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The (almost) imperceptible impact of tourism research on policy and practice

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  • Thomas, Rhodri
  • Ormerod, Neil

Abstract

The need to demonstrate the value of research to non-academic audiences is an increasingly prominent feature of the research policy landscape in many parts of the world. Yet, little is understood about the factors that differentiate academic researchers in terms of their relative influence on non-academic actors. Following a review of the literature, this study uses novel digital methods to undertake a detailed study of the non-academic impact of UK based tourism academics. The findings suggest that non-academic impact is strikingly lower in tourism than in the social sciences more generally. The multiple regression analyses used reveal that researchers who score highly using a range of academic metrics are also cited more by policy-makers and other practitioners. On the basis of the findings, research impact in tourism is theorized. This has implications for individual and institutional tourism research strategies beyond the geographical limitations of the study.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas, Rhodri & Ormerod, Neil, 2017. "The (almost) imperceptible impact of tourism research on policy and practice," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 379-389.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:touman:v:62:y:2017:i:c:p:379-389
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2017.02.009
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    2. Wood, Roy C., 2017. "The unspoken question: A response to Thomas and Ormerod," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 390-393.
    3. Thomas, Rhodri, 2021. "Problematising ‘The impact of tourism research’: A reply to Brauer, Dymitrow, and Tribe (2019)," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Sérgio J Teixeira & João J Ferreira & Peter Wanke & Jorge Junio Moreira Antunes, 2021. "Evaluation model of competitive and innovative tourism practices based on information entropy and alternative criteria weight," Tourism Economics, , vol. 27(1), pages 23-44, February.
    5. Anca Băndoi & Elena Jianu & Maria Enescu & Gheorghe Axinte & Sorin Tudor & Daniela Firoiu, 2020. "The Relationship between Development of Tourism, Quality of Life and Sustainable Performance in EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-24, February.
    6. Brauer, Rene & Dymitrow, Mirek & Tribe, John, 2019. "The impact of tourism research," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 64-78.
    7. Rene Brauer & Mirek Dymitrow, 2020. "The Language of Sustainable Tourism as a Proxy Indicator of Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Ko Koens & Albert Postma & Bernadett Papp, 2018. "Is Overtourism Overused? Understanding the Impact of Tourism in a City Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-15, November.
    9. Gössling, Stefan & Moyle, Brent D. & Weaver, David, 2021. "Academic entrepreneurship: A bibliometric engagement model," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

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