Search Results (22)

The global tourism industry is entering a phygital era, prompting renewed examination of the metaverse as an extension rather than a substitute for physical travel. This study investigates how metaverse technology operates across the Phygital Customer Journey within the Thai tourism context. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 12 experts from academic, multimedia development, and policy sectors, the data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the metaverse assumes its most structurally significant role during the pre-trip phase. Immersive previews were described as recalibrating perceived risk by enabling advance assessment of accessibility, spatial configuration, and environmental conditions prior to commitment. This staged risk-calibration process operates through three interrelated mechanisms: Sensory Bridging, Psychological Risk Mitigation, and Physical Feasibility Testing, which are particularly relevant for secondary tourism destinations and demographic aging contexts. Building on these patterns, the study advances a four-layer architectural framework as an interpretive synthesis. Within this framework, the metaverse functions as a transactional and coordination layer that integrates booking systems, AI-enabled services, and real-time infrastructural data supported by IoT and Blockchain. The analysis further suggests that the state may assume an enabling role as an Infrastructure Architect through the development of a National Digital Highway and regulatory sandbox arrangements for SMEs. Sustainable adoption depends on hardware-agnostic, mobile-centric accessibility to mitigate digital exclusion. While grounded in Thailand, the framework offers analytical relevance for destinations facing comparable infrastructural and demographic conditions. Full article

The growing integration of digital technologies with physical consumption spaces has led to the emergence of phygital environments, fundamentally transforming consumer decision-making processes. At the same time, sustainability has become an increasingly important normative and strategic context shaping contemporary consumption. While phygital solutions are often associated with sustainability-oriented claims, empirical evidence explaining how consumer behavior in phygital environments relates to sustainability remains limited. This study examines consumer behavior in phygital purchasing contexts through the prism of sustainability, focusing on the decision-making mechanisms that may support sustainability-oriented choices rather than treating phygital behavior as sustainable consumption per se. Using a two-stage analytical approach, the study first identifies key purchasing dimensions characterizing consumer behavior in phygital environments and then empirically tests the direction and strength of their relationships within a theoretically grounded structural model. Based on survey data collected from 2160 consumers, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was employed to identify latent purchasing dimensions, followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to validate the measurement model and examine hypothesized relationships. The results reveal four interrelated purchasing dimensions—purchase pragmatism, emotional commitment to the purchase, purchase comfort, and purchase pleasure—that shape consumers’ engagement in phygital purchasing processes. The findings suggest that phygital environments may foster sustainability-oriented decision-making by enhancing information access, decision efficiency, emotional engagement, and experiential value. However, the study does not directly measure environmental or sustainability outcomes; instead, it clarifies how established dimensions of consumer decision-making operate within phygital environments when analyzed from a sustainability-oriented perspective. The study offers theoretical implications for research on phygital consumer behavior and sustainability-oriented marketing, as well as managerial insights for designing phygital customer experiences that may support more informed and responsible consumption choices. Full article

This article scientifically addresses the challenges related to data security and stakeholder privacy faced by companies operating in the European Union. These challenges stem largely from the global digital transformation, within which the European Union imposes regulations governing data protection and stakeholder privacy. The digital transformation in the European Union focuses on the integration of people and technology, sustainable development, and the resilience of management systems, which are the pillars of Industry 5.0. From a practical perspective, the paper examines the current level of awareness among employees of the enterprise in Poland regarding data and privacy risk management in today’s economic environment. The paper presents both a theoretical review and, in the empirical section, the results of primary research. The study was conducted in Poland on a sample of 556 enterprises from various economic sectors. The paper begins with Introduction. Background presents a literature review conducted on the conditions for enterprise functioning in the evolving paradigm of Industry 5.0, as well as the fundamental legal requirements regarding data security and stakeholder privacy across business activities. Materials and Methods presents the research methods employed to assess how respondents perceive threats to data security and stakeholder privacy. Results summarizes the research findings. In Discussion, both practical business implications are addressed, and the role of technology and organizational procedures in responsible data and privacy management is highlighted. Furthermore, the importance of creating ethical cyber–physical environments as an element of sustainable enterprise transformation is emphasized. Finally, Conclusions presents the results and key findings regarding the level of awareness among employees of Polish enterprises about data security and stakeholder privacy in the context of digital transformation. Full article

The aim of this paper is to identify and psychographically characterize consumers operating in the phygital environment based on their emotional responses to tools used in commerce and services. The theoretical section involves a bibliometric analysis (Web of Science and Scopus papers from 2015 to 2024) using Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny in RStudio. The empirical study was conducted using the Internet survey technique in February 2025 on a nationwide random-quota sample of 2160 adult internet users. Based on cluster analysis, three types of consumers were identified: solution skeptics (48.1%), cautious explorers (20.1%), and tool enthusiasts (31.9%). The results indicate that emotions play a key role in the perception of phygital experiences. The article provides practical guidance for companies, including approaches for designing more inclusive and accessible shopping environments. A positive attitude toward these tools can foster more efficient use of services, reducing overconsumption and improving quality of life. In the context of sustainable development, these results point to the need for further research into the real impact of phygital solutions on consumer wellbeing—social, economic, and environmental. Full article

The contemporary landscape is characterised by overlapping values and pressures, where ecosystem services and cultural spaces are used by diverse categories of users. In fragile contexts such as the Phlegraean Fields in Italy, the exponential growth of mass tourism has intensified the anthropogenic impacts, exacerbated by limited landscape awareness among local communities. Thus, walkability fosters direct exploration, while experiential transects provide a lens to read ecological, cultural, and perceptual layers of places. Together with digital storytelling, these approaches converge in a phygital approach that enriches physical experience without supplanting it. The study covered approximately 115 km of routes across five municipalities, combining road audits, an 11-item survey, participatory mapping, and ArcGIS StoryMaps. Results showed a structurally complex and functionally fragile mobility system: sidewalks are discontinuous, lighting insufficient, less than one quarter of the network is fully pedestrian, and cycling facilities are almost absent. At the same time, digital layers diversified routes and supported situated learning. By integrating geo-spatial analysis and phygital tools, the research demonstrates a replicable strategy to enhance the awareness and sustainable enjoyment of complex landscapes. The present research is part of the PNRR project Changes ‘PE5Changes_Spoke1-WP4-Historical Landscapes Traditions and Cultural Identities’. Full article

Advanced three-dimensional extended reality (XR) technologies are highly suitable for cultural heritage research and education. XR tools enable the creation of realistic virtual or augmented reality applications for curating and disseminating information about cultural artifacts and sites. Developing XR applications for cultural heritage requires interdisciplinary collaboration involving strong teamwork and soft skills to manage user requirements, system specifications, and design cycles. Given the diverse end-users, achieving high precision, accuracy, and efficiency in information management and user experience is crucial. Human–computer interaction (HCI) design and evaluation methods are essential for ensuring usability and return on investment. This article presents ten case studies of cultural heritage software projects, illustrating the interdisciplinary work between computer science and HCI design. Students from institutions such as the State University of New York (USA), Glasgow School of Art (UK), University of Granada (Spain), University of Málaga (Spain), Duy Tan University (Vietnam), Imperial College London (UK), Research University Institute of Communication & Computer Systems (Greece), Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), and Indiana University (USA) contributed to creating, assessing, and improving the usability of these diverse cultural heritage applications. The results include a structured typology of CH XR application scenarios, detailed insights into design and evaluation practices across ten international use cases, and a development framework that supports interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder integration in phygital cultural heritage projects. Full article

The article aims to identify consumer types based on their attitudes and behaviors toward phygital tools and solutions. The analysis was based on the authors’ empirical research. The research was conducted on a sample of 2160 Polish consumers. The study employed an online survey technique. To determine the types of consumers, a 20-item scale was used, allowing the respondents to express their attitudes toward solutions and tools that improve shopping in the phygital space. The extraction of types was carried out in two steps. The first was cluster analysis, conducted using the hierarchical Ward method with the square of the Euclidean distance, and the second was non-hierarchical cluster analysis using the k-means method. As a result of the analyses, three relatively homogeneous types of consumers were distinguished: phygital integrators, digital frequenters, and physical reality anchors. The behaviours of consumers from each type were examined in the context of their impact on sustainable consumption and the sustainable development of the planet. The proposed typology contributes to developing consumer behavior theory in sustainable consumption environments. It provides practical implications for designing customer experiences that are more inclusive, resource-efficient, and aligned with responsible consumption patterns. Understanding how different consumer groups engage with phygital tools allows businesses and policymakers to tailor strategies that support equitable access to digital services and foster more sustainable, adaptive consumption journeys in an increasingly digitized marketplace. Full article

This paper presents the first systematic literature review (SLR) that includes the concept of an optichannel strategy, examining the main principles, key characteristics, and implications for retailers when switching from a multichannel to an optichannel approach. The SLR was made using Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar to find literature on the optichannel model in retail. The results show a paradigm shift in retailing from a multichannel, passing through omnichannel and phygital, to an optichannel strategy. This shift means marketers are now adopting a more customer-centric approach to brand management and consumer behaviour. This article has practical and managerial implications for researchers and practitioners. For researchers, the study explains how retailers evolved from multi- to cross-, omni-, phygital, and optichannel strategies. For practitioners, this paper indicates future ways to allow retailers to manage their customers’ needs, ensuring a positive impact on customer experience and the company’s commercial and financial performance. Full article

The rise of the experience economy, driven by disruptive technologies delivering innovative experiences, has transformed the interactions between tech-enabled shoppers and the phygital retail complex system. An important knowledge gap is addressed in our study by evaluating shoppers’ perceptions of disruptive technologies and the adaptive challenges that retailers face in securing consistency within a highly complex e-commerce landscape shaped by transformative interactions. A quantitative analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling (SEM) and survey data from an international supermarket chain integrating physical and digital retail spaces. We propose a novel framework to explore how retailers can harness data-driven insights and disruptive technologies to optimize the phygital shopping experience and adapt to the shift from multichannel and omnichannel strategies to optichanneling, as well as respond to societal shifts, including the role of digital natives and the expanding influence of the metaverse. This framework integrates key principles such as emergence, feedback, and criticality. The research reveals key findings about transformative shopper experiences across phygital retail touchpoints that influence shoppers’ perceptions and behaviors. Based on these identified key insights, as shoppers increasingly expect seamless interactions, the framework includes practical recommendations for retailers relating to several key areas, including leveraging the metaverse for refined shopper engagement. Full article

As the complexity of modern-day retailing currently complicates businesses, a very key study area that has emerged is how sustainability initiatives can be complemented with brand equity and omnichannel operations. The specific purpose of this study is to investigate how brand equity mediates the relationship between sustainability practices and omnichannel operations—the focus being effective retail tactics in the current market. Sustainability, which includes social responsibility, environmental management, and moral business conduct, has become a key component of corporate strategy. In order to achieve operational efficiency and long-term profitability, businesses attempt to align with consumer values and address urgent societal issues through eco-friendly production methods, community participation, and sustainable sourcing. The study employs a quantitative research approach and uses the survey method to collect data from retail end users. This structured questionnaire was distributed to 474 adult consumers in Turkey and Cyprus, ensuring that the sample is representative at a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error. A simple mediation analysis was thus performed through ordinary least squares (OLS) path analysis to test the hypothesized mediating effect of brand equity. The result shows that brand equity partially mediates the relationship between sustainability and omnichannel performance, thus indicating that sustainability initiatives improve omnichannel effectiveness, both directly and indirectly, through strengthened brand perception. By demonstrating how multidimensional brand equity—which encompasses perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand awareness, and brand associations—influences customer behavior, the study adds something special to the body of current work. Full article

This paper presents a case study from the Archaeological and Via Flaminia Museum in Cagli (Italy), developed within the ERASMUS+ Next-Museum project, which explores inclusive approaches through the digital transformation of small museums and their connection to the surrounding territory. A key goal was to “return” bronze statuettes to the museum, symbolically compensating the community for their absence. The initiative integrates accessibility and multisensory storytelling following “Design for All” principles. Three installations were implemented: tactile replicas of the statuettes produced through 3D printing, a sensorized table for interactive storytelling, and a story map displayed on a touchscreen for exploring local archaeological heritage. The design prioritized inclusivity, particularly for visitors with visual impairments, while addressing practical constraints such as the need for a mobile and flexible setup within a limited budget. Verification and validation tests were conducted with visually impaired participants during the pre-opening phase, and the installations were later evaluated using the User Experience Questionnaire, complemented by qualitative feedback. These evaluations highlight the potential of phygital experiences to foster engagement with cultural heritage while addressing technological and design challenges. Full article

This study introduces a comprehensive phygital framework tailored for small local museums, addressing the unique challenges of textile exhibitions. By seamlessly integrating physical artifacts with advanced digital tools through a user-centered design–thinking approach, the platform transforms traditional museum visits into hybrid experiences. The research addresses challenges faced by small museums, such as limited interactivity, static information presentation, and resource constraints. The findings demonstrate that the phygital platform significantly enhances visitor satisfaction, usability, and engagement. Features like mobile applications, chatbots, and gamification foster dynamic interactions, increasing interest in historical textile collections. The evaluation highlights positive impacts on visitor learning and accessibility, with high usability scores and favorable feedback confirming the platform’s success. By bridging physical and digital realms, the platform empowers small local museums to modernize their exhibition experience offerings while preserving their authenticity and cultural significance. This study contributes to the growing literature on phygital strategies in museum contexts, offering practical recommendations for implementing such platforms in resource-constrained settings. The findings underscore the potential of phygital approaches to foster deeper connections with cultural heritage, ensure broader accessibility, and support sustainable visitor engagement. Full article

The proliferation of innovative digital technologies is increasingly evident in the domains of culture and tourism. This trend, characterized by significant a potential for experimentation and practical application, necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the emerging tools that are enhancing the cultural tourism sector. Central to this evolution is the emergence of cultural startups that are leveraging advanced technological solutions to revolutionize market dynamics. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted the cultural sector, there is a pressing need for innovation. This study combines the concept of cultural tourism startups with the notion of ‘phygital’—a blend of physical and digital realities—aiming to augment the existing, yet limited, body of research in this field. This research seeks to provide insights into the market trends shaped by cultural startups, focusing on tourism. By examining case studies of Italian cultural tourism startups that are implementing innovative and engaging ‘phygital’ strategies, we aim to offer theoretical contributions to the discourse on phygital applications in culture, as well as practical recommendations for the managers and founders of cultural tourism startups that are venturing into new business models. The selected startups are primarily engaged in enhancing the experiences of incoming tourists, improving customer and partner interactions, and promoting the conservation of Italy’s cultural heritage. Full article

An increasingly important aspect of analyzing the challenges facing cities today is the integration of nature. Nature-based solutions have the potential to successfully cope with the adverse effects of extensive urbanization and climatic change. On the other hand, the incorporation of smartness in cities is a critical issue. This paper aims to analyze the steps towards integrating nature-based solutions and smart city aspects to develop a web-based data platform that focuses on tackling and investigating the role of nature-based solutions in city health and well-being and returns a digital twin of the natural and built environment, including health-related key performance indicators. Seven pilot cities are used as a basis for the analysis. The architecture of a smart green city data platform is described. The interaction with the citizens is ensured through apps and games. The paper lays the foundation for a future “phygital” NBS world. Full article

The rise of the silver economy has drawn a growing interest in understanding the needs and behaviours of older adults, both by academics as well as the business and public sectors. Services promoting wellbeing can have several benefits both on individual and national levels, and social connectedness, as one aspect of wellbeing, has been found to positively impact healthy ageing and quality of life among older adults. The aim of this study was to conduct a first exam of the potentials of a remote cultural event to facilitate social connectedness and well-being in a community of older adults through culture and the arts. This study utilised a qualitative exploratory approach in the form of a co-designed case study set in a Finnish care home. An opera streaming event was planned and organised in co-operation with multiple stakeholders including the residents. The results highlight the role of social interaction as part of a remote cultural experience, prior, during, and post-experience. Partaking in the event resulted in enhanced social connectedness, more positive views on technology and remote experiences, and overall satisfaction for joining. The social aspect, rituals, and etiquette are also present also in watching opera remotely, and emphasising these aspects in designing such services could leverage the potential that digital cultural experiences hold. Full article