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Purpose - To explore and critically analyse entrepreneurship theories and concepts within the context of the small family tourism business, and the extent to which owner-managers and their enterprises can be classified as entrepreneurial. Design/methodology/approach - A model has been developed and applied to support a "drilling down" approach that moves from a surface understanding of entrepreneurship as a process through to an industry setting, to penetrate the organisational context and consequential entrepreneurial socio-economic outcomes. Findings - It has been demonstrated that understanding of the entrepreneurial process, as it interplays with family business, is best served by reference to the cultural, industry setting and organisational context within which entrepreneurs are embedded. Originality/value - The tourism industry has been deliberately selected as an illustrative context due to the low degree of entrepreneurial behaviour that it has traditionally exhibited. Through the application of the model explanations are provided for this, and conclusions are drawn that do classify small family tourism businesses as a manifestation of entrepreneurship as broadly conceived. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

It is apparent that there exists no such thing as one identifiable and universal entrepreneurial culture. Furthermore, the key to initiating the process of entrepreneurship lies within the individual members of society, and the degree to which a spirit of enterprise exists, or can be stimulated. The key question is, what triggers the release of this invaluable enterprising spirit? This paper seeks to make a small contribution towards an explanation by focusing on one aspect – the relationship of certain cultural and societal factors. It is argued that there is a significant relationship between entrepreneurship and cultural specificity. This has been progressed through a cross‐country study that involved Australia, Slovenia, Mexico, North America, Finland, Scotland, South Africa and Kenya. Following a review of the variables that contribute to culture in general and entrepreneurial culture in particular, a sample of findings from the study are integrated to illustrate key categories of analysis. The aim is to instigate a shift in thinking from universal generalisations relative to entrepreneurship, to a deeper understanding of the symbiotic relationship between entrepreneurship and culture.

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Discussion and analysis of small businesses tends to work on generalised, popularised understanding and knowledge of what their motivations are and how they behave in a business environment. The need to explore below these generalisations into the submerged variables and relationships is argued in this paper if academics and policy makers seriously want to interpret and induct theory and practice from the key actors within their natural habitat. Thus, this paper provides a conceptual framework relative to small, urban tourism business performance, which is used as an analytical framework to guide the interpretation of qualitative research undertaken with small businesses in the City of Glasgow. Specifically, discussion and conclusions focus on the complexity and multi-dimensional nature of small tourism business performance, aspects pertaining to competitive advantages, and the enterprise development issues arising from the prioritisation of lifestyle objectives over those of a more explicit economic nature. Conclusions are drawn relative to research, managerial and enterprise policy implications.

Much of tourism development is predicated on the successful working of organisations alignment in the form of partnerships or 'networks'. However, tourism networks have been relatively neglected as an area of academic study. This paper presents findings of research focusing on international tourism networks and draws out learning points from the examination of relatively successful examples. A review of relevant literature considers the definition and description of networks, their benefits, and identifiable success factors, and the research methodology applied is described. Discussion follows as to the main functions and benefits of tourism networks in relation to learning and exchange, business activity, and community. Key issues that emerge include: structure and leadership, resourcing, engagement of participants, inter-organisational learning, and sustainability. The paper concludes by identifying significant success factors and consequential management implications with specific references to tourism destinations as learning communities

Small tourism firms in attractive tourism destinations are often generically described as 'lifestyle' oriented. A discourse on what the prefix 'lifestyle' means, when attached to small tourism firms in different economic and social contexts has been developing for a decade now, reaching a point of complexity and contradiction. In order to explore this ubiquitous, yet nebulous term, the relevant literature and associated discourse is reviewed with the aim of understanding the motives, meanings, values and contexts of these lifestyle oriented small tourism (LOST) firms. It is concluded that there are many deficiencies in both the conceptualization as well as the content of current research in this increasingly important area. A multi-disciplinary and systemic model for understanding the interactions and interdependencies of the different dimensions of LOST firms is presented.

This paper discusses the development of critical hospitality management research (CHMR)