Sectors Of Activity Research Articles

The Commercialization of Cuban Medical Services in Primary Health Care

Introduction: The activity of the health sector and its exports require a comprehensive and systemic approach. Cuba has resources that affect the growth of health tourism. Marketing the services that are carried out every day in Primary Health Care is not integrated into the work system of its professionals. Objective: Implement a strategy for the commercialization of Cuban Medical Services from Primary Health Care. Methods: An intervention study with a single study group was carried out between July 2022 and June 2023, in the municipality of Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus province. 90 participants were included. Qualitative and quantitative research techniques and procedures were integrated. The feasibility test was applied to reach a consensus among the specialists consulted. Results: the female sex predominated. Before applying the strategy, the level of information was 100% inadequate, and then it went to a 98.88% adequate level of information. The applied strategy solves the essential problems of the investigation. The opinion of the specialists was in favor of the applicability of the strategy. Conclusions: The strategy introduced positive modifications in the knowledge of those included in the study. It was considered very appropriate by the specialists consulted, so its application is viable.

Digitization of social welfare entities and its importance for the effective implementation of social services in the public management system

Background: For almost a decade, before the Covid-19 pandemic forcefully highlighted the importance of this area, the digital future of Europe had been the main focus of European Union politicians and senior officials. In February 2020, the European Commission published the communication “Shaping Europe’s Digital Future,” which outlines the European Union's digital transformation strategy. Research objectives: This article aims to identify the information and communication technology tools used by a public entity providing social services such as a Social Assistance Centre (SAC). The SAC is the basic organizational entity implementing social policy goals in the social welfare subsystem, functioning in every municipality in Poland. Research design and methods: The research method used in this article was a case study. Results: The implementation of digital tools into the OPS enabled the entity to identify problems in real time and respond to them faster, make more accurate decisions faster and more efficiently, and access a huge amount of data that improved the analyses carried out. Conclusions: The use of modern technologies in organizations providing social services contributes to a better use of available resources. In the broader perspective of city, regional, or national governance, the use of ICT provides new evidence for the design of community-based public policies and their adaptation to new realities, enables reforming the operation of public organizations, and increases the transparency of public sector activities.

Zoning a productive city? A typology of clustering, diversity and specialisation in Melbourne’s urban industrial areas

This research focuses on identifying the nuanced land use dynamics of urban industrial zones. Industrial lands in major Western cities have undergone significant change in the face of increasingly competitive property markets. At the same time, many countries seek to reshore manufacturing and support local industrial activity amid changes in production technologies, global supply chain shocks and geopolitical insecurity. Yet policymakers often fail to seriously consider the contemporary character of industrial zones and research has yet to analyse this in a systematic way. In response, we employ k-means cluster analysis to develop a typology of industrial zones in Melbourne, Australia. The typology captures a range of industrial zone clusters, which vary by industry mix, specialisation and spatial pattern. While some clusters represent traditional industrial areas, others are highly diverse in terms of firm and employment mix encompassing service sector activity and specialised manufacturing industries. These variations underscore the limitations of traditional zoning frameworks focused predominately on use separation and point towards the need for more responsive and context-specific urban economic development and industrial land use policies.

Transformations in the legal regulation of the activities of volunteer organizations

The article examines the transformations that took place in the 20th and 21st centuries in the legal regulation of the activities of volunteer organizations, and finds out what is important for understanding modern processes that take place in conditions of full-scale war and global digitalization processes. It was revealed that significant changes in the 20th century in the legal regulation of public sector activities were associated with the October Revolution. In 1917, significant changes were made to the legislation and the appearance procedure for the termination of public organizations was first introduced, and later it was replaced by a judicial one. It is substantiated that for the development of the volunteer movement and public associations, the provision of freedom of unions by the III Universal of the Ukrainian Central Rada of November 7(20), 1917, and later such a right was provided for by the Constitution of the Ukrainian People’s Republic («Statute on the State System, Rights and freedom of the Ukrainian People’s Republic») dated April 29, 1918. Unfortunately, the norms of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR of 1919 repeated the provisions of the Constitution of the USSR of 1918, and Article 26 limited the right to form associations. Along with legislative bans on the practice, mass burial of movements and associations is taking place. The declaration of Ukraine’s independence became a new stage in the development of legislation regulating the legal status of public organizations and volunteer movements. The recognition of the right to association at the constitutional level was an important next stage for the development of volunteer public organizations in Ukraine. On March 22, 2012, a new Law of Ukraine «On Public Associations» was adopted, which replaced the Law of Ukraine «On Associations of Citizens». In addition, in 2011, a special legislative act was adopted - the Law of Ukraine «On Volunteering», which provides for volunteering as a form of charity, and the right to attract volunteers is granted to these organizations, which are included in the Register of non-profit institutions and organizations. It has been proven that the full-scale war was preceded by the cleansing of the legal system of Ukraine from Soviet totalitarian norms that limited the activities of public volunteer organizations. At the same time, the growth of volunteer activity was facilitated by the occupation of the ARC, as well as parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, and later by the full-scale war in Ukraine. Further transformations in legal regulation will be associated with global digitalization.

Risk Prioritizing with Weighted Failure Mode and Effects Analysis and Fuzzy Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis: An Application Software Service Provider Company in the Defense Industry

With the development of technology, the need for software and software products to manage, control, and develop activities in many sectors is increasing daily. In order to create suitable software that will meet the needs of businesses and customers, the software application must be tested in detail before reaching the end user. For this reason, software testing processes are gaining importance in software development activities. This article discusses which errors are critical to solve in complex situations for the reliability and quality of the software product and the relationship between errors. In this study, the classical FMEA method was primarily used to identify and prioritize errors in an ongoing project of a company that provides software services in the defense industry. Later, to eliminate the shortcomings of the classical FMEA method, a new model, the weighted FMEA method (which calculates the risk priority score with five sub-severity components), was developed and applied. In the newly developed weighted FMEA method, the weights were determined by the fuzzy SWARA (Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) method since the weights of the severity subcomponents were not the same. The risk priority number (RPN) of error types was calculated using classical FMEA and weighted FMEA. Since the RPNs calculated with weighted FMEA are calculated with more subcomponents, the chances of the RPNs’ errors appearing the same are much less than the RPNs calculated with classical FMEA. This situation indicates that the RPNs calculated with weighted FMEA are obtained from a more profound analysis.

National census of UK endoscopy services in 2023

BackgroundThe Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (JAG) conducts a biennial census of UK endoscopy services. The 2023 census aimed to assess the current status of endoscopy services and compare...

Patent Activity of Countries and Sectors in Graphene-Based Technologies

Purpose: The aim of this article is to analyse the patent activity of various countries, regions, and sectors (academic, private, governmental) from 2000 to 2018, identifying global leaders in graphene-based technologies. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on an analysis of patent filings from the PATSTAT (EPO) database covering the years 2000-2018. Bibliometric techniques were employed to quantify trends in patent filings, combined with statistical analysis to identify areas with the highest growth dynamics. The data was segmented by countries and sectors, enabling a statistical examination of regional and sectoral diversity. Findings: The findings reveal a diverse level of development in graphene technologies across different regions and sectors, influenced by local innovation strategies and varying levels of research and development engagement. Initially, the provision of essential research resources and infrastructure played a crucial role in enabling the growth of graphene-based technologies. As research progressed, there was a notable increase in patent activity, reflecting the intensification of research and development efforts and the gradual implementation of new technologies across various industrial sectors. Research limitations: The research limitations stem from the quality of patent data, which does not always reflect the full scope of research and development activity. Issues may arise from classification errors, inconsistencies in name standardization, transcription errors, and data incompleteness, all of which may affect the accuracy of the analysis results. Research implications: This study provides valuable insights into the development and commercialization of graphene technologies, which can support innovation strategies across various sectors. The findings can assist policymakers in making decisions regarding resource allocation and setting research and development priorities, as well as understanding the dynamics of activity and collaboration between sectors. Originality/value: The article contributes to the literature on innovation management, particularly in the context of breakthrough technologies represented by graphene-based technologies. The study provides detailed insights into the leaders in this field, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration in the effective implementation of new technologies and fostering innovation dynamics.

Reconceptualizing the youth and waithood notions: African youth agency and rural livelihoods in artisanal and small-scale mining

This paper seeks to revisit the notion that Africa's youth are caught up in waithood by providing empirical data and critical analysis of the perspectives of youth engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews from multiple episodes of research in Ghana, we offer seven (7) key findings to argue that the situation of African youth is far more complex and nuanced than the simple portrayal that they are stuck in waithood – i.e. unable to enter the formal labor market to attain respectful adulthood. Thus, our findings offer three (3) perspectives which reflect better the reality of the African youth, enabling us to reconceptualize waithood experiences: Time-bound waithood or waithood temporality, Survival-hood, and Ensnared waithood. The time-bound waithood or waithood temporality reflects a situation where the youth choose to participate in informal sector activities like ASM as a temporal livelihood strategy or as a transition process while negotiating access to well-paid jobs in the formal sector that offer job security. The survival-hood is where youth assert their individual and collective agency to participate in informal sector jobs (in this case, ASM operations) as a survival mechanism, reflecting different livelihood possibilities and complementarities. The ensnared waithood reflects the situation where some youths are caught up in a web of their socialization process or enculturation which implants in their minds that good jobs are those of formal sector or salaried employment which are primarily based in the urban economy. From these perspectives, we argue that waithood is both a process (i.e. transitional) and an end in itself depending on the situation in which the youth perceive formal labor jobs and the willingness to utilize their agency to create their own work or secure informal sector jobs amidst structural constraints or neoliberal policies inhibiting employment for young people in the formal labor market. Based on our findings, we develop a Youth agency outcome framework(YAOF) which highlights how structural constraints (such as government policies, neoliberal policies, social norms and regulations within an economic sector) serve as an impediment to formal sector employment for tertiary graduates (educated youths). The framework further highlights how structural constraints trigger the utilization of capital assets in determining and influencing youth agency in the exploration and subsequent participation in informal sector jobs like ASM and the associated outcomes – such as financial independence, sustainable income, economic support for family members, marriage, and household formation – for the youths involved in the economic activity. Our findings provide critical implications for youth employment policies, interventions, and programs in Africa.

The cost of readmissions in hospitals: the case of the Spanish public hospitals

BackgroundIn this paper, we propose a novel model that allows us to understand the effect of hospital readmissions on technology and costs. To do this, we consider that hospitals may experience heterogeneous discharges: on the one hand, discharges corresponding to patients who have completed their healing process in hospital and, on the other hand, discharges resulting from patients who have been discharged too early and are therefore required to be readmitted to hospital. In the first case, discharges involve more resources; in the second case, the patient returns implying an additional use of resources. In tandem, two new issues arise which need to be addressed: a) Does a trade-off exist between the decision to discharge at the finalisation of fully completed treatment or the decision to discharge taken at an earlier stage; b) Readmissions may prove endogenous and if so, their econometric treatment must be considered in order to obtain unbiased results. Our study contributes to the literature by proposing a novel model which estimates the marginal cost of readmissions, thus allowing us to understand the effect of readmission on technology and hospital costs.MethodsTo resolve the foregoing concerns, this paper proposes a theoretical and empirical model based on the dual theory, which combines cost and input-oriented distance functions to obtain the marginal cost of readmissions. Our empirical application uses a panel of Spanish public hospitals observed over the period 2002–2016.ResultsResults indicate that the treatment required by a patient who is readmitted proves more expensive than keeping the patient under observation for a few extra days in order to achieve a definitive discharge. Moreover, this additional cost follows an increasing temporal trend, especially in times of expansion when the availability of resources is greater.ConclusionsGiven that the results indicate that readmissions imply an additional cost for the hospital system, they must be contained. In fact, readmission rates are a significant component of current hospital sector activity improvement strategies. Therefore, knowing the cost which readmission implies is relevant for the design of policies that seek to penalize those hospitals with high readmission rates.

Subjects of Investment Activity in the Field of the Military-Industrial Complex

The concept of the subject engaged in investment activities in the military-industrial sector is examined from the view of investment law theory, current investment legislation, and specific regulations in the sphere in question. Based on this analysis, it is concluded that such a person should be a legal entity, which is listed in the consolidated register of military-industrial organizations and meets the necessary criteria. Their specific legal status is justified and explained, which entails additional public legal aspects and distinguishes them from other entities engaged in investment activities in other sectors of the economy.

Budgetary tracking of food and nutrition security funding in selected Sahel and West Africa regions from 2017 to 2019.

The longer-term trend towards decreasing foreign assistance has aroused great interest in tracking domestic funding given that more than half of the anticipated additional funding for nutrition is expected from domestic sources. Given the limited trend analysis of nutrition budgets across developing countries, this review aimed to examine trends in nutrition financing as a proxy of national commitment to nutrition. We explored the programme-based budget allocations and expenditure from 2017 to 2019 in the Chad Republic, Gambia and Ghana for food and nutrition security (FNS) activities in various sectors. The total annual allocations for FNS activities from 2017 to 2019 in the Chad Republic, Gambia and Ghana were €24,796,501, €155,416,112 and €3,299,472,194 of which 93.5%, 15.7% and 100% respectively of allocated funded were expended. The proportion of FNS allocations and expenditure was <5% of the gross domestic product across the three countries. Three-quarters (the Chad Republic and Gambia) and one-quarter (Ghana) of all FNS activities were nutrition-friendly as compared to being nutrition-specific/sensitive. Of the nutrition-specific/sensitive activities, about 9 in 10 were nutrition-sensitive. The main thematic areas of FNS activities were agriculture/food systems, health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene. There were significant resource gaps in FNS budget allocations and expenditure across the three countries making it difficult to establish a consistent domestic funding trend. Resource mobilisation plans to bridge budget implementation gaps for domestic funding are urgently needed to scale-up government commitments toward the attainment of the sustainable development goals in these countries.

The Commercialization of Cuban Medical Services In Primary Health Care

Introduction: the activity of the health sector and its exports require a comprehensive and systemic approach. Cuba has resources that affect the growth of health tourism. Marketing the services that are carried out every day in Primary Health Care is not integrated into the work system of its professionals. Objective: implement a strategy for the commercialization of Cuban Medical Services from Primary Health Care. Methods: an intervention study with a single study group was carried out between July 2022 and June 2023, in the municipality of Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus province. 90 participants were included. Qualitative and quantitative research techniques and procedures were integrated. The feasibility test was applied to reach a consensus among the specialists consulted. Results: the female sex predominated. Before applying the strategy, the level of information was 100% inadequate, and then it went to a 98.88% adequate level of information. The applied strategy solves the essential problems of the investigation. The opinion of the specialists was in favor of the applicability of the strategy. Conclusions: the strategy introduced positive modifications in the knowledge of those included in the study. It was considered very appropriate by the specialists consulted, so its application is viable.

Forecasting the Contribution of Renewable Energy to the Indonesian Economy: A Vector Error Correction Model Approach

This study aims to evaluate the causal relationship between Renewable Energy Consumption, Non-Renewable Energy Consumption, and Economic Growth. This study uses quantitative methods and analyzes data using a Granger Causality Test, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), Impulse Response Function (IRF), and Variance Decomposition (VDC). The study was conducted in Indonesia, with data ranging from 1993 to 2022 obtained from the World Bank database and Our World in Data. The results of the study based on the Granger test show that renewable energy has a significantly positive impact on economic growth in Indonesia. According to the VECM test, renewable energy consumption contributes to increasing economic growth as a result of construction and manufacturing sector activities in the development of renewable energy in Indonesia. The government should focus on energy availability, with an emphasis on increasing the production of renewable natural resources.

Opportunities beyond net-zero CO2 for cost-effective greenhouse gas mitigation in China

Achieving net-zero CO2 emissions is the current main focus of China’s carbon neutrality goal. However, non-CO2 greenhouse gases (GHGs) are more powerful climate forcers, making their emission reduction an opportunity to rapidly mitigate future warming. Here, we evaluate non-CO2 mitigation potentials, costs and climate benefits in the context of China’s carbon neutrality goals. The assessment is conducted by coupling the integrated assessment model GCAM with a climate emulator. The findings indicate that mitigation technologies can largely reduce fluorinated gas emissions from industrial sectors, but long-term non-CO2 reductions of energy sector activities rely heavily on fuel switching. Furthermore, the cumulative costs of deploying non-CO2 mitigation technologies are projected to be less than 10% of the total costs of achieving carbon neutrality from 2020 to 2060. If non-CO2 mitigation measures are included in the overall mitigation portfolio, the benefits of avoided warming would by far outweigh the total mitigation cost increase. Our results thus highlight that incorporating a wider suite of GHGs into climate change mitigation strategies can enhance the cost-effectiveness of mitigation efforts.

Interference of public service with private sector activity versus scope of career in public service

The study highlights the symbiosis and interdependence between public service as an activity of public law institutions and the activity of private law units. The compliance of the activity with the legal norms by the private entities depends on the capacity and possibilities of implementation of these norms by the public authorities, or, if they are not prepared, then the activity of those who are to be checked for compliance with the norms is obstructed. Namely these junctions, consequences with different valences, regarding the authorization by the public administration authority of advertising on vehicles, that we will address in the present study. In the conclusions, we will launch a challenge regarding the consequences of the implementation by civil servants of the legal norms under analysis.

'Unmasking Pain' through creativity: A phenomenological study of person-centred pain exploration for people living with chronic pain.

'Unmasking Pain' is an innovative artist-led project to explore creative approaches for telling stories of life with persistent pain. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the lived experience of taking part in 'Unmasking Pain' from the perspectives of people living with pain (workshop attendees), artists (workshop facilitators) and pain rehabilitation specialists. Informed by descriptive phenomenology, data was collected via semi-structured interviews with three artists (workshop facilitators), five workshop attendees (all living with persistent pain) and one pain rehabilitation specialist. Data was analysed using thematic analysis for descriptive phenomenology. Three themes emerged from the analysis: Theme 1 Space to Breathe, reflects the context of 'Unmasking Pain' such as the conditions, environment and setting that people experienced; Theme 2 Flexibility to Participate, reflects the experience of the process of 'Unmasking Pain' such as the actions or internal workings/behaviours of the experience; and Theme 3 Possibility for Change, reflects the cognitive or emotional experience of 'Unmasking Pain'. There were nine sub-themes: 1(a) Dissolved hierarchy, 1(b) Human connection, and 1(c) Personally meaningful; 2(a) Go with the flow, 2(b) Enjoyable experience, and 2(c) Curiosity to step into the unknown; and 3(a) Reforming pain, 3(b) Liberating in the moment (now), and 3(c) Gives you a boost (future). In conclusion, the uniqueness of 'Unmasking Pain' was to creatively facilitate curiosity and exploration of pain in a non-clinical, sociocultural, humanised context, to enable the possibility of a different pain experience. The findings from this qualitative study exploring the lived experience of taking part in 'Unmasking Pain' demonstrates the power and opportunity of the Arts sector and artist-led activities to support people with chronic pain to have a better pain experience.

Optimalisasi Penyelenggaraan Statistik Sektoral sebagai Upaya Pemenuhan Data Statistik Berkualitas di Indonesia

The development of data needs in Indonesia has increased awareness of the importance of quality data in supporting development planning and implementation. The government responded by issuing Presidential Regulation Number 39 of 2019 concerning One Data Indonesia (SDI), which aims to produce accurate, up-to-date, and accountable data. However, the implementation of sectoral statistics still faces challenges, including the low national Statistical Development Index (IPS) in 2023 which is in the less than ideal category with a value of 1.78 on a scale of 5.00. This study aims to identify the root causes of the suboptimal implementation of sectoral statistics by Ministries/Institutions/Regions/Agencies (K/L/D/I) and to prepare policy recommendations for improvement in order to realize quality sectoral statistics. The methodology used includes literature studies, secondary data analysis from the results of the Evaluation of Sectoral Statistics Implementation (EPSS), interviews with related teams, and review of laws and regulations. The results of the analysis show several main causal factors: the failure to implement comprehensive sectoral statistics guidance by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS); not all K/L/D/I submit independent assessments so that the progress of sectoral statistics implementation cannot be measured; and budget limitations to support sectoral statistics activities in the regions. To overcome these problems, it is recommended that BPS formulate clear regulations on sectoral statistics development guidelines and increase active development to K/L/D/I. In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to encourage regional governments to provide adequate budgets through official circulars. In conclusion, improving the quality of sectoral statistical data requires collaborative efforts between BPS, K/L/D/I, and regional governments. Intensive development, comprehensive evaluation, and adequate budget support are the keys to realizing quality statistical data in accordance with the One Data Indonesia principle.

Effect of Printing Orientation on the Mechanical Properties of Low-Force Stereolithography-Manufactured Durable Resin

This study presents the results of fracture toughness tests conducted on specimens obtained by additive manufacturing techniques, specifically using low-force stereolithography. The samples were manufactured from a transparent 3D printing material for biocompatible applications, the so-called BioMed Durable Resin, which is a Formlabs-patented polymer material that simulates the strength and rigidity of polyethylene. The selected toughness tests in this context were performed following the ASTM D5045-99 guidelines. All tests were conducted under controlled laboratory conditions at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity, ensuring adherence to the standard and the replicability of the experimental results. To investigate the influence of printing plane orientation, specimens were produced at three printing orientation angles (0, 45, and 90 degrees). These angles were selected to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the anisotropy effects in the material. They cover both extreme orientations (0° and 90°) and include an intermediate value (45°), allowing us to assess variations in mechanical behavior across a representative range of printing orientations, consistent with prior research in the field. The experimental tests yielded data on the crack resistance and energy release rate for each angle of orientation. There are various implications of the findings, beyond materials engineering, for applications in biomedicine. Indeed, this same approach opens the door to new research methods for manufacturing certified biocompatible materials from such durable resins. Finally, complementary issues such as related medical applications have been slightly addressed for future work, since biomedicine innovation clusters can contribute to accelerating growth in this crucial field for productive sector activity and the local business environment.

The Comparison of Stock Price Before and After Pandemic to Identify The Health of Sector Company

At the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia, almost all activities in this country weredisrupted and economic activity was no exception. Indonesia's current economic growth is down2.07% in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has caused it to be reduced to a low and middleincome country. Based on the gross domestic product (GDP), most sectors of the Indonesian economyexperienced a decline in growth in 2020. Only 5 economic sectors showed positive growth. The sectorwith the largest positive growth was the health services sector and social activities, which amountedto 11.60%. This growth affects the stock price of health sector companies. Grounded on the IDXIndustry category (IDXHEALTH) from 2018-2022, there was an increase of 41.28%. The HealthSector which continues to grow is driven by the payment of Covid- 19 incentives. This study wasconducted to identify the Difference in Stock prices of Health Sector Companies before and afterCovid- 19 with the supposition that the Covid- 19 pandemic occurred in March 2020 by observingstock price fluctuations two years before and after the Covid- 19 Pandemic. Based on the PairedSample T-test, the stock prices of 3 companies from 6 companies have significant differences in thespecified sample period, namely DVLA, PRDA, and MERK companies where the stock prices ofDVLA and PRDA have increased. In addition, PRDA's stock price has the largest stock price amongother health sector companies, meaning that PRDA companies have good performance.

An examination of Pacific nations’ legislatures’ interactions with Supreme Audit Institutions and the impact on audit quality

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report a study of public accountability within the political and economic structures that characterise Pacific nations. The authors examine audit quality with respect to Pacific Island nations’ governmental reporting to investigate ways to improve accountability in a region that is economically and environmentally challenged. Design/methodology/approach The authors examine whether audit quality in Pacific Island nations is associated with the practical arrangements of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), taking into account external factors. The “practical arrangements” include the independence of a SAI (regarding its staffing and funding) and also the requirement for it to report to the Executive. The financial setting in each jurisdiction has been seen to impact the quality of financial reporting and auditing. The authors examine mediating factors such as income, political stability and education that may also impact audit quality. This study uses publicly available databases as well as jurisdictional annual reports and the associated audit opinions and management letters (where available). Jurisdictional reports on public financial management were also analysed. Findings The authors find that public sector audit quality is low in many Pacific countries, concluding that public accountability is impaired. While the authors recommend changes to the practical arrangements that can improve audit quality, the mediating factors also impact audit quality. They argue that a renewed focus on financial capability could enhance public accountability in these nations, but there are limiting factors that are difficult to overcome. Practical implications There are problems in providing accountability for public sector activities in Pacific nations. The authors suggest that improvements to the appointment and funding of SAIs to enhance their independence will help to reduce these issues. Originality/value The authors present a framework for analysing SAIs’ practical arrangements and audit quality that includes variables that may mediate the effects of these practical arrangements. They apply the model to 20 Pacific jurisdictions, showing that the practical arrangements of a SAI directly impact audit quality. Nevertheless, there are instances where audit quality is poor despite good practical arrangements, implying that mediating factors also play a substantial role in determining audit quality of a SAI.