Competitive models of safe development of Ukraine in conditions of institutional instability and global environmental challenges

The article considers the prerequisites and mechanisms for the formation of competitive security strategies for socio-economic development of the state in the entropy of the global environment. Conceptual bases of security for implementing the macromodel of the state social and economic development are analyzed, that, in particular, provides: dismantling the system of clan capitalism, de-shadowing of economy and counteraction to corruption, safety of consumption and balanced limited social and economic development and application of bionic management paradigm of economic security based on a unified fiscal accounting payment system. This model should provide the basic preconditions for happiness and self-reproduction of citizens: social justice in the distribution of public goods and overcoming poverty, combating corruption, comfortable economic climate, strengthening economic security and confidence in the future by stabilizing macroeconomic indicators over time. This will allow forecasting the needs of consumer, financial, investment, innovation markets in the strategic perspective and other indicators, which will be a prerequisite for sustainable safe development and full consideration of the interests of future generations.

International political uncertainty and institutional instability as a response to COVID-19

The article examines the features of international political uncertainty and institutional instability that act as a reaction to COVID-19. It is concluding that the greater the "non-stationary" component of the business environment, the less important are the long-term dynamic opportunities and the less reliable are the models aimed at predicting policy changes. By focusing exclusively on the basic institutions or specific risks, a firm can easily lose sight of where, why and by whom the unknowns are generated, and what this threatens it in the future. This implies the need for greater progress towards a real option strategic logic with components of strategic and operational modularity, which allows for flexible response to changes in the institutional environment. Business analysts in the coming years should focus on the specific qualities of political leaders and how they influence countless firm decisions. Perhaps this is the only way to give firms and managers a chance to adapt to a rapidly changing global situation.

MODELING OF MULTI-AGENT INTERACTION IN CONSUMPTION SECURING IN CONDITIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL INSTABILITY

Theoretical and methodological aspects of research of consumption safety as the ability of the state, society and business to create the preconditions for conscious satisfaction of human needs for self-reproduction to protect the health of the nation and the environment as imperatives for future development are developed. It is proposed to consider the process of consumption securing from the standpoint of harmonizing the interests of society, business and government in forming the basis for sustainable consumption and production in a strategic perspective. The chaos of self-organization processes in the consumer market, as well as the need to combine institutional and market mechanisms in solving the problem of consumption security strengthening in the process of European integration of Ukraine are shown. Systemic means of consumption securing on the basis of harmonization of society, business and the state economic interests with use of the multi-agent approach are developed. Accordingly, a multi-agent model is proposed to identify participants (agents) in the consumption securing process, to formalize the elements, institutional norms, parameters and limitations of their interaction. By building an intelligent map of consumption security, the institutional preconditions, participants of the process of consumption securing, the system of their interests, time parameters of interaction, basic processes, threats and related areas of consumption safety are established. The necessity of using the market mechanism of harmonization of interests of consumption safety subjects (person, society, public authorities and local governments, enterprises-manufacturers, public associations, international organizations, research establishments, etc.) by coordination of the price within the ratio of supply and demand for safe goods (services) with maximizing the convergence of interests as a condition for achieving an equilibrium state of the system is proved.

Assessment of management efficiency of city managers (based on focused interviews with entrepreneurs)

The topic of the research is relevant to modern sociological science and social practice. The research problem lies, on the one hand, in the importance of the development of the municipality through contracts for municipal-private cooperation, and on the other hand, in the absence of a comprehensive scientific understanding of the barriers to the implementation of this process. The aim of the research is to assess the effectiveness of the management practices of city managers, in particular, their potential to attract private capital to the municipality. The methodological basis of the research in general theoretical terms is based on the new theory of institutions, in particular, on the concept of institutional evolution by D. North, and in the specific applied - focused interviews conducted with representatives of the business community and local administration in the Southern Federal District. As a result of the research, the following obstacles to the effective work of city managers have been identified: imitation practices, low qualifications of municipal employees, reduced trust of entrepreneurs, high economic risks and institutional instability. To overcome the above problems, the following recommendations have been made: to solve the problems of joining the law on PPP and MPP with anti-corruption legislation, to create a body to support MPP projects and increase business confidence in the municipality by setting clear «rules of the game» in the economic space.

Zimbabwe's opposition faces further marginalisation

Significance In practice, corruption charges are levied against dissident ZANU-PF members and especially against the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-A), which faces leadership tussles that the ZANU-PF regularly seeks to exploit further. This takes place against a backdrop of an increasingly politicised judiciary that plays into such efforts, while hampering attempts to confront graft effectively. Impacts The current lockdown may be extended beyond January as numbers continue to rise, and the health system remains overwhelmed. The virus's reported further spread among government and ZANU-PF officials could exacerbate institutional instability. Conditions for prisoners, including political detainees, will likely deteriorate further amid the latest lockdown.

Freedom of Religion in the Brazilian Supreme Court in a Period of Three Decades

Judicial institutions which provide legal mechanisms for conflict resolution play an important role in maintaining the social order of complex societies. Weaknesses in the performance of their duties can contribute to social conflict developing into outright violence that will be beyond the management of law and the courts. In this sense it is strategic to study the judicial system and the decision-making processes of its judges if one wants to understand the ways conflicts are dealt in a certain place and time. In this article we focus our attention on the role of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court as custodian of the Constitution and the discourses that its decision-making construct when dealing with human rights issues. Specifically we set out to understand how the opinions of Brazilian Supreme Court Justices are constructed when deciding cases concerning freedom of religion. The timeline considered covers 31 years, from 1988 to 2019, a period that begins with the promulgation of the new constitution in 1988 (which symbolically reinstated democracy in the country after the end of the period of military rule that began in 1964) up to the present day. We begin by presenting the legal definition of freedom of religion in Brazil which constitutes the normative background of the discussion. We then discuss our project, stressing the methodological approach we have adopted and finally we present our data findings. We identified 39 cases in total of which 11 were selected and analyzed using the methodology of Semiolinguistic Discourse Analysis in order to define the semantic field related to freedom of religion in Brazil. Even though the number of cases is not large it is possible to identify some features of Brazilian legal culture which are also recurrent when dealing with religious freedom. One of these features is the absence of consensus-building logic in the Justices’ opinions—we attribute this to what we term the disputatio mindset—which contributes to continuing institutional instability and legal insecurity. Our findings suggest that these Supreme Court decisions frequently lack the strong level of rational consistency that lower courts require if they are to identify clear guiding principles that can control the outcomes of new cases

Social work education: learning from the past?

The history of the regulation of the personal social services from 1970 onwards is described, contextualised and analysed. The various purposes and styles of inspection within regulatory systems are identified and discussed. The effects and contributions of competitive tendering of services, the Performance Assessment Framework, Joint Reviews, Best Value and Special Measures are noted. Adverse criticisms in the late 1980s of the Social Services Inspectorate, established in 1985, are contrasted with the high regard in which the Inspectorate was held by the late 1990s. The chapter then sets out the subsequent rapid changes to the regulatory structure in the years 2004-2010.The campaign for the registration of social workers, leading to the establishment in 2001 of the General Social Care Council, and its subsequent replacement first by the Health and Care Professions Council and then by Social Work England, is also discussed.The chapter compares unfavourably the experience in England, with its chronic institutional instability, with those of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have been characterised by more constructive partnerships.

Points of Contact

Survivors of gender-based violence engage the state at critical moments in their lives, and it is essential for the state to address a range of their emotional, medical, and legal needs. This chapter examines several such points of contact in South Africa, including the courts, the police, trauma centers, rape crisis centers, and medical facilities. This chapter finds that these institutions are often framed within a prosecution framework. While such carceral approaches are important, they fail to address the larger patterns of structural violence, inequality, and vulnerability that could prevent violence before it occurs. The chapter explores the toll of emotional labor, secondary trauma, and job insecurity faced by volunteers and staff in these institutions. This vulnerability may contribute to high turnover, perpetuating institutional instability.