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.     

Adding to the Controversy? Civil Society’s Evaluation of the National Conference Dialogue in Yemen

ABSTRACT

This article assembles a picture of Yemen’s 2013–14 National Dialogue Conference (NDC) by collecting perspectives from local civil society organizations (CSOs), which are contrasted to the views of international commentators. Despite all efforts by internal parties as well as the international community, the dialogue failed to avert war, which broke out shortly after. Through interviews with 50 CSOs, we reconstructed the reasons for failure, as well as paying attention to the observed strengths of the dialogue. Half of the consulted organizations were directly involved in the NDC, either as an invited participant or in a brokerage role. The other half concerns outside observers. We identify aspects on which the opinion of the CSOs converge, but also highlight striking divergences depending on insider/outsider status. In contrast to the view espoused in the international literature, the CSOs overall feel that, in spite of all its procedural and substantive flaws, the NDC was a significant junction in the long road towards peace and stability and laid important groundwork for future dialogues.     

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.     

Managing commercial risks in open source software licensing

Legal context: The article reviews the commercial risk allocation clauses intypical open source licence terms and discusses their enforceabilityand implications. Key points: The enforceability of warranty disclaimers and limitation ofliability clauses in common open source licence terms is questionable,particularly in a cross-border context, and commercial licensorsshould take additional steps to protect themselves from down-streamrisks. Practical significance: Open source software presents a number of unusual commercialissues, because it is available free of charge and the providerstry to disclaim warranties and liabilities. End users and resellershave to adjust their own in- and out-licensing models to accommodatethis situation.     

文化对话:全球化时代的生存智慧

从文化角度看,全球化是一个矛盾体系,是整合与碎裂、一体化与分离化、世界化与本土化的张力场。全球化时代文化多元化是必要的,但推到极端刻意强调文化本土化、文化民族主义及发展为文化沙文主义、文化原教旨主义,将导致文化的矛盾、对立与冲突,影响人类社会的和平与发展,甚至将脆弱的地球村推向崩溃的边缘。因此,在全球化时代,展开不同文化间的沟通与对话,消除偏见与冲突.是21世纪地球村公民生存发展的智慧选择。     

万物有灵:人对自然的初步读解

灵魂信仰是万物有灵的核心 ,也是其学说构成的基础。万物有灵是人类史前时期的必然阶段 ,同时也是人类对自然的初步读解。万物有灵的必由之路是进入神话 ,从其运行的轨迹来看 ,神话首先是出现自然神的故事 ,然后是英雄神的故事。万物有灵给予人类以向外体察自然万物的窗口 ,在这个窗口上 ,人类所获得的能力 ,就是神化自然 ,通过神话来读解自然。     

安倍治下的日本对华政策:从战略制衡到战术避险

日本的对华外交深受国际体系和中美日三角关系的影响。由于中美两个大国在全球层面的战略竞争加剧,以2017年为分水岭,第二次安倍内阁领导下的日本的整体对华外交政策经历了从"战略制衡"向"战术避险"方向的转变。在2017年以前,日本为了联美对华实施"战略制衡",在外交方面,以"印太战略"孤立中国;在安全方面,加强岛屿防卫能力和强化日美同盟;在经济方面,大力支持"跨太平洋伙伴关系协定"和对"一带一路"倡议持冷淡态度。在2017年以后,在中美关系的不确定性增大的情况下,安倍领导下的日本对华实施"战术避险"。在外交方面,加强印太战略的开放性、领导人互访和对华自制;在安全方面,继续强化国防上的内部制衡;在经济方面,有条件地认同"一带一路"倡议并对华展开第三方市场合作。展望未来,令和时代的日本将是一个拥有部分战略自主的中等强国,在日美同盟框架下维持与中国有距离的交往,力图在瞬息万变的国际政治角力中实现日本国家利益的最大化。     

中国式新型工业化道路探析

走新型工业化道路,是党在新世纪、新阶段作出的重大战略决策.本文阐述了中国式新型工业化道路的科学内涵和五个主要特征,探析了中国式新型工业化道路的路径选择,即实施五大战略创新.     

美国和欧盟正在分道扬镳吗?--关于文化的概念及文化差异的思考

文化可以定义为一个成规系统,借助这一概念,可以将文化区分为不同的类别,从而清晰地描述和阐释两种或几种文化之间的同异。在伊拉克战争中的不同表现,凸显了美国与欧盟文化层面上的歧异,有学者将之归结为具有"现代"与"后现代"特征的战略文化之间的不同,这种观点值得进一步辨析。文化成规不是一成不变的,美国与欧盟的战略文化也必将随着全球语境的变化而变化。     

邓小平国际战略理念与中国和平崛起

邓小平的国际战略理念包括实事求是的思想路线、全新的国际关系价值标准、辩证的思维方式和极富时代意义的国际战略主题思想。这些带有指导思想价值和方法论意义的内容,以鲜明的时代性和科学性指导着改革开放的中国的对外工作。以胡锦涛为总书记的党和国家新一代领导人在新形势下提出的和平崛起的新思想,是对邓小平国际战略理念的继承和发展。