Revista Colón Ciencias, Tecnología y Negocios

Editorial

Carlos Manuel Gómez Rudy — 2025-08-23

Total quality as an airport management model in operations management for Tocumen International Airport, Panama

Julius Melchor Grant Johnson — 2025-08-23

Tocumen International Airport, S.A. is a public company incorporated as a public limited society currently governed by a corporation. Panama's high level of connectivity has attracted investors and multinational companies to the country. Tocumen Airport is one of the most important airport terminals in Latin America in terms of the number of destinations and traffic being handled. The implementation of a total quality model in airport management is crucial to improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction at Tocumen International Airport, Panama. This article examines how total quality principles can be applied to airport operations management, identifying both the challenges and opportunities this strategy presents. The research seeks to identify the requirements for definitively improving the management of initiatives and procedures to achieve the delivery of quality products and services. Considering aspects such as Senior Management seeking to act as the main driver of Total Quality and creating an environment that guarantees its success, it is concluded that adopting a systematic approach to quality can significantly transform the passenger experience and optimize internal processes.

Minimum sizing of anaerobic primary settler tanks in rural areas in Panama and the causes of failures in domestic water treatment

Irving Isaac Isaza Santos — 2025-08-23

This study focuses on the sizing of primary anaerobic systems as a primary method of domestic wastewater treatment in areas without access to sewage systems. The study explores their operating principles, their efficiency in removing contaminants, and the challenges associated with their operation and maintenance. Additionally, the environmental impacts of these systems on soil and groundwater are evaluated. The results obtained allow us to identify the size limitations, since for a minimum family of 5 people, it requires 3.75 m2 of area without taking into account the space for secondary treatment (percolation trench or absorption well). The sizing includes two sedimentation chambers: the first collects two-thirds of the suspended solids and the second, one-third of the suspended solids. Therefore, this system can be recommended to improve their negative effects on the environment.

Marine spare parts for fishing vessels

Luis Carlos Caballero Castro — 2025-08-23

The purpose of the study was to analyze the main shortages of marine spare parts and opportunities for improvement in the supply chain for vessels operating from the Port of Mensabé, located in the county of Santo Domingo, district of Las Tablas, province of Los Santos, republic of Panama. A descriptive and exploratory approach was used, with a quantitative and qualitative design, based on surveys applied to fishermen and boat owners of the Port of Mensabe. The sample included 23 clients, selected by means of a statistical formula. Through the application of surveys applied to a sample of 23 fishermen, it was identified that most of them have between 1 to 5 years of experience in the sector, which reflects a relevant knowledge of the operational difficulties they face. The results reveal a regular and sustained demand for spare parts, with 86.96% of those surveyed requiring them on a monthly basis, with preventive maintenance being carried out mainly every three months. Among the factors that most affect the availability of spare parts are long delivery times (43.48%), high prices (34.78%) and lack of availability (21.74%). The most demanded spare parts are those related to motors and hydraulic systems (39.13%). In addition, 100% of the respondents agreed that the shortage of spare parts directly affects the cold chain, compromising the quality of the fish product and generating lower sales prices. These findings show a critical weakness in the sector's logistics chain and support the urgent need to establish a local marine spare parts distribution center in Las Tablas, as a strategy to reduce response times, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the sustainability of the regional fishing sector. The main findings suggest that the creation of local stores specializing in marine spare parts and the improvement of the port infrastructure are key measures to solve these problems. The results also indicate that fishermen are willing to participate in initiatives to improve access to spare parts, which is evidence of a business opportunity to strengthen the supply chain and optimize the competitiveness of the fishing sector in the region.

Raising awareness about digital rights for Middle School teachers and students in the Metropolitan Area of Panama and West Panama

Virginia Juárez M. — 2025-08-23

General Comment No. 25 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child focuses on children's rights in relation to the digital environment as adopted by United Nations in 2021. This comment addresses the need to protect and promote children's rights in the context of increasing digitalization, ensuring that children have safe and fair access to digital technologies. Panama has been an active participant in this commentary. Through the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents, and Family (SENNIAF), Panama held awareness-raising seminars in 2021 addressing topics such as children's rights with a focus on digital rights, safe internet use, and digital citizenship. This study aims to evaluate the level of knowledge about digital rights that Middle School teachers and students acquired during the awareness-raising seminars provided by SENNIAF. From a total of 22 schools, a non-probabilistic random sample of nine schools was selected from the metropolitan educational area of Panama City and West Panama, surveying 367 students. The survey was designed as a closed questionnaire consisting of eight questions related to Digital Rights. Once the data were collected, the data was classified and distributed, and tables were created illustrating the data. The results indicate that students and teachers identify their rights and the protections to which they are entitled when using the Internet, although it is necessary to strengthen discussion on the topic among them. It is highlighted, among other aspects, that children and adolescents have the right to play games and have fun online with other children and adolescents within a limited time and under parental supervision.

Service optimization

Luis Carlos Caballero Castro — 2025-08-23

The objective of this study is to present the elaboration of a Processes Manual and Job Description for the contribution to the improvement of the internal activities in a gourmet restaurant located in the city of Las Tablas, which is reflected in the service and attention to the client. For examining the process, the most sensitive areas of the company are taken into consideration: table service (waiters) and the kitchen (specifically in the process of preparing lasagna, since it is the most popular dish in the restaurant). The procedures are standardized, based on observations and comparisons with restaurant management, to improve quality and service and offer reference material for process improvement in gastronomy.

The capacity for innovation and adaptability in the artisanal sector

Verónica Zetina Gómez — 2025-08-23

The artisanal sector faces increasing challenges in a global context where innovation and adaptability are key factors for its development. This research analyses how artisans have implemented various strategies to remain competitive in a constantly evolving market. A literature review methodology is used to examine the existing literature on the mechanisms that artisans use to innovate in the design of their products, processes and business models, without losing the authenticity and cultural value of their works, to subsequently extract main ideas and systematically summarize them according to the generality of the concepts. In addition, examples of adaptation to new technologies, such as digital platforms, are highlighted, which have allowed artisans to access wider markets and optimize their production and distribution processes. The analysis also highlights the importance of collaborations with external stakeholders, such as government agencies and other companies, which have driven innovation in the sector. This study shows that the ability of artisans to innovate and adapt to changes is essential not only for their economic survival, but also for their relevance in a context of constant transformation. The results obtained provide valuable insight for those seeking to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of the artisanal sector.

Phylogenetic inference of the genus Pristimantis (Anura: Strabomantidae) using the MEGA and BEAST2 programs

Irvin N. Gómez — 2025-08-23

The genus Pristimantis is highly diverse in the tropical forests of Central America, presenting a wide morphological variety, which makes its classification very difficult. Therefore, molecular techniques are currently required to aid in understanding the genetic relationship of the genus. The following study attempts established a Bayesian inference analysis to understand the speciation modeling processes of the genus Pristimantis between Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. For this purpose, the programs MEGA, BEAST2, and FigTree were used using COI genes from the NCBI GenBank to study the evolutionary relationships between populations of the genus Pristimantis. As a result, highly significant Bootstrap values ??were obtained at the nodes of some species (>90%), confirming the reliability of the evolutionary relationships obtained and a possible past or ongoing speciation. Bayesian inference showed that the species P. cruentus (Copé, Coclé), P. cerasinus (Valle de Antón, Coclé), and P. museosus (Santa Fe, Veraguas, and Copé, Coclé) presented clades with very close groupings and shorter branches, which shows signs of a more recent speciation in this group. Furthermore, the population of P. museosus in Limón, Costa Rica, presents greater genetic divergence with respect to the central populations of Panama, most likely due to the isolation of the Talamanca Mountain range. Similarly, the populations of P. gaigei in Antioquia and Panama reveal distinct clades with considerable genetic divergence, possibly due to separation by important geographical barriers such as the Andes Mountains and the Isthmus of Panama itself.