“Mission impossible”: exploring the viability of power-sharing as a conflict-resolution tool in Syria

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emer Groarke
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negotiated Settlement ◽  
Sustainable Peace ◽  
Viable Model ◽  
Theoretical Overview ◽  
Research Analysis

Purpose – This paper aims to show the viability of consociational power-sharing as a conflict-resolution tool in Syria. It further argues that a subsequent movement from consociational to centripetal power-sharing is vital to ensure sustainable peace. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical overview of power-sharing as a conflict-resolution tool provides the basis for this paper, supported by empirical evidence and qualitative research analysis for its proposed application in Syria. Perceived obstacles to a negotiated settlement are outlined, with suggestions made as to how these issues can be transformed into incentives for invested parties. Such obstacles include Bashar al-Assad remaining in power, and calls for the implementation of Shari’a law by some opposition groups. Findings – While previously the conditions of the conflict were not conducive to peace talks, this paper finds that regional developments, including the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, have re-opened the possibility of, and indeed the necessity for, political negotiations. Detailing the complexity of a conflict that goes far beyond a mere sectarian divide, the findings of this paper dispel the notion that a sectarian partition is a viable model for Syria. The paper highlights the multiple cleavages occurring simultaneously, and shows how a power-sharing model is best suited to deal with them. Originality/value – The paper analyses the ongoing inertia of political negotiations to peacefully resolve the conflict. It offers an approach to conflict-resolution in Syria that has, thus far, not been adequately considered in academic – or political – spheres.

The portrayal of Australian women in property publications

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hera Antoniades ◽  
Clive M.J. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Gender Inequity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Promote Gender Equality ◽  
Management Roles ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Research Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to undertake an analysis of the visual portrayal of women published in a professional journal within the built environment and to establish whether or not there is gender stereotyping through these published images. Design/methodology/approach A prominent property professional industry journal was selected for the research analysis. This journal was selected because of the national coverage within Australia and high prominence within the property industry. The analysis focused on a total of 166 pictures in the 2015 issues. The coding identified the publication year, issue number and page number of each photograph analysed and total number of pictures on each page. After this information was tabulated, each photograph was analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings The research identified that given the opportunity to be photographed ad hoc, women tend to take the dominant stance and yet when the pictures were posed, the women showed a tendency to adopt a submissive stance. Male images were 13.39 per cent in the dominance category indicating a higher score in comparison to females at 3.45 per cent. Practical implications Whilst it is generally accepted that there are more males in the built environment, the reality leans towards the notion that with less woman on property boards and management roles, it will be difficult to portray women in positions of authority and to balance the gender portrayal. In summary, the marginalisation of women is evident, and marketing media can be highly influential and unintentionally promote gender inequity with image portrayal. Originality/value This research provides a valuable insight on how women are portrayed in the property profession. The property industry and the professional bodies can provide an influential role to promote gender equality.

Conflict resolution under the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Roberto Balmori de la Miyar ◽  
Lauren Hoehn-Velasco ◽  
Adan Silverio-Murillo
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Difference In Difference ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Twitter Data ◽  
Conflict Resolution Strategies ◽  
Resolution Strategies

Purpose This paper aims to analyze conflict resolution strategies among individuals who encountered disputes with family, neighbors, workmates, businesses, strangers, government authorities or other members in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Applying a difference-in-difference approach by sex, the authors use a representative panel of adults living in 82 cities from across Mexico to measure changes in antisocial strategies (violence) and prosocial strategies (non-confrontational methods and dialogue) to resolve disputes. Findings During the COVID-19 pandemic, men reduced their use of violence by 19.6% while women did so by 17.4%. There was a parallel rise in non-confrontational strategies used to solve conflicts equal to 73.6% for men and 62% for women. The use of dialogue as a tool for resolving disputes increased by more in cities that banned the sale of alcohol. Alternative Twitter data corroborates the main findings, suggesting that individuals are becoming more prosocial during the pandemic. Originality/value To the knowledge, this is the first empirical study to analyze changes in strategies for conflict resolution as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper contributes to the literature by demonstrating how individuals adapt their dispute strategies under extraordinary circumstances such as a pandemic, with a focus on a middle-income setting.

A comparative benchmark model for SMEs: viable entrepreneur emotional intelligence

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noorliza Karia
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Benchmark Model ◽  
Entrepreneurial Performance ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Viable Model

PurposeBesides small- and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) constraints, there is a lack of critical observations of the human capital model naturally inspiring themselves from within. Therefore this paper exposes the factors of emotional intelligence (EI) that make entrepreneurs gain sustainable competitiveness.Design/methodology/approachA data of self-administered survey from 397 SMEs in Malaysia was investigated using regression analysis.FindingsThe results reveal factors of EI comprised of self-confidence, self-innovation, self-inspiration and self-vision that have significant positive impacts on entrepreneurial performance. Amazingly, EI contributes almost 30% of the success, where self-vision and self-innovation are the robust EI to strengthen and sustain entrepreneurial performance. In contrast, self-confidence and self-inspiration are generic EI of human capital and easy to be applied by rivals.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides a comparative benchmark model for SMEs, managers and entrepreneurs inspiring themselves from within that they can emulate and attain the same success. SMEs can obtain success by investing and culturing EI factors within themselves.Practical implicationsThe study provides a comparative benchmark model for SMEs and managers inspiring themselves from within and expands the theory of heterogeneous SMEs and the human capital to sustainable business and competitiveness. SMEs can obtain success through capitalizing human capital attributes within themselves.Originality/valueThe study is the first providing the viable model for SMEs or entrepreneurs leading themselves from within, to their action, behaviour, decision and achievement or the performance mechanism with a benchmark model of entrepreneur EI as a booster.

Generation Z entering the workforce: the need for sustainable strategies in maximizing their talent

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 34-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bharat Chillakuri ◽  
Rajendra Mahanandia
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Cohort Group ◽  
Generation Z ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Research Analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the characteristics of the cohort Generation Z and identify strategies for maximizing their talent. The study emphasizes that it is critical for the organization to revisit their strategies so as to accommodate this cohort group. With Generation Z entering the workforce, the nature of entry-level jobs is changing; hence, HR needs to redesign their strategies to attract and engage Generation Z.Design/methodology/approachThe research design adopted for the study is exploratory in nature. The research analysis is based on the information/data collected from the journal articles, newspapers and various conferences and majorly from in-person discussions with the Generation Z cohort group.FindingsGeneration Z believes in multitasking and likes to learn everything on their own, underscoring their individuality. They believe in doing more in less time, and thus, efficiency and effectiveness are attributed to be part of their DNA.Research limitations/implicationsIt has to be accepted that very little is known about Generation Z as they have just started to enter the workforce. The next two years will have this cohort joining organizations in entry-level jobs. Organizations have to carefully watch and redesign their strategies to effectively engage this group, as they have no choice except to accept the new generation.Practical implicationsThe literature on Generation Z is scanty, as much of the scholarly research is done in isolation. However, prior studies indicate that Generation Z is tech-savvy and wants everything connected. Organizations will be forced to accept technology as the preferred medium of communication when Generation Z enters the organization.Originality/valueThe study presents an alternative for managing the Generation Z, thereby maximizing their talent in the workplace.

HOW DO MILITARY CONFLICTS END? LESSONS FOR UKRAINE

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Political Elite ◽  
Peace Agreement ◽  
Consociational Democracy ◽  
Negotiated Settlement ◽  
Military Conflicts ◽  
Occupied Territories ◽  
Dispersive Power ◽  
Military Victory

The main ways of ending military conflicts, both between states and within the state, are considered. Among the four main ways to end the war are: military victory, negotiated settlement, negotiated truces, peace of sorts is imposed by third parties. Researchers conclude that the best way to promote sustainable peace is a negotiated settlement. The main factor here is the text of the peace agreement, which creates the rules of the game, according to which the key actors in the conflict agree to act. The models of democracy that can be laid down in a peace agreement are analyzed. Among them are consociational democracy, power-dividing, centrifugal and corporate models. The attention is paid to the consociational model, which according to the author, is the best alternative for resolving the armed conflict in the occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. The basic idea of power-sharing or consociational democracy is to accommodate the interests of the political elite, which represents each segment in a divided society. The key characteristics of power-sharing are a grand coalition, segment’s autonomy, proportional representation, and mutual veto. All these features can be applied in different categories of power-sharing. These are political, military, economic, and territorial dimensions. Besides, there are three types of power-sharing: inclusive power-sharing, constraining power-sharing, and dispersive power-sharing. The division of different types helps to understand at what stage of conflict resolution, what kind of institutions of power-sharing should be implemented. An analysis of the Minsk Agreement revealed that its text was at odds with current conflict resolution practices, which was one of the reasons why the agreement does not affect conflict resolution.

Domestic legal traditions and the dispute settlement body

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-135
Author(s):  
Christina Fattore
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Dispute Settlement ◽  
Legal Tradition ◽  
Trade Disputes ◽  
State Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negotiated Settlement ◽  
Legal Traditions ◽  
High Esteem ◽  
Affect State

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to focus on the influence of domestic legal traditions on dispute behavior, which has been widely examined in the conflict literature, within the World Trade Organization (WTO). States with a civil legal tradition hold treaties and agreements in high esteem. Therefore, they will be more likely to file trade complaints and pursue adjudication when compared to states with common or mixed legal traditions. Design/methodology/approach – The hypotheses in this study have been tested using a quantitative test with data from the WTO regarding trade disputes. Findings – While civil law states are more likely to file complaints, they are less likely to pursue adjudication over a negotiated settlement. Originality/value – This study brings to light how domestic legal systems affect state behavior within an international legal body.

Gender, age and nationality: assessing their impact on conflict resolution styles

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwakemi Gbadamosi ◽  
Abbas Ghanbari Baghestan ◽  
Khalil Al-Mabrouk
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conflict Resolution Styles ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the conflict resolution styles used by university students in handling conflicts, and to determine the effects (if any) of age, nationality and gender on how students respond to conflicts. Design/methodology/approach – The Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument was adopted to assess the conflict resolution styles (accommodating, avoiding, collaborative, competitive and compromising) of post graduate students in a University in Malaysia. Both ANOVA and t-test analyses were utilized to investigate the relationship between, nationality, gender, age and conflict resolution styles used by students. Findings – Results of this study indicates that female students used competitive style more than male students, while male students are more likely to avoid conflicts. The older students were discovered to use more avoiding, while younger students are more likely to be competitive in nature. The findings did not reveal any significant differences in nationality. Originality/value – This paper expands its focus from gender (which is the most commonly tested category) to other categories such as age and nationality, thereby giving room for these new categories to be tested extensively in future researches. The results reveal that students not only use different conflict resolution styles to address conflicts, but also there exists differences in the styles used by students of different age groups and gender.

Consociationalism, Power Sharing, and Politics at the Center

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Ethnic Conflict ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Divided Societies ◽  
Sustainable Peace ◽  
Complex Power

For more than four decades, advocates of consociationalism and their opponents have been engaged in a debate over about how to design institutions to achieve sustainable peace in divided societies. In general, existing theories acknowledge the importance and usefulness of institutional design in conflict resolution, but offer rather different prescriptions as to the most appropriate models to achieve stable conflict settlements. Three such theories are of particular significance: power sharing in the form of its liberal consociational variant, centripetalism, and power dividing. Consociationalism, centripetalism, and power dividing offer a range of distinct prescriptions on how to ensure that differences of identity do not translate into violence. They often go beyond “politics at the center” and also provide arguments on territorial dimensions of ethnic conflict settlement. Practitioners of conflict resolution recognize the need to combine a range of different mechanisms, giving rise to an emerging practice of conflict settlement known as “complex power sharing.” None of the three theories of conflict resolution fully captures this current practice of complex power sharing, even as liberal consociationalism appears to be the most open to incorporation of elements of centripetalism and power dividing. A theory of complex power sharing would need to explain why there is empirical support for a greater mix of institutions than existing theories recommend.

Red teaming financial crime risks in the banking sector

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Fraser Scott
Keyword(s):  
Financial Risk ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Financial Crime ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
External Threats ◽  
Strategic Policy ◽  
Theoretical Overview ◽  
Crime Risks

Purpose In recent years, Australian regulators have focussed on the financial crime compliance obligations of banks and other reporting entities, and there is a clear expectation that banks develop effective approaches to the management of non-financial risk. Red teaming is a methodology used in the intelligence and military domains to understand external threats. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of red teaming methods, set out a framework for using them in financial crime compliance and provide practical examples of red teaming exercises, which banks can use to manage financial crime risks. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides an overview of the financial crime compliance landscape in Australia. It outlines some of the key concepts and techniques used in red teaming, drawing in particular on the framework developed by strategic policy expert Micah Zenko. It explores the benefits of red teaming for financial crime compliance practice, concluding with three example exercises for financial crime teams. Findings Based on this research, red teaming methods can assist banks in taking a proactive approach to identify and mitigating financial crime risks. Rather than confining red teaming to cybersecurity applications, banks should consider they can use red teaming methods in their financial crime compliance functions. Originality/value This paper represents the first assessment of how to apply red teaming methods to risk management in financial crime compliance. It combines a historical and theoretical overview of red teaming methods with example red teaming exercises for money laundering, sanctions and strategic policy scenarios.

Affective practices and the prison visit: learning at Port Arthur and the Cascades Female Factory

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-142
Author(s):  
Amy McKernan
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Historical Thinking ◽  
Penal System ◽  
Methodological Framework ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Historic Site ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Heritage Education ◽  
Interpretive Strategies ◽  
Research Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the ways Port Arthur Historic Site and the Cascades Female Factory educate visitors using the often contentious and confronting histories of convictism in Australia. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted between 2012 and 2015, and included analysis of exhibitions and education programs at the two sites, as well as interviews with core staff, and archival research. Analysis employed a methodological framework drawing on Margaret Wetherell’s (2012) notion of “affective practice”, as well as understandings of historical thinking in education developed by theorists and educators. Findings The two sites take differing approaches to educating visitors about the “uncomfortable” histories related to their heritage. Ultimately, this paper argues that the Cascades presents a greater ease with communicating the confronting aspects of the site’s history, while Port Arthur’s interpretive strategies are often focussed on countering widespread assumptions about the “darkness” and cruelty characteristic of the penal system in Australia. Overall, the analysis finds considerable potential in the “use” of confronting and contested history in teaching aimed at developing historical thought and empathy. Originality/value The research addresses an issue that is of central concern in heritage education at present – interpretations of confronting and contentious histories – and employs an innovative set of conceptual strategies and tools to gather insights of use to practitioners in heritage and education.

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