Over the last decade, the circular economy (CE) has attracted attention due to the current unsustainable model of production and consumption, which involves an increased resource use and depletion. Agri-food is one of the key sectors where action must be taken to ensure the transition to a more sustainable development model in line with circular economy principles. This study aims to evaluate the potential of implementing the circular economy in the pitahaya agri-food chain in Ecuador. The research was conducted from 2019 to 2021, during which a checklist was applied that included 91 items grouped into nine dimensions: source or supply of materials, design, manufacturing, economic circle, distribution and sales, consumption/use, 4R, remanufacturing, and sustainability. The level of the circular economy evaluated in the study was low (2.14 points out of 5). Therefore, improvements are required in the agri-food management of fruit cultivation and processing. Critical points were identified and strategies were proposed to increase competitiveness, improve environmental performance, and promote the implementation of the circular economy in this production chain. A final recommendation is to explore research on the concept of CE in the sector, mainly focused on the valorization of biomass as a contribution to the bioeconomy in order to contribute to the country’s growth within the context of sustainability.

The circular economy (CE) has been adopted as an alternative to the linear economic model, since it transforms the way products are designed and consumed. Agri-food chains are key to ensuring the transition to a sustainable development model in line with the principles of CE. This study sought to implement the concepts of circular economy at the Ecuador's banana production chain, through the design of prospective from the exhaustive diagnosis of the main processes of the chain. The research was conducted from 2020 to 2022. The studied checklist included 91 items grouped into nine dimensions: source or supply of materials, design, manufacturing, economic circle, distribution and sales, consumption and use, 4R, re-manufacturing, and sustainability. A medium circular economy level (CEL) was evaluated (2.69 points out of 5). Two machine learning techniques (MLTs) were also applied support vector machine (SVM), (with three types of kernel: radial, linear and polynomial) and a neural network (NN). In relation to the Spearman correlation coefficients of the application of the techniques to the study cases, they were higher than 0.90. The most reliable was the SVM Regression-Linear Kernel, which had a coefficient close to 1. Finally, various value-adding options are proposed in order to take advantage of the large amount of waste generated in the banana production system. The proposed options include value-augmentation processes, ranging from organic fertilizers, biofuels, materials for wastewater treatment, and the production of bioplastics and nanoparticles, which can be implemented using the CE approach.

Purpose: This investigation is based on the theoretical analysis of the application of neural networks to the design and manage supply chains, along with an empirical approach, this investigation its developed with the prediction of the level of integration in the supply chain through neural networks.Design/methodology/approach: The methodology designed and used for the processing of data was the instruction of a neural network wich is used to predict the level of integration in a supply chain. This type of predictive application appears in the literature reviewed on supply chains. This analysis was carried out in a comparative way with the heterogeneous and homogeneous weights of the neuron training.Findings: The main results of this research focus on predicting the level of integration in the supply chain from the neoronal network. This provides a coached neuron that can be applied in other studies and, therefore, predict the outcome. On the other hand, it is shown that if the weights of the integration level variables are not homogeneous, the procedure presents different results depending on the context in which it is developed.Research limitations/implications: Among the limitations of the implementation of neural networks it should be noted, the necessary adaptation to the characteristics of the supply chains and the areas of performance of the business organizations under study, in the framework of activities productive or service itself, in addition to analyzing its corporate purpose in relation to the satisfaction of certain needs of the target markets.Originality/value: The literature shows multiple theoretical sources that refer to studies of neural networks in supply chains, observing the opportunity to apply this technique to predict the level of integration due to its benefits for decision making. The originality of this scientific work lies in the possibility of comparing the historical data of the level of integration and those predicted as a result of the coaching of the neuron with the weights of the heterogeneous and homogeneous variables.

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo analizar el emprendimiento en América Latina. Se inicia explicando bajo distintas teorías, el fenómeno del emprendimiento, sus tipologías y etapas; finalizando con un análisis del emprendimiento en Latinoamérica. Metodológicamente, el estudio es descriptivo; y se utilizaron fuentes bibliográficas y estadísticas documentales del Banco Mundial. La teoría describe el emprendimiento como un proceso que crea valor agregado, donde se asumen riesgos financieros, sociales y psicológicos, a fin de obtener beneficios económicos y satisfacción personal. Los resultados muestran que en Latinoamérica se identifica como debilidad la escasez de innovación. Se concluye que, aunque el emprendimiento es un fenómeno consolidado, falta consenso acerca del concepto “emprender”; además, existe una brecha grande en términos de innovación entre países latinoamericanos y los países y regiones comparables, no sólo en el ámbito de la Innovación y Desarrollo, sino también en el contexto de la innovación de productos y procesos. Palabras clave: emprendimiento; emprender; tipos de Emprendimiento; proceso de emprendimiento; América Latina. Abstract This article aims to analyze entrepreneurship in Latin America. It begins by explaining under different theories, the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, its typologies and stages; ending with figures of entrepreneurship in Latin America. Methodologically, the study is descriptive; and bibliographic sources and documentary statistics from the World Bank were used. The theory describes entrepreneurship as a process that creates added value, where financial, social and psychological risks are assumed, in order to obtain economic benefits and personal satisfaction. The results show that in Latin America the lack of innovation is identified as weakness. It is concluded that, although entrepreneurship is a consolidated phenomenon, there is a lack of consensus about the concept of “entrepreneurship”; In addition, there is a large gap in terms of innovation between latin American countries and comparable countries and regions, not only in the field of Innovation and Development, but also in the context of product and process innovation. Keywords: consumption; business; perception; Amazon; infusion; health; marketing mix.

Sustainable development has become the aspiration of many developing countries like Ecuador. The introduction of Bachelor of Tourism studies at the Technical University of Manabí is compatible with this interest and provides a challenge for teachers in the application of integrative and innovative teaching methods, which promote the training of professionals with high scientific, technical and professional rigor in the exercise of different professions. To achieve this, the pedagogical group started from three fundamental principles, which are based on the application of teaching work methods and procedures, based on the establishment of the interaction between the various factors that directly and indirectly influence the training process of professionals in the tourism sector. The results, both in the comprehensive evaluation processes of the academic performance of the teachers and in the level of satisfaction of the students of the course, support the application of these teaching–learning methods and highlight the convenience of extending these experiences and research results to other vocational training centers for tourism activity.

Las pérdidas y los costos adicionales que tiene Ecuador debido a la falta de control fronterizo y al contrabando del gas de uso doméstico son millonarios, el subsidio no se está focalizando y no existe un esquema eficiente para beneficiar a los sectores más necesitados. Elementos que demuestran el alto grado de irresponsabilidad del país en el cuidado de este recurso no renovable. El estudio realizado analiza el impacto que esto genera en las esferas fiscal, económica, política y social. Actualmente es posible eliminar el subsidio al gas para uso doméstico en Ecuador, sin generar un revés político o incertidumbre económica en la población, si la entrega de este recurso se asigna a los sectores deprimidos de la sociedad a partir de la aplicación de nuevas tecnologías y utilizando información depurada de los ministerios de bienestar social, hidrocarburos y electricidad. El objetivo de la investigación es determinar el beneficio que causa al Ecuador, en el momento económico actual en que vive, eliminar este subsidio. Al cuantificar las cifras de consumo, producción e importación, se determinan los costos que genera este subsidio y los escenarios que pueden permitirle al Estado ecuatoriano obtener ahorros y hacer entrega eficiente y coherente del gas de uso doméstico, generando así la eliminación de los daños existentes y creando beneficios para la clase pobre del país.