bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ESTIMATION OF EFFICIENCY AND THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE EFFECT OF ACCESS TO FINANCE ON EFFICIENCY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMEs) IN THE WESTERN AREA OF SIERRA LEONE
Authors: Pearce Richard E. O. , Bah Abdullah 
Published: April 2024

<p>To estimate efficiency and the impact of COVID-19 on the effect of access to finance on the efficiency of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, the study adopted the stochastic frontier estimation method of determining the efficiency of firms. A model of maximum performance (capacity) was estimated using 450 SMEs randomly selected from the population of registered SMEs in the Western Area of Sierra Leone from 2018 to 2020. The model of net business earnings was estimated using the Maximum Likelihood procedure and the firm efficiencies were consequently estimated. The mean inefficiencies are estimated by various categories, including SMEs' access to bank credit to determine firm characteristics that are associated with higher mean efficiencies. The empirical results reveal that the potential of firms is determined positively by capital productivity and labour productivity and negatively by the experience of firms, the latter results suggesting that more experience does not push their production outwards but inwards. However, other factors found significant in efficiency differences among firms include gender of the head of the SME, educational level, professional training of the firm heads, sector of operation and the area of operation of the SMEs. Moreover, firm mean efficiencies are not found to vary across the three periods 2018, 2019 and 2020, suggesting the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect firm efficiencies.</p><p><br /><strong>JEL:</strong> F13, F15</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0787/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMEs) IN THE WESTERN AREA OF SIERRA LEONE
Authors: Pearce Richard E. O. , Bah Abdullah , Barrie Ambalieu , Smith Mohamed Ernest 
Published: April 2024

<p>The study aims to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on the performance of SMEs in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. An econometric model is used to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on the determinants of SME performance in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. Using a confidence interval of 95 and a margin of error of 2 percent, a total of 450 SMEs were randomly selected from the population of SMEs in the Western Area of Sierra Leone from 2018 to 2020. In the OLS, the firms are considered homogenous while in the random effect regression, they are heterogeneous. The fixed effect is not investigated here because the model has dummy variables, which do not vary over time across firms and including them in a fixed effect model provides no coefficient for the pre-pandemic period and 2020 is the pandemic period. The results reveal that capital productivity and labour productivity have positive effects on SME performance in the Western Area of Sierra Leone with the productivity of capital having an elasticity of 0.20 in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic and that of labour being 0.64 in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic. Leverage has negative effect on firm performance in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic but it has no impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gender difference does not matter during the pandemic. Professional training of SME heads without distinguishing recent or old did not matter for SME performance. However, the educational status of SME heads matters for robust SME performance but its impact is stronger during the pre-pandemic than the pandemic era.</p><p> </p><p><strong>JEL:</strong> F13, F15</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0787/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
UNRAVELING THE USE OF COGNITIVE AND METACOGNITIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES AMONG MOROCCAN EFL FIRST-SEMESTER UNIVERSITY LEARNERS
Authors: Msaddek Mohammed 
Published: April 2024

This study, drawing on the theory of metacognition as a lively research area in the field of educational psychology, is intended to explore the cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies (CMLSs) tapped by the English department first-semester university students in their learning practices. It is an attempt to evaluate the extent to which EFL learners resort to these ‘high-level’ heuristics for executing a diversity of learning-related tasks. To achieve this stated objective, this exploratory study targeted 63 Moroccan English department students. The data were gathered through the use of a ‘self-report questionnaire’ that addressed the learners’ recourse to (meta) cognitive learning strategies (CMLSs) along the continuum of their academic studies at the first-semester level. The outcomes reached manifestly exhibit that heavy reliance on cognitive strategies (CSs) and reduced dependency on metacognitive strategies (MSs) prototypically characterized the learners’ adopted processing modes in tackling differing learning tasks relatable to studying English as a foreign language (EFL). Hence, some actionable recommendations as well as a few limitations encountered in conducting this study are explicitly put forward.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/lit/0757/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
BRAZILIAN TEACHERS OF PORTUGUESE AS A FOREIGN PERCEIVE THEMSELVES AS LESS PREPARED TO TEACH GRAMMAR THAN THEIR EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS
Authors: Lima Maria Luiza Cunha 
Published: April 2024

<p>Brazilian teachers profess to enjoy teaching and studying grammar and rank the importance of explicit grammar instruction similarly to their European counterparts or teachers from other nationalities. However, Brazilian teachers differ from other instructors when it comes to their perception of their own preparedness to teach grammar. They consistently rank themselves below their peers when it comes to evaluating their background formation, and their ability to find grammatical information when they don’t know it. They also rate the didactical materials at their disposal as less adequate than both foreign and Portuguese teachers do. This may be explained by the academic culture in Brazilian universities, especially when it comes to educating new teachers. There has been a consistent dismissal of the importance of grammar in Brazilian Applied Linguistic fields and the results of this survey may indicate that teachers could benefit and acquire security from a more comprehensive formational process. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/lit/0257/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
INVESTIGATION UPON THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE EDUCATIONALISTS AND THE CHILDREN IN THE GREEK KINDERGARTEN
Authors: Sakellariou Maria , Pappa Alexandra , Anagnostopoulou Rodokleia 
Published: April 2024

Quality in the domain of education comprises a high-significance issue through the prism of socio-cultural and financial developments that are taking place on a national as well as global level. The improvement of educational quality could be achieved through the reinforcement of interaction between the students and the educationalists, showing not only short-term effects but long-term ones as well. In the present research, the views of 1204 primary, general, and special educationalists are explored, on a Pan-Hellenic extent, about the quality of education provided within the Greek Kindergartens. The educationalists who took part in the research were asked to evaluate the proposals regarding interactions that take place within the preschool domain. From the analysis of data, it became clear that the quality of interactions is affected by the gender of the educationalists, the years of teaching service, and the number of children in each Kindergarten class. Every educational institute, to provide a high-quality education ought to develop strategies that encourage interaction between the educationalists and the children, constantly urging them towards new, more creative steps.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0198/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT ON INCLUSION OF LEARNERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT IN REGULAR PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN NYATIKE SUB-COUNTY, MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA
Authors: Okello Lazarus Millan 
Published: April 2024

Inclusion of learners with disability is necessary for improving their enrolment and ensuring that their academic goals and objectives are met. Consequently, teachers and stakeholders have to identify any barriers that can deter the learners from achieving these goals. Interestingly, in Nyatike Sub-County, enrolment of learners with visual impairment in regular public primary schools has remained low at 10.1 percent compared to 33.6 percent in Suna East Sub-County, 24.8 percent in Suna West Sub-County and 31.5 percent in Uriri Sub-County for the years 2019 to 2023. Besides, the literacy level of learners with visual impairment is lower than the levels of learners with hearing and intellectual impairment in Nyatike Sub-County. Therefore, the study sought to find out the influence of the school environment on the inclusion of visually impaired learners in regular public primary schools in Nyatike Sub-County. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory was used to explain the roots of inclusion. A sample size of 98 (ninety-eight) respondents comprising 46 head teachers and 52 classroom teachers was selected using saturated and purposive sampling techniques. Pearson’s correlation, regression analysis,and ANOVA were used to analyse infferential data while qualitative data was transcribed and analyzed based on emerging themes and used for triangulation. The study established that at a 5 percent level of significance; the school environment significantly influenced the inclusion of learners with visual impairment, and accounted for 18.4% of the variation in inclusion of learners with visual impairment in regular primary schools. From the findings, it was concluded that the school environment (r= .433, p&lt; .05) has a significant positive and moderate influence on the inclusion of visually impaired learners in regular public primary schools in Nyatike Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya. The study recommends that school administration mobilize more teaching and learning resources for learners with visual impairment. The study is significant to policymakers in the educational sector to develop a framework that links the inclusion of learners with visual impairment and their success in educational achievement.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/lit/0758/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
RESEARCH TRENDS ON COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN THE PERIOD 2013 - 2023
Authors: Phuong Nguyen Thi Huynh , Ba Nguyen Thi Be , Quyen Le Thi To , Tien Ly My , Lan Mai Thi Kieu 
Published: April 2024

Community-based tourism (CBT) has been around since the 1970s and so far, has grown in popularity in most continents. This study systematically evaluates and generalizes theoretical and practical issues on CBT based on 87 related articles published in scientific journals under the Scopus system from 2013 to 2023 through the application of content analysis methods. The results also show that research in this area has different research areas and mainly uses qualitative methods. The literature review identified a number of key themes including: (1) benefits of CBT development, (2) community and stakeholder engagement, (3) advantages and barriers in CBT development, (4) community perceptions about CBT, and (5) sustainable CBT development. The article has analyzed research trends on CBT: theory and application.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0013/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
USING PROBLEM-BASED SITUATIONS IN TEACHING FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: A STUDY ON THE VIETNAMESE CURRICULUM
Authors: Thu Hang Nguyen Thi , Kim Phuong Dinh Thi , Thi Duc Le 
Published: April 2024

Resolving issues in problem-based situations requires creativity and flexible thinking. Teaching through such scenarios not only creates engaging learning environments but also fosters holistic student development by promoting critical thinking, creativity, and social skills. Elementary school students are rapidly growing physically and mentally. Educating them on problem-solving at this stage establishes a strong foundation for future success. Implementing problem-based scenarios in teaching helps students learn to handle challenging situations, building confidence and creativity. By using such scenarios, students can connect the knowledge they acquire with real-life experiences, enhancing their understanding of its importance and application. This article explores theoretical principles for integrating problem-based scenarios in education, proposes a methodology, and presents various types of problem-based scenarios in elementary school instruction to enhance teaching effectiveness.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/lit/0757/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
Influence of Marketing Capability on the Performance of Pharmaceutical Companies in Kenya
Authors: Okok Meshack , Deya Jared , Rotich Gladys 
Published: April 2024

Purpose: The main objective of the study is to assess the effects of marketing capability on the performance of pharmaceutical companies in Kenya.
Methodology: The population comprised the 415 pharmaceutical companies that are operating within the country. The study used stratified random sampling with sample size of 103 respondents. The study targeted both manufacturers and distributors. Primary and secondary data was collected using a questionnaire covering the five variables and background information. The data was entered in SPSS version 23.0 for further analysis, descriptive statistics was computed such that the study used mean, frequencies, percentages and inferential statistics to test the relationship between the study variables.
Findings: The correlation analysis revealed that there was a positive and significant association between marketing capability and firm performance (r = 0.608, p = 0.000). Regression of coefficients results revealed that marketing capability and firm performance are positively and significantly related (β =0.758, p=0.000). This implies that a unit increase in marketing capability would lead to increase in firm performance by 0.758. This implies that marketing capability significantly and positively influences performance of pharmaceutical companies in Kenya. Through marketing strategies, a firm is able to arouse interest of a customer to their products. It is concluded that the pharmaceuticals in Kenya have employed various marketing strategies that necessitate extension of pharmaceutical market hence improving performance.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommended the pharmaceutical company’s management should embrace modern techniques of marketing to ensure they promote the sale of their products. The firms should prioritize customers’ feedback to adequately fulfil their orders. Pharmaceutical companies should also embrace uniqueness in branding and quality to form a unique selling point for the company to arouse interest of the customer in the market.
Solidaridad normativa y derechos fundamentales en el Código de Fronteras Schengen
Authors: DONAIRE VILLA FRANCISCO JAVIER 
Published: April 2024

El presente trabajo examina el respeto de los derechos fundamentales
en el ámbito del Código de Fronteras Schengen (CFS). Primeramente, a la
luz del statu quo actual, jurisprudencial y normativo. A continuación, se examina
el impacto de la COVID-19 y de las medidas, carentes de precedentes, y sin bases
jurídicas claras, que hubieron de improvisarse contra la pandemia y que repercutieron
de lleno sobre el CFS (cierre de las fronteras exteriores, restablecimiento
de controles en las interiores y prohibiciones cambiantes de desplazamientos «intra-
Schengen») y sobre los derechos fundamentales. Por último, y también desde
la perspectiva del respeto de los derechos fundamentales, se aborda la incidencia
del Nuevo Pacto sobre la Migración y el Asilo sobre el CFS, a través de la propuesta
de modificación del CFS presentada por la Comisión y actualmente en trámite.
Lan honetan, Schengen Mugen Kodearen (SMK) eremuan oinarrizko
eskubideak zenbateraino errespetatzen diren aztertzen da. Lehenik eta
behin, oraingo ¿jurisprudentziako eta arauzko¿ statu quo-aren argitara egiten da
analisia. Gero, COVID-19aren inpaktua aztertzen da, bai eta pandemiaren aurka inprobisatu
behar izan ziren eta SMKn eta oinarrizko eskubideetan bete-betean eragina
izan zuten neurriena ere, aurrekaririk eta oinarri juridiko argirik gabeak horiek
(kanpo-mugak itxi ziren, barne-mugetan kontrolak berrezarri ziren, eta «Schengen
barruko» lekualdaketak debekatu ziren, debeku aldakorren bidez). Azkenik, oinarrizko
eskubideekiko errespetuaren ikuspegitik ere heldu zaio migrazioari eta asiloari
buruzko itun berriak SMKn duen eraginari, batzordeak SMK aldatzea proposatu
baitu eta, gaur egun, aldaketa hori izapidetzen ari baita.
This paper examines the respect for fundamental rights withinthe scope of the Schengen Borders Code (SBC). Firstly, it does so in the lightof the current status quo, jurisprudential and normative. It then surveys theimpact of COVID-19 and of the unprecedented measures, with no clear legalbasis, that had to be improvised against the pandemic and which had a majorimpact on the SBC (closure of external borders, reintroduction of internal bordercontrols and changing prohibitions on ¿intra-Schengen¿ movements) as wellas on fundamental rights. Finally, and also from the perspective of respect forfundamental rights, the impact of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum on theCFS is addressed, through the proposal for amendment of the CFS presented bythe Commission, currently under consideration.
En busca de solidaridad en la política migratoria laboral europea
Authors: SOBOTOVICOVA SIMONA 
Published: April 2024

El legislador de la Unión Europea (UE) ha adoptado recientemente
diferentes marcos jurídicos en materia de política migratoria laboral europea. La
admisión de los nacionales de terceros países por motivos laborales para hacer
frente a las necesidades del mercado laboral, debe considerarse como uno de los
objetivos principales en varios Estados miembros de la UE. Sin duda alguna, el
mercado de trabajo europeo, cada vez más orientado a atraer y mantener el talento
para fomentar el potencial de crecimiento e innovación, requiere nuevos trabajadores
procedentes de terceros países. Además, la pandemia de COVID-19 ha
llevado a la adopción de medidas sin precedentes para afrontar las necesidades
en varias ocupaciones específicas con escasez de mano de obra, sobre todo relacionadas
con las capacidades en el ámbito de la asistencia sanitaria.
Europar Batasuneko (EB) legegileak zenbait esparru juridiko
eratu berri ditu Europako lan-eremuko migrazio-politikaren arloan. EBren zenbait
estatu kidetan, helburu nagusietako bat da lan-merkatuko premiei aurre egite aldera
hirugarren herrialdeetako nazionalak onartzea. Dudarik gabe, Europako lanmerkatuak,
gero eta bideratuago dagoenez hazkunde-potentziala eta berrikuntza
sustatzeko talentua erakarri eta atxikitzera, hirugarren herrialdeetatik datozen langile
berriak behar ditu. Gainera, COVID-19aren pandemiaren ondorioz, aurrekaririk
gabeko neurriak hartu behar izan dira, langile gutxi dituzten lanbide espezifikoetan
(batez ere, osasun-laguntzaren eremuko gaitasunetan) sortutako premiei aurre
egiteko.
The European Union (EU) legislator has recently adopted different
legal frameworks regarding European labour migration policy. The admission of
third-country nationals for employment purposes to meet the needs of the labour
market must be considered as one of the main objectives in several EU Member
States. Undoubtedly, the European labour market, increasingly geared towards
attracting and retaining talent to foster growth and innovation potential, requires
new workers from third countries. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has led
to the adoption of unprecedented measures to address needs in several specific
occupations with labour shortages, particularly related to healthcare skills.
Tactical-technical performance in footvolley: validation of an observational instrument
Authors: Borges Lauro Carvalho , Senatore José Vitor , Lamas Leonardo 
Published: April 2024

Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo validar um instrumento observacional de táticas de futevôlei (FtVi) e utilizá-lo em uma
investigação empírica de tendências tático-técnicas em partidas de futevôlei de alto nível. Métodos: A validação seguiu cinco etapas: i) desenho; ii) análise piloto; iii) validação de conteúdo; iv) reprodutibilidade; v) estudo empírico. Nós analisamos
partidas femininas e masculinas do Circuito Brasileiro de Futevôlei - 2019. A validade de conteúdo e a reprodutibilidade foram
avaliados com os coeficientes V de Aiken e Kappa de Cohen, respectivamente. O teste Qui-quadrado de independência foi
aplicado para inferir sobre as tendências táticas dos sexos. Resultados: O FtVi englobou as seguintes categorias: i) correspondência
contexto; ii) situação de jogo; iii) resultado do rali; iv) ações do jogo. Os coeficientes V de Aiken foram superiores a 0,90. A reprodutibilidade intra e interobservador apresentou concordância quase perfeita (0,92; 0,89). A avaliação da dinâmica do jogo fez
não apontam para uma proporção significativamente maior de complexo II (w: 60,6%; m: 57,5%) do que complexo I (w: 39,4%, m:
42,5%), p > 0,05. A duração média dos comícios foi próxima de três trocas de quadra para ambos os sexos. A eficiência do ataque fez
não apresentam frequência significativamente maior de ataques continuados (w: 70,4,5%, m: 66,8%) em relação aos pontos (w: 19,4.
%, m: 22,9%), p > 0,05. Para todos os ataques e ataques de gol, a zona de defesa e a zona de rede foram respectivamente mais frequentes.
As técnicas mais frequentes foram diferentes entre os sexos e todas relacionadas com a parte superior do corpo (mulheres - cabeça: 29,7%, ombro:
23,0%; homens - tórax: 30,3%, cabeça: 24,8%). Conclusão: A FtVi apoiou com sucesso a coleta de evidências sobre as táticas do futevôlei, o que pode ajudar na prática dos treinadores. A ausência do uso mãos-braços nas técnicas do futevôlei pode
contribuem tanto para rallies mais longos, uma vez que os ataques íngremes são limitados, como, contra-intuitivamente, para uma maior ênfase na parte superior do corpo do que nas técnicas de pé.