The mobile app frontier in the hotel sector

This study aims to investigate the benefits, challenges, opportunities, and risks of mobile app technology in the hotel sector. Data was collected from 12 managers of 5-star hotels operating in Turkey through interview. The collected data was analysed to explore the benefits, challenges, opportunities, and potential risks associated with mobile app technology. In this study, a kappa analysis was performed by two experts in the field who coded the interview data. The resulting value was 0.77, indicating a high level of agreement among the findings. The study revealed various opportunities such as personalized customer experiences, improved efficiency, and enhanced communication through mobile apps in hotels. However, it also identified challenges like technical issues, concerns about data security, obstacles to adoption, and staff adaptation. Furthermore, potential risks such as reduced traditional interactions and technological glitches underscore the need for careful consideration. This research delves into the complex landscape of mobile application technology within the hotel sector, uncovering its potential for transformation, navigating challenges, and highlighting key opportunities while addressing associated risks meticulously

COMPETÊNCIAS E HABILIDADES NA FUNÇÃO GESTORA

The competencies and skills of school managers play a fundamental role in the success of school management. To achieve this success, managers must possess technical competencies, such as leadership, strategic decision-making, and resource management, as well as interpersonal skills like empathy, communication, and relationship-building. In this context, the present study aimed to conduct an integrative literature review, seeking to identify studies that addressed the essential competencies and skills in the managerial role. For this purpose, the CAPES, ERIC, and SCIELO databases were consulted, covering the period from 2017 to 2022. Among the 204 articles initially identified, after careful exclusions, 12 articles were selected for full reading and qualitative analysis. The analysis of these studies provided innovative insights into the topic, offering a deeper understanding of the competencies and skills necessary for the managerial role. These competencies and skills enable managers to face the complex challenges of the educational environment, promote a healthy organizational climate, and foster collaboration among members of the school community. In this way, they contribute significantly to the development and growth of students and the institution.Las competencias y habilidades de los gestores juegan un papel fundamental en el éxito de la gestión escolar. Para lograr este éxito, es necesario que los gestores posean competencias técnicas como liderazgo, toma de decisiones estratégicas y gestión de recursos, así como habilidades interpersonales como empatía, comunicación y construcción de relaciones. En este contexto, el presente estudio tuvo como objetivo realizar una revisión integrativa de la literatura para identificar estudios que abordaran las competencias y habilidades esenciales en la función directiva. Para ello, se consultaron las bases de datos CAPES, ERIC y SCIELO, abarcando el período de 2017 a 2022. De los 204 artículos inicialmente identificados, tras exclusiones meticulosas, se seleccionaron 12 artículos para lectura completa y análisis cualitativo. El análisis de estos estudios proporcionó ideas innovadoras sobre el tema, ofreciendo una comprensión más profunda de las competencias y habilidades necesarias para la función directiva. Estas competencias y habilidades capacitan a los gestores para enfrentar los desafíos complejos del entorno educativo, promoviendo un clima organizacional saludable y fomentando la colaboración entre los miembros de la comunidad escolar. De este modo, contribuyen de manera significativa al desarrollo y crecimiento de los estudiantes y de la institución.As competências e habilidades dos gestores desempenham um papel fundamental no sucesso da gestão escolar. Para alcançar esse sucesso, é necessário que os gestores possuam competências técnicas, tais como liderança, tomada de decisão estratégica e gestão de recursos, assim como habilidades interpessoais, como empatia, comunicação e construção de relacionamentos. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão integrativa  da literatura, buscando identificar estudos que abordassem as competências e habilidades essenciais na função gestora. Para isso, foram consultadas as bases de dados CAPES, ERIC e SCIELO, abrangendo o período de 2017 a 2022. Dentre os 204 artigos inicialmente identificados, após exclusões criteriosas, 12 artigos foram selecionados para leitura completa e análise qualitativa. A análise desses estudos proporcionou insights inovadores sobre a temática, oferecendo uma compreensão mais aprofundada das competências e habilidades necessárias para a função gestora. Essas competências e habilidades capacitam os gestores a enfrentar os desafios complexos do ambiente educacional, promovendo um clima organizacional saudável e estimulando a colaboração entre os membros da comunidade escolar. Dessa forma, contribuem significativamente para o desenvolvimento e crescimento dos alunos e da instituição

O jogo da forca no ensino da matemática

The teaching of mathematics is often approached from a solely theoretical point of view which hampers the learning process of abstract concepts. The use of mathematical games allows to ease the jump between the abstract and the concrete through a ludic and captivating approach. In this article, we explore a new mathematical game. Based on the widely known hangman game, the goal of this mathematical hangman game is to facilitate the knowledge acquisition of certain concepts such as prime number factorization, the greatest common divisor, estimation via square roots, etc. This mathematical hangman game allows for students from primary school up to high school to learn concepts connected to the structure of numbers through its exploratory approach.L’enseignement des mathématiques est souvent abordé d’un point de vue uniquement théorique, ce qui complique l’apprentissage de concepts abstraits. L’utilisation de jeux mathématiques permet d’atténuer le fossé entre l’abstrait et le concret à travers une approche ludique et captivante. Dans cet article, nous explorons un nouveau jeu mathématique. En se baseant sur le jeu du pendu traditionnel connu de beaucoup, le pendu mathématique facilite l’apprentissage de concepts tels que la décomposition en facteurs premiers, le plus grand diviseur commun, l’approximation de racines carrées, entre autres. Ce jeu permet aux élèves de première année jusqu’en terminale d’apprendre des concepts liés à la structure des nombres et ceci à travers une approche ludique et exploratoire.O ensino da matemática é muitas vezes abordado de um ponto de vista meramente teórico que dificulta a aprendizagem de conceitos abstratos. O uso de jogos matemáticos permite atenuar o salto entre o abstrato e o concreto através de uma abordagem lúdica e cativante. Neste artigo exploramos um novo jogo matemático. Baseando-se no jogo da forca tradicional conhecido por muitos, o jogo da forca matemático facilita a aprendizagem de conceitos como a fatorização em números primos, o máximo divisor comum, a aproximação de raízes quadradas, entre outros. Este jogo da forca matemático permite aos alunos do 1.° ciclo do Ensino Básico até ao 12.° ano do Ensino Secundário aprender conceitos ligados à estrutura dos números e isto através de uma abordagem lúdica e exploratória

Marketing de Recrutamento, Felicidade e Propósito na Indústria High-Tech

Recruitment marketing is grounded in a new paradigm that truly intersects Marketing and Human Resources (Schaeffer, 2016), promoting an alignment between employees’ individual purpose and the organisation’s purpose, within a framework of social responsibility, meaning-making, and impact toward a better world. However, particularly in the high-tech industry, scientific literature on this topic remains surprisingly scarce. Addressing this gap, the present study aims to explore the specificities and potential of recruitment marketing in the IT industry, through a case study of the company Critical TechWorks (CTW). Founded in 2018 as a joint venture between Critical Software and the BMW Group, CTW was awarded in 2020 with the Fast Mover Employment prize (recognising the company with the highest growth in qualified job creation in the Portuguese tech sector) and the Fast Mover Turnover prize. With a horizontal, innovative, and distinctive organisational structure, CTW places “Purpose” at the core of its operations. This principle underpins the integration of the Happiness, Hearts, Marketing, and Talent departments, fostering alignment and bridges across functional areas with a shared focus on people.  O marketing de recrutamento assenta numa nova lógica de verdadeira interseção entre Marketing e Recursos Humanos (Schaeffer, 2016), remetendo para um alinhamento entre o propósito individual dos colaboradores e o propósito organizacional, numa dinâmica de responsabilidade social, criação de significado e de impacto para um mundo melhor. No entanto, e em especial no que toca a indústria high-tech, a literatura científica é ainda surpreendentemente escassa. Partindo desta lacuna, o presente trabalho visa explorar as especificidades e potencialidades do marketing de recrutamento na indústria de IT, aplicando uma metodologia de estudo de caso em torno da empresa Critical TechWorks (CTW). A CTW, fundada em 2018 através de uma Joint Venture entre a Critical Software e o grupo BMW, foi distinguida em 2020 com os prémios Fast Mover Emprego (empresa que mais cresceu em termos de criação de emprego qualificado na área de tecnologia em Portugal) e Fast MoverVolume de Negócios. Através de um desenho organizacional horizontal, inovador e peculiar, a CTW encontra no propósito, “Purpose”, o seu centro de atuação.  É com esta premissa que liga as áreas de Happiness, Hearts, Marketing e Talent, de forma a construir alinhamento e pontes entre diferentes áreas funcionais que têm como propósito, e foco principal, as pessoas

What Motivates Tourists to Take Wildlife Selfies?

The main objective of this research is to study the motivation behind clicking selfies with animals at wildlife tourist attractions (WTAs) in India. This study adopted a qualitative approach, and in-depth, face-to-face, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 16 respondents. The findings of the present study indicate the diverse range of motivational and influencing factors (e.g., ethical and animal welfare concerns, conservation advocacy, cultural and heritage connections, thrill and novelty, affordability, adventure and excitement, safety and ethical standards, personal growth and exploration, creation of travel memories, societal trends and peer influence, capture memories and souvenirs, environmental and conservation concerns, educational motivations, aesthetic value, escape from everyday life) that shape tourists' decisions to take selfies with animals. The findings of this research illustrate several motivational factors for taking selfies of animals at wildlife tourist attractions (WTA) in India, which can be used in creating public awareness about the negative impacts of selfies on wildlife. This research also offers new insights into the ongoing discussion on ethical wildlife tourism and the conservation of natural ecosystems in this age of social media

The role of Open Innovation and University-Industry Collaboration in the Pandemic- driven Changes in Businesses

This research aims at exploring the relationship between open innovation and university-collaboration (UIC) in promoting a growth in firm performance (turnover). As the covid-19 is a public health emergency and hit very hard on the world economies, conducting firms to deep downturns due to drastic change in socioeconomic life of people. We analyse the direct effect of inbound open innovation as well university-industry absolute number of contacts on turnover growth, as a cluster for the financial recovery of companies. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 878 Portuguese companies that previous respond to an open innovation survey and conducting a multi-nominal regression. The results show the moderating effects of inbound, UIC through contacts and hiring graduates’ employees

From products to platforms

This study critically examines the strategic feasibility of repositioning a conventional appliance manufacturer, such as Flama, as an Appliance-as-a-Service (AaaS) provider, within the broader frameworks of sustainability, digital transformation, and the circular economy. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, the analysis is grounded in internal strategic documentation and structured through conceptual lenses including the Resource-Based View (RBV), VRIO analysis, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and strategic planning tools such as the Ansoff Matrix and SWOT. Complementary instruments for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) alignment are also incorporated to assess value creation through sustainability. The findings indicate that the AaaS model—while context-sensitive—facilitates more stable revenue streams, enhances customer lifetime value, and enables the strategic deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and predictive analytics to increase operational agility. Circularity is not merely a theoretical principle but is operationalised through practices such as refurbishment cycles, reverse logistics, and lifecycle carbon tracking. Moreover, ESG-integrated key performance indicators (KPIs) strengthen governance structures by embedding accountability throughout organisational layers. The study concludes that AaaS signifies a fundamental shift from product-centric models to regenerative, service-oriented ecosystems. Although such a transition presents structural and behavioural challenges, it offers a credible and strategically sound pathway for industrial renewal within the evolving post-linear economy.This study critically examines the strategic feasibility of repositioning a conventional appliance manufacturer, such as Flama, as an Appliance-as-a-Service (AaaS) provider, within the broader frameworks of sustainability, digital transformation, and the circular economy. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, the analysis is grounded in internal strategic documentation and structured through conceptual lenses including the Resource-Based View (RBV), VRIO analysis, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and strategic planning tools such as the Ansoff Matrix and SWOT. Complementary instruments for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) alignment are also incorporated to assess value creation through sustainability. The findings indicate that the AaaS model—while context-sensitive—facilitates more stable revenue streams, enhances customer lifetime value, and enables the strategic deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and predictive analytics to increase operational agility. Circularity is not merely a theoretical principle but is operationalised through practices such as refurbishment cycles, reverse logistics, and lifecycle carbon tracking. Moreover, ESG-integrated key performance indicators (KPIs) strengthen governance structures by embedding accountability throughout organisational layers. The study concludes that AaaS signifies a fundamental shift from product-centric models to regenerative, service-oriented ecosystems. Although such a transition presents structural and behavioural challenges, it offers a credible and strategically sound pathway for industrial renewal within the evolving post-linear economy

From Greenwashing to Green Trust

As sustainability gains relevance in consumer decision-making, brands increasingly adopt environmental narratives to engage conscious audiences. However, the prevalence of greenwashing, misleading or exaggerated claims about environmental practices, has raised concerns about credibility, particularly in the fashion industry. This study aims to explore how marketing strategies can foster trust in sustainable brand communication. A structured literature review (SLR) was conducted using the Web of Science (WoS) database, resulting in the selection and analysis of 15 peer-reviewed articles. These were categorized into three thematic clusters: perceptions of authentic sustainability, sustainable authenticity in luxury branding, and ethics and consumer engagement. Findings reveal that trust is not built solely through sustainability claims, but through consistent, transparent, and ethically grounded communication. Younger consumers, especially, display high sensitivity to inconsistencies between brand discourse and action. The study proposes an integrative framework that positions ethics and consumer engagement as central mediators in the construction of green trust. This framework highlights the need for brands to move from performative declarations to participatory and value-driven narratives, in which consumers co-create meaning and legitimacy. The research contributes to current literature by synthesizing diverse perspectives on sustainable branding and offering strategic guidelines to help brands distinguish themselves from greenwashing practices and build enduring trust.À medida que a sustentabilidade ganha relevância na tomada de decisões dos consumidores, as marcas adoptam cada vez mais narrativas ambientais para envolver públicos conscientes. No entanto, a prevalência de greenwashing, afirmações enganosas ou exageradas sobre práticas ambientais, tem suscitado preocupações sobre a credibilidade, particularmente na indústria da moda. Este estudo tem como objetivo explorar a forma como as estratégias de marketing podem promover a confiança na comunicação sustentável das marcas. Foi efectuada uma revisão estruturada da literatura (RSL) utilizando a base de dados Web of Science (WoS), que resultou na seleção e análise de 15 artigos revistos por pares. Estes foram categorizados em três grupos temáticos: percepções de sustentabilidade autêntica, autenticidade sustentável em marcas de luxo, e ética e envolvimento do consumidor. Os resultados revelam que a confiança não se constrói apenas através de declarações de sustentabilidade, mas através de uma comunicação consistente, transparente e eticamente fundamentada. Os consumidores mais jovens, em especial, demonstram grande sensibilidade a inconsistências entre o discurso e a ação da marca.  O estudo propõe um quadro integrador que posiciona a ética e o envolvimento do consumidor como mediadores centrais na construção da confiança ecológica. Este quadro realça a necessidade de as marcas passarem de declarações performativas para narrativas participativas e orientadas para os valores, nas quais os consumidores co-criam significado e legitimidade. A investigação contribui para a literatura atual, sintetizando diversas perspectivas sobre o branding sustentável e oferecendo orientações estratégicas para ajudar as marcas a distinguirem-se das práticas de greenwashing e a construírem uma confiança duradoura

Da Terra ao Espaço

As humanity ventures further into the cosmos, the field of astromycology, which studies the effects of space conditions on fungi, is gaining increasing importance. Fungi, with their remarkable adaptability and ability to thrive in extreme environments, hold immense potential for space exploration. In Macau, a special administrative region of China, the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets) has emerged as a pioneer in astromycology research. The lab's astrobiology research group is dedicated to understanding the effects of space conditions on fungi and developing new technologies for utilizing fungi in space exploration. Their work includes sampling from terrestrial analogues, conducting exposure experiments with simulated outer space parameters, and screening fungal processes and strains for potential applications in space. Macau's contributions to astromycology are paving the way for ground-breaking discoveries and technological advancements that will shape the future of space exploration.À medida que a humanidade se aventura mais profundamente no cosmos, o campo da astromicologia, que estuda os efeitos das condições espaciais nos fungos, está a ganhar cada vez mais importância. Os fungos, com a sua notável adaptabilidade e capacidade de prosperar em ambientes extremos, detêm um imenso potencial para a exploração espacial. Em Macau, uma região administrativa especial da China, o Laboratório Estatal de Ciências Lunares e Planetárias (SKLPlanets) emergiu como pioneiro na investigação em astromicologia. O grupo de investigação em astrobiologia do laboratório está dedicado a compreender os efeitos das condições espaciais nos fungos e a desenvolver novas tecnologias para utilizar fungos na exploração espacial. Parte da investigação deste grupo inclui a recolha de amostras de análogos terrestres, a realização de experiências de exposição com parâmetros simulados do espaço, e a triagem de processos e estirpes fúngicas para potenciais aplicações na exploração espacial. As contribuições de Macau para a astromicologia estão a abrir caminho para descobertas revolucionárias e avanços tecnológicos que irão moldar o futuro da exploração espacial

Os Modelos de Governança com Características Chinesas

The aim of this study is to carry out a literature review of the concept of governance in the context of the People's Republic of China. While existing studies on Chinese governance often focus on governance from a business perspective, this analysis excludes that realm. Instead, it delves into the field of governance in the sphere of contemporary politics in China, both at the level of foreign and domestic policy, covering the period from 1978 to 2023. The lack of academic consensus on this issue of Chinese positioning in political governance is evident in both China studies and political science, with two predominant perspectives: one that defends China's peaceful rise as a statu quo power and another that presents the 'Chinese threat' as a tangible reality. This article analyses the factors that underpin both trends, highlighting the inherent and strategic ambiguity that characterizes China's positioning in this and other matters, and the role of its governance model in the new global order.O objetivo do presente estudo é efetuar uma análise da literatura sobre o conceito de governança no contexto da República Popular da China (RPC). Embora os estudos existentes sobre a governança chinesa se centrem frequentemente na governança do ponto de vista empresarial, a presente análise exclui esse âmbito. Em vez disso, aprofunda o domínio da governança na esfera da política contemporânea na China, tanto ao nível da política externa como interna, abrangendo o período de 1978 a 2023. A falta de consenso académico sobre esta questão do posicionamento chinês em matéria de governança política é evidente tanto nos estudos chineses como nas ciências políticas, com duas perspetivas predominantes: uma que defende a ascensão pacífica da China como uma potência do statu quo e outra que apresenta a ‘ameaça chinesa’ como uma realidade tangível. Este artigo analisa os fatores que sustentam ambas as tendências, sublinhando a ambiguidade inerente e estratégica que caracteriza o posicionamento da China nesta e noutras matérias, e o papel do seu modelo de governança na nova ordem global