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This paper discusses a geographical information system (GIS)-based technique to measure the recreational potential of natural tourist destinations. The technique was developed for a study area in western Victoria, Australia, known as the Grampians National Park (GNP), a popular natural tourist destination. Regression modelling was used to develop a set of predictors of scenic attractiveness derived from data collected via questionnaire administered to a group of university students. The derived output was then overlaid with 'recreational opportunity potential' generated for the region. In the final stage, a spatial model of 'recreational potential' was developed from output maps over the entire geographical area. The study found that the areas with high recreational potential are concentrated around more popular walking tracks in the Wonderland Ranges near Halls Gap in the north-east sector. However, other underdeveloped areas of high recreational potential are identified and suggested as alternative strategic sites to ease potential pressure developing around heavily used walking tracks. Despite the limited sample group, the developed technique offers park managers a method for predicting recreational opportunities.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold. First to identify economic activities and broader spatial logistics functions that characterise an urban setting, and second to delineate significant spatial logistics employment clusters to represent the underlying regional geography of the logistics landscape. Design/methodology/approach – Using the four-digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, industries “explicitly” related to logistics were identified and aggregated with respect to employment. A principal component analysis was conducted to capture the functional interdependence of inter-related industries and measures of spatial autocorrelation were also applied to identify spatial logistics employment clusters. Findings – The results show that the logistics sector accounts for 3.57 per cent of total employment and that road freight, postal services, and air and space transport are major employers of logistics managers. The research shows significant spatial clustering of logistics employment in the western and southern corridors of Melbourne, associated spatially with manufacturing, service industry and retail hubs in those areas. Research limitations/implications – This research offers empirically informed insights into the composition of spatial logistics employment clusters to regions that lack a means of production that would otherwise support the economy. Inability to measure the size of the logistics sector due to overlaps with other sectors such as manufacturing is a limitation of the data used. Practical implications – The research offers policymakers and practitioners an empirically founded basis on which decisions about future infrastructure investment can be evaluated to support cluster development and achieve economies of agglomeration. Originality/value – The key value of this research is the quantification of spatial logistics employment clusters using spatial autocorrelation measures to empirically identify and spatially contextualize logistics hubs.

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In an attempt to develop a means for researchers to reach a common understanding of the substantive meaning of diversity, this article first reviews different approaches to diversity conceptualizations, identifying three common threads that are incorporated in various diversity definitions. Our discussion examines the variety of diversity conceptualizations by addressing the three key aspects that present two general trends that emerge in the literature. We then propose a framework to unify the fragmented definitions and understandings of diversity. The implications for practice and future research are also discussed.

This paper presents the concerns in manufacturing supply chain. Further this study investigates the role of information technology (IT) and information sharing (IS) in manufacturing supply chain and determines its impact towards supply chain integration (SCI), supply chain performance (SCP), and manufacturing firm performance (FP) in Malaysia. The theoretical framework was proposed for the study on the basis of existing literature. The study administered a survey questionnaire to collect data from manufacturing firms in Malaysia with 112 respondents. A multiple regression analysis is conducted to establish the relationship between IT, IS, SCI, and FP. The study finds that IT and sharing has significant positive effect towards and performance. Firms that use IT and practice IS across partners in the supply chain are more likely to integrate their internal and external value chain for better performance both within and across the manufacturing firms in the supply chain. This study can be of interest to the manufacturing industry as well as other industry practitioners interested in improving the performance of the organization and supply chain in total. For supply chain practitioners, this results indicate that the firms should adopt IT and IS practices to strategically improve SCI. This in turn will also improve the supply chain network and firm’s performance. This study employs a newly developed framework which depicts the causal relationship between IT, IS, SCI, Supply Chain Performance, and FP in Malaysia. Furthermore, it closes a gap in existing literature by examining the effect IT and communication (ICT) practices toward manufacturing firms’ performance and SCP in a single setting. In addition, the current study attempted to construct a model which would estimate and interpret SCP and FP simultaneously, and to evaluate this model in an empirical fashion.

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