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This edited collection presents the complex theory of kitsch from aesthetic and artistic points of view, transposed into managerial and organisational fields. In the spirit of management aesthetics, on the ground of humanistic management, the central aim of the volume is to show that kitsch is a common phenomenon not only in art and culture but also in management, and its conscious perception and mindful use may be beneficial for achieving organisational and managerial goals efficiently. Due to the diverse research problems covered by particular chapters, no unified methodology is applied in the book; every author applied an optimal method for the selected topic. However, due to the complex and metaphysical character of the kitsch phenomenon, the only common fundament of all chapters is using the kitsch experience theory (Szostak and Sułkowski, 2020). The dominant analytical approach is qualitative, with extensive use of case studies, comparative analyses, and ethnographic focus. Despite this, some chapters also include the application of the quantitative approach for the hypotheses'verification. This book makes a giant step ahead of its competitors by implementing the kitsch theory, especially the kitsch experience theory in a broad spectrum of managerial and organisational fields like marketing, advertising, brand management, business communication, entrepreneurship, leadership, decision-making, human resource management, corporate social responsibility, city space management, management of technology and innovation, and organisational culture. It should be a must-read for researchers, academics, practitioners, and advanced students in these fields.

This book provides an analysis of nature satisfaction, nature relatedness, and the motivations for using urban green spaces. It explores the use of spaces such as parks, waterfronts, wooded areas, and fields among different life course phases and socio-economic classes.Through a detailed analysis of primary data from two major German cities, Cologne and Hamburg, the book examines the availability, use, and satisfaction with urban green spaces and provides insights into the predictors of nature satisfaction in an urban context. The book also combines the subjective assessments of the respondents with objective data. It considers the varying reliance on urban green spaces due to the availability of private green spaces and individual nature relatedness. It provides insights on the needs of different population groups in cities, providing a scientific basis for improving or implementing green space planning approaches.This book will be of interest to researchers in sociology, urban studies, public health, environmental studies, and human geography.

This essential book offers suggestions for how cities and spaces can be planned and designed to reduce the impact of stress, provide opportunities for recovery, and promote the resilience of individuals in urban communities.Connecting research from different scientific disciplines, the book provides a broader perspective of creating healthy lifestyle in society. It focuses on mental health and well-being by exploring how urban and workplace environments can be created to enhance and promote recovery. Divided into three parts, the book begins by investigating the multi-dimensional challenges of planning and design for stress reduction and recovery in urban areas. Part 2 concentrates on the design of residential and working environments, including commuting between the two, while Part 3 considers how neighbourhoods and entire cities contribute to or obstruct stress reduction, recovery, and well-being. The book concludes by demonstrating how the insights from the book can be implemented in practice to create restorative and inclusive environments. Bringing together leading experts, the book offers an interdisciplinary perspective for increasing well-being in urban developments.The book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in related fields, including environmental psychologists, urban planners, architects and landscape architects, healthcare staff, and policymakers.

This book catalogs the evidence based on the social, economic and environmental effectiveness of Nature based Solutions (NbS) to face environmental challenges and simultaneously provide a better understanding of associated social-ecological interactions.NbS are reframing discussion and policy responses worldwide to environmental challenges. The concept builds on and complements other closely related concepts, such as the ecosystem approach, ecosystem services, ecosystem-based adaptation/mitigation, disaster risk reduction, sponge cities, and green/blue infrastructures. The quantification of existing NbS'effectiveness, their operationalization and replication in different environmental settings are presented here in such a way that allows them to be both widely accepted and incorporated in policy development and in practical implementation. - Explores the nexus between Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and global SDG, thus leading future research and practice worldwide. - Presents novel conceptualizations, pathways, applications, evidence-based cases, and experiential assessments - Offers best practice portfolios for practitioners (city managers, policy-makers, civil servants, environmental engineers) to guide the practices of NbS towards SDG.

This book includes peer reviewed article from the 2nd International Conference on Trends in Architecture and Construction (ICTAC-2024) held at Chandigarh in India. It explores modernity, sustainability, technology, and education within the ever-evolving architectural landscape. This book echoes a collective dedication to fostering environmentally conscious urban practices. It navigates the symbiotic relationship between technology and architecture, shining a spotlight on the pivotal roles of AI, digital tools, and cutting-edge construction techniques. Beyond the tangible, the publication illuminates the shifting terrain of architectural education, honing in on emerging research paradigms and the integration of innovative pedagogies. Rooted in sustainability, this compendium stands as a vibrant repository of insightful contributions, nurturing an expansive dialogue on the future trajectory of architecture.

This book seeks to identify and to examine factors and mechanisms underlying the growth and development of smart cities.It is commonplace to discuss smart cities through the lens of advances in ICT. The resulting overemphasis on what is technologically possible downplays what is politically, socially and economically feasible. This book, by analysing the smart city through a variety of perspectives, offers a more comprehensive insight into and understanding of the complex and the open-ended nature of the growth and development of a smart city. A solid conceptual framework is developed and employed throughout the chapters, and a selection of case studies from Europe, Asia, and the Arab Peninsula grants the readers a hands-on perspective of the matters discussed.The chapters included in this book address a set of questions, including: How do the twin-processes of digitalization and smartification unfold in the context of the smart city agenda? How do these processes relate to the concepts of smart city 1.0, 2.0., 3.0. and 4.0? In which ways have the spatial aspects of city functioning been influenced by the intrusion of ICT? In which ways do the same processes contribute to the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? What are the implications of smartification and the emergence of smart organizations (public, private, and voluntary) for the spatial development of smart cities? Do ICT and its application in the city space boost the processes of revitalization and how does ICT influence the process of gentrification? To what extent and how does the intrusion of ICT-enhanced tools and applications in the city space impact on a city's relationship with its broader territorially defined context? Are the administrative borders and divisions inherent in the fabric of a city becoming less/more porous? How should urban sprawl be conceived in the context of the smart city debate? This book will have a broad appeal to academics, students, and policy makers with interests in urban planning, sustainable development, cities, economics, technology, sociology, urban studies, digitalization, SDGs, wellbeing, and resilience.