Conference Agenda

This study analyzes the impact of technical and vocational education on the employability of university graduates, considering their perception of integration and entry into the labor market during the period 2021–2024. Regarding the methodological approach, the study followed a positivist quantitative paradigm, with a non-experimental, field-based, and descriptive design. A total of 493 graduates from various academic programs across three universities in two countries were surveyed—specifically, from Ecuador: ITB and UBE; and from Venezuela: ULAC. Data were collected using a questionnaire with items distributed across three dimensions: quality of technical education, pre-professional practices, and technical experience and job placement. The findings reveal a significant gap between the education received and the realities of the labor market, highlighting the urgent need for institutions to redesign content and practices, increase resources, and adjust their educational offerings for more effective alignment.

The present research evaluates the influence of advertising on purchase behavior and brand loyalty, considering the mediating role of brand awareness among consumers in Chiclayo who purchase imported sunscreen products during 2025. Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action, a quantitative approach and a non-probabilistic design were adopted, collecting data from 409 participants through structured surveys. Four constructs were evaluated using Likert-type scales. The theoretical model was estimated using the PLS-SEM method. Results showed that advertising has a significant direct influence on both purchase behavior (β = .307) and brand loyalty (β = .503), with its strongest effect observed on brand awareness (β = .811). Furthermore, brand awareness revealed relevant mediating effects in the relationship between advertising and both purchase behavior (β = .446) and loyalty (β =.206). The findings highlight the importance of designing advertising strategies that focus on strengthening brand awareness to foster consumer decision-making and sustained loyalty. As a recommendation, it is suggested that brands develop advertising campaigns emphasizing attributes that promote recognition and emotional connection in order to consolidate consumer preference in emerging markets such as Chiclayo.

The main objective of this research was to analyze the influence of ethnocentrism, country of origin, and social influence on the purchase intention of imported perfumes among consumers in Chiclayo in 2025. A non-experimental, cross-sectional, and quantitative methodological design was employed, applying surveys to 345 participants selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling with ADANCO 2.4.1. The results disclosed that both the country of origin (β = .47; = .34) and social influence (β = .45; = .31) had a significant positive effect on purchase intention, while ethnocentrism had a negative but weaker impact (β = –.23; = .09). It was concluded that exogenous factors, such as the perception of the country of origin and social validation, prevail over endogenous ones like ethnocentrism in determining the intention to purchase imported perfumes. As recommendations, companies were advised to strengthen the international image of their products and use marketing strategies based on social validation. Likewise, promoting a critical ethnocentrism that values national products without rejecting foreign ones was suggested. Finally, the importance of an integrated strategy that articulates these three factors to encourage informed and competitive consumption was highlighted.