The aim of this paper is to discuss the soft skills acquisition in the tourism industry as a means of education for sustainable development. A quantitative research approach has been applied in order to investigate the soft skills needed for tourism. The analysis is based on interviews carried out with representatives of the Bulgarian regional Chamber of Commerce and representatives of the Bulgarian hotel and restaurant industry. Additionally, a case study involving three groups of respondents, i.e. Learners, Educators and Representatives of business and Employers in the tourism and hospitality industry in Bulgaria was conducted based on a combined list of soft skills. Whereas some hard skills are traditionally taught at the educational institutions, soft skills, here identified as Core soft skills, Specific soft skills and Managerial soft skills, often remain beyond the educators’ aims. Thus, the study provides some useful insights into the contemporary practice of tourism and hospitality education, on the one hand, and into the paradigm of education for sustainable development, on the other. Keywords: Soft Skills, Tourism, Business, Hospitality, Education, Sustainability, Bulgaria
Abstract:In striving to secure a competitive advantage in the market, companies endeavor to create a high level of trust and attachment of customers to the company. Building a positive image is a prerequisite for businesses to enhance their competitiveness. In this regard, the main objective of this paper is to identify measures of corporate image, competitiveness of enterprises, and the relationship between them. This paper uses statistical methods (variance, regression, and correlation analysis) to study the influence of corporate image on the competitiveness of enterprises in the field of interior design. A questionnaire method is used to gather the primary data. Examined indicators are assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. The results of the survey indicate a strong correlation between the level of corporate image and that of competitiveness of enterprises. The conclusion includes a summary concerning the use of the corporate image as an important tool for a sustainable market presence and achieving a strong competitive edge. JEL Classification Numbers: M31, M20; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12955/cbup.v5.973
In the contexts of global economy and the increasing necessity for sustainable development of the business connections all over the world, the relations between the partners often involves not only the foreign language communication but also the dialogue between their cultures. International economic activity takes place in a set of business environments (business arrangements, timelines, quality output, sales, cash flows) which are also largely determined by additional cultural business conditions (culture as communication, attitude towards power, organizational hierarchy, interpersonal relations, etc.). In this sense, intercultural dialogue is a particularly important tool for achieving excellence and sustainable business relations between economic partners from different countries. In this paper, we suggest that intercultural dialogue in the international business environment is an indispensable tool for achieving economic effectiveness and goals, and can be assessed on the same scale as business performance. In order to identify the need of awareness-raising concerning the importance of intercultural dialogue as a business environment facilitator, a survey regarding the sewing industry in southwestern Bulgaria was conducted. The survey involved 16 small enterprises (participating with professionals from four different positions) working with firms from Greece. The evaluation of the business relations was actualized at two levels: the level of assessing the ability of professional communication and the level of assessing the ability of intercultural dialogue. Following the results obtained, the authors suggest a more active inclusion of intercultural dialogue in business practices and in negotiation. This recommendation fully corresponds to the Global goals of sustainable development because it contributes to the improvement of global partnership.
Research background: In the context of globalization and the increasingly competitive environment, customer loyalty plays an important role in the long-term success of small and medium-sized enterprises. Research by various authors has shown that loyalty is an important customer-oriented marketing tool and is directly dependent on customer satisfaction. Customer loyalty is highly influenced by the quality of the products, the applied price strategy and the good communication between enterprises and customers. Loyalty is the main aim of strategic enterprises marketing planning and is the key to retaining customers. The adoption and application of the loyalty approach in enterprises activity is a prerequisite for increase the trend of customers towards more frequent products consumption and enlarge their desire for more purchases. In connection with solving the problem of customer loyalty, researchers focus on its influencing factors and highlight as most important the following: satisfaction, trust, commitment, customer value and service quality. Purpose of the article: This report clarifies the peculiarities of customer loyalty and based on an analysis of the factors influencing it brings out the main problems of small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of trade in Bulgaria. Methods: The sources that were used include a questionnaire survey of 64 enterprises. The analysis and evaluation are based on statistical methods. Findings & Value added: The findings include identification of problems, related to the customer loyalty in small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of trade in Bulgaria. The study can be used as a model for analysis of customer loyalty in the trade sector.
The COVID-19 crisis placed the community centres (chitalishte in Bulgarian) in new conditions, which they need to comply with. This unprecedented crisis has impacted the conditions and way of work of all organisations, including the community centres. At the same time, the crisis dictates a new way of behaving and communicating with people. The new conditions require organisations to focus on their functioning in the new digital environment. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to identify the challenges facing community centres as important organisations with socially significant benefits in the crisis COVID-19. The analysis is based on the results of a survey conducted among 26 representatives of the community centres in Blagoevgrad district. Based on the survey, the main problems faced by the community centres in the context of the COVID-19 crisis are identified.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.