Conflict Environment Research Articles

Food price inflation convergence: an international study from 2000–2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the food price inflation convergence across countries and regions. This study aims to identify the key drivers for food price inflation across countries and regions.Design/methodology/approachWe test whether the international food price inflations are converging over time using the log t convergence test and clustering analysis. These inflation data are collected from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.FindingsThe test results suggest that there is little evidence of overall convergence. Then we utilize a clustering algorithm and the results support that there is strong evidence of multiple convergence clubs. In addition, we examine the transition path of the various convergence and find that social stability regulation together with economic conditions are important determinants of convergence club membership.Research limitations/implicationsFirst off, local conflict and economic environment result in food supply and prices, but this study is limited to the dynamics of prices.Practical implicationsFood prices inflations are not converging to single common price inflation, but there exist subgroups of countries or regions within which food price inflation tends to converge. These groupings tend to be related to the economic development and social stability of countries and regions.Social implicationsThe authors believe that any analysis of food price inflations that does not consider the political environment and economic conditions dynamics will likely be omitting important components of food price dynamics.Originality/valueThis study uses a unique data set covering 198 countries and regions and provides a comprehensive analysis of international food price inflation convergence identifying the key drivers of convergence club membership.

EFFECT OF WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN NEPALESE COMMERCIAL BANKS

This study investigates the effect of workplace environment on the employees’ performance in the Nepalese commercial banks. The study is based on descriptive and causal comparative research design. It estimated the relationship between physical environment, supervisor support, job aid and work life conflict and employees’ performance and employees’ commitment. Regarding workplace environment and employee performance 176 structured questionnaires were administered to collect the data from respondents that consisted of employees of the commercial banks within Kathmandu valley. The study has brought positive finding regarding relationship between the workplace environment and employee performance in case of the Nepalese Commercial Banks, though certain practices are yet to be improved as indicated from poor performance of the bank in solving the work life conflict and their employee performance in Nepalese Commercial Banks.

Ethical Problems of Conducting Research and Building Peace in Conflict Environment: Example of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria

The study examines the incessant cases of ethical challenges in research and peacebuilding in the Nigeria’s conflict environment. Due to rampant corruption and lack of specific national ethical framework, and regulatory committee and resources that have affected societal values and culture of ethics and integrity, peace and conflict researchers and practitioners are prone to unethical conducts. Some are committed knowingly and unknowingly. This aspect of professional life has not been closely scrutinized, let alone proffers suggestions to. Perhaps, ethics frameworks and administrations are just beginning to be mainstreamed into development work in most part of the world. Therefore, drawing qualitative data from a wide range of personal, career and desk top sources from the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, which is the government’s apex agency saddled with the responsibility of investigating causes and dynamics of conflict, and advising decision makers on best policy alternatives, build peace and engage in advocacy, the study identifies numerous ethical problems that include copy and paste, manipulations of data, unhealthy competition/rivalry among researchers and peacebuilding practitioners working in the conflict field. The research uncovers approaches the institute adopted to ameliorate the problems and promote ethical standards among its research and peacebuilding teams that included trainings and constant reminders of the need to protect the integrity of individuals in the team and the Institute as well as the need to project a good image for the country. The inability to re-think ethical regime and legal norms in the country could fuel violent conflict and terrorism, and militate against the goals of conflict management in the country that is seriously desirous of peace and security.

SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE VARIABLE GEOMETRY CONFLICT

The risks and threats specific to the permanent geometry change of an action/operation in the context of the current multidimensional operational environment conflict are extremely diversified and undergo permanent mutations. This situation implicitly requires that the command-and-control systems architecture must allow rapid adaptation to the requirements imposed by the frequent situation changes, in the conflict specific analysis domains, namely PMESII (political, military, economic, social, information and infrastructure). The digitization and algorithmizing of the decision-making process carried out simultaneously with the structural and functional implementation of artificial intelligence is the current way of streamlining the decision-making process by exponentially increasing the capabilities of the command and control systems regarding the volume and speed of data and information processing, the interpretation, of the capabilities of structural and functional organization of both the C2 modules and the operating force, of the capabilities to control and evaluate the execution of the action/operation, etc. Algorithmizing and the digitization of the decision-making process combined with the experience, knowledge based intuition and talent/art (specific to the human factor) inevitably leads to making adequate decision aiming to be quickly integrated into operational plans and orders

Impact of Hierarchy of Influence Model on Reporting from the Conflict Zone: An Assessment of the Journalists' Perceptions

This study fills this gap and examines how various level of the hierarchy of influence model corresponds with the journalists' perceptions and which other influence may be powerful in case of conflict reporting. To get insights into the problems faced by the local journalists in conflict reporting and the media's role in reporting on conflict in today's communication environment, a close-ended questionnaire was developed. A total of 358 journalists were selected for the survey in 14 conflict zones identified in the country. The results show that sampled journalists reporting from the conflict zone are not influenced by their personal beliefs and convictions in conflict reporting.Moreover, we conclude that journalists are influenced by colleagues in other media, competing news organizations, and audiences, friends, and family), who have a significant influence on the journalists' performance in conflict reporting.

Pengaruh Konflik Internal, Stres Kerja Dan Lingkungan Kerja Terhadap Produktivitas Karyawan (Studi Kasus PT. Citra Lencana Sakti)

Abstract: The type of research used in this study is quantitative research, the sample in this study is employees at PT. Citra Lencana Sakti, totaling 75 employees, this sampling uses non-probability sampling, the sampling technique used is quota sampling. The tool used to collect data is a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS, namely using the Validity Test, Reliability Test, Mucticolinierity Test, Normality Test, Heteroscedasticity Test, R2 Determination Coefficient Test, Simultaneous Significant Test (Statistical Test F), Individual Parameter Significant Test (Test Statistics t). The results of the study partially show that the dependent variable is internal conflict (X1), work stress (X2) has a positive and significant effect on employee productivity, and the work environment (X3) has no and no significant effect on employee productivity. and the results of simultaneous research where Fcount is greater than Ftable then H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted, then internal conflict, work stress and work environment have a significant effect on employee productivity. Keywords: Conflict, Stress and Environment Work Productivity

“Safe zones”: A protective alternative to flight or a tool of refugee containment? Clarifying the international legal framework governing access to refugee protection against the backdrop of “safe zones” in conflict-affected contexts

AbstractSo-called “safe zones” pose an increasingly pressing threat to genuine and robust international legal protection for persons fleeing conflict. This paper aims to address the key challenges and risks of safe zones under international law and to provide some clarifications on the legal framework which must be respected by refugee-receiving States. Through assessing the intentions of preventing migration flows which underlie their creation, this paper will demonstrate that the existence of safe zones cannot be used to circumvent the obligations of refugee-receiving States under international law, specifically the right to leave and seek asylum and the prohibition of non-refoulement. This paper concludes that safe zones should only be created as an urgent response to humanitarian crises in order to ensure the immediate safety of civilians in conflict zones, and only under very strict conditions. In this respect, this paper will demonstrate that even if safe zones comply with certain minimum protective standards, because of the volatility and complexities of the conflict environment they should not and cannot act as a substitute for genuine refugee protection under international law.

Legal Considerations Regarding the Interdiction of Using Children as Spies, Guides or Couriers During Armed Conflicts

Abstract This study performs a detailed examination of the provisions of Article 81 of Law no. 272/2004 for protection and promotion of childrenʼs rights, text of law according to which “No child shall be used a spy, guide or courier during armed conflicts”. Derived from the three fundamental human rights – the right of life, the right to physical integrity and the right to mental integrity, the legal interdiction of using children during armed conflicts as spies, guides or couriers, appears as a real instrument for protection and guarantee of minorsʼ rights, in correlation with their sheltering against the hostilities generated in conflict environments, by avoiding their use as human pawns in the theatres of operations. The lot of substantial information of the study has the vocation to transmit a firm message – to protect the children in case of war and to respect the standards of conduct in armed conflicts.

VIOLENCE AND BIGOTRY: REGRESSIVE INNOVATION IN KEVIN BARRY’S CITY OF BOHANE

Kevin Barry’s City of Bohane is one of the most celebrated recent works of Irish fiction. It is set in 2053, and tells the story of a people living in an environment of constant conflict where senseless acts of violence and bigotry are prevalent. This surprisingly negative imagining of Ireland in the future cannot be ignored considering the modern history of the country. The contemporary history of Ireland is fraught with a long and desperate struggle against the English Empire and its colonial forces as they tried for centuries to take over their neighboring island and completely colonize Ireland and its people. The English used two main weapons to further their goals in this matter: brutal military force and cultural sabotage. The cultural sabotage that the English brought to Ireland was mainly done by replacing Gaelic with English as the language of the Irish, and portraying them as culturally inferior and uncivilized in comparison to their English neighbors. Irish literature of the past few centuries has struggled to come to terms with this history of violence and dehumanization perpetuated by the English. Surprisingly, Kevin Barry in his novel callously repeats and escalates most of these negative stereotypes that have plagued Irish literature for years. The following study takes a closer look at the history of colonial violence and negative Irish stereotypes, and argues that City of Bohane is regressive in its depiction of Ireland as culturally ignorant and violent. That is to say, while the story is set four decades into the future, the author inexplicably insists on moving back in time to unearth and repurpose major colonial stereotypes that portray the Irish as uncivilized and backwards, to the great detriment of his innovative style and creative use of language in this novel.

Audit Expectation Gap Debates: To What Extent Audit Expectation Gap Defence Auditors?

The research aimed to unpack the debate of the audit expectation gap that occurs between the audit profession and the general public. This qualitative research intended to revisit what shapes audit objectives and their difficulties by drawing upon prominent academic debates and publicly available reports. This research argues that the concept of the audit expectation gap is two-fold. At first, the gap has been seen as destruction for the audit profession. However, to a certain extent, the gap is useful for auditors' defence mechanisms from critics, though auditors have to be alert that the gap might turn into an offensive medium and fuel the criticism. To illustrate this contention, this research argues the following. Firstly, the series of accounting scandals, changes of auditing standards towards fraud, and the phenomenon of audit explosion are giving more autonomy for auditors to protect the professions' best interest. Secondly, the issue of audit independence and conflict of interest is favourable for auditors to sustain the gap and maintain the monopoly of the audit business. Instead of being left behind, auditors earned public legitimacy because they manage to build a distinctive image as an expert who was able to work for the greater public interest in a complex, uncertain, conflicted, and stressful working environment. Thirdly, public demand for transparency is hurting audit professions because it increases public mistrust and might reveal audit confidentiality. It even fuels criticism further because auditors have communication difficulties.

Islam in the Republic of Bashkortostan in 2020 in Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The article is a monitoring of the main events concerning the Muslim community of the Republic of Bashkortostan in 2020 based on content analysis of text materials from government reports, press releases, websites and social media pages of Islamic organizations. The pandemic that began at the end of 2019 and the lockdown introduced in Russia demanded that Islamic communities adapt to new conditions. The danger of the spread of COVID-19 has reduced the internal confl ict in the Islamic environment and the public’s attention to the problems of radicalism. The drop in mosques attendance was off set by the development and use of digital resources in religious activities. At the same time, limited contacts, reduced offl ine events and meetings contributed to strengthening the new course of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Bashkortostan towards decentralization and regionalisation. The activities of the Central Spiritual Administration of Russia, located in Ufa, remained without change on a national scale.

The Legal Status of Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait: Ukraine v. Russia

The Black Sea has been the scene of conflict between coastal states throughout history. Recently, emerging Russia-Ukraine tension continues. The Russian Federal Security Service ("FSB") destroyed and captured three Ukrainian Military Ships and detained 24 of its personnel on November 23, 2018. As the dispute continued, Ukraine finally raised the matter to the International Tribunals on Law of The Sea ("ITLOS"). This tension, which reaches a hot conflict point from time to time, causes legal changes in the Black Sea eventually. This article discusses the current legal status of Crimea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait and aims to explain from the perspective of Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey. The study shows how the conflict environment in the region has a changing effect on the existing maritime borders and whether Russia’s act is a part of violation of the UNCLOS and International Law.

When States Test Their Anti-Satellite Weapons

ABSTRACT The United States, Russia, China, and India are the only states that have tested anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) by deliberately destroying orbiting satellites. In this paper, a mix of practical and aspirational factors are investigated in the context of heightened propensity for a state's testing of ASATs. The strategic competition and rivalry between these global and regional space powers generates an environment of conflict and insecurity. In the absence of an international treaty to constrain behavior, these states are driven to amass counterspace capabilities to secure their assets and establish space dominance.

Top Management Team Diversity and International Expansion: Spanish Companies in China

This study investigates the relationship between diversity in the Top Management Team (TMT) of Spanish firms and the firms’ willingness to further expand in China, as a proxy for their international success. Data from Spanish companies with direct investment in China were collected through a questionnaire. Regression analyses were carried out to test the differential influences of multiple forms of TMT demographic diversity (age, gender, tenure, and functional experience). The moderating effect of conflict in an uncertain environment is also examined, as this offers potentially novel insights into the determinants of success in emerging countries. Results show that the effects of TMT diversity on international success are very much influenced by the perception of the conflict related to investment in a non-traditional market. The findings highlight the relevant negative role that conflict can exert in diverse TMTs in a growing developing economy.

Computerised dynamic posturography in women with knee osteoarthritis

The aim of this study was to compare the postural control of women with knee OA and healthy women peers and to determine the effect of knee OA on postural control. Thirty-two individuals, sixteen women with knee osteoarthritis(52.12±10.69)and sixteen healthy women(51.00±10.00)who were same age (±3yr), were evaluated on postural control as measured by a NeuroCom EquiTest. Outcomes included equilibrium scores, sensory analysis ratios, sway energy score, and latenciesfrom sensory organisationtest, motor control test, and adaptation testandwere examined using the independent t-test.Equilibrium scores (in condition 1: p=0.030, condition 3: p=0.019, condition 4: p=0.045, condition 5: p=0.010, condition 6: p=0.041, and Composite value: p=0.011), strategy score (Strategy 5: p= 0.015), sensory analysis ratios (vestibularratio: p=0.013 and managementratio: p=0.023), and latencies (largeforward: p=0.020 and comprehensivelatency: p=0.016) were significantly better in the healthy women group. The presence of knee OA had an impact on the sensory system's effectiveness and its utilization in postural control. Lower values of equilibrium scores, strategy scores, sensory analysis ratios for women knee OA group were evidence of larger displacements of the center of gravity in the forward–backward direction suggesting that women knee OA group was unable to maintain balance compared to healthy knee controls. Also, women with knee OA displayed a longer neuromuscular response latency to balance perturbations, indicating a reduced ability to begin in recover balance quickly following an unexpected disturbance. This observation should be taken into account in the fall prevention, especially, individuals should place in dynamic situations with conflicted sensory environment, as these are found in daily life.

Cash-based aid and civil war violence: New evidence from Myanmar (2012–2020)

Why do some aid projects in conflict environments improve the welfare of local communities and reduce insurgent violence, whereas other projects place them in greater danger? This study investigates this question by testing the effects of aid projects on the intensity of civil war using subnational data on violence and service provision in Myanmar (2012–2020). We find that small-scale, cash-based aid projects significantly reduce battlefield violence at the township level, and the effects of such projects are larger than those of other projects aimed at reducing violence (e.g., peacebuilding). These results provide support for recent counterinsurgency theories, which argue that smaller projects can reduce violence by motivating civilians to share information about rebels with the government (or pro-government) forces. This analysis offers a unique insight into the way cash-based services, though small and relatively inexpensive, can foster stability in conflict zones and save more lives.

Проєктування розвитку національної, громадянської ідентичності, самоідентичності здобувача освіти в структурі компетентнісної освіти

The article examines the problems of national, civic, patriotic upbringing, which are especially relevant to the period of intensifi cation of state-building processes. Natural is appealing to the period of Ukrainian statehood in the ear-ly twentieth century, the period of forming the Kamyanets-Podilskyi National University (fi rst rector – Ivan Ohiienko) as a powerful center of citizenship of the Ukrainian people, the establishment of national consciousness, the revival of the Ukrainian language. Emphasis is placed on the insuffi cient level of eff ective-ness of national and civic upbringing, in the context informational- reproductive education. It’s substantiated the position, that projection provides practically ori-entated process, as its results are diagnosed and serve as a factor in programming each subsequent stage of development, based on the results of the previous one.The need to comprehension of the essence and mechanisms of national and civic upbringing is indicated by the model of competence education, the basis of which is determined by personality-oriented technologies.The essence of such a mechanism of national, civic education as identifi ca-tion / self-identifi cation is interpreted. It is pointed out that national, civic identi-ty is responsible for the processes of identifi cation with the relevant nation, com-munity, socio-cultural space, accepting its basic identifi ers (values, traditions, behavioral patterns). It’s also emphasized. that the absolutization or dominance of national identifi cation processes involves risks of confl ict in a multicultural environment, so ideally national identity should be transformed into national-civic, which integrates a sense of belonging not only to the nation but also to the people, state. It is argued that the eff ectiveness of the process of national-civic identifi cation of the individual will be determined by the extent to which he will acquire a tendency to move to the level of self-identifi cation. The article highlights the pedagogical requirements and conditions for the development of national and civic identity in the competence type of the education system. Particular attention is paid to ensuring constructive interdependence and coop-eration of educational systems within the educational space of each educational institution (school, college, higher education institution).

Displacement, Gender-Based Development, and Grave Violations Against Children in Armed Conflict: The Case of Iraq

Development policies advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda enjoy an established trajectory across international organizations. This is evident within United Nations programs that engage displaced populations where children are particularly vulnerable to conflict dynamics. This article argues that existing gender-based development policies mitigate the impact of conflict on children through empowering displaced women as peacebuilding agents. Using United Nations data, fieldwork, and elite interviews, this article employs a case study of Iraq to show that the implementation of gender-based development policies correlates with reduced rates of grave violations against children in conflict settings. These findings point to the peacebuilding potential of displaced women through their ability to mitigate the economic and social impacts of conflict dynamics on children. Policy programs within the United Nations Women, Peace and Security framework should engage this connection between displaced women and the protection of children to strengthen and improve peacebuilding outcomes in conflict environments.

Digital entrepreneurship and emancipation: exploring the nexus in a conflict zone

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the emergence of digital entrepreneurship in a conflict environment to explore the emancipatory potential of digital technology in a rare context. The purpose of this paper is to take a micro-level investigation of digital entrepreneurs operating in a violent in-conflict area.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on multiple case studies from a violent conflict zone in India. This study used interview data from 10 digital entrepreneurs from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Field data was collected with progressive rounds of interviews with the entrepreneurs, supplemented by published statistics and secondary data sources, and analysis was done with the help of qualitative data analysis software NVivo.FindingsThe context directed entrepreneurial behaviour and the motivation to start digital ventures. Entrepreneurs realized the potential of technology but its successful use was contingent upon their social positionalities. The digital entrepreneurial engagement of the entrepreneurs is classified into four dimensions: social digital entrepreneurship; business entrepreneurship; knowledge entrepreneurship; and institutional entrepreneurship.Originality/valueThe findings of the study contribute to the digital entrepreneurship literature by illustrating how a rare context influences venturing into technology sectors. The study advances the creative technology use, these in-conflict entrepreneurs with their existing resources maneuvered to create socially ingrained digital ventures. The study provides evidence to “conditional emancipation” attributable to digital entrepreneurship owing to the conflictual context in question.

NAATP leadership conference to be in person this week

A three‐day in‐person meeting of addiction treatment program operators will convene this week in Denver, the first in‐person gathering of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Programs (NAATP) in two‐and‐a‐half years due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Starting Dec. 7, the meeting will focus on quality of care, social determinants of health and the role of leadership. Faculty of 45 national experts will join former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D‐Rhode Island) and Resmaa Menakem, New York Times best‐selling author of My Grandmother's Hands and a senior fellow at The Meadows Institute, who will talk about racial inequity, racialized trauma and achieving systemic movement toward anti‐racism in health care. The theme of the conference is reflected in its title: “A Searching and Fearless Inventory: Accountability in Quality, Leadership, and Racial Equity.” “Historic moments compel us to take stock, to examine who we are, what we do and how well we do it. NAATP National 2021 will be such a moment,” said NAATP CEO Marvin Ventrell. “Our country's entire population, those who suffer from the disease of addiction and our addiction treatment professionals have been traumatized by an environment of illness and conflict. It is imperative that our addiction leadership come together to examine our work in this environment. Isolation and disunity feed addiction, and healthy community breeds recovery and wellness. Our objective with NAATP National 2021 is to create pathways to healthy community for both our professional workers and the patients they serve.”