Purpose: Public involvement is essential in the creation of effective local strategies for the development of a sustainable built environment, yet there has been little research on stakeholder motivation and engagement in the creation of infrastructure-project value, in the entire life cycle of a given project, while different markets show that overlooking stakeholders can negatively affect the success of an infrastructure project. The purpose of this paper is to fill the theory-practice gap that has been discerned, and thus study how early public involvement determines the success of an infrastructure project, which is identified with its value creation (effectiveness, sustainability and utility).Design/methodology/approach: This research entails a combination of methods. A case study analysis allowed observation of the role the stakeholders play and of how the relationships, perspectives, expectations and risks, along with other soft issues, continue to affect projects. The case study required comprehensive examination of project documentation and conduction of interviews. To collect data, focused group interviews and semi-structured interviews were used, supported with direct questionnaire surveys.Findings: The study provides evidence that early public engagement can contribute to infrastructure-project value (effectiveness, sustainability and utility). Practically speaking, the stakeholder analysis performed allowed proposal of a general stakeholder analysis framework for infrastructure projects. It can be implemented at each investment phase of the project life cycle, since stakeholders and their motivation may develop and/or change over time, which necessitates development of proper managerial strategies. The findings highlight the opportunities and the challenges faced by stakeholder management.Research limitations/implications: The limitation of this study derives from the fact that the sample size was small, which was necessary for an in-depth qualitative research and application of the case study method. The observations were made on a selected case study, within a limited period of time, thus the context of the analysis as well as the stakeholder perception was subject to possible change. The research limitations concern the provisional nature of the information obtained, the cross-sectional nature of the analysis itself, and, finally, the inability to predict all future events. Ultimately, stakeholder mapping was performed for the operational phase of the investment exclusively, while the analysis was limited to identification and classification of the stakeholders, including their relationship with the project.Practical implications: The research conclusions provide useful input for future research on development of effective strategies for management of the shareholders that are related to a given infrastructure project, in order to achieve project success. Simultaneously, from a property perspective, the research has contributed to a better understanding of the importance of infrastructure, on the part of real estate stakeholders.Social implications: Application of the approach proposed in the study may contribute to early development and implementation of appropriate trust-building processes. The building of relationships between stakeholders enables checks and balances, promotes short- and long-term project benefits, and increases the value of a project.Originality/value: The novelty of the research consists in the connection, as part of infrastructure projects, of the theory of consumption values and the concept of an investment cycle with the framework of stakeholder analysis.

The present wicked challenges need novel and transdisciplinary solutions. Universities play important role in the process of developing innovation, but it requires a broad cooperation of different actors, including the civil society organizations. The latter is still a challenge. Therefore, this paper examining the potential, intentions and the constraints of collaboration with NGO sector in the Pomeranian region. The findings indicate that the lack of behavioral intention to cooperate on the part of an NGO is a major limitation and the barriers stem primarily from the respondents' perception of the low level of agency of their organizations.

This study offers a novel and significant contribution to the understanding of cultural tourism by exploring visitor motivations at one of Poland's largest Christmas markets, situated in Gdańsk. While Christmas markets are deeply rooted in European tradition, research on their appeal in the context of contemporary consumer behaviour, especially in the face of globalisation and secularisation, remains limited. By examining a diverse range of motives - spanning from social gatherings and shopping to tradition and inspiration - this research provides a fresh perspective on how Christmas markets can cater to both traditional and evolving interests. The study’s insights highlight how event-driven tourism can effectively support regional visitation beyond peak tourist seasons, offering a model that could be applied to other locations seeking to expand their tourism appeal throughout the year. Furthermore, the findings emphasise the strategic importance of culturally significant events in strengthening the tourism economy and community engagement within the Baltic region and beyond.

The development of technology, climate change as well as the cultural and social changes cause people to change their behavior, modify priorities and adapt to the new situation. Effectiveness and competitiveness, therefore, require up-to-date information on the market participants and factors affecting their behavior. As such, the aim of this article is to illustrate the impact of the weather conditions on participants’ attendance at various urban outdoor events, crucial for a leisure market. The study presents the relationship between the number of residents and tourists visits at the St. Dominic’s Fair in Gdańsk during individual days of the event and the weather conditions (temperature, precipitation, and sunlight intensity). As one of the data illustration methods, mobile phone-base-station logs were used to analyze consumer behavior. The study proved varying behavior of the residents and the tourists participating in the same event under different weather conditions emphasize these two diverse target markets’ complementarities.