Benefit-sharing and residents’ subjective well-being in rural tourism: An asymmetric approach

Abstract

The subjective well-being (SWB) of residents in a community is a complex psychological phenomenon. Based on complexity theory, this study uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore the causal combinations and asymmetric relationships between benefit-sharing and residents’ SWB. It deconstructs the concept of benefit-sharing and its six dimensions from the perspective of justice. The results show that married and low-income residents are the main groups with a high level of SWB, indicating that economic income is not the determinant of a high level of SWB of residents. The study further reveals that benefit-sharing can effectively solve the problem of distributive justice and improve residents’ SWB. In addition, the analysis of sufficient conditions shows that no single factor alone can achieve high levels of residents’ SWB. Seventeen distinct combinations in the fsQCA consistently led to high levels of SWB. These results can help local authorities in rural destinations to design different strategies to promote a continuous improvement in residents’ SWB.