Minerva

Information and Communication Technologies as a Strategy for Developing Critical Thinkers

2026-09-10T22:51:58+00:00

Critical thinking is an essential competence in contemporary education, which has driven the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into teaching and learning processes. This study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence on ICT-based strategies that foster the development of critical thinking. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines using the Scopus and SciELO databases, resulting in the selection of 20 studies published between 2023 and 2026. The findings indicate that artificial intelligence, collaborative platforms, gamification, and virtual learning environments strengthen critical thinking when integrated through active learning methodologies and supported by adequate teacher digital competence. Barriers related to teacher trai-ning, the digital divide, and institutional constraints were also identified. The study concludes that the educational impact of ICT depends more on pedagogical integration than on technological availability.

Operational Efficiency and Persistence of Capital Adequacy in Peruvian Microfinance Institutions

2026-09-14T08:27:18+00:00

This study analyzed the relationship between operational efficiency and the persistence of capital adequacy in Peruvian microfinance institutions. A quantitative, longitudinal, and non-experimental approach was employed using monthly financial information from 15 institutions supervised by the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Fund Administrators. The dataset comprised 2,519 observations for the 2010–2023 period, and a dynamic fixed-effects model with institution-clustered robust standard errors was estimated. The results showed a high degree of persistence in the Capital Adequacy Ratio (ρ = 0.9407; p < 0.001). Likewise, the ratio of administrative expenses to financial income exhibited a negative and statistically significant association with capital adequacy (β = −0.0056; p = 0.002). It is concluded that operational efficiency constitutes a factor associated with capital strength and that capital adequacy follows a markedly persistent adjustment process.

Water Justice and Conflicts over Water in the Kichwa Community of La Calera, Ecuador

2026-09-15T08:27:30+00:00

This study examines the demand for water justice in the Kichwa community of La Calera, Ecuador, through the external and internal conflicts it faces regarding the use, distribution, and gover-nance of water resources. An interpretive qualitative methodology was employed, based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentary analysis, with the data analyzed according to grounded theory principles. The findings show that water is conceived as an essential common good with symbolic and identity-forming significance, thereby strengthening the community's social and cultural cohesion. They also reveal the persistence of centralized water-governance structures that hinder the recognition of existing community practices and norms. The study concludes that Indigenous worldviews and rights must be considered in the formulation of public water policies in order to promote water governance that is more just, equitable, and responsive to local contexts.

Relationship Between Purchasing Management and Internal Control in Public Hospitals: The Case of Huaycán, Peru

2026-10-16T16:47:42+00:00

This study examined the relationship between purchasing management and internal control at Huaycán Hospital, Peru, considering purchasing planning, supplier selection, and contract management. A non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was employed using a mixed-methods approach with quantitative predominance. Participants included 50 employees and three interviewed specialists. A 31-item Likert-scale questionnaire was administered, and Spearman’s rank correlations were calculated. Results revealed a strong positive association between purchasing management and internal control (Rho = 0.806; p < 0.001). Contract management exhibited the strongest correlation (Rho = 0.792), followed by purchasing planning (Rho = 0.663) and supplier selection (Rho = 0.438). Interviews highlighted staff training, correction of deficiencies, integrity, and operational efficiency. The findings indicate that the strength of the relationship varies across purchasing management dimensions.

Executive Functions as Cognitive Factors Associated with Reading Comprehension in Primary Education: A Systematic Review

2026-10-17T05:43:21+00:00

This systematic review analyzed recent evidence on the relationship between executive functions and reading comprehension among primary school students. Sixteen primary studies published between 2021 and 2026 were included, assessing working memory, inhibitory control, or cognitive flexibility. Working memory showed the most consistent association with reading comprehension, whereas inhibition and cognitive flexibility yielded more variable results depending on task characteristics, reader profiles, and assessment procedures. Indirect relationships were also identified through decoding, fluency, vocabulary, lexical processing, and language comprehension. The findings support a multicomponent interpretation of reading comprehension in which executive processes interact with linguistic and reading skills rather than replacing them.

Service Quality as a Catalyst for Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery in Micro and Small Enterprises: A PLS-SEM Multigroup Analysis

2026-10-20T00:42:11+00:00

Micro and small enterprises face conditions of vulnerability that limit their capacity for recovery and growth, so it is relevant to identify the factors that favor their economic reactivation. In this context, the study analyzes the role of service quality as a predictor of business performance and examines whether its effect varies according to the size of the productive unit. Using a quantitative approach and an explanatory-predictive model, the results show a positive relationship between service quality and economic reactivation, as well as differences between micro and small enterprises. The findings suggest that the availability of complementary resources conditions the ability to transform intangible assets into better economic results.

Confinement quality and mechanical coupling associated with seismic vulnerability

2026-10-21T09:18:41+00:00

The seismic vulnerability of confined masonry houses is a relevant problem in developing regions, especially in self-managed constructions, whose structural performance depends on the quality of the confinement. This research evaluated the influence of this quality on seismic vulnerability, considering the moderating effect of mechanical coupling of the interface. To this end, 326 houses were analyzed through technical inspections and a model of structural equations by partial least squares, complemented with statistical validation procedures. The results showed that a higher quality of confinement significantly reduces seismic vulnerability (β = −0.469; p < 0.001), an effect that intensifies when the mechanical coupling between structural elements improves. It is concluded that the effectiveness of confinement does not depend exclusively on its construction characteristics, but also on the integrity of the interface, whose evaluation is essential to properly guide seismic reinforcement strategies.

Urban-rural gap in mathematics achievement: problem comprehension and linguistic barriers

2026-10-21T09:18:32+00:00

Learning inequalities between students from urban and rural institutions are accentuated when the language of instruction differs from the mother tongue. This research analyzed the gaps in mathematical problem solving and the associated linguistic factors, through an explanatory cross-sectional study with 395 secondary school students from public institutions in Ayacucho, Peru. A confirmatory factor analysis and a hierarchical regression by ordinary least squares with robust standard errors were applied. The results showed that the rural context is associated with lower mathematical performance, although this disadvantage disappears when the difficulties of linguistic decoding are reduced and increases as they intensify. Likewise, the comprehension of mathematical statements contributes to attenuating inequality, instead of acting as a transmission mechanism. It is concluded that strengthening language skills is essential to reduce learning gaps between urban and rural contexts.

Allometric trajectories of clonal growth in Dipteryx ferrea: serial mediation and provenance

2026-10-23T04:56:52+00:00

Clonal growth of Amazonian timber species is selected on height, on the assumption that this trait anticipates later performance. This study examined whether height, diameter and branching form a developmental chain, and whether genetic provenance modifies that trajectory. Thirty clones of Dipteryx ferrea from four provenances, established in an Amazonian clonal garden, were measured monthly on fourteen occasions. Linear mixed models, generalised models for the count traits and a within-clone path analysis with contemporaneous and lagged specifications were fitted. The chain held only when temporal precedence between traits was respected, and even then it was partial. The covariation between height and diameter was strong within clones and null between clones. The provenance effect could not be resolved with the available information, and the study specifies how many clones its resolution would require. The findings provide selection criteria for restoration and bound the reach of the evidence.

Post-eruptive enamel maturity as a moderator of the relationship between prior experience and caries in first permanent molars

2026-10-23T05:43:21+00:00

Caries in first permanent molars is a relevant school oral health problem, and its association with previous caries experience may vary according to enamel maturation. This study evaluated the moderating role of post-eruptive time, used as an indirect indicator of enamel maturity, in this association among schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years, clustered within educational institutions. Poisson regression was performed using generalized estimating equations, with cluster-robust standard errors and adjustments for the design effect. The results showed that previous caries experience was associated with greater dental caries involvement, whereas post-eruptive time showed an inverse association. Furthermore, the significant negative interaction indicated that the magnitude of the association with previous caries experience progressively decreased as post-eruptive time increased, becoming statistically nonsignificant at higher levels. The findings, supported by sensitivity analyses, highlight the importance of considering post-eruptive time when assessing caries risk.

Management Control Systems in the Context of Digital Transformation: A Theoretical and Empirical Review

2026-10-25T09:20:55+00:00

Digital transformation is reconfiguring management control systems (MCS) through new forms of information processing, automation, coordination, and decision-making. This study exami-nes this relationship through an integrative review and relational thematic synthesis of 16 documents selected from specialized literature. The evidence was organized into six clusters: MCS architecture and reconfiguration, digital dynamic capabilities, digitalization and data-driven control, governance and decentralization, controllers and digital competencies, and artificial intelligence and algorithmic control. Co-occurrence analysis identified digitalization and data-driven control as the main connecting node, particularly through its relationships with controller competencies and governance. Four cross-cutting tensions also emerged: stability--adaptation, centralization--decentralization, automation--professional judgment, and efficiency--explainability. The findings indicate that digital transformation does not replace management control systems; rather, it reshapes their architecture, functions, professional roles, and governance mechanisms.

Autocratic School Leadership and Its Relationship with Teachers' Work Climate

2026-10-28T21:55:00+00:00

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between school leadership practices and teachers' work climate in an educational institution in Cotopaxi, Ecuador. A quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study was conducted with 60 participants selected through nonprobability sampling. Data were collected using a 12-item questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale and analyzed through descriptive statistics, internal consistency coefficients, and Spearman's rank correlation. The work environment received the highest proportion of favorable ratings (76.67 %), whereas school leadership received the lowest (66.67 %). A strong positive association was identified between the proposed composite scores (ρ = 0,8721; p < 0,001). The findings indicate that perceptions of both variables were closely associated; however, the instrument's psychometric limitations prevented a conclusive distinction between the constructs.

Historical Evolution of Child Support Obligations and the Suspension of Parental Authority in Peru: A Systematic Review

2026-10-29T03:23:41+00:00

This study aimed to analyze the historical evolution of child support obligations and their relationship with the suspension of parental authority under the Peruvian legal system. A qualitative documentary analysis was conducted using historical-legal, doctrinal, hermeneutic, and comparative methods, drawing on national and international legal, normative, and scholarly sources. The findings revealed the transformation of parental authority toward a model based on protective responsibilities and the consolidation of child support as a legally enforceable obligation. The comparative analysis identified institutional differences in the legal mechanisms governing restrictions on parental authority. It was concluded that Peruvian legislation expressly recognizes refusal to provide child support as grounds for suspending parental authority, while its application requires a legal assessment consistent with the best interests of the child.

Consumer Behavior and Innovation in the Beekeeping Supply Chain: Empirical Evidence from Ambato Canton, Ecuador

2026-10-31T09:27:31+00:00

This study analyzed the relationship between consumer behavior and the perceived innovation of bee products, using a quantitative, correlational, and descriptive approach. A 19-item questionnaire was administered to 384 consumers selected via convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were employed. Honey was the most consumed product (73.7 %), purchased primarily at local markets (34.4 %) or directly from beekeepers (29.2 %), with price serving as the main decision-making criterion (44.0 %). The dimension of satisfaction and loyalty yielded the highest mean score regarding consumer behavior (M = 4.52), while the perception of commercial innovation recorded the lowest score in the study (M = 2.83). The overall correlation was positive, moderate, and significant (ρ = 0.515; p < 0.001). It is concluded that consumer-perceived innovation serves as a strategic factor for strengthening the competitiveness of small-scale beekeepers.

El Niño Events and Peruvian Fisheries: Multispecies Responses and Adaptive Management

2026-11-05T01:07:16+00:00

The warm El Niño event alters the productivity, distribution, catchability, and management of Peruvian fishery resources. A systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted, complemented by a descriptive synthesis of scientific publications and official documents covering the period 2015--2026. The results revealed heterogeneous ecological and fisheries responses to warm conditions. Peruvian anchoveta exhibited coastal concentration, deeper schooling distributions, and changes in size structure, whereas jumbo flying squid, jack mackerel, and Pacific bonito showed temporary availability to certain fishing fleets. Fishery landings simultaneously reflected environmental variability, resource accessibility, fishing effort, and regulatory measures; therefore, they cannot be considered direct estimates of abundance. Strengthening adaptive, climate-responsive, and multispecies fisheries management is recommended through integrated hydroacoustic and oceanographic monitoring, dynamic spatial closures, and differentiated forecasting for coastal and offshore environments to support timely and evidence-based fisheries management decisions. The 2026 El Niño event is considered an ongoing episode.

Collaborative work in basic education students: a systematic review

2026-11-09T09:38:54+00:00

This study aimed to analyze scientific evidence on collaborative work among basic education students, considering its formative contributions, pedagogical and technological mediation, and opportunities for educational inclusion and innovation. A systematic literature review with qualitative narrative synthesis was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Twenty studies published between 2021 and 2026 were analyzed, and their findings were organized into three thematic components. The results identified contributions of collaborative work to academic achievement, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and communication and socioemotional skills. They also highlighted the importance of teacher planning, equitable participation, and the pedagogical integration of digital technologies. It is concluded that collaborative work constitutes a relevant educational strategy whose effectiveness depends on pedagogical mediation and the characteristics of the educational context.