Historically, women have faced progressive and persistent obstacles and prejudices preventing them from fully participating in and receiving recognition for scientific research in academia. In Panama, local gender studies specifically targeting the area of academia are scarce. However, to close the gender gap, this article tries to uncover the realities of women academics who dare to research and do science in Panama, beyond statistics. A virtual survey was distributed from May to August 2023, in which 921 academics (45% men and 55% women) affiliated with public universities in Panama were surveyed. Through an empirical analysis from a gender perspective, participants’ attitudes and perceptions on the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on research, the quality of higher education in Panama, the dissemination and transmission of knowledge, and research as an adjuvant to higher education were revealed. Findings reiterate the gender bias and underrepresentation of women in Panamanian public universities and the lack of commitment to their capacity building, research, and dissemination of results. It also confirmed that, despite the covid-19 pandemic and its negative effects in all areas, the importance and recognition of scientific research were highlighted, allowing women academics to excel competitively and take advantage of new opportunities in their career development.

This study conducts a systematic literature review to analyze the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within business excellence frameworks. An analysis of the findings in the reviewed articles yielded five major themes: AI technologies and intelligent systems; impact of AI on business operations, strategies, and models; AI-driven decision-making in infrastructure and policy contexts; new forms of innovation and competitiveness; and the impact of AI on organizational performance and value creation in infrastructure projects. The findings provide a comprehensive understanding of how AI can be integrated into organizational excellence emerged frameworks to address challenges in infrastructure governance, and sustainable development. Key questions addressed include: how AI affects consumer behavior and marketing strategies. What AI’s capabilities for businesses, especially marketing and digital strategies? How can organizations address the drivers and barriers to help make better use of AI in these business operations? Should organizations even do anything with these insights? These questions and more will be tackled throughout this discussion. This paper attempts to derive a comprehensive conceptual framework from several fields of human resources, operational excellence, and digital transformation, that can help guide organizations and policymakers in embedding AI into infrastructure and development initiatives. This framework will help practitioners navigate the complexities of AI integration, ensuring profitability and sustainable growth in a highly competitive landscape. By bridging the gap between AI technologies and development-related policy initiatives, this research contributes to the advancement of infrastructure governance, public management, and sustainable development.

Human capital, which is a key resource of every organization, is characterized by high sensitivity to social, cultural and other factors that are not necessarily economic in nature. In the process of managing this capital, employee satisfaction becomes key, resulting from various reasons. In this study, we attempted to examine the level of satisfaction of university employees. The aim of this study was to gather information on the level of employee satisfaction with their job positions and to examine the relationships between selected, identified factors influencing their job satisfaction. The paper used multivariate statistical analysis, mainly Wilcoxon tests and Spearman rank correlation. Analysis of the survey results confirmed significant relationships between factors such as work atmosphere, appreciation of work effects, proper division of responsibilities and possible help in the team.

This study aims to explore the evolution of the human resources field in Western academia during the 1970s and 1980s, focusing on the trends in research topics across different decades. The analysis utilizes citation co-citation analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, and social network analysis. The research data were drawn from the Web of Science (WoS) database, comprising 1278 documents. By distinguishing between different time periods, the study identifies shifts in the field across two distinct time frames, visualized through multidimensional scaling maps. The results indicate that the 1970s were dominated by seven major research streams, while the 1980s introduced eight research streams, with “human resources” emerging for the first time as a prominent research frontier. The volume of literature, co-citation frequency, and citation counts all increased over time, reflecting the growing vibrancy and expanding scope of research in the field. Although citation co-citation analysis provides objective quantitative insights, issues such as the purpose of citations, the extent to which cited documents influence citing documents, and the varying layers of citation impact may introduce potential errors in the co-citation analysis results.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) hollow spheres are gaining attention due to their exceptional properties and potential applications in various fields. This study investigates the impact of different zinc precursors Zinc Chloride (ZnCl₂), Zinc Nitrate [Zn(NO₃)₂], and Zinc Acetate [Zn(CH₃COO)₂] on the hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO hollow spheres. A comprehensive set of characterization techniques, including Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, was utilized to assess the structural and morphological features of the synthesized materials. Our findings demonstrate that all samples exhibit a high degree of crystallinity with a wurtzite structure, and crystallite sizes range between 34 to 91 nm. Among the different precursors, ZnO derived from Zinc Nitrate showed markedly higher porosity and a well-defined mesoporous structure than those obtained from Zinc Acetate and Zinc Chloride. This research underscores the significance of precursor selection in optimizing the properties of ZnO hollow spheres, ultimately contributing to advancements in the design and application of ZnO-based nanomaterials.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved, transforming industries and addressing societal challenges across sectors such as healthcare and education. This study provides a state-of-the-art overview of AI research up to 2023 through a bibliometric analysis of the 50 most influential papers, identified using Scopus citation metrics. The selected works, averaging 74 citations each, encompass original research, reviews, and editorials, demonstrating a diversity of impactful contributions. Over 300 contributing authors and significant international collaboration highlight AI’s global and multidisciplinary nature. Our analysis reveals that research is concentrated in core journals, as described by Bradford’s Law, with leading contributions from institutions in the United States, China, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Trends in authorship underscore the growing role of generative AI systems in advancing knowledge dissemination. The findings illustrate AI’s transformative potential in practical applications, such as enabling early disease detection and precision medicine in healthcare and fostering adaptive learning systems and accessibility in education. By examining the dynamics of collaboration, geographic productivity, and institutional influence, this study sheds light on the innovation drivers shaping the AI field. The results emphasize the need for responsible AI development to maximize societal benefits and mitigate risks. This research provides an evidence-based understanding of AI’s progress and sets the stage for future advancements. It aims to inform stakeholders and contribute to the ongoing scientific discourse, offering insights into AI’s impact at a time of unprecedented global interest and investment.