This study aims to examine the entrepreneurial activities of 240 women in the districts of Konaseema, East Godavari, and Kakinada during 2021–2022, focusing on the diverse range of 286 enterprises they managed across 69 business types. These enterprises were tailored to local resources and market demands, with coconut wholesale, cattle breeding, and provision shops being the most common. The study also analyzes income distribution, noting that one-third of the women earned between ₹50,000–1,00,000 annually, while only 0.70% earned over ₹5,00,000. More than half of the enterprises served as the primary income source for their families. The research highlights the significant role these women entrepreneurs play in their communities, their job satisfaction derived from financial independence and social empowerment, and the challenges they face, such as limited capital and market access. Finally, the study offers recommendations to empower these women to seize entrepreneurial opportunities and enhance their success.

This paper examines the detrimental impact of rapid inflation on the quality of private education in developing countries. By focusing on the financial challenges faced by private schools, the study highlights the tension between education policy and economic realities. While private schools often attract parents with smaller class sizes and specialized programs, the core motivation lies in investing in children’s future through quality education. However, this study demonstrates how inflation can cripple this sector. The case of Turkey exemplifies this challenge. Post-pandemic inflation created a financial stranglehold on private schools, as rising costs made it difficult to adjust teacher salaries. This, in turn, led to teacher demotivation and a mass exodus, ultimately compromising educational quality. Furthermore, government interventions aimed at protecting parents from high tuition fees, through limitations on fee increases, inadvertently sacrificed the very quality they sought to safeguard. The paper concludes by advocating for alternative policy approaches that prioritize direct support for education system during economic downturns. Such measures are crucial for ensuring a strong and resilient education system that benefits all stakeholders, including parents, students, and the nation as a whole.

This study delves into the concept of the “cultural bomb” within the framework of non-military defense empowerment strategies in Indonesia. This approach can potentially change society’s views and attitudes towards various security threats as a realization of strengthening the defense and security system of the universal people (Sishankamrata) per article 30 paragraph (2) of the 1945 constitution. By leveraging media, education, and information technology, the cultural bomb acts as a social weapon that operates powerfully in the “space of mind,” shaping behavior and actions nonviolently. The issue of cultural threats pertains to the infiltration and imposition of foreign cultural values and practices that undermine local traditions and national identity, leading to social fragmentation and weakness. This study proposes the concept of a “cultural bomb” as a policy framework to address and mitigate these cultural threats. The research employs a qualitative approach using the Delphi technique, engaging experts from cultural studies and defense strategies to reach a consensus on the strategic application of the cultural bomb. The results indicate that the cultural bomb can effectively strengthen national identity and awareness of national defense by promoting local values and cultural resilience, thus enhancing societal cohesion and mitigating the impact of foreign cultural influences. The paper outlines the components of a cultural bomb, analyzes its application in international contexts, and discusses its implications in efforts to strengthen national identity and foster a sense of national defense awareness. Focusing on the “war over space of mind” ideology, it introduces “cultural hacking” as a strategic initiative to address cultural power imbalances in the post-truth era.

This study delves into the dynamic landscape of pension funds in Colombia, examining both its current research status and practical implications. Understanding the state of pension systems is crucial for individuals' financial security and a country's overall economic stability, especially given factors such as an aging population and evolving socio-economic dynamics. By comprehensively analyzing scholarly publications on Colombian pension funds using the Scopus database, this research sheds light on key trends and contributors shaping policy formulation and financial planning. The analysis covers a period from 1987 to 2023, identifying 71 relevant articles through keyword searches and filters. Various metrics, including publication trends, citations, international collaboration, and authorship dynamics, were quantitatively assessed. The results reveal an annual growth rate of 5.37%, with research articles comprising 81.69%, review articles 7.04%, and other formats like books, book chapters, and conference papers making up 11.27% of the total documents. Notably, countries such as the UK, the USA, Spain, and Colombia emerge as key contributors to the literature. Among authors, Mesa-Lago, L., stands out as a significant figure, with one of the earliest publications on the topic. The findings underscore the growing importance of pension funds in Colombia, particularly in the context of fund performance research amid financial crises. The prevalence of international collaboration suggests a global interest in understanding and contributing to the development of Colombian pension systems. Furthermore, the study identifies research gaps, particularly in areas concerning the socio-economic impact of pension policies, providing a roadmap for future investigations. Policymakers, financial practitioners, and researchers can leverage these insights to inform strategic decision-making and address critical challenges in optimizing pension fund management in Colombia.

Delay is the leading challenge in completing Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects. Delay can cause excess costs, which reduces company profits. The relationship between subcontractors and the main contractor is a critical factor that can support the success of an EPC project. The problematic financial condition of the main contractor can cause delay in payments to subcontractors. This research will set a model that combines the system dynamics and earned value method to describe the impact of subcontractor advance payments on project performance. The system dynamics method is used to model and analyze the impact of interactions between variables affecting project performance, while the earned value method is applied to quantitatively evaluate project performance and forecast schedule and cost outcomes. These two methods are used complementarily to achieve a holistic understanding of project dynamics and to optimize decision-making. The designed model selects the optimum scenario for project time and costs. The developed model comprises project performance, costs, cash flow, and performance forecasting sub-models. The novelty in this research is a new model for optimizing project implementation time and costs, adding payment rate variables to subcontractors and subcontractor performance rates. The designed model can provide additional information to assist project managers in making decisions.

Indonesia’s tourism industry has emerged as a strategic sector, contributing to the country’s foreign exchange earnings. Given the prominence of this sector, there is significant potential for further development. Indeed, a mapping study to assess the dissemination of the trend and the potential for further issues to emerge would be highly beneficial. It is encouraging to note that academics have produced substantial literature on the subject, offering insights into its many facets. However, there is still a need for more in-depth analysis to understand the trends and issues currently facing the sector entirely. Consequently, this article examines the core themes in Indonesia’s tourism studies and maps the potential for future research on tourism issues and regulations. To this end, it employs a qualitative, four-year data set (2020–2023) and a SWOT analysis to identify critical aspects of Indonesian tourism issues. The data was collected in three forms: government reports, statistical data, and research articles (n = 252 samples) from the Scopus database. The results demonstrate that the predominant trend in Indonesia’s tourism industry is the widespread embrace of ecotourism at both the local and regional levels. Instead of identifying a limited number of leading destinations, the focus has shifted towards developing tourism villages and multi-stakeholder tourism. The primary concerns are the Indonesian tourism industry’s growth potential and sustainability. The development potential of Indonesian destinations based on SWOT objectives is a crucial aspect, and its score shows that Indonesia’s tourism sector is strategically positioned to take advantage of strengths and opportunities.

Good health and well-being are embedded in the 3rd Goal amongst the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The primary objective of this research was to identify the most critical economic, social, and administrative barriers to implementing the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. A sequential exploratory design and case study technique were used, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the first stage, in-depth interviews with 50 key officials were conducted to identify the most critical barriers to the EPI program. A quantitative analysis was then performed based on the results obtained from qualitative analysis, and rank orders of barriers were received from the same health department experts. The results indicate that twenty-eight barriers can cause implementation problems for this program. Still, the ten barriers that gained the maximum hits are the most important barriers, which include Shortage of vaccinators, mismanagement of vaccines’ cold chain, biometric android application, ice-lined refrigerators, communication gap, inadequate legislation of EPI program, capacity building issues with EPI staff, Misconceptions about EPI program, lack of awareness of the parents and community, refusal cases and inadequate cooperation of lady health workers (LHWs). Coordinated efforts of the government and the public are highly recommended to address these barriers.

This study provides empirical data on the impact of generative AI in education, with special emphasis on sustainable development goals (SDGs). By conducting a thorough analysis of the relationship between generative AI technologies and educational outcomes, this research fills a critical gap in the literature. The insights offered are valuable for policymakers seeking to leverage new educational technologies to support sustainable development. Using Smart-PLS4, five hypotheses derived from the research questions were tested based on data collected from an E-Questionnaire distributed to academic faculty members and education managers. Of the 311 valid responses, the measurement model assessment confirmed the validity and reliability of the data, while the structural model assessment validated the hypotheses. The study’s findings reveal that New Approaches to Learning Outcome Assessment (NALOA) significantly contribute to achieving SDGs, with a path coefficient of 0.477 (p < 0.001). Similarly, the Use of Generative AI Technologies (UGAIT) has a notable positive impact on SDGs, with a value of 0.221 (p < 0.001). A Paradigm Shift in Education and Educational Process Organization (PSEPQ) also demonstrates a significant, though smaller, effect on SDGs with a coefficient of 0.142 (p = 0.008). However, the Opportunities and Risks of Generative AI in Education (ORGIE) study did not find statistically significant evidence of an impact on SDGs (p = 0.390). These findings highlight the potential opportunities and challenges of using generative AI technologies in education and underscore their key role in advancing sustainable development goals. The study also offers a strategic roadmap for educational institutions, particularly in Oman to harness AI technology in support of sustainable development objectives.