![Poland in Summer 1956](/api/image/getissuecoverimage?id=picture_1956_7083.jpg)
Keywords: ISO management systems standards; EU economic sentiment indicator; panel data fixed effects regression model; generalized method of moments; Granger causality
This study aims to examine the impact of following ISO management system standards on economic sentiment indicator (ESI) as proxy of economic agents’ general view concerning economic activity, for 21 European Union member states over 2005-2014. The empirical research comprises ISO standards with reference to management systems towards quality (ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 16949), food safety (ISO 22000), environment (ISO 14001), and information security (ISO 27001). Panel data fixed effects regression models provide support for a positive impact of the quality management systems related to automotive industry, as well as information security management systems, on the ESI. Further, dynamic panel data approach by way of two-step system generalized method of moments emphasizes a positive influence of quality management systems standard for the medical device industry on Euro-area economic confidence, but a negative effect of food safety management systems. Also, ISO 9001, ISO 22000, and ISO 14001 Granger cause ESI.
More...Keywords: nationalist discourse; national identity; master tropes; conflict analysis; cultural deixis;
This paper employs discursive constructivism to delineate four rhetorical paradigms of nationalist discourse and to compare their potential for conflict. It proposes a four-fold typology which sees the intuitive tropes of antithesis and simile, and the counterintuitive metaphor and irony as structuring principles for national self-images. These are four modes of constructing a cultural deixis, that is, a relationship between national self and its cultural other. The paper argues that the frequency and magnitude of nationalistic conflicts may be minimized by the steady and widespread counter-enculturation of the non-conflictual discourses of analogical (simile-based), metaphoric, and ironic nationalisms. This argument is illustrated with examples from modern and recent Romanian history, but may be taken to epitomize the condition of most postcommunist European nations.
More...Keywords: agro-industrial complex; competitiveness; factors of competitiveness;
The paper analyses the issue of competitiveness of the Russian Agro-Industrial Complex (AIC). Basing on the main factors of competitiveness there is presented the assessment of the competitive potential of the industry. The authors evaluate the dynamics of the AIC complex indicators and determine the level of agro-industrial production competitiveness with account for the three groups of factors: Natural biological resources, Capital and Labour. To calculate complex indicators of competitiveness factors of agricultural production there was used the methodology of data normalization. Based on correlation analysis there was revealed a relationship between the calculated complex indicators of competitiveness of agribusiness. The paper substantiates strategic directions which form the environment for raising competitiveness of the agro-industrial production in the Russian Federation.
More...Keywords: economic growth; foreign direct investment; economic and mathematical modeling; Kazakhstan;
The article refers to the notion of ‘country competitiveness’ which has been described by various authors retrospectively from A. Smith and D. Ricardo to the modern studies of M. Porter, C. MacConell, S. Brue, C. Flynn and the analytics of the World Economic Forum (WEF). This article also makes certain conclusions about the evolution of this notion. The paper also concerns the methods to determine the global competitiveness index proposed by the WEF and the dynamics of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) country ratings from 2004 to 2014. The causes and factors that drove the positional changes of these countries within the considered rating were analyzed as well as the interconnection of the twelve main components of the competitiveness with the global competitiveness level (according to the WEF estimation) along with the competitiveness of goods, services of BRIC countries, growth of the GNP and the dynamics of citizens’ quality of life. The rating data for the global competitiveness of BRIC countries for a period of 8 years was compared and the conclusions were such that the WEF methods that have been governing the calculation of global competitiveness level can be erroneous.
More...Keywords: dr. Augustin Lauran; The Greek-Catholic Bishopric of Oradea; photos; Satu Mare; Gura satului;
Our study is dedicated to Dr. Augustin Lauran (1844-1912), who was a personality of the Greek-Catholic Bishopric of Oradea. His activity, carried out in bad times, is considered to have been controversial. We illustrate part of the reactions of some organs of the Romanian language press regarding its activity. The study presents new information about his life and activity. We also present to the readers three lesser known portraits of him.
More...Keywords: soft power; public diplomacy; non-governmental organizations; international relations;
Evolutions in the international context determined the increase of the importance of public diplomacy, and this paper follows its role in the foreign policy of a country and in the policies developed by the governmental actors who, in contemporary diplomacy, collaborate with non-state actors and with non-governmental organizations. Governmental policy tries to promote and collaborate rather than to control. Public diplomacy, an instrument of soft power, promotes the cultural values of a state in another state; trying to obtain the image it wants abroad. And for this, the partners of the state are the non-governmental organisations and the simple citizens.
More...Keywords: Pinocchio; Collodi; Eugen Coșeriu; re-translation; translation difficulties;
Our research is focused on the book Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, one of the most translated works of the Italian literature. In Romanian, the book has several re-translations, old and modern (integral editions, abbreviated editions, illustrated editions, etc.). Using the concepts of Coșeriu’s theory of translation (Coșeriu, 2009), especially his references to meaning, designation and sense (Coșeriu,1991: 220-221), we analysed some of the most important re-translationsin a semasiological and onomasiological approach. We turned our attention to some full editions, from the oldest ones (Al. Buzescu, R. Alexandrescu, D.D. Panaitescu) to some modern editions. We tried to investigate the reasons behind the re-translation process and, of course, the results of this process (especially some solutions to translation difficulties, some of them culture-specific items, such as personal names or foodstuffs, but also stylistic elements).
More...Keywords: Law; Philosophy of law; General theory of law; Legal system; Three-dimensional conception of law; Trialist theories of law;
La complexité résultant de la pandémie issue du COVID-19 met en évidence la nécessité d’aborder juridiquement les diverses problématiques sous un angle philosophique et juridique également complexe, tridimensionnel, notamment trialiste, qui rend compte de la réalité sociale, les normes, les valeurs, les spécificités des branches du droit systématiquement intégrées dans la théorie générale du droit et l’horizon politique.
More...Keywords: Prince Frederic Wilhelm; Wilhelm II; Carol I; Bucharest; Ferdinand;
This study analyzes the implications of Prince Frederic Wilhelm's visit to Romania in the spring of 1909. The Romanian royal family wanted a rapproche- ment with Germany and hoped that an imperial visit to Bucharest would help increase Berlin's influence in the area. In fact, King Carol often expressed his disappointment at the fact that the German Emperor could not find time to visit Bucharest. The study presents the details of the organization of the visit, the protocol, analyzes the key moments and implications for the relations between the two states. In such moments, each gesture has its importance and symbolism. The visit was accompanied by all the ceremonies that were required at that time, such as religious services, military parades, the handing over of decorations. Trips outside Bucharest were also organized, such as to Slănic Prahova, Bușteni or Târgoviște.
More...Keywords: auction deed; successful tenderer; art. 860 Code of Civil Procedure; good faith; third party acquirer; eviction; enforcement of a real estate; good faith regarding Land Register;
The auction deed issued within the foreclosure of a real estate is an act that enjoys a special legal regulation that in practice raises a series of completely different legal interpretations. The section in cause is part of a series of three. In this section we will present a series of theoretical and practical considerations regarding: (i) the condition of good faith of the successful tenderer, as set out in the practice of national courts, (ii) the verification of good faith in a legal action against eviction, consisting of an action for invalidation of the juridical execution. In the contents of the previous section we presented a series of theoretical and practical considerations regarding: (i) the legal nature of the auction deed (civil act or other type of act), (ii) the relevant provisions regarding the evictions directed against the successful tenderer, (iii) what we understand by exctintion of evictions, (iv) the date on which the extinction of evictions operates. In the following material, we will present: (i) the verification of the condition of good faith in a legal action against eviction, consisting in an action having as object the nullity of the auction deed as a result of the revocation of the deed of ownership of the enforced debtor, (ii) the verification of the condition of good faith in a legal action against eviction, concerning the recovery of possession of a real estate promoted by a third party, (iii) the verification of the condition of good faith in a legal action against eviction (ex. legal action in simulation, legal action in adverse possession), (iv) the justification of the increased protection of the successful tenderer.
More...Keywords: meaning; creativity; lexical norm; denotation; connotation; semantic calque;
The vocabulary of a language is characterized, to the highest degree, by a dynamism that reflects the rapidity and frequency with which lexical innovations occur, which may be either internal creations, borrowings or linguistic calques. Regarding the meanings of some words in the current Romanian language, we grasp the productivity of expanding, generalizing or supplementing the denotative, basic meanings. In some situations, we may speak of homonymous units, or of the circulation of connotative, ironic or pejorative meanings, to words that know a strong discursive resurrection.
More...Keywords: Spirituality; connectivity „IGen”; digital addiction; „digital virtues”;
It seems to us that digital life is soulless. Which is a reality. A virtual existence cannot be brought to life by the very technology that created it. However, in recent years our lives intersect with the digital media in its many forms of instrumentalization. From the now famous search engines, Google, Bing, Yahoo !, Ask… to Social media platforms like: Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube etc. That is why the question is legitimate: how Orthodox spirituality, which expresses in the strongest and most credible way possible the experience of man with God, is affected or corrupted by new digital technologies. How can todayʹs generation be addressed through adolescents, and towards tomorrow, in the space of a quasi-freedom provided by the world of the Internet?
More...Keywords: Interwar Romania; Cultural Politics; Existentialism; Arts; Anti-Semitism; Cultural (In)Tolerance; Political Renewal;
The effervescence of the interwar period also contains the sad story of a brilliant young generation, but lost – intellectually – in the destructive passion of politics. Their search for philosophical, spiritual and political renewal inclined them to fascist doctrines, while their concentration on ethnic, nationalist, Romanian Orthodoxy led them to the legionary movement and anti-Semitism. The present paper offers an overview on the delicate issue of anti-Semitism in interwar Romania and exemplifies it with several successful stories of individuals who managed to escape, just in time, the terror of history.
More...Keywords: Early Bronze Age;Lower Danube area;flanged axe blades;Glina culture;chronology;
The Glina-type flanged axes were acknowledged as such in 1975 by Alexandru Vulpe. Seventeen artefacts of this type exist up to the present moment, distributed in south-eastern Transylvania and south of the Carpathians, mainly in the Olt and Argeș basins. The finds here suggest the presence of several typological variants, while their inclusion in one main type is indicated by their general aspect and proportions. All are cast in closed bivalve moulds with the metal poured through the butt. Some were subjected to compositional analyses, such as the axe from Râșnov (cat. no. 14) with 5% Sn. In the case of two artefacts, the conditions of discovery are unknown, three are isolated finds, two are part of a hoard alongside a shaft-hole axe, and the remaining nine originate from various occupation contexts. Geographically-wise, two finds from south-eastern Transylvania come from Schneckenberg or Jigodin-type contexts and seven artefacts recovered south of the Carpathians originate from Glina-type settlements. We may thus conclude that the Glina-type flanged axes represent a consistent group, well individualised in time and space. They constitute one of the arguments (alongside the Dumbrăvioara-type shaft-hole axes, the Runcuri-type pottery etc.) for the very close links between the Glina-type communities and those on the Upper Olt Basin, within a chronological horizon dated, most probably, between 2700 and 2500 BC.
More...Keywords: crises; state; capitalism; democracy; justice; demography;privatization;europenization; evolutionary fractures;
The present analysis represents a synthesis of the context in which Romania is found today, in the year it celebrates the Centenary of the Great Union. The subjects treated, though briefly, form a quasi-complete picture of the Romanian realities, be they social, cultural, economic or (geo)political. Even though the data presented is not fully updated at the level of the current year, the content draws attention to the major problems the Romanian society faces even 29 years after the Revolution. Finally, the paper clarifies both the mechanisms that deepen the evolutionary societal fractures that risk to drive Romania „out” of history, but also the potential solutions that can get us out of the crisis
More...Keywords: muzică populară; folklore music; folk traditions; rural youth; cultural infrastructure; transnational migration; niche TV channels;
A hybrid that originated in the traditional peasant music, Romanian popular music (muzică populară), as it is known from radio broadcasts, TV shows or live performances from all around the country, was developed by mixing the village music of the twentieth century with techniques and principles borrowed from the classical repertoire and other light genres. Muzica populară emerged in the interwar years, but was perfected and regulated by the communist regime, becoming one of the favorite genres of the rural and urban working class and, nowadays, it continues to have a great appeal among all age categories. Our aim was to discover the motivations that lead the village youth of Romania to involve themselves in activities dealing with muzica populară, in particular, or with folklore and traditions, in general. To accomplish this, we conducted several interviews with young people from Sălaj county, from which a few patterns emerged: the rapid familiarization with the genre due to specific TV channels; the acquired taste due to grandparents raising their grandchildren in the absence of the parents who migrated in the 2000s; the expressed devotion to the local culture and their willingness and duty to preserve and promote it. We can also explain the success of muzică populară among young people by structural factors that are at work in the whole society, namely the lack of interest of post-communist authorities in building and/or maintaining a cultural and educational infrastructure in the rural areas. Thus, this paper aims to explore contemporary rural pop culture by considering the connection between the deterioration of the cultural infrastructure in rural areas, transnational migration and the exponential development of an industry devoted to the recent muzică populară.
More...Keywords: dolus; excusable error; obligation of self-information; pre-contractual obligation of information;
Through this study we have tried to evoke an issue insufficiently addressed in the Romanian law, but which has provoked a series of controversies in the French doctrine and case law. Specifically, we tried to answer the following question: Does dolus require an excusable error? Or if, on the contrary, the (un)excusable nature of the error caused has no relevance for the retention of dolus? Following the presentation of the arguments expressed in the Hexagon, but also by certain Romanian authors, we will present our own point of view on this issue. In our opinion, according to the current Romanian civil regulation, dolus requires the existence of an excusable error, in opposition, for example, with the solution chosen by the French legislator in 2016 or with the vision of the editors of the UNIDROIT Principles. The Romanian judges confirm, in the majority, that it is inconceivable to cancel a contract for dolus, while the alleged victim of the dolus has violated by guilt his obligation of self-information. In other words, the lack of some reasonable diligences in order to know the reality excludes the dolus.
More...Keywords: Romanian Communist Party; Comintern; Sovietization; Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej; political repression;
The hundred-th anniversary of the founding of the Romanian Communist Party in 1921 is the perfect moment to analyze the history of this political movement and its meaning for the Romanian society during the XXth century. Founded as a section of the IIIrd Communist International, the RCP failed to represent any social change in a country full of inequalities because of its anti-national programm to cancel the territorial results of the Great Union of December 1st, 1918.
More...