Medieval Bologna

The medieval period in Bologna spans from the end of the Gothic War in 553 ce to 1401, when Giovanni I Bentivoglio proclaimed himself signore of Bologna. After the Gothic War, in the mid-6th century, at first Etruscan and later Roman settlement of Bologna came within the sphere of influence of the Exarchate of Ravenna and subsequently in the hands first of the Carolingians and then of the kings of Italy (9th–10th centuries). The city was governed by a count, like the other regions under Carolingian dominion, and then by a duke. From the 10th and particularly the 11th century, a period of economic recovery, Bologna expanded beyond the city walls, with modest dwellings housing artisans who were moving in from the countryside. At the end of the 11th century, Bologna reached a turning point in its history, with the emergence of the university—in particular, the law school. In the following centuries, students converged on Bologna from all over Europe, and the city managed to meet the needs of large numbers of students. In the 12th century the merchants, artisans, and professional classes established an autonomous form of government, the commune. Together with the other cities of northern Italy, Bologna was part of the Lombard League, and it fought against the emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who laid claim to the government of the city. The city emerged from that conflict in a state of full autonomy. In the 1150s, the second circle of defenses was constructed, the Torresotti walls, but it proved to be inadequate. In the late 1220s, a much more extensive circle of defenses was constructed, which to this day marks the limits of the historic city center. During the 13th century, various forms of city government were adopted. At the beginning of the century the government was controlled by aristocrats and entrepreneurs, giving way to a popular government (Comune di Popolo) from the middle of the century. The political tensions between the various social strata gave rise to a period of insecurity, resulting in a government intended to safeguard the economy. Various forms of government were set up in the 14th century by internal and external rulers: the local Pepoli family, and Milan’s Visconti. But the greatest threat to Bologna’s autonomy was the papacy, and the regimes of Cardinal du Pouget, Cardinal legate Guillaume de Noellet. In 1376 there was a reassertion of the Commune.

A framework for knowledge retention to support business continuity in the cross-border mergers of the telecommunications industry in Lesotho

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate a framework for knowledge retention to support business continuity in cross-border mergers of the telecommunications industry in Lesotho. Design/methodology/approach This study applied a qualitative case study, with data collected through interviews from a purposively selected sample of staff members who held managerial positions. Information in this study was partially extracted from the PhD thesis of Dr Tseole ET supervised by Prof Ngulube P at the University of South Africa completed in 2021. Findings The study discovered that a considerable amount of knowledge may have been lost because employees who either left the organisation or those who were apparently forced to resign during the process had left without any proper knowledge retention arrangements. Research limitations/implications The framework proposed in this study may be used in framing future studies as a theoretical framework. The study also provides new literature for review and discussion of background in future related studies. Practical implications The framework provided in the study may be used as a benchmark in the knowledge management industry and/or organisations for policy development or improvements and implementation of knowledge retention strategies. Social implications Through recommendations and framework provided by this study, organisations will be able to improve their services to their sphere of influence in the surrounding communities. So, community will be receiving an improved and good service at all the times. Originality/value A framework for facilitating knowledge retention in the cross-border mergers of the telecommunications industry is therefore proposed and the researchers believe it will be helpful to the organisation for improving knowledge retention going forward, particularly in the merger process.

Examining Influence

Examining influence, the “E” phase of the VECTOR virtual coaching process, focuses on locus of control. Many conditions and circumstances influence an educator's life and practice; however, the external influences are often outside the educator's control. In this chapter, the authors describe a variety of these influences, and they use examples and anecdotes to guide the reader to a better understanding of this phase. They also offer practical tips for working with educators to determine the things in their sphere of influence so that precious coaching time is not wasted on issues, circumstances, and conditions outside their control. Finally, the authors explain why this phase is essential before a goal can be set in the C-commit to change phase.

Transformation of The Role and Functions of HR in The Conditions of New Economic Challenges

The article discusses the new roles and functions of HR specialists in the context of the formation of a new economic model. The first part of the article discusses the reasons for the change in the role and status of HR in the company and the emergence of new areas of work with personnel. Among the main reasons for HR transformation, the author highlights: the formation of a new model of the business environment – the transition from the VUCA-world to the BANI world; digitalization and active development of the gig economy, which caused the emergence of new forms of social and labor relations; changing the model of the organization itself – the spread of heterarchical structures and cross-functional teams, changing the paradigm of employee management – orientation towards the concept of human capital management. The second part of the article provides an overview of the new HR functions. HR transformation is associated with the expansion of the field of attention and sphere of influence of HR specialists. Currently, the focus of HR work is shifting to strategic issues, deep immersion in business, due to the liberation from routine. At the same time, the content of traditional HR functions is changing: new HR functions are becoming more focused and technologically advanced, new employee management tools and new positions are emerging (for example, HR-marketer, HR-Ambassador, HR-evangelist, happiness manager, HR-business-travel, specialist in managing remote work of employees, etc.). Currently, there is a «war for talents» all over the world, associated with attracting the most promising, highly qualified and unique employees. In these conditions, it is the personnel management system that becomes a competitive advantage.

Sculpture in Socialist Realism—Soviet Patterns and the Polish Reality

Socialist realism was more than just a trend in art. It was also, and perhaps predominantly, a method of educating the new post-revolutionary society in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In socialism, the state became the commissioner, consumer, and critic of art, treating it as a major propaganda tool. It is thus not surprising that the socialist realism patterns were imposed on artists working in those countries which found themselves in the Soviet sphere of influence after the end of the Second World War. In Poland, which was the Soviet Union’s closest neighbour and one of the larger countries in the post-war “Eastern Bloc”, socialist realism was the only permitted creative method in the years 1949–1956. The ideologists of the new art assigned a special role to sculpture, which, next to posters and murals, was considered the most socially accessible form of artistic expression due to the possibility of placing it in public space. Monuments as material carriers of ideology were used as an expression of power, but they also marked the places of strengthening collective identity. During the period of socialist realism in Poland, sculptural activity followed the main three directions: heroic, portrait, and architectural–decorative. Therefore, this paper aims to present theoretical and ideological assumptions relating to socialist sculpture and their confrontation with realisations in Poland during the period of the Soviet artistic doctrine. The paper also presents the aesthetic paradigms of socialist sculptures and their relationships with the canons of European art, and, for Poland, also with the native art, mainly sacral.

EU’s Resilience in the Eastern Partnership Region vs Russia’s Hybrid Aggression

The article examines the issues of counteracting the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation in the countries of the Eastern Partnership. It is stated that European Union has been implementing the Eastern Partnership policy for more than ten years. This implementation has been a resounding success for all, without exception, the six target states. Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia have advanced much more in their European aspirations. However, this does not stop the Russian Federation from further positioning all the states that were once part of the USSR as a sphere of its ultimate influence. Russia is also producing rivalry with the EU for influencing all, without exception, the Eastern Partnership states and even the EU. An overview of academic research analyzing the resilience of the EU in the face of Russia in the context of its impact on the Eastern Partnership countries is set out in this article. Some approaches have been used to define the EU as a “normative power” and Russia’s controversial policy towards neighbouring countries. The examination of the works described in the article concludes that the Russian Federation continues to regard neighbouring states as its sphere of influence, particularly Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. Moscow considers any attempt by a third party to interfere as an intrusion on its unique field of power. As can be observed from the investigated sources, Russia’s activities are scarcely diplomatic or focused on global democratic norms. In its Eastern Partnership strategy, the EU, on the other hand, utilizes values as a guideline. Simultaneously, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and Georgia must demand immediate modifications to the Eastern Partnership policy. The potential of EU membership, in particular, must be appropriately explained by Brussels.

The Relation between International Rights and Natural Rights a Comparison between Hobbes, Grotius and Kant’s Ideas in law

International law is a science attributed to Hugo Grotius, based on both natural rights and intergovernmental treaties, although over time it has expanded its sphere of influence to other subjects. In the present study, an attempt is made to address the origins and defined framework of this science by addressing the theories of this Dutch philosopher and to look at the ancestors and successors of Grotius in order to determine the extent of influence by each of the following philosophers: Aristotle and Cicero in ancient times and Hobbes and Kant in the modern era. Examining the nature of natural rights on the one hand and international law on the other and, the relationship between the two from the point of view of Grotius, as well as comparing his point of view with Hobbes' in particular and, referring to Kant are among the topics covered in this article. Because the study of the theoretical foundations and methods of each of the above thinkers as well as their intellectual system and their proponents and opponents can to some extent shed light on the hidden aspects of the issue.

A Study on the Contribution of a Digital Community towards the Parental Ecosystem Transformation

A research study was conducted to identify digital communities' role and sphere of influence in a parenting ecosystem. This report provides an overview of the target segment needs assessment and digitalization of their physical communities and support systems. Primary research was done via telephonic calls and zoom interviews of pregnant and new mothers and couples. Forty participants took part in the study to share their experiences and pain points. In addition to this, a WhatsApp group of 350 participants was created to observe the engagement on a digital medium. The study helped us validate the need for a social support system beyond the existing physical network of the participants to reach out to others with similar or better parenting approaches. 70% of the participants have expressed their willingness to join digital parental communities. The findings have been helpful to understand the role of a digital society, which can enhance the offerings of parenting facilitators and support parents in implementing better parenting practices. Of the last 10-12 years, there has been a steady increase in regional parenting networks. As a result, we picked the impact and influence of digital parental networks on these women's lifestyles and how they have aided in the growth of a conscious and good parenting style as our research topic. The conclusion outlines the impact of these communities and the significant concerns that have arisen due to their increased use.

Internationalization of Renminbi as a Function of China’s Foreign Exchange Policy

This article discusses the prospects of the Chinese renminbi (RMB) to expand its sphere of influence and become a full-scale reserve world currency. The methods used in the article are retrospective analysis and graphic analysis. The work is divided into three sections. The first section provides a broad overview of modern reserve currencies. The second part characterizes RMBs shaping as a reserve currency, as well as inner and outer factors that influence its status. The third section includes information about RMBs current status and its perspectives for being a reserve currency in the future. The article argues that currently RMB has already become a regional reserve currency in Asia-Pacific. Chinese government continues to make steps towards international expansion of RMB, yet these steps cannot make RMB one of the leading world currencies together with USD and EUR in the nearest decade.

Biało-ruskij mir. Reaktywacja reintegracyjna w relacjach rosyjsko-białoruskich White-Russian world.

The relations between the Russian Federation and Belarus in the 21st century are characterized by dynamics and volatility. The integration processes of both countries, initiated in the 1990s, are an element of the strategy of domination in the post-Soviet area, which is consistently implemented by Russia. The authors conclude that this strategy in the case of Belarus is a kind of mixture of soft power and hard power, and the choice of instruments depends on the stability of the authoritarian regime, which is embodied by Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The rigged presidential elections triggered a wave of protests, leading to the gradual loss of social legitimacy by the Belarusian president. Russia has a dilemma: whether to continue to support Lukashenka, who is losing support, or to look for a “new personal alternative”, a politician that would guarantee the implementation of a “pro-Russian vector” in Belarus’s domestic and foreign policy. Regardless of how the situation develops, Russia’s strategic goal remains to keep Belarus in its sphere of influence using the already existing mechanisms of cooperation between the two countries.