Purpose: This paper aims to assess information and communication technologies (ICT) policies for digital transformation in Colombia to determine their effectiveness in technology readiness for Internet of Things (IoT) adoption in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the trading sector. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a longitudinal study using the ICT module of the Annual Trade Survey (2017–2018) to determine the relationship between SMEs in the trading sector adopting ICT applications and ICT policy enforcement. In this sense, this study applied a chi-square test for independence and addressed a descriptive analysis to determine SMEs’ causes for adopting or rejecting ICT applications. Findings: This study presents the state of ICT adoption in Colombian SMEs in the trading sector between 2017 and 2018, highlighting that technology readiness is crucial for adopting technological trends. Research limitations/implications: The data source used for the study is only available for analysis one year after implementing ICT policies focused on digital transformation. Practical implications: The results support the need for the National Government to formulate IoT policies that favor the adoption of e-commerce based on IoT technologies in SMEs in the trading sector. Social implications: IoT adoption can mitigate e-commerce problems strengthening SMEs’ competitiveness in the trading sector leading the digital transformation in Colombia. Originality/value: This study presents the need to formulate IoT policies in Colombia focused on deploying IoT applications to strengthen e-Commerce in SMEs in the trading sector.

The tourism sector has an essential role in the sustainable development of a country. Therefore, in this research we propose a methodology to identify tourist routes that integrate the most important Points Of Interest in a region taking up as criteria profile characteristics in common between the sites evaluated using clustering techniques. To attain this goal, firstly, a literature review focused on compiled information used for location selection and evaluation in attraction potential sites. Then, clustering techniques are applied to identify similarities between sites, and finally, a layout of tourist routes is presented. We applied this methodology using data from a Region in Colombia. As a result, eight factors are proposed: Natural, Cultural, Tourist Plant, Infrastructure, Superstructure, Accessibility, Human and Tourist Capital and Security. From the second phase, three tourist groups were identified with three tourism factors for each of them; and then, two examples of tourist routes are proposed.

El greenwashing implica el predominio del uso falaz de la responsabilidad social empresarial (RSE simbólica) sobre la práctica auténtica de la misma (RSE sustancial). Su definición representa una tensión conceptual, susceptible de ser estudiada a la luz de su impacto sobre la identificación de los individuos como miembros de una organización. El presente trabajo estudia dicho impacto por medio de una investigación transversal aplicada sobre doscientos veinte empleados profesionales en Colombia y analizada a través del modelamiento con ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados obtenidos dan cuenta del carácter asociativo de la RSE sustancial sobre la identificación organizacional de los empleados, así como de la ausencia de vínculo entre la RSE simbólica sobre esta misma actitud. Sin embargo, también encuentra una correlación directa entre la RSE simbólica y la RSE sustancial que podría suponer una aceptación tácita del greenwashing como una práctica válida. A nivel teórico, se contribuye en la medida en que se prueba por primera vez un modelo conceptual usando constructos de reciente incorporación a la literatura. Asimismo, a nivel práctico, se sugiere que la toma de decisiones sobre aspectos relacionados con la RSE están en continuo escrutinio por parte de los empleados de acuerdo a la autenticidad de su adopción y con posibles consecuencias sobre sus comportamientos.

This study explores the implementation of the analytic hierarchy process in usability evaluations, specifically focusing on user interface assessment during software development phases. Addressing the challenge of diverse and unstandardized evaluation methodologies, our research develops and applies a tailored algorithm that simplifies heuristic prioritization. This novel method combines the analytic hierarchy process framework with a bespoke algorithm that leverages transitive properties for efficient pairwise comparisons, significantly reducing the evaluative workload. The algorithm is designed to facilitate the estimation of heuristic relevance regardless of the number of items per heuristic or the item scale, thereby streamlining the evaluation process. Rigorous simulation testing of this tailored algorithm is complemented by its empirical application, where seven usability experts evaluate a web interface. This practical implementation demonstrates our method’s ability to decrease the necessary comparisons and simplify the complexity and workload associated with the traditional prioritization process. Additionally, it improves the accuracy and relevance of the user interface usability heuristic testing results. By prioritizing heuristics based on their importance as determined by the Usability Testing Leader—rather than merely depending on the number of items, scale, or heuristics—our approach ensures that evaluations focus on the most critical usability aspects from the start. The findings from this study highlight the importance of expert-driven evaluations for gaining a thorough understanding of heuristic UI assessment, offering a wider perspective than user-perception-based methods like the questionnaire approach. Our research contributes to advancing UI evaluation methodologies, offering an organized and effective framework for future usability testing endeavors.