as they assert, ‘Let the people sing’.

Investigating the influence of performance measurement on learning, entrepreneurial orientation and performance in turbulent markets, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, (31). ABSTRACTPurpose: This study examines how comprehensive performance measurement systems (CPMS) influence entrepreneurial orientation, market-focused learning (MFL), and employees' perceptions of firm performance within a service-provision context. It also considers the moderating effect of low and high levels of perceived market-turbulence (LMT vs. HMT) on the relationships between these concepts.Design: PLS-SEM was employed to test the hypothesised relationships using survey responses from 198 employees of a leading multi-branch travel agency in Iran. Findings:The findings demonstrate that CPMS positively influence MFL and, in doing so, have a positive effect on perceptions of firm performance. However, the findings also suggest that CPMS negatively influence entrepreneurial orientation, and therefore can also negatively influence perceptions of firm performance. Further, the relationships between CPMS, entrepreneurial orientation, MFL, and firm performance are stronger for HMT when compared to LMT for all relationships. Practical Implications: Industry managers should adapt their CPMS to include measures specific to intra-organisational entrepreneurship and innovation, and should pursue greater understanding of changing customer preferences. Originality/Value: This study highlights the importance of MFL as a means of avoiding the negative impact of underdeveloped market research on performance in the turbulent Iranian context. Contrary to previous literature, it provides an example of how CPMS can negatively influence entrepreneurial orientation in such environments.

This study investigates consumer engagement within the live sport-as-service industry by exploring the match-day experiences of spectator sport tourists. It highlights the importance of authentic and sincere experiences manifest through tourists' interactions with local fans. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews with international tourists who had visited Glasgow and attended a Celtic FC match. The findings demonstrate that football clubs may overlook the importance of consumer engagement, and that local fans are crucial in sustaining sports tourists' engagement. To this end, the findings suggest that tourist interactions with local fans can stimulate more memorable and enjoyable travel. Further, the vocal, visual displays provided by local fans contribute to an authentic and sincere travel experience. The study therefore suggests that local fans are a resource under-utilised by professional sports teams, with their contribution serving as a vital bridge between organisation and tourist in fostering engagement.

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