Mixed Methodological Approach Research Articles

Factors affecting beach walkability- Tourists’ perception study at selected beaches of West Bengal, India

Walkability studies dominated the urban and transportation literature for long. Such studies advented tourism literature recently and specifically the beach walkability is an under-explored domain. Based on tourists' perception, this paper proposes major factors that significantly improve walkability on the beach. Exploratory sequential mixed methodological approach is adopted to find the factors affecting beach walkability. Tourists' perception data was collected in two phases. The first phase involved interviewing the experienced tourists' ex-situ to understand the key issues impacting beach walkability in West Bengal. This was followed by an in-situ semi-structured survey of first-time visitors in the selected beaches of Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur, Mandarmani in West Bengal, India. Findings show that four key factors regulate beach walkability in West Bengal, viz. beach safety, beach scenery, beach amenities and beach typology. However, t-statistics proves that in Indian context, some other walkability indicators could be important at the beaches, preferences for which are found to vary significantly among the different gender groups like male and female. Theoretically, this research is a novel addition to the existing walkability-literature which lacks specific focus on beach area of a beach destination for in-depth analysis. It also widens up future research scopes on ‘place-attachment’ considering walking as an intrinsic practice of tourists on the beach. With the exploration of major factors of beach-walkability, the study practically works as a ready reference for the tourism practitioners and policy makers to utilize the beach area for promotion of walkable beach as a new tourism product at a beach destination. The present study reveals the significant factors enhancing walkability, mainly at the beach areas instead of the whole beach precinct. Moreover, while analyzing the tourists' perception-based responses, this research unveils that the beach areas of extensive Indian coastline might promote the ‘walkable beach’ as an outdoor recreation option and potentially a new tourism product. However, for the successful promotion of beach walkability, the following recommendations are to be taken care of: - Consider beach walkability as an effective add-on to the tourism product development at beach precincts. - Develop a continuous monitoring system to ensure the natural scenery of the beach areas is intact. - Prioritize the safety and security of the tourists walking along the beaches. - Strengthen walkability by introducing the infrastructure of the way-side amenities for tourists. - Delve more into the tourists' walkability preferences and support future researches on additional recreation facilities for the walking tourists.

BIM and DfMA: A Paradigm of New Opportunities

The main goal of this study is to explore the adoption of a design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) and building information management (BIM) approach during the whole lifecycle of assets. This approach aims to tackle issues inherent in the design of traditional construction methods, such as low productivity and quality, poor predictability and building performance, and energy use, through the implementation of a BIM library of off-site components. In recent years, a renewed interest has been directed to the attempt to provide solutions to these urgent problems through the adoption of new advancements in technologies. However, while there are studies focussing on a BIM-DfMA approach, there is a lack of research regarding how this approach should be adopted during the whole lifecycle of the assets. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, defining an efficient way of developing a component-based BIM object library has not yet been included in any of the available studies. A mixed methodology approach has been used in this research. A conceptual framework was developed as the result of an extensive literature review to investigate new advancements in the AEC sector. Following the literature review, the framework was tested and validated through a case study based on the production and adoption of a BIM library of off-site components at the design stage of an asset. The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has recognised the necessity of a new approach that helps to resolve the well-known issues presented in traditional methods of construction. The conceptual framework and case study proposed presents a valuable new method of construction that support the implementation of a BIM and DfMA approach, highlighting their benefits. This framework has been created using many valuable and reliable sources of information. The result of this research supports the idea of a novel new construction method that focuses on a manufacturing-digital-driven industry, with the use of DfMA in a BIM-integrated approach. This novel method will add significance and be beneficial for a wide range of aspects in the construction sector, contributing to the theoretical and practical domain.

Impacts of Hurricane Dorian on the Bahamas: field observations of hazard intensity and performance of the built environment

ABSTRACT On September 1 2019, Hurricane Dorian made landfall in Elbow Cay in the Bahamas with sustained winds of 295 km/h and a central pressure of 910 mb, with subsequent landfalls in Marsh Harbour and Grand Bahama Island, where it stalled for two days. This paper presents field observations of Dorian’s coastal hazards and impacts on the built environment in these locales, collected by the Structural Extreme Events Reconnaissance (StEER) Network. Data were collected using a mixed methodological approach: (1) surveying high-water marks and inundation extent, including an approximately 8 m high water mark in Marsh Harbour, (2) conducting surface-level forensic assessments of damage to 358 structures, and (3) rapidly imaging 475 km of routes using street-level panoramas. Field observations are complemented by a debris field analysis using high-resolution satellite imagery. Observed performance reiterates the potential for well-confined, elevated construction to perform well under major hurricanes, but with the need to codify such practices through the addition of storm surge design provisions and an increase in the design wind speeds in the Bahamas Building Code. This study further demonstrates the value of robust reconnaissance infrastructure for capturing perishable data following hurricanes and making such data rapidly available using publicly accessible platforms.

Korean Children’s Attitudes toward Varieties of English: The Role of Age and English Learning Environment

This study investigates young Korean children’s attitudes toward three English varieties: American English (AmE), Singapore English (SiE), and Korean English (KoE). A total of 42 Korean children participated in this study. For data analysis purposes, the results were categorized according to the children’s age and their experience of exposure to formal English learning. In addition to this, 30 Singaporean children were also involved in the study, and their results were compared with the results of the younger group of Korean children. A mixed methodological approach, which included a modified verbal guise technique appropriate for use with children and semi-structured interviews, was also adopted. The results show that 5-year-old Korean and Singaporean children do not prefer one specific variety of English more than the other varieties of English. However, this was not the case for 12-year-old Korean children. These older Korean children preferred AmE and SiE more than KoE, and the “speaker’s pronunciation” was considered to be the critical feature in determining these attitudes. The findings suggest that Korean children’s developing attitudes toward a particular variety of English emerge sometime during their elementary school years.

Forming Special Education Teachers during the Pandemic: New Teachers’ Sense of Self Efficacy

This paper examines special education new-teacher perceptions about the impact of shifting from teaching children with disabilities in person to a remote learning delivery. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted formal education and shifted special education service delivery to a ‘remote modality’. Health restrictions and community lockdowns literally pushed teachers into online delivery systems beyond their own learning experiences and into their students’ homes. The research methodology employed is a mixed methodology approach, where the responses from a six-open-question survey were coded and quantified. Based on these results, administrators and policy makers have to consider changes to accommodate this paradigm shift to better serve students with disabilities, a matter of educational equity and social justice.

An Assessment of the Adequacy of the Methods Of Domestic Solid Waste Management in Kisii Town, Kenya

Urban domestic solid waste is increasingly being generated in many urban centres including middle sized towns. In many urban areas in developing countries there’s a growing need and awakening for meeting the waste disposal for the ever increasing population. This paper examines and analyses the varied treatment and disposal methods of domestic solid waste employed in Kisii town. The specific objective of the study include: to assess the adequacy of the available management systems of handling domestic solid waste (DSW) in Kisii town. A mixed methodology approach was taken into consideration. A sample of 110 households was obtained using the multi stage stratified sampling method. Data collection methods of the sampled size involved the use of questionnaires to 110 householders and direct interviews to 2 county officers in charge of DSW and observation integrated with photography. Data analysis was carried out using methods such as use of tables and graphs through SPSS. The results indicate that the storage facilities are inadequate for the residents, the collection times are not only insufficient but also irregular, the transportation means employed are limited, and disposal and treatment of the DSW is limited to mainly open dumping at the overfilled Nyambera dumpsite. In conclusion, the management methods of the DSW are inadequate and pose severe health risks to the residents of Kisii. It is recommended that, for effective domestic solid waste management adequate bins should be provided in the town, collection should be regular and indiscriminate in all estates, recycling, re-use, reduce and energy recovery should be introduced to move from challenges to opportunities. Finally, an integrated model of integrating CBOs and private groups in management of DSW is suggested to ensure sustainable solid waste management.

“We do not want to survive; we want to thrive.”: Japanese agricultural cooperative’s seven decades of overcoming degeneration

Along its development trajectory, a cooperative reaches a stage when market circumstances force it to restructure into a corporate entity. While neoclassical theory regards this as an advancement, political economy theory views it as ‘degeneration’ because the cooperative has become what it initially sought to defy. Several strands of literature show how some cooperatives either disbanded because they could not restructure into corporations or survived by changing into private share-owned firms. However, there have been minimal theoretical explanations for those cooperatives that have managed to overcome degeneration. This paper analyzes the Japanese Agricultural Cooperative (JA) and argues that a more robust, assertive, and organized national association enabled it to resist degeneration. Data was collected through a case study of JA Green Omi (Shiga prefecture) using a mixed methodology approach. The results indicate that the stability of the cooperative’s capital structure, the nature of self-reform, and internal contradictions were as strong as only allowed by the stability of the national cooperative association. Thus, to overcome degeneration, developing cooperatives must bolster the interplay between local and national associations in addition to intra-cooperative tinkering and restructuring.

Development of Methodology and Assessment of Ecological Safety of the EAEU and CIS Regions in the Context of Sustainable Development

The trends of sustainable development and green agenda transform the production processes, leading industries, and regional markets, and reveal objective contradictions in ensuring the ecological safety of certain territories. This study aims to develop a methodology and assess ecological safety at aggregated system levels, taking into account natural and socioeconomic factors as well as the factor of human capital development with specification of the place of ecological safety in the concept of sustainable development. The objects of empirical research are the EAEU and CIS countries for the period 2010–2019, as well as 85 Russian regions. The scientific research toolkit is based on the methods of structural-logical, economical-statistical, and comparative analyses, and expert judgments. The concepts of sustainable development and human capital and the theory of the national school of ecological safety are analyzed using the systematic approach. The mixed methodological approach showed the interconnection of four approaches of assessing ecological safety (technogenic, environmental, institutional, resource-based). The authors developed a method for assessing ecological safety taking into account the contribution of human capital. The assessment results are typologized and grouped according to the dynamic trend. For the majority of the considered countries, changes in the level of ecological safety correlate with changes in socioeconomic indicators. The same trend is observed when considering the Russian regional formations. The contribution of human capital was recorded to a lesser extent. For several regions, the increased number of objects polluting the environment is accompanied by a decreased volume of polluting emissions into the atmosphere.

Attitudes of nursing faculty members toward technology and e-learning in Lebanon

BackgroundOur transition to an “information society” means that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become integral to our lives. ICT has also become an essential aspect of medical institutions and healthcare settings. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses are required to use ICT in their daily work. In Lebanon, however, due to political factors, many universities have not introduced technology or any form of ICT in their curricula. Institutions of higher education do use technology in various ways, however, successful incorporation of ICT in education requires acceptance by instructors who are expected to use ICT in teaching practices. Although international findings reveal that ICT should be used in nursing education, some faculty members experience difficulty integrating it.MethodA mixed methodological research approach was used to investigate the attitudes of nursing teaching staff toward the use of ICT in nursing education.ResultsOur findings revealed three categories of faculty with differing attitudes to the use of ICT in teaching and learning: pioneers, faculty members who have developed positive attitudes toward ICT usage; followers, faculty members with neutral attitudes; and resisters, faculty members with negative attitudes.ConclusionsIdentification of the nursing faculty members’ attitude toward ICT and the challenges faced by them contributes to the integration of ICT into nursing curricula and further development of educational practices.

Can training in diagnostic radiology be moved online during the COVID-19 pandemic? UK trainee perceptions of the Radiology-Integrated Training Initiative (R-ITI) e-learning platform

AIMTo assess trainee perceptions of the Radiology-Integrated Training Initiative (R-ITI)) e-learning modules.MATERIALS AND METHODSA mixed methodology approach was used, with triangulation between a thematic analysis of eight semi-structured interviews from radiology trainees and trainers, and a contextual analysis of 60 free-text feedback comments and module ratings from trainees after completion of R-ITI modules.RESULTSThree broad themes emerged: “learning the subject matter”, “learning the role,” and “e-learning preferences”. Superficial learning techniques were prevalent when “learning the subject matter” during early training, with e-learning resources providing a good pedagogical fit for this learning. Much of what was considered “learning the role” of the radiologist was learned at the workplace. This included topics with inherent subjectivity, which were difficult to convey with e-learning. Trainees' “e-learning preferences” favoured modules that incorporated many imaging cases with layer annotation, clinical relevance, and self-assessment.CONCLUSIONSThe ease of reproducing imaging studies using the R-ITI platform represents a huge potential for e-learning. Content tailored to the learning needs of the trainee, the appropriateness of the subject matter for an online platform, and the design of the e-learning modules are important considerations. Radiology training also involves important tacit learning and discussions around subjective topics, which are difficult to capture on this platform.

Evaluation of sustainable ecotourism practices in Oke-Idanre Hills, Ondo-State, Nigeria

Sustainable tourism is contributing to environmental conservation and socio-economic well-being of local communities; however, there is a paucity of knowledge on the sustainability of Idanre Hills despite its huge ecotourism potentials. A mixed-methodological approach was employed in analysing surveyed data on tourist influx and household’s responses from neighbouring communities at the study site and the management staff of the Idanre Hills. Physical field observations were also conducted to assess tourist attractions and their location coordinates. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the empirical analysis. Findings revealed a significant negative correlation between local entrepreneurial investments and economic gains in the host communities. Private investors have not benefited significantly from the economic payback of Idanre Hills as a major ecotourism site. Internally generated revenue to the state government in tourism mainly comes from toll fees and rents charged on local restaurants and bars which signify infinitesimal contribution to overall State’s finance. Local visitors were found to have outrun foreign visitors even when total influx rose by 70.8% between 2005 and 2016. There are also positive cultural and environmental impacts of ecotourism practise; therefore, social amenities and infrastructural facilities are necessary to boost the local economy and encourage private entrepreneurial investments in the ecotourism industry. These policy insights would serve as developmental pathways towards actualising the chore of enlisting Idanre Hills on UNESCO World Heritage List.

Exploring the precipitators of violent conflict in Central Nigeria: a mixed methodology approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the mutually reinforcing drivers of violent conflict in rural and urban communities in Central Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative research methodology through multi-stage sampling technique. This involved the purposive selection of Benue and Plateau States in Central Nigeria. The combination of household data collection and Geographic Information System led to the identification of 2,772, 117, 2,668 and 106 grids in Jos, Barkin Ladi, Makurdi and Gbajimba, respectively. This proportion constituted the clusters where household heads were chosen for questionnaire administration. Furthermore, a total of ten in-depth interviews were conducted.FindingsThe prominent precipitators of violent conflicts were: rise of criminal groups and criminal activities, hate speech, state’s inability to protect most citizens against violent crime, political intimidation by ruling party, over militarization of the public space. Others are rising population pressure, proliferation of small arms and light weapons and ban of open grazing.Research limitations/implicationsThis study could be strengthened if broadened to include communities with different socioeconomic realities. Hence, the view presented in this paper may not be considered generalizable to other parts of the country with different cultural settings.Originality/valueThe methodology offers a reliable alternative to combine sampling approaches for household surveys that can help address problems occasioned by the lack of census data.

Systematic analysis of driverless technologies

Purpose The advent of Industry 4.0 has engendered opportunities for a coalescence of digital technologies that collectively enable driverless vehicles to operate during the construction and use of a highway. Yet, hitherto scant research has been conducted to review these collective developments and/or sample construction practitioner opinion on them. This study aims to present a systematic review of extant literature on the application of driverless technologies in civil engineering and in particular, the highways infrastructure sector and offers insight into the limitations of associated barriers to full adoption, namely, current technological development processes, legal deficiencies and societal concerns. In so doing, this work presents a vignette of contemporary developments augmented by a critical analysis from practitioners’ perceptions. Design/methodology/approach A mixed philosophical methodological approach is adopted for this inductive research study. Interpretivism is used to critically analyse the literature and post-positivism to perform content analysis of the literature and synthesis of the discourse with practitioners. A total of 44 related papers published between 1998 and 2019 have been included in this study. Emergent themes identified from literature are then discussed in some further detail, namely, 1) automation and robotics; 2) case studies and simulations; and 3) safety and ergonomics). A focus group is then held with leading industrialists to discuss their experiences of advanced driverless technology applications in practice. Based upon a culmination of emergent evidence, a conceptual model of prevailing barriers is then developed to further elucidate upon the challenges facing the highways infrastructure sector. Findings Research into driverless technologies within the highways infrastructure sector has received relatively scant academic attention. Hitherto, most advancements made have stemmed from multidisciplinary teams consisting of engineering, information technology and social scientist researchers. There is insufficient supporting evidence of civil engineering and construction academics input into developments made – suggesting that prototype products often fail to adequately consider practical applications in the highways infrastructure sector at the design and use case stage. This view is substantiated by feedback from leading industry experts who participated in unstructured telephone interviews. Their feedback suggests that practical applications of products have been beset with problems, thus creating a perception that advanced technologies are largely “unusable” within the highways infrastructure sector and so are unsuitable for large-scale (and particularly bespoke) industrial applications. Originality/value This research critically synthesises the prevailing scientific discourse within extant literature on driverless technologies implemented but also garners practitioner feedback from leading UK industrialists on their applications in practice. Hitherto, this combined analysis approach has been rarely used in spite of it having significant advantages of tacit knowledge reflection on technologies used, where such can be used as a basis for further informed discourse and/or development. Moreover, this work culminates in a conceptual model that acts as a catalyst for future research investigations.

Development of a Conceptual Framework for Effective Quality Management Practices in Construction Organisations

Effective quality management practices are critical to successful project delivery. However, the quality challenges in developing countries such as Nigeria, which is the focus of this research, have been a concern to construction practitioners and other interested parties such as clients and regulatory bodies. Some scholars suggest that part of these challenges can be attributed to ineffective quality management systems; thus, leading to consequences such as building collapse, poor organisational/industry reputation, poor/lack of traceability, poor documentation process, and lack of planned audit. This research aims to develop a contextual model that is intended to improve the culture of quality that can facilitate effective quality management practices in construction organisations in Nigeria. A mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methodological approach was deployed based on a pragmatic research philosophy paradigm. A questionnaire (quantitative) survey was adopted to gather data and results from the data analysis and reviewed literature were discussed, and the findings supported the development of a conceptual quality management model in construction as the outcome of this research. The designed model comprises eight integrated components. The model is a quality system that construction organisations can use: to identify some typical barriers hindering effective QMSs implementation; to assist them to develop cultural values that can drive effective QMSs implementation; to undertake effective QMSs practices as they relate to construction, and to recognise the potential results and longer-term benefits obtainable from implementing effective QMSs. The model was evaluated and validated by professional construction practitioners and academic experts for its usefulness and applicability. Future study should focus on the practical validation of the model.
 Keywords: ISO 9001; Quality Management Practices; Quality Management System.

Implementation of the Vinehealth application, a digital health tool, into the care of patients living with brain cancer.

e13582 Background: Cancers of the brain lead to significant neurocognitive, physical and psychological morbidities. Digital technologies provide a novel platform to capture and evaluate these needs. Mobile health (mHealth) applications typically focus on one aspect of care rather than addressing the multimodal needs of the demographic of these patients. The Vinehealth application aims to address this by tracking symptoms, delivering machine learning-based personalised educational content, and facilitating reminders for medications and appointments. Where mHealth interventions traditionally lack the evidence-based approach of pharmaceuticals, this study acts as an initial step in the rigorous assessment of a new digital health tool. Methods: A mixed methodology approach was applied to evaluate the Vinehealth application as a care delivery adjunct. Patients with brain cancer were recruited from the day of their procedure ± 7 days. Over a 12-week period, we collected real-world and ePRO data via the application. We assessed qualitative feedback from mixed-methodology surveys and semi-structured interviews at onboarding and after two weeks of application use. Results: Six participants enrolled of whom four downloaded the application; four completed all interviews. One patient set up their device incorrectly and so couldn't receive the questionnaires; excluding this patient, the EQ-5D-5L and EORTC QLQ-BN20 completion rates were 100% and 83% respectively. Average scores (±SD) at onboarding and offboarding were EQ-5D-5L: 2.07±1.28 and 1.73±1.22, and QLQ-BN20: 13.33 and 22.5. In total: 212 symptoms, 174 activity, and 47 medication data points were captured, and 113 educational articles were read. Participants were generally optimistic about application use. All users stated they would recommend Vinehealth and expressed subjective improvements in care. Accessibility issues in the ePRO delivery system which impacted completion rate were identified and have subsequently been fully addressed. Conclusions: This feasibility study showed acceptable patient use, led to a subjective improvement in care, and demonstrated effective collection of real-world and validated ePRO data. This provides a strong basis to further explore the integration of the Vinehealth application into brain cancer care. This study will inform the design of a larger, more comprehensive trial continuing to evaluate improvements in care delivery through data collection, educational support and patient empowerment.

The Performance Management Design in Public Hospitals: A Case Study

Abstract In response to the growing pressure on public budgets, many countries introduced various private-sector-inspired management practices to improve the performance of publicly funded health systems. Regardless, the non-negligible share of health-care spending is still considered wasteful, and the search for efficiency gains in healthcare is still relevant. The relevance even increases in the context of events related to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in 2020, presenting new challenges for performance management in hospitals. Considering the gaps between the environmental settings of various countries, a finding of one universal theory of effective hospital management is unlikely. The contextual examination of hospital management on the national level and knowledge-sharing is then a more suitable approach to aid the practitioners in search of the most appropriate mix of management practices. This study employed a mixed methodological approach to examine individual aspects of performance management from the hospital management’s perspective to identify the areas of potential efficiency gains. The core research phase consisted of on-site visits in three public hospitals taking place since September 2019 with the respondents from various management levels and both clinicians and non-clinicians. During an approximately hour-long session the respondents were asked to fill out the questionnaire examining the aspects of the performance management system employed in their institution (e.g., the scope of measurement, reliability of data, communication of results, engagement of management) and interviewed to examine the rationale of provided responses. The on-site research stage resulted in 87 complete data sets further analyzed using statistical analysis with results interpreted using commentaries and rationales obtained from interviews. The findings were similar among all examined institutions and mostly consistent with similarly natured studies. While the performance measurement appeared to reflect the clinical performance better than the organizational one, it is also perceived as inadequate to the complexity of service. The management seemed to consider performance management for operational purposes rather than being incentive-oriented or exploratory, in line with the perceived lack of connection between the performance measurement and the organizational strategy. Combined with poor communication of performance management principles, this discrepancy appears to contribute to the potential tension between the hospital and clinical management in setting priorities between the economic performance and the quality of care. Overall, these findings should provide insight into aspects influencing performance management employed in public hospitals in the Czech Republic and present the evidence for the discussion of potential efficiency gains in practice.

Heteronormativity and Gender Issues in Education: Representing Silent Voices through Radical Re-Imagination in Empirical Research

Drawing from gender and queer studies, this article argues for reimagining empirical research as inclusive of the experiences of transgender and gender-minoritized communities hitherto silenced in prevailing dominant discourses of heteronormativity and the construction of gender in education. Specifically, I interrogate the influence of positivism in reinforcing a heteronormative belief system in educational research, which exacerbates challenges with data collection, analysis, and reporting for gender nonbinary populations. I also explore alternative practices within empirically based studies and offer possibilities for inclusive methodological practice with implications for how we produce knowledge about and understand gender issues in education. The following implications for practice are discussed: (a) using mixed-methodological approaches in gender identity research; (b) capturing experiences of gender using non-normative indicators; (c) exploring nonparametric statistical techniques; (d) repositioning trustworthiness in scope and generalizability through study limitations and transparency; and (e) advocating empirical research, including narrative-inquiry supported by quantitative measures.

Urbanization in Saudi Arabia and sustainability challenges of cities and heritage sites: heuristical insights

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the trajectories of the urbanization process in Saudi Arabia in its regional context from the unification of the country by King Abdul Aziz Al Saud in 1932 to the present time, and the urbanization impact on the status and management of cultural heritage in the Kingdom.Design/methodology/approachOur study design integrated a well-articulated theoretical frame of sustainability to gain a heuristical understanding of urbanization in Saudi Arabia, and its link to cultural heritage. The methodological approach was mixed in nature involving (1) literature search and review, (2) analysis of public documents and databases, (3) analysis of photographs and (4) expert interviews.FindingsOne of the most obvious findings reached in this study is that there is considerable trade-off between heritage site conservation, population and economic demand for increased urbanization. Hence, with increasing urbanization pressures, the value of the heritage site may be rethought based on Saudi Arabia's economic and cultural conservation perspectives.Research limitations/implicationsSince our data are mostly of textual narrative in origin, precise predictions were difficult or impossible for many reasons such as non-linearity, and non-equilibrium dynamics, context and scale dependence as well as the historical exigency of urbanization. However, the same theoretical framework can be applied to appropriate longitudinal/ time series data for predictive analyses, which can be taken up as a future research agenda.Originality/valueThis paper analyzes the urbanization process and sustainability challenges of cultural heritage sites employing a mixed methodological approach, embedded in a holistic theoretical framework of sustainability.

A mixed methods stakeholder satisfaction study of sports events based on the case of the 2016 international children’s games

Sports event research has displayed gaps in the analysis of different stakeholders’ perspectives and satisfaction levels. Consequently, this study aims at laying bare real-time experiences of event stakeholders via a unique mixed method research approach for explaining stakeholder satisfaction. Data were gathered on occasion of the 2016 International Children’s Games in Innsbruck, Austria via mobile ethnography using an app (n = 103), semi-structured interviews (n = 24), and participatory observations. Stakeholders’ experiences were analyzed with the confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm, revealing that catering, transport, and organization can be classified as essential factors, whereas performance factors comprise competitions, daily work, and atmosphere. The findings contribute to the sports event and tourism literature (1) by analyzing the main stakeholders’ perceptions along the entire event journey during the 2016 ICG and (2) by aiming to gather a deeper comprehension of processes among sports event stakeholders with a mixed methodological approach (mobile ethnographical app, interviews and participatory oberservations).

Social networks in the non-profit sector: Social support practices

This paper aims to analyze the adequacy of social support practices in the non-profit sector by users and representatives which are part of “Conselho Local de Ação Social (CLAS)” a non-profit organization located in the north of Portugal and focused on the prevention of social exclusion and poverty. A mixed methodological approach was used. A questionnaire was applied to social beneficiaries. To complement the results, interviews with the entities that constitute the executive board of CLAS were conducted. It was possible to perceive the discrepancies on the social support provided and measure the assessment given by the entity responsible for the social network. Consequently, we could conclude that the beneficiaries of the social response under research perceive a low level of social support received, as opposed to the institutions that perceive a high level of social support provided. This difference in support perception is reflected in all the dimensions analyzed. This research supports executors and decision makers responsible for the implementation of local social support policies on the alignment of beneficiaries’ expectations as well as contribute on the operation improvement of social networks. As for contributions to the practice, some practical suggestions are advised to social network operators, such as the need for more active listening with feedback for beneficiaries, as well as a set of other measures to be implemented regularly in the medium and long term. Regarding contribution to the theory, it is important to mention that the present research is innovative and original as it contributes to clarify and expand the existing literature on social networks in the tertiary sector, based on the analysis of 5 different dimensions of social support. Furthermore, the authors intend to support the welfare of users of the social network under research by increasing the performance of the social network under analysis.