Sustainability

2024

Jump to: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

21 pages, 2095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing the Shift in China’s Cultural Industries: From Economic Growth to Social Enrichment

by Jiayao Li, Rong Zhang and Yuntao Zou

Sustainability 2024, 16(10), 4194; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16104194 - 16 May 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1577

Abstract

Cultural industries constitute a crucial part of the sustainable economy. In accordance with the principles of socialist public ownership nations, the economic benefits of cultural industries should be ultimately transformed into more significant social benefits. Guided by the policies and requirements of the [...] Read more.

Cultural industries constitute a crucial part of the sustainable economy. In accordance with the principles of socialist public ownership nations, the economic benefits of cultural industries should be ultimately transformed into more significant social benefits. Guided by the policies and requirements of the Chinese government concerning the social benefits of cultural industries, this paper innovatively integrates Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Tobit models to empirically analyze the social benefits and their influencing factors within China’s cultural industries. The findings indicate that the social benefits of China’s cultural industries are currently in a state of diminishing returns to scale, with fiscal support and educational levels significantly enhancing the industry’s social benefits. This paper recommends that policymakers aiming to convert the economic benefits of cultural industries into social benefits more systematically and effectively should focus on enhancing the quality of industry outputs. Full article

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2023

Jump to: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

28 pages, 25429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Empowerment or Disempowerment: The (Dis)empowering Processes and Outcomes of Co-Designing with Rural Craftspeople

by Baosheng Wang, Tie Ji and Renke He

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4468; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054468 - 2 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4749

Abstract

Despite the significance of human development for sustainability, the actual effects of craft-design collaboration on craftspeople have scarcely been discussed. Moreover, despite its wide usage, the meaning of empowerment in design discourse is unclear and its discussions are barely linked to mature ones [...] Read more.

Despite the significance of human development for sustainability, the actual effects of craft-design collaboration on craftspeople have scarcely been discussed. Moreover, despite its wide usage, the meaning of empowerment in design discourse is unclear and its discussions are barely linked to mature ones in other disciplines. In addition, disempowerment has been mentioned far less often than empowerment. From the perspective of empowerment, this article examines the elements in the processes of craft-design collaborations that can exert positive or negative influence on craftspeople, and analyzes both the empowering and disempowering effects on them as co-design outcomes. This research builds on two empirical cases based on Tiao Hua, a cross-stitching handwork. We identify five stages of co-design processes for empowerment analysis. The data was mainly collected from the designers (D1–D16) and craftswomen (C1–C8) through observations, interviews, and reflective sessions. We sorted and codified the qualitative data as sticky note statements. Higher-level themes and sub-themes emerged from the codified statements through affinity analysis. Finally, we presented an analytical framework of craftspeople (dis)empowerment process and outcome. The (dis)empowering process covers four dimensions: organization, instrumentation, participation, and interaction, while the outcome involves emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and relational components. We contend craftspeople (dis)empowerment should be discussed dialectically in four aspects. Full article

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2022

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019

16 pages, 2014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sound Design of Guqin Culture: Interactive Art Promotes the Sustainable Development of Traditional Culture

by Danni Shen, Herui Guo, Linghui Yu, Jie Ying, Jie Shen, Shuchen Ying, Defu Bao and Ying Wang

Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042356 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3852

Abstract

Culture, as an intangible piece of heritage, is one of the priorities of sustainable conservation. With the rapid modernization of science and technology, traditional culture that is expressed in the form of sound is facing prominent problems related to inheritance and development. Thinking [...] Read more.

Culture, as an intangible piece of heritage, is one of the priorities of sustainable conservation. With the rapid modernization of science and technology, traditional culture that is expressed in the form of sound is facing prominent problems related to inheritance and development. Thinking about how to integrate traditional culture into the daily life of the public is an important way of solving sustainability problems related to traditional culture. This study took Guqin culture as its research object, explored the possibility of using sound as an interactive medium, and considered how to present traditional culture to the public in public space to broaden the inheritance and development mode of Guqin culture. Therefore, this study proposes a public Sound Interaction Design Model oriented to sound and presents a public sound-interactive installation with different levels based on the model. The feasibility of the model is verified through an interactive design evaluation method, and the role of the model in sustainable cultural development is discussed. Full article

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2021

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019

20 pages, 2608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Innovative Response of Cultural and Creative Industries to Major European Societal Challenges: Toward a Knowledge and Competence Base

by Christer Gustafsson and Elisabetta Lazzaro

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13267; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313267 - 30 Nov 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 7502

Abstract

In this paper we highlight the importance of culture, cultural heritage and creative industries (CCI) in current European policies in relation to a number of societal challenges, and how the CCI are called to innovatively respond to such challenges. We distinguish four main [...] Read more.

In this paper we highlight the importance of culture, cultural heritage and creative industries (CCI) in current European policies in relation to a number of societal challenges, and how the CCI are called to innovatively respond to such challenges. We distinguish four main societal challenges to which the CCI can strategically respond and significantly unlock the potential for innovation and smart growth in the EU. These societal challenges are addressed by four main pillars of the CCI, namely: (1) Europeans’ creativity, cultural diversity and values; (2) European identity and cohesion; (3) European employment, economic resilience and smart growth; and (4) Europe’s external relations. We address each societal challenge from the CCI perspective, indicating how the CCI can provide innovative responses to such challenges and enable strategic crossovers through networking and collaboration, but also referring to some criticalities. We further discuss how this CCI capacity needs public support and provide an overview of how this is undertaken via the main EU, national and international policies, with a focus on the latest trends. Full article

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18 pages, 1514 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Language Relativity in Legacy Literature: A Systematic Review in Multiple Languages

by Ji Wu, Madeleine Orr, Kurumi Aizawa and Yuhei Inoue

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11333; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011333 - 14 Oct 2021

Viewed by 2825

Abstract

Since the Olympic Agenda 2020, legacy has been widely used as a justification for hosting the Olympic Games, through which sustainable development can be achieved for both events and host cities. To date, no universal definition of legacy has been established, which presents [...] Read more.

Since the Olympic Agenda 2020, legacy has been widely used as a justification for hosting the Olympic Games, through which sustainable development can be achieved for both events and host cities. To date, no universal definition of legacy has been established, which presents challenges for legacy-related international knowledge transfer among host cities. To address this gap, a multilingual systematic review of the literature regarding the concept of legacy was conducted in French, Japanese, Chinese, and English. Using English literature as a baseline, points of convergence and divergence among the languages were identified. While all four languages value the concept of legacy as an important facet of mega-events, significant differences were found within each language. This finding highlights the importance of strategies that align different cultures when promoting sustainable development of some global movements such as the Olympic legacy. Sport management is replete with international topics, such as international events and sport for development, and each topic is studied simultaneously in several languages and with potentially differing frameworks and perspectives. Thus, literature reviews that examine the English literature, exclusively, are innately limited in scope. The development of partnerships and resources that facilitate cross-lingual and cross-cultural consultation and collaboration is an important research agenda. More research is needed on knowledge translation across languages. Full article

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17 pages, 1082 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Participation in the Sharing Economy Revisited: The Role of Culture and Social Influence on Airbnb

by Jieun Lee, Aybuke Nur Erdogan and Ilyoo Barry Hong

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9980; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179980 - 6 Sep 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6358

Abstract

Despite a multitude of studies on the motivators of sharing economy participation, we understand little about how cultural and social drivers affect an individual’s use of sharing services on an online platform. This paper examines the influence of cultural and social factors on [...] Read more.

Despite a multitude of studies on the motivators of sharing economy participation, we understand little about how cultural and social drivers affect an individual’s use of sharing services on an online platform. This paper examines the influence of cultural and social factors on a consumer’s participation in a sharing economy. We used Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory and Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior to formulate the research model to predict the behavioral intention to book an accommodation using the Airbnb platform. To test the model, an empirical study was conducted by collecting survey data on Amazon Mturk from 401 participants. Findings provide evidence that all the cultural dimensions except for masculinity were found to have significant relationship with attitude toward booking on Airbnb. Moreover, social influence has no significant effect on booking intention on Airbnb. We offered academic and practical implications and suggested future research directions based on our findings. Full article

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12 pages, 488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Linking the Creative Economy with Universities’ Entrepreneurship: A Spillover Approach

by Elisabetta Lazzaro

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1078; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031078 - 21 Jan 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4573

Abstract

In recent years the importance of the creative economy has also characterised the international higher-education sector through specialised education, research and entrepreneurship. In this paper I apply and discuss the concept of spillovers as a relevant theoretical framework to understand and foster the [...] Read more.

In recent years the importance of the creative economy has also characterised the international higher-education sector through specialised education, research and entrepreneurship. In this paper I apply and discuss the concept of spillovers as a relevant theoretical framework to understand and foster the value generated by university programs in the creative economy. After introducing the main concepts of spillovers in relation to innovation and growth, I discuss the recent developments in the research on spillovers applied to the arts, culture, and creativity. Through a contextualised model of academic creative economy, the analysis is combined with that on knowledge spillovers in higher education and universities’ third mission, to fill a research gap that still exists in creative economy programs and their potential to generate creative spillovers. The study further integrates some more recent literature on university spillovers, which can provide useful methodological suggestions especially oriented toward internalising and enabling positive creative spillovers, in particular in an urban context. Full article

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17 pages, 787 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Review of the Role of Social Media for the Cultural Heritage Sustainability

by Xiaoxu Liang, Yanjun Lu and John Martin

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031055 - 20 Jan 2021

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 20432

Abstract

During the last 20 years, with the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), an emerging interest has appeared in Digital Community Engagement (DCE) in the process of cultural heritage management. Due to a growing need to involve a broader community in the [...] Read more.

During the last 20 years, with the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), an emerging interest has appeared in Digital Community Engagement (DCE) in the process of cultural heritage management. Due to a growing need to involve a broader community in the Historic Urban Landscape approach, social media are considered one of the most important platforms to promote the public participation process of urban heritage conservation in the context of rapid urbanization. Despite the growing literature on DCE, which has delivered a general overview of different digital technologies and platforms to enhance heritage conservation, little research has been done on taking stock of the utilization of social media in this process. This study aims to fill the research gap by providing a more comprehensive picture of the functionalities of social media platforms and their impacts on sustainable urban development through a systematic literature review. As a result, 19 out of 248 DCE relevant articles are selected as objects to illustrate the contribution of social media. The study identified the characteristics of these applied social media tools, explores their roles and influences in cases. The article concludes that social media offers a platform for a wider range of stakeholders to have a voice in the decision process of cultural heritage management, and it should be widely applied to encourage citizens from all over the world. Full article

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2020

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23 pages, 3161 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Place-Branding to Community-Branding: A Collaborative Decision-Making Process for Cultural Heritage Enhancement

by Gaia Daldanise

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10399; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410399 - 12 Dec 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5749

Abstract

The international debate on cultural heritage enhancement and cultural cross-overs, highlights the need to rethink the relationship between economy, society and territory by working on innovative urban planning and evaluation approaches. In recent times, the concept of “place branding” has become widespread in [...] Read more.

The international debate on cultural heritage enhancement and cultural cross-overs, highlights the need to rethink the relationship between economy, society and territory by working on innovative urban planning and evaluation approaches. In recent times, the concept of “place branding” has become widespread in strategic urban plans, linking marketing approaches to the attractive features of places. The purpose of this study is to outline a holistic approach to cultural heritage enhancement for urban regeneration based on creative and collaborative place branding: “Community branding”. The methodology was tested in Pisticci—near Matera (Basilicata region, Italy)—starting from its historic center. As a multi-methodological decision-making process, Community branding combines approaches and tools derived from Place Branding, Community Planning, Community Impact Evaluation and Place Marketing. The main results achieved include: an innovative approach that combines both management and planning aspects and empowers communities and skills in network; the co-evaluation of cultural, social and economic impacts for the Pisticci Sustainable Urban Lab (PLUS); the writing and signing of an “urban contract” with local Municipality, research centers and PLUS hub association. Full article

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22 pages, 3290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Heritage Community Assessment: Indicators Proposal for the Self-Evaluation in Faro Convention Network Process

by Maria Cerreta and Eleonora Giovene di Girasole

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9862; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239862 - 25 Nov 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4380

Abstract

The Faro Convention introduces an innovative concept of cultural heritage by recognising the importance of the community that is formed around the cultural asset to be enhanced. This concept is consistent with the New European Agenda for Culture, especially the European Year Cultural [...] Read more.

The Faro Convention introduces an innovative concept of cultural heritage by recognising the importance of the community that is formed around the cultural asset to be enhanced. This concept is consistent with the New European Agenda for Culture, especially the European Year Cultural Heritage (EYCH) Initiative 9 “Heritage for all: citizen participation and social innovation”, that promotes a broader understanding of heritage, placing people and communities at the centre and involving them in making decisions about heritage valorisation. The cultural heritage acquires the meaning of common good and has been configured as “cultural commons”, expression of values shared by the heritage community and of the process activated to enhance it. In this perspective, the paper presents a proposal for the integration of the evaluation process identified by the Faro Convention, explaining the appropriate indicators useful for analysing the specificity of the valorisation processes and making them comparable. The methodological proposal was tested for the experience of the Friends of Molo San Vincenzo Heritage Community, activated in Naples, Italy. Full article

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17 pages, 379 KiB

Open AccessReview

Value-Free Analysis of Values: A Culture-Based Development Approach

by Annie Tubadji

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9492; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229492 - 15 Nov 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3719

Abstract

Recent literature in the fields of Political Economy, New Institutional Economics and New Cultural Economics has converged in the use of empirical methods, offering a series of consistent quantitative analysis of values. However, an overarching positive methodology for the value-free study of values [...] Read more.

Recent literature in the fields of Political Economy, New Institutional Economics and New Cultural Economics has converged in the use of empirical methods, offering a series of consistent quantitative analysis of values. However, an overarching positive methodology for the value-free study of values has not yet precipitated. Building on a mixed systematic-integrative literature review of a pluralistic variety of perspectives from Adam Smith’s ‘Impartial’ Spectator to modern moral philosophy, the current study suggests the Culture-Based Development (CBD) approach for analyzing the economic impact of values on socio-economic development. The CBD approach suggests that the value-free analysis needs: (i) to use positive methods to classify a value as local or universal; (ii) to examine the existence of what is termed the Aristotelian Kuznets curve of values (i.e., to test for the presence of an inflection point in the economic impact from the particular value) and (iii) to account for Platonian cultural relativity (i.e., the cultural embeddedness expressed in the geographic nestedness of the empirical data about values). The paper details the theoretical and methodological cornerstones underpinning the proposed CBD approach for value-free analysis of values. Full article

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11 pages, 887 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Cultural Aspects on Building the Smart City Approach: Managing Diversity in Europe (London), North America (New York) and Asia (Singapore)

by Dominika Šulyová and Josef Vodák

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9463; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229463 - 13 Nov 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5885

Abstract

One of the main motives for creating this article was to explore the importance of cultural aspects in building smart city approaches. The aim of this article was to obtain answers to three research questions, the answers to which made it possible to [...] Read more.

One of the main motives for creating this article was to explore the importance of cultural aspects in building smart city approaches. The aim of this article was to obtain answers to three research questions, the answers to which made it possible to identify the elements of multiculturalism that affect the development of smart cities, to find out how multiculturalism affects smart cities and how to manage diversity. The ambition was to create and organize the most important findings into a comprehensive framework. To achieve this goal, secondary analysis methods were used by examining the literature and case studies of best practices from Europe, North America, and Asia. The choice of case studies was conditioned by the placement of smart cities in four global indices (smart city index, Arcadis, IESE and global power index), the existence of a multicultural strategy and elements of successful diversity management, including positive effects and possible limitations. In addition, methods of analysis, comparison and summarization were used. Effective diversity management acts as an accelerator of the sustainable development of smart cities. The results of the analysis of the case studies serve as a basis for recommendations and the creation of a proposed general model, whose task is to simplify the adoption of intelligent concepts, which creates space for the specification of local or cultural conditions of the country. Testing the model in practice is the subject of the following research activities of the authors. Full article

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23 pages, 2179 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of European Design Policy to Enable Innovation. The Case of Designscapes Project

by Chuan Li and Pau Rausell Köster

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5132; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125132 - 23 Jun 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4195

Abstract

Design policy for innovation and prosperity has been acknowledged and adopted globally. Existing literature on design policy usually adopts a top-down perspective to analyse the components of the design innovation system and ignores the practical needs of practitioners. Our study aims to explore [...] Read more.

Design policy for innovation and prosperity has been acknowledged and adopted globally. Existing literature on design policy usually adopts a top-down perspective to analyse the components of the design innovation system and ignores the practical needs of practitioners. Our study aims to explore potential opportunities and challenges of design policies for design-enabled innovation from a bottom-up perspective. We firstly discussed the enabling role of design in the context of design as input, output and process of innovation with emphasis on design-enabled innovation conception; then European design policies are reviewed in terms of characteristics, priorities and strategies at EU, national and regional levels. Based on multiple case studies on the SWOT (i.e., Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of 50 European design innovation initiatives, we summarised eight dimensions of SWOT factors—organisation, production, performance, knowledge, environment, market, technology and institution—so as to identify main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that practitioners are facing, and discussed common and specific factors that might influence the identification of SWOT forces by taking into account country and sector factors. We concluded that European design policy is located at a point of intergenerational transition from awareness raising to capacity building, which calls for more coordinated policies to tackle current opportunities and challenges. Full article

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20 pages, 1626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Low-Carbon Service Operations on Responsible Tourist Behavior: The Psychological Processes of Sustainable Cultural Tourism

by Shu-Hsien Chang, R. J. Hernández-Díaz and Wei-Shuo Lo

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 4943; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124943 - 17 Jun 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5127

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of low-carbon service operations on responsible tourist behavior within sustainable cultural tourism. A proposed conceptual framework is used to examine this largely ignored situation through the case study of Xiao Liuqiu Island. The small island in Taiwan reveals [...] Read more.

This paper explores the impact of low-carbon service operations on responsible tourist behavior within sustainable cultural tourism. A proposed conceptual framework is used to examine this largely ignored situation through the case study of Xiao Liuqiu Island. The small island in Taiwan reveals a previously understudied phenomenon in sustainable island tourism. The psychological processes connecting cultural and cross-cultural experiences with sustainable tourism are explored using primary and secondary data collected through in-depth interviews of domestic tourists and online reviews of foreign tourists, respectively. Data analysis reveals the significant result that sustainable island tourism comprises two important elements: a supply and a demand side of a destination. The supply side describes low-carbon service operations—which include food, lodging, and ecological tourist activities—while the demand side reflects tourist behaviors—expressed through cognition, emotion, and motivation as well as authenticity. In addition, this paper makes an important contribution to management by emphasizing the need for careful attention to tourism psychology, particularly in natural and ecological environments that use tourism as a marketing strategy in cultural ecosystems services (CES). Full article

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20 pages, 4112 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Happiness and Cultural Tourism: The Perspective of Civil Participation

by M. Victoria Sanagustín-Fons, Luis B. Tobar-Pesántez and Rafael Ravina-Ripoll

Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3465; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083465 - 24 Apr 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5015

Abstract

In this research we analyze links between happiness and cultural tourism, taking the European Holy Grail Route in Spain as a cultural tourist product. Questions that arise are, among others, can cultural tourism generate understanding and social cohesion? Consequently, can it also mean [...] Read more.

In this research we analyze links between happiness and cultural tourism, taking the European Holy Grail Route in Spain as a cultural tourist product. Questions that arise are, among others, can cultural tourism generate understanding and social cohesion? Consequently, can it also mean increasing the happiness of both tourists and the host population? How and what can be learned from cultural tourism as a peaceful social process? Specifically, a qualitative approach was made in which we conducted semi-structured interviews with people belonging to civil society associations linked to the route. An analysis of the narratives (from the interviews) through the grounded theory was carried out. Improved individual reasons for happiness and social cohesion as a result of positive significant experiences are observed in the first step of results, and an exportable Decalogue of social behavior in cultural tourism experiences is presented and evaluated by the interviewees and shown as a research proposal. Full article

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2019

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20 pages, 671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Confucianism on Corporate Environmental Investment: Evidence from Chinese Private Firms

by Xixiong Xu, Lingling Duan and Youliang Yan

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 5941; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11215941 - 25 Oct 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8880

Abstract

While China’s economic development has made tremendous progress, it has also caused serious environmental pollution problems. This paper uses the date of the Chinese Private Enterprise Survey (CPES) to empirically investigate the impact of Confucianism on corporate environmental investment and its internal mechanism. [...] Read more.

While China’s economic development has made tremendous progress, it has also caused serious environmental pollution problems. This paper uses the date of the Chinese Private Enterprise Survey (CPES) to empirically investigate the impact of Confucianism on corporate environmental investment and its internal mechanism. The results show that: (1) Confucianism plays a significant role in corporate environmental investment. (2) In the areas where environmental regulation is relatively weak, Confucianism has a more significant effect on promoting corporate environmental investment. (3) The positive influence of Confucianism on corporate environmental investment is more obvious in heavy polluting industries. This paper’s conclusions deepen the theoretical cognition of the economic consequences of Confucianism and enrich the relevant literature on the subject of Confucianism. At the same time, this paper also expands the understanding of the determinants of corporate environmental investment from the perspective of the informal institution. Full article

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16 pages, 3545 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bibliometric Analysis of Fitness Equipment: How Scientific Focuses Affect Life-Cycle Approaches and Sustainable Ways of Development

by Silvio Addolorato, Ferran Calabuig, Vicente Prado-Gascó, Leonor Gallardo and Jorge García-Unanue

Sustainability 2019, 11(20), 5728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205728 - 16 Oct 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4357

Abstract

Research Question: Although fitness equipment is recognised worldwide as a tool for physical activities and a sustainable result in optimizing human movements within a wide range of environments, the state of the art and scientific advances have not been analysed from a [...] Read more.

Research Question: Although fitness equipment is recognised worldwide as a tool for physical activities and a sustainable result in optimizing human movements within a wide range of environments, the state of the art and scientific advances have not been analysed from a bibliometric point of view. Research Methods: Using descriptive bibliometric software, this study examined the scientific production, and the most prolific authors, articles, and institutions. Bibliometric maps were used to visualise the content of published articles and to determine the most prolific terms, co-citation, and co-authorship. Results and Findings: A total of 678 original papers were retrieved from 447 journals in Web of Science^®. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research had the highest number of articles (25), while the American Journal of Preventive Medicine the highest number of global citations (656). Citation and co-authorship networks were defined. Implications: Research on fitness equipment is still in an early maturation stage with 30 years of scientific development in its timeline. Fitness equipment and its related fields of application could represent a real step into a more sustainable balance between the economic, environmental, and social spheres. Full article

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13 pages, 2455 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability of the Loita Maasai Childrens’ Ethnomedicinal Knowledge

by Jedidah Nankaya, Nathan Gichuki, Catherine Lukhoba and Henrik Balslev

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5530; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195530 - 7 Oct 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3829

Abstract

Knowledge and practice of medicinal plant use is embedded in the Maasai culture. However, it is not known how that knowledge and practices are acquired by children and transferred across generations. We assessed children’s knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses, methods of [...] Read more.

Knowledge and practice of medicinal plant use is embedded in the Maasai culture. However, it is not known how that knowledge and practices are acquired by children and transferred across generations. We assessed children’s knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses, methods of knowledge acquisition and transfer, and how that process is influenced by demographic attributes such as gender, level of education, and age. We interviewed 80 children who were 6–17 years old. Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis tests and Spearman Rank order correlation were performed to determine the influence of gender, level of education, and age when they are in the process of acquiring ethnomedicinal plant knowledge. The Maasai children acquired knowledge of medicinal plants progressively with their age. Ethnomedicinal knowledge was not influenced by gender or level of education. The children were introduced to the knowledge of local medicinal plants and their use at an average age of seven years and the knowledge was transferred indiscriminately to both girls and boys. This study aids in the protection and conservation of medicinal plant knowledge by encouraging the sustainability of the local cultural heritage. Full article

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22 pages, 963 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Confucius Institute and the Completion of Chinese Cross-Border Acquisitions

by Shanshan Ouyang and Yanxi Li

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 5088; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11185088 - 17 Sep 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3650

Abstract

As a global platform for cultural exchange, the Confucius Institute (CI) has effectively promoted sustainable development among countries and regions. However, existing literature has mostly drawn insights from the national macro-level to study the roles played by CIs, whereas the potential of CIs [...] Read more.

As a global platform for cultural exchange, the Confucius Institute (CI) has effectively promoted sustainable development among countries and regions. However, existing literature has mostly drawn insights from the national macro-level to study the roles played by CIs, whereas the potential of CIs to influence corporate behaviors has not received extensive attention. This study expands the research on CIs from the national macro-level to the enterprise micro-level by exploring the effect of CIs on the likelihood of acquisition completion. Using data from 1695 Chinese cross-border acquisitions from 2006 to 2017, we find that establishment of CIs can significantly increase acquisition completion likelihood. Furthermore, the level of influence of CIs on acquisition completion depends on country- and firm- level factors. At the country level, the positive effect of CIs on completion likelihood intensifies when cultural distance between host countries and China is great. At the firm level, the acquirer’s past cross-border acquisition experience moderates the effects of CIs, which are more beneficial to firms with no previous successes. In addition, we have made some further analyses, and find that the presence of CIs not only helps to increase the likelihood of acquisitions completion, but also helps to shorten the acquisition durations. The role of CIs in cross-border acquisition completion likelihood do not depend on the types of Chinse enterprises, which indicates that CIs, unlike government agencies, do not offer additional help for SOEs. Full article

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27 pages, 3749 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

The Role of Cultural Factors in Sustainable Food Consumption—An Investigation of the Consumption Habits among International Students in Hungary

by Nikolett Nemeth, Ildiko Rudnak, Prespa Ymeri and Csaba Fogarassy

Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3052; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113052 - 30 May 2019

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 30824

Abstract

Food consumption plays a pivotal role in the economy and the health of individuals. Foods and meals, in addition to sustaining life, also have many functions in society, such as human bonding. The purpose of our study is to present a qualitative research [...] Read more.

Food consumption plays a pivotal role in the economy and the health of individuals. Foods and meals, in addition to sustaining life, also have many functions in society, such as human bonding. The purpose of our study is to present a qualitative research method to show the role of food consumption in the culture of several ethnic groups, and to introduce the ways in which cultural factors influence eating habits and local food supply conditions. In the first part of the research, the sample was a mix of multiple nationalities. During our investigations, the main questions were: What do you think about the culture and value food consumption? What kind of food do you consume the most? What differences do you find in the habits of different ethnic groups, especially regarding their eating habits? In the second part, we asked the main actors of the local supply system (restaurants, buffets, shops) about the ways they track the demand of foreign students. Our results have been implemented into two different SWOT matrixes. We can conclude that such research on food consumption attitudes and community behavior is essential. Most of the interviewed students are interested in comparing their diet and cultural traditions to those of other nations’, and prefer local foods. The study proved that eating habits in Hungary have an impact on the eating habits of international students, and they changed them from several perspectives. The study found that dietary choices are complex decisions that have a significant environmental and social impact, but we need to add that thanks to the strong cultural background, the students can keep their sustainable eating and community values abroad, which can also strongly influence the development of the local food supply practices. Full article

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23 pages, 7069 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution of the Cultural Trade Network in “the Belt and Road” Region: Implication for Global Cultural Sustainability

by Qiao Chen, Jianquan Cheng and Zhiqin Wu

Sustainability 2019, 11(10), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102744 - 14 May 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5363

Abstract

While there has been increasing concern with respect to the sustainable development of “the Belt and Road” region, the majority of studies have focused on economic and environmental dimensions. This paper focuses on the temporal cultural trade network between the 66 countries of [...] Read more.

While there has been increasing concern with respect to the sustainable development of “the Belt and Road” region, the majority of studies have focused on economic and environmental dimensions. This paper focuses on the temporal cultural trade network between the 66 countries of this region between 1990 and 2016. A social network analysis method was used to analyze the cultural trade network and its temporal evolution, where results detected key nodes and cultural corridors. Furthermore, the conceptual point-line-polygon model, which summarizes the expansion of such cultural nodes and corridors between 1990 and 2016, reveals the rapid development of cultural exchanges within the region. Here, the varied roles of large and small-sized countries were found to be dominated by China, Russia, and India. While the cultural trade network has promoted the integration of cultural diversity into the global market, to achieve global cultural sustainability more active trading relations with small-sized countries should be encouraged. Full article

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