Now showing 1 - 10 of 75
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Factors Influencing University Dropout in Distance Learning: A Case Study

2023 , Núñez Hernández, Corina , Buele, Jorge

In the field of higher education in Ecuador, there is a phenomenon where students abandon the career, they were initially enrolled in. This research article aims to identify the determining factors that influence dropout, analyzing sociodemographic variables and economic, technological, institutional, and academic variables. The methodology used is action research built from educational practice. A survey was used to address several factors applied to 260 students of the second, fourth, and seventh levels of undergraduate study at a private institution. As a result, it was found that the most determining factor for a student to abandon their university career in the distance mode, with 72.31%, is the economic factor. Finally, it is concluded that students' permanence is affected mainly by socioeconomic aspects, which cause economic resources, illness, lack of time, and academic performance to be the most representative factors when deciding whether to remain or abandon a university career. This information increases the bibliography that deals with student behavior to search for alternatives to work on students' permanence. © 2023, North American Business Press. All rights reserved.

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Organizational communication in change management: A narrative review

2026 , Taruchaín Pozo, Fernando , Avilés-Castillo, Fátima , Evelyn Cuesta-Andaluz , Buele, Jorge

In an increasingly digital and competitive business landscape, communication practices within organizations are evolving to meet new operational and cultural demands. These shifts have redefined how companies engage with internal and external stakeholders across different levels. Despite the growing importance of communication, many organizations continue to face structural and strategic challenges that hinder effective message delivery and alignment. This review aims to identify key trends, persistent challenges, and the reported benefits of organizational communication, offering a synthesized view of recent academic contributions to the topic. A structured narrative review was conducted using thematic analysis of 52 peer-reviewed studies published in English and Spanish over the last decade. Using thematic analysis, the study identifies prevailing trends, key challenges, and reported benefits within organizational communication in the context of change management. Major trends include the adoption of digital communication tools, personalized messaging, strategic utilization of social media, and the incorporation of storytelling techniques. Challenges highlighted encompass resistance to change, message fragmentation, data security concerns, and information overload. The review also underscores significant benefits such as enhanced decision-making processes, improved stakeholder alignment, innovation facilitation, reputation management, and talent retention. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the evolving role of communication as a strategic asset in organizational change processes. The study concludes by emphasizing the necessity of integrated, adaptive, and inclusive communication strategies that not only support change initiatives but also foster organizational resilience and competitiveness in dynamic environments. Together, these findings provide a solid foundation for developing more effective communication practices aligned with the current demands of organizational transformation.

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Design and validation of the sexual affection inventory (SAI-55)

2025 , Subia Arellano, Andrés , Pérez Vega, Doris , Buele, Jorge

In psychological and sexological research, it is essential to have valid and reliable tools to evaluate various aspects of human sexuality. Sexual affections enable individual well-being and influence interpersonal relationships and social dynamics. However, these aspects of human affectivity have proven difficult to measure comprehensively due to their subjective and dynamic nature. To address this challenge, this study introduces the Sexual Affect Inventory, designed to evaluate key constructs of human sexuality: desire, attraction, and love. This cross-sectional study was validated with 465 participants aged 21 to 65, employing robust psychometric methods. Statistical analyses confirmed the reliability and validity of the inventory, including Bartlett’s test of sphericity (χ² = 17,771.693; p < .001) and a Kaiser‒Meyer‒Olkin measure of .95. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified three components (desire, attraction, and love), explaining 51.87% of the total variance, with Cronbach’s alpha values of .96 overall (.94, .96, and .94 for each component). The inventory stands out for integrating these dimensions into a single tool, surpassing existing scales that evaluate these constructs independently. By encompassing the interplay of sexual desire, emotional attraction, and love, the inventory advances understanding in psychological and sexological research. Its percentile-based scoring system further supports nuanced interpretation across diverse demographic contexts. This tool provides a valuable resource for clinicians and researchers by offering a comprehensive and reliable assessment of sexual affects. Its development underscores the importance of multidimensional approaches in evaluating human sexuality, bridging gaps in existing methodologies. Future research should expand its application across diverse populations and explore its utility in therapeutic settings, emphasizing its role in diagnostics and clinical interventions.

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Environmental Sustainability in Industrial Operations: A Comprehensive Review

2024 , Espinoza Castro, Froilan , Lara Ramírez, Andy , Buele, Jorge

As industrial activities expand, their significant environmental impact calls for the adoption of sustainable practices to mitigate adverse effects on ecosystems and communities. This comprehensive review synthesizes recent literature from recognized databases such as Scopus, SciELO, IEEE Xplore and Latindex, focusing on articles published within the last five years that emphasize the implementation of sustainable strategies in industrial operations. Our findings highlight a range of implemented strategies across various sectors, including advancements in energy efficiency through technology integration and resource optimization. Despite these improvements, challenges such as high resource consumption and waste production persist, underscoring the ongoing conflict between industrial growth and environmental preservation. The review discusses case studies demonstrating both the environmental and economic benefits of sustainable practices, illustrating the potential for industry-wide improvements. Conclusively, while the industrial sector has made notable progress towards sustainability, substantial efforts are required to address inherent challenges such as the high costs of initial investments and general resistance to change. Future research should explore the development and application of innovative technologies tailored to specific industrial needs, aiming to foster a holistic approach to sustainability that integrates economic, social, and environmental aspects.

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Predictive Maintenance in Industrial Robotics Using Big Data: Techniques, Challenges, and Opportunities

2024 , Ayala-Chauvin, Manuel Ignacio , Avilés-Castillo, Fátima , Dayanara Yánez-Arcos , Buele, Jorge

In industrial robotics, predictive maintenance is important to improve efficiency and reduce costs, addressing early detection and diagnosis of failures. The use of Big Data allows us to identify patterns and trends that at first glance are complex. This review examines research on the application of big data in predictive maintenance of industrial robots, which use advanced techniques such as cloud-based architectures, filtering algorithms, and machine learning. The review methodology included an analysis of the big data techniques used, the challenges identified, and the opportunities presented. The results show significant improvements in the accuracy of predictions and fault diagnoses. Key anomaly drivers were identified that improved production performance and enabled accurate fault identification and reduced downtime in industrial robots. Despite the benefits, challenges remain in data security and communications latency, underscoring the need to develop innovative algorithms and techniques to balance computing load and minimize delays. The continuous evolution of these techniques promises to improve the failure management capacity in industrial robotics, thus optimizing the operability and efficiency of robotic systems.

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Structural design of a telemetry and video surveillance system implemented in a UAV [Diseño estructural de un sistema de telemetría y videovigilancia implementado en un UAV]

2020 , Moscoso M.E. , Yánez-Arcos E. , Enríquez V. , Cuji J. , Naranjo-ávalos H. , Salazar F.W. , Buele, Jorge

Exploration and monitoring in areas of great extension, where illegal activities could be carried out is a problem that affect to Latin American air forces. Therefore, this research paper describes the structural design of a telemetry system to develop surveillance missions in a small-range UAV prototype. The appropriate elements that are part of the unmanned aerial system (UAS) are determined based on an aerodynamic analysis, determine the best technology, at a reduced cost. The equipment is installed and conditioned maintaining the specific conditions of the aircraft, for stable flights and reliable communication links. The validation of this proposal is carried out through a set of tests that confirm its high reliability, despite being a prototype system. © 2020, Associacao Iberica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informacao. All rights reserved.

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Strategic Planning to Improve the Production Systems of an MSME: Case Study of a Toy Store

2024 , Buele, Jorge , Lozada-Cepeda J.A. , Ruales, María Belén

Competitiveness in the sales and services sector is becoming more and more intense. Therefore, the implementation of methodologies and strategies is necessary for the achievement of objectives, business growth, and the improvement of production systems. This article presents the performance of a strategic plan (SP) to identify the shortcomings of a company belonging to the MSME group. A toy store developing in Ecuadorian business is presented as a case study. The initial analysis uses tools such as the external PESTEL analysis, the Servqual model, and an analysis of current competitiveness. A new business model (Business Model Canvas) is defined to implement the plan, and strategic initiatives and projects are established. Since this study is projected for five years, experimental results are obtained for the first year, which shows a reduction in the gaps between customer expectations and the service offered. There is also evidence of minor quality mismatches in the Servqual model and a better competitive position than others. These objectives are related to increasing the company’s performance and combining quality, cost, and logistics on time. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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User Experience in Virtual Reality (VR) Applications for Elderly People with Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Scoping Review

2024 , Buele, Jorge , Avilés-Castillo, Fátima , Guillermo Palacios-Navarro

Background: In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool to improve the well-being and functional capabilities of older adults. Although VR applications have shown positive results, their impact on user experience and therapeutic outcomes still needs to be evaluated. Objective: This scoping review aims to analyze existing studies on VR use in older adults with neurodegenerative disorders, focusing on the factors that influence usability, satisfaction, and immersion, as well as the effects on emotional and cognitive well-being. Materials and Methods: Empirical studies in English were included on VR applications applied to older adults with cognitive impairment without study design restrictions. The search was conducted in IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, identifying a total of 650 initial results. After screening, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Immersive VR tends to generate a greater sense of presence, which contributes to improving emotional well-being and reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as apathy and depression. However, its impact on cognitive functions, including memory and executive skills, varied depending on the level of immersion and participant characteristics. Despite these positive findings, significant heterogeneity was evident in study designs, measurement instruments, and user experience indicators. Conclusion: Virtual environments have great potential as a therapeutic tool for older adults, but their success depends on the personalization of applications and the adaptation of technology to the specific needs of this population. Future research should focus on developing standardized protocols, incorporating adaptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, and evaluating the long-term effects of VR to maximize its benefits and minimize its risks. This review was registered in Open Science Framework (OSF). Registration Number: 10.17605/OSF.IO/PNU36

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Psychological and sociodemographic factors associated with hypoactive sexual desire in Ecuadorian women

2024 , Pérez Vega, Doris , Subia Arellano, Andrés , Buele, Jorge

Introduction: Human sexuality is a multifaceted process, and sexual desire plays a central role in the triphasic model of the sexual response cycle, as proposed by Helen Singer Kaplan. Methods: In this cross-sectional correlational study, we examined the relationship between various sociodemographic factors, such as age and motherhood, and sexual variables, including erotophobia, erotophilia, homophobia, and unconventional sex, with hypoactive sexual desire in women from Quito, Ecuador. The study sample comprised 421 women between the ages of 18 and 50, who were administered the Revised Sexual Opinion Survey and the Inhibited Sexual Desire Scale to assess their sexual attitudes and levels of desire. Results: The findings revealed that age (F = 7.13, p < 0.001) and motherhood (F = 13.72, p < 0.001) had a significant impact on inhibited sexual desire. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between inhibited sexual desire and age (r = 0.16, p < 0.001), motherhood (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), erotophobia (r = 0.19, p < 0.001), erotophilia (r = −0.21, p < 0.001), and homophobia (r = −0.18, p < 0.001). Discussion: These results suggest that women who are older, mothers, or have higher levels of erotophobia are more likely to experience hypoactive sexual desire. In contrast, higher levels of erotophilia and homophobia were inversely related to hypoactive sexual desire. This contributes to a deeper understanding of how different personal and sexual attitudes influence sexual desire in Ecuadorian women.

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Adaptive Learning Platforms and Their Influence on Higher Education: A Scoping Review

2025 , Núñez Hernández, Corina , Avilés-Castillo, Fátima , Buele, Jorge

Over the past decade, adaptive learning platforms have transformed higher education by adjusting content and activities based on students’ abilities and progress. This approach personalizes learning and optimizes academic performance, particularly in complex disciplines such as engineering and science. However, challenges remain related to their technological implementation and acceptance by both students and educators. This scoping review analyzes the impact of adaptive learning platforms in higher education, focusing on their influence on academic performance, student motivation, practical implementation challenges, and future implications for research. An exploratory literature review was conducted using the PRISMA-ScR method, identifying recent studies published between 2019 and 2024 in databases such as ERIC, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and APA PsycNet. Quantitative and qualitative research studies were selected, evaluating the impact of these platforms in university settings and the outcomes they produce. The results indicate that adaptive learning platforms significantly enhance academic performance by providing personalized experiences and immediate feedback. They also increase student motivation and engagement, particularly in online learning environments. However, challenges were identified, including the need for adequate technological infrastructure and specialized training for educators. Adaptive learning platforms hold transformative potential in higher education but require overcoming technological and pedagogical barriers. Further qualitative research is recommended to better understand user experiences and maximize their effectiveness across diverse educational contexts.