This paper shows how research could be done on the topic of Tourism in Edinburgh, Scotland. The focus here lies on the theory of research rather than the conduction of the research itself. Methodology, Methods and approaches to research were explored.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Context
3. Methodology and Methods
3.1 Qualitative research design
3.2 Quantitative Research design
3.3 Qualitative Methods
3.4 Quantitative Methods
4. Sampling
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This research paper aims to investigate the impact of the sharing economy, specifically through platforms like Airbnb, on the traditional hotel industry in Edinburgh. The study seeks to determine whether the rise of alternative accommodation options significantly influences hotel occupancy and revenue.
- The evolution and definition of the sharing economy
- Economic implications of room and flat sharing for hotels
- Methodological approaches to studying market disruptions
- Quantitative analysis of hotel market data
- Sampling strategies for tourism research
Excerpt from the Research Paper
2. Context
The sharing economy is said to have started in the international financial crisis between 2008 and 2010 (Böckmann 2013). The Cambridge dictionary (2017) defines the sharing economy as “an economic system that is based on people sharing their possessions or services, either for free or for a payment, usually using the Internet”. Oxford (2017) stipulates with Cambridge, defining the sharing economy as “an economic system in which assets or services are shared between private individuals either free or for a fee, typically by the means of the Internet”. When comparing these two definitions, it is clear that the focus of the sharing economy is on the peer-to-peer business model. Here a business would only provide a platform online, on which private sellers and buyers can agree on their own deals, share knowledge or even invite someone into their home. Darcy Allen (2015) took these definitions and explained that the internet, through which almost all of the sharing economy´s transactions are facilitated, acts as an intermediary to allow private buyers and sellers to avoid traditional ways of buying or booking.
Hamari et al (2015) explain some of the basic uses of the sharing economy. While everyone knows about some of the uses of the sharing economy there are others ones that need to be mentioned when defining this developing sector. An example, for knowledge sharing amongst individuals, is Wikipedia, which is an open source encyclopaedia used to gather information and make it available to the public (Hamari et al 2015). Another example for the concept is Uber. This platform allows private drivers to use their car to offer rides from one place to another, comparable to taxi services, but at a much lower rate (Hamari et al 2015). For this essay the most important part of the sharing economy is the room or flat sharing. This is the concept of a person offering a spare room, an apartment or a house to a random person mostly against a fee comparable to a rent (Guttentag 2015a, Guttentag 2015b, Hamari et al 2015, HNN editorial staff 2015, Kagermeier et al 2015, Choi et al 2015).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the rise of the sharing economy, focusing on the accommodation sector, and outlines the research objective to investigate its impact on Edinburgh's hotel industry.
2. Context: This section provides theoretical background and definitions of the sharing economy, exploring the peer-to-peer model and its influence on traditional hospitality markets.
3. Methodology and Methods: This chapter discusses the qualitative and quantitative research paradigms and evaluates their suitability for examining the research question.
4. Sampling: This chapter details the strategy for selecting a representative population, including the use of probability sampling techniques to identify suitable study participants.
5. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the research approach, advocating for a two-way methodology to gain deep insights into the effects of the sharing economy on hotels.
Keywords
Sharing economy, Airbnb, Hotel industry, Edinburgh, Peer-to-peer, Quantitative research, Qualitative research, Hospitality, Accommodation, Market impact, Tourism, Research design, Sampling, Revenue, Occupancy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research focuses on the impact of the sharing economy, particularly Airbnb, on the traditional hotel industry in Edinburgh.
What are the central themes of the paper?
Central themes include the definition of the sharing economy, peer-to-peer business models, the economic effects of alternative accommodation on hotels, and research methodology.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to investigate how the growth of alternative accommodation platforms has influenced hotel occupancy and revenue in the city of Edinburgh.
Which research methodologies are discussed?
The paper discusses both qualitative research designs (exploratory, non-numeric) and quantitative research designs (causal, numerical, deductive).
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the conceptual background of the sharing economy, a comparative analysis of research methods, and the practical sampling strategy required to conduct a valid study.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include sharing economy, Airbnb, hotel industry, Edinburgh, hospitality, market impact, and research methodology.
Why is the hotel market in Edinburgh specifically targeted?
The study targets Edinburgh because of its specific density of hotels and the availability of data regarding both traditional and alternative accommodation listings.
What role does the sample size of 400 individuals play?
A sample size of 400 is proposed to ensure a statistically representative group of tourists, allowing for a 5% margin of error and reliable findings.
How is the sharing economy defined in the paper?
The paper defines it as an economic system based on people sharing assets or services, either for free or for payment, facilitated by internet platforms.
- Citation du texte
- Marcel Strangmueller (Auteur), 2017, Business Research Methods. Impact of the sharing economy on hotels in Edinburgh, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/417200
