The aim of this study was to understand the motives for using the Internet, and its associations with users' attitudes, social values, and relational involvement. Also, this study attempted to crossculturally compare the difference in the pattern of motives and the associations among three countries ' the US, the Netherlands, and S. Korea. The design of methods was based on examination and revision of uses and gratification approach toward Internet users. Findings from factor analysis revealed that information seeking and Self-Improvement were the dominant and common reasons for using the Internet across three countries. The differences in the composition of motives in each country were also reported. Strong correlations across countries were found between all the motives and satisfaction of the Internet. Expectation and positive evaluation of the Internet were also important attitudes associated with Internet use motives. Postmaterialist value showed strong association with motives of information seeking and Self-Improvement. Community involvement was significantly associated with Internet use motives in Korean users.
Chapter 8 in Comsumption Culture in Europe. This chapter presents an analysis of what consumer in Europe drink and why they drink what they drink. The concept of drinking motives is developed and defined, and analysis of data on drinking motives shows that these can be grouped into two major classes: self-expressive and functional. This distinction is universal and hence applies across Europe. However, the importance of self-expressive as compared to functional motives, as well as the way in which these relate to different beverages, does differ across Europe. Both dimensions are relevant for the motives for drinking non-alcoholic drinks, whereas the self-expression dimension dominates reasons for drinking alcoholic drinks. The Eastern European countries have generally higher scores on the self-expression dimension, indicating that such motives play a bigger role there compared to the other regions. No clear geographical pattern emerged with regard to the functional dimension. Beer and spirits are the alcoholic drinks and tea, water, and juice the non-alcoholic drinks that are related to high scores on the self-expression dimension. Water and juice are the drinks scoring highest on functionality, being mainly related to health, availability, and quenching one’s thirst. The non-alcoholic products scoring low on functionality are coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks. Analysis of socio-demographic differences resulted in only a few effects. Men, lower education groups, and lower income groups are more likely to drink alcohol for reasons other than self-expression motives (such as to quench one’s thirst). Also, the health motive plays a larger role for older people, and the self-expressive and social motives play a larger role for younger people. The chapter closes with recommendations for the marketing of drink products in Europe.
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Currently, there is no common understanding of categorizing, conceptualizing, and measuring consumption motives in the performing arts. Study one presents the results of forty-seven semi-structured, in-depth interviews and deepens the understanding of consumption motives. A new framework consisting of cultural and social motives is introduced. This framework is tested in the second study. Here, a quantitative instrument is developed. The results of the principal components analysis refine the framework and demonstrate the following consumption motives: cultural aesthetics (with two dimensions: artistic value and enjoyment of beauty), cultural relaxation, cultural stimulation, social bonding, social attraction, social distinction, and social duty.
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Crowdfunding campaigns have empowered countless innovative projects and made funding accessible to a large pool of makers and citizens. Recently, traditional funding bodies such as foundations, provinces and municipalities have acknowledged the potential of crowdfunding to approximate institutional decision-making to citizens, by engaging with the “crowd’s” preferences and further stimulating public and private funding through matchfunding. Matchfunding – the financial contribution of traditional funding bodies to crowdfunding campaigns – is an emerging form of co-funding that has the potential to foster a more inclusive and democratic society. Yet, given its novelty, little is known about how matchfunding works, and how it can be transformed into an efficacious tool that supports project creators and policymakers to develop impactful projects. Looking at the creative industries, one of the most prolific fields in crowdfunding, this project aims to provide this knowledge by: (1) gaining insight into the democratizing potential and best-practices of matchfunding in the creative industries by comparing analysing the extensive databases of crowdfunding and matchfunding pioneer voordekunst and matchfunding partners Kunstloc Brabant and Gemeente Rotterdam, and by conducting interviews with matchfunding parners to gain insight into their challenges and experiences; (2) deepening and sharing findings in Impact-Driven Workshops, which serve to exchange knowledge with and between matchfunding partners, and gain further insights into their motives and best practices. Based on the outcomes of (1) and (2), we develop (3) an online Matchfunding Toolkit, geared towards matchfunding partners, as well as to creators, freelancers and SMEs (potentially) using matchfunding for their projects. Finally, (4) we will disseminate this knowledge to other funding bodies and organisations within and outside of the creative industries by connecting partners and stakeholders in a Dissemination Event. This results in a lasting knowledge hub and network geared to supporting creators, SMEs and freelancers in search of funding.
3D-printen op basis van polymeren kent de laatste jaren een exponentiële groei voor verschillende toepassingen. Ongeveer de helft van de polymere materialen die gebruikt worden zijn vernettende fotopolymeren (thermoharders) die gemaakt zijn uit fossiele grondstoffen en per definitie niet recycleerbaar, repareerbaar of herverwerkbaar zijn. Gezien de groei van de 3D-printmarkt in combinatie met maatschappelijke zorgen rondom kunststofafval is er vanuit het werkveld een toenemende vraag naar duurzame, circulaire 3D-printmaterialen.In dit project, dat voortborduurt op KIEM GoChem “GOCH.KIEM.KGC02.022” zal gewerkt worden aan de verduurzaming van thermohardende polymeren voor 3D-printen. Verschillende aspecten van duurzaamheid komen aan bod over de gehele waardeketen:- Biomassa als grondstof: b.v. lignine of vetzuur-gebaseerde grondstoffen (Croda). - Duurzame, veilige en opschaalbare flowchemie processen voor de synthese van de biogebaseerde bouwstenen (ZUYD, CHILL, Chemtrix).- Ontwerp van thermohardende fotopolymeren met dynamische bindingen (vitrimeren), b.v. polymethacrylaten met imine bindingen (UM, RUG). Dynamische bindingen in vitrimeren kunnen onder invloed van een stimulus zoals temperatuur, licht of pH aanleiding geven tot een materiaal dat verwerkbaar is zoals een thermoplast, wat de weg opent naar recyclage, reparatie of herverwerking van thermoharders. - Circulariteit van de materialen in 3D-printprocessen: initieel zullen de ontwikkelde bouwstenen gebruikt worden voor het 3D-printen van prototypes, gekenmerkt door een korte levensduur, via stereolithografie (NHL Stenden, Liqcreate, Binder3D). Deze protototypes zullen daarna gerecycleerd worden tot monofilamenten voor extrusie-gebaseerd 3D-printen (FDM), hetgeen mogelijk is dankzij de ingebouwde dynamische bindingen in de thermoharders (NHL Stenden, Ultimaker, Binder3D). Vervolgens zullen m.b.v. FDM diverse demonstrators worden geprint: b.v. medische protheses en controlemallen voor automotives.De gefabriceerde demonstrators zullen aantonen dat met één-en-hetzelfde materiaal verschillende 3D-printprocessen succesvol kunnen worden doorlopen. De in dit project ontwikkelde materialen bieden daarmee voor het werkveld een praktische oplossing voor de duurzaamheidsuitdagingen die gepaard gaan met de snelle marktgroei van 3D-geprinte materialen.
In this project on volunteering in LTH organisation we focus on three aims:1. To explain why organisations in different LTH sectors and regions had, have or need volunteers, how they interact with these volunteers, and the consequences (benefits and challenges) of volunteerism for these organisations.2. To determine how to find the right balance between paid and unpaid staff within the same organisation, considering the LTH sector and region they belong to, in order to create a healthy ecosystem within it (bearing in mind that no organisation can have both volunteers and paid staff do the same job - see above).3. To understand the perspectives, motives and expectations of why people (decide to) volunteer, how they interact with the organisation (management, paid staff) during volunteering, in order to interest them, recruit them, make use of them and retain them. In addition, it is also our aim to explain the benefits and challenges for people to volunteer.In this study, we will use an integrated approach, which implies that we aren’t only interested in the people- or organisation-side of volunteering (actor-side). We will also focus on the interactions between volunteers, paid staff and organisation during volunteering (core of the practice) in a certain LTH organisation, sector and region in the Netherlands (context-side). Studying volunteering in its specific contexts (organisation, sector, region) using an integrated practice approach, hasn’t been done before. In addition, as more and more LTH organisations in the Netherlands rely on volunteers (for their survival), either for economic, social or community (mienskip) reasons (context-related conditions), there is a need for a better understanding of volunteering (as indicated by aim 1-3). Finally, as not much literature has been based on Dutch studies about volunteering and the recruitment and retention of volunteers, this project will fill this gap.Besides the aims as outlined before, a more specific goal of this project is to provide recommendations for a sustainable business model for organisations to embrace volunteerism without affecting the structure of employees. In close cooperation with different LTH organisations, we will develop interventions as policy making instruments (and therefore also for the whole region where they are located). Furthermore, this research will contribute to industry, research (see also below), education (idem) and society. Our ultimate goal is to foster the wellbeing of the volunteers, paid staff and organisations and overall to contribute to social sustainability within The Netherlands.The above-mentioned aims and conceptual model lead to the following research question: How can volunteering in the LTH sectors in Dutch regions be shaped in a sustainable way for both volunteers as well as organisations?In line with what we discussed earlier, this also means contributing to a more stable labour market in hospitality, leisure and tourism in which voluntary work is recognised as an important and indispensable component of a healthy labour ecosystem.The approach we intend to adopt is a qualitative one based on narrative inquiry. While in the literature a quantitative approach using surveys to gather data is mostly used in understanding volunteerism and in measuring motives, we will observe and connect with the volunteers’ work in each sector/case identified and collect and analyse their individual stories. In addition, and in line with our integrated approach, we will investigate how the LTH organisations connected to these cases view the role, value and future of volunteerism.Societal IssueOur insights into volunteers’ work in different sectors will improve their quality of work by revealing drivers of their satisfaction, turnover, motivation, and passion. Managers can use these insights to train and retain volunteers as an integral part of not only their events, but the broader community. It is well-known that robust volunteering programmes are a cornerstone of contemporary social cohesion, and our findings will show how storytelling can strengthen these processes.Benefit to societyThis project will contribute in three ways to the LTH sector. The three outcomes of this study are first around a better understanding of what meaningful volunteering is, second, around the value of volunteers to LTH organisations, and, thirdly, about the value of such activities to Dutch society.The project will provide practical advice to LTH organisations on which interventions to use and in which contexts. This tangible output might take the form of a report, guide(s) mentioned above, and/or another instrument that suits the needs of managers and volunteers. The instrument(s) selected by LTH organisations and volunteers will help to disseminate best practices as well as to highlight the potential of volunteers and volunteering to wider society, other organisations and to current and potential volunteers. By following the steps in or using these instruments, we believe volunteer organisations will be better able to profile themselves and to recruit and retain volunteers.The present study will bring innovation in the field by generating new narratives on volunteerism, and by designing an engaging and appealing path for volunteers to join organisations. At the same time, it will design a structure for organisations to work with volunteers in a sustainable way.Consortium partners: Rodney Westerlaken, Geesje Duursma (both NHL Stenden, Leeuwarden)
