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    Structure-Based Innovation Index (SBII) and Firm Performance in Ecuadorian Manufacturing SMEs: Evidence from Capital Efficiency and Sales per Employee
    (MDPI AG, 2026-04-23)
    Godoy Hurtado, Edgar Paul
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    ;
    Manufacturing SMEs in Ecuador operate under macroeconomic volatility and limited financing; improvements in processes and management are key mechanisms for sustaining productivity and competitiveness. In contexts where conventional innovation indicators are unavailable, financial ratios constitute replicable signals that close a measurement gap in emerging economies. This study constructs the Structure-Based Innovation Index (SBII) as the mean of within-sample percentile ranks of capital efficiency (EBIT/Assets) and sales per employee, using financial statements from the SCVS, sectoral indicators from ENESEM, and size classification from REEM. The sample includes 58 formal manufacturing SMEs in Ecuador in 2023, stratified by province and size. Performance is measured through labor productivity and operating profitability (EBIT/Sales). Tercile comparisons reveal clear performance differentiation: the high-SBII group exhibits substantially higher median sales per employee (USD 129,552 vs. USD 40,176 in the low group) and higher operating profitability. Signals are more strongly reflected in productivity than in margins, indicating that operational gains materialize earlier. A robustness check using SBIIalt confirms that gradients are not index artifacts. High-performing SMEs are distinguished by institutionalized operational discipline: asset utilization, throughput stability, and cost control. The SBII is a replicable proxy for structure-based innovation in data-constrained environments. The findings align with SDGs 8, 9, and 12. © 2026 by the authors.
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    Factors for the Creation of Technological Startups in Latin America
    (2024) ;
    Morales-Urrutia X.
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    Naranjo-Santamaría J.
    The changes produced in recent years have made innovation and technology play an important role in the growth of technological start-ups. Likewise, public policies have been developed that contribute to the development and strengthening of this business sector. The aim of the study is to analyze the incidence of institutional factors, education and innovation, in the generation of technological startups. The data analyzed comes from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the Pearson Correlation statistical technique was applied. The results suggest that there is a direct relationship between the factors analyzed. In conclusion, the growth of this type of companies is still incipient in Latin American countries, however, there is significant growth of these in the region. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
      31
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    Analysis of the Business Dimension in the Construction Sector in Ecuador: An Economic Approach
    (2024) ;
    Dayaneth Arroba-Naranjo
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    Ximena Morales-Urrutia
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    Diego Lara-Haro
    The objective of this research work is to study the business size of the construction sector in Ecuador through the application of a panel data econometric model. It seeks to identify the factors that influence the growth of this sector. The study population is construction companies active in Ecuador, according to the ISIC F classification, in the period 2018–2021. A methodology is used that includes a descriptive analysis to establish the behavior of the sector variables, as well as a correlational analysis to measure the significance of these variables in relation to growth. In addition, a panel data model that applies the assumption of fixed effects is used to verify Gibrat’s Law, which establishes that all companies have the same probability of growing regardless of their size. In conclusion, a significant relationship was found between sales and business size and growth in the construction sector in Ecuador. However, Gibrat’s Law is rejected in this case study
      30
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    Effect of the Real Wage on the Basic Family Basket in Ecuador
    (2024) ;
    Morales-Urrutia X.
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    Haro D.L.
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    Chancay D.
    The effect of real wages on the basic family basket in Ecuador is a crucial issue in understanding households’ economic well-being. The real wage, which considers inflation and purchasing power, directly affects the ability of families to purchase essential goods and services. Analysis of this relationship provides insight into families’ challenges in meeting their basic needs and the potential implications for poverty and inequality in Ecuador. The study's objective is to analyze the purchasing power of the Ecuadorian population through data on real wages and basket costs from 2000 to 2021. The data analyzed comes from the Central Bank and INEC databases. The results indicate a sustained increase in the basic basket throughout the 2000–2021 period, which shows an increase in the prices of goods and services throughout the country. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
      53
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    Boosting Accuracy and Reducing Time in Laser Shooting Practices: Video Processing Solutions for Impact Evaluation
    (2024)
    David Rivas-Lalaleo
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    Víctor Bautista-Naranjo
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    Erika Iza-Chango
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    Pamela Lema-Jumbo
    This study explores the most effective method for impact measurement in laser shooting ranges, crucial for security training, accident prevention, and cost reduction. It utilizes video surveillance and image processing algorithms in Python to accurately determine laser impact locations. The research found that employing a single target per silhouette is most efficient, minimizing errors to ±1 impact and enabling heat map generation for feedback. The combination of video surveillance and image processing significantly enhances safety and reduces costs by providing real-time data. The findings advocate for the single target approach due to its precision and the comprehensive insights gained from heat maps, maintaining accuracy within a two-hit margin.
      19
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    Burnout Levels in Telecommunications Service Companies
    (2025)
    Vaneza Emérita Bayas Iza
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    ;
    Ximena Morales-Urrutia
    Organizations must implement various strategic measures to safeguard employee well-being, such as ensuring equitable workloads, providing adequate support and resources, fostering empathy, enabling effective communication, maintaining work-life balance, promoting professional development, cultivating a healthy organizational culture, and managing occupational stress. These measures are pivotal in mitigating burnout, a phenomenon increasingly recognized as a critical occupational health issue. Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, poses significant risks to both individual employees and organizational performance. This study investigates burnout levels in telecommunications service companies, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory to assess 105 employees across multiple branches of a telecommunications company in Ecuador. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS software for descriptive characterization and correlational analysis of variables and dimensions. Findings indicate that depersonalization is the primary dimension affecting burnout in this sector, as employees often internalize customer-related issues, resulting in negative consequences for both the workforce and the organization.
      25
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    A long-range, low-cost technique to measure water level variations over limnimeters on hydraulic weir using machine vision and IoT
    (2022)
    Chiliquinga-Chiliquinga A.
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    Garcés-Llerena R.
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    Bautista-Naranjo V.
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    Castillo-Velazquez J.-I.
    It is neither practical nor economical to make continuous and direct measurements of the water flow in a stream, so indirect methods must be used to measure the water level and, based on a calibration curve, relate it to the corresponding flow rate. A hydraulic weir with a limnimeter fulfills this purpose, but its disadvantage is that it does not allow the automated registration of the water level and therefore new and more efficient technologies must be used to perform this measurement automatically and thus have a lower waste and optimization of the resource. This experiment develops an algorithm based on computer vision and the inclusion of the concepts of the Internet of Things, in order to measure and record the values of the water level in a hydraulic dam, also includes energy storage system, power supply, remote computer, devices with wireless communication and IoT platform that allow a measurement error of less than ± 2% to be obtained with respect to a visual measurement made by the operator. © 2022 IEEE.
      64
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    Human Capital and Per Capita Income in Ecuador
    (2024) ;
    Morales-Urrutia X.
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    Mesias J.P.M.
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    Yucsin K.
    Human capital and per capita income are crucial in Ecuador’s economic development. Human capital, represented by the population’s education, health, and skills, directly influences the productivity and economic growth of the country. In turn, per capita income reflects citizens’ average income level and ability to access goods and services. The data analyzed comes from the World Bank database from 2000 to 2020. The main results indicate significant improvements in human capital due to various education and training strategies that different governments have applied. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
      30
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    Analysis of the Automation of the Commercial and Distribution Process in the Footwear Sector of Ambato
    (2025)
    Brandon Trujillo
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    ; ;
    Marco Antonio Ríos
    Digital transformation integrates advanced technologies to optimize efficiency and enable automation without human intervention, thereby facilitating decision-making. Organizations rely on operational processes that structure and streamline internal activities, enhancing both productivity and performance. Currently, innovation and automation contribute to reducing errors, optimizing resource use, and ensuring quality in the delivery of products and services. This study analyzes the application of technologies, automation, and commercial and distribution processes, all of which are essential for managing sales operations and ensuring efficient product delivery. To assess the level of automation within organizations, an initial instrument comprising 40 questions was applied. However, it yielded a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.764, leading to its rejection due to insufficient reliability. Following a literature review, relevant technologies and tools used in organizational, commercial, and distribution processes were identified. Based on this analysis, a new instrument was developed, consisting of 32 questions and 172 items. This revised instrument underwent expert validation and achieved a reliability coefficient of 0.862, indicating high internal consistency. The instrument's applicability was tested through a pilot study involving 35 footwear companies located in Ambato, Ecuador. The results reveal that, although the use of technology demonstrates a positive correlation with customer growth (0.242), the influence remains modest. Moreover, the automation of commercial and distribution processes does not exhibit a statistically significant relationship with customer growth. These findings suggest that digitalization efforts alone are not sufficient to drive business expansion. Instead, they must be complemented by more effective marketing and commercialization strategies to fully capitalize on the potential of digital tools and automation. © 2025 IEEE.
      12
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    Organizational Commitment in Savings and Credit Cooperatives
    (2024)
    Shaina Johanna Sisa
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    ; ;
    Ximena Morales-Urrutia
    With globalization and technological advancements, companies face changes that require a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. The changes effectively managing can determine an organization's success in a dynamic environment. Organizational Commitment (OC) is crucial as it measures employees' identification, belonging, and loyalty. In Ecuador, savings and credit unions and non-profit financial institutions decreased from 817 active entities in 2015 to 408 in 2023, functioning as an important source of employment. It is essential to determine the OC level and analyze its variables. Therefore, a bibliometric review was conducted to identify the scientific production on the subject, followed by a systematic review to substantiate and identify methods for measuring OC. The Meyer and Allen scale test was applied to 169 employees of a cooperative union. The data was processed using SPSS to perform a descriptive and correlational analysis with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design. The sample was evenly split between men and women, revealing connections between study dimensions and areas for improvement..
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