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The main aim of the research is to identify the potential of location-based gamification apps for promoting tourist destinations. The specific goal is to investigate and evaluate the existing gamified apps for Sofia and reveal their potential as a marketing tool for enhancing the capital as a tourist destination. The study is based on a literature review on the topic and desk research of the available location-based gamification apps for promoting Sofia as a tourist destination thus allowing a comparative analysis of the main attributes of the gamified apps to be made. The qualitative research technique of using key informants is also applied, providing an expert source of information and a deeper insight into current and potential practices in the research area and their effectiveness. The results indicate that this has the greatest potential for further engagement of users and the co-creation of products and services as well as for raising awareness of the destination. The main limitations are related to the fact that they are a relatively new and little-known marketing tool in the field of tourism, and this predetermines a lack of sufficient knowledge and experience for their use for promotional purposes.

This paper contains the on on-line appendix to the paper with the same title forthcoming in ILRR.; Is the Bayh-Dole intellectual property regime associated with more and better academic entrepreneurship than the Professor Privilege regime? The authors examine data on US PhDs in the natural sciences, engineering, and medical fields who became entrepreneurs in 1993–2006 and compare this to similar data from Sweden. They find that, in both countries, those with an academic background have lower rates of entry into entrepreneurship than do those with a non-academic background. The relative rate of academics starting entrepreneurial firms is slightly lower in the United States than in Sweden. Moreover, the mean economic gains from becoming an entrepreneur are negative, both for PhDs originating in academia and non-academic settings in both countries. Analysis indicates that selection into entrepreneurship occurs from the lower part of the ability distribution among academics. The results suggest that policies aimed at supporting entrepreneurial decisions by younger, tenure-track academics may be more effective than general incentives at increasing academic entrepreneurship in general.

We explore whether the Bayh-Dole intellectual property regime is associated with more, and more valuable academic entrepreneurship than the “Professor’s Privilege” regime. Using data on U.S. STEM Ph.D.’s becoming entrepreneurs during 1993-2006 and similar data from Sweden we present evidence showing that in both countries the entry rate into entrepreneurship is lower for those originating from academia than for those orginating from non-university employment, and that the relative rate of academic entrepreneurship is slightly lower in the U.S. than in Sweden. We also find that the mean economic gains for becoming an entrepreneur is negative, both for Ph.D.’s originating from academia and non-university alike in both countries. Further analysis indicates that in both countries there is selection from the bottom of the ability distribution among academics. The results suggest that policies aimed at screening entrepreneurial decisions by younger, tenure-track academics may be more effective than general incentives to increase academic entrepreneurship.