ICTO 2018 TRACK 1:Disability and social recognition in an inclusive world: ICT the way forward?

Short Description

Since the advent of the digital era, many changes occurred in many industries, and traditional human and social activities have been constantly evolving.

Technology, information technology (IT) and internet, has been more and more applied in several areas (health care, tourism, sport, etc.) allowing people with disability (PWD) to be significantly involved improving their social status and commitment in the social daily life. The application of new technologies for PWD can effectively promote their social inclusion. Specifically, ICT can contribute to facilitate the social integration of disabled persons allowing them to participate into any social and economic areas.

On one side, PWD represent a large and growing market for both business and leisure industry in the overall world. Thus, some specific settings, like hospitality, tourism, sport, need to compete also considering this relevant and growing target

On the other side, thanks to IT and ICT, overcoming the traditional architectural and cultural barriers and becoming relevant clients able to exercise a significant power, PWD can be rightlyrecognized, involved and actively and socially included and participated into the daily life in the world.

Thanks to the last and more innovative technologies and in general to ICT, hence, many barriers have been overcome but still much more is needed.

In this scenario briefly described, this track aims at attracting original contributions pertaining to the link between ICT and Disability, evidencing determinants and effects with a wide perspective of analysis. Papers will tackle, but not limited to, the following themes:

  • ICTand capacity of the hospitality and tourism industry to “socially include” PWD
  • ICTand capacity ofthe industry in general (any different settings) to “socially include” PWD
  • ICT and new organizational and managerial models for a more inclusive world
  • ICT and PWD, analysis of the possible match
  • ICT and new market opportunities for industry with focus on PWD
  • ICT and new integrated marketing strategies by considering PWD needs
  • ICT and life quality regarding PWD
  • ICT and innovative ways for socially including PWD

Track Co-Chairs

Name – Surname
(primary contact) / Luisa Varriale
Title / Associate Professor
E-mail /

Affiliation / University of Naples “Parthenope”, Italy
Department of Sport Science and Wellness
URL /

Please Provide Short bios of track Co-Chairs (no more than 150 words each):

Luisa Varriale PhD is afull time permanent associate professor in Organization and Human Resource Managementat the Department of Sport Science and Wellness at the University of Naples “Parthenope”, Italy.She joined several research networksrelated to different topics, such as mentoring, humanistic management, organizational design.

Prof. Varriale has an international academic experience at several institutions around the world (United States, France, Portugal), in fact she was visiting professor at:Arizona State University (AZ-USA)(2006/2008); Columbia University (NY-US)(2010/2013); Salem State University (MA-USA)(2015); University of Porto FEUP (Porto-Portugal)(2017).

She has been teaching Organization Theory, HRM,Organizational Behaviours and Organization of Events for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Her researchinterests include event management, mentoring relationships, knowledge sharing and creation, e-learning and e-teaching, disability and sport,also related to information technology, in variousorganizational contextsparticularly in the services industry. Her research, especially on mentoring and e-learning topics, has been published in various significant outlets.