The case for linguistic narrative analysis, illustrated studying small firms in tourism

Abstract

We advocate the adoption of more expansive and creative methodological approaches the study of tourism. More specifically, we argue that by examining how individuals narrate their experiences and social practices, researchers can gain an insight into the meanings actors attach to their actions. Considered from this perspective, narratives become performative; they prompt actors to take actions that (they feel) actualise the story they are seeking to tell. To illustrate its value, we use linguistic narrative analysis to explore how the owner-managers of small values-based tourism firms narrate the operation of their business. A dataset of first person accounts made of both narratives in storified form featuring a chronological order with beginning, middle, and end, and narratives without a storified form largely recounting opinions, feelings, and points of view, are interpreted to offer new perspectives on the behaviours of small firms in tourism. We argue that narrative approaches should complement methods used routinely by tourism scholars to examine this constituency of actors (and others).

摘要

我们提倡采用更广泛和创造性的方法来研究旅游。更具体地说, 我们认为, 通过研究个体如何叙述他们的经历和社会实践, 研究人员可以洞察个体行动者赋予他们行为的意义。从这个角度来看, 叙事变成了一种表演, 叙事促使行动者采取行动, （感觉）实现了他们企图讲述的故事。为了阐明这种方法的价值, 我们使用语言叙事分析来探索基于价值的小型旅游公司的业主也就是管理人员如何叙述他们业务运作过程。本研究以第一人称叙述的资料集为基础, 既有按照时间顺序展开的故事式叙述, 又有主要表达观点、感想和看法的非故事性叙述。这种故事叙述方法为阐释小型旅游企业的行为提供了新的视角。我们认为, 这些叙事方法应该可以补充旅游学者经常使用的其它方法, 以检查这一群体的行动者(和其他群体行动者)看法的一致性。

Keywords:

• Narrative approach
• stories
• linguistic analysis
• small tourism firms
• identity
• social practice
• values
• sustainability
• ethics

关键词:

• 叙事方法
• 故事
• 语言分析
• 旅游小企业
• 身份
• 社会实践
• 价值观
• 可持续性
• 伦理

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

L. Tomassini

Dr Lucia Tomassini is a PhD graduate from the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. An Urban Planner, with an MSc in Urban Development in developing countries, Lucia is the co-founder and Destination Manager at Amavido (www.amavido.de), a platform focusing on the storytelling and promotion of the hospitality and cultural offers of small villages within the German travel market. Her academic research focuses on small tourism firms committed to an ethical vision of tourism, and the implications on the narrativisation of their identity, sense of self, and role.

X. Font

Dr Xavier Font is Professor of Sustainability Marketing at the University of Surrey, and Head of Impact at Travindy (www.travindy.com), a web-based organisation helping the travel industry to understand the issues around tourism and sustainability. His research focuses on understanding reasons for pro-sustainability behaviour and market-based mechanisms to encourage sustainable production and consumption. Xavier has run over 130 training courses on sustainability marketing with over 2500 delegates, and has consulted for UNWTO, UNEP, EC, IFC, Rainforest Alliance and numerous governments and businesses.

R. Thomas

Rhodri Thomas is Dean of the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management and Professor of Tourism and Events Policy at Leeds Beckett University, UK.