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1 – 10 of 558Marylyn Carrigan, Solon Magrizos, Jordon Lazell and Ioannis Kostopoulos
This article addresses the lack of scholarly attention paid to the sharing economy from a sociological perspective, with respect to the technology-mediated interactions between…
Abstract
Purpose
This article addresses the lack of scholarly attention paid to the sharing economy from a sociological perspective, with respect to the technology-mediated interactions between sharing economy users. The paper provides a critical overview of the sharing economy and its impact on business and communities and explores how information technology can facilitate authentic, genuine sharing through exercising and enabling conviviality and non-direct reciprocity.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper begins with a critique of the technology-mediated sharing economy, introduces the concept of conviviality as a tool to grow and shape community and sustainability within the sharing economy and then explores reciprocity and sharing behaviour. Finally, the paper draws upon social exchange theory to illustrate conviviality and reciprocity, using four case studies of technology-enabled sharing.
Findings
The paper contributes to the emerging debate around how the sharing economy, driven by information systems and technology, affects social cohesion and personal relationships. The paper elucidates the central role conviviality and reciprocity play in explaining the paradoxes, tensions and impact of the sharing economy on society. Conviviality and reciprocity are positioned as key capabilities of a more sustainable version of the sharing economy, enabled via information technology.
Originality/value
The findings reveal that information technology-mediated sharing enterprises should promote conviviality and reciprocity in order to deliver more positive environmental, economic and social benefits. The diversity of existing operations indicated by the findings and the controversies discussed will guide the critical study of the social potential of sharing economy to avoid treating all sharing alike.
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Beatriz C. Maturana and Ralph Horne
Social integration is an important goal of contemporary urban policy in Chile. Using the concept of conviviality understood as the “art of living in community” (Esteva, 2012)…
Abstract
Social integration is an important goal of contemporary urban policy in Chile. Using the concept of conviviality understood as the “art of living in community” (Esteva, 2012), this work analyses two socially integrated housing developments in Chile. This paper argues that materially interspersing different socioeconomic groups within housing developments is insufficient on its own to achieve the objectives of social integration espoused in the national urban policy. In particular, it leaves aside community and cultural processes and therefore neglects considerations of inclusion, equity, and conviviality. Furthermore, it is insufficient on its own in meeting sustainable cities and quality of life objectives of the National Urban Development Policy. As a result, we raise critical questions for the implementation of national policy objectives to combat the segregation of cities. The concept of assessing conviviality is proposed as a means to further understand social integration.
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Simone Guercini and Silvia Ranfagni
This paper aims to investigate the practice of conviviality as the right setting to explore how social capital interacts with business relationships and in particular how…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the practice of conviviality as the right setting to explore how social capital interacts with business relationships and in particular how resources impacting business relationships take shape in social relations.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper has adopted the single case study method combining in-depth interviews, participant observations and focus groups. The investigated case is an Italian business community located in Hangzhou (China), recognized as one of the most active foreign communities in organizing convivial activities.
Findings
The study shows that conviviality contributes to generating resources thereby creating interactions in business relationships via social relations through self-narrative, community feeling and empathy. These resources bear distinguishing features. Based on relationships of trust, they are fitting and mutual knowledge-based resources and they are resources performing a sense of inner time.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the interpretation of the interplay between business relationships and social capital through conviviality and is in line with a direction of research, which is increasingly involving industrial marketing and purchasing (IMP) researchers, which is the analysis of social capital in business networks.
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Simone Guercini and Silvia Ranfagni
As conviviality can nurture community social capital, this paper aims to investigate how such capital can give rise to economic behaviour in terms of developing business…
Abstract
Purpose
As conviviality can nurture community social capital, this paper aims to investigate how such capital can give rise to economic behaviour in terms of developing business relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis was based on case studies of Italian businesses recognised as active communities that periodically organise convivial activities to fuel reciprocal collaboration. The case studies were constructed by combining a collection of secondary data, in-depth interviews and participant observations.
Findings
This paper shows how: community social capital in convivium emerges from self-narrative stimulated by ritual practices; social trust mobilising a convivial social capital is fuelled by knowledge generated through sharing and empathic relationships; community-based social relations embed business relations and if mediated, community-based business relations can also embed a community business.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper is twofold as it contributes: to understanding how conviviality can be used as a strategic tool for entrepreneurs to develop business relationships from convivial relations; and to finding intersection points between studies on business relationships from social capital and studies on entrepreneurship from community social capital.
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Xinran Lehto, Dori Davari and Soona Park
This study aims to provide a fresh perspective toward understanding the forces that exist in the guest-host dynamic and thereby contribute to the guest–host relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a fresh perspective toward understanding the forces that exist in the guest-host dynamic and thereby contribute to the guest–host relationship literature.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examines guest–host relationship via the philosophical lens of convivialism.
Findings
This study conceptualizes conviviality in the guest–host relationship. A convivial guest–host relationship is characterized by well-being mutuality and hospitality mutuality. Such a relation can be built when the guest and the host form a tri-party of coalitions, namely, economic, experience and hospitality. While an economic coalition represents the pragmatic value in a guest–host relationship, an experience coalition represents an experiential value in a guest–host relationship. A hospitality coalition then represents the spiritual alliance in such a relationship.
Practical implications
This paper suggests that tourism development should be guided by a conviviality vision. Health and well-being of both the visitors and the destination community should be a goal priority. This paper suggests that the starting point of experience planning is the residents, not the visitors. The critical role of hospitality in formulating market communication strategies is emphasized.
Social implications
This study contributes to the larger conversation of diversity and sustainability.
Originality/value
This study proposes a convivial tourism model – a form of tourism that is oriented toward mutuality of hospitality and well-being of both visitors and destination communities.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore spatial and social practices associated with a community street party through the lens of literature on encounter, conviviality and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore spatial and social practices associated with a community street party through the lens of literature on encounter, conviviality and placemaking, considering its role developing a place-based sense of community.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based upon a case study of a street party in London. Data sources include interviews, a questionnaire, observation and a literature review.
Findings
The conviviality associated with partying disrupts mundane social relations and engages diverse communities in placemaking. People playfully engage with one another, performing and reinforcing community and place values in the environment outside their homes.
Practical implications
This paper aims to engender understanding and encourage urban policy makers to support activities which combine pleasure and play to develop a place-based sense of community. It identifies practices which actively engage people at a grassroots level and enable them to articulate and perform community values.
Social implications
Developing a sense of community in rapidly changing and diverse urban areas presents challenges for urban policy makers. Grassroots activities such as street parties often fall outside of funding streams, debates and formal policy making for cities but it is argued here that they enable people to engage in pleasurable and playful interaction and have an important role in disrupting mundane interactions and connecting people.
Originality/value
This paper progresses discussion of community events from a social perspective through an original study, identifying specific practices which contribute to a place-based sense of community.
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Katayoun Zafari, Gareth Allison and Catherine Demangeot
– This paper aims to understand the social dynamics surrounding the consumption of non-native, ethnic cuisines in the multicultural context of an Asian city.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand the social dynamics surrounding the consumption of non-native, ethnic cuisines in the multicultural context of an Asian city.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 21 culturally diverse residents of Dubai. Data were analysed inductively, leading to the emergence of three themes characterising social dynamics underpinning the consumption of non-native cuisines in an Asian multicultural environment.
Findings
Three types of social dynamics were identified: instrumental uses, expressive uses and conviviality considerations.
Research limitations/implications
The study suggests that the different types of cultural dynamics at play have different roles; some act as influencing or constraining factors in the everyday practice of multicultural consumption, whereas others are used more proactively as enablers.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the authors’ understanding of how people “practice conviviality” in multicultural marketplaces, providing insights into the complex social dynamics, underpinning the consumption of non-native cuisines in multicultural marketplaces. Although the consumer literature on food and cuisines has acknowledged the social influences surrounding cuisines and food consumption, these have typically been viewed in a single block. This study shows the importance of conviviality considerations in non-native cuisine consumption. Further, the paper shows that the consumption of non-native cuisines is an everyday practice in a multicultural context, which is used with varying degrees of proactiveness for social lubrication and multicultural socialisation.
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Coralie Haller, Isabelle Hess-Misslin and Jean-Paul Mereaux
Several studies in management science have called for a better understanding of the experience economy approach to develop wine tourism. Few studies, however, have analysed…
Abstract
Purpose
Several studies in management science have called for a better understanding of the experience economy approach to develop wine tourism. Few studies, however, have analysed experiential dimensions in the context of French wine-growing regions. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the difference between what wine tourism providers consider relevant in their market offer and what customers expect from their wine tourism experience. A new categorisation of wine tourists’ expectations based on Pine and Gilmore’s (1998) four realms model and Quadri-Felliti and Fiore’s model (2012) are developed.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed methodology, qualitatively analysing 17 semi-structural interviews with the main wine tourism stakeholders in the Alsace region in north-east France and quantitatively analysing 233 questionnaires on wine tourists’ expectations and behaviours are adopted.
Findings
The study reveals a difference between experiential offers predicated on an educational approach and the explicit expectations of wine tourists (combining aesthetics, conviviality and authenticity, whose central focus is an encounter with the winemaker). Overall, the findings point to a need for greater inclusion of the experiential aspect in the offer designed for wine tourists.
Originality/value
The study identifies a gap between the educational dimension that professionals tend to promote in their offers and the real expectations of wine tourists who express more interest in the aesthetic dimension provided by an attractive visit environment and an enjoyable experience. At the heart of the authentic experience for wine tourists is meeting the winegrower, making authenticity a major factor.
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Amidst the debates on the death or resurgence of public spaces emerges a significant question: how could public spaces that function at different urban scales and cater for…
Abstract
Amidst the debates on the death or resurgence of public spaces emerges a significant question: how could public spaces that function at different urban scales and cater for diverse collective needs be provided? This article explores the roles and potentials of temporary public spaces in meeting diverse challenges related to the supply and use of urban open spaces. Positioning temporary public spaces within the literature on non-conventional public spaces is conducted with the purpose of identifying those spaces' characteristics. The proposed definition of temporary public spaces is based on their dynamic status of use-rights. Moreover, a conceptual framework based on urban land economics and bid rent theory is used to explain how such spaces transform under the exchange of temporary use-rights to activate vacant urban lots for public activities. This conceptual framework is applied in the case of a grass root approach to the supply of temporary public spaces. The context is Beirut, a city that has lost its public spaces due to wars and is trying to reintroduce them through different supply mechanisms. The examples illustrate how homogeneous urban spaces are identified over time and converted into heterogeneous and lively temporary public spaces. These contribute towards conviviality in a highly fragmented and multi-cultural society and animate everyday urban life.
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