Earnings disparities in South Africa, and specifically the Eastern Cape region are influenced by a complex interplay of historical, socio-economic, and demographic factors. Despite significant progress since the end of apartheid, persistent disparities in earnings continue to raise questions about the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing inequality and promoting equitable social system. Individual-level dataset from the 2021 South African general household survey were subjected to exploratory analysis, while Heckman selection model was used to investigate the determinants of earnings disparities in the study area. The results showed that majority of the population are not working for a wage, commission or salary, which also pointed to the gravity of unemployment situation in the area of study. Most of the working population (both male and female) are lowest earners (R ≤ 10,000), and this also cuts across all age-group categories. Majority of working population have no formal education, are drop out, or have less than grade-12 certificate, and very few working populations with higher education status were found in the moderate and relatively high earnings categories. While many of the working population are engaged in the informal sector, those in the formal sector are in the lowest earners group. Compared to any other race, the Black African group constituted the majority of non-wage earners, and most in this group were found in the lowest earners group. Some of the working population who were beneficiaries of social grants and medical aids scheme were found in the lowest, low, and moderate earnings categories. The findings significantly isolated the earnings-effect of age, marital status, gender, race, education, geographic indicators, employment sector, and index of health conditions and disabilities. The study recommends interventions addressing racial, gender, and geographic wage gaps, while also emphasizing the importance of equitable access to education, health infrastructure, and skills development.

The quality of indoor classroom conditions influences the well-being of its occupants, students and teachers. Especially the temperature, outside acceptable limits, can increase the risk of discomfort, illness, stress behaviors and cognitive processes. Assuming the importance of this, in this quantitative observational study, we investigated the relationship between two environmental variables, temperature and humidity, and students’ basic emotions. Data were collected over four weeks in a secondary school in Spain, with environmental variables recorded every 10 minutes using a monitoring kit installed in the classroom, and students’ emotions categorized using Emotion Recognition Technology (ERT). The results suggest that high recorded temperatures and humidity levels are associated with emotional responses among students. While linear regression models indicate that temperature and humidity may influence students’ emotional experiences in the classroom, the explanatory power of these models may be limited, suggesting that other factors could contribute to the observed variability in emotions. The implications and limitations of these findings for classroom conditions and student emotional well-being are discussed. Recognizing the influence of environmental conditions and monitoring them is a step toward establishing smart classrooms.

Sustainable hybrid education is an educational approach that combines multiple kinds of instruction. Online education and traditional face-to-face education will be implemented in tandem to propel the educational process towards contemporary approaches, with the aim of achieving high-quality outcomes and staying abreast of scientific and technical advancements. The objective of this study is to determine the correlation between hybrid education, which is a sustainable model, and the academic performance of graduate students in select Egyptian universities, based on international quality criteria. The study employed a descriptive analytical methodology, and data was collected using a meticulously designed computerized questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were verified using proper statistical techniques. The study sample comprised 2235 postgraduate students enrolled in Egyptian universities, specifically Cairo, Helwan, and Ain Shams. The study’s findings determined that the extent of hybrid education and the efficacy of the procedure. The sample members possess a high level of education, and hybrid education has a significant positive influence on the quality of the educational process. Hybrid education mostly impacts the academic components, and there are variations among universities in implementing hybrid education, with Ain Shams University being particularly favorable towards it. The study proposed enhancing the university’s human resources for students, faculty, and staff, as well as assuring the availability of diverse gadgets and resources utilized in the hybrid education setting.

The study examines the factors shaping inflation in 2022–2023 and explores why inflation in the Hungarian economy has increased more sharply than in neighboring countries with similar structures. The research hypothesis suggests that the inflationary surge, which is notable both globally and within the European Union, is not solely due to market economy mechanisms, but also to specific circumstances in Hungary, including the state’s radical interventions aimed at curbing inflation. The study seeks to highlight these effects and provide recommendations for economic policymakers to develop a more resilient inflation policy. Additionally, it focuses on analyzing inflation in the agricultural sector. The results indicate that, alongside global inflationary pressures, several country-specific factors have driven up the inflation rate in Hungary. Energy prices have risen sharply, and some supply chains from the East have been disrupted. The country under study is less productive, and the impact of the energy price shock on the energy-intensive food industry is higher than in surrounding countries. Consequently, the exchange rate volatility in 2022–2023, combined with short- and medium-term factors, has had a significant impact on food inflation, causing substantial deviations from long-term equilibrium. The research concludes that, in addition to increasing food self-sufficiency, special attention should be given to the domestic development of the agricultural supply chain.

The study examined the mediating role of supply chain security performance on the relationship between supply chain security practices and supply chain disruptions occurrences in the manufacturing industry in Ghana. Drawing on a survey of 336 manufacturing firms, dynamic capability, and contingency theories were applied using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the conceptual model. It was discovered that both direct and indirect hypotheses supported the findings of the study. The results indicate that Ghanaian manufacturing firms have made progress in implementing supply chain security measures. The findings revealed that the adoption of comprehensive supply chain security practices is positively associated with improved performance metrics, including reduced inventory losses and damages, faster order fulfillment and delivery times, lower costs related to security incidents, and enhanced brand reputation and customer trust. Policymakers can leverage these insights to develop support programs aimed at strengthening the security capabilities of manufacturing firms, ensuring they are equipped to compete effectively in both local and global markets, improving security performance, and reducing the likelihood and impact of supply chain disruptions. In the quest of bridging the gap between theory and practice, this research contributes valuable knowledge to the discourse on supply chain security in developing countries, offering a roadmap for enhancing resilience and performance in the manufacturing sector.