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Article
Publication date: 27 April 2023

Thirumaran K, Emiel L. Eijdenberg and Caroline Wong

This study aims to advance the scholarship of yachting in the context of wellness by exploring the following research question: in what ways is wellness created and experienced by…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to advance the scholarship of yachting in the context of wellness by exploring the following research question: in what ways is wellness created and experienced by luxury yachting?

Design/methodology/approach

Since the extant journal literature from 2012–2023 in peer-reviewed journals is limited on the topic that links luxury yachting and wellness, the authors drew on other sources such as books and chapters in edited volumes. A third layer of material was drawn from the grey literature such as mass media and business websites. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) method, the authors examined 18 publications relating to the intersectionality of yachting and wellness.

Findings

Manufacturing and charter companies in the yachting industry are focused on creating and emphasizing features onboard that create a self-caring and wellness experience. The yacht design, spatial influences and the leisure time spent at destinations on anchor can also add value to wellness. This study enables us to understand the kinds of signals received by manufacturers and the media from yachting clients. These signals relate to the types of wellness needs and activities, as well as how crews and chefs create the best hospitality experiences for their clients.

Originality/value

Given the scarce and niche nature of research on yachting and wellness, this paper explores future research areas in wellness through luxury yachting which include hospitality aspects of creating and co-creating wellness experience on board the yacht and viewing yachting as a lifestyle necessity product for all levels of wealth and well-being.

Details

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4217

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Book part
Publication date: 25 January 2022

K Thirumaran and Dam Xuan Minh

Luxury and communism are perceived to be ideologically incompatible values. Prior to the end of the Cold War, luxury tourism and socialist economies had an accommodating…

Abstract

Luxury and communism are perceived to be ideologically incompatible values. Prior to the end of the Cold War, luxury tourism and socialist economies had an accommodating relationship and were rationalised at the national level for foreign exchange revenues, showcasing national development in some instances and finally promoting leisure and political education. However, contemporary scholarship on political ideology and luxury tourism is limited given changes in the political and tourism domain over the last two decades. The start of luxury travel and increasing private promotion in Vietnam comes at a time where the communist regime is hurriedly developing the economy at a breakneck speed. Key cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have become the forefront of luxury travel for Vietnam. Luxury malls, fine dining and five-star hotel resorts have sprung over the years in tandem with Doi Moi (economic restructuring). Tourism literature has seldom ventured into regime politics and luxury tourism. Using a historical approach, the chapter traces the preamble of luxury tourism in the age of Vietnam's modernity. A critical assessment of contemporary luxury tourism in Vietnam reveals a favourable relationship with socialist principles.

Details

The Emerald Handbook of Luxury Management for Hospitality and Tourism
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83982-901-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2023

Kamelia Chaichi, Alexander Trupp, Mageswari Ranjanthran and K. Thirumaran

Employee well-being in a casino work environment is crucial for the quality of work-life and employees' performance. This study examines the dimensions of well-being at a casino…

Abstract

Purpose

Employee well-being in a casino work environment is crucial for the quality of work-life and employees' performance. This study examines the dimensions of well-being at a casino in Malaysia to gain deeper insights into employee challenges and motivational factors to arrive at practical mitigation efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a qualitative approach involving 14 semi-structured interviews with casino employees in Malaysia. Interviews lasted 30 min to 2 h at a time when Covid-19 was raging in 2021. Responses were analysed via a data-driven approach and coded using NVivo software to delineate the contents into analytical categories of well-being dimensions.

Findings

The findings suggest that employees at the casino face challenges in achieving work-life balance. Employee's well-being suffers from insufficient break time, irregular working hours affecting family time, managing customer temper tantrums and lack of emotional support systems and remunerations altered by the pandemic. Women employees were particularly vulnerable.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest a need to create better working conditions and address well-being with counselling support for stress management, a balanced approach by employers to the “customer is always right” mantra, creating promising career pathways and supervisors to have better oversight of workaholics. The research focused only on one casino and there was limited access to management departments for an organizational perspective.

Originality/value

This study adds to the body of knowledge on employee well-being in the context of a casino. It suggests hospitality and tourism organizations review their human resource practices that would ease the stresses at the workplace and create support systems to promote employee well-being. Crucially, in a pandemic crisis, well-being dimensions must be accommodating and integrative to employee sentiments, sensitivity and self-actualization.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 July 2020

Purushothaman A. Purushothaman A. and Thirumaran K. Thirumaran K.

Vernacular architecture is an architectural style of buildings that were constructed by artisanal builders who lacked formal qualifications, used local materials and had a deep…

Abstract

Purpose

Vernacular architecture is an architectural style of buildings that were constructed by artisanal builders who lacked formal qualifications, used local materials and had a deep understanding of local climatic needs. This approach addressed climatic, energy, materials and construction issues in a low-cost way. Building interiors were often made comfortable by using passive internal climate regulation methods, which could be key to resolving some of the current issues of the modern world.

Design/methodology/approach

Tamil Nadu is a land full of local architecture, with Konearirajapuram settlement a thriving specimen of its vernacular architecture, as one of the original Vathima villages (planned Brahmin villages). Here the authors present an appraisal of this settlement's native architecture with its various passive design elements. A questionnaire survey was also conducted among local residents, living in both vernacular and contemporary residential buildings, to understand the quality of indoor environmental comfort in the different building types (single courtyard, multiple courtyards and multiple story houses with courtyards).

Findings

The results of this study show that energy-efficient bioclimatic design strategies of traditional buildings can be analyzed with the help of climatic data and analysis tools such as Mahoney tables and Olgyay's bioclimatic chart. The study shows that vernacular design techniques and principles conserve more energy than modern buildings. The findings suggest that practical solutions for improving contemporary residential developments can be found in traditional architectural approaches and that these approaches should be incorporated in new developments to achieve energy efficiency and a sustainable future.

Research limitations/implications

A detailed survey and the user preferences are plotted in detail in this paper; similarly, Mahoney table and its requirements are analyzed with respect to context; and the results are elaborated and justified.

Originality/value

This study analyzes an entire settlement of Konearirajapuram with 300 units of vernacular residences high in comfort even at extreme climates. Assessment is carried in both qualitative case and quantitative case. Even though there are no previous studies analyzed to identify the effectiveness of the artisanal builders of bioclimatic architecture. Hence, this study brings out the solution for current energy problems from the traditional settings, because the traditional buildings requires no active systems for indoor comfort except a fan, which is negligible in terms of energy use.

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2019

Kiruthiga Kandasamy and Thirumaran Kesavaperumal

Urban heritage management is motivated by the alarming rise in destruction of historic buildings; the implementation of pointless urbanization plans and uncontrolled commercial…

Abstract

Purpose

Urban heritage management is motivated by the alarming rise in destruction of historic buildings; the implementation of pointless urbanization plans and uncontrolled commercial development threatening to overwhelm our historic built heritage. Hence, there is an immediate need for urban heritage planning in historic towns, especially in India where urban growth is rampant. The purpose of this paper is to examine how development in the historic temple town of Kumbakonam can be managed by using a holistic approach that preserves the town’s historic flavor, sacred traditions and built heritage.

Design/methodology/approach

The historic center of Kumbakonam has been surveyed and is the focus of this study. Utilizing a case study methodology, the authors made multiple field visits to document the special heritage character of the town, conducted interviews with people living in the study area and evaluated the existing policies and guidelines for development of Tamil Nadu in view of the holistic approach.

Findings

The study reinforced the belief that the historic temple town of Kumbakonam has significant urban heritage worthy of preservation. However, due to chaotic and ill-planned urban development, changing land use, intrusion of contemporary architectural styles, commercialization and the lack of strong policy guidelines for holistic management, the special heritage character of the town is threatened with continued destruction.

Practical implications

This research on Kumbakonam can help urban planners to develop viable heritage management programs for other historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu. The authors describe and evaluate some guidelines for retaining the social and cultural flavor as well as the built heritage of towns like Kumbakonam by taking a holistic approach.

Originality/value

Up to now, there has been no attempt to come up with comprehensive management guidelines for integrating the unique urban heritage characteristics of the historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu in plans for urbanization.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 July 2020

Thirumaran Kesavaperumal, Kiruthiga Kandasamy and Renganathan Ramasubramanian

The degradation of a town’s traditional architectural settings is a prominent issue in the historic towns that possess a rich heritage and legacies of architectural character in…

Abstract

Purpose

The degradation of a town’s traditional architectural settings is a prominent issue in the historic towns that possess a rich heritage and legacies of architectural character in its urban fabric that have developed over the course of its evolution. Resident participation in built-heritage conservation can be explained in terms of deliberate acts. Thus, this study aims to analyse the attitudes of residents on the conservation of built heritage (ARCBH) in the historic town of Kanchipuram.

Design/methodology/approach

The historic temple town of Kanchipuram has been surveyed and focused in this study. A questionnaire was designed to investigate the ARCBH in Kanchipuram. Data were collected and analysed with the help of structural equation modelling and AMOS software. A structural equation model was developed, and hypotheses were framed for an empirical study.

Findings

The findings indicate that the ARCBH has an effective relationship with practical issues that occur in traditional architecture, built-heritage attachment and an awareness of existing heritage schemes.

Social implications

The study results indicate that considering resident attitude and attachment is important. In addition, the results provide useful insights for formulating practical measures relevant to built-heritage conservation.

Originality/value

There has been no attempt to come up with practical implications from the attitudes of residents on the conservation of built-heritage in the historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract

Details

The Emerald Handbook of Luxury Management for Hospitality and Tourism
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83982-901-7

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2022

Hamed Kamelnia, Pirouz Hanachi and Mina Moayedi

In response, this study developed a mathematical and computational method, through spatial configurations with justified plan graph (JPG), drawn from Space Syntax to extract…

Abstract

Purpose

In response, this study developed a mathematical and computational method, through spatial configurations with justified plan graph (JPG), drawn from Space Syntax to extract essential information of the spatial topology of 13 valuable traditional courtyard houses located in Toon historical city of Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

Historical vernacular housing has always been designed to incorporate and reflect the local lifestyle and cultural conditions. “Courtyard” is a fundamental part of traditional Iranian houses. This traditional building type includes a walled boundary and a complex of open, semi-enclosed and enclosed spaces. This study investigates the traditional houses in Toon historical town. Toon is one of the ancient towns in southeast Iran, including old courtyard houses in its heritage context. The spatial influence of the courtyard contributes to the formation of this famous architectural type.

Findings

The results show the remarkable impact of this space on dominating the plan of traditional Toon houses configuration compared to other spaces in all cases. Furthermore, spatial accessibility has changed over time, and the Safavid period had a higher level of integration and lower level of accessibility (mean i = 7.03) rather than the Qajar period (mean i = 6.34); also, privacy has decreased progressively.

Originality/value

The knowledge of characteristics of this historical architecture needs to be gathered for the preservation and conservation of the built heritage. Hence, the principle behind traditional Iranian courtyards was investigated to recognize the difference between the spatial influence of the courtyard and other spaces and the changes in the courtyard over time.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2018

Babu Rajeswaran and Thirumaran Kesavaperumal

Entrance edifice of the institutional campus artifice as the visible representation of status in their society. The design shall stand to show the status of the person who…

Abstract

Entrance edifice of the institutional campus artifice as the visible representation of status in their society. The design shall stand to show the status of the person who develops the setting, it could signify the power of the person or the entire place, and it could sometimes support certain cosmological belief system that prevails in that culture too. This study intended to identify the entrance edifice Physical features that influence observer's perception of the image of the institutional campus. To accomplish this, physical features of the entrance edifice and its characters were identified and developed into questionnaire material. A logistic regression model was adopted to analyze the Physical features of Entrance Edifice. The findings found the followings: (i) Physical features of Entrance Edifice influence the Visual perception of the Institutional Campus. (ii) The Physical features were found to impact the Visual perception of the Institutional campus in the order of Form Identity, Architectural Elements, Scale and Portion, color and material. These variances are based on the observers' perception, which can be integrated into the Institutional Campus Entrance Edifice design to strengthen the Image of the Institutional campus. It is clear that Entrance Edifices have the potential to build the image for a greater content and purpose through its Form Identity, Architectural Elements, Scale and Portion, color and material. Nevertheless, the entrance design could be a powerful element to build up the image of the physical settings it serves.

Details

Open House International, vol. 43 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

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