Procedia of Multidisciplinary Research

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM DISPLAY DESIGN: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK BASED ON THE FOUR-QUADRANT THEORY

Yiliao ZOU, Akapong INKUER, Chanoknart MAYUSOH, Pisit PUNTIEN — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Following the ICOM 2022 definition establishing Varied Experiences for Education as museums' core mission, the concept of educational experience remains ambiguous - particularly the boundary between education and entertainment. This paper constructs a conceptual framework to define educational experience in museum display design. Drawing on Pine and Gilmore's Four-Quadrant Theory, Dale’s Cone of Experience Theory, and synthesizing insights from museology, pedagogy, and cognitive psychology, the study distinguishes educational experience from entertainment, aesthetic, and escapist experiences. Through theoretical deduction, the paper proposes that an ideal museum educational experience is characterized by active participation and cognitive absorption. A comprehensive definitional framework is presented, covering definitional boundaries, core characteristics, the immersion-to-absorption transformation process, and design principles. This framework provides a theoretical foundation for evaluating and designing educational displays, particularly for small and medium-sized museums.

Keywords: Educational Experience, Museum Display Design, Four-Quadrant Theory, Cone of Experience

SEMIOTIC DECONSTRUCTION OF JIANGXI NUO MASK VISUAL SYMBOLS: A CLASSIFICATION OF CORE AND ADAPTABLE ELEMENTS AS A BASIS FOR METRO ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN TRANSLATION

Yanqin LI, Akapong INKUER, Chanoknart MAYUSOH, Pisit PUNTIEN — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Jiangxi Nuo masks are highly recognizable visual symbols of Gan Nuo culture, carrying ritual meanings, belief systems, role identities, and regional cultural memory. As intangible cultural heritage increasingly enters contemporary public spaces, the question of how to deconstruct and translate traditional visual symbols while retaining their cultural meanings has become important in visual communication design and environmental graphic design. This paper focuses on the semiotic deconstruction of the visual symbolic system of Jiangxi Nuo masks and classifies their core cultural elements and adaptable translation elements. The study adopts literature analysis, visual material review, and visual symbol coding. Four representative mask samples, including Kaishan, Nuo Gong, Bao Sanniang, and Sun Wukong, are coded through five dimensions: form structure, color system, decorative motifs, expression features, and role meaning. The coding results show that role identity, ritual function, core symbolic meaning, and typical structural features should be retained as core cultural elements, while contours, local motifs, color relationships, and expression intensity can be adapted according to the visual order, information hierarchy, and psychological comfort requirements of metro public space. The findings provide a structured basis for selecting Nuo mask symbols and matching their adaptable forms and visual intensity with different functional contexts in metro environmental graphic design.

Keywords: Jiangxi Nuo Mask, Visual Symbol, Semiotic Deconstruction, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Metro Environmental Graphic Design

VISUALIZING CULTURAL MEANING: A STUDY OF CARTOON IMAGERY IN CULTURAL-CREATIVE PRODUCTS AND BRAND COMMUNICATION

Jiadai LI, Akapong INKUER, Chanoknart MAYUSOH, Pisit PUNTIEN — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The rapid development of China’s cultural and creative industries, digital media, and the intellectual property economy has transformed cartoon imagery from an entertainment-oriented visual form into a strategic medium for cultural translation and brand communication. This study examines the characteristics, forms, and symbolic meanings of cartoon imagery used in cultural-creative products and brand communication. A qualitative research design was adopted, integrating literature review, comparative case analysis, field observation, and visual-semantic analysis. Representative cases from international character branding and Chinese cultural-creative practice were compared with the Henan Houjiaguan clay monkey toy, a folk object combining auspicious symbolism, theatrical facial-mask imagery, clay and textile materiality, and a movable string-controlled mechanism. The findings identify six core characteristics of effective cartoon imagery: recognizability, formal simplification, emotional expressiveness, narrative capacity, cultural relevance, and cross-media adaptability. Five recurring forms are distinguished: entertainment-derived characters, institutional mascots, character-based intellectual property systems, culturally reinterpreted characters, and product-embedded folk-toy characters. Symbolic meaning is produced through four linked mechanisms: cultural representation, emotional mediation, identity construction, and brand-value communication. Based on these findings, the study proposes a culture-character-product-brand framework and a three-level feature hierarchy for heritage-oriented cartoon redesign. The study concludes that culturally grounded cartoon imagery can enhance contemporary relevance only when visual innovation is coordinated with cultural authenticity, material logic, product experience, and systematic brand communication.

Keywords: Cartoon Imagery, Cultural Symbolism, Cultural-Creative Product, Brand Communication, Houjiaguan, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Design Translation, Social Sustainability

THE INFLUENCE MECHANISM OF GAN EMBROIDERY CULTURAL SYMBOLS ON CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF REDESIGNED POST-CONSUMER DENIM ACCESSORIES: A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

Qi HU, Akapong INKUER, Chanoknart MAYUSOH, Pisit PUNTIEN — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Fast fashion has accelerated clothing replacement and caused many denim garments with remaining use value to be discarded prematurely. Post-consumer denim retains redesign potential because of its durability, structural strength, distinctive indigo fading, and emotional associations. However, consumer acceptance is often constrained by hygiene stigma toward second-hand textiles, perceptions of low value, and concerns about social image. This conceptual and research-design paper examines how Gan embroidery cultural symbols may influence consumer perceptions and purchase intention toward redesigned post-consumer denim accessories. Drawing on circular fashion, second-hand consumption stigma, the theory of planned behavior, and cultural identity theory, the study proposes a model in which Gan embroidery integration enhances perceived value and cultural identity, reduces hygiene stigma, improves consumer attitude, and strengthens purchase intention. The design process distinguishes surface decorative application from structural integration and evaluates both through cultural recognizability, integration with product structure, material compatibility, craftsmanship quality, functional contribution, and visual coherence. Visual cues of newness, including professional finishing, transparent cleaning information, controlled material treatment, and a contemporary silhouette, are proposed to moderate the relationship between cultural identity and hygiene stigma. For future empirical validation, the study outlines a standardized 3×2 experiment varying cultural-symbol integration and visual newness while holding denim quality, product form, and presentation constant. The framework supports the high-value redesign of post-consumer denim and the contemporary revitalization of Gan embroidery.

Keywords: Circular Fashion, Sustainable Consumption, Post-Consumer Denim, Gan Embroidery, Consumer Perception, Hygiene Stigma, Visual Cues of Newness

APPLYING JIN DYNASTY AESTHETICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN FOR TONGXIANG BLUE CALICO: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY IN ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA

Lu BAI, Chanoknart MAYUSOH, Akapong INKUER, Pisit PUNTIEN — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates how Jin Dynasty aesthetics can be translated into digital design for Tongxiang blue calico in Zhejiang Province, China. The research addresses three gaps in the current literature: the lack of a systematic framework for translating Jin aesthetic principles into digital design language, the limited development of empirically evaluated design prototypes, and the insufficient integration of heritage aesthetics with contemporary user demand. A mixed-methods design was employed. Qualitative data were collected through literature review, field investigation in Tongxiang, and in-depth interviews with experts, blue calico inheritors, and design-related participants in order to identify the historical, artistic, and cultural characteristics of Tongxiang blue calico and to extract key aesthetic dimensions of Jin Dynasty aesthetics, particularly nature, simplicity, and harmony. Quantitative data were then collected from potential users to examine aesthetic preference, cultural perception, and design expectations. Based on these findings, digital design prototypes were developed and subsequently evaluated by users and experts in terms of aesthetic coherence, cultural appropriateness, and user response. The study proposes a design-oriented framework for integrating traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary digital practice and demonstrates how heritage-based design can be adapted to present-day cultural and market contexts. The findings contribute to design research, digital heritage practice, and the innovation of traditional crafts through culturally grounded design development.

Keywords: Jin Dynasty Aesthetics, Tongxiang Blue Calico, Digital Design, Cultural Heritage Innovation, Mixed-Methods Research, Prototype Evaluation

UNVEILING THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PATH TO SMALL ENTERPRISE SUCCESS: A CROSS-METHODOLOGICAL ROBUSTNESS CHECK BETWEEN PLS-SEM AND CB-SEM FRAMEWORKS

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study establishes a rigorous psychometric and structural framework to investigate how entrepreneurial characteristics (CHAR) drive digital content marketing (DCM) and downstream business success and sustainability (BUSU) through the core mechanism of consumer data utilization (CDUS) within small hospitality enterprises. Methodologically, it addresses a prominent research gap by executing a dual-phase empirical investigation (n = 290) using parallel dual-estimation via PLS-SEM and CB-SEM as a cross-methodological robustness check. First, an iterative exploratory factor analysis workflow successfully purified the measurement instruments, refining a preliminary pool of 78 indicators down to stable, parsimonious scales. CDUS resolved cleanly into a distinct four-factor structure, validating the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities perspective. Second, structural model evaluations revealed exceptional cross-methodological convergence. All direct causal pathways aligned perfectly in direction and significance, with narrow parameter discrepancies (Db = 0.010 to 0.146), confirming model stability and the absence of method bias. DCM manifested the strongest direct impact on BUSU (b_PLS = 0.531; b_CB= 0.677). A critical algorithmic divergence emerged only within the long-range sequential mediation (CHAR®CDUS®DCM®BUSU), which achieved significance under CB-SEM (p < 0.05) but not PLS-SEM (p = 0.085), highlighting CB-SEM’s heightened sensitivity to multi-stage covariance structures. Ultimately, the absolute alignment of total indirect effects (b_PLS= 0.319; b_CB = 0.438, p < 0.001) substantiates that the newly validated scale achieves a gold standard. Academically and managerially, the findings demonstrate that proactive entrepreneurial intent must be systematically operationalized into actionable data assets to engineer strategic digital content that yields sustainable multi-dimensional business success.

Keywords: Psychometric Validation, Digital Content Marketing, Consumer Data Utilization, Model Convergence, Small Enterprises, PLS-SEM, CB-SEM

ANALYSIS OF INNOVATIVE DESIGN PATHS FOR CULTURAL TOURISM PRODUCTS BASED ON THOUSAND-ANGLE LANTERN ELEMENTS

Juan LU, Pisit PUNTIEN, Akapong INKUER, Chanoknart MAYUSOH — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Against the backdrop of cultural rejuvenation and global communication, traditional intangible cultural heritage generally faces challenges, including broken inheritance chains, insufficient youth-oriented expression, and weak digital communication capacity. As a national-level intangible cultural heritage, Dongguan Thousand-Horn Lantern embodies the value of Lingnan folk culture, clan symbolism and traditional craftsmanship. Nevertheless, its conventional presentation modes fail to meet the demands of contemporary digital cultural tourism and young people’s aesthetic preferences. Accordingly, this study takes the Thousand-Horn Lantern as the core research object and establishes a research framework of “cultural gene deconstruction—visual symbol translation—digital innovative design—communication and promotion.” Adopting multiple research methods such as literature research, field investigation, questionnaire surveys, and expert interviews, this paper systematically extracts the cultural symbols and visual artistic characteristics of the Thousand-Horn Lantern. Combined with digital art technologies including 3D modeling, VR/AR interaction, motion visual design and IP reconstruction, it realizes the modern and digital translation of traditional cultural elements. The research findings demonstrate that this innovative design model effectively improves the clarity of cultural expression of the Thousand-Horn Lantern, recognition among young consumers, and the communication influence of regional cultural brands, while strengthening the interactive experience and market transformation potential of intangible cultural heritage. This study provides theoretical support and practical references for the digital innovation of traditional folk intangible cultural heritage, the integrated development of culture and tourism, as well as international cultural communication.

Keywords: Thousand-Angle Lantern, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Cultural and Tourism Products, Innovative Design, Cultural-Tourism Integration, Living Inheritance

CULTURAL SYMBIOSIS AND REGENERATION OF SHANGHAI CABLE FACTORY INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

Zhen LIU, Pisit PUNTIEN, Akapong INKUER, Chanoknart MAYUSOH — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

In the context of urban renewal and industrial restructuring, the conservation of Shanghai’s industrial heritage has shifted from the preservation of individual buildings to the coordination of historical memory, spatial structure, public life, and urban cultural identity. From the perspective of cultural symbiosis, this article takes the former Shanghai Cable Factory as the main case and examines its cultural value, conservation status, and regeneration challenges. The study combines literature review, archival research, field investigation, and questionnaire surveys involving 15 experts and 385 members of the public. The AHP results show that cultural value received the highest criterion weight (0.3517), followed by socio-economic function (0.2828), spatial design characteristics (0.1855), and ecological environment (0.1801). The overall mean of the public questionnaire was 3.6295 on a five-point scale. By combining expert weights with public improvement gaps, the study identifies authenticity preservation, safety and accessibility, historical interpretation, cultural display and education, and industrial spatial character as the main regeneration priorities. The results show that the key problem is not a lack of heritage resources, but the limited transformation of industrial remains into accessible and understandable public experiences. The regeneration of the Shanghai Cable Factory should therefore be understood as a cultural-symbiosis-oriented process that reconnects industrial heritage value, public urban functions, local memory, and spatial renewal. This article provides a theoretical and empirical basis for conservation-oriented regeneration research on Shanghai’s industrial heritage.

Keywords: Industrial Heritage, Conservation Status, Cultural Symbiosis, Urban Renewal

PERCEPTIONS OF SUSTAINABLE ELEPHANT TOURISM IMAGE IN THE THAI SOCIAL CONTEXT: TOWARDS A HERITAGE-BASED MANAGEMENT APPROACH

Sitarin PAKTHANINSAK — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Previous studies in elephant tourism have predominantly focused on animal welfare and tourist behavior, thereby reflecting a significant opportunity to elucidate the image formation process through the dimensions of cultural heritage and Thai identity—key factors that differentiate Thailand's tourism on the global stage. This article aims to analyze the cognitive processes underlying the perceived image of sustainable elephant tourism within the Thai social context and to synthesize heritage-based management guidelines. The study integrates knowledge from five theoretical frameworks: perception, destination image, cultural heritage, sustainable tourism, and animal welfare. The analytical results reveal that the perceived image of sustainable elephant tourism in Thailand stems from both the attributes of the tourism activities and a semantic interpretation process that integrates four core elements: (1) tourist perception; (2) the legitimacy of elephant welfare based on the Five Domains Model; (3) the value of living cultural heritage; and (4) Thai identity as a soft power. Consequently, cultural heritage serves as the semantic foundation that accentuates the distinctiveness of Thai elephant tourism, whereas animal welfare is a fundamental prerequisite for international acceptance. These findings culminate in the proposition of a conceptual framework for heritage-based elephant tourism management, which strives to strike a balance between international standards and the preservation of cultural values. This approach contributes to fortifying the overall destination image and acts as a critical mechanism in stimulating tourists' revisit intention, destination loyalty, and enhanced willingness to pay for sustainable Thai elephant tourism.

Keywords: Image Perception, Living Cultural Heritage, Sustainability, Elephant Welfare, Willingness to Pay