This study aims to propose actions to improve the implementation of sustainable public procurement by identifying the problems perceived by public servants and social economy entities. Two types of questionnaires were sent to organizations in Spain and Europe and 217 complete answers were received (152 from the public sector and 65 from the social entities). In addition, 20 semi-structured personal interviews were conducted by phone with managers of social enterprises and four interviews, also by phone, were carried out with relevant people from the public sector. The results of the surveys and the interviews were structured using the analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT), which was considered consistent with the strategic nature of public procurement. The perceived opportunities for the public sector focus on more efficient use of public resources and improvement of reputation and social equality. For the social entities, more participation in procurement could lead to less dependency on public funds and more visibility. The obstacles for the public sector are related to lack of training and internal resistance to change, as well as, in the case of social entities, to their small size and the tensions with their social object that might derive from bigger competition. The proposed activities focus on two objectives, more training to increase knowledge from the public sector and the readiness of social entities. It is concluded that it is necessary to establish channels of communications between the two groups to avoid possible inefficiencies.

The integration of teacher-designed audiovisual tools in education has gained significant prominence, with podcasting emerging as a powerful pedagogical resource. While its benefits in enhancing learning flexibility and knowledge acquisition are well-documented, limited research examines the impact of student-generated podcasts. This study addresses that gap by investigating whether student-produced content enhances learning, improves academic performance, and enriches the classroom environment. A total of 190 students from the Tourism and Pedagogy degrees at the Universidad de La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain) participated by actively engaging in podcast creation as part of their coursework. They subsequently completed a survey assessing various aspects of the activity. Hypothesis testing revealed that student-generated podcasts not only improve academic outcomes but also cultivate a more dynamic and engaging learning experience. Findings suggest that beyond reinforcing subject mastery, podcasting yields intangible educational benefits, fostering deeper engagement and a more enriched classroom atmosphere. These results underscore the pedagogical value of student-driven content creation, positioning podcasting as an innovative instructional strategy that transcends conventional learning paradigms.

In order to achieve the objectives set by the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris agreement, the legislative framework that is developed at the national and regional level must be appropriate. Research has focused on the importance of environmental policies to stimulate renewable energy demand and has also highlighted the existence of legal regimes more inclined to preserve the current model of dependence on fossil fuels. The main aim of this paper is to observe the impact of different regulation framework in the use of renewable energies in electricity generation. The choice of Spain and Cuba was based on several reasons: first, they present different models of legal regulations for renewable energies, with more centralized power in the case of Cuba and more influence of supranational institutions in the case of Spain; second, they have similarities regarding their productive model (highly dependent on hydrocarbons as sources of electricity generation) and the high potential for electricity generation with renewable energies thanks to their rich natural endowment that could favor energy generation from sources like the sun, wind and water; finally, both countries face a global situation where they could take advantage of this cost-cutting moment, and therefore, of electricity tariffs, to propose a sustainable model of electricity generation based exclusively on renewable energies. The conclusions show that Spain can become a role model to improve the Cuban system, given that the European and Spanish “green” positions can be very useful in developing Cuba’s future energy model based on renewables. The existing ties between the Caribbean country, Spain and the European Union (EU) should be the basis to support a model for which Cuba has an outstanding endowment of natural resources and where the similarities with Spain can generate synergies based on the European experience.

This paper employs a new framework based on internationally available indicators to conduct a comparative analysis of electricity generation among Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, using data from 2021, the most recent available. Two multivariate techniques, cluster analysis and factor analysis, are used in this study. In recent years, electricity generation in the region has increased significantly, largely driven by the economic growth of these nations. A notable trend is the rising contribution of renewable energy sources, which accounted for 55 % of total generation in 2021, thanks to the region's exceptional climatic and geographic conditions. However, the absence of overarching supranational policies has led to significant disparities in energy strategies across these countries, both in design and implementation. Among the 20 LAC countries studied, 35 % do not reach a 50 % share of sustainable electricity generation. Understanding how these countries group regarding sustainable electricity generation is essential for identifying their key characteristics. The analysis yields three fundamental conclusions: first, the selected indicators are highly effective in achieving the study's objectives; second, the principal differences between the identified groups are largely influenced by each country's level of development and reliance on renewable energy sources; and third, from a policy perspective, there is a clear need for a supranational framework to support the national efforts and strategies being independently pursued by these countries, particularly regarding the design and implementation of energy policies. This paper contributes to bridging the gap in the international academic literature concerning sustainable electricity generation in LAC region, and it aligns with studies focused on the analysis of renewable energy sources and sustainable development.

Las nuevas leyes de contratación pública suponen una oportunidad para fomentar la participación en la misma de las empresas de Economía Social, con el objetivo de que la contratación contribuya a distintos objetivos sociales y medioambientales. La propia Ley de Contratos del Sector Público establece el fomento de las empresas de Economía Social (además de las PYMES) como una de las prioridades a seguir. Para ello cimienta las posibilidades de introducir criterios sociales y ambientales que están en el corazón de las actividades de la Economía Social y modifica el régimen de los contratos reservados que se consolidan como obligatorios. A pesar de su potencial importancia, este último instrumento ha sido poco estudiado en la bibliografía especializada. En este artículo se presenta un análisis de la evolución de los contratos reservados a nivel estatal en los últimos 10 años, utilizando una muestra de más de 250 procesos de este tipo, que incluye procedimientos de todas las regiones de España y con valores de licitación diversos. Los resultados muestran que los contratos reservados se han utilizado en actividades que van más allá de las tradicionales para el tipo de empresa al que van dirigidos, y que los procedimientos para ello suelen ser más transparentes que los ordinarios. La comparación con una muestra de licitaciones no reservadas expone que la eficacia económica es similar en ambos tipos.

Since monetary duality was adopted in Cuba in August 1994, two currencies have coexisted on the Island: the Cuban convertible peso (CUC) and the Cuban national peso (CUP). There is a double fixed exchange rate between the CUC and CUP and between the CUC and the US dollar (USD). In reality, there is also a fixed exchange rate between CUP and USD, consequently, monetary unification seems necessary. The problem lies in setting the exchange rate of the currency that will survive (CUP) versus the eliminated one (CUC). In this article, a review of the most interesting aspects of this situation is conducted, and arguments are put forward as to what would be the most appropriate exchange rate between the Cuban national currency and the Cuban convertible peso.