Participant Observation Research Articles

Dissecting the sustainable tourist experience: sustainable consumption theory and co-creation theory approach

PurposeTourists are increasingly co-creating meaningful experiences and demonstrating a growing preference for sustainable travel choices. In response, this study investigates the co-created sustainable tourist experience in the Bahamas.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on sustainable consumption theory and co-creation theory, it aimed to develop a more comprehensive framework that encompasses the entire spectrum of the sustainable tourist experience. Data from 25 in-depth interviews and participant observation were analyzed using an inductive-deductive method.FindingsThe analysis revealed multiple aspects of sustainable tourist experience, including sustainable consumption dimensions (environmental, social/individual, social/interactive, economic and institutional) and co-creation phases (co-production, value-in-use and co-creation), along with travel stages (pre-trip, on-site and post-trip). Based on these insights, this study developed a framework that delineates the mechanism of sustainable tourist experience.Practical implicationsThis study outlines managerial implications for the tourism and hospitality industry, highlighting sustainability as central to the tourist experience. Destination planners are encouraged to promote sustainable initiatives that align with tourists’ desires to co-create experiences, enhancing satisfaction, supporting destination sustainability and contributing to long-term industry viability.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to existing research on co-created, across-stage sustainable tourist experiences by presenting a holistic framework that elucidates the underlying mechanisms. This study extends existing conceptual studies by offering a deeper understanding of how tourists interact and co-create with destinations, emphasizing the need to integrate sustainability more effectively into the tourist experience across all stages of travel.

Work Systems Analysis of Emergency Nurse Patient Flow Management Using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety Model: Applying Findings From a Grounded Theory Study.

Emergency nurses actively manage the flow of patients through emergency departments. Patient flow management is complex, cognitively demanding work that shapes the timeliness, efficiency, and safety of patient care. Research exploring nursing patient flow management is limited. A comprehensive analysis of emergency nursing work systems is needed to improve patient flow work processes. The aim of this paper is to describe the work system factors that impact emergency nurse patient flow management using the System Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model. This study used grounded theory methodologies. Data were collected through multiple rounds of focus groups and interviews with 27 emergency nurse participants and 64 hours of participant observation across 4 emergency departments between August 2022 and February 2023. Data were analyzed using coding, constant comparative analysis, and memo-writing. Emergent themes were organized according to the first component of the System Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model, the work system. Patient flow management is impacted by diverse factors, including personal nursing characteristics; tools and technology; external factors; and the emergency department's physical and socio-organizational environment. Participants raised concerns about the available technology's functionality, usability, and accessibility; departmental capacity and layout; resource levels across the health care system; and interdepartmental teamwork. Other noteworthy findings include obscurity and variability across departments' staff roles titles, functions, and norms; the degree of provider involvement in patient flow management decisions; and management's enforcement of timing metrics. There are significant barriers to the work of emergency patient flow management. More research is needed to measure the impact of these human factors on patient flow outcomes. Collaboration between health care administrators, human factors engineers, and nurses is needed to improve emergency nurse work systems.

Illegalisms and discipline in a Brazilian prison

The article summarizes research with an empirical sample of all cases of severe disciplinary misconduct for possessing a cell phone in a prison of Curitiba in 2017. The question posed for analysis is which parameters would determine the imputation of disciplinary responsibility for cell phones seized from this or that prisoner. From the study of the processes and participant observation, it becomes evident how, in the great majority of cases, the prisoners who take responsibility for the seized items do so because they do not have family in the region, because they have a high remnant penalty or to get some form of payment, not being the real owners of the devices. The application of the disciplinary sanction, with knowledge of the falsity of the confession, indicates that prison administration operates as a manager of illegalisms and not from the legal/illegal binomial.

Sometimes “us”, other times “others”: identity politics within Chinese voluntary associations in Australia

ABSTRACT Research has noticed the heterogeneity within overseas Chinese communities. Yet, not much research has examined the internal dynamics and identity conflicts within Chinese voluntary associations (CVAs) from a transnational perspective. This article focuses on CVAs formed by two Chinese groups – Taiwanese and Hong Kongers in Australia, and argues that homeland identity politics influences association participation and the day-to-day lives of migrants residing overseas. Based on participant observations and in-depth interviews, I illuminate the intersection of pragmatic needs and national identity – a situation where Taiwanese and Hong Konger voluntary associations infuse with mainland Chinese ones sometimes, while other times they maintain identity boundaries and reject a broader Chinese identity shared with migrants from mainland China. This article highlights the space–time-culture nexus of participation in overseas CVAs and identity change or continuity, which manifests in different roles these CVAs played in sustaining ethnic connection, solidarity, and distinction among Chinese migrants in Australia.

Hotels, Bhattis and Porters: Dimensions and Dynamism of Power in Tourism of Khumbu

Tourism development in Khumbu region of Nepal created multiple opportunities to the local Sherpa and other in-migrants in one hand and at the same time it created different segments and layers among various tourism stakeholders. As the tourism began in Khumbu, some people operated hotels, bhattis, shops whereas others were employed as trekking staffs and porters. This article deals with the various dimensions and dynamism of power relationship among hotels, bhattis and porters. Based on the field work, I applied participant and non-participant observation, unstructured interviews and kuragrphy as the major techniques for the primary data collection. The data reveals that hotels, bhattis and porters are indispensable parts of tourism in Khumbu. Each component is essential for the continuation of tourism in Khumbu. However, they exercise various forms of power over others. Judging through the laymen’s eyes, their roles and relationships seem to be normal and natural, but it is not the reality. The reality is that they are framed within a certain stamp of everyday power relationships. The hotels, bhattis and porters are intertwined in different power dimensions. They each exercise various forms of power to control the resources. Hotel owner Sherpas are powerful because of their economic prosperity and higher social status. Being local/insiders and their legacy in tourism and mountaineering are the additional indicators to rank them higher than other two components. They use different forms of power to influence and adjust each other. The power they exercise is not constant; it is a dynamic.

Made for or Made by? A Qualitative Investigation into the Diverse Practices and Roles of Medical Congress Participants.

Medical congresses play a pivotal role in the continuing medical education of healthcare professionals (HCPs), particularly in light of the rapid advancements in medical knowledge and technology. Notwithstanding, little is known about the internal dynamics of such events and how they contribute to the learning processes in communities of health professional practice. This study aims to uncover and elucidate what motivates HCPs to participate in medical congresses and how they experience their participation through a qualitative study. Attending six in-person medical congresses in Western Europe in 2023, we collected data through a combination of ethnographic methods including 69 in-situ interviews, 17 in-depth interviews, and extensive participant observations. We analyzed the role of the physical environment, participant motivation, interdisciplinarity, and participant diversity for medical congress attendance, ultimately identifying four types of congress participants: Explorers, Newcomers, Drivers, and Updaters, each characterized by unique patterns of professional experience and engagement within the professional communities. Our findings elucidate the complex motivational landscape of medical congress participants, where the desire for learning is routinely complemented by the pursuit of peer recognition. Our insights and the qualitative typology of medical congress participants introduced have the potential to optimize continuous medical education and shape the structure of future medical congresses by shedding light on the evolving needs of HCPs in diverse medical fields.

Challenging the Mainstreams: Broadcasting Salafi Da'wah on Indonesian TV Channels

This article examines Salafi da'wah (Islamic proselytizing) movements on private TV stations at the national level. The proliferation of da'wah on private TV in post-Suharto regimes is considered part of the increasing commodification of Islam, which targets middle-class Muslims as a market for economic benefits. The routine appearances of these preachers have shaped alternative religious authority that challenges and competes with the conventional ones from Islamic organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama or Muhammadiyah and Islamic education institutions such as pesantren or Islamic universities. Since 2010, Salafi da'wah has challenged this by providing da'wah contents that focus on educating Muslims to be more pious. Drawing from participatory observation and in-depth interviews with program producers and other related parties, this article strives to answer how the Salafi da'wah movement attempts to dominate the Islamic public sphere in the country and face competition with other religious authorities through da'wah programs on TV. It is argued that the emergence of the Salafi authority through the da'wah program on TV has challenged the dominance of mainstream da'wah of Nahdlatul Ulama or Muhammadiyah in the Indonesian public sphere.

Foreign entrepreneurship in the Japanese startup ecosystem: Can deviance fuel innovation?

ABSTRACT The Japanese economy has experienced continued modest growth, and recently contraction, and has struggled with a formidable demographic crisis. In dire need of innovation, the Japanese government has started to focus on foreign entrepreneurship, encouraging innovation from abroad. This article examines the practices of knowledge-intensive, or “innovation-driven”, foreign entrepreneurship in contemporary Japan. Using qualitative data from in-depth interviews with foreign entrepreneurs of varied ethnic and national backgrounds, stakeholders of the Tokyo startup scene, as well as from participant observation at events of the Tokyo startup community, I propose that the concept of positive deviance can help us understand migrant entrepreneurs’ strategies for navigating business formation. As argued by previous migration literature, foreign migrants are suspected of deviance and are tightly controlled by the state. At the same time, the newly created Startup visa, which allows the entrepreneurs relatively easy and affordable access to the Japanese market, signals an unprecedented openness to migrants with the hope that their transnational experiences and connections facilitate innovative business creation and overcome Japanese norms of risk-aversity. The analysis reveals that the migrants walk a fine line between challenging social norms and slipping into illegality due to inflexible visa policies and structural constraints. Eventually, immigration policies, which have become increasingly flexible regarding skilled foreign employees, keep a firm grip on skilled foreign employers, thereby exposing migration authorities’ deeply ingrained notions of foreignness as negatively deviant. That said, migrants with sufficient socialization in Japanese institutions increasingly know how to maneuvre the legal system and the startup ecosystem.

Visual Politics, Protest, and Power: Who Shaped the Climate Visual Discourse at COP26?

ABSTRACT Despite the importance of visual imagery for how people conceptualise issues in the news media, most research on journalism and communication prioritises textual media. This research examines the visual imagery accompanying news stories about the 2021 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow (COP26). Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyse over 1,300 images from eight UK news outlets using content and critical visual discourse analysis. We then contextualise these images, drawing on interviews and participant observation with key visual media actors including image agency photojournalists and news journalists, editors and correspondents. First, we find that the visual discourse of COP26 is limited to politicians and “talking heads” imagery, and images of protest. Second, we explore the journey that images take through the news media ecosystem, from the camera lens to the published news article, identifying the sources of power which act on visuals throughout this journey. Sources of power can be obvious (e.g., individual photographers), whilst others are obscured or misattributed (e.g., curation and editing). Overall, we empirically demonstrate the importance of understanding the networked nature of images and how they move through a complex globalised media ecosystem, rather than conceptualising them simply as static objects in the news cycle.

From Pulpit to Everyday Speech: The Social and Linguistic Impact of Pentecostalism in Nigerian

Nigerian Pentecostalism has emerged as a significant social and cultural force, wielding substantial influence over many aspects of daily life, including language use. The movement has contributed not only to the rise of new lexical expressions that reinforce religious dogmatism in a restrictive sense, but also has fecundated their pervasive deployments in social discourse, in a non-restrictive sense. Through innovative media, Pentecostal ideology—particularly in warfare prayer forms and vernacular—has permeated society, allowing everyday people to adopt these expressions in popular culture to convey various ideologies and identities. This study examines how ordinary Nigerians use these expressions as tools of offense and defense against perceived threats to their progress as well as a means of engagement and socialization. Analytical in nature, the study employs Norman Fairclough’s (1995) Critical Discourse Analysis and draws on data from participant observations and unstructured interviews. The findings show that the adoption of Pentecostal language and expressions reflects the changing sociocultural landscape and the influence of religious movements on societal norms and values. Both language and religion are shown to be fundamental instruments in the development of human society.

St Pauls carnival, sound systems and the seven saints of St Pauls – making black heritage and spaces in Bristol

ABSTRACT This article explores Black heritage spaces in St Pauls, Bristol and investigates how Black urban communities use inner-city landscapes and neighbourhoods for the production and celebration of own heritage spaces. While the city has been the site of an important demonstration of public contestation of authorised heritage, when the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was toppled on 7 June 2020, there has been a history of Black heritage practices and spaces. Using ethnographic methods, such as participant observation, chatting, walking through the neighbourhood and participating in local events, the article examines these alternative heritage spaces, where Black heritage is produced, (re-)defined and presented by the community who actively remember, recognise and celebrate their legacies in the urban space.

Salvaging the Fading Culture of the Mamanwa People in Basey, Samar, Philippines: An Ethnographic Study

This ethnographic study explores the cultural dynamics and challenges faced by the Mamanwa people, an indigenous group in the Philippines. Through immersive fieldwork and participatory observation, the research highlights the impact of modernization, environmental changes, and socio-economic pressures on the Mamanwa's traditional practices, beliefs, and identity. Interviews with community members reveal a deep commitment to preserving their heritage amidst these challenges, showcasing their resilience and adaptive strategies. This study aims to raise awareness of the Mamanwa's unique cultural contributions and advocates for collaborative efforts to safeguard their traditions, ultimately emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation in a rapidly changing world.

Philosophy meets culture: How existential reflection and 'Arema Spirit' shape startup bootstrapping strategies?

​​Existential philosophy provides a framework to understand the motivations and strategic decisions of startup founders in navigating uncertainty and limited resources. This study explores the interplay between existential reflection and the 'Arema Spirit,' a cultural ethos in Malang, Indonesia, in shaping financial bootstrapping strategies. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, data was collected from 30 creative startup founders through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and qualitative questionnaires. The analysis emphasizes how founders integrate philosophical reflection with local cultural values to balance autonomy, ethical responsibility, and resource efficiency. The findings reveal that existential reflection fosters strategic independence and resilience while the 'Arema Spirit' inspires ethical and community-oriented decisions. This dynamic is encapsulated in the Bootstrapping Existential Reflection Cycle, an iterative framework connecting existential values, bootstrapping practices, and practical innovation. The study highlights the role of cultural identity in entrepreneurial strategy, bridging philosophy, and practice in navigating startup challenges.

Integrating Bima's Traditional Expressions in the Education of Social Ethics and Norms

Objective: The objective of this study is to incorporate Bima cultural expressions in ethical education and social standards. Theoretical Framework: Bima's oral tradition, especially in the form of traditional expressions, reflects a rich and diverse cultural heritage. These expressions contain educational, religious, moral, and social values that are passed down from generation to generation The integration of these traditional expressions into school education can be an effective strategy to teach ethics and social norms to students. Despite this considerable potential, however, the integration of the traditions in question into the formal curriculum is still minimal Method: This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method, which was chosen to understand the integration of oral traditions through traditional expressions in ethics and social norms education in schools in Bima district, West Nusa Tenggara. The research participants consisted of high school teachers and students who were purposively selected based on the relevance of their knowledge related to this research topic. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, focusing on the use of Bima traditional expressions in the learning process. Data analysis was conducted thematically, including coding, categorisation, and interpretation of findings, as well as triangulation to ensure the validity and reliability of the research results Results and Discussion: Based on the data obtained and analysed, it was found that; 1) Teachers integrate traditional expressions to provide students with an understanding of the importance of perseverance, responsibility, and the relationship between knowledge and behaviour. 2) Traditional expressions are used to give moral advice to students. 3) Teachers consistently use traditional expressions to instil ethics and social norms to students. Although not all students respond directly, the use of these expressions helps students understand the importance of ethical behaviour in everyday life. 4) The integration of Bima oral tradition in education helps preserve local culture amidst globalisations. Research Implications: This research enhances the literature on oral tradition in education, particularly in Bima, by developing a new framework for integrating it into formal education. It can also guide the development of a more inclusive, culture-based local curriculum, enhancing the learning environment and providing recommendations for education policy makers.

Exclusive Insights and Case-related Paradigm Doubting: Participant Observation on German EU Policy

Dans la littérature sur l'observation participante, la recherche sur les gouvernements ou les organisations internationales joue un rôle mineur. Peu de gouvernements, d'organismes internationaux ou d'agences autorisent les chercheurs à pénétrer dans leurs cercles internes, et une grande partie des informations pertinentes pour l'analyse peuvent être soumises à des règles de restriction. Cependant, si les chercheurs ont accès aux organes gouvernementaux, ils peuvent recueillir des informations sur les pratiques de gouvernance qu'il est difficile d'obtenir par d'autres moyens. Ce document décrit une observation participante au sein du département européen du ministère allemand des Affaires étrangères. L'article traite des relations de l'observateur avec les enquêtés, des difficultés de montée en généralité et de potentiels problèmes quant à l'identification du chercheur avec son objet de recherche. Introduction

Emergent Bilingual Children Love reading… if We Let Them

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study explored the shifting landscape of literacy learning and instruction in an early childhood program in an agricultural community in the U.S. Midwest. The author traces the impact of deficit thinking and English-only curriculum on the literacy education of young Spanish/English emergent bilinguals, and describes the economic, health, and linguistic inequalities lived by immigrant and migrant farmworker families in the program. Data were collected over twelve months and consisted of weekly participant and non-participant observations of classroom instruction; reading bilingual books with children; interviews with teachers and administrators; informal conversations with parents; and field-notes from teacher workshops. Through examination of the developing literacy of two emergent bi/multilingual (im)migrant children, the study shows how early childhood teachers with limited formal training created a learning environment that allowed children to demonstrate rich language and literacy abilities in two languages. The author argues that an abrupt change from a bilingual, play-based literacy curriculum to English monolingual, skills-based instruction aimed at promoting “kindergarten readiness” reduced children’s opportunities to love reading and develop biliteracy.

Emergy assessment for depollution of the Charles de Gaulle stream in Brazil

Objective: This study aimed to conduct an emergy assessment for the depollution of the Charles de Gaulle stream in Brazil. Methodology: A case study approach was employed, utilizing interviews and participant observation for data collection. The emergy assessment was applied to the gathered data, yielding significant results. Originality: This study addresses a critical research gap, as no literature specifically applies emergy assessment to urban stream depollution. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of the stream’s revitalization and monitoring impacts, contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) on clean water and sanitation. Results: Emergy indicators, analyzed through sensitivity analysis, reveal improvements in ecosystem services, resource optimization, and water quality. A decrease in the stream's total emergy indicates clear environmental restoration and societal reintegration into the ecosystem. Contributions: This research demonstrates the feasibility of applying emergy assessment in urban water revitalization. The reduction in total emergy signifies environmental restoration and supports practical actions toward achieving SDG 6 focused on clean water and sanitation.

MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS THE RELATIONSHIP MERCHANT MIDDLEMENT TO SUPPLIER AND CUSTOMER PEPPER IN MERANCANG ILIR VILLAGE, EAST BORNEO, INDONESIA

The purpose of this study was to: 1) Describe the status and role of middlement in the trade and marketing of pepper, 2) Describes the purchasing system is being run, 3) Describes how to set the price, 4) Explaining SRM and CRM performed by middlement in maintaining a relationship with supplier and customer. This research used qualitative that have descriptive explanation characteristic. The researcher used participant-observation (participant observation), interviews and photos as the tools of collecting data. The determination participants and key informant for this research used snowball sampling techniques, with one participant and four key informants. This research used qualitative data that have descriptive explanation characteristic, are analyzed descriptively. The results of this study indicate that: 1) Status as a peppers collector in the pepper trading and marketing activities was the person who runs three roles at once, 2) Purchasing system was done by the collectors by collecting and looking for pepper from farmers (suppliers) to be purchased in accordance with market prices, and payment usually by giving cash advance prior to the harvest or by paid upon trading activities are taking place, 3) The system in pricing is applied and executed by an intermediary trader, namely the Mark-Up Pricing Method, amounting to IDR 2,000.00/kg pepper from the price given to customers, 4) The relationship management of supplier and customer who performed by collectors consist of: CRM activity (real relationship with customers and customer satisfaction), and SRM (commitment, communication, honestly, discussion, and sharing of information).

Turkish Immigrants’ Perceptions of the Polish Healthcare System

The experiences of migrants and refugees within the healthcare system play an important role in ensuring mutual adaptation. The questions we address focus on accessibility to healthcare, lack of trust and communication, and the social adaptation of Turkish immigrants in Poland . Turkish immigrants hold significant importance in the immigrant population of Poland, both from historical and socioeconomic-cultural perspectives. The Polish healthcare system has recently faced serious due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic and the influx of refugees. As the Turkish immigrant population expands in Poland, the importance of the position of increases, as it shapes healthcare relations among both Turkish immigrants and the general Polish population. With this research, we aim to understand the health experiences of migrants and the factors affecting these experiences, focusing on the relationship between the health system in Poland and its migrants. Our data was collected through interviews with 11 Turkish immigrants from Warsaw, Poznań, Toruń, Wrocław, and Bydgoszcz, along with participant observation in Poland. The findings point to the complex interplay of challenges and opportunities in migrants' healthcare experiences in Poland. Our data suggest that the healthcare system is one of the areas in which migrants are vulnerable in the host country, and states should focus on it to support the adaptation process.

Caring for the environment: Plastic waste management and environmental concerns in Colombian coffee‐growing communities

AbstractA study was conducted with coffee growers from the municipalities of Caldono (Cauca) and Pitalito (Huila) in Colombia. Workshops, participant observation and farm visits were used to identify elements to understand (a) practices to the care of the environment, (b) the perception of the use of plastic materials, and (c) perspective toward biodegradable packages in their practices. Among the main results are an awareness for the care of the water resource and the care of the trees as its main contributions to the protection of its environment. In both communities, the problem is perceived due to the management of plastic waste and its influence on environmental deterioration due to poor management. They also recognize that the development of biodegradable bags can contribute to caring for their environment and make their economic activity more sustainable.