Project title
Event representation: Measuring the degree of “our community’s event”
Research Unit
Primary investigator
Co investigators
Project period
2026/5/7 ～ 2027/3/31
Project summary
The purpose of this study is to develop a scale of event representation. In destination management through events, local residents constitute one of the most important stakeholder groups. Previous research on sustainable events has advanced conceptual classifications based on residents’ sense of ownership. However, this study focuses on representation as a concept that precedes ownership, defined as the extent to which an event reflects the values and identity of local residents (i.e., the degree to which it is perceived as “our community’s event”). Specifically, this study adapts the representation scale developed by Asada and Reifurth (2023), originally designed for community-oriented sport teams, to the context of local events. Following the scale development procedures proposed by MacKenzie (2011), the study first reexamines the definition and dimensions of representation in this context. Based on expert input, a survey instrument and measurement model are then developed. Data will be collected through questionnaires distributed to residents in the Miyama district of Hidakagawa Town, Wakayama Prefecture, and Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, where marathon events oriented toward “our community’s event” are held. The collected data are analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to develop the event representation scale. This scale is expected to serve as a practical tool for measuring the degree to which events are perceived as “our community’s events” by local residents, thereby contributing to the enhancement of event sustainability through increased resident participation, as well as to the advancement of destination management.
