The Guacimal River catchment has an area of 181 km2 and is located in the NW of Costa Rica, between the coordinates 84.745° W-10.016° N and 84.909° W-10.325° N. In this territory, as in most of the country, detailed geomorphological studies are scarce; therefore, the objective of this paper is to present the geomorphological mapping at a scale of 1:25,000 of the Guacimal River, which allows us to explain the dynamics of the agents involved in the modeling of the catchment. The work methodology consisted of three stages: pre-mapping, field activity and post-mapping, which resulted in a map in which ten relief forms are represented, ordered according to their morphogenesis in endogenous modeled and exogenous (fluvial, gravitational and littoral). This document will be the base line for land use planning, both continental and coastal, and for local risk management.
In this research, we employed multivariate statistical methods to investigate the perspectives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) concerning the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation and their apprehensions related to EPR compliance. The EPR regulation, which places the responsibility of waste management on producers, has significant financial and administrative implications, particularly for SMEs. A sample of 114 businesses was randomly selected, and the collected data underwent comprehensive analysis. Our findings highlight that a notable proportion of businesses (44.7%) possess knowledge of the EPR regulation’s provisions, whereas only a marginal fraction (1.8%) lacks sufficient familiarity. We also explored the interplay between opinions on the EPR regulation and concerns regarding its financial and administrative implications. Our results establish a significant correlation between EPR regulation opinions and concerns, with adverse opinions prominently influencing concerns, particularly regarding financial burdens and administrative workloads. These outcomes, derived from the application of multivariate statistical techniques, provide valuable insights for enhancing the synergy between environmental regulations and business practices. EPR regulation significantly affects SMEs in terms of financial, administrative, and legal obligations, thus our study highlights that policymakers may need to consider additional support mechanisms to alleviate the regulatory burden on SMEs, fostering a more effective and sustainable implementation of the EPR regulation.
Village administration in Indonesia has changed its scope and operation with the integration of digital technology into public services at various levels. These conditions prompt questions about the successful digital transformation of public administration services. Digital transformation encompasses not only technological aspects but also socio-cultural factors. This paper reports the study related to implementing ICT-based applications in village administration policy in Indonesia. The study involved 315 village officials from 167 villages in 16 sub-districts within Toba district, North Sumatera province. A village administration software prototype was developed and introduced to the villages’ officials during the study. This study aims to gain insights from the officials’ response regarding digital technology-supported village administration. The research revealed that many village officials must gain the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct administrative tasks digitally, as they still rely on traditional, non-digitized methods. Recommendations include increased support and assistance from the Regency Government to help villages understand and implement digital administration and capacity-building activities to familiarize village officials with ICT advancements. The study also found that digital transformation in village administration remains challenging, with digitization and digitalization processes often overlooked. Addressing these challenges requires additional training and improved infrastructure availability. Finally, we propose a conceptual model of digital transformation for public administration at village level as generic components for digital implementation of village administration.
The study is focusing on cyberspace—a new type of space mastered by humans with the help of digital technologies. This systematic review uses SPAR-4-SLR protocol to analyze over 30 years of scholarly research indexed in Scopus database, highlighting five time periods: before 1995, 1996–2008, 2009–2012, 2013–2019, and after 2020. A final sample of 6645 publications in social sciences, Business, management and accounting (BMA), and Economics, econometrics and finance (EEF) was analyzed across multiple parameters, including: chronology, types of documents, sources, countries, institutions, authors, topics, and most cited publications. The review has systematized information about the most influential organizations and individuals involved in cyberspace research. First of all, these are researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. Key journals that publish research on the topic have been identified, and a ranked list of funding organizations supporting research on the social and economic aspects of cyberspace are identified. The study provides insights into the achievements of the social and economic sciences in cyberspace over the past 30 years. The results will be useful to scholars who seek for a general overview on the topic of cyberspace, as well as experts and policymakers developing mechanisms and tools for regulating cyberspace as a mixture of the virtual and real worlds.
Using company size as a moderator, this article examines the MENA region’s gender balance on boards and how it influences capital structure. The study uses the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimate technique to analyze data from a sample of 556 non-financial organizations across 10 MENA countries from 2010 to 2023. The results show that a lower debt ratio is connected with a higher percentage of female board members. Further steps towards debt reduction include increasing the number of independent female board members and decreasing the board’s overall size. The opposite is true for larger enterprises, more profitability, more expansion opportunities, and macroeconomic variables like inflation and GDP growth, which tend to raise the debt ratio. Capital structure decisions in the MENA area are influenced by gender diversity on boards and business characteristics. Therefore, Companies in the MENA area would do well to support initiatives that increase the representation of women on corporate boards. One way to achieve this goal is to establish gender diversity targets or launch programs to increase the number of women serving on boards of directors, particularly in positions of power.
This study addresses the rising concerns of technostress experienced by teachers due to the increased reliance on educational technology in both classroom and online settings. Technostress, defined as the adverse psychological effects arising from the use of information communication technologies, has been documented to impact teacher performance and overall well-being. Despite the importance of educational technology in enhancing teaching and learning experiences, many educators report elevated levels of anxiety, stress, and pressures associated with their use of these tools. This study presents practical strategies to help teachers alleviate or prevent technostress while using educational technology. This study used a quantitative approach with a survey conducted among 113 university and schoolteachers. The data analysis included frequency and percentage distribution of categorical variables, Cronbach's alpha for reliability, chi-square test, and exploratory factor analysis to identify strategies for symptom prevention. The results indicated that while many teachers experienced symptoms of technostress due to several factors, some did not. The study concluded with specific strategies, and many teachers agreed highly. The implications of this study are profound for educational institutions, policymakers, and teacher training programs as they underscore the necessity of providing comprehensive training, support, and resources to help educators manage technostress effectively. By integrating these strategies into professional developmental programs and fostering a supportive teaching environment, schools and universities can promote better mental health for teachers, improving students' educational outcomes.
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