Positive Social Outcomes Research Articles

Innovative Strategies for Restoration of Degraded Ecosystems: A Case Study of Abandoned Agricultural Land and Abandoned Mining Land Recovery in West Java Province

Ecosystem degradation and land abandonment are pressing global environmental challenges, with significant ecological, social, and economic consequences. In the context of West Java Province, Indonesia, the degradation of abandoned agricultural and mining lands has been a particularly pronounced issue. This study explored innovative strategies for the restoration of these degraded ecosystems, focusing on the recovery of abandoned agricultural and mining lands in West Java. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Key findings revealed a range of innovative strategies, including natural regeneration, agroforestry, phytoremediation, and soil improvement techniques, being used to restore abandoned lands. Challenges such as slow ecological recovery, community conflicts, and technical hurdles were also identified. Despite these challenges, the restoration efforts have yielded positive ecological, social, and economic outcomes, including increased biodiversity, improved soil quality, enhanced community livelihoods, and economic benefits. This study provides valuable insights into the complex process of ecosystem restoration in West Java Province and offers recommendations for policymakers, landowners, and conservation practitioners. The findings underscore the importance of community engagement, sustainable land management practices, and ongoing monitoring and research to support the long-term success of ecosystem restoration initiatives.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND VALUE CREATION IN ROMANIA

"This paper examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and value creation in Romania. Specifically. This paper aims to identify the key CSR practices that companies in Romania are engaging in, and to explore how these practices are impacting business performance and creating value for stakeholders. By examining the extent to which companies in Romania are embracing CSR and the outcomes they are achieving, this paper will contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of CSR in creating sustainable and socially responsible businesses in Romania. The main tool at the basis of such an analysis is the international GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) – Social indicators reporting, differently approached by different companies within their sustainability reports, collected within a database, converted into comparable information based on a scoring method, as the indicators are either qualitative or quantitative, most of the times very difficult to bring to a common denominator. Such a method we also consider useful in further valuation and ranking. The findings of this paper suggest that corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices are becoming increasingly important for businesses operating in Romania. The analysis reveals that companies in Romania are engaging in a range of CSR practices, including philanthropy, environmental sustainability, and employee welfare, and that these practices are having a positive impact on both business performance and stakeholder perceptions. Specifically, the study finds that companies that engage in CSR are more likely to attract and retain talent, enhance their reputation, and brand value, and generate higher levels of customer loyalty and satisfaction. Moreover, the analysis indicates that CSR practices can also lead to cost savings and improved operational efficiencies, further contributing to value creation. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of CSR as a strategic tool for businesses seeking to create long-term sustainable value in Romania. The Sustainability Disclosure Database provides the existing sustainability reports of major companies in Romania, along recent years. Given such data, these reports have been processed and the information has been tailored into rather homogenous sets, starting with the GRI Standards’ indicators and generating an hierarchy of social activities and their results. We consider such an enterprise necessary if it is aimed at achieving a clear evaluation and identification of company’s both financial and social performance. This paper contributes to the literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and value creation by providing insights into the current state of CSR practices in Romania, a context that has received relatively little attention in the CSR literature. The paper builds on previous studies by focusing specifically on Romania, a transitional economy that has undergone significant political and economic changes in recent years, and by examining the relationship between CSR and value creation in this context. The paper’s findings highlight the importance of CSR for businesses operating in Romania and offer practical insights for companies seeking to implement CSR strategies that create sustainable value for stakeholders. This study also provides a foundation for future research on CSR in Romania and other emerging economies, thereby advancing our understanding of the role of CSR in driving positive social and environmental outcomes while also creating business value."

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Examining Persistence Factors Among Rural First-Year Community College Students

ABSTRACT College completion is an important focus for policy and practice and is impacted by student academic and non-academic factors. Participation in non-classroom activities is well documented to extend positive intellectual, social, and psychosocial outcomes associated with college completion, yet this association is understudied for community college students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether rural community college full-time first-year students who participate in non-classroom activities differ from nonparticipants. An adapted form of the College Persistence Questionnaire Version 2 (CPQ-V2) was utilized to examine five factors previously demonstrated to influence student persistence including academic integration, social integration, degree commitment, collegiate stress, and institutional commitment. The CPQ-V2 was administered using an electronic instrument during the Fall 2021 semester wherein respondents provided details about their pre-college background and involvement in non-classroom activities. Data analysis consisted of the chi-square test of independence and one-way ANOVA to identify significant associations or relationships between variables. Results demonstrated variation among student groups in non-classroom involvement and the outcomes correlated to such involvement. The findings offer insights for community colleges considering supports to increase persistence (and completion) through student engagement and recommendations for monitoring the effectiveness of non-classroom opportunities to meet residential and nonresidential students’ needs.

Volunteering on Heritage at Risk sites and wellbeing: A qualitative interview study.

We explored experiences of volunteering in Heritage at Risk (HAR) projects, intended to mitigate the deterioration to historic assets, and the relationship with wellbeing. We aimed to understand the value of HAR to volunteers' wellbeing and relationships between HAR programme characteristics such as location, asset type and type of activity. We used a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews of a purposive sample of volunteers recruited via Historic England (HE), employing Systematic Grounded Theory involving open, axial and selective coding. We interviewed 35 volunteers (18 male and 17 female) participating in 10 HAR projects. We identified six themes from the data analysis. (1) Purpose-was associated with volunteering motivations; there were some barriers to volunteering and many types of facilitators, including accessibility to local heritage sites. (2) Being-volunteers showed an appreciation and attachment to their place of residence. (3) Capacity-to learn heritage-specific skills and diversify experiences in learning new skills (life, technical and personal). (4) Sharing-community engagement, connectedness, and inclusivity captured diversity and inclusion within volunteers across age, ethnicity, ability, and gender. (5) Self-nurture-HAR volunteering created physical, psychological, and social benefits with limited risks and adverse outcomes. (6) Self-actualisation-described volunteers reflecting on their experiences. HAR volunteering was associated with positive physical, social and psychological wellbeing outcomes. The study provides an evidence base for specific wellbeing benefits of volunteeringat Heritage at Risk sites, although we could not conclude that HAR project activity was the cause of increased wellbeing. Staff from HE were involved in designing the project brief. In selecting the HAR project sites, we took advice and recommendations from HE staff across all their six regional offices.

Effects of service-learning as opposed to traditional teaching-learning contexts: a pilot study with three different courses

IntroductionService-Learning (SL) is an innovative teaching-learning proposal with an increasingly wide application in higher education. Previous studies show its potential to generate positive personal, academic, social and citizenship outcomes among students who participate in it. But studies that help understand in depth its real impact, particularly in comparison with more traditional teaching-learning contexts, are still scarce. MethodThis study explores the effects of Service-Learning on 122 university students, who were attending Psychology (n = 80), Social Work (SW; n = 19) and Applied Foreign Languages (AFL; n = 23) degree courses. These participants were organized into service-learning and traditional teaching-learning groups and assessed on expectations and impact of the service-experience, development of social and civic skills, and life goals.ResultsResults show significant differences between pre- and post-tests in life goals, namely an increase in hedonistic and wellbeing goals for Psychology students, political, hedonistic, religious, personal development, and wellbeing goals for SW students, and social and wellbeing goals for AFL students. Students in Psychology and AFL increased their expectations with the service and students in the AFL developed more pro-social behaviors.DiscussionThese results are encouraging for the expansion of this transformative teaching-learning practice to courses of different scientific areas, although with some specificities, with the purpose of contributing to a more responsible, critical and participatory society in the creation of the common good.

How did the landscape of student belonging shift during COVID‐19?

AbstractBackgroundBelonging is a fundamental human motivation associated with a wide range of positive psychological, educational, social, and job outcomes. Frequent and predominantly conflict‐free interactions within a stable, relational framework of caring are required to facilitate belonging.PurposeThe goal of this study was to understand if and how emergency remote teaching (ERT) used during the COVID‐19 pandemic changed the ways in which instructional support and interactions were linked to belonging among engineering students.Methodology/ApproachThis study used survey data from a cross‐sectional dataset at a single large institution comprised of sophomore to senior‐level students (n = 1485) enrolled in engineering courses between 2016 and 2021. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to study relationships among instructional support, instructor interactions, and belonging.Findings/ConclusionsHLM models of ERT and traditional learning differed dramatically. In traditional classroom learning, race, interactions with faculty and teaching assistants (TAs), and instructional support were important factors in belonging. In ERT, certain motivations to study engineering (altruism, desire to build things) had nuanced associations with belonging, while race and interactions with faculty and TAs became largely irrelevant. Most concerning, faculty interactions in traditional learning were negatively associated with belonging.ImplicationsRather than returning to pre‐pandemic traditional learning, a hybrid model that offers a more level playing field for marginalized students to find belonging in the classroom is recommended. In developing such models, faculty must take special care to avoid having a potentially negative impact on student belonging.

グリットは安定したパーソナリティ特性か？――Big Fiveとの比較を通じた縦断的検討

Grit is a positive noncognitive ability that has been associated with positive social outcomes and improved mental health. To address the research gap in Japan regarding the temporal stability of grit, a three-year longitudinal survey (T1: N=1,087–T3: N=546) was conducted among caregivers. The study aimed to determine whether grit is a stable personality trait. The study also compared the change in scale scores and longitudinal correlations of grit with those of the Big Five personality traits. The results revealed that the average score changes were minimal for grit and the BIF Five personality traits. However, the longitudinal correlations of individuals for grit were lower, indicating that grit characteristics may change through various experiences.

The Association Between Religiosity and Social Behaviour Among Children: A Romanian Perspective

Abstract For children, a proper environment will support the development of pro-social characteristics, while a hostile environment is likely to lead to anti-social development. Starting from this premise, the main purpose of this work is to determine if and to what degree children’s involvement in Christian practices, acquired as a result of living in a Christian environment, is reflected in their socio-emotional development. This possible association was assessed using Spearman and Pearson correlations and simple linear regression on some religious attributes (as independent variables) and some positive and negative age-specific social manifestations (as dependent variables). The results of the study show that an increased level of religious behaviour could predict a higher chance of positive social behaviour outcomes. Thus, religiosity may be regarded as one possible good influence on children’s development in future adults.

Advance Statements for Black African and Caribbean people (AdStAC): protocol for an implementation study

BackgroundThe UK government committed to legislating for Advance Choice Documents/Advance Statements (ACD/AS) following their recommendation by the Independent Review of the MHA (2018). ACDs/AS are yet to be implemented in routine practice despite evidence and high demand; they are associated with improved therapeutic relationships and a reduction (25%, RR 0.75, CI 0.61–0.93) in compulsory psychiatric admission. Barriers to their implementation are well documented, ranging from low knowledge levels to logistical challenges in accessing the content during episodes of acute care. In the UK this is an issue for Black people, who experience detention rates disproportionately (over three times) higher than those of White British people and have poorer care experiences and outcomes. ACDs/AS allow for Black people to have their concerns heard by mental health professionals in a care system where they often feel their views are ignored. AdStAC aims to improve Black service users’ experiences in mental health services in South London by co-producing and testing an ACD/AS implementation resource with Black service users, mental health professionals and carers/supporters of Black service users.Methods/designThe study will take place in South London, England over three phases: 1) formative work through stakeholder workshops; 2) co-production of resources through a consensus development exercise and working groups; and 3) testing of the resources using quality improvement (QI) methods. A lived experience advisory group, staff advisory group and project steering committee will support the study throughout. The implementation resources will comprise: advance choice document/advance statement (ACD/AS) documentation, stakeholder trainings, a manual for mental health professionals to facilitate the processes of creating and revising advance statements, and informatics development.DiscussionThe implementation resources will help increase the likelihood of the new mental health legislation in England being implemented effectively; through aligning evidence-based medicine, policy and law to effectively provide positive clinical, social and financial outcomes for Black people, the National Health Service (NHS) and wider society. This study will likely benefit a wider group of people with severe mental illness, as when marginalised groups who are least engaged, can be supported with these strategies, then the strategies are likely to work for others.

The Innovative Strategy of the Business Development Based on the Waste Tire Recycling in the Republic of Lithuania

Abstract This article explores the development of a new business strategy in the Republic of Lithuania that focuses on the processing of waste tires into fuel. An innovative approach has been adopted, which incorporates three interdependent components: managerial, legal, and financial/economic factors. This approach ensures the integration of different levels and functions of management for the inclusive development of this business in the Republic of Lithuania. A set of indicators has been proposed, which were used to conduct a comparative analysis of alternative types of energy used for heating, such as diesel fuel, pyrolysis, wood pellets, electricity, and natural gas. A mathematical model has been constructed to formalize the financial and economic results of the tire recycling business, and it can be used to determine the results with any number of recycled tires. The investment analysis of the tire recycling business in the Republic of Lithuania confirms the economic feasibility of the proposed strategy. The risk assessment of the proposed strategy was also conducted, taking into account the technical and possible initial volumes of processing. Based on these economic and mathematical tools, managerial decisions can be made regarding the strategic alternatives for implementation. Additionally, the implementation of this strategy can lead to multiple positive environmental and social outcomes such as reduction of waste tires in landfills and decrease in dependence on fossil fuels. The results of this research provide a valuable basis for decision-makers in the government and private sector to consider the implementation of this innovative strategy and contribute to the sustainable development of the country.

5 Plasma cortisol responses of horses in equine assisted activities

Documentation of positive physical, social, psychological, and physiological outcomes in humans following interactions with horses has led to an increase of interest in and availability of programs offering equine assisted services (EAS). The effects of EAS programming and clients on horse well-being is unclear and needs further study given the increasing scrutiny the public sector gives to issues of animal welfare in the agricultural and equine industries. The objective of this study was to investigate the stress response of horses in equine assisted activities (EAA) via measurement of plasma cortisol. Horses were assigned to a 30 min adaptive horsemanship lesson with a veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (EAA, n = 6, 20.3 ± 1.9 yrs, mean ± SE) or a concurrent 30 min standing control with no interaction in a small area of the same arena (CON, n = 6, 13.8 ± 1.7 yrs) such that horses served as conspecifics for one another with visual, olfactory, and auditory contact for the 8-week study. Lessons occurred weekly at the same time for a given pair of horses and veteran (between 1100 and 1500). EAA horses regularly participated in this type of work. CON horses were regularly ridden and handled by recreational riders. Indwelling jugular catheters were placed using sterile technique and local lidocaine anesthetic at least 30 min beforethe start of the lesson. Blood samples were collected into lithium heparin coated tubes at the start of the lesson (0), 3 min in (3), 5 min in (5), 25 min in (25), and 30 min in (30). Samples were immediately placed on ice until centrifuged at 2,500 rpm for 5 min. Plasma was aliquoted and stored at −80°C until assayed for cortisol using a solid phase chemiluminescent immunoassay system (Immulite) validated for use in horses. Data were analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA with fixed effects of treatment (EAA, CON), time point, week, and their interactions and a random effect of horse. Time point and week were considered repeated measures. Statistically different means were separated using Tukey's method. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Cortisol concentrations during EAA ranged from 1.85 ± 0.26 µg/dL at time point 0 in wk 1 to 2.88 ± 0.30 µg/dL at time point 30 in wk 8 with no significant differences. Cortisol in CON horses was elevated at time points 25 (3.14 ± 0.19 µg/dL) and 30 (3.13 ± 0.19 µg/dL) as compared with time points 0 (2.56 ± 0.12 µg/dL), 3 (2.53 ± 0.13 µg/dL), and 5 (2.58 ± 0.14 µg/dL) (P ≤ 0.05). Horses appeared to be more stressed by confinement and limited contact with humans than by interactions with veterans with PTSD.

The women-empowering effect of higher education

We examine the effects of the large-scale construction of public universities in Egypt during the 1960s and 1970s. We found that opening a local university increased the likelihood of obtaining higher education degrees and had long-lasting positive effects on labor market and marriage outcomes, particularly for women. We give insights on internal migration as a channel and show that migration prior to university enrollment age decreased while migration after that age increased as an outcome of university construction. Local universities reduced men’s migration for study and women’s migration for early marriage. The paper highlights the importance of increasing access to higher education for positive social and labor outcomes, particularly for women.

Depressive symptoms and vaping: The mediating effect of outcome expectancies among young adults

ObjectiveThe purpose of the present study was to determine if positive affect reinforcement and social enhancement outcome expectancies mediate the longitudinal association between depressive symptoms and frequency of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use one year later among young adults. MethodParticipants were 1567 young adults participating in the first three waves of the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas project. At Wave 1 participants were 18–25 years old (M = 20.27; SD = 1.86), 61.46% female; 36.25% non-Hispanic white, 33.95% Hispanic/Latino, 14.10% Asian, 7.72% African American/Black, 7.98% two or more races/ethnicities or another race/ethnicity. The independent variable, depressive symptoms, was assessed with the CES-D-10 at Wave 1. The mediating variables, positive affect reinforcement and social enhancement ENDS outcome expectancies were assessed using items adapted from the Youth Tobacco Survey at Wave 2 six months later. The outcome variable was frequency of past 30-day ENDS use at Wave 3, one year after Wave 1. A mediation model was used to test the study hypothesis. ResultsPositive affect reinforcement ENDS outcome expectancies (b = 0.013, SE = 0.006, Bootstrap 95%CI: [0.003, 0.025]), but not social enhancement expectancies (b = −0.004, SE = 0.003, Bootstrap 95%CI: [−0.010, 0.0003]), mediated the positive association between elevated depressive symptoms and frequency of ENDS use one year later. ConclusionResults indicate young adults experiencing elevated depressive symptoms may use ENDS at a greater frequency than their peers because they believe ENDS use will alleviate stress, increase relaxation and/or concentration.

The Ethics of Investment: Balancing Profit with Social Responsibility

The rise of sustainable and socially responsible investing reflects a growing recognition that financial success cannot be separated from social and environmental impact. Investors are increasingly aware that their choices have consequences beyond financial returns, and that they have a responsibility to consider the impact of their investments on society and the planet. At the same time, investors are faced with a complex and rapidly changing landscape, with new issues and challenges emerging all the time. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, has highlighted the interconnectedness of global systems and the importance of resilience and sustainability in the face of crises. Climate change, social inequality, and political instability are just a few of the other issues that investors must grapple with in order to make informed and responsible investment decisions. In this context, tools and strategies for evaluating the social and environmental impact of investments are becoming increasingly important. These can include frameworks for measuring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, as well as tools for assessing the sustainability and ethical practices of individual companies. There are also a growing number of investment vehicles that are specifically designed to support positive social and environmental outcomes, such as impact investing funds and community development finance institutions. Ultimately, the question of how to balance profit with social responsibility is a complex and ongoing one, requiring ongoing engagement and dialogue between investors, companies, and stakeholders. But by taking a more socially responsible approach to their investments, investors can help to create a more just and sustainable world, while still achieving their financial objectives.

The EU Model of Socially Responsible Public Procurement

Purpose: The object of this paper is an overview of the European Model of Socially Responsible Public Procurement for the purpose of knowing the civil servants involved in the public contracts and the prospective contractors about them. Public buyers spend more than 16% of the EU’ GDP. By using the Public Procurement effectively by contracting authorities, one can have positive social impact (such as the reduction of criminal rate because of the employment of ex-offenders or immigrants) and contribute to sustainable development. Socially Responsible Public Procurement, in other words, take into account social considerations in public contracts in order to achieve positive social outcomes through the purchasing power of the Public Sector.
 Methodology: Concise review of the most important Articles of Directive 2014/24/EU related to Socially Responsible Public Procurement in the European Union will be made.
 Findings: Presentation of the most important articles of Directive 2014/24/EU on Socially Responsible Public Procurement
 Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: For the first time, stakeholders in Socially Responsible Public Procurement will have a comprehensive overview of the institutional framework in place in the European Union to be able to develop relevant public policies (employment, social policy, etc.). This work hopes to become a reference point for both Social Economy Operators and Contracting Authorities, both to facilitate the access of the former to the EU public procurement market and to provide a basis for the development of initiatives to further improve this institutional framework.

Sport participation, acculturative stress, and depressive symptoms among international college students in the United States.

The distinctive social nature of sport in its capacity to promote immigrants' adaptation to the new society has been regarded as a vehicle to cope with adverse mental health outcomes derived from acculturative stress (AS) and feelings of marginalization. However, the evidence on the relationship between sport participation (SP), AS, and mental health have been lacking and fragmented. Recognizing this challenge, we examined the mediating effect of AS on the relationship between SP and depressive symptoms (DS) among international college students in the USA. A total of 203 international college students in the USA were recruited via Prolific. The instrumentation included previously validated measures: SP (SLIM-18), AS (ASSIS), DS (CES-D-10), sense of coherence (SOC-13), and demographic characteristics. Mediation analysis showed a significant association between (1) SP and DS (ß = -0.030, p < 0.05) and (2) AS and DS (ß = 0.053, p < 0.001), while (3) no significant indirect effect of AS was found [ß = -0.001, SE = 0.0003, 95% CI (-0.008, 0.004)]. Even though several previous scholars have argued that SP is an effective tool to cope with AS among international students, the present study implies this may not be applied to all international students. Specifically, AS and DS among European participants were lower than those from non-European countries, including Asia. Future studies using meta-analysis could be beneficial to examine the external validity of the previous studies on the relationship between SP, acculturation, and mental health to address this potential heterogeneity on the level of AS based on their origin countries or continents. The current study provides meaningful implications for adopting the transformative marketing perspective, which is a marketing approach that pursues positive social outcomes by promoting positive behavior of the target population.

Mechanisms Linking Perfectionism and Social Anxiety: The Role of Hostility and Disqualification of Positive Social Outcomes

While considerable research has focused on maladaptive perfectionism as a risk factor for social anxiety, little attention has been given to the mechanisms that mediate the effects. We integrated perfectionism with the bivalent fear of evaluation model of social anxiety to investigate 2 hypothesized mechanisms: hostile attribution bias and disqualification of positive social outcomes (DPSO). Specifically, we hypothesized that individuals with maladaptive perfectionism develop hostile attribution biases which then lead to DPSO, which in turn predisposes them to social anxiety. Participants were 242 individuals from the general population who completed measures of perfectionism, hostile attribution bias, DPSO, and social anxiety. A test of multiple mediators using bootstrapping supported the hypothesized multiple mediator models. The results suggested that maladaptive perfectionism predisposes an individual to social anxiety through hostile attribution bias and DPSO. The results further suggested that DPSO but not hostile attribution bias operates as an individual mediator in the perfectionism-social anxiety relationship. The findings from this study provide support for the bivalent fear of evaluation model of social anxiety; however, the use of a cross-sectional design limited our ability to find true cause-and-effect relationships.

Peer-Mediated Interventions for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Reviews of Social and Behavioral Outcomes

ABSTRACT Peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) have been firmly established as evidence-based approaches for facilitating peer relationships among students with and without disabilities. We conducted a review of reviews evaluating PMI studies to support social skills and positive behavioral outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). A total of 4,254 individuals with IDD were participants across 43 reviews of the literature, reflecting 357 unique studies. This review includes coding related to participant demographic information, intervention characteristics, implementation fidelity, social validity, and social outcomes addressed by PMIs across reviews. Our findings suggest that PMIs yield positive social and behavioral outcomes for individuals with IDD, mostly in the areas of peer engagement and initiating social interactions. Specific skills, motor behaviors, and challenging as well as prosocial behaviors were less likely to be examined across studies. Implications for research and practice to support the implementation of PMIs will be discussed.

Measuring Urban mixed-use conditions and their impact on street vitality: a mixed-method approach tested in the context of Hong Kong’s New Towns

ABSTRACT Mixed land-use patterns have been associated with positive social outcomes such as increased access to jobs and services, improved health and neighbourhood-level quality of life. Despite this important influence, there is a lack of precise methods to quantify mixed land use conditions at district, block and street scales, and there are limited studies around the potential of new data-driven methods for analysing urban function mixing and its influence on neighbourhood vitality. The study presented here has explored how different methods of measuring mixed-use conditions can accurately reflect the experience of mixed-use and correlate with differences in urban street life. It has combined large-scale quantitative analysis with socio-economic indicators such as street store density and street vitality, to expand upon the traditional reviews of land use data and provide more detailed insights into the relationships between mixed urban functions, street vitality and community life. Using Sha Tin and Tin Shui Wai New Towns in Hong Kong as case studies, the findings reveal correlations between finer-grained mixed-use indices and street vitality, represented by the presence of optional social activities.

Cultural Integration and Rural Tourism Development: A Scoping Literature Review

Rural tourism plays an increasing role in maintaining sustainable rural development. Integrating culture into rural tourism is multifaceted. Local communities have often been regarded as homogeneous, and different voices within them are selectively presented or re-interpreted by those in power. A better understanding of how and why cultures are integrated into rural tourism is urgently needed. This paper aims to investigate (1) the aims and motives of tourism managers to integrate cultural concepts into rural tourism; (2) who has participated in the cultural integration process; and (3) how cultures have been integrated into rural tourism. Based on a scoping literature review, we found that cultures could add more attractions, such as historical heritage, artwork, cultural landscape, customs, food, and language, to the natural landscape and bring more tourists to rural areas. However, integrating cultures into rural tourism is not always successful. Conflicts of interest among different stakeholders are also often found. Some of the worst cases of cultural integration have even destroyed the original natural landscape and local cultures. While cultural integration is complicated, injustice and perverse effects do not have to be a consequence of integrating cultures into rural tourism. Multi-way communication among tourism providers, managers, and consumers can mitigate disruptive outcomes and unlock positive social outcomes.