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This study aims to examine the blockchain landscape in supply chain management by drawing insights from academic and industry literature. It identifies the key drivers, categorizes the products involved and highlights the business values achieved by early adopters of blockchain technology within the supply chain domain. Additionally, it explores fingerprinting techniques to establish a robust connection between physical products and the blockchain ledger.

The authors combined the interpretive sensemaking systematic literature review to offer insights into how organizations interpreted their business challenges and adopted blockchain technology in their specific supply chain context; content analysis (using Leximancer automated text mining software) for concept mapping visualization, facilitating the identification of key themes, trends and relationships, and qualitative thematic analysis (NVivo) for data organization, coding and enhancing the depth and efficiency of analysis.

The findings highlight the transformative potential of blockchain technology and offer valuable insights into its implementation in optimizing supply chain operations. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of product provenance information to consumers, with blockchain technology offering certainty and increasing customer loyalty toward brands that prioritize transparency.

This research has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, there is a possibility that some relevant investigations may have been missed or omitted, which could impact the findings. In addition, the limited availability of literature on blockchain adoption in supply chains may restrict the scope of the conclusions. The evolving nature of blockchain adoption in supply chains also poses a limitation. As the technology is in its infancy, the authors expect that a rapidly emerging body of literature will provide more extensive evidence-based general conclusions in the future. Another limitation is the lack of information contrasting academic and industry research, which could have provided more balanced insights into the technology’s advancement. The authors attributed this limitation to the narrow collaborations between academia and industry in the field of blockchain for supply chain management.

Practitioners recognize the potential of blockchain in addressing industry-specific challenges, such as ensuring transparency and data provenance. Understanding the benefits achieved by early adopters can serve as a starting point for companies considering blockchain adoption. Blockchain technology can verify product origin, enable truthful certifications and comply with established standards, reinforcing trust among stakeholders and customers. Thus, implementing blockchain solutions can enhance brand reputation and consumer confidence by ensuring product authenticity and quality. Based on the results, companies can align their strategies and initiatives with their needs and expectations.

In essence, the integration of blockchain technology within supply chain provenance initiatives not only influences economic aspects but also brings substantial social impacts by reinforcing consumer trust, encouraging sustainable and ethical practices, combating product counterfeiting, empowering stakeholders and contributing to a more responsible, transparent and progressive socioeconomic environment.

This study consolidates current knowledge on blockchain’s capacity and identifies the specific drivers and business values associated with early blockchain adoption in supply chain provenance. Furthermore, it underscores the critical role of product fingerprinting techniques in supporting blockchain for supply chain provenance, facilitating more robust and efficient supply chain operations.

Diversity is one of the main characteristics of modern societies. To be teachers and trainers, it is necessary to use all the tools to respond to students with diversified needs. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to review the scientific production in Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS of 1996-2019 on the application of Virtual reality in people with Autism Spectrum Disoders (ASD) for the improvement of social skills.

For this purpose, two databases have been used: The Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS from the advanced search tab. After applying the search terms, 267 documents were obtained which were analysed according to a series of indicators.

The results indicate that the period 2016-2019 was the most productive and that SCOPUS has a focus on conferences and WOS is intended for journals. Furthermore, in SCOPUS, there are journals with higher quartiles (Q1) than in WOS. The study shows the great importance of virtual reality in people with ASD and its recent dissemination.

Currently, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no studies on the use of virtual reality in people with ASD using bibliometric indicators. The study allows us to know which databases publish higher quality research. Likewise, information can be obtained about the most productive centres and the most important authors on the subject.

Algorithmic and computational thinking are necessary skills for designers in an increasingly digital world. Parametric design, a method to construct designs based on algorithmic logic and rules, has become widely used in architecture practice and incorporated in the curricula of architecture schools. However, there are few studies proposing strategies for teaching parametric design into architecture students, tackling software literacy while promoting the development of algorithmic thinking.

A descriptive study and a prescriptive study are conducted. The descriptive study reviews the literature on parametric design education. The prescriptive study is centered on proposing the incomplete recipe as instructional material and a new approach to teaching parametric design.

The literature on parametric design education has mostly focused on curricular discussions, descriptions of case studies or studio-long approaches; day-to-day instructional methods, however, are rarely discussed. A pedagogical strategy to teach parametric design is introduced: the incomplete recipe. The instructional method proposed provides students with incomplete recipes for parametric scripts that are increasingly pared down as the students become expert users.

The article contributes to the existing literature by proposing the incomplete recipe as a strategy for teaching parametric design. The recipe as a pedagogical tool provides a means for both software skill acquisition and the development of algorithmic thinking.

The main objective of this study is to identify some of the variables that affect the perception of Brazil country brand, as well as the knowledge of the relationships between them.

The proposed model aims to find out the influence of the affective image, the cognitive image, the identity and the reputation on the country brand. Partial Least Squares (PLS) is the method used to test the proposed model.

According to the results obtained, it seems that both identity and reputation have a positive and significant effect on the country brand. On the other hand, the cognitive image is positively related to identity and the affective image, while it is surprising that the affective image itself shows no significant influence on identity.

The study is of particular interest to the policy makers of territories, explaining the factors they must influence in order to successfully enhance the country brand. It also contributes to theoretical development by proposing a conceptual model that highlights the importance of the cognitive image in the country brand, due to its effect on the affective image and identity.

El principal objetivo de este estudio es identificar algunas de las variables que inciden en la percepción de la marca país Brasil, así como el conocimiento de las relaciones entre ellos.

El modelo propuesto tiene como objetivo conocer la influencia de la imagen afectiva, la imagen cognitiva, la identidad y reputación en la marca país. El PLS (Partial Least Squares) es el método utilizado para probar el modelo propuesto.

Según los resultados obtenidos, parece que tanto la identidad como la reputación tienen un efecto positivo y significativo en la marca país. Por otro lado, la imagen cognitiva se relaciona positivamente con la identidad y la imagen afectiva, mientras que sorprende que la imagen afectiva en sí misma no muestra una influencia significativa sobre la identidad.

El estudio es de especial interés para los responsables políticos, ya que explica los factores que debe influir para potenciar con éxito la marca país. También contribuye al desarrollo teórico proponiendo un modelo conceptual que resalte la importancia de la imagen cognitiva en la marca país, por su efecto sobre la imagen e identidad afectiva.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the personality characteristics Hispanic shoppers ascribe to US retailers. This study is an exploratory attempt to uncover inconsistencies between Hispanic shoppers' views of US retailers and how those retailers believe they are identified.

Focus group methodology used in the study allowed Hispanic shoppers to attribute personality characteristics to some of the most prevalent retailers in the USA.

Analysis revealed Hispanic shoppers' personification did affect their beliefs about retailers.

There are many implications for retailers wishing to capture more of the Hispanic market segment including the importance of brand identity of the retailer and the buyer's self‐image.

This paper explores Hispanic shoppers' actual beliefs about US retailers, and is unique because of the different type of data collection techniques utilized to capture the data. The personification technique allowed individual, detailed descriptions of US retailers to emerge.

Higher education institutions have a significant impact in preparing future generations for the creation of a sustainable society. By formulating appropriate curricula, the university can shape student personality with sustainability concerns. This study aims to present the results of a teaching approach on environmental sustainability using the photovoice methodology. A guided visit to the sewage treatment plant of A Coruña was included as a teaching activity in the “Microbiology and Parasitology” classes of the podiatry degree at University of A Coruña. The teaching objectives were to reinforce contents through observation and to introduce citizen awareness on sustainability and responsible water use in a cross-sectional manner.

In this case study, different steps of photovoice as a qualitative participatory action methodology were developed. A total of 43 university students willingly participated with their photographs. Qualitative data were collected from the students’ photovoice visit reports and a subsequent discussion group. Thematic content analysis was performed manually.

This study explored the impact of an environmental sustainability teaching activity on the university student community. Six main categories emerged from the qualitative analysis: savings/waste of water, misuse of the water closet, disposing of used oil, solid waste/trash, reuse of clean water and reuse/reduction of the use of plastics. The cross-sectional findings on the needs of education and awareness of sustainability in the community and companies are presented.

The findings provide evidence of the ability of photovoice method as a pedagogical tool to promote reflection and change in the university community and to introduce sustainability cross-sectional content in green campus curricula. This photovoice experiment is simple and feasible to implement and has a very low economic cost, as long as there are qualified educators.

Constipation in hospitalised older adults leads to adverse events and prolonged stay. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to effectively prevent and manage constipation in older adults undergoing inpatient rehabilitation using a multidisciplinary war on constipation (WOC) algorithm.

A quality improvement project in older adults undergoing rehabilitation for prevention and constipation management was conducted. Quality improvement “plan-do-study-act” cycles included an initial constipation audit in the wards and meetings with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to develop an algorithm for the preventing, detecting and effectively treating constipation.

The project resulted in a 14 per cent reduction in constipation incidence after the newly developed WOC algorithm was introduced. The project also improved communication between patients and the MDT around patients’ bowel habits.

The project shows that using quality improvement methods in rehabilitation settings, earlier detection, earlier intervention and overall reduction in constipation in older adults can be achieved.

The WOC algorithm has been developed and institutionalised in the current setting. This algorithm may also be applicable in other inpatient settings.

This paper is focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Its main interest consists of establishing a framework for clarifying the drivers of CSR activities in such a context. This paper also aims to analyse how CSR influences SMEs' image and positioning.

The general conceptual framework proposed by the literature is complemented with empirical research based on a longitudinal multi‐case study (inter and intra‐industry).

The research proposes that the owner/managers' values, market pressures and laws are key drivers for CSR in the SMEs context. Managers expect positive outcomes when CSR is implemented. However, the data suggest that while proactive and consistent SMEs may build up a good image and strong positioning, reactive and opportunistic firms may be penalised by stakeholders (e.g. customers).

CSR activities, when adequately managed, contribute for a better SME image and market positioning.

The ideas presented in this paper may help in achieving better management of resources in SMEs.