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Ding X, Xu J. Urban professionals' restorative tourism: exploring the role of perceived environmental restorativeness, push and pull motivations and destination attributes on tourism expectations. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1293050. [PMID: 38566934 PMCID: PMC10985151 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1293050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Urban professionals often seek respite from their daily routines through restorative tourism, driven by a complex interplay of motivations that include both internal "push" factors and external "pull" factors. This study investigates the intricate relationship between the perceived environmental restorativeness of tourist destinations and the expectations of urban professionals engaging in restorative tourism. Furthermore, it examines how push and pull motivations mediate this relationship while also considering the moderating effect of destination attributes. Methods The multiple regression analyses on the survey data collected from 221 urban professionals with restorative tourism experiences provided quantitative evidence regarding the hypothesized relationships among perceived environmental restorativeness, push and pull motivations, destination attributes, and tourism expectations. Results The results showed that perceived environmental restorativeness has a positive effect on urban professionals' tourism expectations; urban professionals' pull motivation and push motivation each play a mediating role between perceived environmental restorativeness and tourist expectations; and restorative tourism destination attributes have a moderating effect between perceived environmental restorativeness and push motivation, as well as the relationship between perceived environmental restorativeness and pull motivation. Discussion This study provides essential theoretical contributions to restorative tourism and practical implications when designing restorative tourism destinations that target urban professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianyao Ding
- School of Art and Design, Xihua University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiajun Xu
- ICT Convergence College of Engineering, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Republic of Korea
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Nigg C, Petersen E, MacIntyre T. Natural environments, psychosocial health, and health behaviors in a crisis - A scoping review of the literature in the COVID-19 context. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 88:102009. [PMID: 37065613 PMCID: PMC10082968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak led to major restrictions globally, affecting people's psychosocial health and their health behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this scoping review was to summarize the available research regarding nature and health in the COVID-19 context. Keywords relating to natural environments and COVID-19 were combined to conduct a systematic online search in six major databases. Eligibility criteria were a) published since 2020 with data collected in the COVID-19 context b) peer-reviewed, c) original empirical data collected on human participants, d) investigated the association between natural environments and psychosocial health or health behaviors, and e) English, German, or Scandinavian languages. Out of 9126 articles being screened, we identified 188 relevant articles, representing 187 distinct studies. Most research focused on adults in the general population and was predominantly conducted in the USA, Europe, and China. Overall, the findings indicate that nature may mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on psychological health and physical activity. Through a systematic thematic analysis of the extracted data, three primary themes were identified: 1) type of nature assessed, 2) psychosocial health and health behaviors investigated, and 3) heterogeneity in the nature-health relationship. Research gaps in the COVID-19 context were identified regarding I) nature characteristics that promote psychosocial health and health behaviors, II) investigations of digital and virtual nature, III) psychological constructs relating to mental health promotion, IV) health-promoting behaviors other than physical activity, V) underlying mechanisms regarding heterogeneity in the nature-health relationship based on human, nature, and geographic characteristics, and VI) research focusing on vulnerable groups. Overall, natural environments demonstrate considerable potential in buffering the impact of stressful events on a population level on mental health. However, future research is warranted to fill the mentioned research gaps and to examine the long-term effects of nature exposure during COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nigg
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 145, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Engler-Bunte-Ring 15, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Evi Petersen
- Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Life, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800, Bø i, Telemark, Norway
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Oslo Metropolitan University, Pilestredet 42, 0167, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tadhg MacIntyre
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Maynooth University, North Campus, W23 F2K8, Maynooth, Ireland
- Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, Maynooth University, North Campus, W23 F2k8, Maynooth, Ireland
- TechPA Research Group, Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
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Hasegawa Y, Lau SK. A qualitative and quantitative synthesis of the impacts of COVID-19 on soundscapes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 844:157223. [PMID: 35810914 PMCID: PMC9262645 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The current prolonged coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has substantially influenced numerous facets of our daily lives for over two years. Although a number of studies have explored the pandemic impacts on soundscapes worldwide, their works have not been reviewed comprehensively nor systematically, hence a lack of prospective soundscape goals based upon global evidence. This review study examines evidence of the COVID-19 crisis impacts on soundscapes and quantifies the prevalence of unprecedented changes in acoustic environments. Two key-research classes were identified based on a systematic content analysis of the 119 included studies: (1) auditory perceptual change and (2) noise level change due to the COVID-19 pandemic/lockdown. Our qualitative synthesis ascertained the substantial adverse consequences of pandemic soundscapes on human health and well-being while beneficial aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic on soundscapes were yet identified. Furthermore, meta-analysis results highlight that the observed average noise-level reduction (148 averaged samples derived from 31 studies) varied as a function of the stringency level of the COVID-19 confinement policies imposed by the governments, which would be further moderated by urban morphology and main noise sources. Given these collective findings, we propose soundscape materiality, its nexus with related the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs), and prospective approaches to support resilient soundscapes during and after the pandemic, which should be achieved to enhance healthy living and human well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimi Hasegawa
- Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Siu-Kit Lau
- Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Labib SM, Browning MHEM, Rigolon A, Helbich M, James P. Nature's contributions in coping with a pandemic in the 21st century: A narrative review of evidence during COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155095. [PMID: 35395304 DOI: 10.32942/osf.io/j2pa8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
While COVID-19 lockdowns have slowed coronavirus transmission, such structural measures also have unintended consequences on mental and physical health. Growing evidence shows that exposure to the natural environment (e.g., blue-green spaces) can improve human health and wellbeing. In this narrative review, we synthesized the evidence about nature's contributions to health and wellbeing during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the pandemic, people experienced multiple types of nature, including both outdoors and indoors. Frequency of visits to outdoor natural areas (i.e., public parks) depended on lockdown severity and socio-cultural contexts. Other forms of nature exposure, such as spending time in private gardens and viewing outdoor greenery from windows, may have increased. The majority of the evidence suggests nature exposure during COVID-19 pandemic was associated with less depression, anxiety, stress, and more happiness and life satisfaction. Additionally, nature exposure was correlated with less physical inactivity and fewer sleep disturbances. Evidence was mixed regarding associations between nature exposure and COVID-related health outcomes, while nature visits might be associated with greater rates of COVID-19 transmission and mortality when proper social distancing measures were not maintained. Findings on whether nature exposure during lockdowns helped ameliorate health inequities by impacting the health of lower-socioeconomic populations more than their higher-socioeconomic counterparts for example were mixed. Based on these findings, we argue that nature exposure may have buffered the negative mental and behavioral impacts of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery and resilience during the current crises and future public health crises might be improved with nature-based infrastructure, interventions, designs, and governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Labib
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29631, USA
| | - Alessandro Rigolon
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Marco Helbich
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter James
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Labib SM, Browning MHEM, Rigolon A, Helbich M, James P. Nature's contributions in coping with a pandemic in the 21st century: A narrative review of evidence during COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155095. [PMID: 35395304 PMCID: PMC8983608 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
While COVID-19 lockdowns have slowed coronavirus transmission, such structural measures also have unintended consequences on mental and physical health. Growing evidence shows that exposure to the natural environment (e.g., blue-green spaces) can improve human health and wellbeing. In this narrative review, we synthesized the evidence about nature's contributions to health and wellbeing during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the pandemic, people experienced multiple types of nature, including both outdoors and indoors. Frequency of visits to outdoor natural areas (i.e., public parks) depended on lockdown severity and socio-cultural contexts. Other forms of nature exposure, such as spending time in private gardens and viewing outdoor greenery from windows, may have increased. The majority of the evidence suggests nature exposure during COVID-19 pandemic was associated with less depression, anxiety, stress, and more happiness and life satisfaction. Additionally, nature exposure was correlated with less physical inactivity and fewer sleep disturbances. Evidence was mixed regarding associations between nature exposure and COVID-related health outcomes, while nature visits might be associated with greater rates of COVID-19 transmission and mortality when proper social distancing measures were not maintained. Findings on whether nature exposure during lockdowns helped ameliorate health inequities by impacting the health of lower-socioeconomic populations more than their higher-socioeconomic counterparts for example were mixed. Based on these findings, we argue that nature exposure may have buffered the negative mental and behavioral impacts of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery and resilience during the current crises and future public health crises might be improved with nature-based infrastructure, interventions, designs, and governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Labib
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29631, USA
| | - Alessandro Rigolon
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Marco Helbich
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter James
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Li H, Dong W, Wang Z, Chen N, Wu J, Wang G, Jiang T. Effect of a Virtual Reality-Based Restorative Environment on the Emotional and Cognitive Recovery of Individuals with Mild-to-Moderate Anxiety and Depression. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18179053. [PMID: 34501643 PMCID: PMC8430968 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In this study, restorative environment theory and virtual reality (VR) technology were combined to build different 3D dynamic VR interactive scenes. We discuss the effects of a VR restorative environment on the emotional and cognitive recovery of individuals with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression. First, we built a VR restorative garden scene, divided into four areas: forest, lawn, horticultural planting, and water features. The scene was verified to have a good recovery effect in 26 participants. Then, 195 participants with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression were selected as experimental subjects. Through psychological testing and EMG (Electromyography) and EEG (Electroencephalography) data feedback, we further explored the differences in the sense of presence in VR restorative scenes and their effect on individual emotional and cognitive recovery. The results showed that (1) both the restorative environment images and the VR scenes had a healing effect (the reduction in negative emotions and the recovery of positive emotions and cognition), with no difference in the subjective feeling of recovery among the different scenes, but the recovery score of the VR urban environment was higher than that of the natural environment (differing from the results in real environments); (2) a high sense of presence can be experienced in different VR scenes, and interactive activities in VR scenes can provide a great presence experience; (3) the recovery effects of VR restorative environment on emotion and self-efficacy are realized through the presence of VR scenes; (4) a VR restorative environment is helpful for the emotional improvement and cognitive recovery of individuals with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression. VR urban scenes also have good recovery effects. In terms of cognitive recovery, self-efficacy improved significantly. In addition, from the perspective of EEG indicators, the VR restorative scene experience activated the prefrontal lobe, which is conducive to cognitive recovery in individuals with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression. In terms of emotional improvement, negative emotions were significantly reduced in the different VR scene groups. In conclusion, we further explored ways to help individuals with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression, in order to promote the development and application of mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqidi Li
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (H.L.); (W.D.); (N.C.); (G.W.)
| | - Wenyi Dong
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (H.L.); (W.D.); (N.C.); (G.W.)
| | - Zhimeng Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (Z.W.); (T.J.)
| | - Nuo Chen
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (H.L.); (W.D.); (N.C.); (G.W.)
| | - Jianping Wu
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (H.L.); (W.D.); (N.C.); (G.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-139-1011-6535
| | - Guangxin Wang
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (H.L.); (W.D.); (N.C.); (G.W.)
| | - Ting Jiang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (Z.W.); (T.J.)
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Ratcliffe E. Sound and Soundscape in Restorative Natural Environments: A Narrative Literature Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:570563. [PMID: 33981262 PMCID: PMC8107214 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.570563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic experiences of nature represent a growing area in restorative environments research and are explored in this narrative literature review. First, the work surveyed indicates that nature is broadly characterized by the sounds of birdsong, wind, and water, and these sounds can enhance positive perceptions of natural environments presented through visual means. Second, isolated from other sensory modalities these sounds are often, although not always, positively affectively appraised and perceived as restorative. Third, after stress and/or fatigue nature sounds and soundscapes can lead to subjectively and objectively improved mood and cognitive performance, as well as reductions in arousal, although some inconsistencies in findings are observed. Fourth, theoretical frameworks of restorative environments would benefit from inclusion of acoustic environmental properties such as sound intensity or frequency. Fifth, findings regarding positive, learned semantic associations with nature have arisen as a result of recent work on sounds and restoration. This represents another important area of potential theoretical development for broader restorative environments research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Ratcliffe
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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Framing Twitter Public Sentiment on Nigerian Government COVID-19 Palliatives Distribution Using Machine Learning. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13063497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Sustainable development plays a vital role in information and communication technology. In times of pandemics such as COVID-19, vulnerable people need help to survive. This help includes the distribution of relief packages and materials by the government with the primary objective of lessening the economic and psychological effects on the citizens affected by disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there has not been an efficient way to monitor public funds’ accountability and transparency, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. The understanding of public emotions by the government on distributed palliatives is important as it would indicate the reach and impact of the distribution exercise. Although several studies on English emotion classification have been conducted, these studies are not portable to a wider inclusive Nigerian case. This is because Informal Nigerian English (Pidgin), which Nigerians widely speak, has quite a different vocabulary from Standard English, thus limiting the applicability of the emotion classification of Standard English machine learning models. An Informal Nigerian English (Pidgin English) emotions dataset is constructed, pre-processed, and annotated. The dataset is then used to classify five emotion classes (anger, sadness, joy, fear, and disgust) on the COVID-19 palliatives and relief aid distribution in Nigeria using standard machine learning (ML) algorithms. Six ML algorithms are used in this study, and a comparative analysis of their performance is conducted. The algorithms are Multinomial Naïve Bayes (MNB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Logistics Regression (LR), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Decision Tree (DT). The conducted experiments reveal that Support Vector Machine outperforms the remaining classifiers with the highest accuracy of 88%. The “disgust” emotion class surpassed other emotion classes, i.e., sadness, joy, fear, and anger, with the highest number of counts from the classification conducted on the constructed dataset. Additionally, the conducted correlation analysis shows a significant relationship between the emotion classes of “Joy” and “Fear”, which implies that the public is excited about the palliatives’ distribution but afraid of inequality and transparency in the distribution process due to reasons such as corruption. Conclusively, the results from this experiment clearly show that the public emotions on COVID-19 support and relief aid packages’ distribution in Nigeria were not satisfactory, considering that the negative emotions from the public outnumbered the public happiness.
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Qiu M, Sha J, Scott N. Restoration of Visitors through Nature-Based Tourism: A Systematic Review, Conceptual Framework, and Future Research Directions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18052299. [PMID: 33652652 PMCID: PMC7956513 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Visiting natural environments could restore health and contribute to human sustainability. However, the understanding of potential linkages between restoration of visitors and nature-based tourism remains incomplete, resulting in a lack of orientation for researchers and managers. This study aimed to explore how visitors achieve restoration through nature by analyzing published literature on tourism. Using a systematic review method, this study examined destination types, participant traits, theoretical foundations, and potential restorative outcomes presented in 34 identified articles. A new framework that synthesizes relevant research and conceptualizes the restorative mechanisms of nature-based tourism from a human–nature interaction perspective was developed. Owing to the limitations in the theories, methods, cases, and the COVID-19 pandemic, interdisciplinary methods and multisensory theories are needed in the future to shed further light on the restoration of visitors through nature-based tourism. The findings provide a theoretical perspective on the consideration of nature-based tourism as a public-wellness product worldwide, and the study provides recommendations for future research in a COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Qiu
- College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
| | - Ji Sha
- College of Business Administration, Jiangsu Vocational Institute of Commerce, Nanjing 211168, China;
| | - Noel Scott
- Gold Coast Campus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-0422691057
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