Purpose: This research aims to unravel the intricate dynamics that connect economic status with individuals’ engagement in dance training institutes. Focusing on the affordability of classes, access to resources, awareness, cultural background, and geographic location, the study seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of how economic considerations influence various facets of engagement within the dance community. Method: Conducted through 13 semi-structured interviews, this research adopts a qualitative approach to explore the multi-faceted relationships between economic status and dance engagement. Thematic analysis, structured in three steps, is employed to uncover patterns, themes, and insights within the qualitative data. Findings: The study uncovers a myriad of findings that illuminate the impact of economic factors on dance engagement. Affordability emerges as a significant barrier, influencing access to classes and participation in competitions or performances. Access to resources, including studio space and trained instructors, proves pivotal in shaping individuals’ experiences within dance education. Awareness and exposure play crucial roles, with limited exposure hindering engagement, while the cultural background and geographic location intersect with economic considerations, shaping preferences and opportunities within the dance community. Originality/Significance: This research contributes to the field by offering a focused exploration of economic influences within the dance community. The originality lies in its holistic approach, considering the interconnected nature of affordability, access to resources, awareness, cultural background, and geographic location. From a policy and institutional standpoint, the findings have practical implications, guiding initiatives to address disparities and foster a more accessible and supportive environment within dance training institutes.

The Three Kingdoms period of ancient China (208-280 AD) refers to the period  between Eastern Han (25–220 AD) and Jin dynasties (266–420), during which China was divided into Shu (221-263 AD), Wei  (220-266 AD) and Wu (222-280 AD) kingdoms, and then united as Jin dynasty. This paper constructs the quarterly series of alliance structures between the Three Kingdoms. By collecting and analyzing a total of two hundred and eighty-nine quarterly observations, the paper shows that the three most frequent alliance structures are ρ0: 1) the finest partition or no-alliance structure with 192 partitions; 2) Three partitions with Shu-Jin alliance and Wu singletion with 57 partions; 3) Wei-Wu alliance and one singletion Shu with 12 partions. It also shows that the observed changes in alliance structures were the consequence of a total of fifteen major battles fought by the three kingdoms. Such results serve as a contribution to the studies of applied game theory, alliance study, and the economic and military histories in ancient China.

Purpose: This research examines the intricate interplay between Business Intelligence (BI), Big Data Analytics (BDA), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the realm of Supply Chain Management (SCM). While the integration of these technologies has promised improved operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities, concerns about complexities and potential overreliance on technology persist. The study aims to provide insights into achieving a balance between data-driven insights and qualitative factors in SCM for sustained competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach: The research executed interviews with ten Arab Gulf-based consulting firms. These companies’ ability to successfully complete BI projects is well recognised. Findings: Through examining the interplay of human judgement and data-driven strategies, addressing integration challenges, and understanding the risks of excessive data reliance, the research enhances comprehension of the modern SCM landscape. It underscores BI’s foundational role, the necessity of balanced human input, and the significance of customer-centric strategies for lasting competitive advantage and relationships. Practical implications: The research provided information for organizations seeking to effectively navigate the complexities of integrating data-driven technologies in SCM. The research is a foundation for future studies to delve deeper into quantitative measurement methodologies and effective data security strategies in the SCM context. Originality: The research highlights the value of integrating BI, BDA, and AI in SCM for improved efficiency, cost reduction, and customer satisfaction, emphasising the need for a balanced approach that combines data-driven insights, human judgement, and customer-centric strategies to maintain competitiveness.

Small-scale businesses have long been recognized as an important part of economic development and integrating them with industrial parks is both recommended and necessary for long-term success. In line of this, the objective of this study was to investigate the role of IPs entrepreneurial ecosystem in boosting the capabilities of small businesses. Data were collected from 245 small manufacturing business owners via simple random sampling and analysed using multivariate regression analysis. Thus, the ability of small enterprises is positively impacted by the presence of a more robust and appropriate entrepreneurial ecosystem. Similarly, a firm’s resource capabilities are more impacted by the entrepreneurial ecosystem when there is a better link between academia and industry. Furthermore, entrepreneurial skills are found to play a mediating role between the entrepreneurial ecosystem and firms’ technological capabilities. Another finding revealed that managerial expertise significantly mediates entrepreneurial ecosystems and firms’ resource capabilities. This finding suggested that the policymakers, better to formulate policies that encourages small businesses to engage in the industrial parks which results in an inclusive firm’s performance.

The authors’ decision to “read” and semiotically analyse the city’s text based on travelogues stems from their aesthetic, historical and informational value, the possibility of incorporating them “into the network” of other texts about Padua, thus shaping city image. The authors’ research on Slovak literature and culture also determined the choice. As a time frame, the nineteenth century is not accidental; the Slovak cultural environment (the territory of present-day Slovakia) witnessed the development of the travelogue genre and journeys to Italy. By interpreting and semiotic analysis of the selected authors’ travelogues and works, the paper draws attention to the uniqueness of Padua, the ways of its representation and the grasping of the urban space, which until now despite its importance in education, sciences and art has remained unnoticed in literary studies. Considering that only four Slovak travellers included Padua in their writings during the studied period, all of their works were reviewed to uncover their texts’ semantic potential. Interpretive immersions thus reflect the experiential reception of the author’s city image and perceiving its architectural structure. Through this, the authors develop a network of texts about Padua and support the typological classification according to its specific function or image. This paper articulates a variant of the Slovak phenomenon of Italian travel and a view of the meanings associated with urban spaces and places. It reflects the importance of travel writing for understanding the (literary) cityscape and its transformations and opens space for further research on the subject.