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Women entrepreneurs face several challenges in creating and running ventures, especially in emerging and developing countries. In this sense, by aiming to generate inputs capable of helping overcome them, this study aims to categorize the policy, managerial and practical implications of articles whose empirical research was in one or more of the 155 emerging and developing countries. Further, although scholars have addressed female entrepreneurship in developed economies, there is scant literature in the context explored here. This article provides suggestions for new studies, helping academics fill gaps in the literature.

This article adopts a systematic literature review approach, performing content analysis and bibliometric description for the sample. The study comprises 77 articles selected from the Scopus and Web of Science databases.

Research concentrates on Asian countries, with lower incidences in Latin America and Africa. The policy implications focus mainly on the executive rather than legislative spheres. The practical implications focus mainly on entrepreneurial development agencies and women entrepreneurs. Among the suggestions for novel studies, those focusing on methodological choices and female enterprises stand out.

This paper maps and categorizes the policy, managerial and practical implications, helping to raise governments’, policymakers’ and practitioners’ awareness of the preferred strategies to overcome the challenges of female entrepreneurship.

This paper emphasizes reflections of mutual interest to researchers, policymakers and practitioners, filling gaps in studies that prioritize an academic audience. Regarding the academic audience, this paper contributes to innovatively categorizing suggestions for future research and building an extensive research agenda capable of guiding research in this area.

This study aims to assess the online presence of three Portuguese low-density territories and analyze the communication strategies employed by public and private entities within each municipality. The alignment between public and private entities within each municipality is also examined as a potential factor that could impact the effectiveness of digital communication strategies.

A qualitative methodology that employed content analysis and interviews to gather data from selected public and private entities in each of the municipalities under study was used.

Despite the widespread availability of digital communication tools, the municipalities under study are yet to fully exploit their potential to promote and publicize their offerings. This could be attributed to several factors such as a lack of knowledge and/or resources and a defective strategic approach to digital communication.

The major obstacle in maximizing the potential of digital communication tools in low-density destinations was not solely a result of restricted access. Rather, it was largely due to insufficient knowledge and resources required for their effective utilization, coupled with a lack of aligned vision among various stakeholders.

The competitive landscape in which tourist actors operate has transformed significantly because of the widespread adoption of digital communication led by social networks. However, studies exploring digital communication in low-density territories are still scarce. This study adds new insights into the main factors that hinder the efficient use of digital communication in these regions.

The main aim of the current study is to investigate the effect of Anti-Crack HP 67/36 glass fibre on the mechanical performance of mortars made of cement, with a focus on post-cracking evaluations using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique.

Experimental tests were carried out on 36-mm long fibres at 0.8% by volume and added to the normal strength (NSM), high strength (HSM) and high strength mortar with fly ash (HSMFA) mortars. CEM I 52.5 CP2 NF, CEM II/A-L 42.5 NF and CEM III/C 32.5 N-SR PM were used for each series of mortar to assess the performance of the glass fibres with the types of cement. F-class fly (FA) ash was used to reduce global CO₂ emissions.

The mortar’s strength decreased as the cement types changed from CEM I to CEM II and III. However, due to changes in the portlandite content of the cement, water porosity increased for both types of mortar, without and with fibre. It was also found that using glass fibre increased flexural strength more than compressive strength, regardless of the type of cement used. For all the strength classes, it was found that the mortar mixes with CEM I had the highest critical crack opening (w_c) and fracture energy (G_F), followed by CEM II and III. No significant effects were observed in the mortar’s property by replacing fly ash (12%).

Only mortars were formulated in this study, but the results must be verified at the concrete scale.

Validation of the DIC technique to characterize the post-cracking behaviour of cement-based material. Use of glass fibres to improve the material’s resistance to cracking.

Use of CEM II and CEM III cements with low CO₂ footprint instead of CEMI without altering the mechanical performance of the material.

The work is a further contribution to studying the cracking behaviour of several series of variable mortars depending on the resistance class and the type of cement used.

The Internet has encouraged rural tourism experience providers to develop a new management strategy that opts for disintermediation to access the market. In this context, incoming travel agencies (destination management companies [DMCs]), despite the local component, lose capacity to promote the rural tourism. The main question is what kind of relationship between stakeholders would enhance effective intermediation processes between them. The paper examines such constraints and limitations of existing relationships between small local rural tourism producers and DMCs.

Using the Basque Country region of northern Spain as a case study, the authors used a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology based on semi-structured in-depth interviews and an online survey. The data analysis strategy used incorporated descriptive and exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

In this research, most of the tourism disintermediation factors identified in previous literature were reinforced when tested in the rural context. The results confirm that power, value, product differentiation, digitisation and stakeholder collaboration are key elements. The value provided in the international segment by DMCs, though, was found to be irrelevant.

This article contributes to filling a gap in the literature on rural tourism destination management from a holistic view of the destination understanding the business-to-business (B2B) relationship among stakeholders in rural tourism. This paper focuses on those elements that create value for local producers to sell the products through intermediaries and provides a framework for understanding the factors involved in value creation in rural tourism intermediation, which is applicable to further empirical studies and provides interesting managerial implications.

The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of the level of indebtedness in the health sector in Portugal, taking into account the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, an attempt is made to understand whether the effect of a pandemic crisis is similar to that of a financial crisis.

To achieve this aim, two subperiods were analyzed: a global period between 2011 and 2020 that includes the pandemic crisis and the period between 2011 and 2014, designated as the financial assistance period by the “Troika” in Portugal. For a sample of 514 companies belonging to the NACE code: 86100 – activities of the health sector with hospitalization, the panel data methodology was applied, specifically, the generalized method of moments system proposed by Arellano and Bover (1995) and Blundell and Bond (1998).

The results of the study are in line with the Pecking-order explanatory theory, demonstrating that companies in this sector follow a financing hierarchy, preferentially resorting to internally generated funds and external debt. Additionally, the results reveal that the capital structure of companies has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As for the period of financial assistance, there are no major differences in evidence when the total debt ratio is considered. The results suggest different impacts when it comes to a bear market period caused by a health crisis or a period of growing economic slowdowns.

As far as we know, this is the first study that analyses the debt levels in the context of the health sector in a country with a financial system based on the bank sector, using short- and long-term debt ratios, taking into account the particularities of two different moments considered to be bear market that may eventually be useful for comparison with other bear market moments in other macroeconomic environments.

El objetivo principal de este estudio es examinar los determinantes del nivel de endeudamiento en el sector de la salud en Portugal, teniendo en cuenta los efectos de la pandemia de COVID-19. Al mismo tiempo, se intenta comprender si el efecto de una crisis pandémica es similar al de una crisis financiera.

Para lograr este objetivo, se analizaron dos subperíodos: un período global entre 2011 y 2020 que incluye la crisis pandémica y el período entre 2011 y 2014, designado como el período de asistencia financiera por la “Troika” en Portugal. Para una muestra de 514 empresas pertenecientes al código NACE: 86100 – actividades del sector de la salud con hospitalización, se aplicó la metodología de datos de panel, específicamente, el método generalizado de momentos (GMM)-sistema propuesto por Arellano y Bover (1995) y Blundell y Bond (1998).

Los resultados del estudio están en línea con la teoría explicativa del “Pecking-order”, demostrando que las empresas en este sector siguen una jerarquía de financiamiento, recurriendo preferentemente a fondos generados internamente y deuda externa. Además, los resultados revelan que la estructura de capital de las empresas ha cambiado debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. En cuanto al período de asistencia financiera, no hay diferencias significativas en la evidencia cuando se considera la proporción total de deuda. Los resultados sugieren impactos diferentes cuando se trata de un período de mercado bajista causado por una crisis de salud o un período de crecimiento económico más lento.

Hasta donde sabemos, este es el primer estudio que analiza los niveles de deuda en el contexto del sector de la salud en un país con un sistema financiero basado en el sector bancario, utilizando ratios de deuda a corto y largo plazo, teniendo en cuenta las particularidades de dos momentos diferentes considerados como momentos de mercado bajista que eventualmente pueden ser útiles para comparar con otros momentos de mercado bajista en otros entornos macroeconómicos.

O principal objetivo deste estudo é examinar os determinantes do nível de endividamento no setor de saúde em Portugal, levando em consideração os efeitos da pandemia de COVID-19. Ao mesmo tempo, tenta-se compreender se o efeito de uma crise pandêmica é semelhante ao de uma crise financeira.

Para atingir esse objetivo, foram analisados dois subperíodos: um período global entre 2011 e 2020, que inclui a crise pandêmica, e o período entre 2011 e 2014, designado como o período de assistência financeira pela “Troika” em Portugal. Para uma amostra de 514 empresas pertencentes ao código NACE: 86100 – atividades do setor de saúde com hospitalização, foi aplicada a metodologia de dados em painel, especificamente o método generalizado de momentos (GMM)-sistema proposto por Arellano e Bover (1995) e Blundell e Bond (1998).

Os resultados do estudo estão de acordo com a teoria explicativa da ordem de preferência (“Pecking-order”), demonstrando que as empresas neste setor seguem uma hierarquia de financiamento, recorrendo preferencialmente a fundos gerados internamente e dívida externa. Além disso, os resultados revelam que a estrutura de capital das empresas mudou devido à pandemia de COVID-19. No que diz respeito ao período de assistência financeira, não há diferenças significativas na evidência quando se considera a proporção total de dívida. Os resultados sugerem impactos diferentes quando se trata de um período de mercado em baixa causado por uma crise de saúde ou um período de desaceleração econômica.

Até onde sabemos, este é o primeiro estudo que analisa os níveis de dívida no contexto do setor de saúde em um país com um sistema financeiro baseado no setor bancário, utilizando índices de dívida de curto e longo prazo, levando em consideração as particularidades de dois momentos diferentes considerados como momentos de mercado em baixa que eventualmente podem ser úteis para comparação com outros momentos de mercado em baixa em outros ambientes macroeconômicos.