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This article presents a special issue of research papers devoted to the study of well-being and quality of life, considering both progress and challenges, in Latin American and Caribbean cities.

The objective of this paper is to examine the convergence of economic activity between the various NUTS 3 regions of the Iberian Peninsula over the period 2000-2019. An analysis of the GDP (PPS) per capita of Spanish and Portuguese provinces was conducted with the help of different usual statistical and econometric methods of σ, β and γ. This was done to confirm the existence or non-existence of economic convergence in the period under analysis. The results revealed the existence of economic convergence between the Portuguese and Spanish provinces. In addition, they showed that more than half of the territory analysed was characterised by a scenario of poverty.

The article represents the first contribution in which the economic impact of a group of nine Latin American universities is estimated, following a demand-based approach and a homogeneous methodology. The analyzed universities have different profiles depending on their ownership, size, age, or geographic location. Using the input-output methodology, the impacts derived from the expenditures and investments made by both the universities and their related agents are estimated. The results show significant impacts (up to 4% of the regional GDP, depending on the case), which extend across the entire national territory and all economic sectors. The study demonstrates that the economic and social impact is highly relevant, providing a substantial return, overall in universities with a high level of R+D+I activities.

Cloud computing is widely recognised as a key technology that enables digitalisation, fuelling the digital economy growth. Using World Bank Governance Indicators, in this paper we examine how country’s quality of governance (or good governance) impacts the use of cloud computing in the enterprises in the EU, hence affects digitalisation of the EU. In an empirical examination of 27 EU countries over a period from 2014 to 2021, it was found that good governance positively affects cloud computing adoption in the EU enterprises. In support of the institutional theory, we show that improving country’s governance quality is an important step in accelerating cloud computing adoption by the EU enterprises, the finding providing an important input to the EU government in their execution of the Industrial Strategy 2030, in which digitalisation and cloud computing adoption play an important role. Businesses operating in the EU countries with higher quality of governance are more likely to implement cloud computing in their operations, a cost and performance benefiting technology, a valuable insight to the EU enterprises, which gain direct benefits from increased cloud computing adoption in their businesses.

Since the normalization of tourism in Colombia resulting from improved security and the pacification of various regions of the country, increased attention has been paid to the key role of tourism in regional economic development. The objective of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the tourism sector and economic development in Colombia. To examine the dynamic relationship existing between international tourism and economic development, the 33 departments of Colombia are analyzed between 2012 and 2021. The empirical analysis is conducted using non-parametric tools, derived from symbolic time series analysis, based on the notion of economic regime and clustering techniques. This offers a contribution in two aspects: on the one hand, a novel methodology is applied, and, on the other hand, regional-level analysis is performed. A limited mobility of the departments between the different regimes has been observed during this period, indicating the stability of the variables analyzed. The results of the study suggest that the relationship between tourism and economic development differs in the different groups of departments identified, offering evidence of differences within the country. It should be noted that the group of departments with the highest level of tourism displays a high level of economic development and growth.

This article analyses the situation of the Home Care Service in the two European cities of Madrid and Stockholm. There are significant differences in the development of this service in these cities which can explained by their diverse welfare models.  At the same time, they also show similar trends, such as an ageing population and new demands by the elderly. The text focuses on the evolution of the service in three different dimensions: governance, working conditions and the tendering/monitoring system. The analysis is based on qualitative research, showing the predominant discourses among the key actors involved in the design and provision of the service. The results reveal the urgent need to redefine this service to respond to the new demands of the elderly as well as the changing regulatory frameworks.

The article carries out a brief analysis that relates the development of long-term care in Spain in recent years with the initiatives developed in different territories. It is framed within the deliberation and reflection processes regarding the reforms of public care policy in Spain in a post-pandemic context, reflecting the interest in policy methods and practices with a community approach organized from different territorial realities. Two specific experiences from Latin America and a comparative analysis with Sweden are also addressed, with all cases intended to contribute to the review of different territorial approaches to innovative practices in long-term care.

Ugo Fratesi ‘s “Regional Policy: Theory and Practice” represents a significant contribution to the field of regional development studies, offering what is perhaps the first comprehensive treatment of regional policy that bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementation. Published by Routledge, this ambitious volume addresses a notable gap in the literature by providing a systematic examination of regional policy’s conceptual underpinnings, operational mechanisms, and evaluation frameworks.

The study presents an approach to assess the vulnerability of nature-based tourism in Risaralda, Colombia, to climate change. An environmental reference model is adapted to the tourism sector. The results reveal high vulnerability at the municipal level, conservation areas, ecosystems and tourism supply, especially in high mountain ecosystems. This underlines the importance of adaptive tourism management and measures to reduce vulnerability, such as avoiding concentration of tourism supply, since some of the most vulnerable tourism destinations are paradoxically the most competitive in terms of sustainability. This approach is applicable to other tourism destinations.

The provision of care services can reduce gender labor gaps. As care-related economic activities are highly feminized, strengthening care services can increase women’s share of total employment. Care services can also reduce the unpaid care burden and promote women’s employment in other sectors, which could change sectoral gender segregation. We explore these relationships for Colombia through a regional urban analysis. We classify cities into three regions using their level of competitiveness as a broad measure of labor market dynamics. Using a fixed effects model, our results show that an increase in the importance of the care sector boosts women’s labor force participation and sectoral segregation; however, we emphasize the importance of urban and regional contexts in determining the role of care provision on gender equality.