The study has formulated the objective of synthesizing the extent to which technological barriers intervene in the transparency and effectiveness of public management (PM). Methodologically, the study was of a fundamental or basic nature, with a systematic review design, the databases of Scopus (369), SciELO (2), Web of Science (184) were explored, after the review process a set of 22 articles was available. The registration was made in an Excel table where the main data of the articles were included. 32% of the articles selected for the analysis of the evidence are from the period 2020, 27% were from 2022 and 18% from the year 2023; as far as origin is concerned, 14% of the articles come from Peru and 9% from Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Spain and Indonesia. In summary, the study points out that government institutions are making progress in digitizing and improving the citizen experience through electronic services, but they face challenges in areas such as resource management, the low adoption of advanced technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, as well as the lack of transparency in PM. Despite this, it is highlighted that e-government improves citizen satisfaction, and the need to invest in digital innovation, training and overcoming technological barriers to achieve an effective transformation in state administration and promote a more inclusive and advanced society is emphasized.

The bubble milk tea industry in Malaysia which was thought to have slowed down in the recent years since its first appearance in 2010 has made a comeback. At the point of conducting this research, there are almost 100 brands of bubble milk tea in Malaysia and it is not surprising that some of these shops are selling more than a thousand cups a day. However, there has been limited research conducted on factors influencing brand equity on bubble milk tea brands in Johor Bahru. This study is to investigate whether brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness and brand association influence brand equity on bubble milk tea brands in Johor Bahru through distribution of online questionnaires. This study novelty is at the examining the factors influencing brand equity in the context of bubble milk tea in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Data derived from responses of 400 respondents through sampling were analysed using SPSS v29. Hypotheses testing performed through simple linear regression revealed that brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness and brand association have significant effect on brand equity of bubble milk tea brands in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It was also demonstrated that perceived quality has the most significance influence on brand equity. Organizations in the bubble milk tea industries are able to benefit from these findings by prioritizing their marketing strategies to gain competitive edge over their competitors. With findings that perceived quality having the most significance influence, marketers with limited resources can narrow down their options and focus on this specific dimension to increase their brand value.

Social media has become one of the primary sources of communication, information, entertainment, and learning for users. Children gain several benefits as social media helps them acquire formal and informal learning opportunities. This research also examined the effect of social media on formal and informal learning among school-level children in Ajman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), moderated by social integrative and personal integrative needs. Data was gathered by using structured questionnaires, which were distributed among a sample of 364 children. Results revealed that social media significantly affects Informal and formal learning among children, indicating its usefulness in child education and development. The results also indicated a significant moderation of social integrative needs on social media’s direct effect on informal learning, indicating the relevant needs as an important motivating factor. However, the moderation of personal integrative needs on social media’s direct effect on formal learning remained insignificant. Overall, this research highlighted the role of social media in providing learning opportunities for children in the UAE. It is concluded that children actively seek gratifications from social media, shaping their learning within structured educational contexts in their daily lives. Through the lens of UGT, certain needs play a critical role in strengthening the gratification process, affecting how children derive learning advantages from their interactions on social media platforms. Finally, implications and limitations are discussed accordingly.

This research delves into the intricate world of lacquer art in East Asia, aiming to unravel the relationships among artisan perspectives, aesthetic values, and the contemporary relevance of this ancient craft. The purpose is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how historical development, apprenticeship traditions, and evolving aesthetic values shape the intricate landscape of lacquer artistry. Employing a qualitative approach, this study conducts in-depth interviews with artisans and experts in the field of lacquer art. The research involves a comparative analysis of past literature, drawing upon historical and contemporary works to contextualize the findings within the broader trajectory of lacquer art. Thematic analysis is also applied to unravel the nuances of artisan perspectives, the transmission of knowledge through apprenticeship traditions, and the cultural and aesthetic dimensions embedded in lacquer paintings. This mixed-methods approach enriches the study by providing a holistic and nuanced exploration of the identified variables. The findings illuminate the enduring significance of apprenticeship traditions in preserving traditional lacquer techniques, with artisans actively navigating challenges posed by globalization and digital platforms. Aesthetic values, including symbolism and visual harmony, are revealed as integral components contributing to the narrative richness of lacquer paintings. The study uncovers the dynamic relationships among these variables, emphasizing the adaptive nature of lacquer art in a contemporary context. The implications extend to cultural preservation, heritage management, and educational initiatives, offering valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and educators involved in the realm of traditional crafts. The study contributes to theoretical frameworks on cultural continuity, knowledge transmission, and the socio-cultural dynamics of artistic practices.

Accurate demand forecasting is key for companies to optimize inventory management and satisfy customer demand efficiently. This paper aims to Investigate on the application of generative AI models in demand forecasting. Two models were used: Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Variational Autoencoder (VAE), and results were compared to select the optimal model in terms of performance and forecasting accuracy. The difference of actual and predicted demand values also ascertain LSTM’s ability to identify latent features and basic trends in the data. Further, some of the research works were focused on computational efficiency and scalability of the proposed methods for providing the guidelines to the companies for the implementation of the complicated techniques in demand forecasting. Based on these results, LSTM networks have a promising application in enhancing the demand forecasting and consequently helpful for the decision-making process regarding inventory control and other resource allocation.

With modern society and the ever-increasing consumption of polymeric materials, the way we look at products has changed, and one of the main questions we have is about the negative impacts caused to the environment in the most diverse stages of the life cycle of these materials, whether in the acquisition of raw materials, in manufacturing, distribution, use or even in their final disposal. The main methodology currently used to assess the environmental impacts of products from their origin to their final disposal is known as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Thus, the objective of this work is to evaluate how much the biodegradable polymer contributes to the environment in relation to the conventional polymer considering the application of LCA in the production mode. This analysis is configured through the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method. In this review, 28 studies were selected for evaluation, whose approaches encompass knowledge on LCA, green biopolymer (from a renewable but non-biodegradable source), conventional polymer (from a non-renewable source) and, mainly, the benefits of using biodegradable polymers produced from renewable sources, such as: corn, sugarcane, cellulose, chitin and others. Based on the surveys, a comparative analysis of LCA applications was made, whose studies considered evaluating quantitative results in the application of LCA, in biodegradable and conventional polymers. The results, based on comparisons between extraction and production of biodegradable polymers in relation to conventional polymers, indicate greater environmental benefits related to the use of biodegradable polymers.