Crowdfunding platforms: a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis

Due to the financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs and small businesses have had multiple difficulties accessing conventional types of financing. Crowdfunding platforms have gained popularity as an alternative means of online financing. The main objective of this research is to analyze the most important articles that may influence future studies on crowdfunding platforms in Latin America. This article analyzes the Scopus and Web of Science databases considering three of the four categories of crowdfunding based on capital flows: Reward, Equity, and Lending, using a systematic review of the literature and bibliometric analysis. This research resulted in a total of 1032 articles which, after applying the appropriate criteria, resulted in 55 selected articles. The results show that the number of studies conducted in the field of crowdfunding platforms is increasing. Crowdfunding platforms provide a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to obtain alternative financing and a new way for investors to invest their capital. Future lines of research include conducting studies that involve a stronger focus on the technology used in crowdfunding platforms. With systematized access to information, the different actors can understand how the dynamics of crowdfunding platforms can stimulate the development of business projects, as well as the decision-making factor when investing. This document is of great interest to researchers and professionals who wish to increase their knowledge of crowdfunding platforms, especially those of Reward, Equity, and Lending, in addition to gaining knowledge on relevant conclusions and suggestions for future research. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

E-learning platforms and their impact on university education during the COVID-19 pandemic

The current situation caused by COVID-19 has accelerated the change in lifestyles and therefore Universities have had to modify their teaching-learning models. The objective of this work is to explore the factors that affect the perception of satisfaction and the learning results of those when using online learning applications. Through a quantitative methodology and using as a basis the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Information Systems Success Model (ISs), the results were analyzed by means of PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling). The data were collected through a survey conducted by a structured questionnaire and sent to students of different levels of higher education. Among the main findings, it was obtained that the higher the satisfaction of users of online learning platforms, the higher the results. The information obtained can contribute to the Universities being able to enhance this type of tool to efficiently achieve the proposed educational objectives.

Determining factors of the business growth in MSMEs affected by COVID-19

The health crisis caused the SARS-CoV-2 and his disease the COVID-19 has significantly affected companies both nationally and internationally, triggering a series of negative consequences on critical success factors such as sales and hire. The purpose of this research was to analyze the incidence of variables such as the employer gender, age and size of the company, and the support of suppliers in the economic activity of Costa Rican MSMEs in the context of the health and economic crisis. To prepare this study, a database collected by the Ministry of the Economics of Industry and Commerce (MEIC) was used, corresponding to a sample of 2718 MSMEs from the business park. A Logistic Regression Model was used for data analysis, which allowed us to examine the significant statistical relationships of the variables studied. The results support a significant relationship between the company's size concerning the level of sales and the hiring of personnel. On the other hand, they point out that there is no significant relationship between the gender of the owners or administrators and the age of the MSMEs to the two dependent variables.