Praxeology is the study of practice, i.e., human activity, primarily in the context of its rationality. The study of manager’s praxeological activity from the point of view of management theory is an important direction of modern science, since it contributes not only to improving the management effectiveness in an organization, but also to the development of new managerial concepts and techniques. In the article, the authors’ concept of praxeological managerial activity is proposed based on the analysis of existing scientific approaches to praxeology. An extended list of criteria for the manager’s praxeological activity efficiency was developed. These criteria include performance, productivity, accuracy of the decisions taken, purposefulness, reliability, innovativeness, quality, and ethics. The authors’ model of the manager’s praxeological activity includes the following elements: a subject (a manager), an object (a company, its staff and activities, etc.), motives (success, growth, profit, etc.), the goal (to ensure the effectiveness of the company’s activities), methods and tools (analysis, planning, organization, motivation, and control), process (praxeological activity), result (efficiency improvement), and reflexivity, correction and iteration. Within the framework of the model of praxeological managerial activity, the manager’s ability to influence the managed object (an organization, employees or the manager’s activities) is particularized. This influence should result in an increase in the employees’ performance, an increase in the managers’ performance, and an increase in the performance of the organization as a whole. The article will be of interest to specialists in the field of management, and corporate governance, as well as for anyone interested in the problems of effective management.

What is “truth”? This is the main philosophical question that many of the contemporary philosophical theories (e.g., consistency theory, correspondence theory, semiotics, and pragmatism) tried to investigate over the past decades. However, these theories mostly approached “truth” from logical and epistemological perspectives. On the other hand, Santayana’s theory of truth embarks in a different direction. His perspective was laid out in his book “The Realm of Truth”, which is considered one of the parts of his seminal work “The Realms of Being”. Santayana's theory of truth founded on the “critical realism” to which he belongs, and thus his approach was “realistic” or “ontological”. The novelty of Santayana's theory of truth is that it brings the “theory of truth” out of the fields of logic, epistemology, and philosophies of language, and into the field of being, ontology, or the realm of lived experience. In this paper we introduce an analytical and critical account of Santayana's theory of truth, and its moving from logic to realism.

Nowadays, urban ecosystems require major transformations aimed at addressing the current challenges of urbanization. In recent decades, policy makers have increasingly turned their attention to the smart city paradigm, recognizing its potential to promote positive changes. The smart city, through the conscious use of technologies and sustainability principles, allows for urban development. The scientific literature on smart cities as catalysts of public value continues to develop rapidly and there is a need to systematize its knowledge structure. Through a three-phase methodological approach, combining bibliometric, network and content analyses, this study provides a systematic review of the scientific literature in this field. The bibliometric results showed that public value is experiencing an evolutionary trend in smart cities, representing a challenging research topic for scholars. Network analysis of keyword co-occurrences identified five different clusters of related topics in the analyzed field. Content analysis revealed a strong focus on stakeholder engagement as a lever to co-create public value and a greater emphasis on social equity over technological innovation and environmental protection. Furthermore, it was observed that although environmental concerns were prioritized during the policy planning phase, their importance steadily decreased as the operational phases progressed.

This study aims to develop a robust prioritization model for municipal projects in the Holy Metropolitan Municipality (Makkah) to address the challenges of aligning short-term and long-term objectives. The research explores How multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques can prioritize municipal projects effectively while ensuring alignment with strategic goals and local needs. The methodology employs the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to ensure methodological rigor and data adequacy. Data were collected from key stakeholders, including municipal planners and community representatives, to enhance transparency and reliability. The model’s validity was assessed through latent factor analysis, confirming the relevance of identified criteria and factors. Results indicate that flood prevention projects are the highest priority (0.4246), followed by road projects (0.3532), park construction (0.1026), utility projects (0.0776), and digital transformation (0.0416). The study highlights that certain factors are critical for evaluating and prioritizing municipal projects. “Capacity and Demand” emerged as the most influential factor (0.5643), followed by “Strategic Alignment” (0.2013), “Project Interdependence” (0.1088), “Increasing Investment” (0.0950), and “Risk” (0.0306). These findings are significant as they offer a structured, data-driven approach to decision-making aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. The proposed model optimizes resource allocation and project selection, representing a pioneering effort to develop the first prioritization framework specifically tailored to Makkah’s unique municipal needs. Notably, this is the first study to establish a prioritization method specifically for Makkah’s municipal projects, providing valuable contributions to the field.

The Oued Kert watershed in Morocco is essential for local biodiversity and agriculture, yet it faces significant challenges due to meteorological drought. This research addresses an urgent issue by aiming to understand the impacts of drought on vegetation, which is crucial for food security and water resource management. Despite previous studies on drought, there are significant gaps, including a lack of specific analyses on the seasonal effects of drought on vegetation in this under-researched region, as well as insufficient use of appropriate analytical tools to evaluate these relationships. We utilized the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to analyze the relationship between precipitation and vegetation health. Our results reveal a very strong correlation between SPI and NDVI in spring (98%) and summer (97%), while correlations in winter and autumn are weaker (66% and 55%). These findings can guide policymakers in developing appropriate strategies and contribute to crop planning and land management. Furthermore, this study could serve as a foundation for awareness and education initiatives on the sustainable management of water and land resources, thereby enhancing the resilience of local ecosystems in the face of environmental challenges.