Developing Asia’s infrastructure gap results from both inadequate public resources and a lack of effective channels to mobilize private resources toward desired outcomes. The public-private partnership (PPP) mechanism has evolved to fill the infrastructure gap. However, PPP projects are often at risk of becoming distressed, or worst, being terminated because of the long-term nature of contracts and the many different stakeholders involved. This paper applies survival-time hazard analysis to estimate how project-related, macroeconomic, and institutional factors affect the hazard rate of the projects. Empirical results show that government’s provision of guarantees, involvement of multilateral development banks, and existence of a dedicated PPP unit are important for a project’s success. Privately initiated proposals should be regulated and undergo competitive bidding to reduce the hazard rate of the project and the corresponding burden to the government. Economic growth leads to successful project outcomes. Improved legal and institutional environment can ensure PPP success.

This research examines the influence of virtual community platform attributes on luxury consumers’ purchase intentions, with a specific focus on the role of policy innovation in digital infrastructure. The study aims to 1) identify key factors affecting purchase intentions toward luxury products in virtual environments; 2) develop and validate a structural equation model to analyze these intentions; and 3) provide actionable insights for luxury goods marketers to refine their strategies within these platforms. Utilizing a structural equation model, the study investigates the interactions among various determinants of consumer behavior in virtual communities, highlighting the impact of policy innovation. Data was collected through purposive sampling from 1142 respondents in China’s top 10 high-spending cities on luxury goods, ensuring data relevance. The findings emphasize the significance of knowledge sharing, interactive communication, and leaders’ opinions in virtual communities in building consumer trust and shaping perceptions of online reviews. These elements influence purchase intentions directly and indirectly, with consumer trust serving as a crucial mediator. The study reveals the substantial impact of virtual community attributes on fostering consumer trust and shaping buying decisions for luxury items, underlining the contribution of social development processes. Moreover, the role of policy innovation is found to be significant in enhancing these virtual community dynamics, suggesting that regulatory changes can positively influence consumer engagement and trust. The conclusions offer valuable implications for marketers, proposing strategies to boost consumer engagement and drive sales in virtual settings. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of digital consumer behavior and provides practical strategies for innovation and growth within the luxury goods sector, emphasizing the critical role of policy innovation in shaping these dynamics.

This study investigates pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) among teachers teaching mathematics at the preschool level in Colombia, highlighting the importance of integrating mathematical knowledge with innovative and effective pedagogical strategies. Using a mixed exploratory and transactional methodology, the perceptions and practices of 82 teachers were examined, focusing on their understanding of mathematical content, pedagogical skills, and knowledge of children's cognitive development. The findings reveal a significant gap in teachers' understanding of these concepts, indicating a critical need to strengthen PCK among teachers. To this end, training should be provided to enable teachers to foster meaningful and contextualized mathematical learning in preschool students. The study suggests reviewing teacher training curricula and fostering the development of pedagogical strategies that prioritize conceptual understanding and mathematical reasoning. Additionally, it identifies critical areas for improvement and offers concrete recommendations for transforming mathematics teaching in preschool education. To enhance the quality of mathematics education, several measures are proposed: ensuring continued availability of training programs for teachers, encouraging collaboration between educators, adopting constructivist approaches, and helping teachers understand the value of mathematics learning outside the school.

This paper investigates the elements affecting dividend yield in developing Southeast Asian countries—more specifically, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Examined here are the roles of financial information including debt to equity ratio, free cashflows, property, plant, and equipment (PPE) and total sales with controlling factors of size, institutional ownership, and firm age using both short-run and long-run analytical frameworks including the Error Correction Model and Engle and Granger’s approach. The results reveal different trends in the three nations. Higher debt and free cashflows lower dividend yield in Thailand; institutional shareholders benefit from maintaining greater dividend payouts. Aging companies in Malaysia are more likely to pay more dividends while rising revenues are linked to smaller short-term payouts. Leveraged and asset-heavy companies are more likely to keep paying dividends in Singapore. These discoveries have important ramifications for investors and business management trying to maximize dividend policies and improve shareholder value in developing economies.

Analysing external factors with a design-thinking approach is crucial for adaptation, identifying opportunities, and mitigating risks in native digital enterprises. This research introduces a framework rooted in design principles and future scenarios for external analysis, with the aim of meeting current market needs. The study employs a mixed qualitative-quantitative research approach, incorporating methods such as literature review, workshops, and surveys. These methods enable the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data, providing a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the research topic by using it in a DNVB case study. Developing a conceptual framework using a design-thinking approach which we call ASPECT contributes to a comprehensive interpretation of complexity, intertwining collective and individual factors. This reduces the risk of overlooking essential elements when making strategic decisions in ambiguous, uncertain, and volatile contexts. This method contrasts with traditional external analysis frameworks like CAME, Pestle, and SWOT. The document aims to contribute to the literature by exploring new models of external analysis based on the design process. This framework combines the conventional stages of a design thinking process with methodologies for future scenarios to identify relevant external factors for organizations. It provides an innovative conceptual framework for creating new business models and growth strategies for digital enterprises.

Given the issues of urban-rural educational inequality and difficulties for children from poor families to succeed, this study explores the impact mechanism of internet usage on rural educational investment in China within the context of the digital divide. Using data from the 2019 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), this study analyzed the educational investment decisions of 2064 rural households. Results indicate that in the Eastern region, a high level of educational investment is primarily influenced by the per capita income of the family, with social capital and internet usage also playing supportive roles. In the Northeastern region, the key factor is the diversity of internet usage, specifically using both a smartphone and a computer. In the Central region, factors such as the diversity of internet usage, subjective risk attitudes, the appropriate age of the household head, and per capita income of the family contribute to higher levels of educational investment. In the Western region, the dominant factors are the diversity of internet usage, subjective usage and per capita income of the family. These factors enhance expected returns on the high level of educational investment and boost farmers’ confidence. High internet usage rates significantly promote diverse and stable educational investment decisions, providing evidence for policymakers to bridge the urban-rural education gap.