This study developed a specific scale to measure the impact of extrinsic motivations on students’ decisions to pursue online graduate programs at business schools in Latin America. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research proceeded in three stages. In the first stage, the construct was defined by identifying key extrinsic factors motivating students to enroll in online graduate programs, followed by the creation and initial validation of the scale in Colombia. The second stage involved testing the scale in Chile to determine its cross-cultural applicability. In the third stage, the scale’s predictive validity was confirmed, demonstrating its effectiveness in explaining how extrinsic motivations influence students’ intentions to enroll in online graduate programs. The findings indicate that the scale, composed of five dimensions—Cost Reduction, Ability to Study from Any Location, Control Over Learning Pace, Flexibility to Balance Study and Work, and Avoiding Commuting Time—is a reliable predictor of student preferences and intentions in online graduate education. The final scale includes 25 items across these dimensions, measuring extrinsic factors through items related to flexibility, time savings, and global accessibility. Validation in two Latin American countries confirms the scale’s relevance across diverse cultural contexts, enhancing its applicability within the region. This study provides empirical evidence that extrinsic motivation is a key determinant of students’ intentions to enroll in online programs in developing countries. It confirms that extrinsic motivations reflect a preference for flexible learning options compatible with students’ lifestyles and professional needs, linked to their beliefs about time management, professional advancement, and career opportunities associated with earning a graduate degree.

As social growth and educational concepts continue to evolve, college libraries, as hubs of cultural innovation and inheritance, are crucial in advancing the practice of great traditional culture aesthetic teaching. Based on the special status and resource advantages of college libraries, this paper explores the paths and approaches colleges libraries take in advancing the practice of aesthetic education of excellent traditional culture by combining the connotation and characteristics of excellent traditional culture. With a study of the research and case studies that concentrate on the planning of cultural events, the development of collection resources, and the use of digital innovation, it suggests a workable path. The goal is to give university libraries theoretical direction and useful references so they can carry out the aesthetic education of superior traditional culture.

This article presents a comprehensive analysis and strategic framework for enhancing social welfare in Kazakhstan through the adoption of international social security standards. This article aims to formulate scientific and practical recommendations for enhancing the legal framework governing Kazakhstan’s social security system. It posits that integrating international social protection standards is pivotal for refining national legislation and charting future developmental courses. Employing a novel methodology, this study analyzes key documents from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). It also examines efforts to assimilate these international norms into Kazakhstan’s social security laws. The investigation reveals a stagnation in the evolution of the nation’s social sector, marked by a dearth of innovative ideas and initiatives to elevate the subpar social security standards. The adoption of international social standards emerges as a catalyst for rejuvenating the national social sphere, aiming to elevate the Kazakhstani social protection system to meet global benchmarks. This research outlines the pathways for Kazakhstan’s ratification of and accession to key social protection instruments and offers expert recommendations to support this endeavor. The conclusions and recommendations developed are poised for application in legislative reforms, aiming to amend and enhance existing laws to foster a more robust and inclusive social security framework. The findings suggest that the adoption of international social security standards not only contributes to the improvement of individual lives but also fosters social cohesion and economic stability. The article concludes with tailored recommendations for Kazakhstan, highlighting the role of stakeholder engagement, phased implementation, and continuous evaluation in the successful integration of global social security norms. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on social security reform, offering a valuable perspective for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners involved in social welfare enhancement efforts in Kazakhstan and similar contexts.

The linkages between adequate service delivery and sustainable development have been given a little academic attention in the South Africa’s local municipalities. For this reason, the achievement of sustainable development has been difficult which has culminated in the occurrence of service delivery protests. These service delivery protests have posed critical threats to social security thus affecting the possibility to achieve sustainable development in South Africa. the paper findings showed that the delivery of inadequate services to the citizens is triggered by the failure to equally include citizens in the process. One of the threats that the paper found is the fact that these service delivery protests have become a major issue and any move to solve them without citizen participation has been unsuccessful. The paper findings also showed that that the lack of adequate service delivery to the citizens causes human insecurities which in turn affect the achievement of sustainable development. This is because the occurrence of the service delivery protests deteriorates national economic growth and human growth. They affect foreign investors and international tourists by instilling fear in them and yet they are contributors to sustainable economic growth that leads to sustainable development. The findings of this paper also presented that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can increase citizen participation during service delivery. It is through the use of citizen participation that openness, transparency, accountability, and representation principles that promote the delivery of adequate services are possible. The paper found that using AI technologies would also foster trust between the service provider and service receiver needed for delivering adequate services, thus achieve sustainable development in South Africa.