This study investigated the relationship between telecommunications development, trade openness and economic growth in South Africa. It determined explicitly if telecommunications development and trade openness directly impact economic growth or whether telecommunications strengthen or weaken the link between trade openness and economic growth using the ARDL bounds test methodology. The findings reveal that both telecommunications development indicators and trade openness significantly and positively impact South Africa’s GDP in the short and long terms. The study also found that control variables like internet usage and gross fixed capital formation significantly and positively influence GDP. Conversely, inflation was found to consistently affect GDP negatively and significantly. The findings from the ARDL cointegration analysis affirm a long-run economic relationship between the independent variables and GDP. The study also established that telecommunications development slightly distorts trade in the foreign trade-GDP nexus in South Africa. Despite this, the negative interaction effect is not substantial enough to overshadow the positive impact of trade openness on economic growth. From a policy perspective, the study recommends that South African policymakers prioritise enhancing local goods’ competitiveness in global markets and reducing trade barriers. It also advocates for improving the accessibility and affordability of telecommunications technologies to foster economic development.

This research delves into the urgent requirement for innovative agricultural methodologies amid growing concerns over sustainable development and food security. By employing machine learning strategies, particularly focusing on non-parametric learning algorithms, we explore the assessment of soil suitability for agricultural use under conditions of drought stress. Through the detailed examination of varied datasets, which include parameters like soil toxicity, terrain characteristics, and quality scores, our study offers new insights into the complexities of predicting soil suitability for crops. Our findings underline the effectiveness of various machine learning models, with the decision tree approach standing out for its accuracy, despite the need for comprehensive data gathering. Moreover, the research emphasizes the promise of merging machine learning techniques with conventional practices in soil science, paving the way for novel contributions to agricultural studies and practical implementations.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the perception types of workplace spirituality among nurses. Method: To achieve this, Q methodology was applied, selecting 34 Q samples from a total of 102 Q statements extracted. The Q samples were distributed among 40 nurses and categorized into a normal distribution. A 9-point scale was used for measurement, and the data were analyzed using the pc-QUANL program. Results: The four types identified were ‘reflective type’, ‘nursing-oriented type’, ‘relationship-oriented type’, and ‘spirituality-oriented type’. Conclusion: The four types derived in this study classify nurses’ perceptions of workplace spirituality for establishing a nurse’s workplace spirituality that provides integrated nursing care. This categorization can serve as foundational information when planning workplace spirituality programs, considering each type’s characteristics.

This study explores the potential of digital preservation in the documentation of colonial cultural heritage in Egypt. It also explores the stories behind historical wars to revive these sites and attract different segments of visitors. Documentation of these sites should enhance Egyptian colonial cultural heritage sites, which include battlefields, war memorials, commanders’ palaces, assassination and murder spots, cemeteries, and mausoleums. The purpose of this study was fulfilled through field visits supplemented with in-depth interviews with experts on colonial heritage sites in Egypt. The findings showed that technology could play a key role in implementing the storytelling documentation and interpretation of colonial history and its relevant events at the Egyptian sites. However, to date, these sites have not made the best use of technology for digital preservation and documentation due to many challenges. The study recommends that decision-makers should integrate technological innovation, which can revitalize the communities built on the ruins of colonialism and revive the heritage of popular resistance. Technological innovation could be implemented not only in digital preservation and documentation but also in service and marketing of these colonial heritage sites.

Project risk management in the mining industry is necessary to identify, analyze and reduce uncertainty. The engineering features of mining enterprises, by their nature, require improved risk management tools. This article proves the relevance of creating a simulation model of the production process to reduce uncertainty when making investment decisions. The purpose of the study is to develop an algorithm for deciding on the economic feasibility of creating a simulation experiment. At the same time, the features and patterns of the cases for which the simulation experiment was carried out were studied. Criteria for feasibility assessment of the model introduction based on a qualitative parameters became the central idea for algorithm. The relevance of the formulated algorithm was verified by creating a simulation model of a potassium salt deposit with subsequent optimization of the production process parameters. According to the results of the experiment, the damage from the occurrence of a risk situations was estimated as a decrease in conveyor productivity by 32.6%. The proposed methods made it possible to minimize this risk of stops in the conveyor network and assess the lack of income due to the risk occurrences.