El presente artículo es producto de un estudio acerca de la forma en la que invierten sus utilidades las PyME (Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas) del Cantón Milagro, Ecuador. El propósito de la investigación es dar a conocer la Bolsa de Valores como fuente de inversión considerando que la mayoría lo hacen en instituciones financieras, existe un alto grado de desconocimiento sobre ventajas y beneficios que brinda el Mercado de Valores Ecuatoriano al considerarlo como una fuente para invertir dinero. Para lo cual se estableció un sólo objetivo general, el mismo que consiste en demostrar la rentabilidad y efectividad de realizar transacciones dentro de este Mercado. Después de estudiar el problema, las leyes y reglamentos que rigen el tema, por medio de encuestas aplicadas a gerentes – propietarios de las PyME establecidas en Milagro, se cercioró sobre el desconocimiento de información acerca de cómo opera el Mercado de Valores. Los resultados obtenidos fueron tabulados y reflejados a través de gráficos estadísticos, dejando como resultado que algunos propietarios poseen desinterés de conocer sobre banca e inversiones porque creen que si invierten en la Bolsa de Valores corren riesgo de perder parte o totalidad de sus ganancias.Palabras Clave: Compra de acciones, Mercado de Valores Ecuatoriano, Bolsa de Valores. This article is the result of a study about how the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) invest their profits in the city of Milagro, Ecuador. The purpose of the research is to inform the Stock Exchange as a source of investment considering that most of the SMEs do their investment in financial institutions, there is a high degree of ignorance about the advantages and benefits offered by the Ecuadorian Securities Market because it ́s considered as a source for investing money. For the research one general objective was set, which is to demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of transactions in this Market. After studying the problem, the laws and regulations about the subject, through surveys applied to managers - owners of established SMEs, it was found about the lack of information on how the stock market operates, the results were tabulated and reflected through statistical graphics, leaving an analysis as some owners don ́t want to know about banking and investments because they believe that if they invest in the stock market they could lose some or all of their profits.

A persistent interdisciplinary gap continues to hinder the development of Health 4.0 educational initiatives. Biomedical Engineering programs typically emphasize physiology and instrumentation while providing limited exposure to modern software ecosystems, whereas Informatics curricula often overlook the physical and physiological foundations of bio-instrumentation. To address this dual deficiency, this paper presents a low-cost and modular educational intervention aligned with the “Computing, Electronics, and Health for Everybody” philosophy. The proposed approach is a hands-on technical workshop that translates core biomedical signal-processing concepts into an accessible learning experience using the Arduino platform and the AD8232 ECG sensor. The intervention was implemented simultaneously across universities in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador, involving a total of $n=92$ undergraduate engineering students. Learning outcomes were evaluated using a pre–post assessment design. The results demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in participants’ conceptual understanding of ECG signal components ($p<0.001$), with mean scores increasing across all evaluated dimensions. In addition, students reported higher confidence in interpreting physiological signals and applying interdisciplinary reasoning. These findings indicate that the proposed intervention effectively supports interdisciplinary learning for software-oriented engineering students by introducing core biomedical acquisition and signal-processing concepts through an accessible and scalable educational framework.

La operacionalización empleada por las micro-pequeñas y medianas empresas (Mipymes) se ha estudiado bajo diferentes enfoques, aplicando varios modelos estratégicos que involucran diferentes metodologías de administración con el fin de maximizar la productividad y por ende que se mejore el rendimiento de las operaciones, y de esta manera se vean beneficiadas todas las partes de la organización, sin embargo, aún no se ha definido la mejor herramienta para alcanzar este fin. En este sentido, este trabajo de investigación analiza el uso de la administración de operaciones, exponiendo los principales conceptos y herramientas que permitan mejorar el rendimiento de las Mipymes del cantón Milagro, Ecuador. La investigación tiene un enfoque cuantitativo. Los resultados obtenidos con una muestra de 192 empresas y la revisión literaria realizada permitieron identificar que no se maneja adecuadamente las áreas estratégicas de decisión afectando directamente al rendimiento de la empresa. Abstract The operationalization used by SMEs has been studied under different approaches, applying several strategic models that involve different management methodologies in order to maximize production and therefore that the operations are benefited in a general way. However, the best tool to achieve this has not been defined. In this sense, this research analyzes the use of operations management, exposing the main concepts and tools that allow to improve the performance of SMEs in Milagro. The research has a quantitative approach. The results obtained with a sample of 192 companies showed that the strategical area of decision is not handled adequately affecting directly to the performance of the company.

This article synthesizes recent quantitative evidence (2020–2025) on the relationship between digital transformation (DT), inclusive leadership (LI), and SME productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Based on meta-analyses and institutional reports, we show: (1) a positive and moderate effect of digital technologies on business performance (Oduro et al., 2023); (2) systematic effects of LI on key outcomes at the people level—task performance, organizational citizenship, creativity, innovation, and voice—mediated by psychological safety and empowerment (Li et al., 2024); and (3) significant digital adoption gaps in LAC SMEs that limit productivity gains (OECD/CAF/SELA, 2024; ECLAC, 2024; IDB, 2022). An integrative model is discussed in which DT affects productivity through digital capabilities and management practices, and the LI acts as a catalyst that converts digital investment into operational and innovation improvements.

Introduction: Large-scale longitudinal evidence on how progressive institutional assessment policy reform is associated with student academic performance remains scarce, particularly in Latin American public higher education. This study examined the association between four successive institutional assessment policies and academic performance across four consecutive academic periods at a public university in Ecuador, focusing on the transition from undifferentiated assessment models to competency-differentiated structures integrating formative feedback within the summative framework. Methods: A comparative quasi-longitudinal design was adopted using 921,795 student-course enrolment records. Four institutional assessment policies were examined: a balanced distributed model (Policy A: 60% coursework/40% examinations), a single high-stakes final examination (Policy B: 40% coursework/60% examination), a competency-differentiated model separating theoretical and practical components (Policy C: 40% coursework/30% theoretical examination/30% practical examination), and a hybrid model integrating formative feedback through an intermediate practical assessment (Policy D: 40% coursework/30% theoretical examination/15% progress submission/15% final submission). One-way ANOVA, Bonferroni-corrected pairwise post-hoc comparisons, chi-squared tests with Cramér's V , and subgroup analyses by faculty, study modality, and degree programme were conducted. Results: Mean final grades increased monotonically from 78.08 under Policy A to 84.38 under Policy D, while pass rates followed a U-shaped pattern, reaching their minimum under Policy B (82.91%). The overall ANOVA was significant, F (3,921,791) = 7,143.53, p < .001, η ² = .023. Post-hoc comparisons revealed a structural inflection between undifferentiated policies (A/B) and competency-differentiated policies (C/D), with cross-block effect sizes ( d = .306-.380) substantially larger than within-block differences (d < .08). Pass rates differed significantly across policies, χ ²(3) = 9,867.90, p < .001, V = .103. Grade dispersion decreased under competency-differentiated policies, with the standard deviation declining from 19.73 under Policy B to 15.69 under Policy D. Faculty-level analyses showed minimal policy-associated variation in Health Sciences (η² = .001), compared with small but consistent effects in the other three faculties (η² = .014–.036). Online students exhibited the greatest performance gains (η² = .043), with the online-face-to-face performance gap shifting from −0.86 points under Policy A to +5.65 points under Policy D. Discussion: The transition from undifferentiated assessment models to competency-differentiated structures separating declarative and procedural knowledge was consistently associated with higher mean academic performance, improved pass rates, and reduced grade dispersion. These associations were particularly pronounced among online students, although the observational design does not establish causality. The findings provide large-scale evidence on the relationship between institutional assessment policy design and academic performance, highlighting the relevance of integrating competency differentiation and formative feedback within summative assessment frameworks as an academic quality governance mechanism in public higher education.

Higher education faces the challenge of training competent human talent in a globalized, changing and technologically mediated environment. This study examines the relationship between learning styles and the effectiveness of face-to-face and virtual modalities, analyzing their impact on the development of human talent. A mixed methodology was applied in Latin American university institutions, evaluating academic performance, perception of efficacy and the development of transversal competencies. The results suggest that innovative higher education must adapt to learning styles and strategically combine both modalities to maximize the student's potential.