Naturbasert Reiseliv og estetikkdimensjoners rolle

The overall goal of the thesis is twofold. First, it aims to increase knowledge of aesthetics in nature-based tourism and to develop certain aesthetic dimensions in such a context. Second, it aims to increase knowledge of how these aesthetic dimensions influence the variables satisfaction, positive emotions, and customer loyalty. To achieve this, aesthetics in general and aesthetic dimensions in particular in nature-based tourism are explored in four papers. The methods used for data collection are qualitative interviews and a survey. The dissertation opens up the research area with regard to nature-based tourism and the influence of aesthetic dimensions. This is one of the first systematic studies, which contributes to developing research-based knowledge of the role aesthetic dimensions play in nature-based tourists’ behaviour. Specifically, the dissertation offers three main contributions to nature-based tourism research. First, the thesis presents the concept of aesthetics from different theoretical perspectives, and empirical data from key informants’ and tourists’ understandings of central aesthetic dimensions. One of the main findings is that aesthetic qualities of nature-based destinations go beyond the visual aspects and engage all the senses. Tourists are actively sensing the overall environment, including the man-made and natural environment. Furthermore, both key informants and tourists mentioned the four aesthetic dimensions “harmony”, “variation/contrast”, “scenery/viewing”, and “genuineness”. In addition, key informants emphasized “art/architecture” and tourists emphasized “cleanliness”. The findings reveal that the dimensions “harmony” and “genuineness” are especially important for the man-made environment in nature, while the dimensions “variation/contrast” and “scenery/viewing” are important for the natural environment. The findings confirm universal patterns of aesthetics from theoretical perspectives on how “scenery” contributes to understanding the environment, and how “variation” relates to the degree of complexity (e.g., boring or chaotic). The findings also confirm previous empirical studies in tourism that emphasize “harmony”, “scenery”, and “cleanliness”. “Genuineness” is an interesting finding with regard to the man-made environment in nature. Second, the thesis contributes to furthering our understanding of the effects of aesthetic dimensions on tourists’ satisfaction with and loyalty to nature-based experiences. The findings demonstrate that tourists’ evaluations of the dimensions “scenery/viewing”, “harmony”, and “genuineness” affect their satisfaction with the scenic road positively, and that satisfaction has a direct influence on both the intention to recommend, the intention to revisit the scenic road and to visit similar roads. However, only the aesthetic dimensions “genuineness” and “cleanliness” have a direct effect on the intention to revisit the scenic road, and indicate at more complex explanatory pattern for the intention to recommend. Finally, the thesis also contributes to expanding our understanding of the relationship between aesthetic dimensions, positive emotions, and loyalty. The findings reveal that tourists’ evaluations of the aesthetic dimensions “scenery/viewing”, “cleanliness”, and “genuineness” have significant effects on positive emotions towards the scenic road. Positive emotions have direct effects on both the intention to recommend, the intention to revisit the scenic road and to visit similar roads. Moreover, the aesthetic dimension “scenery/viewing” has a direct effect on the intention to recommend, and “cleanliness” has a direct effect on the intention to visit similar roads. The main contribution of the thesis is thus not to the depth of the century-long aesthetic discussion and research in general, nor is it to aesthetic notions regarding landscape preferences, where a substantial body of literature exists. Rather, it is first of all about the role different aesthetic dimensions play in tourists’ satisfaction, positive emotions, and loyalty intentions with regard to the overall environment at a nature-based destination. The findings have practical implications for nature-based destination management, and marketing and development processes. One example is the importance for managers to develop attractive value propositions (in networks with other providers at the destination) by emphasizing the six aesthetic qualities that go beyond the visual aspect and engage all the senses, and thus adding customer value. This can maximize the tourists’ opportunities to enjoy pleasurable experiences within the overall environment at a nature-based destination, e.g., a scenic road. Furthermore, new market knowledge about aesthetic qualities must continuously be structured, and interpreted into shared understandings among tourist providers and nature-based tourist organizations. This is especially important in development and innovation processes, thus leading to a competitive advantage for nature-based destinations. The thesis also opens up some of the areas for future research on the role of aesthetics in man-made environments (in addition to the natural environment) in nature-based tourism. When most of the other variables are similar, aesthetic dimensions or qualities may make a difference to a nature-based tourist product’s performance, and thus provide that competitive edge

Successful business model innovation

A global CEO study conducted by IBM in 2006 showed that business model innovation has a higher correlation with operating margin growth than any other type of innovation. It is therefore not surprising that business model innovation is a buzzword increasingly seen in business jargon and literature. However, the field is quite novel and finding ways of approaching and understanding the subject has been more elusive. This thesis presents a comprehensive and academically founded approach to business model innovation, including a framework that can be applied by managers to transform their business, and building capabilities that can become a source of competitive advantage

Miljøterapeuters erfaringer med fenomenet motstand i TSB - en kvalitativ studie av opplevelser, reksjoner og implikasjoner i arbeide med rusavhengighet og psykisk helsearbeid

Bakgrunn: Man tenker at motstand er en viktig årsaksfaktor til dropout innen rus- og psykisk helsearbeid. Motstand innenfor miljøterapi er likevel lite undersøkt, og det finnes få studier som tar opp behandlernes erfaringer med motstand. Hovedmålet med dette prosjektet er derfor å undersøke hvordan psykisk helse-arbeidere opplever og forstår dette fenomenet i en miljøterapeutisk setting. Motstand belyses fra miljøterapeutenes perspektiv ved hjelp av tre forskningsspørsmål: 1) erfaringer med motstand 2) handling i møte med motstand, og 3) betydning for miljøterapeuter og miljøterapeutisk behandling Metode: Dette er en kvalitativ studie med en hermeneutisk fenomenologisk tilnærming, gjennom bruk av systematisk tekstkondensering. I en trinnvis analytisk tilnærming brukes transkriberte intervjuer av fem miljøterapeuter som arbeider ved et tverrfaglig spesialisert dagsenter. Teksten evalueres i fire trinn: 1) helhetsinntrykk, 2) meningsfulle enheter, 3) kondensering, og 4) sammendrag av funn. Resultater: Studien gir ny innsikt i miljøterapeuters erfaringer med å forholde seg til motstand. Det ser ut til å være utfordrende å behandle pasienter når terapeuten opplever en høy grad av motstand hos pasienten. Motstand assosieres med negativ følsomhet, og dette utfordrer behandlerens evne til å likevel møte pasienten med et åpet sinn. Motstand beskrives noen ganger som et hinder, men også som en nødvendig og positiv kraft som kan være nyttig i terapeutiske prosesser. Mye tyder på at behandlere innen rus og psykisk helse har behov for veiledning. Konklusjon: I tråd med hypotesen om motstand som en sentral faktor i miljøterapeutisk arbeid med rus og psykisk helse, avdekker studien flere faktorer forbundet med erfaringer, handlinger og betydning, som kan spille en kritisk rolle i forhold til drop-out. Pasientens ambivalens og behandlerens negative følelser i møtet med motstand ser ut til å være en av de mest utfordrende behandlingssituasjonene med denne pasientgruppen. Veiledning er etterspurt, og det er en mulighet for at motstand kan representere en ressurs.Bakgrunn: Man tenker at motstand er en viktig årsaksfaktor til dropout innen rus- og psykisk helsearbeid. Motstand innenfor miljøterapi er likevel lite undersøkt, og det finnes få studier som tar opp behandlernes erfaringer med motstand. Hovedmålet med dette prosjektet er derfor å undersøke hvordan psykisk helse-arbeidere opplever og forstår dette fenomenet i en miljøterapeutisk setting. Motstand belyses fra miljøterapeutenes perspektiv ved hjelp av tre forskningsspørsmål: 1) erfaringer med motstand 2) handling i møte med motstand, og 3) betydning for miljøterapeuter og miljøterapeutisk behandling Metode: Dette er en kvalitativ studie med en hermeneutisk fenomenologisk tilnærming, gjennom bruk av systematisk tekstkondensering. I en trinnvis analytisk tilnærming brukes transkriberte intervjuer av fem miljøterapeuter som arbeider ved et tverrfaglig spesialisert dagsenter. Teksten evalueres i fire trinn: 1) helhetsinntrykk, 2) meningsfulle enheter, 3) kondensering, og 4) sammendrag av funn. Resultater: Studien gir ny innsikt i miljøterapeuters erfaringer med å forholde seg til motstand. Det ser ut til å være utfordrende å behandle pasienter når terapeuten opplever en høy grad av motstand hos pasienten. Motstand assosieres med negativ følsomhet, og dette utfordrer behandlerens evne til å likevel møte pasienten med et åpet sinn. Motstand beskrives noen ganger som et hinder, men også som en nødvendig og positiv kraft som kan være nyttig i terapeutiske prosesser. Mye tyder på at behandlere innen rus og psykisk helse har behov for veiledning. Konklusjon: I tråd med hypotesen om motstand som en sentral faktor i miljøterapeutisk arbeid med rus og psykisk helse, avdekker studien flere faktorer forbundet med erfaringer, handlinger og betydning, som kan spille en kritisk rolle i forhold til drop-out. Pasientens ambivalens og behandlerens negative følelser i møtet med motstand ser ut til å være en av de mest utfordrende behandlingssituasjonene med denne pasientgruppen. Veiledning er etterspurt, og det er en mulighet for at motstand kan representere en ressurs.submittedVersio

Laser recrystallization and inscription of compositional microstructures in crystalline SiGe-core fibres

Glass fibres with silicon cores have emerged as a versatile platform for all-optical processing, sensing and microscale optoelectronic devices. Using SiGe in the core extends the accessible wavelength range and potential optical functionality because the bandgap and optical properties can be tuned by changing the composition. However, silicon and germanium segregate unevenly during non-equilibrium solidification, presenting new fabrication challenges, and requiring detailed studies of the alloy crystallization dynamics in the fibre geometry. We report the fabrication of SiGe-core optical fibres, and the use of CO2 laser irradiation to heat the glass cladding and recrystallize the core, improving optical transmission. We observe the ramifications of the classic models of solidification at the microscale, and demonstrate suppression of constitutional undercooling at high solidification velocities. Tailoring the recrystallization conditions allows formation of long single crystals with uniform composition, as well as fabrication of compositional microstructures, such as gratings, within the fibre core

Hvordan skape attraktivitet i et tettsteds sentrum? En kvalitativ casestudie av Skarnes i Sør-Odal kommune

Masteroppgaven skal besvare problemstillingen: Hvordan bruke stedsutvikling for å øke sentrums attraktiviteten i et tettsted? For å besvare problemstillingen er det utformet tre forskningsspørsmål: - Hva er attraktivt i et tettsteds sentrum? - Hvordan planlegge stedsutvikling? - Hvordan gjennomføre stedsutvikling? Problemstillingen er besvart gjennom en casestudie av Skarnes sentrum, i Sør-Odal kommune. Det har blitt gjennomført kvalitative, fokuserte intervjuer med åtte informanter. Det har i tillegg blitt gjennomført eksterne litteratursøk samt dokumentanalyser

Exploring sustainable experiences in tourism.

This study explores the vaguely defined concept of sustainableexperiences. Specifically, it questions how perceived experiencevalue at tourism destinations can be enhanced through sustainableexperience dimensions. Although experiences and sustainabletourism are intrinsically interlinked, knowledge of sustainableexperiences and how they can be included in experience design toenhance perceived value is limited. Within a lake context, localstakeholders, researchers and students were invited to activelyidentify and co-design sustainable experience dimensions using,among others, interviews with residents and tourists. Ourfindingssuggest four sustainable experience dimensions: interaction withthe natural environment; interaction with the cultural environment;insights and views; and lake-based activities. The study advocatesfor future research and management to better incorporatesustainable experience dimensions to holistically enhance tourists’perceived experience value and destination sustainability.publishedVersio

Wide field-of-view Fourier Ptychography microscopy based on Fresnel propagation scheme

Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) is a computational imaging method that gives a significantly increased space-bandwidth product, in practice high resolution combined with a wide field of view. In this article, we propose an improved Fourier Ptychography algorithm based on Fresnel wave propagation integral for wide field-of-view coherent imaging while correcting for the misalignment of the illuminating LED board and calibration of system parameters. In addition, the wave emanating from the LEDs is taken to be parabolic instead of plane wave as done by others. The advantage of this scheme is that it enables to simulate the transition regions between bright and dark field in wide image patches, and hence this feature can be used to estimate the LED misalignment as well as the distortion of the imaging lens. Experimental results are presented for a USAF resolution target and a biological sample for on-axis and off-axis image patches over a wide sample area showing excellent performance of this scheme when compared to the traditional Fraunhofer-model based Fourier Ptychography algorithm. The article summarizes with high technical detail our experiences with developing and implementing improved FPM methods and will hopefully assist other scientists entering this scientific field.publishedVersio

Exploring sustainable experiences in tourism.

This study explores the vaguely defined concept of sustainable experiences. Specifically, it questions how perceived experience value at tourism destinations can be enhanced through sustainable experience dimensions. Although experiences and sustainable tourism are intrinsically interlinked, knowledge of sustainable experiences and how they can be included in experience design to enhance perceived value is limited. Within a lake context, local stakeholders, researchers and students were invited to actively identify and co-design sustainable experience dimensions using, among others, interviews with residents and tourists. Our findings suggest four sustainable experience dimensions: interaction with the natural environment; interaction with the cultural environment; insights and views; and lake-based activities. The study advocates for future research and management to better incorporate sustainable experience dimensions to holistically enhance tourists’ perceived experience value and destination sustainability.publishedVersio