scholarly journals Populism in Moldova’s Informal Political System

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Gian Marco Moisé
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Informal Practices ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Traditional Understanding

The 2020 presidential and 2021 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova saw a clear victory of the populist Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) of the newly elected president Maia Sandu over the pro-Russian coalition led by former presidents Igor Dodon and Vladimir Voronin. These results testify the citizens’ will to change a country with an ever-widening gap between politicians and populace. Since 2015, the political debate is centred on corruption, but the cases described draw the picture of a political landscape where practices go beyond the traditional understanding of the term. In fact, their analysis demonstrates the existence of a system of Soviet political culture which relies on informal practices of the elite, arguing that some of these practices have clear Soviet roots while others are an adaptation of the Soviet mentality to the new liberal democratic setting. The paper also highlights differences between the populist parties born either as a reaction to the system or as an adaptation of the elite response to perceived expectations of the electorate. This research took place between 2020 and 2021 utilising participant observation and semi-structured interviews with Moldovan political experts. The paper concludes that future research on Moldovan politics should incorporate analysis of this informal dimension to state politics which is core to public debate on corruption and the integrity of state institutions in Moldova.

scholarly journals Experiencias de familias en pobreza en el sur de Mérida, Yucatán (México). Explorando posibilidades del Trabajo Social en el contexto neoliberal

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-55
Author(s):  
Silvia Montejo Murillo
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Interpretive Paradigm ◽  
The Family ◽  
Trabajo Social

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la pobreza desde las experiencias de dos familias de la colonia Emiliano Zapata Sur II de Mérida Yucatán, con la finalidad de contribuir al quehacer del Trabajo Social desde una perspectiva humanista. El análisis mantuvo un enfoque cualitativo que se colocó dentro de un paradigma interpretativo y se apoyó de un método fenomenológico. Se utilizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas y observación participante para obtener durante dos años los datos primarios. Entre los principales resultados se encuentran que los jefes de familia, son quienes palían la pobreza a través de su ingreso y liderazgo. Asimismo, existe un estigma sobre la colonia que la cataloga como “pobre” que influye en su condición. De igual forma, a pesar de que la familia es un sistema, cada miembro experimenta la pobreza de forma particular, necesitando más o menos recursos y satisfactores. Se recomienda para futuras investigaciones, tomar en consideración la “forma de pensar y de vivir” de la familia y de cada integrante, uno de los mayores retos al que el Trabajo Social se enfrenta desde todos sus campos de diagnóstico e intervención, dada la elevada población y la limitación de sus recursos como profesional dentro y fuera de las instituciones. The main objective of this research was to analyze poverty from the experiences of two families from the Emiliano Zapata Sur II neighborhood of Mérida Yucatán, in order to contribute to the work of Social Work from a humanistic perspective. The analysis maintained a qualitative approach that was placed within an interpretive paradigm and was supported by a phenomenological method. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were used to obtain the primary data for two years. Among the main results are that the heads of the family are those who alleviate poverty through their income and leadership. Likewise, there is a stigma on the colony that classifies it as “poor” that influences its condition. Similarly, despite the fact that the family is a system, each member experiences poverty in a particular way, requiring more or less resources and satisfiers. It is recommended for future research to take into consideration the “way of thinking and living” of the family and of each member, one of the greatest challenges that Social Work faces from all its fields of diagnosis and intervention, given the high population and the limitation of their resources as a professional inside and outside the institutions.

scholarly journals Practice-based segmentation: taxonomy of C2C co-creation practice segments

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 3799-3818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Rihova ◽  
Miguel Moital ◽  
Dimitrios Buhalis ◽  
Mary-Beth Gouthro
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practice Elements ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
Specific Practice ◽  
Social Units

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and evaluate practice-based segmentation as an alternative conceptual segmentation perspective that acknowledges the active role of consumers as value co-creators.Design/methodology/approachData comprising various aspects of customer-to-customer (C2C) co-creation practices of festival visitors were collected across five UK-based festivals, using participant observation and semi-structured interviews with naturally occurring social units (individuals, couples and groups). Data were analysed using a qualitative thematic analysis procedure within QSR NVivo 10.FindingsPrivate, sociable, tribal and communing practice segments are identified and profiled, using the interplay of specific subject- and situation-specific practice elements to highlight the “minimum” conditions for each C2C co-creation practice. Unlike traditional segments, practice segment membership is shown to be fluid and overlapping, with fragmented consumers moving across different practice segments throughout their festival experience according to what makes most sense at a given time.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough practice-based segmentation is studied in the relatively limited context of C2C co-creation practices at festivals, the paper illustrates how this approach could be operationalised in the initial qualitative stages of segmentation research. By identifying how the interplay of subject- and situation-specific practice elements affects performance of practices, managers can facilitate relevant practice-based segments, leading to more sustainable business.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to segmentation literature by empirically demonstrating the feasibility of practice-based segments and by evaluating the use of practice-based segmentation on a strategic, procedural and operational level. Possible methodological solutions for future research are offered.

scholarly journals CoPs facing rationalization: the politics of community reproduction

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stine Skaufel Kilskar ◽  
Jonas A. Ingvaldsen ◽  
Nina Valle
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
World View ◽  
Lean Production ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to explore the relationship between the contemporary forms of manufacturing rationalization and the reproduction of communities of practice (CoPs) centred on tasks and craft. Building on critical literature highlighting the tensions between CoPs and rationalization, this paper aims to develop a nuanced account of how CoPs are reproduced in the context of rationalization. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study of a CoP involved in the production of automotive components was conducted. Following a change in ownership, the company was instructed to rationalize production according to the principles of lean production. Data were collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings The CoP of the case study reinterpreted, resisted and redefined the lean production practices according to the established norms and values. In collusion with local management, workers protected the integrity of the community by engaging in hypocritical reporting. While lower-level managers buffered the rationalization pressures, workers would “get the work done” without further interference. Research limitations/implications The critical research approach may be applied to a wide range of cases in which informal or professional work organization collides with change programmes driven by management. Future research is encouraged to investigate more closely how CoPs gain access to formal and informal power by enrolling lower-level managers in their joint enterprise and world view. Practical implications Managers should be aware that attempts to rationalize community-based work forms may lead to dysfunctional patterns of organizational decoupling. Originality/value This study is one of the first to empirically examine the relationship between CoPs and manufacturing rationalization.

scholarly journals Analysis of State Forest Institutions in the Republic of Moldova, Using a Causative Model

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Nicolae Talpă ◽  
Aureliu Florin Hălălișan ◽  
Bogdan Popa
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Forest Protection ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Republic Of Moldova ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Management Institutions

With state institutions playing a determinant role and the state owning 86% of the forestland, the forest sector in the Republic of Moldova still strives to adapt to post-communist socio-economic realities. This paper evaluates the performance of forest state institutions in achieving ambitious policy goals oriented toward sustainable management and enhancing forest protection functions. The performance of the Moldsilva Agency; State Forest Enterprises; and Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment were evaluated, using the criteria of the 3L Model. The research combined participatory observations, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and secondary empirical evidence. The results indicate a paternalistic regulatory approach, with state authority institutions giving marginal importance to non-state forests, and low-efficiency state forest management institutions having financial difficulties that threaten the fulfillment of sustainability goals. The Moldsilva Agency has a central role in intra-/inter-sectorial coordination and cooperation. The authorities should seriously consider a more precise formulation of policy goals, with solid budgetary support along with institutional measures aiming at more efficient forest management structures and higher concern for non-state forests and society’s demands.

scholarly journals Digital Storytelling as a Communicative Language Teaching Based Method in EFL Classrooms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haifa Mohammed Al-Amri
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Digital Storytelling ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Communicative Language Teaching ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language Teaching Methods

Communicative language teaching has emerged in second and foreign language pedagogy due to the inadequacy of previous language teaching methods to enhance English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ communicative competence. However, old language teaching methods, mainly, grammar-translation and audio-lingual, are still prevalent in EFL contexts. One of the reasons behind EFL teachers’ hesitance to shift entirely to communicative language teaching (CLT) is the absence of clear guidance, including examples for classroom activities appropriate for this approach. Thus, the aim of this study is, first, to bridge this gap by suggesting digital storytelling as a classroom activity that is well-aligned with the principles of the communicative language approach. Second, to assess the effectiveness of digital storytelling activity on improving some linguistic aspects of students’ communicative competence. To this end, the study incorporated a case study design using multiple qualitative methods such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews and analysis of participants’ scripts and recordings to measure the improvement, if any. Participants were a class of 32 10th graders who collaboratively created five digital stories over 12 weeks. Results showed students’ favourable views to digital storytelling activity, particularly the ample opportunities it creates for communication inside the classroom. As for communicative competence, improvement in phonology, grammar, and lexicon were the most notable. Finally, suggestions for effective integration and possible future research venues based on these findings are provided.

scholarly journals Mehrsprachigkeit in der Bildung in Deutschland – eine Diskursanalyse

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-216
Author(s):  
Farin Engels
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Discursive Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Republic ◽  
State Employees ◽  
Language Promotion ◽  
Education Science

Multilingualism in Education in Germany – a Discourse Analysis. In the Republic of Germany, language acquisition for children with a mother tongue other than German has been a widely discussed topic in education science as well as in public and political discourse over the last decades. Annual studies on preschool and primary education point to the ongoing disadvantage – or even discrimination – suffered by multilingual children in the German education system. Given Germany’s history as a country of immigration, and in light of recent public discussions on the increased immigration of refugees, the question of the problematic’s socio-political background arises. This leads to the issue of linguistic concepts among society and their influence on domestic language policies. This article presents analysis of discourse around languagepolitical concepts and practices among stakeholders in language promotion in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia. Five semi-structured interviews with state employees were analysed following a discourse analytical approach. The analysis, deploying frameworks from the field of Critical Discourse Analysis, focused on the discursive practice of legitimation in the evaluation of multilingualism. Multilingualism as a phenomenon in society appeared to be evaluated according to differing standards (for example correctness or properness) depending on the language. As for evaluation, the analysis indicated an additional dimension in discourse which assigns different groups of speakers a belonging to particular languages. All in all, the collected data pointed to a diverse and ever-changing discourse in the field of language promotion in North-Rhine Westphalia. The presented analysis aims to stimulate a debate and suggests some directions for future research.

Between suspicion, nicknames, and trust—renegotiating ethnographic access with Swedish border police

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-157
Author(s):  
Lisa Marie Borrelli
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Rites Of Passage ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Research Field ◽  
The Other ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Street Level ◽  
Street Level Bureaucrats

PurposeThis article contributes the following: First, it argues along previous works that rites of passage include continuous testing, which needs to be passed in order to gain a certain level of acceptance within the research field. Here besides the emotional effort, researchers have to position themselves and are confronted with questions of trust. Second, it is argued that the collected and analysed data on the rites of passage enable us to make sense of street-level bureaucrats' work and functioning of state institutions, especially in a police context. Reflections on research negotiations drew the author's attention to how mistrust towards the “other”, here defined as migrant other, prevails the migration regime. This mistrust is later transferred onto the researcher, whose stay is deemed questionable and eventually intrusive.Design/methodology/approachThe collected data include semi-structured interviews, as well as several months of participant observation with street-level officers and superordinate staff, deepening previous discussions on research access and entrance. It further allows understanding street-level narratives, especially when it comes to the culture of suspicion embedded in police work, connecting the experienced tests with the everyday knowledge of police officers and case workers.FindingsThe analysis of rites of passage enable us to make sense of street-level bureaucrats' work, especially in a police context, since we find a specific way of suspicion directed towards the researcher. It is based on a general mistrust towards the “other”, here defined as migrant other, whose stay is deemed illegal and thus intruding. In this context, the positionality of the researcher becomes crucial and needs strategical planning.Research limitations/implicationsAccessing and being able to enter the “field” is of crucial relevance to researchers, interested in studying, e.g. sense-making and decision-making of the respective interlocutors. Yet, ethnographic accounts often disclose only partially, which hurdles, limiting or contesting their aspirations to conduct fieldwork, were encountered.Originality/valueThe personal role of researchers, their background and emotions are often neglected when describing ethnographic research. Struggles and what these can say about the studied field are thus left behind, although they contribute to a richer understanding of the functioning of the chosen fields. This work will examine how passing the test and going through rituals of “becoming a member” can tell us more about the functioning of a government agency, here a Swedish border police unit.

scholarly journals Բնակչության Լիբերալ-Դեմոկրատական Ընտրական Կողմնորոշումների Ընդհանուր Աշխարհագրական Առանձնահատկությունները Հայաստանի Հանրապետությունում

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Husik Ghulyan
Keyword(s):  
Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
Political Landscape ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Electoral Preferences

Russian Abstract: Цель статьи выявление и интерпретация географических особенностей либерально-демократических электоральных предпочтений населения в Республике Армения. Для этого анализировалось структура политического пространства РА в 1998-2008гг. и существование в этом пространстве политических сил разных идеологических ориентаций. Для выявления географических особенностей либерально-демократических электоральных предпочтений населения, анализировалось результаты участия либерально-демократических политических сил (партий и кандидатов) в президентских и парламентских выборах последнего десятилетия. В итоге с помощью сопоставления и пространство-временного анализа итогов парламентских и президентских выборов, автор пришел к выводу, что в РА при голосовании за либерально-демократических политических сил существует раскол 'север-юг' при котором население северных регионов (марзов) голосует преимущественно за либерально-демократических политических сил, а население южных регионов голосует преимущественно за национально-консервативных политических сил.English Abstract: The purpose of this article is to reveal and analyze the general geographical features of liberal-democratic electoral preferences of the population in the Republic of Armenia, therefore, the structure of political landscape of RA for 1998-2008 period and the existence of political forces with different ideological orientation in this landscape has been analyzed. In order to reveal the geographical features of liberal-democratic electoral preferences of the population, the voting for liberal-democratic political forces at presidential and parliamentary elections of the last decade have been analyzed. As a result of the comparative and spatiotemporal analysis, the papers concludes that in RA in the voting for liberal-democratic political forces there is a north-south 'cleavage', namely the population of northern regions votes mainly for liberal-democratic political forces, while the population of the southern regions mainly votes for national-conservative ones.

Communities of practice: linking knowledge management and strategy in creative firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Bashouri ◽  
Glen William Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the importance of knowledge and its management in the creative professional service firm (PSF). The other purpose is to explore the role of communities of practice (CoPs) in knowledge management (KM) strategies. Design/methodology/approach – A single-case study approach was adopted with five open-ended semi-structured interviews conducted with middle and senior management having mainly an architectural background. The data were complemented with participant observation and reflection on experience together with conversations with work colleagues. Findings – The findings suggest that having an appropriately balanced strategy of personalisation/codification of knowledge through CoPs contributes to the competitiveness of the firm. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides a useful exploration of KM in creative PSFs, but the results may lack generalizability because of the small scale and qualitative nature of the research. The research is limited to one firm in one country. Future research is needed to test the findings in other creative PSFs and in other countries. Practical implications – The paper provides guidance to managers in creative PSFs on the need for positioning CoPs at the heart of the firm’s KM strategies. Originality/value – The paper tests a theoretical framework on how to link strategy with KM strategy in creative PSFs.

scholarly journals Coordination in temporary organizations

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1340-1367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Fernandes ◽  
Martin Spring ◽  
Monideepa Tarafdar
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Coordination Mechanisms ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Coordination Strategies ◽  
Temporary Organizations ◽  
Empirical Context ◽  
Work Coordination ◽  
Over Time

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore intra-firm coordination in temporary organizations (TOs). Specifically, it identifies and explains how operational coordination evolves over time in a particular TO: the 2016 Olympic Games Organizing Committee.Design/methodology/approachThis is an immersive case study based on qualitative analysis and longitudinal fieldwork, which allowed the observation of operational coordination in real time. The main sources of data are participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and internal documents of the TO.FindingsThe findings suggest that operational coordination in TOs dealing with multiple and decentralized operations takes place through the combination of both formal and informal coordination mechanisms. Further analysis indicates a contingency logic in using these mechanisms, shaped by the presence of specific coordination challenges in different phases of work. Three main aspects influencing coordination are explored. First, it is suggested that TOs are inherently “hybrid.” That is, they comprise enduring as well as temporary and centralized as well as decentralized elements. These elements change over time. Second, a formal transition phase is explored: “venueization” – a phase between planning and operation in which centralized structural elements and processes are translated to operational units. Third, since TOs present emergence and dynamism, and related challenges across various phases of work, coordination is arguably contingent on the phase of the project.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the findings are limited to a particular empirical context, this paper offers theoretically new insights concerning the hybrid nature of processes in TOs, the contingent use of complementary coordination mechanisms, and the importance of the venueization phase, and provides a basis for future research into operational coordination in TOs.Practical implicationsThe findings can help practitioners understand and identify the challenges embedded in temporary contexts and develop coordination strategies accordingly.Originality/valueThis study explains how operational coordination takes place in TOs enabled by formal and informal mechanisms, which are contingently combined over time through particular coordination strategies.

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