This article contributes to the discussion on the sustainability of the sharing economy by adopting the Social Capital Theory to expand explanations of the sharing economy’s role and scope of relations with local communities in the context of overtourism. As mutual relationships have not been fully recognized through a theoretical perspective, the article aims to examine the sustainability of the process of the sharing economy impacting urban tourism communities in light of Robert Putnam’s approach to Social Capital Theory. On the basis of a selective systematic review, the article discusses the sustainability of the sharing economy through the lens of bridging and bonding social capital. We argue that a new configuration of social capital, i.e., a sharing platform-modified social capital, arises from the unsustainable and disruptive power of the sharing economy implemented by virtual platforms, thereby contributing to an overtourism syndrome. However, from a medium- and long-term perspective, the sharing economy also impacts the bridging nature of social capital, which should lead to a more sustainable balance in its structure. This initial framework for understanding the impact of the sharing economy on sustainability of local communities provides an alternative approach to studying residents’ perceptions and attitudes towards tourism in the areas affected by overtourism.

Purpose. The basic aim of our research was to establish the applicability of an innovative method of academic visualization, which the author has tentatively called Methodological Imaging of Academic Works© (in Polish – Obrazowanie Metodologiczne Prac Naukowych - OMPN©), as an instrument to enhance the information content of traditional abstract systems used in academic periodicals, with graphic abstracts presenting the methodological profile of articles. The method was verified by identifying the study methods and procedures in academic articles in Folia Turistica and by defining and comparing the methodological profiles of various issues and annuals of the magazine published in 2014-2018. The identification and comparison of the authors’ research methods is an additional, though no less important aim of the work, especially given the anniversary issues. Method. The OMPN© method is based on information acquired from authors (through surveys) on the methodology they use in their work. This information has been used to create profiles of various academic articles, to define an overall profile of the journal, as well as profiles of the thematic and varia issues. The surveys used a twenty-part set of methodological traits, arranged in ten pairs of opposites: quantity research – quality research, analysis – synthesis, induction – deduction, etc., and the authors gauged (on a scale of 0-5) how far a trait applied to their publication, attempting to identify more with one side of each pair. The research covered all the articles published in the relevant period (N=186), gaining information on 60% of the articles. Results. Graphic methodological abstracts using OMPN© could become an interesting tool to enhance the traditional abstract, informing readers of the basic methodological attributes of various articles and entire issues, and even of the methodological profiles of entire academic magazines, in a simple fashion. In analyzing the profile of Folia Turistica the research shows that, in the relevant period, its academic articles contained a wide variety of methodologies. The majority was empirical, multidisciplinary, and quality research (as opposed to theoretical, monodisciplinary, and quantity research, respectively), which far more often concerned culture in its broadest definition (i.e. economy, society) than nature. Respondents somewhat more frequently saw their work as positivist than interpretive; the knowledge it produced, they believed, was more idiographic than nomothetic. Research and conclusions limitations. This research method is based on the authors’ opinions from a special survey. This makes it highly subjective. Taking this into consideration, and trying to objectify the study as far as possible, each of the authors, along with the survey and a letter outlining the aim of the research, received a specially-produced ten-page “methodological glossary,” with a brief outline of scholarly approaches and methodological traits that form the basis for OMPN©. We should stress that the authors were entirely free in describing the methodological traits of their works. Practical implications. The research demonstrates that OMPN© can be used in a variety of magazines, regardless of the field of study, as a graphical supplement to descriptive abstracts. Originality. This article presents the author’s innovative concept. Type of article. This article presents a new way of analyzing and depicting the methodological aspects of academic studies, based on empirical research.

The article presents the essence as well as various models of academic explanation and the explanatory value of understanding, indicating their usability and limitations as regards understanding why and how tourism functions. Particular attention has been paid to the epistemological dimension of tourism research, as well as its new directions. The author has referred to two models concerning the epistemological aspects of tourism research where the focal point is the category of ‘truth about tourism’. These have been presented in two articles by John Tribe.

Introduction and purpose. Didactic methods are evolving, among others, in the direction of engaging students in performance of empirical research gives rise to, in the first place, the students’ active participation in the process of knowledge creation and improves their methodological expertise. This paper presents an outlook on the value of the students’ participation in empirical research as a possibility for developing their professional competence. Material and method. A case study concerning education of the future employees of the cosmetic industry via engagement of students majoring in “cosmetology” (as part of classes forming a part of the “Sales Techniques in Cosmetology” course taught at the University of Physical Education in Kraków) in the preparation and performance of empirical research was presented. In the first place, general information pertaining to the system of educating cosmetologists in Poland and at the university in question was discussed; this offered a background for illustrating the characteristics of the aforementioned subject, with a focus on the module of classes devoted to the preparation and performance of empirical research. In the second place, the process encompassing: (1) students’ engagement in the research preparation, (2) students’ engagement in the performance of research, (3) students’ engagement in the analysis and interpretation of research results and (4) actions taken to utilize the results of research for didactic purposes, was presented. Results and conclusions. Benefits resulting from the proposed formula of teaching the subject were listed, with simultaneous reference to the diversified level of engagement of the lecturer and the students in the performance of individual stages of the research process.

The purpose of the article was to establish whether a tourism student can effectively recognize tourism trends, and to achieve this aim the following research tasks were accomplished: 1) the authors identified 10 trends (and 47 impacts), concerning the transformations that have occurred in tourism in recent years and have been recognized by specialists from the European Travel Commission and the European Tourism Action Group; 2) these trends and their impacts underwent a critical evaluation by students who were given the opportunity to add other impacts (their own) to the specialist list; 3) students’ evaluations were compared to current trends identified in other academic work. The research was conducted on 95 tourism and recreation students at the University of Physical Education in Kraków and the Vistula School of Hospitality in Warsaw (formerly: Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management), in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The article has also presented the results of earlier research (unpublished) at two other academic centres (Rzeszow and Kielce) on 113 students, 17 lecturers and 76 travel agency employees. Together the results described in this article present the opinions of 301 respondents. It was established that students, as a group, are sufficiently effective observers of changes in the tourism market to make an appropriate contribution and, consequently, are valuable participants at brainstorming sessions. They use what they have learned during their university study, are familiar with forecasting and scenario methods, as well as taking advantage of the imagination and creativity typical of such students.