Page 39 - Sustaining Accommodation SMES

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Research Framework and Objectives

To effectively guide the sustainable transition of accommodation sector
smes,itwas paramount toadopt arobust theoretical framework capable
of analysing the complex psychological and situational factors that influ-
ence behaviour. Moreover, this chapter provides a comprehensive defini-
tion of the overarching research questions and objectives that informed
the data collection across all methodological phases. This ensured that
the findings would provide the necessary empirical support for develop-
ing the project’s practical tools, namely the Sustainability Protocol and
the Self-Assessment Tool.
The fundamental approach of this study is guided by a sophisticated
conceptual model that fundamentally views sustainability not merely as a
regulatory requirementoranabstractgoal, butasacomplexset of observ-
able behaviours influenced by a multitude of intersecting factors, com-
monly referred to as drivers. Within the field of accommodation, sus-
tainability is manifested through the specific actions (or lack of actions)
demonstrated by key stakeholders, including owners, managers, employ-
ees, and even tourists themselves. The transition towards greater sustain-
ability is therefore contingent upon an accurate understanding and strate-
gic engagement with these underlying determinants. In this particular
theoretical framework, the term ‘driver’ is delineated as any psychologi-
cal or situational attribute that either effectively fosters or actively hinders
a desired sustainable behaviour. While there is a substantial body of em-
pirical evidence relating to the motivations behind sustainable behaviour
in general, a significant proportion of this evidence is drawn from general
behavioural theories applicable to everyday life, most notably the mod-
els synthesised by Stern (2000, 2005). However, contemporary research
specifically focused on the tourism environment suggests a critical dis-
tinction: the drivers that influence actions during a tourism experience
may well differ from the factors governing routine behaviour in daily life.
For instance, a tourist may engage in pro-environmental actions at home
yet perceive different constraints or freedoms while staying in an accom-
modation establishment.
In order to address this complexity and ensure theoretical rigour, the
conceptual framework for identifying these drivers in the tourism context

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