We are engaged in a variety of research programs advancing a new field we call Critical Knowledge Management - the study of information flows within networks with the objective of empowering communities and individuals.

Some recent examples include:

“Experiential Tourism - Using Consumer Behavior Modeling for Successful Product Development” invited lecture for the National Tour Association (NTA) Spring Meet, Kelowna, BC, April 26-28, 2007.

Abstract:

Onboard any cruise ship, in any hotel or resort, or on any tour, we find a diverse group of people with a diverse set of interests. While it may be possible to please all of the people some of the time, the wise tour operator will recognize that distinct communities of consumers exist.

In this session, Gordon Titchener, professor of tourism management at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, will discuss his Current Directions Model for consumer behavior. The model suggests that consumers are drawn to four distinct types of experiences: Inward, Outward, Forward and Homeward. By using examples from various experiential niches in the marketplace, Gordon will help operators understand how the experiences that are produced on a tour, and a greater understanding of the consumer the operators is working with or trying to attract, can lead to great success.

 ”Collective Learning - The Development of the Global Tourism Education Network” workshop  for the International Society of Travel and Tourism Educators Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 12-14, 2006.

Abstract:

In 2005, Thompson Rivers University (TRU) introduced a new component into the curriculum for the Bachelor of Tourism Management degree.  This component utilizes the e-learning software package Moodle to provide a Virtual Seminar for students studying Tourism in a Global Environment (TMGT 416).  As an open-source platform for e-learning, Moodle augments the course management advantages of Web CT, by providing a “common ground” for discussion of critical issues by students, not only at TRU but also by students from a variety of comparable programs at overseas institutions.  As the course progresses through  8 critical issues, including the theoretical conception of Globalization, trans-national production, consumerism, cultural commodification, safety and security, health and wellness, environmental sustainability and new technology and distribution systems, students consider both global trends and local responses.  Through comparison of opinions at different institutions in different parts of the world, students cease to become passive observers of globalization, and become participants in a dynamic knowledge network of global proportions.  As the TRU course is offered in subsequent years, it is envisioned that more international partnerships might be developed, as a prerequisite to both collaborative research and applied problem-solving.

“Pathways to Sustainability:  Community Charters and Collective Intelligence” workshop for the National Extension Tourism Conference, Burlington, Vermont, September 10-13, 2006.

Abstract:

In 1998 the community of Rotorua, New Zealand brought leading tourism industry and community stakeholders together to form an agreement in support of sustainable business practice, the Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter (RSTC) reflecting the unique characteristics of the region. While this “grassroots” approach to sustainability has been hailed as an innovative approach in raising awareness among SMEs, it is complementary to more formal green schemes such as Green Globe 21 and Natural Step, and also to highly localized organizational models such as Tipu Ake.  As a bottom-up, open source approach to sustainability, the power of the community charter approach is being realized through the integration of academic assessment with community need, and the utilization of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to form a growing Network of Practice.  In this regard the RSTC puts into practice the idea of socially constructed learning across traditional domains, and operationalizes Claude Levy’s idea of Collective Intelligence (1995), which suggests that we are entering a world, “constantly enhanced, co-ordinated in real time, and resulting in the effective mobilization of skills…  in which… no one knows everything, everyone knows something.”