Tool For Cooperation Research Articles

Monitoring and compliance mechanisms as a diagnostic and prognostic tool of international anti-corruption cooperation: A data-driven study

Abstract This article focuses on text-as-data analysis to identify and compare the main patterns in the implementation of international anti-corruption rules, as well as compliance with them. It is based on the observation that a comprehensive study of the operation and outcomes of international anti-corruption treaties’ monitoring and compliance mechanisms (MMs) has not yet been attempted. The primary objectives are twofold: first, to obtain structured information in the form of data on compliance with the main anti-corruption treaties by processing the text of the reports these MMs have published since their creation; and, second, to examine the impact of these treaties on state behaviour by elaborating on this newly structured information (i.e., text-as-data). This article offers the first comprehensive review of country performance, combined with a structured legal analysis of outcomes from the perspective of the interaction between international and domestic law. The findings reveal that results in implementation and compliance have been decidedly mixed. Several countries have introduced reforms to implement anti-corruption treaties, facilitate law enforcement, and ease international cooperation to investigate and prosecute corruption offences. However, numerous problems identified with prevention, particularly in European and American countries, suggest that states too often over-rely on the repressive aspects of fighting corruption and undervalue preventive mechanisms, which frequently do not exist or are inadequate. Moreover, the article identifies enduring challenges and signs of regression across different areas of prevention, criminal repression, and international cooperation, which have far-reaching implications for the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies in many jurisdictions. Finally, the data obtained from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development demonstrates considerable disparities in enforcement among the reviewed countries; a few jurisdictions have yet to see a single foreign bribery case prosecuted. Additionallly, they offer new evidence that reasons for poor compliance are highly contextual, with different implications for domestic reforms.

Legal forms, directions and tools of international cooperation in the field of prevention and counteraction of crime against the economic system

This scientific article examines the legal forms, directions and tools of international cooperation in the field of preventing and countering crime against the economic system. The conditions of globalization, internationalization and digital society have significantly increased the importance of international cooperation in the field of law enforcement activities for the formation and implementation of state policy on the prevention and counteraction of criminal offenses against the economic system. The rapid spread of globalization has led to the expansion of the scope of crime and corruption, which go beyond state control and violate the international legal order. The growing scale and threat of crime emphasizes the need to increase the importance of cooperation between states in the fight against this phenomenon, as well as conducting scientific research in this area. The results of the study confirm the need to determine the specifics of legal forms, tools and directions of international cooperation in the field of crime prevention and countermeasures. It has been established that national legislation provides for the use of various legal forms of international cooperation, including the conclusion of bilateral and multilateral agreements, participation in international organizations and cooperation with international police organizations such as INTERPOL, EUROPOL, ASEANAPOL, AMERIPOL, AFRIPOL, GCCPOL, AIMC. It is also important to take into account the specifics of the activities of these international police organizations. In addition, national sources of law were identified that regulate international cooperation in the field of law enforcement. These results highlight the need to develop effective strategies and policies to counter crime that threatens the economic system at the international level.

Epistemic Communities, Between Science and Power in International Domains: A Systematic Literature Review

Epistemic communities were emphasized in constructivism discourse as powerful emerging non-state actors that can drive policies in international domains. The rise of scientific consortiums in policymaking has driven policy directions by using scientific standards. Other realms in international relations also recognize the roles of scientific communities other than creating standards to fix global challenges, such as to serve states’ interests and cooperation tools. This study aims to investigate which realm of epistemic communities are more prevalent. The tools and conditions for influential epistemic communities were also not sufficiently investigated. By using a systematic literature review (SLR) that is overlooked in international relations studies, this paper organized previous databases that use primary data on epistemic communities. The result of this paper shows epistemic communities are the most prevalent in creating scientific standards to address global challenges. Some tools that used were knowledge transfers, training, research collaborations, and networking funding. However, other studies also found that scientific consortiums may be used to legitimize the status quo. In sensitive issues like transboundary pollution, more distrust was found. This study eventually draws some limitations and agenda for future studies.

Ensuring the spatial integration of Ukraine based on updated instruments of cooperation of regions and communities

The article aims to delve into the potential of Ukraine's spatial integration, focusing on activating regional and community cooperation tools. the study employed a robust set of scientific methods, including induction and deduction, comparison, systematization and generalization, and the graphic method, underscoring the thoroughness and reliability of the research. The article critically examines the current state and pressing issues surrounding enhancing public-private partnerships and inter-municipal cooperation. This analysis is particularly relevant in the context of Ukraine's need to form an integrated economic space amidst the challenges of war and post-war recovery, highlighting the urgency and importance of the topic. It was established that the main problems that inhibit the development of public-private partnerships in Ukraine are the considerable duration of the procedure for preparing PPP projects, instability of the state's tax and investment policy, limited financial resources of stakeholders, lack of specialists for the development of public-private partnership projects, its full-fledged technical and economic justification, preparation of tender documentation, etc. Considering the above, ways of increasing the effectiveness of public-private partnerships as a tool for forming an integrated and competitive economic space of Ukraine in the conditions of post-war reconstruction are proposed. The main problems that slow down the development of inter-municipal cooperation as a tool for the formation of an integrated economic space are named (lack of a consistent and clear regional policy of stimulating the development of inter-municipal cooperation of territorial communities; low effectiveness of the implementation of existing agreements on inter-municipal cooperation due to a lack of financial resources, the transfer of forces and funds to the wartime economy; limited possibilities of attracting credit instruments by MMC participants; lack of statistical information on the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of existing agreements on inter-municipal cooperation). Considering the above, directions for increasing the effectiveness of inter-municipal cooperation as a tool for forming an integrated economic space of Ukraine in the conditions of post-war reconstruction are named. The importance and necessity of simplifying the procedure of inter-municipal cooperation, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and removing legal barriers to inter-municipal cooperation were emphasized. Keywords: spatial integration, community cooperation, public-private partnership, inter-municipal cooperation, post-war reconstruction, regional economy.

A Framework for Integrating Freight Transport, Urban Land Planning, and Infrastructure Management under Economic Geography Principles

This study presents a conceptual framework proposal for integrating urban freight initiatives (UFIs), or city logistics initiatives, into urban planning and urban management (UPUM) land use and infrastructure systems. As a novel approach, this framework integrates three components: Firstly, a conceptual basis on three economic geography theory principles—location, agglomeration, and urbanisation. Secondly, spatial analysis and subsequent clustering integrate companies’ spatial positions, their proximity to other companies, their freight intensity, and the characteristics of the zonal road infrastructure; these clusters are defined as freight traffic zones (FTZs). Thirdly, a functional yet strategic UFI clustering or grouping is proposed to work in an optimised and integrated manner with the FTZs’ opportunities for efficiency and reduced externalities. It is expected that the integrated result of these three components can serve to optimise freight initiatives and road infrastructure from a city governance perspective, reduce freight externalities, and function as a stakeholder cooperation tool from government-led, policy-driven perspectives. This research also identifies and characterises various variables influencing the emergence and existence (planned or organic) of FTZs and shows how these could be incorporated into high-level UPUM processes. Although it is deemed that the principles and methodological approach followed here could be common to urban areas, an example for the Metropolitan Area of the Aburra Valley (MAAV), in Colombia, is presented as an initial case study. Conclusively, this paper introduces a pioneering methodology for integrating UFIs into city or metropolitan governance, offering guidance for policymakers to promote sustainable freight systems.

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ПАРАЛИНГВИСТИЧЕСКИХ СРЕДСТВ В СОЗДАНИИ СТИЛИСТИЧЕСКИХ ПРИЁМОВ

The relevance of the article is confirmed by the fact that creolized texts are increasingly becoming a vestige of information transmission not only within each individual country, but also at the level of the entire Internet space, thereby creating a risk for the development of an information war between countries. However, it should also be noted that the information transmitted in modern segments of social networks consists, as a rule, of verbal and illustrative parts, and therefore creolized texts often serve as a tool for cooperation between peoples and countries. The article examines the features of the implementation of the stylistic technique of double actualization of meaning in paralinguistically active texts, which are carried out using both verbal and non-verbal components. The main types of double actualization of meaning are highlighted, depending on the participation of paralinguistic means of expression in the creation of this technique. The following research methods were used: structural method, descriptive method, semantic analysis and component analysis method.

Запрос о правовой помощи: анализ правоприменительной практики

Request for legal assistance is one of the key tools of international cooperation of law enforcement agencies of many countries. The Russian Federation actively uses this mechanism in order to obtain the necessary information, to conduct certain procedural, investigative and operative-search actions within the framework of a criminal case, when it is not possible to carry out these or those actions on the territory of Russia (for example, the witness, suspect arrive in another country, property, documents and/or other objects of the material world, on which information is required, are in the possession and/or on the territory of another state). However, the issue under consideration has not been sufficiently studied in the doctrine of criminal procedural law, the empirical basis has not been investigated. The author analyses the law enforcement practice of law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation, empirical data, identifies existing problems, errors and shortcomings in the work of specialists when sending requests for legal assistance, as well as points out the main reasons for refusals to execute requests, offering a number of developed recommendations based on international experience.

SOCIAL NETWORKS – A TOOL FOR COOPERATION OF BULGARIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS

Bulgarian agriculture has gone through many transformations in the last two decades. The concentration of production and the difficult access of smaller farms to forms of public support led to their unequal competitive position. Some owners of such small farms began to seek support and advice from other producers, exchange experiences and organize joint actions. Social networks are also used for these new forms of cooperation, as a popular tool for building groups and communication between their members. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the models for the application of social networks as a tool for the cooperation of agricultural producers in Bulgaria. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: to assess the need for producers to cooperate; to analyze the implemented traditional forms of cooperation in the country, revealing their deficiencies; to consider specific examples of the application of social networks, as a tool for cooperation of producers from the agriculture sector in Bulgaria. Social networks, or social media platforms have been a focus of analysis since their launch and in later years some meta studies and literature reviews have attempted to organize and structure most of the previously done research on the topic (Ali, et al. 2023; Ibrahim, 2022). In these studies, the five main topics of discussion have been: social media, social collaboration, social marketing, social media and crowdfunding, and social media and crowdsourcing. Social media as a tool for crowdsourcing can be used by different stakeholders to share crucial information (Clark, et al., 2023) and in those cases a cooperation among social actors can be built. The negative effects of social media on traditional network-building have also been explored by some authors, that put forward concerns about the differentiation of goals between social media platforms and their userbase, that can lead to degradation of social cohesion (González‐Bailón, et al., 2023). Although being critical, those researchers can’t deny that social media platforms are granting opportunities that would be absent without them. Furthermore, if academics have access to social media analytics tools a more in-depth analysis of information sharing and social impact can be developed (Horng, et al., 2023). The lack of access to such tools for the current research has led to the selection of included observation for the analysis of the application of social networks as a tool for the cooperation of agricultural producers in Bulgaria. Social media interactions remain an understudied topic in the country and its relevance as a cooperation building tool remains to be proven. Key words: agriculture, competitiveness, cooperatives, Internet JEL: J54, D71, D91

The working conditions of cross-border temporary agency workers on paper and in reality

1 This contribution focuses on the legal position and working conditions of cross-border temporary agency workers. In the context of the relationship between the free movement of workers and the freedom to provide services, the applicability of the Temporary Agency Work Directive (TAWD) and/or of the (revised) Posting of Workers Directive (PWD) to several different arrangements for cross-border temporary agency work is explored. Furthermore, the tools to prevent circumvention and to encourage compliance with and the enforcement of these legal instruments are discussed. With regard to the role of temporary work agencies and other intermediaries in practice, there seems to be an overlap between facilitation and exploitation, with numerous studies and reports underpinning this assertion. Despite the more favourable position of ‘recruited’ transnational temporary agency workers on paper, the gap with ‘posted’ temporary agency workers is not so wide in reality. For all cross-border temporary agency workers in low-waged sectors, significant problems related to non- or semi-compliance with the applicable regulations arise. After discussing the main challenges relating to non-compliance and enforcement, as well as available tools for cross-border cooperation, some potential future solutions to the aforementioned problems are outlined. In this regard, a pragmatic stance is taken as no ‘magic bullet’ solutions exist.

Cooperation between Russia and China in the field of countering international terrorism as a factor in ensuring international stability

The interaction between Russia and China is a coordinated cooperation on a wide range of issues and problems. The parties are developing a strategic partnership, an important aspect of which is cooperation between Russia and China to ensure global and regional security. The effectiveness of such cooperation directly depends on how successfully the Russian-Chinese partnership will develop, aimed at countering new challenges and threats to security. One of these threats is international terrorism, primarily in its Islamist form. The study examines the specifics of bilateral cooperation between Russia and China in the field of combating international terrorism. The author has studied the forms and tools of bilateral cooperation at the global, regional and national levels. The article notes that cooperation between Russia and China in countering terrorism takes place on the main global platforms (the UN, the SCO). The study uses historical-comparative, historical-typological and problem-chronological methods, which allowed the author to study the approaches of Russia and China to measures to counter terrorism in the context of exacerbation of non-traditional challenges and threats. Russia and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), contribute to the management of global security and ensuring international stability through the development and implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on combating terrorism, participation in projects of the UN Counter-Terrorism Center (UNTC), UN peacekeeping operations. In the regional subsystem, the SCO is an important platform for countering terrorism and ensuring international stability, within which countries have built an effective regulatory and institutional framework for combating terrorism. The article proves that at the bilateral level, the parties have created a mechanism for interaction between law enforcement agencies and special services. In addition, the parties are jointly involved in the fight against international terrorist groups involved in the Syrian conflict. The author concludes that the counter-terrorism system built in Russian-Chinese relations makes a constructive contribution to ensuring international and regional security from non-traditional threats.

Оценка ресурсной обеспеченности: от ЕАЭС к Большому евразийскому пространству

Considering the transformation of global economic relations, Russia strives to strengthen cooperation within the Greater Eurasian space (GES) on the basis of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The study aims to develop an approach to assessing the resource provision of the GES development. The Balassa method and the analysis of documents were used to distinguish five institutional levels (beyond the EAEU) of the GES development: I — countries that have a free trade zone agreement with the EAEU; II — countries that have other agreements; III — cooperation is elaborated; IV — negotiations were conducted; V — countries interested in cooperation. According to 4 traditional production factors, 8 types of resource provision were revealed: raw, agroclimatic and food, labour, intellectual, production capacity, transport infrastructure, innovation, financial. For their assessment, the following statistical and authors’ indicators can be used: number of employees in a certain sector, added value in the manufacturing segment, number of researchers in the group of countries, 3-year state budget exceeding the public debt, fossil fuel reserves, etc. The assessment showed that the share of the Greater Eurasian space in the global gross domestic product, natural rent, industry (including high-tech), patent generation, investments, freight traffic, significantly increased in 2000–2021. The most significant contributions to the development of the Greater Eurasian space are: land, transport infrastructure, budget safety from the EAEU; labour, land, GDP from countries except China; labour, production capacity, transport infrastructure, technology, international reserves from China. Such resource allocation strengthens cooperation within the GES, which is necessary to develop, introduce and promote advanced production technologies. Research results can be used to choose mechanisms and tools of international economic cooperation, as well as to simulate the movement of goods, services and production factors between the GES countries.

Переклад як інструмент комунікації фахівців з міжнародних економічних відносин

The communication skills of specialists in international economic relations determine the ease of overcoming linguistic and cultural boundaries in today’s globalized world. As businesses expand into international markets, the demand for professionals with a high level of language competence, including translation and interpretation skills, is high. The article substantiates that translation competence is an integral part of the professional competence of applicants for economic direction, since integration processes and international cooperation increase the requirements for foreign language proficiency not only in the interpersonal sphere, but also in the economic, especially in the field of international business. In the course of the study, the main key challenges and barriers to effective communication in international business are identified and characterized, namely: cultural differences, language barriers, non-verbal communication signals, technological challenges, time zone differences, cross-cultural misunderstandings, translation and interpretation. Emphasis is placed on translation and interpretation, as it is an important tool for facilitating communication between speakers of different languages. Correct translation and interpretation requires not only knowledge of the language, but also cultural competence, understanding of the context and knowledge of the subject. The authors identify the main areas of application of translation and interpretation in international business, including: legal and regulatory documents; financial reports and market analysis results; marketing and promotional materials for international markets; translation of technical specifications, instructions and documentation for products; diplomatic negotiations, international conferences and diplomatic correspondence on economic issues. Thus, translation is an effective tool for effective communication, cooperation and negotiations in international economic relations. By overcoming language barriers, fostering intercultural understanding, and the exchange of information and ideas, translation plays a vital role in promoting economic cooperation, trade liberalization, and sustainable development on a global scale.

THE POTENTIAL FOR RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY IN THE CREATIVE SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY OF UKRAINE

The article analyzes possible opportunities of the creative economy in ensuring the stability and restoration of Ukraine, in particular its economic and human potential. Based on the analysis of the creative economy during the crisis of 2022, the author concludes that domestic creative industries provide a significant resource of stability, flexibility, and the potential for sustainable post-crisis recovery. The national creative sector has become a tool for international cultural diplomacy, consolidation, and cooperation to ensure the stability of the Ukrainian state in the face of Russian aggression. The article reveals potential opportunities for the development of the creative economy to ensure sustainable economic growth and social inclusion in the policy of recovery of Ukrainian cities, in particular, in the industrial regions of eastern Ukraine.
 The article outlines priority directions for stimulating the development of creative industries at the international, national, and local levels. The priority directions include harmonization of national legislation in the field of intellectual property to the norms of European law, overcoming disparities in the development of certain segments of the creative economy, intensification of inter-municipal cooperation at the level of national and international networks of creative cities, implementation of social inclusion programs and recovery of human potential in the creative sector.
 The author argues that the inclusion of the creative economy in the policy of ensuring sustainability and post-war recovery of Ukraine will correspond to the global trends of the post-industrial economy and the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. The further development of the policy of stimulating the development of creative industries will contribute to the strengthening of the competitiveness of the national economy as a whole and the use of the potential of the national culture to ensure the sustainable inclusive development of the Ukrainian state.

Взаимодействие предприятий реального сектора экономики АЗРФ и образовательных организаций (на примере Архангельской области): содержание, тенденции, оценки

The team of authors of the article conducted a sociological study aimed at analyzing and assessing the interaction of enterprises in the real sector of the economy and organizations of higher and secondary education in the field of personnel training for the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation using the example of the Arkhangelsk region. The results of the study allowed us to conclude that the growing shortage of specialists with higher and secondary vocational education in the shipbuilding, forestry and fishing industries of the Arkhangelsk region in recent years has stimulated the interest of enterprises in cooperation with educational organizations. The study revealed significant differences in the level of interaction by enterprise size. The most intensive cooperation between educational organizations is carried out with large enterprises planning staffing for the medium term, having the greatest personnel needs, as well as human and financial resources to build interaction in their interests. The study also showed a trend towards establishing long-term connections between educational organizations and large enterprises using a variety of cooperation tools and involving students in work activities during their studies with a view to subsequent employment. At the same time, quantitative and qualitative data indicate the vulnerable position of small and medium-sized enterprises in terms of cooperation with educational organizations and, as a consequence, the provision of personnel. This is due both to the limited human resource for planning personnel policy, and to the fact that the few educational organizations in the region, as a rule, give priority to cooperation with major players, due to their status and ability to provide material support to the educational institution.

Развитие эффективной кооперации вузов, бизнеса и государства при формировании зоны промышленного симбиоза

Today, economic science is actively exploring the formation of new business models and cooperation ties using the principles of industrial symbiosis to improve the economic and energy efficiency of industrial enterprises working in cooperation with government and scientific and educational institutions. Government support in the development of cooperation between universities and industrial partners is a necessary condition for the transition to a circular economy and sustainable development. The purpose of the article is to study the key areas of development in the field of industrial symbiosis in the world, study various programs and initiatives that stimulate the initiation and development of symbiotic interactions between various organizations, as well as the formation of a new tool for effective cooperation between universities, business and the state - an industrial symbiosis zone. The article analyzes the current state of study in the field of industrial symbiosis in world science, and identifies the main vectors for the development of scientific research in the field of industrial symbiosis. The concept of industrial symbiosis zones developed by the authors is presented: a management system is proposed, the tasks of the main participants in the industrial symbiosis zone are described, as well as the mechanism of their interaction. A comparative analysis of zones of industrial symbiosis with special economic zones and industrial clusters was carried out. A model for financing industrial symbiosis zones is proposed to stimulate the formation of cluster interactions that contribute to the socio-ecological and economic development of specific enterprises, the scientific, educational and innovative development of universities and the sustainable development of regions. The results of the research may be of interest to subject matter experts, sustainable development managers, management of regional authorities, higher education institutions and top management of enterprises in the field of building effective cooperation ties and sustainable development of regions.

Strategic Optimization of Gastronomic Business Cooperation through the Value Chain

In the competitive environment of gastronomic business, the implementation of effective strategies has become essential for success and adaptability. This study set out to explore the value chain as a strategic analysis system to foster cooperativeness in this sector. Three fundamental objectives guided the research: first, to explain the value chain as a tool for strategic analysis and cooperation in business; second, to determine its relevance as a strategic system in the restaurant industry; and third, to identify the application of Porter's value chain in this sector. The results of a survey revealed that gastronomic entrepreneurs value the implementation of strategic systems, highlighting the importance and relevance of such systems. The value chain is perceived as an influential instrument in achieving successful objectives in these businesses. In terms of knowledge, it was found that most participants have a moderate familiarity with the concept of the value chain in the business context, and its importance is recognized at various levels.

Characterizing Therapeutic Pluralism Policies in Latin America: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

Introduction: The 1978 Alma Ata Declaration initiated international recognition of non-biomedical healing systems and their relevance for primary health. World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions have called for the study and inclusion of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) into national health systems through policy development. The increased public, political, and scholarly attention given to T&CM has focused on clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness, mechanisms of action, consumer demand, and supply-side regulation. Although >50% of WHO member states have T&CM policies, scant research has focused on these policies and their public health implications. This paper defines a novel term "therapeutic pluralism," and it aims at characterizing related policies in Latin America. Methods: A qualitative content analysis of Latin American therapeutic pluralism policies was performed. Policies' characteristics and the reported social, political, and economic forces that have made possible their development were assessed. Pre-defined policy features were categorized on an MS-Excel; in-depth text analyses were conducted in NVivo. Analyses followed the steps described by Bengtsson: decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization, and compilation. Results: Seventy-four (74) policy documents from 16 of the 20 sovereign Latin American countries were included. Mechanisms for policy enactment included: Constitution, National Law, National Policy, National Healthcare Model, National Program Guideline, Specific Regulatory Norms, and Supporting Legislation, Policies, and Norms. We propose a four-category typology of policy approaches in Latin America: Health Services-centered, Model of Care-based, Participatory, and Indigenous People-focused. Common themes countries used when justifying developing these policies included: benefits to the health system, legal and political mandates, supply and demand, and culture and identity. Social forces these policies referenced as influencing their development included: pluralism, self-determination and autonomy, anticapitalism and decolonization, safeguarding cultural identity, bridging cultural barriers, and sustainability. Conclusion: Policy approaches to therapeutic pluralism in Latin America go beyond integrating non-biomedical interventions into health services; they offer perspectives for transforming health systems. Characterizing these approaches has implications for policy development, implementation, evaluation, international collaboration, the development of technical cooperation tools and frameworks, and research.

ЕФЕКТИВНЕ ПАРТНЕРСТВО З БІЗНЕСОМ ЯК ЗАСІБ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ ЯКОСТІ ОСВІТИ В ГАЛУЗІ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ

The quality of education in the field of information technology depends on the use of modern tools of cooperation between universities and leading companies. Micro-credentials, which are rapidly spreading throughout the world, are among the new innovative tools. On the example of the SoftServe company, the experience of using dual study, non-formal study, professional training of teachers is analyzed. Problems are identified and models of SoftServe cooperation with universities are described, which increase the employability of graduates.

How to Improve Middle School Students' Ability to Tell Chinese Stories Well in English in the New Era

As a widely used language in economic, political, technological, cultural, and other activities in the world today, English is an important communication tool for international communication and cooperation, as well as one of the carriers for disseminating the achievements of human civilization. It plays an important role in moving China towards the world and letting the world understand China. As economic globalization continues to strengthen, China's position on the world stage is increasingly prominent, and its voice is also heard by more and more people. It is increasingly important to tell China's story well in foreign languages. However, there are still a series of problems in English teaching in China, which contradict the requirements for improving middle school students' English language proficiency and comprehensive quality, and are not conducive to implementing the requirements of English teaching in the new era. This article briefly analyzes the current situation of English teaching for middle school students in China, and puts forward some personal suggestions on “how to improve the ability of middle school students to tell Chinese stories well in English”, with a view to providing new ideas for English teaching under the conditions of the new era, better improving the English expression ability of middle school students in China, cultivating their national feelings and international perspective, and better implementing the overall goal of “cultivating morality and cultivating people”.

International development cooperation and political risks for transnational business: Linking research topics

International development cooperation and political risks for transnational business are two topics which have always drawn attention from specialists in international political economy. Each of these topics is studied by a dedicated subdiscipline with a specific terminology, strong analytical centers and influential peer-reviewed journals. Despite political risks had initially been associated with developing countries (and transition economies — after the Cold War), two distinctive research clusters have developed separately from one another — quite inexplicably. Drawing on the idea of immanent proximity of international development studies and political risk analysis, this paper develops the logic of blending their research agendas.The first two sections formulate key presumptions meant to justify the conjugation of two topics. The first presumption is an acknowledgement of an engrained commercial motivation in any modality of development cooperation and the latter’s ability to serve as a tool to promote foreign economic interests. The second presumption emphasizes the existence of an indissoluble link between political risks for business with socio-economic and political development disbalances within and between countries. The final section identifies concrete dimensions of conjugation of two research agendas, such as: 1) conducting political risk assessments in the course of programming and implementing development projects; 2) examining the impact of political risk manifestations on provider countries’ ability to mobilize financial resources for international development; studying the practices of using different development cooperation tools to mitigate political risks for foreign economic activity — both through a direct and deliberate reduction of risk perceived by business and through an indirect impact on the environment where political risks are formed; 4) exploring the logic of emergence of new risk factors (of various types) in the course of implementing development cooperation policies. The conclusion argues for focusing on the reverse impact of new trends in international development cooperation on the parameters of political risks for international business from the Western and non-Western countries amidst the global turbulence, using all available sources of statistical data — conventional and unconventional. It also draws a step-by-step research plan and assesses the theoretical and policy relevance of obtaining anticipated results.