scholarly journals Donbas crisis key actors: narratives and perceptions in the interviews of Ukrainian elites

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Narrative Theory ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Constructive Dialogue ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
The Eu

This article examines real events, their perceptions and narratives concerned with the key actors in the Donbas crisis – Ukraine, the EU/EU member states, Russia and the USA. Perceptions and narratives are traced in the texts of interviews with Ukrainian policy- and decision-makers from political, business, cultural, and civic cohorts (40 respondents). The elites were interviewed in the winter of 2016 within the framework of the Jean Monnet Network “Crisis, conflict and critical diplomacy: EU perceptions in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine” (C3EU), supported by Earsmus+ program of the European Commission. Informed by the strategic narrative theory [Miskimmon et al. 2013], the article undertakes a qualitative content analysis of the interview texts, explicating elite perceptions of the crisis in Donbas. The results spell the need for a more nuanced understanding of Ukraine’s perceptions of key actors in the ongoing conflict as well as the origin of these perceptions. Arguably, such understanding may benefit the EU’s critical diplomacy towards Ukraine and add a valuable insight to the constructive dialogue between Ukraine and the EU.

scholarly journals BIOCHAR STANDARDIZATION AND LEGISLATION HARMONIZATION

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian MEYER ◽  
Lorenzo GENESIO ◽  
Ines VOGEL ◽  
Hans-Peter SCHMIDT ◽  
Gerhard SOJA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Soil Amendment ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Soil Improvers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Change Mitigation ◽  
The Eu

It is a relatively new concept to use biochar as soil amendment and for climate change mitigation. For this reason, the national and supranational legislation in the EU is not yet adequately prepared to regulate both the production and the application of biochar. Driven by this “regulatory gap”, voluntary biochar quality standards have been formed in Europe with the European Biochar Certificate, in the UK with the Biochar Quality Mandate and in the USA with the IBI Standard which is intended to be used internationally. In parallel to this, biochar producers and biochar users in a number of EU countries were partly successful in fitting the new biochar product into the existing national legislation for fertilisers, soil improvers and composts. The intended revision of the EC Regulation 2003/2003 on fertilisers offers the opportunity to regulate the use of biochar at the EU level. This publication summarizes the efforts on biochar standardization which have been carried out by voluntary products standards and illustrates existing legislation in EU member states, which apply to the production and use of biochar. It describes existing and planned EU regulations, which impact biochar applications and it develops recommendations on the harmonization of biochar legislation in the EU.

scholarly journals “To protect national sovereignty from the EU?” The 2019 EP elections and populist parties in V4 countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (54) ◽  
pp. 71-106
Author(s):  
Vladimír Naxera ◽  
◽  
Viktor Glied ◽  
Ondřej Filipec ◽  
Małgorzata Kaczorowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
The Other ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Central European ◽  
Contemporary State ◽  
Election Manifestos ◽  
The Eu

This article analyses the 2019 European Parliament (EP) election manifestos of populist parties in V4 countries as a contribution to the contemporary discussion on political populism. The aim of the study is to analyze the election campaign programs which populist parties operating in individual V4 countries presented for EP elections in 2019, using a qualitative content analysis of the official election programs of relevant populist parties and other sources of their communication. It tries to identify topics that have been framed as a problem or risk by Central European populists and how these topics have been interpreted in their programs. The so-called “immigration crisis” and the contemporary state of the European Union are seen as the most problematic topics by a majority of the populists. On the other hand, the majority of these parties do not want some Central European version of Brexit. Their rhetorical goal is rather the reform the Union.

scholarly journals Smart City EU - Lighthouse Projects – Investigation of Economic Benefits

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Aik Wirsbinna
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Cost Saving ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Economic Benefit ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Or Efficiency ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
The Eu

The major European Smart City Lighthouse Projects have gained a lot of attention and importance from the designers of Smart City Initiatives (SCI) since 2014. The EU Commission's funding under the Horizon 2020 program is significant. The supported cities include the European metropolises but also several smaller cities. All these cities are repeatedly named Smart City pioneers. However, the research still has a gap when it comes to value generation. This article deals with the economic benefits of these Lighthouse projects. The own developed categories are applied and proved with Lighthouse projects. The range of economic benefits is shown and evaluated using the qualitative content analysis of the data from the EU - CORDIS database. The sustainability in the Smart City Initiatives is showcased as economic benefit is prioritized higher than cost saving or efficiency.

CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON WORK AND OTHER CERTAIN LEGAL SOCIAL, TECHNOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

2021 ◽  
Vol specjalny (XXI) ◽  
pp. 113-127
Author(s):  
Andrzej Świątkowski
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Usa ◽  
European Values ◽  
Electronic Technologies ◽  
The Eu

The European Union is in the initial phase of managing the conditions for the growth of artificial intelligence. Assuming that the above-mentioned electronic technology of the future should be trustworthy, guarantee the safety of its users and develop under human leadership, the Union should be able to convince the Member States of the necessary need for all interested parties to apply modern electronic technologies in practice while respecting European values, principles and human rights. The above common goal, extremely important for the future of European societies, and a uniform unified strategy for achieving it, binds the EU Member States. The above statement applies to all EU Member States, including those with above-average ambitions to become European leaders in the use of artificial intelligence for economic and social development. Considering that the European Union is competing with the USA and China, it is justified to ask whether the strategy of the development and use of artificial intelligence intended by the European Union will enable the achievement of the above goal?

Age Equality after the Employment Directive

2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Meenan
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Age Discrimination ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Life Course Approach ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Eu

This article examines the Employment Directive from the age perspective and endorses a life course approach to ageing. It explores the permitted exclusions on grounds of age and especially the exceptional justification for direct age discrimination, contained in Article 6. In the end, EU Member States may find it more difficult to successfully transpose Article 6 than they imagine. The article reveals special challenges for age and refers to age laws in Ireland and the USA, in particular. It also refers to preparations for transposition in a number of Member States, including the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Whether and to what extent age will ultimately receive the least protection of all the new grounds, remains to be seen and will depend largely on the individual approaches of the Member States. The ultimate consequence of the additional opportunities for excluding or justifying age discrimination may well be different protected areas throughout the EU.

Implementacja polityk unijnych w Polsce i pozostałych krajach członkowskich, z perspektywy kryzysu w UE

2015 ◽  
pp. 70-89
Author(s):  
Renata Mieńkowska
Keyword(s):  
Member State ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Member States ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
The Eu

In the article the author analyses the most important challenges of implementation of the EU policies in the member states during the EU economic crisis. The main aspects analysed in the article are: major problems faced by the EU member states in the context of the crisis regarding implementation of the EU law, changes in the mechanisms of implementation, challenges for the Eurozone in a time of crisis, comitology procedures and their meaning during the crisis. The article contains recommendations regarding implementation of the EU law for decision-makers on both the EU and member state levels.

scholarly journals Is the rest of the EU missing out on REITs?

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-122
Author(s):  
Andrius Grybauskas ◽  
Vaida Pilinkiene
Keyword(s):  
Real Estate ◽  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Real Estate Market ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Parametric Data ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Eu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether real estate investment trusts (REITs) have any significant cost-efficiency advantages over real estate operating companies (REOCs). Design/methodology/approach The data for listed companies were extracted from the Bloomberg terminal. The authors analyzed financial ratios and conducted a non-parametric data envelope analysis (DEA) for 534 firms in the USA, Canada and some EU member states. Findings The results suggest that REITs were much more cost-efficient than REOCs by all the parameters in the DEA model during the entire three-year period under consideration. Although the debt-to-equity levels were similar, REOCs were more relying on short-term than long-term maturities, which made them more vulnerable against market corrections or shocks. Being larger in asset size did not necessarily guarantee greater economies of scale. Both – the cases of increasing economies of scale and diseconomies – were detected. The time period 2015–2017 showed the general trend of decreasing efficiency. Originality/value Very few papers on the topic of REITs have attempted to find out whether a different firm structure displays any differences in efficiency. Because the question of REITs and sustainable growth of the real estate market has become a prominent issue, this research can help EU countries to consider the option of adopting a REIT system. If this system were successfully implemented, the EU member states could benefit from a more sustainable and more rapid growth of their real estate markets.

scholarly journals Competitiveness of the European Automobile Industry in the Global Context

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Vošta ◽  
Aleš Kocourek
Keyword(s):  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
National Level ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Long Term Trends ◽  
The Eu

Abstract The automobile industry is one of the most rapidly growing industries, a significant employer and investor in research and development, and also one of the most important sectors of the EU economy. Nevertheless, even this sector has gone through a series of structural changes and territorial transfers, recently. Exactly for this reason, it seems crucial to examine the competitiveness of the automobile industry on the national level, analyze the long-term trends throughout the whole EU, and put them in a global context. The article uses standard methods of statistical analysis of indices of revealed symmetrical comparative advantage to detect the trends characterizing the shape and long-term development of the automobile industry in Europe. The authors point out the substantial shift s in production and exports from traditional Western European car makers in favor of the new EU member states, but also from the USA and Canada in favor of new, fast-growing developing countries in the South and Southeast Asia and in Latin America. A brief outline of the European Commission’s response to these changes in the European automobile industry in the form of an Action Plan CARS 2020 can be found in the final part of the article.

scholarly journals Use of a quantitative data report in a hypothetical decision scenario for health policymaking: a computer-assisted laboratory study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Wronski ◽  
Michel Wensing ◽  
Sucheta Ghosh ◽  
Lukas Gärttner ◽  
Wolfgang Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Tracking Data ◽  
Reading Behavior

Abstract Background Quantitative data reports are widely produced to inform health policy decisions. Policymakers are expected to critically assess provided information in order to incorporate the best available evidence into the decision-making process. Many other factors are known to influence this process, but little is known about how quantitative data reports are actually read. We explored the reading behavior of (future) health policy decision-makers, using innovative methods. Methods We conducted a computer-assisted laboratory study, involving starting and advanced students in medicine and health sciences, and professionals as participants. They read a quantitative data report to inform a decision on the use of resources for long-term care in dementia in a hypothetical decision scenario. Data were collected through eye-tracking, questionnaires, and a brief interview. Eye-tracking data were used to generate ‘heatmaps’ and five measures of reading behavior. The questionnaires provided participants’ perceptions of understandability and helpfulness as well as individual characteristics. Interviews documented reasons for attention to specific report sections. The quantitative analysis was largely descriptive, complemented by Pearson correlations. Interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Results In total, 46 individuals participated [students (85%), professionals (15%)]. Eye-tracking observations showed that the participants spent equal time and attention for most parts of the presented report, but were less focused when reading the methods section. The qualitative content analysis identified 29 reasons for attention to a report section related to four topics. Eye-tracking measures were largely unrelated to participants’ perceptions of understandability and helpfulness of the report. Conclusions Eye-tracking data added information on reading behaviors that were not captured by questionnaires or interviews with health decision-makers.

scholarly journals Assessing the Effects of Directive 2014/95/EU on Nonfinancial Information Reporting: Evidence from Italian and Spanish Listed Companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Stefanía Carolina Posadas ◽  
Lara Tarquinio
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Progressive Reduction ◽  
Nonfinancial Information ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Information Reporting ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
The Eu

This paper explored the effects of new regulation on the disclosure of NFI in two European countries, Italy and Spain. The method used to develop the analysis is mainly qualitative. Content analysis was performed to verify the sustainability indicators disclosed by Italian and Spanish companies, listed on the FTSE MIB and IBEX 35 Indexes, before and after the Directive’s publication and implementation in national legislation. The level of NFI disclosure was scored using a disclosure index. The comparative analysis found a progressive reduction in disclosure levels for Italian companies compared with Spanish companies, for which an expansion of the disclosure was detected. Moreover, a reduced gap between the quantity of NFI reported in the two countries was found. This is one of the few studies to use a 3-year longitudinal analysis to investigate the EU Directive’s impact at the cross-country level.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document