Search results for: rais aug 2023 in All Content

Postmodernity as Spiritual Supra-Structure of the Global World Short Considerations from an Orthodox Point of View

Postmodernity as Spiritual Supra-Structure of the Global World Short Considerations from an Orthodox Point of View

Author(s): Stelian Manolache / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: postmodernity; globalisation; alienation; pseudo/spirituality; supraspiritual structure;

In the large context of the modern and postmodern religiosity, the Lutheran theologian Paul Tillich observed that, in the large context of being/becoming, people are transformed in objects, in medical, psychological and sociological meanings (Achimescu, 2013, 184), marking in his statement the huge process of alienation of the human being, characteristic for our contemporaneity. In fact, exposed to a multitude of vectors of influence and pressure, of multiple economic and cultural conditioning, the post-modern man is actually estranged from the self, from his profound vocation to dialogue and communion with the divinity, constitutive elements for the human being, by the face of God, which is, disregarding the ontological failure of the proto-parents, imprinted in the being of each individual.All this drama of the contemporary humanity takes place – no matter its concrete forms/ manifestation in time and space – between the earth-heaven, absolutized by the recent man (H-R. Patapievici) and considered an autonomous ontological unit, and the sky, from which the human being, called for deification, separates firstly as cult and liturgy and later intellectually; between the earth-heaven, which became the nucleus of a new geocentric Universe, and the sky, rather ignored when it is not the object of more or less occult or esoteric speculations, neo-gnosis or pseudo-metaphysics.

Selecting Sustainable Development Criteria for Effective Watershed Governance:

Selecting Sustainable Development Criteria for Effective Watershed Governance:

Author(s): Reza Javidi Sabbaghian / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Sustainable Development Criteria; Effective Watershed Governance; Group Consensus; Risk Analysis

In recent years, inappropriate governance within the watersheds has caused to qualitative and quantitative degradation of water resources and unbalanced allocation of resources amongst the beneficiaries. Therefore, one of the most important challenges for stakeholders is the selection of final sustainable development criteria, which affects the planning and management for water supply scenarios and leads to effective watershed governance. Selection of final criteria depends on the stakeholders’ preferences and the decision-making risk attitudes. The risk attitudes related to the importance of viewpoints associated with stakeholders’ number within the watershed. This paper has developed a comprehensive approach based on the risk analysis to calculate the group weights and the group consensus measurements of criteria, which leads to selecting final decision-making criteria. Accordingly, in the first step, the initial criteria are determined by the group of DMs. In the second step, the group criteria weights have been calculated and in the third step, the group consensus measurements of criteria have been measured in several risk attitudes using the Hybrid Weighted Averaging (HWA) operator and the distance-based group consensus method. Finally, the most important criteria have been selected from the initial criteria based on the group consensus measurements, compared with an acceptable threshold level. This approach has been developed for the Kashafrud watershed, to select the final sustainable criteria in 2040. The results showed that the number of the final criteria depends on the risk attitudes of decision-making. Development of this method is recommended for watershed governance in the world.

ICT Awareness among Faculty Members of The Public Sector Women Universities of Pakistan

ICT Awareness among Faculty Members of The Public Sector Women Universities of Pakistan

Author(s): Shahida Tabassum,Kiran Shehzadi / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Information and communication technologies (ICTs); Public Sector Universities; Female Faculty; Pakistan; Awareness; Attitude towards ICTs; Low competence level

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) have been included as an essential part of teaching-learning process by a large body of learning institutions around the world. As a developing country, the use of ICTs in Pakistan is a new beginning and it will take time to be more developed. Women are the important part of society and they have to work efficiently side by side with men for having a developed society. So that, the main goal of our study is to check the awareness, attitude and competence level of using ICTs of faculty members of women universities of Pakistan. The analysis is based on Primary source of data collected from the survey. Our target was the female faculty members of Public Sector Women Universities of Pakistan. Findings show that faculty members have a positive attitude towards computers but unfortunately, they have a low competence level of using ICTs. Most of the respondents have never attended any training on ICTs. It is suggested to arrange trainings regarding ICTs for them to have a competent faculty to shape the future of the country.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice of Drivers Towards Traffic Rules and Regulations in Multan, Pakistan

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice of Drivers Towards Traffic Rules and Regulations in Multan, Pakistan

Author(s): Ishrat Riaz,Samia Shahid / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Road Accidents; Knowledge; Attitudes; Practices; Professional Drivers; Demographic Features; Traffic Rules and Regulations; Multan Pakistan

Traffic rules are an important agenda for the developing countries and the situation has become worsened particularly in Pakistan. Most of the road accidents are resulting due to lack of knowledge, negative attitudes and risky practices of drivers towards traffic rules and regulations. To highlight the knowledge, attitude and practices of professional drivers towards traffic rules, this research work was initiated. The objective of the research was to determine and explore the knowledge, attitudes and practice towards traffic regulations of professional drivers in Multan (Punjab), Pakistan, also to acquire the relationship between demographic features, Knowledge, attitudes and practices of professional drivers towards traffic rules. Emphasis had also been given to the primary data generation and allied aspects such as construction of the data gathering instrument (Questionnaire), content management, sampling, execution, testing and refinement of the instrument for getting hold of the quality data which ultimately determines quality of the ultimate research. The study explored that many of professional drivers in Multan (Pakistan) had inadequate knowledge, less positive attitudes and risky practices towards traffic regulations. Implementation of effective and standard intervention programs may increase the driver’s knowledge, positive attitudes and safe practices towards traffic rules and regulations.

The Effect of E-Learning on Learning and Interest in School Attendance among Elementary School Students

The Effect of E-Learning on Learning and Interest in School Attendance among Elementary School Students

Author(s): Seyedehsahar Shafieiosgouei,Nava Nourdad,Robab Hassantofighi,Seyyedreza Shafieioskouei / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

The technological advances of the 21st century have impacted all spheres of life, including education. The world of books and pens is being replaced by computers at young ages. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of technology on Iranian elementary school students’ learning and interest in school attendance. The participants were 47 sixth grade students selected from two schools with and without technological support. The results of the study revealed a higher level of interest in school attendance in the group provided with technology. Consequently this study may have beneficial pedagogical implications for learners, teachers, and curriculum developers.

Jurisprudence of Minority Rights: The Changing Contours of Minority Rights

Jurisprudence of Minority Rights: The Changing Contours of Minority Rights

Author(s): Kheinkor Lamarr / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Minority Rights; History of Minority Rights; International Law; Human Rights

Questions concerning minority rights has long been of international consequence and is at the center of many academic, legal and political debates. Identity claims of minority groups have been recognized and deemed worthy of protection. It is significant to note that nonetheless, even today minority issues tend to occasion anxiety amongst people and States. It is, therefore, necessary to have jurisprudential understanding of minority rights. This will enable us to gain clarity on questions of the nature of minority rights and the various challenges revolving around them. The paper has viewed claims and rights of minorities from the stand-point of international law and human rights and in doing so has charted out the historic progression of minority rights. It further studies the present day issues of the inter-relationship between minority rights and refugees and migrants. It also examines the ever increasing demands for the inclusion of various categories like gender and children under the minority rights regime.

Motivation? The Effects of High-Impact Experiential Learning Activities on Political Science Students

Motivation? The Effects of High-Impact Experiential Learning Activities on Political Science Students

Author(s): Adams Kimberly S. / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: motivation; experiential learning; transformational opportunities; high-impact learning activities; Washington Center; Osgood Center

This research examines whether high-impact experiential learning activities in politics motivate students positively in learning, personal development and establishing career goals? Using participant observations and student journals recorded during their participation in the Osgood Center for International Studies 2017 Presidential Inauguration Seminar and the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminar’s 2016 Democratic and Republican Convention seminars, this research identifies specific outcomes related to the impact of such experiential learning opportunities on students of political science.

Opportunistic Migration: A Collateral Promise for Development in Seasonal Migration of Southwest Coastal Bangladesh

Opportunistic Migration: A Collateral Promise for Development in Seasonal Migration of Southwest Coastal Bangladesh

Author(s): Md Mostafizur Rahman,Mahmud Uz Zaman,Haider A. Khan / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Seasonal migration; social network; collateral promise; qualitative method

Aligning with the broader discussion of migration, seasonal migration also resembled a multifold phenomenon ranging from reasons of temporal movement to settling down process at the place of destination. In this paper, seasonal migration was portrayed in between the ‘alarmists’ view and ‘skeptic’ view of migration, holding a new position called ‘opportunistic migration’ that seemed to offer benefits to the seasonal migrants characterizing by gaining social knowledge and earning money from the place of destination. The empirical data, face-to-face in-depth interviews, showed that both social and economic aspects of seasonal migration were dominated by the pull factors, and environmental aspects were linked with the push factors. This paper also highlighted that social network played an active role for seasonal migrants, in particular, the workers who seasonally migrated into the brickfields of southwest coastal Bangladesh. While migrating from the rural to the urban context, two-tier verbal agreements took place in between the brickfield owners with the contractors, and the contractors with the brickfield workers. Though those verbal agreements seemed to contain some extent of the failure of expectations by the above-mentioned actors related to seasonal migration, it also held optimism of development for every actor. Finally, this paper reused the term ‘collateral promise’ with a slighter social tone to understand the informal interactions among the employers, contractors, and the seasonal migrants.

The Impact of Changes in Fuel Prices on Inflation and Economic Growth in South Africa

The Impact of Changes in Fuel Prices on Inflation and Economic Growth in South Africa

Author(s): Daniel Francois Meyer / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Economic growth; fuel prices; inflation; South Africa;

From a cost-push inflation point of view, the fuel energy sector plays a significant role in price stability and production costs. This sector has been volatile over the last decade, impacting on global economic stability. In South Africa, which is a fuel importer, fuel prices have been rising at an alarming rate of 21 percent since the beginning of 2018, causing inflation pressure within a low growth environment. The objective of this study was to analyse the impact of changes in fuel prices on inflation and economic growth in South Africa as a proxy for fuel importing developing countries. This study followed a quantitative research approach with time series data from 2001 to 2018. The impact of changes in the fuel price on inflation and economic growth were analysed by means of the Johansen cointegration and Granger causality econometric models. The results indicated both long and short-run relationships between the variables. The Granger causality tests indicated that causality is from changes in fuel prices to economic output and inflation. The results of the study could be used in monetary and fiscal policy, although not much control regarding the changes of the fuel price exists except for reduction in levies as a direct method of taxation.

Internationalization of African SMEs: Context, Trends and Challenges

Internationalization of African SMEs: Context, Trends and Challenges

Author(s): Hamza El Guili / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Africa; SMEs; emerging markets; firms internationalization;

There has been an important increase in the international and inter-continental operations of African SMEs over the last decade, because of the emergence of regional “champions”, able to compete with foreign multinationals, present in the continent since many decades, but also because of the emergence of innovative and creative SMEs, capable to meet the market needs of various consumers of Africa. Understanding the particular international business landscape in Africa draws attention to several ignored research questions and research aspects, requiring further research and exploration, to contextualize the SMEs’ internationalization of African firms. This paper highlights relevant areas/aspects needed while studying the internationalization of SMEs, by bringing back the historical context of the continent. Next, this paper contributes to the understanding of the internationalization of African SMEs by analyzing the trends and opportunities of the research in this field. Finally, the challenges and the risks of the internationalization of African firms will be analyzed, in order to set the limits of the nature of internationalization of the continent’s SMEs.

The Principle of Non-Refoulement and the Obligations of the United Nations in Ensuring the Accountability of States toward Refugee Protection

The Principle of Non-Refoulement and the Obligations of the United Nations in Ensuring the Accountability of States toward Refugee Protection

Author(s): Eric Che Muma / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Refugee; non-refoulement; United Nations; obligations; accountability;

Since the outbreak of the Second World War, humanity has witnessed several challenges in the maintenance of global peace and justice and in the protection of refugees and asylum seekers, thus resulting from the outbreak of conflicts and threats posed by terrorist groups. These conflicts are classified into national and international conflicts. The impact of conflicts and inter-tribal wars between states or nations has witnessed a new form of migration from the twentieth century commonly referred to as refugee migration. This paper aims to analyse the principle of non-refoulement under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the obligations of the United Nations in ensuring the accountability of state parties toward the protection of refugees or displaced persons within their respective territories, with lessons from Nigeria and Cameroon. The paper argues that state parties to the said treaty are bound to protect everyone who is subject within their respective jurisdictions particularly, refugees and displaced persons. Effective protection is a necessary measure for ensuring that states follow the affirmative legal obligations undertaken after the ratification of the Refugee Convention. It is also an important approach for evaluating the credibility of the United Nations in accomplishing its objective toward peace, justice, and the protection of refugees or displaced persons.

The Impact of Social Variables on Financial Performance

The Impact of Social Variables on Financial Performance

Author(s): Christopher Lim / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: social variables; corporate social responsibility; financial performance;

In recent years, the discussion on corporate social responsibility has surged and firm management are seen to devote more efforts and resources towards improving their social image. Even under such intense public scrutiny, product recalls in the electronics, automotive, and healthcare sectors have not declined. Quality issues persist due to the severe competitive pressure to meet time to market’ product launches. Carbon emissions and green-house gases generated by industrial manufacturing, waste disposal, and automotive vehicles also continue to rise. The research purpose was to investigate the impact of individual social variables on financial performance. This research paper used multiple linear regression to assess the relationship between key indicators of corporate social responsibility and financial performance from 372 corporations in the S&P500 in 2014. The theoretical foundation was Freeman’s stakeholder theory. Environment, community, human rights, diversity, employee relations, product quality, and corporate governance were measures of social performance. Return on assets was used to measure financial performance. When independent social variables were evaluated with corporate financial performance, employee relations and product quality in the healthcare sector, and community in the financial sector, were found to be positively significant. Environment, product quality, and corporate governance in the financial sector, and employee relations in the consumer and energy sectors, were found to be negatively significant. This research revealed that the relationship between some social variables and financial performance are significant, but not always in a positive direction. Based upon the findings established in this paper, managers can use the findings to evaluate their firm’s social position, develop strategies to address gaps, and undertake actions to enhance their firm’s social performance, thereby creating positive social change in the community.

An Exploratory Look at a MENA Leadership Yardstick

An Exploratory Look at a MENA Leadership Yardstick

Author(s): Caroline Akhras / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Business Context; Leadership Yardstick; Millennials; Generation Z; Modern Morality;

It is held that contemporary Western organizations would neither exist nor develop without leaders who efficiently and effectively manage. Researchers assert that in modern business enterprises, leadership requires the skill of working with and through people and other organizational resources to accomplish organizational goals. In addition, many business leadership studies posit that a key skill is that unique ability to work with the additionally challenging behavior of Millennials and Generation Z geared 24/7 towards accelerated development. Nonetheless, Drucker (2003) looking at modern organizations from a much broader perspective asserted that effective management in the post-industrial arena is probably the main resource of the developed world and the most needed resource in the developing world. This research paper explores perceptions of a leadership yardstick in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Ninety three participants drawn from different departments in business organizations were randomly selected as a sample. Two research questions were posed: (1) In your opinion, are business leaders operationally efficient in reaching goals in the SME where you work? (2) In your opinion, are business leaders effective in reaching goals in the SME where you work? The results found that Millennial and Generation Z business leadership in the MENA had a novel moral compass that networked, coordinated, cooperated and united employees into a communal context. Additional research is recommended to further explore and understand the modern MENA business leadership yardstick as it is the first worldwide horizontal generation that seems to be socially accountable.

Factors Influencing Student Satisfaction in Higher Education. The Case of a Georgian State University

Factors Influencing Student Satisfaction in Higher Education. The Case of a Georgian State University

Author(s): Nino Tandilashvili / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: service quality; customer perception; student satisfaction; HEdPERF; higher education;

With the increasing importance, higher education is considered as a major asset for any nation’s socio-economic and technological development. The quality of education offered by the higher education institutions directly impacts country’s performance. That is why, number of scientific researches and public reports and debates agrees on the importance of the quality management in higher education. There is also an important debate on a link between the service quality and students’ satisfaction. On the one hand, there is a logical dependence of the degree of satisfaction to the perceived quality. On the other hand, number of studies have also identified a link between students’ satisfaction and their loyalty. This study looks at the determinants of student satisfaction in Georgian Higher Education Institutions. With the objective to detect the main components of service quality influencing students’ satisfaction, the article uses HEdPERF as a measuring instrument of higher education service quality. Data is collected from 793 students of one of the largest universities of the country. An exploratory factor analysis six factors for the further examination. After scale development, a multiple regression analysis is used to test the research hypothesis. The results of the study show that the administrative factors are the most sensitive and have a positive influence on the students’ satisfaction. Also, there is a positive relation between academic programs and student’s satisfaction. The disproportionate attitude is observed between the importance of academic factors and satisfaction.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in International Healthcare: An Index

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in International Healthcare: An Index

Author(s): Julia M. Puaschunder / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Access to healthcare; Advancements; AI-GDP Index; Apps;

The currently ongoing COVID-19 crisis has challenged healthcare around the world. The call for global solutions in international healthcare pandemic crisis and risk management has reached unprecedented momentum. Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data-derived inferences are supporting human decision making as essential healthcare enhancements as never before in the history of medicine. In today’s healthcare sector and medical profession, AI, algorithms, robotics and big data are used for monitoring of large-scale medical trends by detecting and measuring individual risks based on big data-driven estimations. This article provides a snapshot of the current state-of-the-art of AI, algorithms, big data-derived inferences and robotics in healthcare but also medical responses to COVID-19 in the international arena. International differences in the approaches to combat global pandemics become apparent serving as interesting case study on how to avert global pandemics successfully with AI in the future. Empirically, the article answers what countries have favourable conditions to provide AI solutions for global healthcare and pandemic crises monitoring and alleviation when compared over the entire world? First, an index based on internet connectivity – as a proxy for digitalization and AI advancement– as well as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – as indicator for economic productivity – is calculated to outline global pandemic healthcare solution innovation hubs with economic impetus around the world. The parts of the world that feature internet connectivity and high GDP are likely to lead on AI-driven big data monitoring insights for pandemic prevention. When comparing countries worldwide, AI advancement is found to be positively correlated with anti-corruption. AI thus springs from non-corrupt territories of the world. Second, a novel anti-corruption artificial healthcare index is therefore presented that highlights those countries in the world that have vital AI growth in a non-corrupt environment. These non-corrupt AI centres hold comparative advantages to lead on global artificial healthcare solutions against COVID-19 and serve as pandemic crisis and risk management innovators of the future. Anti-corruption is also positively related with better general healthcare. Therefore, finally, a third index that combines internet connectivity, anti-corruption as well as healthcare access and quality is presented. The countries that score high on AI, anti-corruption and healthcare excellence are presented as ultimate world-leading, innovative global pandemic alleviation centres. The advantages but also potential shortfalls and ethical cliffs in the novel use of monitoring Apps, big data inferences and telemedicine to prevent pandemics are discussed.

The Forensic Expertise as a Probative Procedure Used in the Criminal Proceedings in Romania

The Forensic Expertise as a Probative Procedure Used in the Criminal Proceedings in Romania

Author(s): Adrian Cristian Moise / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: forensic expertise; forensic tactics; Romanian criminal procedure code

The article presents and analyzes aspects related to the disposition and performance of the forensic expertises in accordance with the criminal procedural legislation in Romania. The article presents and analyzes aspects of forensic tactics related to the disposition and performance of the forensic expertise in accordance with the criminal procedural legislation in Romania.

The Role of EudraVigilance in Protecting and Promoting Public Health in the European Economic Area in the Context of the Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic

The Role of EudraVigilance in Protecting and Promoting Public Health in the European Economic Area in the Context of the Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic

Author(s): Cristina-Luiza Erimia,Radu George Cazacincu,Verginica Schröder / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: EU pharmacovigilance legislation; EudraVigilance; public health

Social Dialogue and Tripartism Paradigm at the Level of the European Union

Social Dialogue and Tripartism Paradigm at the Level of the European Union

Author(s): Mihaela Agata Popescu / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: trade unions; employers’ associations; social dialogue; partnerships

The problem of social dialogue and conceptual crystallization (Ștefanescu 2017) of this phenomenon was an element of maximum interest for European legal doctrine and specialized practice, especially at the level of the European Union and international bodies with attributions in the field of labor protection. Thus, the International Labor Organization (ILO) proposes a working definition for social dialogue (Popescu 2021, 37), which reflects processes and practices found in different countries and which regards social dialogue as a voluntary act of information, consultation and negotiation of social agreements between partners, as well as negotiation of collective labor contracts. More precisely, according to the definition proposed by the International Labor Organization (ILO), Social Dialogue includes any type of negotiation, consultation or the simple exchange of information between representatives of the government, employers and workers on topics of common interest regarding economic and social policies (Popescu 2021, 36). There can be a tripartite process in which the government formally participates in the dialogue, or it can refer to bipartite relations, involving only representatives of workers and management (or trade unions and employers’ associations), in which the government participates indirectly or not.

Multipolar Perspectives of Understanding Rumi’s Personality and Works

Multipolarne perspektive razumijevanja Rumijeve ličnosti i djela

Author(s): Mubina Moker / Language(s): Bosnian / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Insān-i kāmil; Masnavi; Rumi; Shams Tabrizi;

The paper will treat different readers receptions’ and layers of understanding of the work of Spiritual Masnavi (Masnavī Ma’navī), but also the relationship between Šams Tabrizi and Rumi, on an individual and collective level, based on the verses of Rumi of Masnavi and the Divan of Šams Tabrizi. It will try to penetrate into the causes of this multipolarity, the ultimate origins of which open up the possibility of an integrating reader’s reaction to Rumi’s most widely read work both in the East and in the West. It will be shown that the act of communication between the author, the work and the reader, in fact, grows into a self-knowledge process for the reader, and that in the act of reception, although it seems to the reader that he is judging the text, but by loading his own interpretation into the text, he is actually judging himself. To himself, in accordance with his own cognitive level. Therefore, the reader, for the sake of even a valid understanding of Masnavi, should try to build a holistic approach to this work, after Rumi points out that Masnavi, with all the multipolarity of the topic, speaks of only one Universal reality.

Serbia’s Foreign Policy towards Neighbours: Examples of Relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia

Vanjska politika Srbije prema susjedima: primjeri odnosa prema Bosni i Hercegovini, Crnoj Gori, Kosovu i Sjevernoj Makedoniji

Author(s): Admir Lisica / Language(s): Bosnian / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Serbia’s Foreign Policy; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; North Macedonia; Montenegro; Diplomatic Relations; Region; Western Balkans;

If we analyse the foreign policy aspiration of Serbia in the last thirty years, it is clear that this country wants to expand its impact in the region with different methods. The most representative example of such an action of Serbia in the foreign policy segment is its imposition as a regional leader, and the expectations of other Western Balkan countries as such. The focus of work will be the presentation of Serbia’s fo￾reign policy towards its neighbours, with special reference to the action and rhetoric towards Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia. The essence of the topic is that its character is not local, but regional, and in certain segments and global. The topic will be explained with the help of relevant sources, which will enable the verification and credibility of the author’s views presented.