Map is the basic language of geography and an indispensable tool for spatial analysis. But for a long time, maps have been regarded as an objective and neutral scientific achievement. Inspired by critical geography, critical cartography/GIS came into being with the goal of clarifying the discourse embedded in cartographic practice. Power relationship challenges the untested assumption in map representation that is taken for granted. After more than 40 years of debate and running in, this research field has initially shown an outline, and critical cartography/GIS has roughly formed two research directions: the deconstruction path mainly starts from the identity of cartography subject and the process of map knowledge production, and analyzes the inseparable relationship between cartography and national governance and its internal power mechanism respectively; the construction path mainly relies on cooperative mapping and anti-mapping to realize the reproduction of map data. Domestic critical cartography/GIS research has just started, and it is necessary to continue to absorb the achievements of critical geography and carry out research in different historical periods. The deconstruction research of different types of maps also needs to strengthen the in-depth bridging between the construction path and the deconstruction path, and to be more open to the public. Impartial map application research, and actively apply the research results to social practice.

This paper analyses the impact of an integrated business management system on business operations in trade in Republic of Croatia. The integration of management systems provides various benefits to a company, so the aim of this paper is to analyse the impacts of integrated management systems on the business operations of trade companies in the Republic of Croatia. The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyse, but also to adequately theoretically argue the impact of transformational leadership, quality culture, and the degree of integration on the development of integrated management systems. Empirical research investigated integrated management systems in companies in the trade sector in the Republic of Croatia. Based on the set conceptual model and research results, we conclude that companies with a highly developed quality culture have proven management system integration. Our research didn’t confirm the significance of transformational leadership in interpreting changes in the degree of management system integration, but it highlights the positive correlation between the application of quality culture and integration; confirms the substantial impact of integrated management systems on both internal and external benefits, emphasizing its strategic imperative for sustained business success.

The study is focusing on cyberspace—a new type of space mastered by humans with the help of digital technologies. This systematic review uses SPAR-4-SLR protocol to analyze over 30 years of scholarly research indexed in Scopus database, highlighting five time periods: before 1995, 1996–2008, 2009–2012, 2013–2019, and after 2020. A final sample of 6645 publications in social sciences, Business, management and accounting (BMA), and Economics, econometrics and finance (EEF) was analyzed across multiple parameters, including: chronology, types of documents, sources, countries, institutions, authors, topics, and most cited publications. The review has systematized information about the most influential organizations and individuals involved in cyberspace research. First of all, these are researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. Key journals that publish research on the topic have been identified, and a ranked list of funding organizations supporting research on the social and economic aspects of cyberspace are identified. The study provides insights into the achievements of the social and economic sciences in cyberspace over the past 30 years. The results will be useful to scholars who seek for a general overview on the topic of cyberspace, as well as experts and policymakers developing mechanisms and tools for regulating cyberspace as a mixture of the virtual and real worlds.

This empirical study explores the influence of Hollywood product placements on cultural perceptions and teaching practices of preservice English teachers in higher education in China. Hollywood movies and TV series routinely use product placements as a tactic to blend commercial goals with compelling storylines, which could possibly influence the perceptions, and potential teaching practice of Chinese preservice English teachers. The purpose of this study is to determine the degree to which material culture in the form of product placement in Hollywood affects preservice English teachers’ image of America, and their future teaching practice, altering their expectations and goals as well as how they view the West. The study uses a quantitative study method by means of an online questionnaire (N = 497) and applies structural equation modelling to conduct data analysis. The results find notable significant relationships including those from food, architecture, transportation, and electronic devices to positive image of America, as well as architecture and transportation to potential teaching practice. The most prominent path is from image to teaching. However, certain relationships, including those from fashion to image and food to teaching, do not demonstrate statistical significance. These results contribute to the theoretical and practical understanding of how preservice English teachers see Hollywood’s material culture, and how it affects their perception and possible teaching methods. The findings also demonstrate how preservice teachers’ perceptions and educational approaches are shaped by Hollywood’s material culture in the form of product placement, while simultaneously emphasizing the significance of integration of media literacy and upholding their cultural identity amidst these influences.

With the implementation of China’s national strategy of “Culture Going-out”, it is important to translate Qingdao folk culture well in order to promote the effective communication of Qingdao folk culture worldwide. However, the uniqueness of folk culture poses certain difficulties for translation. Skopos theory can effectively guide the translation of Qingdao folk culture. From the perspective of this theory, the author analyzes the principles and strategies of English translation of Qingdao folk culture and proposes four translation methods, such as literal translation with notes, equivalent translation, phonetic translation with notes and free translation. Translators can choose the appropriate translation methods according to specific translation purposes.

The aim of this study was to make a quantitative contribution to the impact of COVID-19 and Mental on consumer behavior. For this purpose, the data in the Scopus and WoS databases until 5 February 2024 were examined using bibliometric analysis. The data obtained within the scope of this study were classified and analyzed using the VOSviewer program developed for scientific mapping analysis. In the evaluations, 180 studies in the Web of Science database and 371 documents in the Scopus database were identified, and when duplicate studies were combined, 426 studies were included in the analysis. According to the results of the analysis, the journal with the highest number of publications is “Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services”; the organization with the highest number of publications is “Department of management sciences, University of Okara” and “North-West University”; the authors with the highest number of publications and citations are “Wang, Xueqin” and “Yuen, Kum Fai”; and the most cited studies are “Laato et al.” and “Goolsbee and Syverson”. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the studies on the impact of COVID-19 and mental factors on consumer behavior and makes a qualified contribution to the literature with an important opening.