European Union Enlargement Policy Towards the Western Balkans

This chapter addresses the process of the European Union's enlargement towards the Western Balkan states. It seeks to add to the theorisation of solidarity in international relations (IR) by applying the concept of solidarity to empirical analysis of the EU–WB relationship. The findings show that solidarity as a special relationship has initially been a more relevant framework for understanding the EU-WB relationship. However, the global crises, enlargement fatigue, and great powers competition in the region have forced the EU to strengthen both the special relationship as well as solidarity as a friendship practice. What is currently still missing is a more assertive strategic communications approach by the EU in the WB states in order to be able to continue to strengthen its own legitimacy, the legitimacy of its contribution, and expectations in the solidarity relationship with the WB. Simultaneously, the EU also needs stronger commitment to the liberal values in the EU itself as well as support from other Western powers.

The Role of Brand and Fan Personalities in Building Fan-Brand Relationships

Football fans are consumers with special relationship with their favourite teams. Consumer-brand relationship is unique and ultimate in football context. However, the absence of these relationships is mainly due to a lack of communication and interaction. This research aims to investigate the impact of brand personality and fan personality on fan- brand relationships. Mixed methods were conducted that employed in-depth personal interviews with football professionals and fans to gain better insights regarding consumer-brand relationships and to develop a conceptual framework and research hypotheses. Then, a quantitative phase has been followed to test these hypotheses. 471 valid questionnaires were collected through a non-probability convenience sampling technique from Egyptian football fans. The findings have shown that brand personality and fan personality have a positive impact on each of interdependence, commitment, partner quality, self-connection, nostalgic attachment, intimacy as consumer-brand relationship dimensions in the football context.

THE IMPACT OF THE RESIGNATION OF THE MANDATE BY THE COMMUNE ADMINISTRATOR ON THE SPHERE OF THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP OF HIS DEPUTY

Due to the special relationship that takes place between the commune head and his deputy, it is worth considering the issue of the impact of the resignation of the mandate by the commune head on the sphere of the employment relationship of the deputy commune head before the end of the term of office. Such a waiver, in accordance with Art. 492 § 1 point 3 of the Electoral Code results in the expiry of the mandate of the commune head, and this in turn, pursuant to Art. 28e of the Act on Municipal Self-Government, is tantamount to dismissal of his deputy. The problem, however, is that this solution raises numerous doubts and questions about: What are the effects of such a dismissal in the sphere of the employment relationship of the deputy mayor? How is it different from the traditional appeal made by the mayor himself? With what moment is the deputy dismissed and with what termination of his employment relationship? What is the impact of the failure to submit the so-called the final asset declaration? In this study, the author carries out a thorough analysis of the title research issue, trying to answer all the questions and doubts that arise in this context

Opciones estratégicas de Rusia desde la óptica del neorrealismo ofensivo

Neorealism gives us clues to how States -the main actor in international relations- interact with each other, and being their main mission their own survival, develops specific strategies to ensure it, the reasons for choosing between them, and the actions that they ensure the end goal. It will be within this theoretical framework that an attempt will be made to revisit the special relationship between Russia and China. Once ideological partners, other adversaries as heads of the two largest power structures under the umbrella of socialism, and today, it seems that powers are increasingly close in their common aversion to American power. And yet ... This work tries to identify Russia's strategic options, framed in the paradigm of the realist school.

A Review of Brand Anthropomorphism Marketing Research

Brand anthropomorphism extends and develops the special relationship between consumers and brands by injecting human characteristics, motives, subjective intentions, behaviors and emotions into specific brands. Brand anthropomorphism, as a brand marketing strategy, plays a very important role in brand building and communication. Therefore, the current theoretical circle of brand anthropomorphic marketing is gradually heating up. In this paper, the literature of anthropomorphic brand marketing at home and abroad, the brand personified and anthropomorphic marketing concept, the brand personified the composition of the dimension and measurement, the brand personified as related variables, etc on the existing research results, and on this basis in the field of the future research direction was prospected.