Sport business in Alpine tourism destinations : analysing factors of competitiveness

This doctoral thesis investigates deeper in competitiveness and sports businesses dealing with the following overall research question: Which factors determine the competitiveness of sports businesses in Alpine tourism destinations? In context of this doctoral thesis, Porter's Diamond (1990) serves as a basis for researching competitiveness in the sports businesses and serves as a bridging framework for this thesis. The aim of the individual research studies is to examine each of Porter's determinants conducting a specific case. In other words, Porters four components (factor conditions, related & supported industries, demand conditions and firm strategy, structure and rivalry) have been systematically elaborated in this thesis including the sports business entrepreneurs, the retail customers and the tourists perspective in order to provide deeper insights and scientific and managerial contributions to the analysis of competitiveness in the sports businesses in Alpine destinations. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first scientific approach, investigating in all four components of Porters' Diamond in terms of competitiveness and sports businesses.