GEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS OF MEGA-MALLS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO WEST EDMONTON MALL

West Edmonton Mall (wem) is an internationally known shopping mall I leisure complex comprising approximately 4 million sq. ft. of leasable retail and service space. It contains more than 600 shops, plus a hotel and leisure and recreational facilities that are unmatched in any previous shopping centre. The superimposition of a single, massive development on a pre-existing urban structure has created both opportunities and problems for Edmonton, while the emergence of such an urban phenomenon, unprecedented in scale and character, should raise new questions and stimulate new thinking among academics. This introductory article provides a context for the articles that follow by outlining the developmental history of wem and assessing its significance as a mega-ma/ prototype, and by identifying themes to be addressed in detail in the subsequent articles.     

WEST EDMONTON MALL AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION

Recent years have seen the mega-phenomenon assume increasing significance in tourism; it is not surprising, therefore, that West Edmonton Mall, the world's first mega-mall, should be viewed as a tourist attraction. This
article discusses the role of shopping as a tourist activity and the opportunity to shop as a facet of the appeal of a location to tourists. It examines the relative attractiveness of West Edmonton Mall as a tourist destination in this context and concludes that it has few outstanding characteristics beyond its unique size and range of leisure facilities. The permanence of its appeal beyond the regional scale is therefore unikely. The long-term appeal of shopping and related facilities is discussed in the context of a model of tourism development.     

MEGA-CHAINING, CORPORATE CONCENTRATION, AND THE MEGA-MALLS

This article provides a framework for the evaluation of West Edmonton Mall within the broader context of the national regional shopping centre system. A particular focus is placed on the tenant mix and functional structure for those 37 shopping centres with a minimum gross leasable area of 750 000 sq. ft The analysis illustrates the similarity in the degree of chaining and corporate ownership in these major shopping facilities and describes their structural characteristics. The article concludes by evaluating both the development of the mega-mall phenomenon and speculates about the future position of these malls in the retail system.     

WEST EDMONTON MALL: ENTREPRENEURIAL INNOVATION AND CONSUMER RESPONSE

West Edmonton Mall was developed and has maintained its position as Edmonton's primary focus of retailing, recreational, and leisure activity through innovative entrepreneurial skills and extensive promotions. These are viewed as necessarily concomitant to the size, location, and functional complexity of the mall relative to the size of the Edmonton market and the remainder of the city's retail structure. One strategy was to dominate the market by tempting consumers with the rewards of a complete shopping environment within the confines of one, carefully orchestrated retail complex. The success of this approach is evaluated through an examination of the entrepreneurial behaviour of the developer (Triple Five) in relation to the consumer spatial preferences of a sample of Edmontonians. From this evidence it is suggested that the mall's retail importance may not be as pervasive locally as is commonly thought. Consumer mobility and the intrinsic character of the retail structure are reasons suggested for this, both of which require further investigation and elaboration.     

广州市中心城区休闲服务设施区位类型特征的研究

以广州市中心城区为研究地域,以城市常住人口密度作为地域划分标准,引入基尼系数、带间差异系数、带别特化系数对广州市中心城区的休闲服务设施的区位类型进行划分,区分出城区均匀分布、弱城心均匀分布、城区核心集聚和城区局部集聚四类休闲服务设施的区位类型,进而对广州市中心城区的休闲服务设施的分布和微区位特征有一个初步的解读。     

LIBERAL AND MARXIST THEORY WITH RESPECT TO WORK AND LEISURE: A GEOGRAPHER'S ANTITHESIS TO THEIR COMMON THESIS

The special number of the Canadian Geographer devoted to West Edmonton Mall raises important questions, notably that of the relative status, as values, of work (seen historically as fundamental to our culture), and of leisure, perceived, albeit controversially, as being embodied in wem. In preparing to present my principal thesis, I review recent reinterpretations of human behaviour advanced by workers in the fields of symbolic interaction and the sociology of knowledge. These schools ha ve given rise to the concept of, though not the term, functional religion. The meaning of this concept is close to that of ideology; a comparative analysis of the two terms justifies using the former. A survey of recent work by geographers who approach religion from a functional point of view closes the second part of the paper. In the course of this review the relative status of work and leisure emerges as a significant issue. The view of leisure as a norm presented in the third part of the paper is that advocated by Pieper, Huizinga, and de Grazia. They argue that the Classical view, according to which human life finds its meaning in activities that are carried on for their own sake (e.g., games), rather than in those pursued for the material rewards they offer, is correct. Following their lead, and in opposition to both Marxists and Liberals, I argue that the adoption of leisure as a fundamental value would provide a more satisfactory foundation for our culture than work has to this point. Le numéro spécial du Géographe canadien consacréà?étude du West Edmonton Mall soulève plusieurs questions importantes, notamment celle du statut relatif, comme valeur, du travail (valeur-clé historiquement dans notre culture) et du loisir, valeurs incarnées, bien que de façon controversées, dans le WEM. Pour établir les bases de la thèse principale, on examine les réinterprétations récentes du comportement hurnain avancées, dans les sciences humaines, par des chercheurs travaillant dans les domaines de ?interaction symbolique et la sociologie du savoir. Ces écoles ont engendré le concept, sinon le terme, de la religion fonctionelle. Le sens de ce terme est proche de celui de ?idéologie; une analyse comparative des deux termes justifie ?emploi du premier. Pour conclure la deuxièrne partie de ce mémoire, on passe en revue quelques écrits récents par des géographes qui abordent la religion ?un point de vue fonctionnel. De cet examen il ressort que le statut relative du travail et du loisir est ?une importance capitale. Dans la troisième partie, on présente une perspective sur le loisir qui est proche de celle qu'avancent Pieper, Huizinga, et de Grazia. Ceux-cisupportent la position des auteurs classiques, selon qui la vie humaine trouve sa signification dans les activités entreprises pour ellesměmes (par exemple, les jeux) plutǒt que pour le gain matériel. Appuyant leur argument, et m'opposant à celui des marxistes et des libéraux, je prétends que ?adoption du loisir comme vaieur fondamentale fournirait une meilleure assise à notre culture que celle offerte jusqu'ici par le travail.     

WEST EDMONTON MALL AS A CENTRE FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION

The emergence of a mega-mall - with its increased scale, size, and ensuing annexation of much of a city's retail and social life - intensifies the need for research about the social functions of shopping centres. Profiles of mall social life are necessary to understand the larger geographical, legal, political, and social issues accompanying the proliferation of such privately owned, publicly used indoor urban environments. Social interaction at West Edmonton Mall (wem) is characterized through an examination of its physical design and operation and an assessment of attitudes and uses of its local patrons, including adolescent 'ma/ies. wem is not as successful in orchestrating visitor satisfaction as one might expect, due partly to the amplification of tension between mall owners I designers and the desire of local residents to engage the mega-mall on their own terms.     

COPING WITH MEGA-MALL DEVELOPMENT: AN URBAN PLANNING PERSPECTIVE ON WEST EDMONTON MALL

The development of West Edmonton Mall is presented as a case study in the problem of coping with unexpected, large-scale departures from authorized plans - in this instance, the plan for the new suburban community of West Jasper Place. The main features of the plan are described and the practical consequences of permitting the mall to be built are assessed. It is concluded that Edmonton's conventional planning instruments were unable to respond effectively to the challenge posed by West Edmonton Mall, because the local planning system did not make adequate provision for the politics of plan implementation.     

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF WEST EDMONTON MALL

This article addresses the question of how West Edmonton Mall (wem) may be a new and distinctive component of retail spatial structure by analysing the retail and service attributes of the mall in the context of (I) Edmonton's retail structure at the regional shopping centre level, and (2) the internal structure of the mall. It is suggested that wem has added a new level to Edmonton's retail hierarchy, rivalling the downtown as the city's primate centre. The analysis of tenant changes leads to the conclusion that these changes tend to reflect a movement from unconventional to conventional tenant mix, and that wem is not much different, other than in sheer size, from most large regional shopping centres. The only unique structural characteristic appears to be the existence of enclaves not usually found in other malls.     

信息技术对南京城市居民休闲活动与出行的影响

从网络休闲角度出发,运用结构方程模型就信息技术对南京城市居民休闲活动与出行的影响进行实证研究,探索居民社会经济属性、信息化水平、网络休闲活动和出行之间的关系。结果显示:信息技术对南京城市居民的休闲活动已经产生了广泛的影响;而网络休闲活动的增加也确实减少了居民每日的非必要性出行时间,说明对居民出行有替代或修正性的影响;此外,居民的社会经济属性是影响居民网络休闲活动和出行选择的根本,其中,年龄和学历,学历和收入,分别是当前影响居民网络休闲活动状况以及居民出行方式选择的关键。     

上海市购物中心的时空格局演化及影响因素

基于网络数据和地理信息数据,运用空间分析法和条件Logit模型,分析了上海购物中心的时空格局演化特征及影响因素。研究表明：(1)上海购物中心的空间布局经历了四个发展阶段。观察期内,其空间分布的轴线均呈东北—西南走向,整体布局趋向均衡。(2)上海购物中心具有全域分散化与局域集聚化并存的演化特征。中、外环附近的购物中心密度逐步提升,区县、街道的空间差异不断缩小。在城市不同方位上,则形成了一个核心集聚区、四个次级集聚区的空间组织结构。(3)市场需求、地租成本、交通可达性、政策规划、集聚因素对购物中心布局具有显著影响。随着时间推移,休闲资源和政策规划的影响有所减弱,购物中心倾向于从集聚发展中获益。     

论仿生学在休闲农业旅游设施设计中的应用

在休闲农业旅游设施设计中引入仿生学概念,不但可使农业资源永续利用,还能设计出更多有趣的作品以增加多种游憩机会,这对于游客审美品质与生态观念的提升必能大有助益,休闲农业亦可朝着可持续经营的方向发展。在阐述仿生学与休闲农业旅游概念以及发展现状的基础上,初步探讨了休闲农业旅游设施仿生设计的本质和基本原则,并尝试从结构、功能、形态和色彩仿生等方面,对休闲农业旅游设施进行仿生设计与应用,以供后续研究者作为参考。     

台资企业台籍人员职业倦怠、休闲调适策略与休闲知觉自由关系之研究

本文以广州市台资企业台籍人员为例,通过实证研究探讨职业倦怠、休闲调适策略与休闲知觉自由三者间的关系及不同产业型态受试者程度表现的差异性。研究主要结果表明,职业倦怠与休闲知觉自由呈显著负相关;职业倦怠与休闲调适策略呈显著正相关;休闲调适策略除与休闲知觉自由呈显著正相关外,同时对职业倦怠与休闲知觉自由的影响关系具有显著的中介调节效果。此外,技术制度企业群聚区台籍人员的职业倦怠与休闲调适程度相对低于传统劳力企业群聚区台籍人员,而在休闲知觉自由程度方面则相对高于传统劳力企业群聚区台籍人员。研究成果对于台资企业健全台籍人员工作与休闲生活管理机制具有一定的参考价值。     

北京居民日常休闲行为的性别差异

休闲的性别差异研究是西方休闲研究的重要研究主题。本文以北京市2007年居民活动日志问卷调查数据作为基础,多角度地分析了居民日常休闲行为中的性别差异。研究发现:男性拥有更多的休闲机会;女性休闲时间显著少于男性,并要花费更多时间在家务和照料活动,同时,女性更乐意将时间用在社交活动,而男性更倾向于将时间用在体育锻炼和上网活动;对于休闲地点的选择,男性和女性居民选择家内和家外休闲差异不大,但对于文化娱乐活动,男性平均出行距离更远,女性更倾向于选择较近的地点;在休闲中,男性倾向于一个人休闲而女性更倾向与家人一起休闲,表明女性更重视休闲活动中的社会关系。     

身体、情感与空间：老年人休闲旅居的具身体验

在新的流动范式认识下，“旅居”的出游方式因为更加自由和舒适的体验得到老年群体的青睐，当前研究主要关注偏“精英”色彩的老年人“旅居”现象，聚焦探讨这些现象背后的系列问题，但忽视了现象本身。目前一种更加大众化的老年人“旅居”现象得到蓬勃发展，但对其深层内涵与价值的探究鲜有见者。研究基于具身认知，聚焦现象本身，通过改良旅游者具身体验研究框架，采用既定程序的文本分析方法对样本深度访谈内容进行分析。研究发现，上述现象可参与群体广泛，舒适的异地休闲需求显著，活动具有高度的群体情感特性，承接空间接近过程相对轻松，舒适停留条件良好，老年人的日常休闲活动和社交群体能够更为便利和大众化的在异地实现有效延续与发展。研究将该现象命名为老年人休闲旅居，其能够成为老年人居家养老生活的有益补充，有重要现实意义。     

城市居民休闲生活满意度及其影响机制:以杭州为例

经典休闲满意度定义衡量的是个体在休闲活动过程中体验到的主观感受,实质上是休闲活动满意度,而不是个体对于其整个休闲生活状况的综合评价。文章因此提出了休闲生活满意度的概念,并以杭州为案例,对中国城市居民休闲生活满意度状况及其影响机制进行了探讨。研究发现,目前中国城市居民休闲生活满意度总体偏低。结构方程模型分析的结果表明:休闲时间、休闲参与频率、休闲活动满意度对休闲生活满意度都有一定正向影响,其中休闲时间、休闲参与频率的影响较大,而休闲活动满意度的影响较小。     

城市旅游休闲热点区演变特征及驱动机制研究——以武汉市为例

城市旅游休闲热点区是城市发展和转型升级的新增长极.本研究以中国旅游休闲城市武汉市为例,依托POI数据和GIS空间分析技术,分析武汉市旅游休闲热点区的空间特征和业态集聚特征,进而探讨其驱动机制.研究发现:①武汉市旅游休闲热点区呈现出由中心城区集聚向远城区蔓延、单核主导向多核引领的空间演变规律.②武汉市旅游休闲热点区规模与...     

天津城市体育休闲区形成及驱动力研究

城市体育休闲区是一种新的城市功能区,其形成发展直接关系到城市整体景观形象的提升和人民生活质量的提高,并影响到城市的空间布局。本文对已初步成形的天津城市体育休闲区进行实证研究,界定功能区空间界限,阐述其形成过程,最后分析总结其形成机制和主要驱动力,以期为城市生境和人民生活质量的改善提供参考,并为我国其他城市体育休闲区的规划建设提供借鉴。     

江汉平原农户日常休闲变迁及其影响因素研究

基于江汉平原京山市乡村抽样调查和实地访谈数据，通过指数分析揭示农户日常休闲变化特征，运用回归分析透视影响因素。结果显示：研究期内农户日常休闲以“娱乐消遣”为主要类型，但已呈现多样化、新兴化趋势；以“自家”为主要区位，但家外化、远程化特征显现；以“自家娱乐消遣型”为主流模式，但“手机/网络”为代表的“自家学习发展型”休闲增长迅速。乡村休闲发展水平受需求因素和供给因素“双轮驱动”，农户个体休闲“惯性依赖”特征显著。研究结果能够为中国传统农区人地关系变化及乡村振兴战略实施提供科学依据。     

GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF CONSTRAINTS ON LEISURE AND RECREATION

Constraints on leisure and recreation have become the subject of wide investigation in the leisure studies literature but have received little attention from recreation geographers. However, if geographical variables such as accessibility, mobility, and the relative location of recreational facilities and resources are conceived of as constraints, it becomes fruitful for geographers to approach these issues using frameworks that have been developed elsewhere in leisure studies. A secondary analysis of data from an Alberta survey (N = 4044) is used to investigate two geographical aspects of leisure constraints: (a) perceptions of the relative importance of geographical constraints versus other types of constraints; and (b) regional variations in the unfulfilled desire to participate in a new activity, the types of activities desired, and a set of 15 constraints items. The findings show that, while they affect recreational choices, geographical constraints are less influential than other types of constraints, such as cost, lack of time, and lack of facilities. Also, notwithstanding geographical variations in some constraints categories, other factors (e.g., respondents' age) play a stronger role in shaping perceptions of constraints on leisure. In turn, these findings suggest that recreation geographers could profit by adopting an interdisciplinary approach characterized by ties with other disciplines within the field of leisure studies. Les pentes des sources du bassin de la Rivère Ganaraska dans le Sud de I'Ontario ont été reboisées après la deuxième guerre mondiale pour diminuer l'érosion du sol et les inondations en aval. Les réponses hydrologiques au changement dans l'utilisation du sol sont examinées. Entre 1945 et 1990, la couverture de la forét de Ganaraska s'est accrue de 3,3 à 8,9% par rapport à la superficie du bassin. Durant cette période, le ruissellement annuel a diminué de 100 mm et les proportions de ruissellement furent réduites. Ces changements hydrologiques dapassent ceux prédits par les relations empiriques entre les débits et la couverture forestère et ils reflètent probablement les effets combinés de l'augmentation d'interception et évapotranspiration, de I'entreposage d'eau dans les nappes aquifères en amont bassin et de pertes importantes d'eaux des sources. Le reboisement éait aussi associéà une diminution considérable des hauts deébits et à une augmentation des débits minimum journaliers annuels. Le maximum annuel des deébits spécifiques journaliers moyens a diminué de 0,36 à 0,11 m³ s^-1 km^-2 (±0,10 m³ s^-1 km^-2) entre 1946 et 1962 pendant que le minimum annuel des deébits spécifiques journaliers moyens a augmenté de 0,0037 à 0,0062 m³ s^-1 km^-2 (±0,0009 m³ s^- km^-2) entre 1957 et 1990, tel qu'estiméà partir d'équations de régression. La réponse des proportions de ruissellements et des écoulements de points a l'augmentation de la couverture forestière était plus rapide que celle des débits minimum journaliers. Ces résultats laissent entendre que les réponses hydrologiques suite à des modifications mineures peuvent être dètectées selon l'emplacement de ces changements à l'intérieur du bassin. Les contraintes que subissent les loisirs font l'objet de vastes recherches en récréologie mais suscitent un intérêt limité chez les géographes spécialistes des loisirs. Cependant, si l'on conéoit les variables géographiques telles que l'accessibilité, la mobilité et le site relatif des centres et ressources de loisirs comme des contraintes, les géographes ont intérêt á aborder ces questions á l'aide de cadres élaborés par les sciences du loisir. Une analyse secondaire de données provenant d'une enquête effectuée en Alberta (N = 4044) a servi áétudier deux aspects géographiques de ce type de contraintes: a) les perceptions de l'importance relative des contraintes géographiques par rapport aux autres catégories de contraintes; et b) les variations régionales du désir non comblé de participer á une nouvelle activité, les types d'activités recherchées et un ensemble de 15 items de contraintes. Les résultats indiquent que, bien qu'elles aient une incidence sur les choix de loisirs, les contraintes géographiques comptent moins que les autres types de contraintes telles que les cou?ts, le manque de temps et l'absence d'aménagements. Pareillement, mis á part les variations géographiques de certaines catégories de contraintes, d'autres facteurs (l'a?ge des répondants, par exemple), jouent un ro?le plus important dans la facon de percevoir les contraintes sur les loisirs. En retour, ces résultats suggèrent que les géographes spécialistes des loisirs auraient peut-être intérêt á adopter une approche interdisciplinaire caractérisée par certains liens avec les autres disciplines existant au sein des sciences du loisir.