RISULTATI RICERCA

The relevance of this study stems from the need to integrate international standards into the public administration system of the Republic of Kazakhstan, particularly in the context of globalisation, the shifting political and economic landscape, and the imperative of sustainable governance. The aim of the research is to analyse the process of adapting international standards within Kazakhstan’s civil service system, with particular emphasis on the recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and their influence on sustainability in public institutions. The research methodology includes a comprehensive analysis of national and international practices, employing historical and comparative approaches to identify best practices for integrating global experience into Kazakhstan’s administrative system. The findings indicate that the implementation of international standards contributes to the development of a sustainable organisational culture, the strengthening of ethical norms, and enhanced governance efficiency. The conclusions of the study include proposals for legislative updates in Kazakhstan, enhancement of public service ethics standards, and institutional mechanisms that support sustainable administrative transformation and ethical continuity.

The study intends to ascertain whether it is feasible to modify the UK’s strategy in order to meet Bulgaria’s infrastructure and public service deficiencies, given the country’s changing governance environment and major infrastructure challenges. The study highlights important components of the UK’s PPP model, such as strict control, cautious risk-sharing, and value-for-money evaluations, using a comparative policy analysis and real-world case studies from both countries. Critical obstacles that impede the establishment of successful PPPs in Bulgaria are identified by the study, including fragmented legal frameworks and inadequate government competence. The study makes policy recommendations for bolstering institutional capacities, promoting transparency, and fortifying legal frameworks in light of these findings. Bulgaria must take these actions in order to develop a more robust and long-lasting PPP model. The findings show that PPPs can boost economic growth, decrease corruption, and increase public value when properly implemented. But in order to reach their full potential, Bulgaria needs to get over legal and institutional barriers, especially with specific policy changes. In the end, this study provides insightful information for scholars and policymakers who want to advance PPP models, especially in transitional economies. The study comes to the conclusion that although it is not feasible to directly replicate the UK model, Bulgaria’s infrastructure and public services might be greatly enhanced by implementing modified approaches.

This study explores the role of international educational services in promoting sustainable economic development, using Kyrgyzstan and the Czech Republic as case studies. The research methodology included a survey of 50 experts in Kyrgyzstan and 50 in the Czech Republic, comparative analysis and recommendations. The main results of the study showed that the Czech Republic is much more competitive in the international education market than Kyrgyzstan. Several important aspects, such as student infrastructure and scholarships, also showed an advantage for the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic exhibits higher sustainability in its education export model, characterized by institutional support, inclusive infrastructure, and alignment with global sustainability standards. Kyrgyzstan shows potential for growth by enhancing educational accessibility, reducing language barriers, and increasing investment in sustainable education strategies.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing sustainable practices in corporate financial management, with particular attention to their impact on strategic planning, financial performance, and long-term resilience. The research methodology combines a review of current approaches to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration with an analysis of international practices and frameworks. The findings of the study indicate that the adoption of sustainable practices in corporate financial management plays a crucial role in ensuring the long-term stability of companies. However, the implementation process is met with several challenges, including resistance to change, significant financial costs, and a lack of expertise in sustainable development. Integrated strategies that incorporate ESG factors contribute to improved financial planning, reduced risks, and enhanced business appeal to investors. Overall, the study underlines the importance of embedding sustainable practices into corporate financial governance to support efficient resource allocation, increased transparency, and sustainable value creation.

This study examines gender equity and diversity management practices within organizations in the province of Vicenza, addressing a critical gap in Italian DM research, which remains underdeveloped and predominantly focused on gender. Drawing on social constructionism, critical feminism, and Mintzberg’s organizational typologies, the research investigates how local cultures, structural configurations, and power dynamics shape the implementation of gender equity initiatives. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study analyzes semi-structured interviews with leaders and HR personnel across eight organizations, complemented by narrative inquiry and qualitative content analysis. Findings reveal a persistent disconnect between formal commitments to equity and the lived realities of organizational processes. Meritocratic discourse often masks entrenched inequality regimes, including gender pay gaps, vertical segregation, limited paternal leave uptake, and welfare policies that reinforce traditional caregiving roles. The study underscores the need for intersectional auditing, redistributive care policies, and participatory narrative practices to foster transformative, context-sensitive gender equity strategies.

In recent years, the expansion of advanced digital technologies in the learning field has caused a deep change in educational platforms and revolutionized the tools and systems that support online learning. Within this context, the rapid development of Learning Analytics (LA) in blended and online higher education has transformed assessment practices, enabling personalized feedback and more targeted instructional strategies. This scoping review investigates how LA is integrated into formative assessment practices within blended learning courses in higher education. By analysing 13 selected studies, the review identifies the main techniques, purposes, and roles attributed to LA, such as student profiling, predictive modeling, teacher support, and feedback automation. The restricted number of papers examined could limit the broader applicability of the conclusions. However, findings highlight how LA is increasingly employed to support formative assessment in blended higher education, with methods such as process mining, predictive modeling, and visualization enabling more precise monitoring of student learning and the provision of timely, personalized feedback. Yet, the pedagogical challenge lies in ensuring that these tools are not reduced to mere instruments of control, but are instead leveraged to foster engagement, support teachers’ decision-making, and promote more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.

The adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) represents a turning point in democratizing access to knowledge and promoting innovative educational practices. The ENCORE project aims to integrate the use of OER with digital, green and entrepreneurial (DGE) skills through a system based on advanced artificial intelligence technologies. This study analyzes results of a transnational intervention aimed at assessing ENCORE’s impact on increasing OER-related knowledge (OER Knowledge) and explores outcome variability across learner profiles and intervention types. The data collected shows a significant increase in participants’ ability to identify, use and integrate OER in their educational settings, as well as an improvement in their understanding of open licenses and open educational practices. These findings highlight ENCORE’s potential as a tool to facilitate access to OER, emphasizing the importance of course design in shaping learning outcomes and educational practices. ENCORE proves to be a valuable tool for enhancing professional development and promoting innovation. The article reflects implications for instructional design and the adoption of open AI-supported education.

This study assesses the effectiveness of “Resident Day,” a multi-modal orientation program at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico for newly enrolled medical residents. The program combines traditional lectures, experiential simulations, and gamified activities, including a hospital-based treasure hunt designed to bridge theoretical knowledge and practical clinical readiness. A comparative analysis of pre- and post-training surveys from the 2022 (n. 146 respondents) and 2024 (n. 135 respondents) cohorts revealed statistically significant improvements in technical competencies, spatial orientation, and familiarity with clinical workflows. Notably, the gamification element, particularly the “Treasure Hunt,” significantly enhanced spatial orientation and clinical area familiarity, with 2024 participants showing greater improvement compared to 2022. While practical sessions received strong evaluations, the team-building activity (“Airplane Challenge”) scored lower than in previous years, suggesting areas for refinement. Overall, the Resident Day initiative demonstrates that innovative, engaging onboarding strategies can effectively enhance early clinical integration, technical skills, and resident confidence. Experiential learning and gamification emerged as particularly impactful, underlining the value of active, hands-on methodologies in bridging the gap between academic training and real-world medical practice. These findings may inform broader reforms in medical education and orientation programs internationally.

This quasi-experimental study investigates the effectiveness of explicit pragmatic instruction on Algerian EFL university students’ comprehension of indirect speech acts. Sixty-four second-year English majors from an Algerian university participated in an eight-week intervention. The experimental group (n = 32) received explicit instruction targeting requests, refusals, and suggestions, while the control group (n = 32) followed conventional communicative language teaching methods. Data collection involved discourse completion tasks and metapragmatic assessments administered pre- and post-intervention. Analysis of covariance revealed statistically significant differences favoring the experimental group, F(1, 61) = 47.83, p < .001, ?²p = .32, with large effect sizes for request comprehension (Cohen’s d = 1.28) and refusal recognition (Cohen’s d = 1.18). Qualitative analysis of learner reflections indicated enhanced metalinguistic awareness and contextual sensitivity. Findings provide novel evidence supporting the integration of explicit pragmatic instruction within Algerian EFL curricula, addressing persistent gaps between linguistic competence and pragmatic performance. This study offers one of the first empirical investigations of pragmatic comprehension development in the Algerian EFL context, extending current interlanguage pragmatics research. Pedagogical implications emphasize structured awareness-raising activities, authentic materials incorporation, and teacher professional development in pragmatic pedagogy.

The research investigates the effectiveness of Body Percussion as a motor-musical practice in education, with particular attention to pupils with ADHD, within the paradigm of Embodied Cognition, which emphasizes the role of the body in cognitive, emotional and relational processes. The sample involved 106 primary and secondary school students: 75 included in the experimental group, subjected to weekly two-hour workshops for four months, and 31 in the control group, engaged in motor activities without musical components. The integrated analysis, based on quantitative and qualitative data (ANOVA with repeated measures, pre/post t-tests and systematic observations), showed significant improvements in the experimental group in almost all the macro-areas analysed, in particular motor-musical technique, involvement, inclusion and group cohesion (Cohen’s d = 0.65-1.39), while the control group showed no relevant changes. The subgroup with ADHD also benefited above all in social cohesion and active participation. The results confirm Body Percussion as an inclusive methodology that promotes cognitive development, social-emotional skills and psychophysical well-being.

This study analyzes the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives on the financial and economic performance of food and beverage companies operating in developed and emerging markets. The research seeks to clarify the role of ESG practices in corporate profitability and market valuation, addressing the gap in empirical studies that link firm-level ESG indicators to performance metrics. A panel data regression analysis was conducted on 159 companies from 30 countries between 2017 and 2021, using Bloomberg ESG scores and financial indicators. Results indicate that social and governance practices have a positive influence on financial performance, while environmental initiatives exhibit a negative impact. The study highlights the need for cautious evaluation of environmental investments due to their potential adverse financial effects. The research contributes to the ongoing ESG discourse by providing insights for businesses, policymakers, and investors regarding sustainable corporate practices. Future studies should explore sector-specific ESG impacts and broader datasets to refine these findings.

This study analyzed the effect of competency and social capital on farmer welfare and the effect of competency on welfare with social capital as a moderating variable. The population was 1758 corn farmers in six districts of Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. The sample size was 240 people determined using the Slovin formula. Primary data was collected using questionnaires distributed to respondents.
Respondents were chosen by proportional randomization. The questionnaire consisted of variables and indicators measured using a Likert scale with the lowest score of one and the highest score of five. The questionnaire used has been tested for validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using SEM PartPLS. The results showed that the effect of competence on farmer welfare was positive and significant. The effect of social capital on the welfare of farmers was positive and significant. The effect of competence on welfare with social capital as a moderating variable was negative and significant.

In this study, we examined the roles of foreign direct investment (FDI), skilled labour, and technical efficiency in determining the exports of the food and beverage industries in Indonesia. To address this issue, we utilised data from industry micro firms for the period 2010-2015. We applied the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) technique to the logistic model and the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Findings revealed that the food and beverage industries are operating below the possible technical efficiency (TE). However, foreign direct investment, skilled labour, technical efficiency, and industrial concentration assert a significant positive effect on the probability of firms’ exports. In the food and beverages sector and the beverages industry, firm size promotes exports; however, in the food industry, firm size has the opposite effect, reducing exports. The imported raw materials have an insignificant effect on the firms’ probability of exporting. Interestingly, findings on the mediating roles of technical efficiency and industrial concentration, as well as technical efficiency and firm size, revealed an increasing influence on the probability of exporting. Skilled labour and firm size only positively promote exports in the foods and beverages sector and the food industry, but not in the beverages industry. These findings are novel and present an important pathway for policy-making related to the food and beverage industry, potentially shaping future strategies and initiatives in the Indonesian food and beverage sector.

This paper analyses the impact of agricultural subsidies using traditional quasi-experimental research design that combines genetic matching procedure with regression analysis and causal forests, an adaptation of the random forest algorithm of Breiman (2001) for treatment effect estimation. The study is based on a structured orchard farm survey conducted in Albania, an EU candidate country. By employing both traditional and machine learning methods, the comparative methodological approach represents a notable contribution by enhancing the robustness of the findings, while highlighting the advantages of the random forest algorithm. The research results indicate that policy support significantly increased on-farm investments by approximately 4.7 million ALL (representing a 39% increase relative to the sample average investment for the analysed period), and direct apple revenues by about 2.48 million ALL (a 29% increase relative to the sample average revenue). Moreover, the policy had a substantial impact on altering the variety cultivation structure - beneficiary farmers replaced lower-quality apple varieties with higher-quality, market-demanded varieties, while non-beneficiaries showed no significant changes in their variety structure. As a result, the policy support enabled beneficiary farmers to better align their production structure with market demand, potentially boosting their future competitiveness.

Northeast India boasts a long history of large-scale tea estates dating back to the colonial era. Assam is India’s largest tea production area and contributes over half of India’s tea products. The backbone of this industry is the tea tribe women who are tea pluckers. Despite their crucial role, these women face significant economic, social, and political challenges that need greater empowerment. Meanwhile, tea production in Thailand has expanded significantly because of increasing domestic consumption. This research employs qualitative methods to explore economic diversification and tea supply chains in Northeast India and northern Thailand, with a focus on enhancing women’s resilience. Data were collected via indepth interviews with 27 key informants in Assam, India, and 25 participants in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, Thailand, between May 2022 - December 2024. Open coding and manual categorization are employed to organize and interpret narrative analysis based on diversification concepts. The study found that women workers in Assam rely solely on tea plucking, earning low wages due to a lack of educational opportunities and double-burden circumstances, compared to women in Thailand, who have more flexibility through diversified livelihoods.
Assam requires multi-stakeholder collaboration in both vertical and horizontal diversification.

This study explores the initiatives of Local Government Units (LGUs) in Cebu, Philippines, to support vegetable farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a mixed-methods approach, we assess the effectiveness of policies, financial aid, and capacity-building programs in enhancing agricultural resilience. Key findings highlight the role of LGU-driven innovations in mitigating economic disruptions and improving food security. Challenges such as resource limitations and policy gaps are also examined. The study underscores the need for sustainable, adaptive strategies to strengthen local agricultural systems against future crises.

Food insecurity persists in rural Indonesia despite agricultural abundance, disproportionately affecting women in farming households. This study investigates the interplay of food security, gender inclusion, and women’s empowerment among 296 pineapple farming households in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. Employing a cross-sectional design, data were collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), a Localized Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (LWEAI), and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that access to credit and market information significantly reduces food insecurity, while larger household sizes increase vulnerability. Gender inclusion strongly predicts empowerment, enhancing women’s autonomy and leadership, though food insecurity undermines both. The LWEAI, tailored to local contexts, and PLS-SEM’s robust analysis offer novel frameworks for understanding these dynamics. Findings advocate for gender-responsive policies – such as women-targeted microcredit and extension services – to strengthen food security and equity, aligning with Indonesia’s national development goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 5.

This article aims to examine the scenario of credit granting and default among rural producers in the state of Rondônia between the years 2020 and 2024. The research is quantitative and descriptive, based on secondary data and document analysis concerning the management and operations of Banco da Amazônia (Bank of the Amazon) related to the Constitutional Fund for Financing the North (FNO). The results show that approximately 4.5 billion reais and 16,689 loans were granted during the period under study, of which 9,239 were allocated for operating expenses and 5,116 for investment purposes. It was found that default rates are low, since only 282 contracts (1.69% of the total) had overdue installments. It is also noteworthy that 10 municipalities in Rondônia, out of a total of 52, concentrate 48.48% of the credit contracts and 62.75% of the total credit amount granted. The study concludes that rural credit provides producers with resources to finance their activities and invest in infrastructure, innovation, and technology, enabling them to increase production, productivity, employment, and income, as well as improve living conditions in rural areas. These findings contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of rural credit allocation and default, providing insights for future research and for policies aimed at improving the rural credit system in the state.