• We use the spatial panel regression model to estimate the land Kuznets curve. • We examine spatial auto-correlations in the building permits in Ecuador. • A Bayesian selection method allows selecting the right spatial model and weight matrix. • Economic development has a U-shape relationship with land use. • Spatial spillover effects have a limited extent and affect only closest neighbours.

This study analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic reactivation carried out in Ecuador in 2021 on the corporate performance of Ecuadorian companies; in this country, most of the business fabric is made up of micro and small companies, which is why it could provide new insights to the literature. The empirical analysis is based on the DID impact evaluation methodology from a company database obtained from the financial statements of the Superintendency of Companies of Ecuador. The results reveal that there is great heterogeneity in the corporate impact of the pandemic and that the affected ones were mainly micro and small companies; additionally, they indicate that the negative effects of the pandemic on financial performance extended into 2021, thus signaling a weak economic recovery. These results are key for designing policies aimed at economic reactivation in the business segments and industries most impacted by the pandemic.

La Revista de la CEPAL es una publicación líder en el estudio de temas del desarrollo socioeconómico en América Latina y el Caribe. Editada por la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, de las Naciones Unidas, cada ejemplar se centra en las tendencias económicas, la industrialización, la distribución del ingreso, el desarrollo tecnológico y los sistemas monetarios, así como en la aplicación de la reforma económica y la transferencia de tecnología. La Revista trianual es escrita en inglés y español, cada ejemplar ofrece aproximadamente 12 estudios y artí­culos realizados por expertos autorizados o compilados de las actas de la conferencia.

This research presents a bibliometric analysis of scientific production on global access to higher education, indexed in the Web of Science, spanning from 1975 to 2022. The analysis was conducted using the R programming language with the Bibliometrix package through the Biblioshiny application. Bibliometric methods and systematic review approaches were applied to map, evaluate, and analyze 1113 scientific articles. The results highlight a high annual volume of research, particularly peaking in 2019, in high impactjournals and significant collaborative efforts among countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil. The geographical distribution of publications reflects the growing academic emphasis on educational access. Despite increases in university enrollment, some low- and middle-income countries experienced declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings provide a critical informational basis for developing policies aimed at fostering more equitable global access to education.