Social Justice and Economic Policy: Analyzing the Interplay Between Welfare and Market Forces

This paper explores the complex relationship between welfare policies and market forces, analyzing how different countries balance economic growth with social justice. Scandinavian countries provide examples of successful integration between welfare systems and market-driven economies, achieving income equality and high standards of living through universal services and progressive taxation. In contrast, the United States emphasizes market efficiency, resulting in significant income inequality and limited access to essential services such as healthcare. Emerging economies like China and India face unique challenges as they attempt to implement welfare reforms alongside rapid economic growth. The paper offers policy recommendations, including progressive taxation, universal healthcare, and job training programs, to reduce inequality and foster sustainable growth. Additionally, reforms aimed at making welfare systems more efficient and adaptable to global market pressures are discussed. The overall conclusion is that a balanced approach, blending economic efficiency with social justice, is essential for creating inclusive and prosperous societies

CRIMINAL SETTLEMENT IN THE UAE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW

In pursuit of enhancing justice and improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system, modern legislations have witnessed significant developments in the mechanisms through which the state exercises its right to impose sanctions. This has been achieved through the adoption of innovative approaches in criminal policy. Several legal systems have embraced alternative mechanisms to resolve criminal disputes outside the framework of traditional criminal proceedings, whether in cases of violations (infractions), misdemeanors, or even certain felonies.In line with this approach, the UAE legislator introduced the Criminal Settlement System in the latest amendment to the Federal Criminal Procedure Law as an alternative to traditional criminal proceedings. The objective is to alleviate the burden on courts and reduce the number of cases brought before them, thereby enhancing the speed and efficiency of adjudicating high-priority cases.The Criminal Settlement System is defined as a procedure initiated by the Public Prosecution before instituting criminal proceedings, wherein the prosecution offers the accused the possibility of accepting certain measures or specific penalties for legally designated crimes in exchange for a full confession of guilt. This agreement is subject to approval by the competent judge, and upon ratification, the criminal case is dismissed without resorting to conventional trial proceedings. This mechanism facilitates a consensual resolution of criminal disputes between the parties involved.This study aims to conduct a comparative analytical examination of the Criminal Settlement System in UAE legislation, while also reviewing similar legislative experiences in other jurisdictions. The objective is to identify points of convergence and divergence between the UAE\u27s model and other legal systems that have adopted the Criminal Settlement System as an alternative to traditional criminal proceedings.Additionally, the study explores the legal nature of the Criminal Settlement System, the conditions and procedures governing its application, as well as the types of offenses eligible for this mechanism. It further examines the legal implications of a successful or failed Criminal Settlement System agreement.The study concludes that the Criminal Settlement System plays a pivotal role in criminal procedures, requiring enhanced awareness and understanding among legal professionals and relevant stakeholders. Given that the UAE has adopted this system based on the French model, further research and practical evaluations are necessary to assess its effectiveness and applicability, especially in light of the absence of its implementation in the national procedural legislation

FACTORS FACILITATING OR HAMPERING CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION: A CASE STUDY ON HIGH PERFORMING AND LOW PERFORMING CYCLE III SCHOOLS IN AL AIN

This is a qualitative multiple case study of four secondary schools’ administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of factors facilitating and factors hampering change implementation. The sample consisted of four secondary schools in Al Ain city. Selected schools included two high performing schools and two low performing schools, according to the national inspection program reports. The four selected schools included two male schools and two female schools. Data collection methods included repeated, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews with selected teachers and administrators, and an open-ended survey for all staff in these schools. Data analysis revealed that the views of participants were similar in some aspects and contradictory in others. Facilitating factors included time, resources, professional development for teachers, visionary leadership, collaboration between the administration and teachers, and teachers’ competency. The hampering factors reported by the participants included sudden and rapid top-down decisions, inadequate time to implement change, lack of collaboration between the administration and teachers, poor parental involvement in children’s education, and division within and between the administration and teaching staff. Teachers’ opinions reflected their annoyance about the sudden and inconsistent changes initiated every year. Although they were welcoming change, they lacked the means to have their voices heard regarding changes in curriculum and assessment. Teachers’ heavy teaching loads and lack of parents’ involvement were also among the hampering factors. The study provided recommendations for policymakers, which included communicating with schools about change and initiatives before implementation, establishing a reward system by MoE/ADEK for successful implementation, adherence to technology integration, a need for reculturing through adjusting adopters’ skills, knowledge and professional behaviors, providing comprehensive timelines for change implementation, developing qualified educational administrators, creating shared decision making opportunities, and reconsidering teachers’ work context during change implementation. For school-related practices, the study recommended developing shared-decision making, encouraging collaborative environments, improving teachers’ attitudes towards change, and ensuring parents’ and students’ involvement in the process of change implementation

REQUIREMET OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT NECESSARY FOR

This study examines the requirements of change management necessary for Secondary school principals in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in light of New School Model through conducting change management requirements utilizing a questionnaire on secondary school teachers in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Educational Zones during2011-2012. the study employs a qualitative research paradigm, where there are 47 items and one an open-ended question are combined in a questionnaire used to collect data. The sample included 1080 teachers from both sexes out of 72 schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain presenting cycle 3. The study found that the requirements of change management necessary for school leaders are high in the six clusters, building and communicating a school vision, planning for change, leading change, leading the process of teaching and learning, leading human and physical resources and final! the community. The study also found that males were more positive towards change in education than females. Also, years of experiences impacted respondents answers regarding change processes and requirements. Besides, among the suggestions regarding the characteristics necessary for change management leaders, teachers Suggested high qualification, strong communication clarity, respect, shared planning and decision making as the most important features a school leader should possess. ADEC is also recommended to serve training courses for school principals to make them better understand New School Model requirements and initiate a new policy in assigning secondary school principals. In general, the research provides Recommendations regarding the requirements necessary for school leaders ofSecondary school in leading change in light of New School Model

Requirements of Change Management Necessary for Secondary School Leaders in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in Light of New School Model.

This study examines the requirements of change management necessary for secondary school principals in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in light of new school model through conducting change management requirements utilizing a questionnaire on secondary school teachers in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Educational Zones during 2011-2012. The study employs a qualitative research paradigm, where there are 47items and one an open-ended question are combined in a questionnaire used to collect data. The sample included 1080 teachers from both sexes out of 72 schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain presenting cycle 3. The study found that the requirements of change management necessary for school leaders are high in the six clusters, building and communicating a school vision, planning for change, leading the process of teaching and learning, leading human and physical resources and finally the community. The study also found that males were more positive towards change in education than females. Also, years of experiences impacted respondents’ answers regarding change processes and requirements. Besides, among the suggestions regarding the characteristics necessary for change management leaders, teachers suggested high qualification, strong communication, clarity, respect, shared planning and decision making as the most important features a school leader should possess. ADEC is also recommended to serve training courses for school principals to make them better understand New School Model requirements and initiate a new policy in assigning secondary school principals. In general, the research provides recommendations regarding the requirements necessary for school leaders of secondary school in leading change in light of New School Model

Triple Helix Model’s (THM) impact on enhancing creativity and skills within UAE public and private sectors

Organizations and businesses cannot depend completely on their own to generate new ideas for innovation and development in present knowledge based societies. Consequently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 2015 as the Year of Innovation and excellence awards have been established aiming to boost cooperation between various sectors in the country. Therefore, the concept of the Triple Helix (university–industry–government) was found as a model of innovation. The aim of this research is to establish the impact of a Triple Helix approach on enhancing creativity and skills within UAE public and private sectors. It explores the concept of the Triple Helix Model (THM) in the context of the UAE public and private sectors focusing on its existence, implementation, barriers and drivers. Methods of analysis include both qualitative and quantitative approach in which a conceptual framework was derived from the literature review, a survey was developed and distributed to a sample of employees from different organizations, and follow-up interviews were carried out with key stakeholders (in which their departments are implementing/ involved in the THM). The findings exposed the stakeholders’ perception about the importance of the concept and each actor’s role in the THM, the limited utilization of the concept among the organizations, and the challenges in terms of relational barriers and knowledge sharing. The research findings reveal that TH approach has a positive influence on enhancing creativity and skills within UAE sectors and several recommendations have been proposed such as leadership involvement and support, designing organizational innovation strategy, and the addition of society helix

Effect of treated wastewater irrigation on plant growth and biochemical features of two wheat cultivars under elevated level of CO2 and UV-B radiation

Climate change is a serious problem affecting worldwide agricultural production and encourages researchers to investigate plant responses and grow crops under changed growing conditions. In arid and semiarid regions, treated wastewater is a common alternative source of water for irrigation. The proposed study examined the impact of irrigation with treated wastewater and the effects on the growth of wheat crops of environmental stress factors, including UV radiation and carbon dioxide. The experiment was conducted in a transparent Open Top Chambers facility and the treatments were administered in the hot UAE climate for ninety days. In order to understand the physiological mechanisms of plant adaptation under the conditions given, physiological and biochemical characteristics such as anti-oxidant enzymes have been assessed. The results revealed that the elevated CO2 level increased the growth parameters, whereas when compared to control, the UVB treatment affected plant growth. In the seedling process, established under regulated development, the differential response of antioxidant activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POX) activities were observed among intrinsic biochemical activity in the selected Wheat varieties. Our findings show that wheat varieties are suitable as industrial crops for the production of antioxidants under irrigation with treated wastewater because the quantity and quality of their yield have not been affected. This practice will contribute to a clean environment and the stress on freshwater will be reduced by its reuse

Evaluation of treated wastewater irrigation on the productivity of wheat

The major objective of this research work is to propose the initial environmental impact assessment concerning the utilization of treated wastewater for two different varieties of wheat production. The study analyzed the soil chemical composition before and after irrigation at two different depths (0-30 cm & 30-60 cm). Water chemical composition is also analyzed for controlled water, treated water of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Wheat plant chemical composition present in the head, root, and shoot for both the varieties is analyzed. The levels of Ca, Mg, Na and CI in soil have increased after irrigation with controlled water. The presence of cations and anions in the soil are slightly higher in the treated water of Abu Dhabi. Ca, Na, CI and SO4 are found to be significantly higher after irrigation with treated wastewater of Al Ain.  The plant chemical composition of head, root and shoot ND fiber, AD fiber, Crude protein and Macro elements have shown no significant differences across the three types of water and two varieties of wheat production. The correlations between RBS limits and the three types of water considered in the study are negative. The results revealed that the differences in chemical composition between RBS limits, controlled, treated wastewater of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are statistically significant with particular reference to trace and heavy metals. Concerning water chemical composition, the study concludes that the correlation between controlled water and treated wastewater of Al Ain is strong when compared to Abu Dhabi

Teaching and learning delivery modes in higher education:looking back to move forward post-COVID-19 era

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the education sector to adapt rapidly to online and blended learning modes. This systematic literature review examines the impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning in higher education, including management education and other disciplines. The review of 68 studies reveals that blended teaching, combining the benefits of face-to-face and online teaching methods, has emerged as a promising approach for higher education in the post-COVID-19 era. However, further research is needed to fully understand the dynamics of this mode, particularly in the context of business management education. The review highlights the importance of flexible and adaptable learning modes in higher education, with a need for institutions to continue promoting and creating diverse learning modes that meet the needs of all students. The use of technology is expected to continue to be integrated into teaching and learning, with a greater focus on blended learning modes. As the pandemic has emphasized the importance of effective and accessible education, future research should focus on analyzing the effects of blended learning in diverse nations and addressing issues such as access to technology and digital literacy