Leveraging E-Commerce Opportunities for Developing Countries

Building on resource-based theory, we seek to explore the underlying impact of social and technical resources on e-commerce capabilities under top management support. To fully capture and understand the relationship between these important constructs, we apply a combination of complementary techniques, namely, advanced analysis of composites structural equation modelling (ADANCO-SEM) in Study 1 and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis in Study 2. Study 1 findings show that e-commerce infrastructure and skills, in addition to guanxi, positively affect e-commerce capabilities. Furthermore, top management support positively moderates the relationship between e-commerce infrastructure and e-commerce capabilities, but it has no effect on the relationship between guanxi and e-commerce capabilities and on the relationship between e-commerce skills and e-commerce capabilities. Based on the findings of Study 1, Study 2 further unveils two configurations – guanxi and e-commerce infrastructure, and guanxi and e-commerce skills – that can lead to e-commerce capabilities. The moderating effect of guanxi is confirmed empirically in post hoc analysis. These results refine the findings in the ADANCO-SEM analysis concerning the conditions for the formation of e-commerce capabilities. The empirical findings can help firms use organisational resources more efficiently and thus develop e-commerce capabilities and gain competitive advantages.

The rural transport infrastructure sector is a critical force for sustainable development that is interwoven with many other sectors. Rural transportation is an underlying driver of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a crucial contributor to many socioeconomic benefits for rural people around the world. This review paper expands upon, enhances, and cross-references the perspectives outlined in previous rural infrastructure-focused review papers. Firstly, this work gives a thorough look into the progress of the rural transportation sector in recent years by focusing on the thematic relationships between infrastructure and other components of sustainable development, namely, economics and agriculture, policy and governance, health, gender, education, and climate change and the environment. Secondly, several strategies, approaches, and tools employed by governments and practitioners within the rural transport sector are analyzed and discussed for their contributions to the wellbeing of rural dwellers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These include rural roads, bridges, maintenance, and non-infrastructural approaches that include concepts such as advanced technological innovations, intermediate modes of transport (IMTs), and transport services. This paper concludes that enhancement, improvement, and extension of rural transportation infrastructure brings significant benefits to rural dwellers. However, this paper also calls for additional integration of the sector and increased usage of systems approaches that view rural transport as an active part of many other sectors and a key leverage point within rural development as a whole. Further, this paper notes areas for future research and investigation, including increased investigation of the relationship between rural transportation infrastructure and education, improved data collection and management in support of improved policymaking, improved prioritization of interventions and institutionalization of maintenance, and expansion of pro-poor transportation strategies and interventions.

Tibial plateau fractures (TPFs) are complex intra-articular injuries associated with long-term disability if not optimally treated. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where high-energy trauma is prevalent and health system resources are constrained, management strategies, and outcomes differ substantially from those reported in high-income countries. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from LMICs on treatment approaches, functional outcomes, and complications following TPFs. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and regional databases for studies conducted in LMICs, published up to May 2025. Eligible studies included adult patients with TPFs managed surgically, reporting functional or radiological outcomes. Data were extracted on demographics, fracture type, surgical technique, and outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and Cochrane ROB-2 tools. Fifteen studies comprising 1,213 patients from South Asia, and Africa were included. Patients were predominantly male (65–75%) with mean ages between 35 and 45 years; road traffic accidents were the leading cause. Dual plating yielded superior alignment and higher Knee Society Scores (75–85) but carried increased infection rates (10–18%). Ilizarov and hybrid fixators achieved high union rates (>90%) with acceptable function, although pin-tract infections (15–20%) and malalignment (10–12%) were common. Arthroscopic-assisted fixation improved articular reduction but was limited to tertiary centres. A randomized trial demonstrated that immediate weight-bearing enhanced gait recovery without increased implant failure. Across studies, complication rates exceeded those reported in high-income countries, reflecting systemic barriers such as limited rehabilitation access, implant scarcity, and inadequate soft tissue care. In LMICs, satisfactory union and functional recovery can be achieved following TPF surgery, but complication rates remain high. Dual plating offers superior stability, while Ilizarov fixation provides a resource-appropriate alternative. System-level improvements in rehabilitation, infection prevention, and trauma infrastructure are critical to narrowing outcome disparities with high-income countries.

ROAD SAFETY: A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Bank Efficiency and Openness in Africa: Do Income Levels Matter?

PurposeThis study aims to examine the effects of financial development and banking regulation on technology gaps and cost efficiency in banks, controlling for bank- and country-specific factors.Design/methodology/approachA stochastic frontier analysis is used to empirically investigate the cost efficiency of 277 banks in 11 Asia-Pacific countries from 2011 to 2019. To compare their banking sectors, 11 countries are categorized as high- or low-income.FindingsThe results show that the level of financial development is key to the technology type adopted by banks in low-income countries, but the regulatory environment is more important to technology gaps and cost efficiency in high-income countries.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this study relates to data availability: some firms were excluded through the application of limiting criteria. The research has implications for bank regulators in high-income countries and demonstrates the need for further investigation of the financial development of banks in low-income countries.Originality/valueThis study applies the most recent meta-frontier technique to a sample of banks in the Asia-Pacific region to identify determinants of bank cost efficiency and technology gaps.

The advancements in information and communication technology, particularly social media, have globally reshaped the business landscape. SMEs are expected to leverage these technologies to expand their markets, enhance operational efficiency, and strengthen customer relationships. This research aims to identify the critical role of industry-academia partnerships in supporting the transformation of social media and information technology in SMEs. The study employs a qualitative approach with a literature review method. Data for this research are sourced from scholarly articles indexed by Google Scholar from 2013 to 2024. The findings indicate that the transformation brought by social media and information technology has profoundly changed how SMEs operate. Through the adoption of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as well as e-commerce technologies, SMEs can extend their market reach, reinforce brand identity, and enhance direct interaction with potential customers at minimal costs. Information technology also supports efficiency in inventory management, order processing, and market analysis. Despite challenges such as technological skill gaps, partnerships among industry, academia, and government are crucial in enabling SMEs to optimally utilize these technologies

The vast majority of infants are born in poor countries, but most of our knowledge about infants and children has emerged from high-income countries. In 2003, M. Tomlinson and L. Swartz conducted a survey of articles on infancy between 1996 and 2001 from major international journals, reporting that a meager 5% of articles emanated from parts of the world other than North America, Europe, or Australasia. In this article, we conducted a similar review of articles on infancy published between 2002 and 2012 to assess whether the status of cross-national research has changed in the subsequent decade. Results indicate that despite slight improvements in research output from the rest of world, only 2.3% of articles published in 11 years included data from low- and middle-income countries--where 90% of the world's infants live. These discrepancies are indicative of the progress still needed to bridge the so-called 10/90 gap (S. Saxena, G. Paraje, P. Sharan, G. Karam, & R. Sadana,) in infant mental health research. Cross-national collaboration is urgently required to ensure expansion of research production in low-resource settings.

Balancing Equity and Advancement: The Role of Health Technology Assessment in Radiotherapy Resource Allocation

Economic development is a process of structural transformation with continuous technological innovation and industrial upgrading, which increases labor productivity, and accompanied improvements in infrastructure and institution, which reduces transaction costs. The middle-income trap is a result of a middle-income country’s failure to have a faster labor productivity growth through technological innovation and industrial upgrading than high-income countries. Industrial policy is essential for the government of a middle-income country to prioritize the use of its limited resources to facilitate technological innovation and industrial upgrading by overcoming inherent externality and coordination issues in structural transformation. The industries in a middle-income country may be classified into five different types, depending on their distance to the global technology frontier: catching-up industries, leading-edge industries, comparative advantage-losing industries, short innovation cycle industries, and comparative advantage-defying strategic industries. Industrial policy should be designed accordingly.

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) remains a significant public health and educational issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study explores the influence and involvement of teachers in the menstrual hygiene management of female secondary school students in Kogi State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, with a sample of 300 teachers from both public and private secondary schools selected through a multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and focus group discussions, and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Findings indicate a generally high level of knowledge about menstruation among teachers, with 95.7% agreeing that girls should be educated before menarche. However, persistent myths remain, including beliefs that menstruation is a disease or that it signifies readiness for marriage. Moreover, 65% of teachers were found to demonstrate poor MHM practices, and qualitative findings revealed low levels of teacher involvement, especially among male teachers. Cultural taboos, lack of training, and gender norms were identified as major barriers to effective teacher engagement in MHM. Statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between teachers’ knowledge and their practices (p > 0.05), suggesting that awareness alone does not translate into supportive behavior. The study concludes that systemic changes, including teacher training, infrastructural improvements, and policy reforms, are needed to improve MHM in schools. It recommends multi-level interventions to equip teachers with the knowledge, skills, and institutional support required to promote menstrual dignity among adolescent girls.

BackgroundRoad traffic injuries are a major public health problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Post-crash management can play a significant role in minimizing crash consequences and saving lives. Iran has one of the highest mortality rates from road traffic injuries in the world. The present study attempts to fill the knowledge gap and explores stakeholders' perceptions of barriers to – and facilitators of – effective post-crash management in Iranian regions.MethodsThirty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical services personnel, police officers, members of Red Crescent, firefighters, public-health professionals, road administrators; some road users and traffic injury victims. A qualitative approach using grounded theory method was employed to analyze the material gathered.ResultsThe core variable was identified as "poor quality of post crash management". Barriers to effective post-crash management were identified as: involvement of laypeople; lack of coordination; inadequate pre-hospital services; shortcomings in infrastructure. Suggestions for laypeople included: 1) a public education campaign in first aid, the role of the emergency services, cooperation of the public at the crash site, and 2) target-group training for professional drivers, police officers and volunteers involved at the crash scene. An integrated trauma system and infrastructure improvement also is crucial to be considered for effective post-crash management.ConclusionTo sum up, it seems that the involvement of laypeople could be a key factor in making post-crash management more effective. But system improvements are also crucial, including the integration of the trauma system and its development in terms of human resources (staffing and training) and physical resources as well as the infrastructure development.

Inclusive climate resilient transport challenges in Africa

Preconception care (PCC) is a preventive strategy for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness and utilisation of PCC services. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted at a teaching hospital. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to extract information. A total of 450 participants responded; 44.2% (190/450) were aware, 31.7% (143/450) had good knowledge, while only 10.3% (46/450) received PCC. Health care providers were the main source of information (77.9%). There was statistically significant correlation between awareness and participants’ level of education (p < .001) and residence (p < .001), as well as between utilisation and education (p < .001), and information from doctors (p < .001). There was a low level of awareness and poor utilisation of PCC, underpinning the need to scale up health education, establishment of functional PCC clinics and formulation of evidence-based guidelines to improve uptake and pregnancy outcome.Impact statementWhat is already known on the subject of the paper? PCC has been known in high-income countries as a prevention-based strategy, which aims at improving obstetric outcomes. However, the level of utilisation in low-income countries like Nigeria is either unknown or far too low.What do this study add? This work has provided local data on PCC; clearly indicating that the awareness and utilisation of PCC services in Abakaliki, Nigeria is very low when compared with other regions of the world, and this was influenced by the socio-demographic factors – particularly education and place of residence (for awareness), and level of education and information from health care providers (for utilisation), thus suggesting that enlightenment and improvement in social infrastructures could improve awareness, access and utilisation of PCC.What are the implications for clinical practice and/or further research? The implications of these findings in low resource settings like ours will include introducing interventions to scaling up health education, universal establishment of functional PCC units and formulation of evidence-based guidelines aimed at improving the uptake of PCC and pregnancy outcome. Further research will also be needed in future to assess the impact of such interventions and how to sustain potential benefits.

Water main failures are very expensive for municipalities because they typically result in expenses associated with repair costs, flood damage, and loss of revenue to affected businesses. Water main failures also interrupt the operation of vital services, such as medical care and fire-fighting operations. Currently, millions of dollars are spent annually by the water utility industry and by municipalities on the repair of failed components of the water distribution infrastructure, such as components that are made from gray cast iron or "gray iron” pipe and ductile cast iron or "ductile iron” pipe. The rate of municipal water main failures is expected to increase as the existing cast iron infrastructure continues to age. The cost of repairing damages caused by broken water mains (and subsequent flooding damage) may become an important item in many municipal budgets. It is important to develop a corrosion program to prevent catastrophic failures of water mains. This paper presents a plan consisting of several phases including preassessment, indirect assessment, direct assessment, and integrity assessment of failed water mains. We will elaborate on the failure mechanisms, failure analysis protocols, and corrosion mitigation strategies for water mains that experience breaks. Water main breaks are mainly due to corrosive soil, pipe material, galvanic action, stray current corrosion, or microbiological induced corrosion (MIC). This paper provides an overview of corrosion issues commonly experienced by water main pipes, presents specific case histories involving graphitic corrosion, galvanic corrosion, stray current corrosion, and MIC. In this paper, we will introduce a graphitization sensor for condition assessment of water mains. This sensor can identify the location and extent of graphitization on water main.