Browsing by Author "Tepeci, M"

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    Examining the religious tourism potential of Manisa, Turkey with a marketing perspective
    Kartal, B; Tepeci, M; Atli, H
    Purpose - This paper aims to, by having a marketing perspective, assess the potential of Manisa for religious tourism and shed some light on the ways of increasing that potential and to add to the religious tourism literature and practice in general. Design/methodology/approach - A number of depth interviews were conducted with the experts of culture, tourism, religion and religious assets in Manisa. People and institutions regarding religious tourism were called, visited and asked for the names of right interviewees. As a result, a total of 14 interviews were arranged and successfully accomplished. In addition to depth interviews, top 15 most popular travel Web sites (www. ebizmba. com/articles/travel-websites) are examined for tourist and guide opinions toward Manisa's religious sites and its surroundings. Findings - The findings indicate that Manisa has highly important religious monuments belonging to three major religions, including three of the seven churches mentioned in the Apocalypse section of the Bible. Many suggestions have been made regarding possible changes in products, referring to religious monuments and sites in this study, and other marketing mix elements like possible ways of promoting the product. Research limitations/implications - The findings are based on a qualitative study, which limit their generalizability. Yet, the sample of interviewees is fairly large and utmost attention is given to the selection of them. In the future, more stakeholders can be involved in the data collection process. Also, the views of general public on the topic can be investigated through surveys to determine the details of religious tourism activities. Practical implications - Preparations for selling souvenirs (like miniatures of religious monuments) and other religious and cultural goods near the sites of attraction can be made. In addition to selling souvenirs (e.g. miniatures, postcards), local food (i.e. Mesir paste, Mesir delight) and local drinks (i.e. Mesir tea, Subye) can be offered at gift shops or stores to be opened next to religious monuments. Social implications - With the rising popularity of experiential and event marketing, tourists coming to Manisa to see religious monuments will be better off experiencing the atmosphere of these monuments. A specific team of experts from each related organization can be formed and an action plan be prepared to determine the steps to be taken regarding religious tourism. A wise planning and an effective implementation of religious tourism efforts require an intense coordination. Originality/value - Policy makers and managers who want to promote religious tourism need to determine the tourism products and services which appeal to a diverse types of tourists visiting any religious destination. Religious tourism products and services in other destinations can be offered in combination with such activities as camping, hiking and sightseeing or such other types of tourism as social and group tourism and adventure. Standard marketing strategies may not work for religious tourism because spiritual travel will take different forms and have different meanings. Promotional activities are utilized to make potential customers aware of products, induce demand and provide incentives to purchase.
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    Organizational Learning Capability and its Impact on Firm Innovativeness
    Onag, AO; Tepeci, M; Basalp, AA
    The purpose of this study was (1) to explore the levels and dimensions of Organizational Learning Capability (OLC) and Organizational Innovativeness (OI) and (2) to investigate the effects of OLC on OI. The data were collected from entry and middle level managers of firms, which are the members of Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The data were collected from 143 managers through survey (by web page and by personal visits). The analysis revealed that OLC had seven factor dimensions: knowledge sharing, dialogue, participative decion making, managerial commitment, experience and openness, knowledge transfer, and risk taking. The OI was measured by five dimensions including behavioral, product, process, market, and strategic innovativeness. The results indicate that OLC dimensions significantly influenced OI. In the conclusion, the study findings, implications, limitations and recommendations were stated. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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    THE MANAGEMENT OF A GOVERNMENT-HOSTED FESTIVAL FROM STAKEHOLDERS' PERSPECTIVES: INTERNATIONAL MANISA MESIR PASTE FESTIVAL1
    Tepeci, M; Isçi, C; Sel, ZG; Kirova, S
    The purpose of this study is to determine how a local government hosts and manages a large-scale festival from the perspectives of stakeholders, including the organizing committee members, government entities, academics, businesses, tourists, and residents. The study investigates the way International Manisa Mesir Paste Festival (hereafter Mesir Festival) is managed and detects how different entities explain the reasons of the success or failure of the public festival as well as providing recommendations to increase success. The research applies a qualitative method to explore the determinants of the success of this festival organization. In this study, researchers conducted 22 semi -structured interviews with different stakeholders. The findings reveal that public administration is prevalent and dominant in deciding the content and administration of the Mesir Festival. Three significant main themes were determined: shortcomings, benefits or contributions, and recommendations. The results indicate that the festival did not achieve any notable economic, social, or cultural gains, thus, shortcomings of the festival exceed its benefits. This research provides valuable insights into the study of festival management by extending our understandings of government-hosted and managed festivals.
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    Development of a New Composite Index for Measuring the Sustainability Performance of Manufacturing Companies Operating in the BIST Sustainability Index
    Alaca, S; Tepeci, M
    The number of studies on sustainability assessment tools and models has increased in the last two decades. Composite Indexes (CIs) have become popular as a useful tool for assessing business level sustainability to compare the companies operating in the same sector. Limited studies have covered all three dimensions (economic, environmental, and social) of the sustainability assessment in an integrated manner in Turkey. This paper aims to measure and evaluate the Corporate Sustainability (CS) performances of ten manufacturing companies operating in the Istanbul Stock Exchange Market. For this purpose, a new integrated sustainability composite index was developed by using previous composite indexes in the literature. The developed assessment model provides a practical tool for the organizations in the manufacturing sector in Turkey by measuring and evaluating their sustainability performances in a holistic way. By using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the levels of the sustainability performances of ten manufacturing organizations were assessed in a short time. The index allows managers to make comparisons among companies within the same sector. The results further indicated that the economic dimension score of the analyzed organizations had a weighty and salient effect on the total corporate sustainability performance score. This finding contributes to the literature that economic performance is predominantly effective in the sustainability performance of businesses.
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    Team Effectiveness in Sport Teams: The Effects of Team Cohesion, Intra Team Communication and Team Norms on Team Member Satisfaction and Intent to Remain
    Onag, Z; Tepeci, M
    The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of team cohesion, intra team communication, and team norms on team member satisfaction and intention to remain of team players. The research data were obtained from 25 teams which are competing in Izmir province. Athletes' age range varied from 18 to 38. The distribution of athletes in branches are 155 football, 82 basketball, 62 voleyball, 34 handball and 27 water polo, totaling 360 (283 male and 77 female) amateur and professional team players. The SPSS and AMOS were used for the data analysis. The results reveal that team cohesion, team norms and intra team communication have significant impacts on team member satisfaction and intent to remain with the team. The findings, implications, recommendations and limitations of the study were stated. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.