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PurposeCorporate occupiers require offices and services which meet their business needs, while landlords must attract and retain occupiers to maximise occupancy and rental income. The purpose of this paper is to help landlords and property managers understand what aspects of property management matter most to corporate occupiers, so that they can achieve a mutually beneficial relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses interviews with 1,334 office tenants in the UK, conducted over an 11-year period, to investigate determinants of occupier satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. Structural equation modelling and regressions are performed using respondents’ ratings of satisfaction with many aspects of occupancy as explanatory variables. The dependent variables include satisfaction with property management, value for money, overall occupier satisfaction, lease renewal intentions and occupiers’ willingness to recommend their landlord.FindingsThe aspects with most impact on occupiers’ satisfaction are the office building itself, its location and amenities, and also communication with their property manager, a belief that their business needs are understood and the property manager’s responsiveness to occupiers’ requests. Occupiers’ loyalty depends mainly upon feeling that their rent and service charges provide value for money, an amicable leasing process, the professionalism of their property manager and the corporate social responsibility of the landlord. “Empathy” is crucial to occupiers’ willingness to recommend their landlord, and clear documentation and efficient legal process improve occupiers’ perception of receiving “Value for Money”.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample is skewed towards occupiers of prime office buildings in the UK, owned by landlords who care sufficiently about their tenants to commission studies into occupier satisfaction.Practical implicationsThis research should help to improve the landlord – tenant relationship, benefitting the businesses that rent property and helping building managers understand where to focus their efforts to achieve maximum effect on occupier satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy.Originality/valueThere has been little academic research into the determinants of satisfaction of occupiers of UK commercial property. This large-scale study enables the most influential factors to be identified and prioritised.

This paper reports on participatory processes using agent-based simulation models which were employed in the New Forest National Park, UK, to facilitate greater appreciation of recreational impact on wildlife and in turn support proposed revisions in management. The models helped to foster a greater understanding of the need for visitor management, but some stakeholders seemed intent on discrediting them and opposing any changes to recreational management. The inherent complexity and lack of user-friendly application of the models meant that use of them was compromised. Opportunities should be sought to increase stakeholder involvement in the long-term collection of data and validation of models, and to embed participatory processes in existing decision-making institutions. Overall, the decision support tools detracted attention from opportunities for researching social learning: tools need to be part of a well-run deliberative learning process that addresses stakeholder representation and power relationships, knowledge validation, social learning and improved transparency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

The global trend towards sustainability is influencing humankind on a daily basis. One of the aspects of human life that is significantly influenced by this trend is decision making with regard to travel and holidays. The investigation was initiated in an attempt to monitor the sustainability of community-based ecotourism in southern Africa and to set a baseline for future comparison. A comprehensive inventory of 331 community-based tourism ventures across southern Africa was compiled as part of the study. A spatial selection was undertaken to refine the selection of ventures which could be safely and economically visited in southern Africa. A telephonic interview was carried out with each of the remaining 241 community-based tourism ventures in order to determine which ventures may be categorized as community-based ecotourism ventures. The results of the telephonic interview were used to classify the community-based ecotourism ventures into types. A random selection within types followed to select six case studies for further investigation. An evaluation framework was constructed to monitor the sustainability of the selected community-based ecotourism ventures. The evaluation framework made use of a number of sustainability issues and their associated indicators. The evaluation framework was then tested for its applicability to investigate the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the six case studies. Thereafter a cross-case analysis was undertaken to compare the results and to obtain baseline data for future comparison. The utility of the constructed evaluation framework was subsequently commented on and changes were recommended. The study provided a time- and cost-effective evaluation framework for monitoring the sustainability performance of community-based ecotourism ventures. The constructed framework also makes an important contribution as a departure point in the adaptive learning cycle for the development and implementation of sustainable tourism indicators for community-based ecotourism ventures. Case study specific recommendations were made in order to improve the sustainability performance of the investigated case studies. The results of this study serve as a benchmark against which future investigations into the sustainability of community-based ecotourism ventures in southern Africa may be compared. Conclusions relating to the sustainability of community-based ecotourism ventures in southern Africa are drawn, and a number of recommendations for further research are made.

The reform and open-door policy has brought continuous rapid economic growth and transformed China from a closed command economy to an open economy dominated by markets. This paper analyses the office markets in Beijing and Shanghai in an institutional context. It scrutinises the factors that led to the boom and bust of the office markets in these two largest cities in China in the 1990s. It provides an analysis of the changes to the ruling party and the government that lead to increased competition and reduced government intervention, transforming state firms into real market players. With surging domestic/foreign demand and more rational supply, growth of rental and capital values has returned. The paper concludes that the office markets in Beijing and Shanghai are becoming huge competitive playgrounds for genuine property developers and investors and show great potential as the two cities upgrade themselves into international as well as domestic business centres.

Businesses need property in order to generate turnover and profits. If real estate owners are to be able to provide properties and related services that are desirable, it is crucial that they understand tenants’ requirements and preferences. Changes in the way businesses operate might well lead to an overall reduction in space requirements in all sectors. Faced with reductions in demand, landlords will find themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace for tenants. Of the array of strategies available to landlords, what strategies should they employ for maximum effect? This paper examines what United Kingdom tenants want from commercial property (retail, industrial and office). The first part provides an analysis of data from several hundred interviews with occupiers of commercial properties owned by some of the largest UK real estate investment companies. Results are presented for each of the asset classes separately. The second part compares the findings with previous research and discusses the strategic implications for landlords.

In the face of growing pressure placed on the natural environment, the study on which this article is based considered the effectiveness of interpretive provision in mitigating the harmful effects of tourism on the environment. The aim of this research was to determine whether guided or non-guided interpretation is most effective in reaching the stated goals of interpretation. The four key goals of interpretation, namely visitor satisfaction, knowledge gain, attitude change and modification of behaviour intent, were used in the assessment of the relative effectiveness of guided and non-guided interpretation in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Through comparing responses to questionnaires from post-visit samples and observing both guided and non-guided interpretation, the research found that guided interpretation was only marginally more effective in reaching the four key goals of interpretation than the non-guided interpretive media. Guided interpretation was found to be more effective in terms of visitor satisfaction, whilst guided and non-guided interpretation had only marginal differences in effectiveness in relation to knowledge gain, attitude change and intent to modify behaviour.Conservation implications: The necessity of implementing an appropriate interpretation programme within protected areas cannot be overemphasised. The interpretation programme should be designed to include elements of both guided and non-guided interpretation in order to achieve a predetermined goal. The effectiveness of the programme should be evaluated periodically and amended where appropriate.

The question of how to organize the sustainable exploitation of common-pool resources (CPRs) is an important issue on a global environmental agenda. We argue that the current approach to collective action in CPR management has a number of shortcomings related to (1) the focus on single - use CPRs and (2) the formulation of a priori design principles for successful collective action, which hinders rather than facilitates CPR research and policies. We propose a social constructivist perspective for the study of CPRs, and discuss its implications for research and policy programs. This approach studies the CPR as an entity within a wider external environment, focusing on resource users’ motivations for certain action strategies. The outcome of collective management is considered to be the result of interactions between stakeholders and nonhuman entities, which depends on the way social actors ’socially construct’ their everyday reality. A case study of Irish fishermen, who felt alienated from their fishery as a result of the expansion of commercial finfish farms, and who created common property rights to secure access to the fishery, forms the empirical basis for this study.

In this special issue, Steins and Edwards introduced the notion of nested platforms for resource use negotiation as a tool to facilitate collective action amongst multiple-users in complex common-pool resource management scenarios. Five discussion statements were put forward to aid the debate on multi-use platforms. This paper is a synthesis of the responses to these statements by the other contributors to this special issue. It aims to further stimulate the debate on the management of complex, multiple-use common-pool management scenarios.

One of the key issues to be resolved in the management of natural resources is the extent to which resources can be used and managed in common. With its focus on shared rights, responsibilities and use, common pool resource (CPR) theory has much to offer natural resource policy and planning. However, the policy models and frameworks developed under CPR theory tend to ignore the economic, political, social and cultural context of a resource situation. Such context helps to determine how the actors in a resource situation relate to their social and natural environment and so make resource decisions. Contextual factors are dynamic forces based locally and remotely from resource management regimes and define (i) what is physically, legally, economically and socially feasible in terms of the supply of products and services from a resource; and (ii) what is economically, socially and culturally desirable, by establishing the demand factor. This paper presents a framework of analysis for CPRs, which proposes that there is a contextual factor continuum, forming a series of relationships from local contextual factors to the more remote. The researcher is advised to ‘backsolve’ from resource use outcomes to contextual factors, via the choice sets available to resource users in terms of (i) products and services demanded, (ii) different decision-making rules, and (iii) different action strategies. Such analysis is crucial in informing effective policy review and subsequent changes to institutions.

Collective action processes in complex, multiple-use common-pool resources (CPRs) have only recently become a focus of study. When CPRs evolve into more complex systems, resource use by separate user groups becomes increasingly interdependent. This implies, amongst others, that the institutional framework governing resource use has to be re-negotiated to avoid adverse impacts associated with the increased access of any new stakeholders, such as overexploitation, alienation of traditional users, and inter-user conflicts. The establishment of “platforms for resource use negotiation” is a way of dealing with complex natural resource management problems. Platforms arise when stakeholders perceive the same resource management problem, realize their interdependence in solving it, and come together to agree on action strategies for solving the problem (Roling, 1994). This article sets the scene for a discussion in this Special Issue about the potential of nested platforms for resource use negotiation in facilitating collective action in the management of complex, multiple-use CPRs. The article has five objectives. First, we define “collective action” in the context of this paper. Second, we discuss the importance of collective action in multiple-use CPRs. Third, we introduce the concept of platforms to coordinate collective action by multiple users. Fourth, we address some issues that emerge from evidence in the field regarding the role and potential of nested platforms for managing complex CPRs. Finally, we raise five discussion statements. These will form the basis for the collection of articles in this special issue.

The management of common-pool resources (CPRs) has gained increased attention in the debate about sustainable environmental management. Research on CPR management has mainly concentrated on single-use resources. Since CPRs develop over time to include new extractive and non-extractive users, a multiple-use perspective on their governance is needed. In «multiple-use CPRs» co-ordination and monitoring of the various activities is an integral part of resource management; decision-making processes play a key role in this collective management. This paper develops a heuristic framework for the analysis of decision-making processes in multiple-use CPRs. The framework is based on a case study of three selected harbour uses in the port of Cowes (UK): (1) the oyster fishery; (2) the yachting industry; and (3) cargo shipping, and draws heavily on an analytical framework for single-use CPRs developed by Oakerson. The Oakerson Framework has been re-developed by adapting it to «vertical» and «horizontal» multi-level analysis, including «multiple-levels of decision-making arrangements» and «multiple users», as integral variables. The paper also examines the extent to which user groups can influence the management of a multiple-use CPR as a whole. In cases where such governance remains with an «umbrella authority», the users» ability to influence decisions by the umbrella organization is strongly related to the historical, socio-economic and organizational characteristics of the specific resource use and on the users» strength at the organizational level. While the presence of an umbrella authority may facilitate CPR management, under-representation of specific user groups in decision-making may serve as a catalyst for institutional change for that particular use, in an attempt to find other means of control.

This paper addresses the issue of overlapping fisheries regulations by multiple authorities for coastal fisheries in the United Kingdom. It examines one particular case study of the oyster fishers of the Isle of Wight, focusing on resource management regulations, fishermen's strategies to deal with ambiguous legislation, and the response of the various management authorities. The case study forms the basis on which to discuss institutional implications for effective operational management of the UK's coastal fisheries resource.

Objectives: The increase in aging populations has implications for the provision of health and social services. A preventative approach is taken to address this problem by examining a mechanism that can enhance physical health and reduce minor ailments. Methods: Participants in 10 focus groups discussed physical, psychological, and social benefits associated with human—dog interactions. Methods provided a rich database of individual perspectives on dogs as motivators to a healthy lifestyle. Results: Interaction between humans and dogs is a mechanism that can enhance the physical and psychological health of elderly citizens and promote a social support network between dog owners. In turn, dependence and impact on health and social services are alleviated. Discussion: The social and community consequences of promoting dog ownership in the elderly are addressed, and it is concluded that the benefits of dog ownership should be promoted among the elderly and acknowledged by relevant agencies.

One-third of New Zealand's land is protected as Crown-owned national park or reserve. Large areas of land with high conservation values remain in private ownership. In particular, many rare and valuable types of native forest, especially in lowland and coastal areas, are found only on private land. A framework for analysing the institutional arrangements for protecting conservation values on private land is outlined in terms of costs, benefits and efficiency. The choice of either public or private provision may not provide the flexibility necessary to achieve conservation objectives. Narrowly defined institutions focus on a particular subset of landowners, limiting participation by others. A more flexible and dynamic arrangement could harness the private benefits of protection across a greater diversity of landowners. This should lead to more efficient protection.

This paper introduces this Special Issue on the Role of Contextual Factors in Common Pool Resource (CPR) research and provides an introduction to CPR theory. It advocates an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to natural resource policy analysis, which assumes the entire resource system, and the wider social, cultural, ecological and economic environment in which it is embedded, as the correct subject for research. The paper recognizes the need to examine how different users of resource systems interrelate and how each relates to their environment. It calls for more diachronic research and for research that extends beyond the geographical boundaries of a particular resource system. Contextual analysis must be focused at different levels. While contextual factors vary from resource situation to resource situation, generic categories of factors may be useful. The uncertainty of contextual influence demands that a balance is struck between the need for flexible management regimes, which allow users to adapt to changing contexts, and the need for stable, long-term resource management planning. The ability to incorporate the knowledge systems of the user groups into policy and management frameworks may determine the extent to which they are able to adapt to change in time to prevent resource deterioration. In doing so, the researcher should be aware that both the research and researcher are contextual factors that may become internalized. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

With sixty per cent of the land in the United States under private ownership, the role of the private sector in the conservation of habitat and species diversity is being recognised as increasingly important. This book examines the 'market' for the conservation of natural areas in the United States, considering the efforts of both profit and non-profit making ventures. It discusses the costs and benefits of protecting natural areas, and uses specific examples of landowners and agencies involved in private sector conservation. The book concludes by discussing the potential for, and limitations of, the private conservation market, and the role of the government in the market. The effectiveness of conservation methods is examined at three levels: constitutional, organisational and operational. The book will therefore appeal to all those interested or involved in conservation, from students to policy makers.