Open Access

Strengthening sustainability-oriented innovation processes has become a central task for regional transformation, especially in rural areas where ecological, social, and economic challenges increasingly demand alternative models of value creation. The Economy for the Common Good (ECG) offers a normative and practical framework that enables organisations to assess and improve their contribution to societal well-being. Building on theories of cumulative causation, path dependence, and the Matthew Effect, the present study examines how self-reinforcing mechanisms can support the diffusion of Common-Good-oriented practices at the regional level. A multi-year practice project at Kempten University of Applied Sciences (UAS) functions as an institutional catalyst for this transformation. Each year, interdisciplinary student teams collaborate with regional enterprises to prepare their first Common Good Balance Sheet, supported by academic staff and a certified ECG consultant. This structured process provides companies with a low-threshold entry into sustainability-oriented management while equipping students with competencies in evaluating ecological, social, and ethical performance indicators. Since 2021, more than 35 enterprises and over 100 students have been part of this process. Additionally, the project has contributed to the establishment of the ECG Regional Group Allgäu, which now comprises more than 100 members and fosters visibility, peer exchange, and cumulative learning effects. Several participating companies have subsequently gained national recognition for sustainable practices, illustrating the project’s transfer potential. Overall, the initiative demonstrates how universities can act as intermediary actors that accelerate regional sustainability transitions by combining education, research, and social entrepreneurship, thereby supporting the emergence of a Common Good region in the Allgäu.

Overcrowding is a critical issue for popular tourist destinations, affecting satisfaction, resource management, and sustainability. This study examines how tourists’ information-seeking behavior shapes perceived crowding, drawing on a contingency perspective that couples tourists’ information agency, source type, timing, and familiarity with site-related conditions: spatial constraints, environmental volatility, and regional typology. Based on face-to-face survey data from 5557 visitors across six German destinations, we estimate Ordered Logistic regression models to test when information strategies mitigate perceived crowding. Results show that effects are context dependent. In spatially restricted settings, both formal and informal information sources are associated with lower perceived crowding. In natural regions, personal contacts and web-information sources relate to lower perceived crowding, while print media sources show no effect. In the urban destinations, online information use is associated with higher perceived crowding. Real-time information reduces perceived crowding in restricted spaces and under low volatility, whereas multi-day pre-trip planning can increase perceived crowding in open and natural settings. Contrary to common assumptions, first-time visitors report lower perceived crowding than repeat visitors. Theoretical implications include refining Expectation Disconfirmation and Social Exchange perspectives by formalizing informational polycentrism within a spatial framework and identifying perceptual sensitization among repeat visitors. Practically, the findings suggest tailoring IS interventions to spatial layout and volatility, integrating peer tips into formal platforms, simplifying urban web interfaces, prioritizing real-time guidance in restricted spaces, and managing expectations for repeat visitors.

The Alpine region faces particular challenges in implementing the international targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework and the EU Nature Restoration Law. In addition to established components of spatial planning, such as landscape protection or local recreation provision, ecological concerns are increasingly in the spotlight. This position paper from the cross-border working group of the ARL Bavaria Forum considers the multifunctional concept of green infrastructure to be a profitable approach for strengthening the role of spatial planning in the northern Alpine region, specifically with regard to coordinating planning and measures related to open spaces. Such measures and plans have to date been the responsibility of a wide range of specialist departments and are often considered and treated in isolation. At the same time, the intention is also to promote acceptance of government sustainability goals and the effective use of public funds. The position paper outlines a vision of an efficient network of green infrastructure in the Alpine region that, above all, strengthens ecological connectivity and is secured by a spatial planning framework. In order to achieve this, recommendations for action include strengthening the legal framework, ensuring the suitability of planning instruments, promoting and financing measures to implement green infrastructure, strengthening interdepartmental cooperation and mobilising civil social actors.

The increasing strain of overtourism on popular destinations calls for data-driven strategies that can subtly influence tourist behavior without limiting freedom of choice. This study investigates the use of digital nudges, particularly the decoy effect, within recommender systems to guide visitor flows spatially or temporally. Through a series of focus group-based experiments, this study examines how introducing asymmetrically dominated options can alter destination preferences. The results suggest that spatial steering benefits more consistently from decoy-based interventions than temporal steering. Furthermore, the findings reveal that while nudging has a measurable impact, individual factors and personal preferences play a substantial role in shaping decisions. The study underscores the value of behaviorally informed recommender systems as tools for promoting sustainable tourism by facilitating more balanced visitor flows. It concludes with a call for further development of adaptive, user-aware digital strategies to address the multifaceted nature of tourist decision-making.

This paper develops a theoretical framework for a leadership 4.0 coaching concept as a response to the economic and social transformations caused by digital disruption, with a focus on the tourism industry and its current labour shortage. It argues that addressing these challenges occurs primarily on a psychological level, through individualised communication and commitment. Consequently, leadership in the tourism industry must adopt an idiosyncratic style, where managers not only focus on the needs of their employees but also reflect on their own leadership roles and behaviours. Thus, the proposed leadership 4.0 coaching concept is built on three key pillars: 1) attachment and relationship; 2) space for reflection; and 3) attitude, charisma and followership. These pillars create a framework helping leaders foster employee-centered behaviours that enhance engagement, well-being, and personal growth. Leadership 4.0 coaching offers a pathway to tackle the labour shortage by promoting flexible, reflective, empathetic, and ethical management styles.