Using strategic network theory, this paper discusses the relationships between
tourism e-mediaries within the competitive environment. It argues that strategic
networks have been used by tourism e-mediaries as a means for gaining
sustainable strategic advantage. Though there is a body of knowledge concerning
strategic networks and alliances, there is minimal research investigating the
formation of these within e-business, and yet strategic networks are prevalent
among tourism e-mediaries. The paper initially reviews strategic network theory
and subsequently proposes a framework upon which the strategic networks of
tourism e-mediaries can be analysed. Future directions for tourism e-mediaries
in gaining a ‘network advantage’ are also discussed.
Amit, R.
and
Zott, C.
(2001)
‘Value creation in E-business’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, pp.
493-520
.
2.
Ibid.
3.
Palmer, A.
and
McCole, P. A.
(1999)
‘The virtual re-intermediation of travel services: a conceptual
framework and empirical investigation’
, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 6, No.
1, pp.
33-47
.
4.
Klein, S.
(2002)
‘Web impact on the distribution structure for flight tickets’
, in
Wober, K.Frew, A.
and
Hitz, M.
(eds)
‘Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2002’
, proceedings of the international conference in
Innsbruck, Austria.
5.
Barnett, M.
and
Standing, C.
(2001)
‘Repositioning travel agencies on the Internet’
, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 7, No.
2, pp.
143-152
.
6.
Buhalis, D.
and
Licata, M. C.
(2002)
‘The future of e-tourism intermediaries’
, Tourism Management, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp.
207-220
.
7.
Bennett, M.
(1997)
‘Strategic alliances in the world airline industry’
, Progress in Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol.
3, pp.
213-223
.
8.
Evans, N.
(2001)
‘Collaborative strategy: An analysis of the changing world of
international airline alliances’
, Tourism Management, Vol. 22, pp.
229-243
.
9.
Amit and Zott, ref. 1 above.
10.
New, S.
and
Mitropoulos, I.
(1995)
‘Strategic networks: morphology, epistemology and praxis’
, International Journal of Operations and Production
Management, Vol. 15, No. 11, pp.
53-61
.
11.
Buhalis and Licata, ref. 6 above.
12.
Wober, K.Frew, A.
and
Hitz, M.
(eds) (2002)
‘Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2002’
, proceedings of the international conference in
Innsbruck, Austria.
13.
Marcussen, C. H.
(2002) ‘Trends in European Internet Distribution of
Travel and Tourism Services’,
www.rcb.dk/uk/staff/chm/trends.htm, updated 27th May, 2002, accessed 10th
June, 2002.
14.
Ibid.
15.
Dalgety, D.
(2002) ‘Online travel continues to
grow’, Visitearth.com, accessed 28th March, 2002.
16.
Ibid.
17.
Ibid.
18.
Prideaux, B.
(2002) ‘Airline distribution systems: The
challenge and opportunity of the Internet’, in
Buhalis, D.
and
Laws, E.
(eds) ‘Tourism Distribution Channels: Practices, Issues and
Transformations’,
Continuum, London
.
19.
Marcussen, ref. 13 above.
20.
Doz, Y.
,
Olk, P.
and
Ring, P.
(2000)
‘Formation processes of R&D consortia: Which path to
take? Where does it lead?’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21, pp.
239-266
.
21.
Kandampully, J.
(2002)
‘Innovation as the core competency of a service organisation: The
role of technology, knowledge and networks’
, European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 5,
No. 1, pp.
18-26
.
22.
Gulati, R.
,
Nohria, N.
and
Zaheer, A.
(2000)
‘Strategic networks’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21, pp.
203-215
.
23.
Buhalis and Licata, ref. 6 above.
24.
Thompson, J. L.
(2001) ‘Strategic Management’,
4th edn,
Thomson Learning, London
.
25.
Porter, M. E.
(1980) ‘Competitive Strategy: Techniques for
Analyzing Industries and Competitors’,
Free Press, New York
.
26.
Barney, J.
(1991)
‘Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage’
, Journal of Management, Vol. 17, pp.
99-120
.
27.
Gulati et al., ref. 22 above.
28.
Ibid.
29.
Gomes-Casseres, B.
(1994)
‘Group versus group: How alliance networks compete’
, Harvard Business Review, July-August, pp.
62-74
.
30.
Evans, ref. 8 above.
31.
Poon, A.
(1993) ‘Tourism, Technology and Competitive
Strategies’,
CAB International, Wallingford
.
32.
Dale, C.
(2000)
‘The UK tour operating industry: A competitive analysis’
, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 6, No.
4, pp.
357-367
.
33.
Bennett, ref. 7 above.
34.
Evans, ref. 8 above.
35.
Bennett, ref. 7 above.
36.
Peattie, K.
and
Moutinho, L.
(2000) ‘The marketing environment for travel and
tourism’, in
Moutinho, L.
(ed.) ‘Strategic Management in Tourism’,
CAB International, Wallingford
.
37.
Crotts, J.
,
Buhalis, D.
and
March, R.
(2000) ‘Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality
Management’,
Haworth Hospitality Press. New York
.
38.
Cooper, C.
and
Lewis, J.
(2001) ‘Transformation and trends in the tourism
industry: Implications for distribution channels’, in
Buhalis, D.
and
Laws, E.
(eds) ‘Tourism Distribution Channels: Practices, Issues and
Transformations’,
Continuum, London
.
39.
Ibid.
40.
Anand, B.
and
Khanna, T.
(2000)
‘Do firms learn to create value? The case of alliances’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21, pp.
295-315
.
41.
Gulati, R.
(1998)
‘Alliances and networks’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 19, pp.
293-317
.
42.
Romano, A.
,
Passiante, G.
and
Elia, V.
(2001)
‘New sources of clustering in the digital economy’
, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol.
8, No. 1, pp.
19-27
.
43.
Ibid.
44.
Ibid.
45.
Buhalis and Licata, ref. 6 above.
46.
Elmuti, D.
and
Kathawala, Y.
(2001)
‘An overview of strategic alliances’
, Management Decision, Vol. 39, No. 3,
pp.
205-217
.
47.
Gultai, R.
(1999)
‘Network location and learning: The influence of network
resources and firm capabilities on alliance formation’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 20, pp.
397-420
.
48.
Rowley, J.
(2002) ‘e-business: Principles and
Practice’,
Palgrave, Basingstoke
.
49.
Stiles, J.
(2001) ‘Strategic alliances’,
in
Volberda, H.
and
Elfring, T.
(eds) ‘Rethinking Strategy’,
Sage, London
.
50.
Brandenburger, A.
and
Nalebuff, B.
(1997) ‘Co-opetition’,
HarperCollins, London
.
51.
Dale, ref. 32 above,
52.
Elmuti and Kathawala, ref, 46 above.
53.
Morgan, N.
,
Pritchard, A.
and
Abbott, S.
(2001)
‘Consumers, travel and technology: A bright future for the Web or
television shopping?’
, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 7, No.
2, pp.
110-124
.
54.
Vyas, N.
,
Shelburn, W.
and
Rogers, D.
(1995)
‘An analysis of strategic alliances: Forms, functions and framework’
, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, Vol.
10, No. 3, pp.
47-60
.
55.
Romano et al., ref. 42 above.
56.
Kogut, cited in Gulati, ref. 41 above.
57.
Kandampully, ref. 21 above.
58.
Amit and Zott, ref. 1 above.
59.
Gulati, ref. 41 above.
60.
Baum, J.
,
Calabrese, T.
and
Silverman, B.
(2000)
‘Don’t go it alone: Alliance network composition and
startups’ performance in Canadian biotechnology’
, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21, pp.
267-294
.
61.
Gulati et al., ref. 22 above.
62.
Evans, ref. 8 above.
63.
Crotts et al., ref. 37 above.
64.
Vyas et al., ref. 54 above.
65.
Gulati, ref. 41 above.
66.
Gulati et al., ref 22 above.
67.
Stiles, ref. 49 above.
68.
Gulati et al., ref 22 above.
69.
Ibid.
70.
Crotts et al., ref. 37 above.
71.
Newman, V.
and
Chaharbaghi, K.
(1999) ‘Strategic alliances in fast-moving
markets’, in
McNamee, P.
(ed.) ‘Developing Strategies for Competitive
Advantage’,
Elsevier Science, Oxford
.
72.
Porter, M.
(2001)
‘Strategy and the Internet’
, Harvard Business Review, March, pp.
63-78
.
