Prethodno priopćenje
https://doi.org/10.46672/aet.9.2.3
ACTORS’ NETWORK IN RURAL TOURISM: TOPOLOGY AND PARTICIPATION IN MANAGEMENT ON THE EXAMPLE OF MEĐIMURJE
Damir Pavlović
; Libertas International University
Sažetak
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse tourism management of Croatian rural area, emphasising critical points and logical inconsistencies. Consequently, research into a specific case study of a dominant rural region, i.e., a comprehensive analysis of stakeholders’ social networks, the aim is to show disproportions in the contributions of these stakeholders in tourism activities and processes in relation to their participation in the total destination decisionmaking. This could prompt raise questions of reengineering of the destination management system as a whole, followed by the corresponding legal and statutory determinants.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research is based on two theoretical bases: the social network theory and the social exchange theory. Via the method of chain referral sampling through a survey, data on the topological structure of two
relevant stakeholder’s networks were gathered: the overall destination network and the subnetwork of stakeholders/suppliers in rural tourism (hereinafter under the working title – rural subnetwork). A comprehensive analysis of the obtained networks
resulted in relevant parameters of centrality (topological positions) of actors in them, based on which it was possible to conduct a correlation analysis between the two observed networks, the results of which were finally adequately interpreted leading toward resolute conclusions.
Results: The results of the analysis show that actors in rural tourism are disproportionately represented in decision-making participation upon making the most important decisions about the destination in relation to their topological position, i.e.,
participation in operational tourism processes. Such disproportion indicates the necessity, among others, of considering the introduction of a new, more adaptable institutional and organisational system in managing this type of destination.
Originality/Value: Beside the relatively rarely used methodology, applied to a specific qualitative sample in this paper, the research results showed a possible way of finding tools and approaches in institutional restructuring aimed at effective
management of a tourism destination.
Ključne riječi
stakeholders, rural tourism suppliers, social exchange, destination network analysis
Hrčak ID:
311466
URI
Datum izdavanja:
15.12.2023.
Posjeta: 268 *