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An Evolutionary Interpretation of the Role of Collaborative Partnerships in Sustainable Tourism

Tremblay, P (2000). An Evolutionary Interpretation of the Role of Collaborative Partnerships in Sustainable Tourism. In Bramwell, B and Lane, B(Ed.), Tourism, Collaboration and Partnerships: Politics, Practice and Sustainability. Clevedon: Channel View Publications. (pp. 314-332).

Document type: Book Chapter
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Author Tremblay, P
Title of Chapter An Evolutionary Interpretation of the Role of Collaborative Partnerships in Sustainable Tourism
Title of Book Tourism, Collaboration and Partnerships: Politics, Practice and Sustainability
Place of Publication Clevedon
Publisher Channel View Publications
Publication Year 2000
Editor Bramwell, B
Lane, B
ISBN 1873150229   (check CDU catalogue open catalogue search in new window)
Chapter Number 16
Start Page 314
End Page 332
Total Pages 19
HERDC Category B - Book Chapter (DEST)
Abstract This paper develops a theoretical rationale for the role of organisational networks and partnerships in sustainable tourism. It borrows from the evolutionary approach to social sciences to argue that inter-organisational relationships play a critical role in the process of organisational learning about the environment. This idea can be extended to the coordinating and learning needs of various stakeholders in tourism destinations or communities. The paper first reviews and criticises both the conventional market failures and the comprehensive planning approaches to dealing with environmental externalities. It is argued that tourism constitutes a complex and rapidly changing system in which participants are partially ignorant of the impacts of their actions. There is then an examination of the role of organisational and stakeholders networks in providing the basis for learning about their environment and about diverging values and beliefs. Partnerships can play a dual role in maintaining some coherence between participants' beliefs whilst being open to innovation. This is particularly important in tourism as community interest groups must constantly experiment to discover institutional arrangements to satisfy local tourism and community needs. This argument provides an alternative perspective to policy which does not rely on laissez-faire and yet recognises the value of destination- or community-specific solutions.
 
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Created: Fri, 12 Sep 2008, 08:35:25 CST by Administrator