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This study aimed to assess whether sociodemographic variables explain significant differences in attitudes towards transforming academic conferences into more sustainable events.

An analytical model of participants' attitudes towards sustainable conferences based on literature review as well as the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour was developed and applied to a sample of 532 surveyed individuals from 68 countries who regularly attended academic conferences in the last five years prior to 2020. The results were refined using statistical and computational techniques to achieve more empirically robust conclusions.

Results reveal that sociodemographic variables such as attendees' gender and age explain differences in attitudes. Women and older adults have stronger pro-environmental attitudes regarding event sustainability. On the other hand, attitudes towards more sustainable academic conferences are quite strong and positive overall. More sustainable events' venues, catering, conference materials and accommodations strongly influence attendees' attitudes towards more sustainable conferences. The strength of attitudes was weaker towards transportation.

First, the analyses focused on only aspects related to the attendees' attitudes. Assessing their real behaviour would complete this research. The geographical areas defined by the U.N. and used in this study have the limitation of combining highly developed countries and developing countries in the same geographical area, for example, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific.

Specific socio-demographic variables' effects on attitudes towards sustainable academic conferences can indicate how organisers can best promote these events according to attendees' characteristics and develop differentiated marketing campaigns. For women and older adults, event sustainability should be emphasised as a competitive strategy to promote events and attract these audiences. Marketing strategies for younger attendees (under 30 years old) could focus on technology, networking or attractive social programmes. Sustainable venues, catering, conference materials and accommodations are easier to promote. Event organisers should encourage participants to make more environmentally friendly decisions regarding more sustainable event transport.

A strategy based on promoting the event as contributing to sustainable development could educate attendees and put them on the path to developing stronger positive attitudes regarding sustainability and more sustainable behaviours. Sustainable academic conferences can educate students, organisers, service providers and delegates through their involvement in sustainable practices.

To our best knowledge, this research is the first to assess whether sociodemographic variables explain significant differences in attitudes towards the sustainable transformation of academic conferences.

With the global adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), it has become increasingly important for educators to develop a responsive curriculum where future event practitioners understand, value and implement sustainability as a core component of meeting and event management. The purpose of this paper is to explore the viewpoints of industry to embed sustainability as part of developing a Meeting and Event Management curriculum that is responsive to industry needs, and in so doing, contribute to quality education (SDG4).

Qualitative data were generated from 10 key informant interviews amongst top-level meeting and event professionals. Open questions elucidated industry viewpoints to develop content for a Meeting and Event Management curriculum at Advanced Diploma level in South Africa. Content analysis and data interpretation revealed key topics that guided the embedment of SDGs in the curriculum as knowledge, skills, values and attitudes.

Curriculum content was linked to six specific, corresponding SDGs, namely: good health and well-being; quality education; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; climate action and partnerships for the goals.

The paper contributes valuable industry insights into academic educators concerned with responsive curriculum development in the field of meeting and event management by outlining how SDGs can be integrated as competencies and learning outcomes in a tertiary qualification.

The purpose of this article is to capture what the concept of sustainable events means for different stakeholders, what they think and express in social media about sustainable events, and so be able to take it into account when repurposing and repositioning events in life for the future in a responsible way based on sustainability.

Authors have performed the photographic analysis proposed by Albers and James in 1988 but adapted to social media, specifically Instagram. A content analysis has been carried out with the posts containing the hashtag #sustainableevents, based on dimensions such as temporal variants, geographic conditions, demographic characteristics or languages used. After that, a semiotic analysis has been held to see how these dimensions are related with the image and with the subjects/objects that are being portrayed.

Sustainable events is a term that can have many meanings, becoming an abstract term, which is not being used today in social networks by private individuals. Companies and content creators seem to use the term more as an advertising claim, to attract customers and followers, than as a real applicability in their day-to-day actions. They use the term “sustainable events” related especially to an environmental dimension, leaving aside the economic and the social dimension.

Nowadays, the photography through social media is one of the most powerful sources for communicating people awareness. Nevertheless, researchers are only starting to understand the impact of social media and technology on the habits of people. To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first analyses of Instagram posts based on a hashtag to analyse what different stakeholders express in relation to that hashtag.

Why should businesses invest in the arts? Why ‘sing for your supper’ when you can earn much more by coding? In an era when artificial intelligence (AI) is forecast to eliminate millions of jobs, many educators and policy-makers advocate scientific, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education as the solution to future unemployment. They envision a workforce of diligent coders who automate everything, including their own jobs. While useful for finding tech jobs today, this myopic approach ignores the coming ‘Cambrian explosion’ of content and services that are being catalysed by exponential technologies. In Silicon Valley, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality are already being applied to surgery, warehousing, retailing, architecture, construction, cars, therapy and concerts. Top VR managers and developers come from the social sciences and humanities, which provide the analytical and social skills for understanding customers and identifying new use cases and business models. STEM alone cannot answer the complex ethical and policy issues facing businesses: companies need employees with ‘soft skills’ who can integrate STEM with the arts (STEAM). In Silicon Valley today, the most challenging jobs are going to people who can offer practical answers to bottom-line questions about the value of social, cultural and artistic soft skills. What is the value of the arts for business growth? What can businesses learn from the creative industries? How can return on investment in the arts be measured? How will STEAM and exponential technologies enable new business models? How can STEAM education prepare people for the AI era?

Understanding the multifaceted images of tourism destinations is critical for effective destination marketing and management strategies. Traditional approaches, including conceptualization of destination images or analysis of their antecedents and consequences, are commonly used. This study aims to advocate the inclusion of visitors’ latent profiles based on cognitive images to enrich the evaluation and formulation of destination marketing and management strategies.

The analysis focuses on Serbia, an emerging destination, that attracts an increasing number of first-time, repeat and prospective visitors. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the potential dimensions (tangible and intangible cultural destination; infrastructural and accessible destination; active, nature and family destination; sensory and hospitable destination; and welcoming, value for money (VFM) and safe destination) of the cognitive destination image factors scale while subtypes (profiles) were obtained using latent profile analysis (LPA).

The cognitive image component encompasses the perceived attributes of a destination, whether derived from direct experience or acquired through other means. The study identified the following profiles: conventional destination; sensory and hospitable destination; welcoming, VFM and safe destination; secure and active family destination and accessible cultural destination, which are presented individually with their sociodemographic assets.

The main contribution of the paper is the application of a novel method (LPA) for profiling visitor segments based on cognitive destination image. From a theoretical perspective, this research contributes to the extant body of literature pertaining to the destination image, thereby facilitating the identification of discrete latent visitor segments and elucidating noteworthy differences among them concerning a cognitive image.

Drawing on the relational view and contingency theories, this study explores supply chain relationship conditions' roles in interrelationships between environmental, social and supply chain performance (SCP), i.e. triple bottom line (TBL).

The data from industries and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to validate the proposed model. Interviews with industry experts were conducted to further understand the findings.

The authors find that relationship conditions, such as inventory information sharing, dependency, opportunistic behavior and conflicts, moderate TBL linkages. Interestingly, power asymmetry does not moderate the linkages. Social performance mediates between environmental and SCP. This indirect effect is stronger than the effect of environmental performance on SCP.

This research is perhaps the first to bring a much-needed nuanced view on the importance of relationship conditions for TBL performance linkages. The research further underlines the importance of social performance in an emerging economy.

The purpose of this paper is to report on a study that examined the factors of motivation and satisfaction of mega‐business events, using the ITU Telecom World 2006 in Hong Kong as a case study.

The paper takes the form of a structured questionnaire developed by the authors and distributed by the event organizer to registered attendees.

Empirical findings showed that the respondents attended the event mainly for business and networking opportunities. Overall, they were satisfied with Hong Kong as the location for the ITU Telecom World 2006. Additionally, there were no significant differences in perception between overseas and local attendees in all but two attributes.

The major limitations of this case study are the low response rate and the fact that the results would be limited to this sector of activity.

The findings should be of use to related practitioners and policy makers to set more pragmatic plans for hosting mega‐business events.

We have used data mostly from published sources like The Economic Times, Forbes, The Times of India and the annual reports of Nestlé India Ltd. Because we classify it as a Teaching Case Study as per the guidelines of Emerald Publishing, we have ensured that any data presented in the case has been acquired only from published sources and is not internal company data. Citations have also been provided wherever necessary.

On 6 June 2015, Nestlé India’s top product Maggi instant noodles was banned nationwide for an unspecified period. The ban was imposed due to allegations of Maggi containing high amounts of lead and message, and consequently violating the food safety standards. What followed was the destruction of massive stocks of Maggi which had been taken off from shelves of stores countrywide. Furthermore, the company faced a huge blow financially as its sales plummeted. This case delves into how Nestlé India adopted relevant strategies to successfully avert the Maggi crisis. Some remedial measures included appointing a Managing Director who understood the market, improving the communication channel and boosting the churn out of new products along with greater emphasis on marketing and advertising.

This case is aimed mainly at undergraduate level students in the field of management studies and public relations management. This case is also relevant for students pursuing a specialization in Crisis Communication, Public Relations, Marketing and Organizational Change.