Factors to Foster Organizational Sustainability in Tourism SMEs

Abstract

Small and medium-sized tourism companies (SMEs) strongly depend on their collaborators to achieve competitiveness and sustainability. In this sense, these organizations need to identify those factors that help them to use their resources and efforts to achieve the aforementioned goals. This article proposes a model oriented to organizational sustainability in the tourism sector. A systemic approach was adopted to articulate this research; therefore, the soft systems methodology was applied to structure the problem and express a conceptual model that suggests relationships as an alternative solution to the expressed problem. Partial least squares path modeling was applied to statistically validate the relationships expressed in the construct. Results suggest that the relationships proposed in the construct are valid and may promote organizational sustainability. The ideas developed are restricted to the organizational domain and although the results apply in a Mexican context, this potential limitation can be offset by the multi-methodological approach proposed, extending the model’s application to other types of organizations. This study may enable scholars and managers to improve communication and inter-organizational relationships, allowing organizations to focus their strategies and efforts using systems thinking to increase responsiveness and adaptation.

The Impact of Pandemic Crisis on the Restaurant Business

“…It can also be defined as the improvements to the local economy that the development of tourism can produce in the long term, taking into account all the impacts that affect the different sectors and the economy of local industries [6]. Núñez-Rios, Sánchez-García, Rojas, and Olivares-Benitez [7] also evince that organizational sustainability and sustainable performance continue to be a challenge for small and medium-sized companies because their resources and organizational structure are very limiting. Unsustainable economic growth generated Sustainability 2021, 13, 40 2 of 13 by a strong fiscal stimulus or a combination of tax reductions and increases in expenditure can lead to catastrophic and long-lasting effects on macroeconomic stability in some countries [8].…”

Sustainable performance in tourism SMEs: a soft modeling approach

“…Thus, our sample consisted of 30 government officials, 70 managers, 200 employees, 50 owners of SMEs and 150 customers. We clarify that the participants’ heterogeneity is required to comply with a fundamental aspect of the SSM, that is, to capture the vision of those involved in the situation (Núñez-Ríos et al , 2020c).…”

“…Therefore, we adopted a methodological complementarity approach that considers the operative units, control and management mechanisms to incorporate participants' perspectives. For this, we implemented soft systems methodology (SSM) (Checkland, 2001) as a guide to using social network analysis (SNA) to identify relationships and components to understand the problem situation (Núñez-Ríos et al, 2020c); designing a construct as a guide for change; validating the construct using partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) (Sanchez, 2013); and suggesting an alternative organizational arrangement to work toward SUP based on the viable system model (VSM) (Beer, 1994).…”

The Outcomes of Entrepreneurship, Relational Capital and Innovativeness on Tourist Satisfaction

“…However, when examining the same phenomenon through the lens of the organization, it is not clear which dimensions contribute to customer satisfaction [3]. Within the tourism context, the study of small and medium enterprises is crucial for the sustainability of destinations [4]. The economic aspect is essential, so the study of the antecedents of market performance in these companies is essential for them to innovate and generate competitiveness in the destination.…”