Introduction. Small-scale commercial plazas combine shopping, services, gastronomy, and social interaction. In Cuenca, there is limited empirical evidence on visitor behavior and its variation across different time periods. Objective. To analyze consumer behavior in six commercial plazas in Cuenca by identifying patterns of visits, dwell time, footfall, and interaction with establishments. Methodology. A qualitative, descriptive-analytical study based on structured non-participant observation was conducted. Six commercial plazas were analyzed using an observation guide applied during three time periods: 10:00–12:00, 13:00–15:00, and 18:30–20:30. Results. Visits with a predefined destination predominated, with limited exploration among stores. Morning activity focused on errands and services; midday on gastronomic consumption; and evening on social and recreational activities. Banks, ATMs, supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, and cafés functioned as major traffic generators. Operational factors that limited commercial interaction were also identified. Conclusion. Visitors’ behavior varies according to visit purpose and time of day. Footfall and dwell time do not necessarily imply consumption, making it important to distinguish between presence, service use, dwell time, and transaction to improve commercial management. General Area of Study: Marketing. Specific area of study: Consumer behavior and commercial plaza management. Type of study: Original article.

Introduction. Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella, found in various countries around the world. Objective. The study was carried out with the aim of updating the main myths and truths about bovine brucellosis in Ecuador. Methodology. A non-experimental, descriptive, and analytical design was applied; for this, a literature review was conducted using different databases related to the study topic (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, SciELO, Redalyc, and Google Scholar), where combined descriptors were used for the search, considering publications from the last five years. Results. The results demonstrated that bovine brucellosis is a disease that affects livestock production worldwide, with a lower incidence in developed countries. The disease is transmitted through the ingestion of abortive secretions and contact between animals, causing late-term abortions and reduced fertility, thereby demonstrating that bulls are not the primary means of disease transmission within the herd. Diagnostic methods for this disease are based on serological tests (RBT, ELISA, CFT). The vaccines used for prevention and control are S19 and RB51, which are primarily administered to young females to reduce the transmission of this disease. Conclusion. It is concluded that myths regarding transmission routes and disease management persist today. General field of study: veterinary medicine. Specific field of study: zoonoses and infectious diseases of cattle. Study type: systematic literature review.

Introduction: this article analyzes the legal treatment of conflicts of interest in Ecuadorian corporate bodies and the role of corporate compliance as a mechanism for strengthening corporate governance. Objectives: a) To analyze the legal treatment of conflicts of interest in Ecuadorian corporate bodies and the role of corporate compliance as a prevention mechanism; b) to identify the limitations of the regulatory framework against conflicts of interest; c) to determine the scope of compliance as an instrument of good governance; d) to examine the relevance of commercial companies to voluntarily incorporate compliance standards aimed at their prevention and management. Methodology: based on a qualitative review of the Ecuadorian regulatory framework, the provisions applicable to the prevention of conflicts of interest are examined, especially in SMEs, as well as the civil liability that the Civil Code attributes to directors in support of their fiduciary duties. Likewise, the scope of corporate compliance as an instrument of good governance is studied and its potential contribution to transparency, organizational integrity and the protection of the social interest is assessed. Results: the results show that the civil liability of directors, together with compliance programs, codes of ethics, whistleblowing channels, compliance and abstention officers, are relevant tools to strengthen corporate management and promote a culture of compliance in Ecuadorian societies.  Conclusions: Ecuadorian law recognizes, in a general way, the duties of diligence, loyalty and good faith of directors, but lacks specific mechanisms for disclosure, abstention and control in the face of conflicts of interest, a gap that is aggravated in SMEs. Corporate compliance, through a code of ethics, compliance officer, reporting channels and declaration of conflicts, is confirmed as an ideal mechanism to operationalize these duties, provided that its incorporation follows a staggered model that distinguishes between large corporations and SMEs. General area of study: Law. Specific area of study: Corporate law. Type of article: original.

Introduction: despite the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational settings, empirical evidence regarding its actual effects at the high school level within the Latin American context remains limited. Objective: to evaluate the impact of AI on the learning outcomes of students at Unidad Educative Fiscal Jorge Enrique Chávez Celi, located in Santa Rosa, El Oro, Ecuador. Methodology: a mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design was employed. Academic performance during the 2025–2026 school year, which was conducted without systematic technological intervention, was compared with that of the 2026–2027 academic year, during which trained teachers integrated AI into the learning process in a guided manner. Data collection combined surveys, teacher interviews, and a comparative analysis of academic grades. Results: quantitative: Statistically significant improvements were observed in subjects such as mathematics (difference = +1.1; p < 0.001) and biology (+0.8; p < 0.01), as well as a notable increase in the frequency of AI use and perceived usefulness (p < 0.001). Qualitative: Four central categories emerged: pedagogical potential, the digital divide, the need for teacher training, and the impact on student autonomy. Conclusion: AI enhances the teaching and learning process when supported by adequate training, clear policies, and measures to reduce technological inequalities. General Area of Study: Education. Specific Area of Study: Artificial Intelligence in Education. Type of Study: Original Research Article.

Introduction. Secondary education requires strategies that articulate entrepreneurial competencies, leadership, and pedagogical use of technologies. Objective. The objective was to analyze the pretest postest changes in entrepreneurship and leadership competencies of secondary education students associated with a pedagogical strategy based on mentoring, collaborative networks, and EdTech tools. Methodology. A pre-experimental quantitative study of a particular group was conducted with 33 students aged 16 and 17 years. A 24-item Likert scale (1–5) organized into entrepreneurship, leadership, and use of digital tools/networks was applied. Results. Global internal consistency was high (αpre=.917; αpost=.868). The total score increased from M=88.24 (SD=12.79) to M=109.39 (SD=7.73); the mean difference was 21.15 points, 95% CI [15.97, 26.33], t(32)=8.32, p<.001, with a large effect size (d_z=1.45). Wilcoxon confirmed the difference (W=6, p<.001). Significant increases were also observed in entrepreneurship, leadership, and digital tools/networks. Conclusion. The findings show a large-scale pre-post change and support the formative potential of integrating accompaniment, collaboration, and digital resources. The absence of a control group, the post-test ceiling effect, and the limitations of instrumental validation restrict causal inference. General Area of Study: Education. Specific area of study: Master’s degree in educational leadership and Entrepreneurship. Type of study: Original articles.

Introduction. The constitutional recognition of intercultural legal pluralism in Ecuador raises the problem of guaranteeing legal certainty in the relationship between indigenous justice and ordinary jurisdiction, given the persistent absence of an interjurisdictional coordination law provided for in article 171 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador.
Objective. To analyze the case law treatment of legal certainty in Ecuadorian indigenous justice and to propose interjurisdictional coordination guidelines that guarantee it without undermining indigenous autonomy.
Methodology. Qualitative study, with a documentary design and jurisprudential case study, based on the content analysis of a corpus of five rulings issued by the Constitutional Court of Ecuador between 2014 and 2025.
Results. The analysis shows that legal certainty operates as an implicit standard within the guarantees of a competent judge and reasoned decision, rather than as the subject of an autonomous ruling; it documents, through anthropological expert opinions, a structurally equivalent own procedural sequence between kichwa communities in different locations; and it systematizes an interjurisdictional coordination model made up of six components operating at the jurisdictional, procedural, and structural levels.
Conclusion. The legal certainty of indigenous justice depends on the consistency with which the Constitutional Court has applied these criteria in the absence of a coordination law, and the systematized model offers a reference point for guiding the relationship between both justice systems until that law is enacted.
General Area of Study: Law
Specific area of study: Constitutional law / Legal pluralism
Type of study: Original article.