One of the most frequently debated subjects in international forums is economic growth, which is regarded as a global priority. Consequently, researchers have turned their attention from conventional economic growth at a single average coefficient to divisible economic growth at levels of its value. Although the existing literature has discussed several determinants of economic growth, our article contributes to examining the sources of economic growth in African countries during the generations of reforms from 1990 to 2019 and in the context of economic vulnerability. The variables used in the analysis are gross domestic product, trade openness, financial development, and economic vulnerability. The study uses a quantile regression econometric model to examine these variables at different stages of reform. Quantile regression (QR) estimates for quantiles 0.05 to 0.95 showed mixed results: financial development is favorable to African economic growth at all quantile levels. However, economic vulnerability is a major impediment to economic growth at all quantile levels. In addition, it was found that a high degree of trade openness has a detrimental effect on African economic growth from quantile 0.5 of the dependent variable. Finally, another important result proves that financial development is a remedy for decision-makers against economic vulnerability.

In the domain of public management, the concept of agency refers to the capacity of individuals or groups to effectively utilise power and resources to achieve certain goals. The formation of agency is significantly influenced by the external institutional environment and how actors perceive social structures. Thus, the agency to win a game can be generated as players familiarise with the game’s operations and understand the story line. But beyond this, there are also players who make mods on a non-profit basis, modifying the game’s program to meet the needs of others. mods, as a form of patching, are different from other fan-created mediated texts. Therefore, studying the agency in gaming community management, where both players and developers interact, offers valuable insights for understanding how to promote public participation, innovation, and effective governance in the context of public management. This approach bridges the gap between the digital world and real-world public management practices.

With modern society and the ever-increasing consumption of polymeric materials, the way we look at products has changed, and one of the main questions we have is about the negative impacts caused to the environment in the most diverse stages of the life cycle of these materials, whether in the acquisition of raw materials, in manufacturing, distribution, use or even in their final disposal. The main methodology currently used to assess the environmental impacts of products from their origin to their final disposal is known as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Thus, the objective of this work is to evaluate how much the biodegradable polymer contributes to the environment in relation to the conventional polymer considering the application of LCA in the production mode. This analysis is configured through the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method. In this review, 28 studies were selected for evaluation, whose approaches encompass knowledge on LCA, green biopolymer (from a renewable but non-biodegradable source), conventional polymer (from a non-renewable source) and, mainly, the benefits of using biodegradable polymers produced from renewable sources, such as: corn, sugarcane, cellulose, chitin and others. Based on the surveys, a comparative analysis of LCA applications was made, whose studies considered evaluating quantitative results in the application of LCA, in biodegradable and conventional polymers. The results, based on comparisons between extraction and production of biodegradable polymers in relation to conventional polymers, indicate greater environmental benefits related to the use of biodegradable polymers.

A comprehensive proteomic analysis was carried out to evaluate leaf proteome changes of Brassica napus cultivars as an important oilseed crop inoculated with the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens FY32 under salt stress. Based on the physiochemical characteristics of canola, Hyola308 was a tolerant and Sarigol was a salt sensitive cultivar. Gel-based proteomics indicated that proteins related to energy/metabolism, cell/membrane maintenance, signalins, stress, and development respond to salt stress and bacterial inoculation in both cultivars. Under salt stress, Hyola308 launches mechanisms similar to Sarigol, but the tolerance was related to consuming less energy consumption than Sarigol for launching the proper pathway/mechanism. Inoculation with plant growth promoting bacteria promotes relative growth rate and net assimilation rate; causes increase in soluble sugar content (12–32% varing to cultivars and salt treatments), as an osmo-protectant, in leaves of Sarigol and Hyola308 in control and salt stress conditions. The groups of proteins that are affected due to inoculation (18 and14 functional groups in Hyola308 and Sarigol, respectively) are varying to stress-influenced groups (10 and 6 functional groups in Hyola308 and Sarigol, respectively) that might be because of regulating tolerance mechanism of plant and/or plant-growth promoting bacteria inoculation. Furthermore, it is recognized that P. fluorescens FY32 has a dual effect on the cultivars including a pathogenic effect and a growth promoting effect on both cultivars under salt stress.

Olive production is threatened by a fungal pathogen, Armillaria mellea (Vahl. Fr.) P. Kumm.,causing decline in trees worldwide. Effectiveness of once and twice applications of fungicides hexaconazole, propicoconazole and thiophanate-methyl and application of biological agent (Trichoderma harzianum) to control A. mellea was studied at orchard scale during four years. T. harzianum inhibited the pathogen growth on agar media. This antagonistic fungus provided a 25% control efficiency of A. mellea on olive trees younger than 15 years which was the same as control efficiency of once application of hexaconazole. Control efficiencies as perfect as 100% were determined on younger (<15 years old) diseased olive trees treated with once applications of thiophanate-methyl and hexaconazole, and twice applications of thiophanate-methyl. Moreover, olive tree age was significantly effective on fungicidal control efficiency. Hence, this four-year research advanced our understanding of sustainable olive production in study region and other geographical areas with similar agro-ecological characteristics.

The application of quality management methods and tools is an important prerequisite for the success and performance increase of manufacturing enterprises. The paper deals with the application of methods and tools of quality management (MTQM) in manufacturing enterprises. The paper aims to analyze whether there is a relationship between the application of MTQM and the size of enterprises, the use of MTQM, and the performance of enterprises measured through the achieved profit. It also analyzes the impact of MTQM on the agility of manufacturing enterprises measured through the decrease in sales expressed in revenues during the pandemic period. The paper presents the results of the research which was conducted between 2020–2022. Several statistical tools such as the Chi-square goodness-of-fit test, Pearson’s chi-square test, and contingency analysis were used to evaluate the different analyses as well as the representativeness of the sample. Based on the results, it can be concluded that there are differences in the use of MTQM and the size of the enterprise as well as the performance of the enterprises. At the same time, the hypothesis that enterprises using a wider range of quality management methods and tools have a higher potential to adapt to unexpected market changes was also confirmed.