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The purpose of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of the underlying rationale for why companies participate in mega‐events in general, and in mega‐events in emerging economies – such as the 2010 Shanghai Expo – in particular. Of particular interest are the ways that companies use an event to advance their own purposes, and how experiences are created that use aspects of an event setting such as Expo 2010.

The study is based on a participatory, ethnographic and longitudinal field study focusing on the VIP section of the Swedish Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, using additional data from other national pavilions and respondents with insight into Expo 2010 and its organization.

The study indicates that even though companies operationally used the World Expo and the VIP section in many different ways, an underlying element appears to be to use the event for the “practice of communification”.

The study provides practitioners with a conceptual framework and tools to manage the co‐creation process of experiences at events. This is done by supplying an empirical example from World Expo 2010 and the VIP area of the Swedish pavilion. This is a needed addition to the current knowledge on how customers engage in co‐creation of experiences and how companies manage the co‐creation process.

The “communification” concept is used to denote the simultaneous building of community while communicating business‐related issues to strengthen and build relationships with customers over time, with exclusivity and co‐creation of experiences as important components.

This paper aims to seek a greater understanding of the conceptualization of mega-event flagship (MEF) development as a point of departure to forge the much-needed organizational capacities in these regions. An MEF constitutes a temporarily themed venue for a mega-event and a transforming force on corresponding urban renewal. The unfailing demand for MEFs from emerging hosts after historical failures in the West draws attention to a glaring weakness of extant literature in wanting of evidence-based case studies.

Due to the explorative nature of research and the context-dependent complexities, the case study method is used for studying the case of Theme Pavilion – one of the four key flagships led by Expo 2010 to catalyze an ambitious urban renewal in Shanghai, China. The focus is on its conceptualization process (2004-2007) where different copying strategies were tested and consolidated to facilitate the post-event transformation. Data were collected mainly through participant observation in that duration.

For future Expo hosts, exhibition center developers and the event industry, the study concludes with eight constructive lessons, namely, clustering strategy, different integration, pre-post orientation, diversification for adaptation, development by stage, flexible mindset, the end crowns the work and building local capacity.

Given the qualitative nature of the study, some results may not be fully generalizable. While showing the possibility of sustaining MEF development given the right coping strategy, it also reveals implementation difficulties and emphasizes the importance of continued case studies.

The study will contribute fresh insights into forging better strategies to cope with transformation difficulties of MEF development and building greater capacity to accomplish affiliated renewals and other significantly comparable urban projects in emerging economies.

The purpose of this study is to provide context to the evolution of tourist attractions in Dubai, retrospectively learn from the experiences of the Milan and Shanghai Expos and to highlight the tourist attractions of Dubai Expo 2020. In so doing, the paper also seeks to understand how attractions play a role in shaping the growth of the tourism and hospitality sectors in Dubai.

Data for this paper were gathered from primary and secondary sources. Informal discussions with officials of Expo 2020 generally and tourism stakeholders, in particular, who were willing to participate in this study, form the core of the primary data reflected in this paper. These discussions, which span a period of four weeks, were transcribed for later study and analysis.

First, the tourism industry, the bedrock of Dubai’s economy, has witnessed remarkable growth during the period 1990-2015 and beyond because of its rich tourism infrastructure comprising hotels, tourism activities and tourist attractions. Second, it is important that Dubai Expo draws on the experiences and expectations of prior events and can apply lessons learnt from the Milan and Shanghai Expo events. Third, that Dubai Expo 2020 can enable Dubai to build on its established image for excellent infrastructure, attractions, hotels, affordable amenities, easy accessibility and highly-developed air and road transport systems.

Even if lessons learnt from the Milan and Shanghai Expo are taken into account, they may not account for unforeseen circumstances and sources of failure – though they provide a guide in relation to the conduct of a mega event.

Dubai Expo 2020 can enable Dubai to build on its established and broadening global appeal.

Employment prospects will be enhanced by Expo 2020 that will project an image of Dubai as a world tourist destination to a far greater extent than it has done so to date. Social changes may also occur because of cultural exchanges during the Expo 2020 period.

The paper discusses how strategic planning for new attractions combined with the existing attractions will help spread awareness of Expo 2020. The observations made from this study can be used by other nations hosting similar events in similar geographical areas, to help prepare and draw on prior experience and lessons learnt.

Many barriers to health and emotional well‐being for children are prevalent within inner‐city communities, and often result in negative consequences for education. Health promotion strategies have previously cited mentoring schemes as interventions through which targeted pastoral support can be effectively provided to children. This paper draws on detailed focus group interviews in order to evaluate SHINE ‐ Make Every Child Count, a student‐led charity operating five mentoring programmes across the London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth. Following content analysis, this paper identifies six themes associated with mentor support: rapport; emotional well‐being and development; social behaviour; enabling; emerging ambition; and attitudinal development. Results show participant children have gained considerable enjoyment from mentor support. Successful friendships are built and emotional well‐being supported, with children actively including mentors as part of their support network. Children recognise the impact of a mentor on relationships with peers, behaviour within the classroom and social responsibility, in addition to direct educational support. Children also show an increased interest in learning, and evidence of considering ‐ often for the first time ‐ their own future aspirations. Findings demonstrate the impact of the mentoring programmes, as perceived by participant children. Evaluation can be used to inform future development of the programmes, as well as expansion to further schools, with the organisation working towards achieving long‐term sustainability.

STEPS is a primary care mental health team that has attempted to develop a very high volume multi‐level, multi‐purpose service for those with mild to moderate problems. The service attempts to overcome many of the limitations of more traditional services. This paper describes the services contained within the six level model.

The Playfield Institute is a unique partnership between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and public health. The Institute model is an innovative response to the national challenge to mainstream mental health. Its focus is to build the capacity of frontline workers (otherwise known as the children's workforce eg. school nurses, social workers, teachers, foster carers etc) to promote the mental health of children and young people. It works by providing a multi‐agency forum for sharing information and developing practical skills on how to help children flourish. It also encourages reflection on practice and undertakes research that has a direct impact on the development of training and practice. To date, the Institute has achieved the following main outcomes: the facilitation of a successful training programme, the development of a well‐used, effective, online resource and the co‐ordination of a range of applied research projects. This paper discusses why the Institute was set up, what it is, what it has achieved and how the model is sustainable.

A mega‐event flagship (MEF) refers to a popular instrument developed for staging a mega‐event and catalyzing area‐based urban regeneration. Despite its lasting appeal and controversial nature, insufficient research on its critical early stage has been done to provide useful analysis. When the clients lack appropriate capabilities to confront sustainability challenges, MEFs may end up functioning poorly in the post‐event era and even hindering the progress of intended renewals. The purpose of this study is to enhance MEF clients’ capabilities in meeting sustainability challenges at the early stage and ultimately producing responsible MEFs of enduring worth.

The multiple‐case study method was adopted due to its widely recognized reliance on multiple sources to facilitate in‐depth analyses. Data were collected through archival records, documentation, direct observation and participant observation.

By proposing a comprehensive development framework based on the findings of multiple‐case studies, this paper corrects a misunderstanding of such a development being an end in itself, and contributes new insights into the definitional early stage of MEFs.

The fact that MEFs are a global phenomenon as well as a local undertaking leads to a need to develop a database of useful lessons and critical decisions from previous MEFs, to establish a best practice targets system in future research.

As an initial attempt, this paper lays the groundwork for research on MEFs by investigating how mega‐event hosts have prepared in meeting its sustainability challenges.

A mega‐event flagship (MEF) refers to a purpose‐built building flagship for a global mega‐event and a popular instrument to catalyze urban renewal in the host city. Despite their lasting popularity and volatile outcomes, such highly controversial developments have received little analysis. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the research.

To bridge the Triple‐C Gap identified, a case study method was adopted in the form of participant observation, due to the author's special role as a key project coordinator of Expo 2010. To provide a good reference for comparable developments, it takes three steps to study the Expo Center (EC) – one of the four MEFs of Expo 2010. First, planning rationales are explained to form a holistic understanding of the Big 4 as an integrated whole. Then, a pilot questionnaire survey is reported to identify pressing issues on a broader scale. Finally, the early stages of the EC are investigated in six dimensions.

The study concludes with significant lessons in shaping the early stage of a MEF, as well as correcting a misunderstanding of such a development being an end in itself.

Certain constraints in participant observation have been minimized since the author maintained a relatively independent role as a process facilitator, which is different from the traditional role of a design manager or a project manager.

A timely reminder to rethink the commitment to MEFs, this explorative study offers new insights into MEF research and will be of cross‐boundary value to a wide spectrum of people and agencies.

The purpose of this paper is to review and examine the necessities and potentials for transition of a library from paper‐based paradigm to all media paradigm in the new changing age; and to recount the innovation efforts made by Shanghai Library aimed at actualising its development strategy.

This paper reviews the major impacts that had fallen on libraries of the world, and the dilemma in particular that Shanghai Library was confronted with in its attempt to optimise the library services. Examples are given with facts and figures to illustrate how the library has been conducting innovation practices to fulfil its paradigm shift.

The paper concludes that today's libraries need fundamental transformation through innovation practices in various aspects and dimensions to keep up with the times.

The paper offers practical information and advice to those considering paradigm shift as a strategic organisational imperative.

This paper demonstrates how the Shanghai Library has achieved transcendence through transition of its business priority from the paper collection to the various formats that keeps in alliance with the digital and, in further foresight, the omnimedia age.