This study explores the feminization of poverty and the dynamics of the care economy in rural areas, focusing on the municipality of Génova, Quindío, Colombia. The novelty of this study lies in its analysis of the compounded effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s economic participation and care responsibilities in a rural context, offering insights relevant to Latin America. This study addresses the critical problem of how increased caregiving responsibilities and labor informality during the pandemic have disproportionately impacted economically active women, exacerbating gender inequalities. The objective is to analyze the relationship between the care economy and feminization of poverty, providing policy recommendations for post-pandemic recovery in rural settings. The methodology consisted of a two-stage approach. In the first stage, a probabilistic stratified sampling design was applied using data from the Colombian National Population and Housing Census and the Génova, Quindío, and Colombia Municipal Panel. In the second stage, fieldwork was conducted with a sample of 347 women using the RedCap application for data collection. The results indicate a significant increase in unpaid domestic and caregiving work during the pandemic, particularly for the elderly, disabled, and children. Additionally, labor informality increased, further limiting economic opportunities for women. The key conclusion is that public policies aimed at reducing gender disparities in rural labor markets must prioritize caregiving support and formal employment opportunities for women. These findings suggest that addressing the care economy is crucial for closing gender gaps and fostering equitable economic recovery in rural Latin American areas.

The study investigates the role of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and engagement in the context of English language learning among Chinese students, emphasizing the significance of positive emotions in enhancing academic success. Utilizing a sample of 249 students majoring in international trade, the research employs the foreign language enjoyment scale to count their enjoyment level and foreign language engagement scale to assess various dimensions of student engagement, including cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social engagement. By conducting regression analysis, the findings reveal that FLE positively influencing learners’ learning outcome while engagement doesn’t pose significant impact on their learning outcome. The study highlights the importance of fostering positive emotions in educational settings to improve language learning outcomes and suggests that understanding the interplay between FLE and other affective factors can lead to more effective teaching strategies in foreign language education. 

The key goal of the study is to identify aspects of the implementation of blockchain technologies in human resource management and argue for the moderating role of institutional support. The need to introduce new technologies at both the tactical and strategic levels is substantiated. It is highlighted that the key core of modern organizations is the human resource management system. The role of integration of blockchain technologies in human resource management, which ensures the effective training of qualified personnel at the right time and in the right place, is argued. It has been determined that the introduction of blockchain technologies in human resource management facilitates the organization of cooperation between countries in updating skills and knowledge based on compliance with competency standards and corporate governance rules. A survey of 300 employees of the pharmaceutical industry in Jordan was conducted, which served as the basis for a multivariate analysis to confirm reasonable hypotheses. The results obtained are valuable and can be applied in practice in terms of determining the impact of the implementation of blockchain technology in the human resource management system and on the UTAUT structure, which in turn provides institutional support.

Leadership behavior is a critical component of effective management, significantly influencing organizational success. While extensive research has examined key success factors in road management, the specific role of leadership behaviors in road usage charging (RUC) management remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by identifying and analyzing leadership behavior dimensions and their impact on management performance within the RUC context. Using a mixed-methods approach, focus group discussions with industry practitioners were conducted to define eight leadership behavior dimensions: Central-Level Leadership Guidance (LE1), Local-Level Leadership Guidance (LE2), Central-Level Leadership Commitment (LE3), Local-Level Leadership Commitment (LE4), Subordinate Understanding from Central-Level Leadership (LE5), Subordinate Understanding from Local-Level Leadership (LE6), Work Motivation (LE7), and Understanding Rights and Obligations (LE8). These dimensions were further validated through a quantitative survey distributed to 138 professionals involved in RUC management in Vietnam, with the data analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and partial least squares (PLS) estimation. The findings revealed that LE3 (Central-Level Leadership Commitment) had the strongest direct impact on management performance (MP) and mediated the relationships between other leadership dimensions and management outcomes. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of leadership in RUC management by highlighting the centrality of leadership commitment and offering practical insights for improving leadership practices to enhance organizational performance in infrastructure management.

The COVID-19 epidemic is a significant humanitarian crisis witnessed in contemporary times, necessitating the exploration of techniques and approaches that might augment the capabilities of individuals within society to mitigate the adverse consequences of this pandemic. Domestic workers have always been an important part of societal structure, and it is essential to ensure their awareness about the perils of the pandemic as well as implement preventive measures. This is crucial in order to effectively address the hazards associated with the ongoing epidemic. The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of infographic technology in augmenting the level of knowledge among foreign domestic workers on the COVID-19 epidemic. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to examine and compare the effects of infographic technology on the experimental group, while the control group received only public awareness messages disseminated to all citizens and residents. The study sample comprised (16) foreign domestic workers, who were assigned to the two research groups through a random allocation process. The development of the COVID-19 pandemic awareness scale was conducted. The measurement scale consisted of three dimensions: the cognitive awareness dimension, including a set of (12) statements; the performative awareness dimension, comprising a set of (8) statements; and the psychological awareness dimension, comprising a set of (10) statements. The findings demonstrated the superiority of the experimental group, which used the infographic approach, over the control group in fostering awareness of the COVID-19 epidemic throughout its three dimensions among the participants of the study. The study suggested the need of expanding the utilization of infographics in an attempt to enhance knowledge and awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside the establishment of varied databases for migrant domestic workers. The objective is also to develop an extensive digital awareness strategy about the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic, so as to include an increased number of informative infographics.