{"id":188,"date":"2026-03-09T16:27:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T16:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kishlinden.com\/?p=188"},"modified":"2026-04-06T20:35:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T20:35:45","slug":"executive-brief-the-visibility-of-community-benefit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kishlinden.com\/?p=188","title":{"rendered":"Executive Brief: The Visibility of Community Benefit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Research Focus:<\/strong> A comparative study of the Fortress of Louisbourg<\/strong>, Membertou Heritage Park<\/strong>, and Eskasoni Cultural Journeys<\/strong> (2015\u20132024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Executive briefs are snapshots of a research project completed by one of my students. You can see the full list of projects here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Completed by MBA student Muchuan Yang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Core Challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While tourism is a major economic driver in Cape Breton, its actual benefit to local communities is often “invisible” in public records. This study used a visibility lens <\/strong>to determine what the public can actually verify about job quality, local purchasing, and cultural participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Findings: The Visibility Gradient<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research identified a consistent gap between “front-stage” stories (what visitors see) and “back-stage” mechanics (how the economy actually works).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outcome Area<\/strong><\/td>Visibility Rating<\/strong><\/td>Summary of Findings<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Cultural Participation<\/strong><\/td>Visible<\/strong><\/td>The strongest area of reporting. Programs, Elder involvement, and guided storytelling are clearly documented as the heart of the visitor experience.<\/td><\/tr>
Employment & Jobs<\/strong><\/td>Partial<\/strong><\/td>Roles (guides, interpreters) are easy to see, but “job quality” (stability, year-round potential, and progression) remains difficult to verify.<\/td><\/tr>
Local Procurement<\/strong><\/td>Thin<\/strong><\/td>The “hardest to trace” area. While “supporting local” is a common theme, specific data on local supplier pathways and value retention is largely absent.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Strategic Implications for CED<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n