Critical factor of thematic village development - the case of Lithuania

ENThis paper discusses the possibility of thematic village development and presents the results of qualitative research aimed at determining why some thematic villages are developing while others are not. The grounded theory approach was used for semi-structured interviews in best practice examples of thematic villages in Lithuania. The structured grounded theory coding techniques (Strauss & Corbin, 1990; Corbin & Strauss, 2015) were employed to analyze the collected data. The grounded theory of thematic village development was built around the core category, a critical success factor, i.e., the weighted involvement of thematic village actors in thematic village activities. In the absence of weighted involvement by actors, there are no possibilities to implement theming and meet the needs of consumers and the village population. Meeting the expectations of thematic village actors ensures their involvement and the sustainable development of the village in which the thematic village is located. The stronger the weighted involvement of thematic village actors, the more benefits they create for sustainable village development. Thematic village actors get involved in thematic village activities only when they have specific expectations and opportunities to be involved, and when certain contextual conditions arise. Stronger involvement brings more benefits. Thematic village actors enjoy the highest benefits, manifesting themselves through self-realization, communication, and the creation of prosperity in the countryside.To encourage the involvement of thematic village actors, a government support mechanism for thematic villages needs to be established, including legalization, income generation, and the empowerment of elderships to take care of the well-being of thematic villages. A culture of cooperation with the local population, organizations, and institutions should also be strengthened. This would enable the activities of a thematic village to transform from a hobby into an income-generating job and enable the needs of residents and visitors to be met through the development of the thematic village and the rural area in which it is located. Keywords: Thematic village, Critical Factors, Village Sustainable Development, Theming.