Student volunteering at business events in China: Motivations and conceptualization

<p>With the continuous growth of the global event industry, the importance of event volunteering has been widely acknowledged, while the understanding beyond sports events is overlooked. Moreover, the current literature on event volunteering is very Western-centric, and volunteering in different cultural contexts needs to be further explored. China is undergoing substantial economic and social changes and scholarly attention has been given to its tourism development. However, little is known about volunteering in the Chinese context. This thesis examines student volunteering at business events in China by studying students’ motivations for getting involved in volunteer activities at business events and conceptualization of this phenomenon. An adapted constructivist grounded theory approach was applied. This qualitative study started with the researcher’s auto-ethnography, demonstrating the emersion of the researcher in the explored field to gain a richness of data. This was followed by in-depth interviews with data triangulation from three groups: students, business event organisers, and education institution administrators. The combination of different methods reflected the holistic and critical research approach within the research paradigm, with a relativistic ontology, a subjectivist epistemology, and a naturalistic method. In the first stage of auto-ethnography, the researcher became an ‘insider’ at two business events in China and used personal experience to gain a fuller understanding of volunteering in this context. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews captured the perspectives of 20 students, 10 organisers, and 9 education institution administrators. Data were then analysed by a two-stage coding process using NVivo. Five themes and two frameworks of motivations and conceptualization emerged from the analysis. The identified motivations were complex, with students driven by instrumental and self-centred motives, demonstrating the characteristics of reflexive volunteers. Volunteering was a tool to construct distinctive personal identities and achieve self-realization. Regarding the concept of student volunteering at business events, participants had a broad understanding relating to this phenomenon. The voluntary exchange nature was prominent with symbolic, productive, and economic elements. Monetary remunerations were accepted and the behaviours were not purely students’ free choice, however, the voluntary spirit formed a distinctive line between volunteering at business events and other social activities. The results illustrated the complexity of the concept by encapsulating notions of reflexive volunteering, personal benefits, payment, exchange nature, voluntary spirit, and independent choice. Based on the exploration of motivation and conceptualization, it was identified that the phenomenon under research was a Chinese culturally specific construction of volunteering with the concepts of zhi yuan (volunteering) and zhi yuan zhe (volunteer(s)) demonstrating the culturally-situated understanding. Students’ zhi yuan service at business events was multi-dimensional and paradoxical, which transcended altruism/solidarity explanations for volunteer motivation and the dichotomy of paid employment/unpaid work. The findings contribute to the cultural understanding of volunteering and suggests further debate about the understanding of volunteering in different countries to capture the complexities of the embedded sociality residing in volunteering practices. The results of this research have important implications for scholars and practitioners in terms of volunteering research, volunteer management, and volunteer programme establishment.</p>

Student volunteering at business events in China: Motivations and conceptualization

<p>With the continuous growth of the global event industry, the importance of event volunteering has been widely acknowledged, while the understanding beyond sports events is overlooked. Moreover, the current literature on event volunteering is very Western-centric, and volunteering in different cultural contexts needs to be further explored. China is undergoing substantial economic and social changes and scholarly attention has been given to its tourism development. However, little is known about volunteering in the Chinese context. This thesis examines student volunteering at business events in China by studying students’ motivations for getting involved in volunteer activities at business events and conceptualization of this phenomenon. An adapted constructivist grounded theory approach was applied. This qualitative study started with the researcher’s auto-ethnography, demonstrating the emersion of the researcher in the explored field to gain a richness of data. This was followed by in-depth interviews with data triangulation from three groups: students, business event organisers, and education institution administrators. The combination of different methods reflected the holistic and critical research approach within the research paradigm, with a relativistic ontology, a subjectivist epistemology, and a naturalistic method. In the first stage of auto-ethnography, the researcher became an ‘insider’ at two business events in China and used personal experience to gain a fuller understanding of volunteering in this context. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews captured the perspectives of 20 students, 10 organisers, and 9 education institution administrators. Data were then analysed by a two-stage coding process using NVivo. Five themes and two frameworks of motivations and conceptualization emerged from the analysis. The identified motivations were complex, with students driven by instrumental and self-centred motives, demonstrating the characteristics of reflexive volunteers. Volunteering was a tool to construct distinctive personal identities and achieve self-realization. Regarding the concept of student volunteering at business events, participants had a broad understanding relating to this phenomenon. The voluntary exchange nature was prominent with symbolic, productive, and economic elements. Monetary remunerations were accepted and the behaviours were not purely students’ free choice, however, the voluntary spirit formed a distinctive line between volunteering at business events and other social activities. The results illustrated the complexity of the concept by encapsulating notions of reflexive volunteering, personal benefits, payment, exchange nature, voluntary spirit, and independent choice. Based on the exploration of motivation and conceptualization, it was identified that the phenomenon under research was a Chinese culturally specific construction of volunteering with the concepts of zhi yuan (volunteering) and zhi yuan zhe (volunteer(s)) demonstrating the culturally-situated understanding. Students’ zhi yuan service at business events was multi-dimensional and paradoxical, which transcended altruism/solidarity explanations for volunteer motivation and the dichotomy of paid employment/unpaid work. The findings contribute to the cultural understanding of volunteering and suggests further debate about the understanding of volunteering in different countries to capture the complexities of the embedded sociality residing in volunteering practices. The results of this research have important implications for scholars and practitioners in terms of volunteering research, volunteer management, and volunteer programme establishment.</p>

STUDENT VOLUNTEERING AT BUSINESS EVENTS IN CHINA: MOTIVATIONS AND CONCEPTUALIZATION

<p>With the continuous growth of the global event industry, the importance of event volunteering has been widely acknowledged, while the understanding beyond sports events is overlooked. Moreover, the current literature on event volunteering is very Western-centric, and volunteering in different cultural contexts needs to be further explored. China is undergoing substantial economic and social changes and scholarly attention has been given to its tourism development. However, little is known about volunteering in the Chinese context. This thesis examines student volunteering at business events in China by studying students’ motivations for getting involved in volunteer activities at business events and conceptualization of this phenomenon. An adapted constructivist grounded theory approach was applied. This qualitative study started with the researcher’s auto-ethnography, demonstrating the emersion of the researcher in the explored field to gain a richness of data. This was followed by in-depth interviews with data triangulation from three groups: students, business event organisers, and education institution administrators. The combination of different methods reflected the holistic and critical research approach within the research paradigm, with a relativistic ontology, a subjectivist epistemology, and a naturalistic method. In the first stage of auto-ethnography, the researcher became an ‘insider’ at two business events in China and used personal experience to gain a fuller understanding of volunteering in this context. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews captured the perspectives of 20 students, 10 organisers, and 9 education institution administrators. Data were then analysed by a two-stage coding process using NVivo. Five themes and two frameworks of motivations and conceptualization emerged from the analysis. The identified motivations were complex, with students driven by instrumental and self-centred motives, demonstrating the characteristics of reflexive volunteers. Volunteering was a tool to construct distinctive personal identities and achieve self-realization. Regarding the concept of student volunteering at business events, participants had a broad understanding relating to this phenomenon. The voluntary exchange nature was prominent with symbolic, productive, and economic elements. Monetary remunerations were accepted and the behaviours were not purely students’ free choice, however, the voluntary spirit formed a distinctive line between volunteering at business events and other social activities. The results illustrated the complexity of the concept by encapsulating notions of reflexive volunteering, personal benefits, payment, exchange nature, voluntary spirit, and independent choice. Based on the exploration of motivation and conceptualization, it was identified that the phenomenon under research was a Chinese culturally specific construction of volunteering with the concepts of zhi yuan (volunteering) and zhi yuan zhe (volunteer(s)) demonstrating the culturally-situated understanding. Students’ zhi yuan service at business events was multi-dimensional and paradoxical, which transcended altruism/solidarity explanations for volunteer motivation and the dichotomy of paid employment/unpaid work. The findings contribute to the cultural understanding of volunteering and suggests further debate about the understanding of volunteering in different countries to capture the complexities of the embedded sociality residing in volunteering practices. The results of this research have important implications for scholars and practitioners in terms of volunteering research, volunteer management, and volunteer programme establishment.</p>

Analisis Kebutuhan Materi Mata Kuliah Shangwu Kouyu Untuk mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Mandarin UNNES

Prodi pendidikan bahasa Mandarin Universitas Negeri Semarang membuka mata kuliah shangwu kouyu (percakapan bisnis) untuk mempersiapkan mahasiswanya bekerja di bidang bisnis, mengingat banyaknya proyek Tiongkok yang dinaungi di Indonesia. Agar materi yang dipelajari sesuai dengan apa yang dibutuhkan dilapangan, perlu adanya analisis untuk mengetahui kebutuhan materi shangwu kouyu, sehingga bisa benar benar diaplikasikan setelah lulus nantinya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kebutuhan materi menurut dosen, stake holder, alumni dan mahasiswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif - kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan teknik wawancara dan kuesioner. Teknik analisis data menggunakan teknik analisis data kualitatif yang bersumber dari Miles dan Huberman. Hasil penelitian ini adalah sebagai berikut: (1) mahasiswa membutuhkan bahan ajar dengan materi komprehensiv tingkat menengah dan sesuai dengan kebutuhan lapangan kerja yang sebenarnya (2) ada 8 materi yang paling dibutuhkan menurut stake holder, yaitu materi kunjungan pabrik, materi pertemuan, materi telepon bisnis, materi kontrak kerjasama, materi bersosisalisai, materi acara bisnis, materi perdagangan dan materi surat bisnis. (3) ada 5 materi yang paling dibutuhkan menurut alumni, , yaitu materi metode pembayaran materi pengiriman barang, materi pengemasan barang, materi ekspor impor, dan materi kontrak kerjasama dan 2 materi tambahan yaitu pajak dan produksi, (4) ada 5 materi yang paling dibutuhkan menurut mahasiswa, yaitu materi tentang kontrak kerjasama, materi bersosialisasi, materi telepon bisnis, materi ekspor impor serta materi tentang pemasaran dan layanan pelanggan.The Chinese language education study program, Semarang State University, opens the shangwu kouyu (business conversation) course to prepare students to work in the business field, considering the many Chinese projects that are shaded in Indonesia. In order for the material to be studied in accordance with what is needed in the field, there needs to be an analysis to find out the material needs of shangwu kouyu, so that it can really be applied after graduation. The purpose of this study was to find out the material needs according to lecturers, stake holders, alumni and students. This study used descriptive qualitative method. Data collection techniques using interview techniques and questionnaires. Data analysis techniques used qualitative data analysis techniques sourced from Miles and Huberman. The results of this study are as follows: (1) students need teaching materials with intermediate level comprehensive material and are in accordance with actual job field needs, (2) There are 8 materials that are most needed according to stakeholders, namely factory visit materials, meeting materials, business phone calls, cooperation contract materials, materials on business events, trade materials and business letter materials. (3) there are 5 materials that are most needed according to alumni, namely payment method materials for goods delivery, packaging materials, export-import materials, and cooperation contract materials and 2 additional materials, namely tax and production, (4) there are 5 materials that are the most required according to students, namely material on cooperation contracts, socializing materials, business telephone materials, export-import materials as well as materials on marketing and customer service.

‘WHEN YOU REALISE YOUR DAD IS CRISTIANO RONALDO’: CELEBRITY SHARENTING AND CHILDREN'S DIGITAL IDENTITY

Sharing of parenthood experiences can be performed by ordinary users, to influencers and celebrities. This paper seeks to understand the digital identity of a child of a global celebrity through their presentation on social media, and to analyse qualitatively the visual formats of children’s representation in a platformised digital environment. It focuses on the representation of Cristiano Ronaldo’s children, especially his oldest son (Junior), through his Instagram account, his wife’s and his mother’s, in a two-year period. After identifying the main forms of representation of the children, we searched for images of Cristiano Junior across image search engines, social media platforms, sites and repositories; then, we used reverse image search for the identified memes. Ronaldo’s children are represented at home and family moments, playing and amidst luxury; 10-year-old Junior is presented as the ‘natural successor’ to Ronaldo’s talent for football, and also takes part in social or business events in public places. Visual representations created by Ronaldo’s sharenting are specially appropriated into memes that mock the football celebrity’s narcissism; or the fact that the child doesn’t know how to pose for selfies. Cristiano’s children’s digital identity and Junior’s, in particular, is populated with images as shared by parents and wider family, as well as constructed through participatory culture. An archaeological approach to visual social media content is not without difficulties, but proved to be fruitful to unpack the tensions of this wide visibility and the meanings it creates for the (digital) identity of the child.

BUSINESS TOURISM AS A PROSPECTIVE DIRECTION OF TOURISM ACTIVITY IN UKRAINE

Purpose. The purpose of this research is to reveal the concept of the “business travel” and improve its classification in accordance with certain areas; to analyze indicators of tourist activity, including the trends of business tourism in Ukraine; to identify the features of business tourism development in some regions of Ukraine. Design/methodology/approach. Such scientific theoretical research methods as analysis and synthesis, systematization and explanation have been used to understand the definition of “business tourism” and its classification in certain areas. Methods of comparative and statistical analysis were used to study changes in the structure of tourism and identify trends in business tourism in some regions of Ukraine. Findings. The hypothesis that business travel has the opportunity to be developed in some regions of Ukraine is proven. The tourist situation in Ukraine has been analyzed in accordance with the data of State Statistics Service and Administration of the State Border Guard Service. Having investigated the tendency of business tourism in some regions of Ukraine, it can be noticed an increase in the total number of business tourists, who used the services of tour operators and travel agents during the period 2017–2018. Odessa, Dnipro regions and Kyiv are the centers of different business events, meetings and business interests. There is big amount of already existing exhibitions, fairs and business events which attract both domestic and foreign tourists. Practical implications. The results of this research have practical implications. Some travel companies, located in Odessa, Dnipro regions and Kyiv can diversify their activity, adding business travel as a prospective direction. Also, the state should support business, especially during pandemic period, encouraging safe travel, promoting information to tourists, taking care of the country’s image at both regional and international level. Originality/value. Business travel is considered as a type of tourist activity, undertaken for solving business purposes and also includes cultural and entertainment programs. The main groups of participants in business travel are identified and the most dynamic segment of the business travel market is indicated. The distribution of foreign tourists related to various types of tourism activity is analyzed and the potential for business travel development in separate regions is defined.

Counterfactual causal analysis on structured data

Data generated in a real-world business environment can be highly connected with intricate relationships among entities. Studying relationships and understanding their dynamics can provide deeper understanding of business events. However, finding important causal relations among entities is a daunting task with heavy dependency on data scientists. Also due to fundamental problem of causal inference it is impossible to directly observe causal effects. Thus, a method is proposed to explain predictive causal relations in an arbitrary linked dataset using counterfactual type causality. The proposed method can generate counterfactual examples with high fidelity in minimal time. It can explain causal relations among any chosen response variable and an arbitrary set of independent causal variables to provide explanations in natural language. The evidence of the explanations is shown in the form of a summarized connected data graph