The Perceived Nighttime Economy Impacts: Its Binary and Multidimensional Natures

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the perceived impacts of the nighttime economy in an emerging country: Vietnam. Theoretical framework: The literature about the nighttime economy in developed contexts was reviewed to guide this study. Method/design/approach: Two exploratory studies were implemented. The first one involved the qualitative analysis of user-generated content. The second one was related to an analysis of data gathered via a structured survey. Results and conclusion: The qualitative analysis of public opinions (n = 538) revealed the positive and negative aspects of the perceived impacts. The quantitative survey (n = 352) exposed the hidden elements of the perceived impacts, including the economic, sociocultural, environmental, and health impacts. Research implications: The differences in findings between this study and the prior research were highlighted to expand the literature on the nighttime economy. Implications for local administrators when projecting and managing this new economic activity were also discussed. Originality/value: The binary and multidimensional natures of nighttime economy impacts are simultaneously taken into account to enrich the literature on these particular issues.