This is a review of empirical studies with the objective of analyzing the theoretical-practical discussions that have been raised internationally to deepen the understanding of the access of rural youth to higher education as an object of study. For this purpose, a narrative review was designed, considering scientific articles published in three different languages and concerning studies conducted in 21 different countries in all regions of the world. The results reveal three discussions: a) the strong interest that higher education has regained in the life expectations of rural young people and their families, especially as a means of social advancement; b) the inequalities that most affect the access of rural youth to higher education are the lack of academic offerings in rural areas and the discontinuities that occur around rural socio-cultural capital; c) since the inequalities experienced by rural youth are diverse, actions to promote greater democratization cannot be limited to implementing systems of grants and scholarships. It is concluded that the major project consists of creating a differentiated higher education model that, in terms of location, academic offerings, recognition of knowledge, and articulation with the environment, allows rural youth to experience their professional training not as an inevitable process of acculturation, but as a continuation of their socio-cultural capital and their territorial yearnings.

The article is dedicated to analyzing trends in the development of startup infrastructure in Ukraine, Latvia and Georgia. The article is based on concrete data, a comprehensive analysis of statistical and qualitative data on the development of startups in Ukraine, Latvia and Georgia. This provides a reliable basis for the arguments and conclusions. General patterns of startup infrastructure development in the three countries were identified. A PEST analysis of startup infrastructure development in Ukraine, Latvia and Georgia was conducted. Thus, the authors conduct a multidisciplinary analysis that includes not only economic, but also social and technological aspects of startup ecosystems and infrastructures. Suggestions for improving the startup infrastructure in these countries were developed.

Technological advancements are transforming agriculture, yet adoption rates among agricultural extension officers, especially in regions like West Java, remain modest due to several challenges. This study applies the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate factors influencing the adoption of agricultural technologies by agricultural extension officers in West Java. Specifically, we explore the role of socialization, training, access to technology, cost, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness in shaping behavioral intention and actual adoption. Data were collected from 295 agricultural extension officers via structured surveys and analyzed using SmartPLS 4 software. The findings indicate that socialization and training collectively enhance both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, while Technology Investment Worth specifically enhances perceived usefulness by emphasizing the value of the investment. Access to technology also plays a critical role in increasing ease of use perceptions. Both perceived ease of use and usefulness positively influence behavioral intention, which in turn is a strong predictor of actual adoption. The results provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to increase technology uptake among agricultural extension officers, promoting sustainable agricultural practices through improved access, support, and cost reduction initiatives.

This research aims to investigate how technological innovation influences social sustainability via the mediating role of organizational innovation and digital entrepreneurship. This investigation employed a quantitative research approach and used data from survey questionnaires based on a set of suppositions evaluated using structural equation modeling. A total of 320 respondent companies from digital provider companies in Thailand. The findings of the research expose that technological innovation has a positive effect on organizational innovation and digital entrepreneurship. Both serve as mediators in the correlation between technology innovation and social sustainability. Moreover, this research will be beneficial for businesses that are implementing new technologies and innovation, considering their role in attaining both environmental and social sustainability.

Given the rising threat of terror attacks and the increasing frequency of natural disasters attributed to climate change, enhancing evacuation capacities in various spaces has become crucial for saving lives and accelerating recovery processes. This study investigates the influence of altruistic behavior on evacuation efficiency by developing a social force model that categorizes individuals into three demographic groups: youth, middle-aged, and seniors. Simulation experiments based on the model were conducted to evaluate the impact of altruistic behavior on evacuation efficiency under different conditions, such as evacuation capacity, reliability, and recovery time. The simulation results show that a higher probability of falling leads to longer evacuation times. While an increase in the probability of altruistic behavior improves evacuation efficiency, excessive altruistic behavior causes evacuation times to vary in a zigzag pattern. When the help range exceeds 0.7m, evacuation efficiency fluctuates without a clear trend of improvement.

Purpose: The major objective of this study is to measure the impact of various attributes, such as social attraction, physical attraction, and task attraction on para-social relationships. The study also seeks to measure how the para-social relationship mediates the association between the three attributes (above-mentioned) on perceived credibility and informational influence, and consumers’ intention to purchase banking products. Study design/methodology: PLS-SEM has been used as it is believed to be most suited for the study due to the multivariate non-normality in the data, and the small sample size. Data has been collected using the 5-point Likert scale from approximately 151 respondents, who were selected using the non-random sampling method based on purposive sampling coupled with convenience-based sampling. The data was collected from January 2023 to August 2023. Findings: Largely, the findings reveal that both social and physical attractions do have a positive impact on the para-social relationship, further leading to perceived credibility and informational influence. Notably, this perceived credibility and informational influence lead to consumers’ intentions to purchase banking products, albeit with the use of artificial intelligence-based chatbots and digital assistants. Originality: This is possibly among the first-ever studies extending the para-social theory for purchasing banking products and services using artificial intelligence-based chatbots and virtual assistants.