Wiebke Heinze (p), Martin Carree

Irene Pinto

This paper explores the effect of ecosystem attributes on the location choice and social performance of social enterprises. While prior research has examined the delimited regional influences on social enterprises' establishment and growth rates, it is still unclear why some regions have a higher rate of (successful) social enterprises than others. Utilizing a dataset comprising 2527 U.S.-based social enterprises and employing conditional logit regression and linear regression analyses, we identify specific ecosystem attributes that positively and negatively influence the location choices of social enterprises. However, our study reveals a misalignment between the regional influences affecting location choices and those leading to higher social performance. By providing insights into the nuanced relationship between regional influences, location choices, and social performance, this research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics shaping the success of social enterprises within ecosystems.

Carla Costa (p), Sergio Paramo

Wiebke Heinze

As gender differences persist in the access to funding for female-led ventures, and affect the diversity of entrepreneurial experiments available to growth-seeking regions, we investigate how a gender-inclusive investment network in the Netherlands contributes towards building an ecosystem that enables the development of female entrepreneurs. We use a mixed-methods approach to uncover the effects of gender-inclusive strategies, dynamics, and decision-making processes that prevail in a gender-inclusive ecosystem, operationalized within the multitude of relevant stakeholders. We will use video content analysis of footage of successful entrepreneurial pitches (visual, vocal, and verbal dimensions), content analysis of entrepreneurial pitch decks, and interviews of different stakeholders of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. We aim to detect differences in terms of behavioral and emotional patterns in contrast with stereotypical male-dominated established judgment models dominant in gender-biased ecosystems. This paper contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature, more specifically to the research on the gender gap in early-stage venture funding. We aim to uncover the potential impact of a gender-inclusive investment network in addressing gender-related funding challenges affecting female entrepreneurs in The Netherlands. Moreover, our paper takes a systems perspective on the impact a gender-inclusive investment network can have on a non-gender-inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our results will allow for a more clear theoretical perspective on the influence of non-conformant behaviors within ecosystems.

Pilar Tejada (p), Pilar Moreno (p)

Carla Costa

In the current context of implementation of the European Agenda for Tourism 2030, the need to reinforce the itinerary for the double ecological and digital transition is established, in order to achieve a more sustainable, innovative and resilient tourism (European Commission, 2022). To this end, a set of twenty-seven actions integrated into five large areas of action (priority areas) are proposed, among which the one relating to the digital transition in tourism takes on special significance. Noteworthy is the measure relating to the “Digitalisation of tourism SMEs”, with the goal of achieving the effective use of digital tools by tourism SMEs and microenterprises by 20301.
In this context, a crucial question emerges, what is the exact situation of the digital transformation of the tourism sector? However, when looking for precise information in this regard, a significant lack of data is found in at least two directions. On the one hand, the structural problem existing in the statistical delimitation of the tourism sector in the national accounts systems, which requires adding data on the different tourist activities (accommodation, restaurants, intermediation, traveller transportation in its various modalities, etc.) , in order to know the situation of the sector as a whole. On the other hand, the insufficient statistical coverage of tourism SMEs that still persists, which causes the few existing official statistics on the digitalization of tourism SMEs to focus exclusively on companies with 10 or more workers, leaving microenterprises out of the study, which constitute a fundamental part of the tourism business ecosystem.
In the framework of the research project “Entrepreneurial factor, digital ecosystems and digitalization of SMEs” (PID2020-113384GB-I00), an exploratory study has been carried out on the digital transformation of tourism SMEs in Spain, particularly microenterprises. The main objective is to determine what phase of digital maturity they are currently in; along with the main barriers they must face to end the existing digital gap for smaller tourism companies.

Irene Pinto (p), Assumpció Huertas

Pilar Tejada

Advanced technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) applications are increasingly being implemented in the heritage and cultural tourism sector, providing visitors with immersive and engaging experiences. Taking into account the gaps in the literature concerning the topic, the objective of this study is to compare the impacts of AR and VR applications on the tourism experience in two different cultural sites, both located in Ulldecona, a peripheral city in the region of Catalonia (Spain), characterised by little accessibility and tourism: the cave paintings of the Abrics de la Ermita and the Mediaeval Castle. Utilising a qualitative real-world approach, the study combines a self-report method (post-visit interviews with visitors) and a non-self-report method (participant observation during visits). The study focuses on the cognitive, emotional and sensorial/physical impacts, capturing both positive and negative dimensions of the tourist experience. The findings emerged from the two different methods will then be compared. Notably, visitors’ responses during interviews may not consistently match their sensorial and physical behaviours during the experience. The study contributes to a wider understanding of the role of advanced technologies in shaping tourist experiences, particularly in peripheral and less touristic destinations like Ulldecona.