Alliances and networks in the strategic development of destinations in the Norwegian tourism industry

The project will focus on three closely related aspects of destination development. Thus, we believe by applying different appraoches to the issue of destination development we will be able to realize the benefits of cross-fertilization between perspectiv es, provide a sounder basis for managerial actions in the industry at different levels, and provide a springboard for further research and new knowledge related to the Norwegian tourism industry. Three aspects of destination development will be focused: DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORK BRIDGING TIES On one hand it has been argued for the benefits of sparse networks rich on structural holes, while on the other it has been argued for the benefits of densely connected networks referred to as network clos ure. We will explore the role of firms that act as broker between densely connected networks with few inter-network ties (i.e. few actors from one dense network have direct ties with actors from the other dense network). COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION OF TO URISM COMPANIES AT THE DESTINATION LEVEL Actors in the industry differ with regard to the power and resources at hand, and must deal with vertical integration in different ways. Some actors integrate vertically and/or horizontally by acquisition, some thr ough equity, and some by contractual means. What are the effects (e.g. control, efficiency, knowledge transfer, learning, and innovation) of different forms of integration? DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DESTINATIONS Ongoing relations aim at creating value for the firms involved. However, firms make equity considerations and apply different strategies for value appropriation. Given different appropriation strategies, how do firms choose governance mechanisms to achieve their goals, and how does this impact on business performance? By providing systematic knowledge and data we hope to contribute to better understanding of destination development and provide guidelines for practice.