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The Audit and Accounting Firms (AAF) companies are of great importance as they audit companies in different sectors and report on their economic-financial situation. The academic literature has analysed these firms but has not gone as far as to review their economic and financial health. Therefore, this study aims to focus on the analysis of whether these companies are viable companies beyond the large firms, whether they generate profits from their activity or whether they tend to go bankrupt. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 has been studied, since it is questionable whether the effect on AAF has been negative or positive.

In order to answer the hypotheses put forward in this study, analysis of the profitability, liquidity and solvency situation of AAF considering their size and age, as well as the impact of the pandemic on this sector has been done. In total, 12,469 European companies are analysed. After the descriptive analysis of the companies by ratios, the Altman Z-score model is used as a methodology to assess whether they are bankruptcy-prone companies based on their characteristics.

The results of the analysis of the study have shown that these are companies of great importance to the European economy and that, depending on their characteristics, there are companies that may be closer to the risk of bankruptcy. This study is an essential contribution to the academic literature, public administration and the management of auditing and accounting firms.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to analyse AAF at the European level with a panel data sample. The results obtained can be generalized and form the basis for future lines of research.

Informality in the tourism sector of the Philippines is a pervasive phenomenon, yet only few studies have explored the former's contribution to the latter, especially at the local level. Hence, this chapter utilizes a tourism value chain model developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation (DEVCO) to determine the presence and examine the role of the informal sector in various spheres of Binondo's tourism industry. Findings reveal that informality is thriving in the areas of transportation, food and beverage, handicraft, leisure, excursion, tours, and support services. Conversely, they are inexistent or less visible in the accommodation and tourism assets in destination segments. Moreover, the fragmented tourism value chain of Binondo is heavily shaped by three primary challenges, namely, difference in perception between decision-makers and economic actors, resistance to change by the informal sector, and lack of relevant data to support evidence-based policymaking. To address these issues, the local government of Manila City may hence consider the following policy options: (i) mainstream a “whole-of-locality” approach, (ii) conduct an industry mapping of Binondo's tourism value chain, (iii) facilitate linkages between formal and informal businesses, (iv) develop shared infrastructure and extend capacity-building to the informal sector, and (v) employ a regulatory sandbox approach.

This study aims to analyze the configuration of the board of directors of the five largest banks operating in Brazil, which are members of a financial elite that directly influences the socioeconomic life in Latin America.

This assessment is inspired by Bourdieu's sociological approach and in the discussion on his work in organization studies and economic sociology. It addresses the organization as a field and investigates its associated field of power. The authors conducted qualitative research and relationally analyzed data related to the trajectory and the social properties of the councilors using the statistical technique called multiple correspondence analysis (MCA).

The results show that forms of social and cultural capital are particularly influential in the production of distinctions among banks' board members. Moreover, councils' priorities and configurations are diverse: some idealized and based on knowledge, others pragmatic and based on customs, others still anchored in a double logic of market satisfaction and family wealth preservation.

Understanding the objective power relations among these top agents may be crucial for effectively regulating certain aspects of their activities. Furthermore, understanding how different forms of capital affect the relative position of the board members may help us reduce representative bias in what seems today an inner circle.

This study is relevant because it makes an in-depth analysis of the composition of one of the most influential financial elites in Latin America, combining sociological theory and advanced statistical techniques for qualitative grouping (MCA).

This study aims to analyze and compare students’ perceived mastery of their reasoning-for-complexity competency (sometimes called complex thinking or complex reasoning) and its sub-competencies in entrepreneurship and engineering programs in a higher education institution. The objective of this analysis was to prove that entrepreneurship is a valid discipline for developing scientific thinking in its training programs, on par with its development in STEM areas, particularly engineering education.

This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional analysis of the responses of 230 students of entrepreneurship and engineering at a private university in Mexico concerning their perceived achievement of reasoning-for-complexity competency and its sub-competencies (systemic thinking, critical thinking and scientific thinking). This study used a structured questionnaire instrument. This study compared the differences between the means of two independent groups, validated through a statistical Student’s t-test.

The results indicated that reasoning for complexity is a relevant component in entrepreneurship and engineering education. Students perceived mastery of scientific thinking sub-competency higher in entrepreneurship than in engineering, particularly regarding skills and attitudes. The results for critical and systemic thinking showed no significant differences.

This study suggests that developing scientific thinking in entrepreneurship training could strengthen the capacities and skills of students in educational institutions in countries like Mexico. Furthermore, entrepreneurship with the scientific method in the training processes may enable students to approach complex scenarios and devise scientifically validated solutions.

By addressing scientific thinking as a sub-competency of reasoning-for-complexity in entrepreneurship education, this paper advances the concept that scientific thinking can be a strength in entrepreneurship education. This study provides a basis for scaling the reasoning-for-complexity competency, especially scientific thinking in various disciplines, particularly in a cross-disciplinary setting like entrepreneurship education.

Using an Integrative Literature Review (ILR), this study aims to investigate the components defining the Safe and Just Operating Space (SJOS) within food systems and assess their applicability in decision-making for public food procurement (PFP).

Data concerning SJOS implementation in food systems and the criteria used in PFP were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol.

The analysis of the literature highlights that climate change (n = 31; 17%) and water use (n = 29; 16%) are the primary focus areas regarding Planetary Boundaries (PB), followed the nitrogen cycle, land use, biodiversity loss and the phosphorus cycle. In PFP, key criteria linked to PB encompass climate change (n = 19; 7.2%), water use (n = 17; 6.44%) and chemical pollution (n = 17; 6.44%). The social and ethical dimensions underscore labour (n = 18; 6.82%), water (n = 17; 6.44%), income (n = 16; 6.06%) and energy (n = 16; 6.06%).

Despite the strengths of this study, certain limitations should be acknowledged. Although the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the reviewed articles were clearly defined, it is possible that relevant literature was unintentionally excluded. Expanding the scope to include grey literature – such as government documents, reports, policy statements and statistical reports – could provide additional insights and broaden the scope of the findings. Moreover, the search was limited to the Web of Science and Scopus databases, which may have resulted in the omission of relevant studies, particularly those published in non-English languages or not indexed journals.

The identified procurement criteria can help public administrators develop guidelines and tools for food procurement that consider the SJOS.

This paper offers an understanding of the connection between planetary processes and human well-being in the context of PFP.

This pioneering research lays the groundwork for future agendas in this field and encourages reflection on critical factors essential for selecting methods and standards applied in practical public procurement.

Hotels offer high-quality guest experiences to positively impact their emotions, satisfaction, perceived value, word-of-mouth (WOM) and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). This study aims to investigate the impacts of the quality perceived by hotel guests on their positive emotions, negative emotions, perceived value and satisfaction; verify the impacts of the price on perceived value and satisfaction; examine the impacts of satisfaction on WOM and eWOM; and test the moderating effect of hotel guests’ behavioural engagement on social networking sites (HGBE-SNS) on the relationship between satisfaction and eWOM.

This survey included 371 guests who assessed their experiences at three Brazilian hotels. Structural equation modelling tested the hypothetical model supported by the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974).

The quality perceived by hotel guests (stimulus) positively impacts perceived value, positive emotions and satisfaction and negatively affects negative emotions (organism). Price (stimulus) negatively impacts perceived value but does not affect satisfaction. Perceived value positively impacts satisfaction. Satisfaction positively impacts WOM and eWOM (responses). The HGBE-SNS moderates the relationship between satisfaction and eWOM.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first that simultaneously demonstrates the relationships between perceived quality, price, perceived value, positive and negative emotions, satisfaction, WOM, eWOM and HGBE-SNS. Hotels must offer their guests high-quality services to positively impact’ perceived value, positive emotions, satisfaction and WOM. Low prices boost the perceived value but do not directly increase guest satisfaction. Satisfied hotel guests share their experiences via WOM, but high HGBE-SNS is crucial to boost eWOM.

Los hoteles ofrecen experiencias de alta calidad a sus huéspedes para influir positivamente en sus emociones, satisfacción, valor percibido, boca a boca (WOM) y boca a boca electrónico (eWOM). Este estudio tiene como objetivo a) investigar el impacto de la calidad percibida por los huéspedes del hotel en sus emociones positivas, emociones negativas, valor percibido y satisfacción; b) verificar el impacto del precio en el valor percibido y la satisfacción; c) examinar el impacto de la satisfacción en el WOM y eWOM; d) probar el efecto moderador del compromiso conductual de los huéspedes del hotel en las redes sociales (HGBE-SNS) en la relación entre satisfacción y eWOM.

En esta encuesta participaron 371 huéspedes que evaluaron sus experiencias en tres hoteles brasileños. La modelización de ecuaciones estructurales puso a prueba el modelo hipotético apoyado en la teoría estímulo-organismo-respuesta (S-O-R) (Mehrabian y Russell, 1974).

La calidad percibida por los clientes del hotel (estímulo) influye positivamente en el valor percibido, las emociones positivas y la satisfacción, y negativamente en las emociones negativas (organismo). El precio (estímulo) afecta negativamente al valor percibido, pero no a la satisfacción. El valor percibido afecta positivamente a la satisfacción. La satisfacción afecta positivamente al WOM y al eWOM (respuestas). El HGBE-SNS modera la relación entre satisfacción y eWOM.

Este estudio es el primero que demuestra simultáneamente las relaciones entre calidad percibida, precio, valor percibido, emociones positivas y negativas, satisfacción, WOM, eWOM y HGBE-SNS. Los hoteles deben ofrecer a sus clientes servicios de alta calidad para influir positivamente en el valor percibido, las emociones positivas, la satisfacción y el WOM. Los precios bajos aumentan el valor percibido pero no incrementan directamente la satisfacción de los huéspedes. Los huéspedes satisfechos comparten sus experiencias a través del WOM, pero un alto nivel de HGBE-SNS es crucial para impulsar el eWOM.

酒店提供高质量的宾客体验, 对宾客的情绪、满意度、感知价值、口碑（WOM）和电子口碑（eWOM）产生积极影响。本研究旨在 a) 调查酒店客人感知到的质量对其积极情绪、消极情绪、感知价值和满意度的影响; b) 验证价格对感知价值和满意度的影响; c) 检验满意度对 WOM 和电子口碑的影响; d) 检验酒店客人在社交网站上的行为参与（HGBE-SNS）对满意度和电子口碑之间关系的调节作用。

本次调查包括 371 位客人, 他们对自己在巴西三家酒店的入住体验进行了评估。结构方程模型检验了由刺激-组织-反应（S-O-R）理论（Mehrabian 和 Russell, 1974 年）支持的假设模型。

酒店客人感知到的质量（刺激因素）对感知价值、积极情绪和满意度有积极影响, 而对消极情绪（有机体）有消极影响。价格（刺激因素）对感知价值有负面影响, 但不影响满意度。感知价值对满意度有积极影响。满意度对 WOM 和 eWOM（反应）产生积极影响。HGBE-SNS 可调节满意度与网络口碑之间的关系。

本研究首次同时展示了感知质量、价格、感知价值、积极和消极情绪、满意度、WOM、eWOM 和 HGBE-SNS 之间的关系。酒店必须为客人提供高质量的服务, 才能对 “感知价值"、"积极情绪"、"满意度 “和 “WOM “产生积极影响。低价会提升感知价值, 但不会直接提高客人满意度。满意的酒店客人会通过 WOM 分享他们的体验, 但高 HGBE-SNS 对促进 eWOM 至关重要。

This study examines the condition of working women within Oman’s socioeconomic framework, emphasizing their underrepresentation in senior management, the effects of workplace constraints on career progression and solutions to enhance opportunities for women in leadership roles.

The study used a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative phase involved a survey of 215 Omani professionals − 87 male and 128 female, with data analysed using IBM SPSS 28 and SmartPLS 4. Analyses included measures of central tendency and deviation as well as PLS SEM-based path analysis and multigroup analyses.

The inclusion of women positively influences their career advancement, while harassment and gender discrimination hinder progress. Gender discrimination has a more substantial effect at lower and middle levels but is less impactful at the top level. Harassment affects women over 40 more significantly, with little impact on younger women. Additionally, domestic gender roles particularly hinder the career advancement of women in the 31–40 age group.

The practical consequences encompass the establishment of mentorship programmes, the provision of networking opportunities and the promotion of gender equity awareness. These programmes promote an inclusive workplace, facilitating women’s professional growth. Mentorship and networking offer crucial assistance and connections, whereas growing awareness of gender biases fosters equity and equal treatment for all employees. These initiatives jointly foster a more equal work environment.

By implementing sustainable measures and fostering a culture of equity and inclusivity, Oman can prevent gender discrimination and further solidify its commitment to gender equality. This will create an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.

This research is distinctive within the Omani setting, as no previous studies have explicitly examined women’s career progression from a socioeconomic perspective.

This article examines the dairy value chain in Southern Peru and identifies four critical success factors that can enhance the local situation.

The study employed descriptive research using semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs from 17 cheese factories across eight districts, namely Azángaro, Ayaviri, Pucara, Lampa, Cabana, Acora, Pomata and Puno. Quantitative market data were also gathered and analyzed alongside qualitative views.

The study identified four critical issues: quality concerns in milk production, suboptimal managerial practices of cheese-processing plants, lack of compliance to regulations, particularly hygiene and environmental ones, and inadequate access to finance. The findings reveal a gap between the practices of the Puno region's dairy industry and world-class standards for cheese production. Urgent actions are required to improve product quality, increase access to finance, enhance managerial education and ensure compliance with regulations.

Results suggest critical issues to be prioritized, but the article does not propose how to solve the problems identified. External factors, such as economic changes, were also not considered. Interviews were conducted exclusively with cheese processing entrepreneurs, not milk producers.

This case study provides an insight into the interior of Peru, an under-researched region facing several development challenges. The findings have significant implications for dairy value chain stakeholders in Peru and other similar contexts.