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The purpose of this paper is to examine souvenir sellers as unconventional micro-entrepreneurs, focusing on non-economic motives for selling.

A qualitative methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 20 souvenir sellers in the Romanian city of Timişoara. These were analysed using thematic analysis which identified four non-economic motives for selling souvenirs.

Souvenir selling was a matter of choice rather than economic necessity. While these sellers were entrepreneurs who were seeking to generate income, non-economic motives were also important. These included passion, hobbyism and interpersonal interactions with customers. Some sellers considered themselves as cultural intermediaries, representing place and tradition to their customers.

In a European context, selling souvenirs can be a matter of lifestyle choice rather than economic necessity. Micro-entrepreneurs are frequently motivated by passion, hobbyism and interpersonal rewards as much as financial profit. This represents a particular form of unconventional or lifestyle entrepreneurship.

The encouragement of on-street souvenir sellers by urban managers can add vibrancy to a city, enhancing the experiences of local communities and visitors. This can also encourage the development of an artisan class to enhance a city’s reputation as a creative place.

Souvenir sellers are little researched, and this is one of few studies that has investigated this group outside Developing World contexts. This study emphasises the importance of unconventional entrepreneurship and non-economic motives for selling souvenirs in a European context.

本研究将纪念品销售商这类非传统微型企业家群体作为研究对象, 重点关注其销售纪念品的非经济动机。

本研究主要采用定性的研究方法, 对20位罗马尼亚蒂米什瓦拉市的纪念品销售商进行了半结构化访谈。通过对访谈结果的主题分析, 本研究发现并提炼出了纪念品销售商的4种非经济动机。

纪念品销售并非经济上的必然选择, 而更多地体现为一种个体的自主决策。尽管这些销售商本质上仍是追求经济回报的企业家, 其销售活动背后的非经济动机同样重要。这些动机包括对事业的激情、业余爱好, 以及与顾客之间的人际互动等。一些销售商视自身为文化传播的中介, (在销售活动中)向顾客展示地域与传统的象征。

在欧洲的语境下, 纪念品销售通常被视为一种生活方式的选择而非经济的迫切需要。微型企业家的销售行为通常受到对事业的激情、业余爱好以及人际关系的多重因素的推动, 而非单纯由经济利益驱使。这呈现出一种独特的非传统生活方式创业形态。

城市管理者可以通过默许纪念品销售商在市区进行销售活动的方式为城市注入活力, 提升当地社区和游客的体验。这同时有助于培养手工艺术家阶层, 进一步增强城市作为创意之地的声誉。

纪念品销售商的相关研究相对比较有限, 本研究在探讨这一群体时跳脱了发展中国家的框架, 同时强调了在欧洲环境下非传统创业和销售纪念品的非经济动机的重要性。

Se utilizó una metodología cualitativa. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a 20 minoristas de recuerdos (souvenirs) de la ciudad rumana de Timişoara. Las entrevistas se analizaron mediante un análisis temático que permitió identificar cuatro motivos no económicos para la comercialización de recuerdos.

Este artículo examina a los comerciantes de souvenirs como micro emprendedores no convencionales, centrándose en los motivos no económicos para su venta.

La venta de souvenirs era una cuestión de elección más que de necesidad económica. Aunque estos vendedores eran emprendedores que buscaban generar ingresos, los motivos no económicos también eran importantes. Entre ellos, la pasión, la afición y las interacciones interpersonales con los clientes. Algunos vendedores se consideraban intermediarios culturales que representaban el lugar y la tradición ante sus clientes.

En un contexto europeo, la venta de recuerdos puede ser una cuestión de elección de estilo de vida más que de necesidad económica. Los micro emprendedores suelen estar motivados por la pasión, la afición y las recompensas interpersonales tanto como por el beneficio económico. Esto representa una forma particular de espíritu empresarial no convencional o de estilo de vida.

El fomento de los vendedores ambulantes de souvenirs por parte de los gestores urbanos puede aportar dinamismo a una ciudad, mejorando las experiencias de las comunidades locales y de los visitantes. Esto también puede fomentar el desarrollo de una clase artesanal para mejorar la reputación de una ciudad como lugar creativo.

Los comerciantes de souvenirs están poco investigados, y éste es uno de los pocos estudios que ha investigado este grupo fuera de los contextos del mundo en desarrollo. Destaca la importancia del espíritu empresarial no convencional y de los motivos no económicos para la venta de recuerdos en un contexto europeo.

This paper is intended to spark discourse on the impact of holograms and holographic technology on libraries and the possibility of their usage in Caribbean academic libraries for assisting users, especially those from the physically challenged community, as well as distance library users.

A thorough assessment of literature was done of all academic and higher institution libraries across the English-speaking Caribbean to determine the effective use of holograms and holographic technology in Caribbean libraries. Literature from several developed countries was studied, paying keen attention to the emerging holograms and holographic technology and the plausibility for inclusion and exploitation by academic libraries.

Revealing the possibilities for fostering great levels of efficacy, as well as saving time and reducing the possibility for inefficiencies in the system through smoother check-in and check-out while offering more accountability.

This research focused primarily on holograms and holographic technology that can assist libraries and their users in the near future. It further attested to the need for there to be greater consideration for physically challenged individuals and their access to material from the library.

This paper is the genesis for discussion surrounding holograms and holographic technology in the English-speaking Caribbean. It sought to bring awareness to the possible uses of holograms while exploring the practical implications of its use in libraries across the English-speaking Caribbean.

The construction industry has actively attempted to tackle the low-productivity issues arising from inefficient construction planning. It is imperative to understand how construction practitioners perceive technology integration in construction planning in light of emerging technologies. This study intended to uncover unique experimental findings by integrating 4D-building information modelling (BIM) to virtual reality (VR) technology during construction planning among construction professionals at light steel framing (LSF) projects.

The building industry participants were invited to provide inputs on two different construction planning methods: conventional and innovative methods. The conventional method involved the participants using traditional platforms such as 2D computer-aided design (CAD) and physical visualisation of paper-based construction drawings for the LSF assembly process with a Gantt Chart tool to complete construction planning-related tasks for the targeted project. Comparatively, participants are required to perform the same tasks using more innovative platforms like 4D-BIM in a VR environment.

A Charrette Test Method was used to validate the findings, highlighting an improvement in usability (+10.3%), accuracy (+89.1%) and speed (+30%) using 4D BIM with VR compared to the conventional paper-based method. The findings are also validated by a paired t-test, which is supported by the rationality of the same findings. This study posits positive results for construction planning through the utilisation of modern practices and technologies. These findings are significant for the global construction industry facing low productivity issues, delays and certainty in terms of building delivery timelines due to poor construction planning.

This new blend of technologies—combining 4D BIM and VR in industrialised construction projects—potentially directs future initiatives to drive the efficiency of construction planning in the building lifecycle. The interactive BIM-based virtual environment would purposefully transform construction planning practices in order to deliver modern and more certain building construction methods with a focus on prefabrication processes.

The purpose of this paper is to identify how the socio-economic trends caused by the economic deregulation of the last four decades have led to a high-net-worth strata of individuals and families that conspicuously consumes luxury items and are the main customers in the luxury yacht market.

A selected cross-section review and discussion of relevant publications and theories within the field of tourism, social sciences, business and economic history are synthesised with relevant data to outline the factors leading to socio-economic change and conspicuous consumption.

This paper advocates for the synthesis of scholarly techniques found within the discipline of Business History to illuminate the development of a luxury yachting industry over the past four decades. Using the varieties of capitalism approach this paper demonstrates that the local characteristics of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) in combination with the international globalisation and trade deregulation since 1980 has led to a new super wealthy class that engages in conspicuous consumption. Using a schema based on critical juncture theory, light has been shed on the specific factors underpinning the demand for luxury yachts as part of this conspicuous consumption.

This paper adds a new set of methodologies and theoretical tools to the student of luxury tourism that embed the practice within the context of socio-economic changes brought forth by economic globalisation since 1979, opening up new avenues of research.

Small business capabilities and customer interactions are particularly susceptible to market disruptions. Small businesses must pivot quickly to build or grow their capabilities and manage diverse strategies to deal with crises. This ability to quickly adapt and formulate strategies is necessary to help small businesses maintain sales and continue to engage with their clients, especially in light of disruption and crises. This work uses design thinking strategies to provide insight into how businesses can navigate such disruptions.

This research investigates how design thinking can help small businesses address crises. The focus is on leveraging design thinking strategies such as empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping and testing (EDIPT), divergence/convergence and customer journey mapping design thinking tools.

The authors provide propositions and strategies to help firms adapt their strategies to the demands of clients during crises.

This piece provides an accessible introduction to three design thinking strategies (general EDIPT model, convergence/divergence and consumer journey mapping). The authors present this in the context of disruption, especially the recent pandemic, specifically focusing on small businesses.

To effectively combat the increasing rates of obesity, it is crucial to explore how environmental factors like sidewalk access impact weight-related outcomes. This study aimed to systematically examine the association between sidewalk accessibility and weight-related outcomes.

Databases were searched by keywords for relevant articles, which were published before March 3, 2024, to report the role of neighborhood sidewalk access on weight-related outcomes. The main findings of the selected articles were extracted from eligible studies by two independent reviewers.

A total of 20 out of 33 studies indicated a significant negative relationship between access to sidewalks and weight-related outcomes. Three studies demonstrated an indirect relationship between access to sidewalks and weight-related outcomes by greater access to physical environments. In addition, five studies reported no clear relationship, and three studies reported a significantly positive relationship between access to sidewalks and weight-related outcomes.

In general, people who live in urban areas with better sidewalk access benefit from better weight-related outcomes. Adults showed this correlation more prominently than adolescents and children. Therefore, sidewalks that have a positive effect on physical activity levels could be considered as a preventive measure against obesity.

One of the weight-related outcomes is obesity. Every community faces numerous challenges due to obesity, which adversely affects the quality of life and health. Environmental factors such as access to sidewalks could be associated with body weight due to lifestyle influences.