This financial modelling case study describes the development of the 3-statement financial model for a large-scale transportation infrastructure business dealing with truck (and some rail) modalities. The financial modelling challenges in this area, especially for large-scale transport infrastructure operators, lie in automatically linking the operating activity volumes with the investment volumes. The aim of the paper is to address these challenges: The proposed model has an innovative retirement/reinvestment schedule that automates the estimation of the investment needs for the Business based on the designated age-cohort matrix analysis and controlling for the maximum service ceiling for trucks as well as the possibility of truck retirements due to the reduced scope of tracking operations in the future. The investment schedule thus automated has a few calibrating parameters that help match it to the current stock of trucks/rolling stock in the fleet, making it to be a flexible tool in financial modelling for diverse transport infrastructure enterprises employing truck, bus and/or rail fleets for the carriage of bulk cargo quantifiable by weight (or fare-paying passengers) on a network of set, but modifiable, routes.
This study aimed at measuring the level of job burnout among King Khalid University staff. The descriptive-analytical approach was employed to describe job burnout, determine its prevalence, identify its causes, and propose ways to address it. This method was used for comparison, interpretation, and generating information to assist in understanding the phenomena of job burnout and to devise recommendations for mitigating its prevalence. The results showed that the overall mean estimation of the dimensions of the level of occupational burnout from the perspective of university staff was (2.28), with a standard deviation of (0.81), indicating a low degree. The arithmetic means of the study sample responses to the dimensions ranged from (1.98–2.66). This provides a good indicator of the prevalence of occupational burnout. The findings showed that individuals in higher ranks experience higher levels of job burnout compared to the rest of the ranks classified in the study.
The telecommunications services market faces essential challenges in an increasingly flexible and customer-adaptable environment. Research has highlighted that the monopolization of the spectrum by one operator reduces competition and negatively impacts users and the general dynamics of the sector. This article aims to present a proposal to predict the number of users, the level of traffic, and the operators’ income in the telecommunications market using artificial intelligence. Deep Learning (DL) is implemented through a Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) as a prediction technique. The database used corresponds to the users, revenues, and traffic of 15 network operators obtained from the Communications Regulation Commission of the Republic of Colombia. The ability of LSTMs to handle temporal sequences, long-term dependencies, adaptability to changes, and complex data management makes them an excellent strategy for predicting and forecasting the telecom market. Various works involve LSTM and telecommunications. However, many questions remain in prediction. Various strategies can be proposed, and continued research should focus on providing cognitive engines to address further challenges. MATLAB is used for the design and subsequent implementation. The low Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) values and the acceptable levels of Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), especially in an environment characterized by high variability in the number of users, support the conclusion that the implemented model exhibits excellent performance in terms of precision in the prediction process in both open-loop and closed-loop.
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.
This qualitative research aimed to study the effectiveness of the local health constitution in controlling the spread of COVID-19. It reports the role of local communities, government agencies, and healthcare providers in implementing and enforcing local health constitutions and how their engagement can be improved to enhance surveillance. We also reported factors that influence compliance and strategies for improving compliance. We also evaluated the long-term sustainability of local health institutions beyond the pandemic. The population and sample group consisted of key members of the local health constitution teams at the provincial, sub-district, and village levels in the rural area of Ubon Ratchathani. Participants were purposively selected and volunteered to provide information. It included health science professionals, public health volunteers, community leaders, and local government officials, totaling 157 individuals. The study was conducted from December 2022 to September 2023. Our research shows that local health constitutions can better engage and educate communities to actively participate in pandemic surveillance and prevention. This approach is a learning experience for responding to emergencies, such as new infectious diseases that may arise in the future. This simplifies the work of officials, as everyone understands the guidelines for action. Relevant organizations contribute to disease prevention efforts, and there is sustainable improvement in work operations.
Copyright © by EnPress Publisher. All rights reserved.