A view from the policy community: a new strategic narrative for Europe?

ABSTRACT

Reflecting on the results presented in articles in this special issue, European leaders should take greater account of external perceptions in crafting the European Union's strategic narrative and guiding its actions. Failure to do so has impaired external policies like the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership. Leaders emerging from the Arab uprisings perceived the EU as complicit with their countries’ former anciens régimes and Russian leaders see EU support for democracy and the market economy in former Soviet states as duplicitous and instrusive. Awareness of such perceptions should be filtered into EU decision-making, without validating views that European officials and diplomats consider misleading.     

What do forensic analysts consider relevant to their decision making?

In response to research demonstrating that irrelevant contextual information can bias forensic science analyses, authorities have increasingly urged laboratories to limit analysts' access to irrelevant and potentially biasing information (Dror and Cole (2010) [3]; National Academy of Sciences (2009) [18]; President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2016) [22]; UK Forensic Science Regulator (2015) [26]). However, a great challenge in implementing this reform is determining which information is task-relevant and which is task-irrelevant. In the current study, we surveyed 183 forensic analysts to examine what they consider relevant versus irrelevant in their forensic analyses. Results revealed that analysts generally do not regard information regarding the suspect or victim as essential to their analytic tasks. However, there was significant variability among analysts within and between disciplines. Findings suggest that forensic science disciplines need to agree on what they regard as task-relevant before context management procedures can be properly implemented. The lack of consensus about what is relevant information not only leaves room for biasing information, but also reveals foundational gaps in what analysts consider crucial in forensic decision making.     

The Role of Brand Orientation in Developing a Learning Culture and Achieving Performance Goals in the Third Sector Organizations

ABSTRACT

This study is first in nature to find the empirical evidence of relationship between brand orientation (BRO), learning orientation (LO), and its impact on Performance (PERF) of third sector organizations (TSOs) in Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was filled through non-probability snowball sampling method from more than 300 senior managers working in different cities of Pakistan. The structural equation model was used for the mediation by running smart partial least squares software. The results prove that organizations with strong BRO philosophy not only help to develop strong LO culture but also help in achieving organizational performance goals. The study also discussed practical implications, limitations, and areas of future directions.     

论两岸经济关系发展的状况、特征和走向

两岸经济关系问题，是两岸关系的重要组成部分和基础。经过近20年的发展，大陆已成为台湾的第一大贸易伙伴和第一大顺差来源地，台商对大陆投资的数量强劲增长，区域相对集中，单体规模加大，增资扩股较多，且由出口加工型向市场占领型拓展，劳动密集型向技术资金密集型拓展，第二产业向一、三产业拓展。两岸产业正由“垂直分工”向“水平分工”转变。究其原因，互补互利是基础，依存依赖是原动力，经济全球化是外在力量，地缘亲缘是人力量。入世后，两岸经济关系将有新的发展，近期而言，两岸贸易和投资将进一步增长，两岸投资将向科技型、服务型、内销型、双向型转变。远期而言，将加快两岸经济一体化的进程，并逐步架构“大中国自由贸易区”。     

美国工会对中美经贸关系的影响

近年来,美国工会对国际经贸乃至世界经济的影响日益凸现,我国政府和企业应积极采取相应措施积极应对。本文分析了美国工会的特点及对中美经贸活动的影响,并提出了一些应对之策。     

相对集中行政处罚权：立法模式与制度创新

相对集中行政处罚权实践是我国行政管理体制的创新举措,已经取得了较明显的效果。但目前囿于立法层次较低,且各地规范不一,极大地阻碍了这一新生事物的进一步成长。因此我们应在统一立法和系统全面立法的基础上,尽快制定一部法律或行政法规系统规范该制度。同时加强诸如表明身份制度、说明理由制度、阅卷制度、时效制度、格式化制度、职能分离制度、案卷排他性制度等研究,以丰富和完善该处罚权的实践。     

正确认识和处理新时期农村人民内部矛盾

正确认识、及时化解人民内部矛盾是真正代表农村最广大人民群众根本利益的必然要求,也是保持农村社会稳定的必要条件。农村人民内部矛盾的产生原因是多方面的,要正确处理这些矛盾,必须在正确认识的前提下,善于运用经济的、行政的、法律的、思想教育的等各种手段,及时化解矛盾,解决纠纷,确保广大农村社会稳定。     

法治的实现目标及其途径

法治社会的价值目标是追求民主、平等;法治的核心问题是约束、限制权力;法治国家的本质特征是体现民治;实现 法治化的基本途径是建立安全、方便、经济的参政方式。     

关于领导干部权力运行机制的几个问题

现行领导干部权力运行机制通行的基本原则是一切权力属于人民，党的统一领导和实行民主集中制等；现行领导干部权力运行机制的优势是广泛的人民性和整体性，是政治的民主性和决策的科学性；而现行领导干部权力运行机制的缺陷则是权力过分集中，权力制约乏力和缺少具体的运行规则；完善领导干部权力运行机制的具体原则是法制化原则，公正原则，公开原则，廉洁原则，廉价原则，效率原则，监督原则和稳定原则等，要完善现行领导干部权力运行机制就必须有总体思考和具体思路。     

防范打击计算机犯罪的法律思考

计算机犯罪愈演愈烈,危害越来越严重,应予高度重视。目前打击防范计算机犯罪存在许多薄弱环节,建立完善的计算机安全法律体系刻不容缓。一是根据新情况、新问题的出现制定新法以增强法律的调整力和强制力;二是及时修改、完善旧法以适应、调整和规范网络行为。充分利用法律的手段,有效防范和打击计算机犯罪,趋利避害,使计算机更好地为人类服务。