Intercultural and Interreligious Communication in the Balkan

The desire to belong in a individual culture means to possess a clear vision for the world, a road map that guides its followers towards the proper understanding of the planet’s past present and future. An established mythology of apparent national identities in the Balkans is somewhat unnaturally reinforced to justify conflicts between religious and ethnic groups, caused as a result of the national identities intertwined among themselves, an element essentially more influential than existence of national identities. For centuries Christians and Muslims in the Balkans have been living in peace, however a few Balkan Societies continue to use violence, national extremism, xenophobia as well as a contemporary practice to solve their problems. A legitimate question can be raised in relation to how common is religious influence used to cause violent and armed conflicts as compared to violence originating from ethnic cleansing, control over territory, political ideology and regional hegemony

Local development and Local Partnerships: Universities applying pro-active PR in a local systems network logics

Facing turmoil and continuous stunning, local governing bodies, decision makers and local actors, in most of cases found the most stable solution has been the regional cooperation and particularly that of increasing and strengthening local human resources capacities at a regional level. Trying to increase competiveness, local systems understand more and more the importance of being flexible, on the frame of a sustainable strategic planning. Local infrastructure and interaction of all local factors and actors, at any time, must consider their development following a wider regional prospective. Important evolutions in the education area, mainly in higher education, gave breath to outstanding improvements in the capacities to develop qualified human resources, matching needs from local developments. While achieving standardized didactic tools at a Mediterranean and furthermore, EU level, they become able to deliver internationally recognized knowledge and capacities, improving so at a general level. human resources among countries with different socio-economic level. At the same time, these developments spread quickly the culture of interaction and collaboration among local actors. This also makes possible knowledge and expertise transfer from excellence center and universities toward local public administration and other local stake holders or public, and increases cooperation standardizing practices according to EU requirements. Local issues need local solutions, but this at no case must cause localization or isolation, all those developments must be conceptualized, oriented and managed in a wider prospective, specific needs must have specific answers, and universities are the best in doing this

History, sociology and politics: The strange triangles of Communication Day

Chronicle of a fantastic day, in a Rome invaded by an epochal rain, moving from the “masterly” words of Bauman in Roma-Eur to the pearls of wisdom of another great giant of sociology: Franco Ferrarotti. To discover that sometimes the answers are found in the intersection of unexpected lines

Academicus-In the name of Science

Every time we mention the word “Science”, an inner debate, which very soon breaks the borders of our mental schemas, comes out, and becomes the dispute topic. Why is science for and what is science for? The hermetical vision of science, which in different ages of human story testified on how easily, we, humans, can create the mechanisms whish suppress our nature, is challenged by the morality dimension of science a well as by the sentinel function and revealing mission science has in leading our lives in the paths of amelioration. So, science for life, and as life is the wholeness of everything and the unification of all diversities, science has no meaning if it is not comprehensive, as a fidelity demonstration of its mission

Communication processes, public administration and performance evaluation

Albanian efforts to fulfill European standards and norm in its Public Administration and service delivery, are becoming a research argument for academics and practitioners as well. Even if significant efforts have been made in this direction there is still a gap in analyzing the link between the communication process which creates and delivers the public service, effect of the used tools in service provision and delivery, the performance evaluation of this sector and the future of the sector itself affected by the intersection of these factors. This brings a great necessity to watch very close those evolutions, processes and the impacts they have in the Albanian social tissue. At the same time, it is very important to understand what streamline has been followed till now by micro and macro huge progresses which have affected the systems, the relations between pairs which not necessarily are being expressed in standards. There is no sustainable change or improvement, if they aren’t built at the cellular level, and when we talk about the state, institutions and citizens, the way they relate, if it is standardized or not by laws or procedures, it becomes the most important reading that we must do to understand the substratum of those progresses. Relations, communications and the future of the communicative situations between citizens and public operators including the public administration during the public service proceedings, indicate the quality and sustainability of Albanian evolutions in social view, as well as the forecasting we can do regarding their impact in the future. Tools by which strategies have been applied, seems to affect the process as well as affect pairs perception of fairness, justice and low conformity. This oblige us investigate about effects and impacts they have had during the service proceedings. We may judge the transparence’s perception related to how much equal citizens consider they are being treated by public operators, what’s its influence in trust climate, notably on the citizens trust towards public administration, whose salaries are being paid by public and who theoretically must carry over public interest. We may, as well, investigate the impact that this variable has had in the new dimension of accountability which is a strong indicator of the evolution of public administrations in Albania, showing how the way public services are being delivered and how much the public itself is actually ruling through a careful reading of the communications hold between them and public administrations

Public Relations and Effective Management of Albanian Public Administration

Analyzing the link between the communication process, the one that creates and delivers the public service, the effect of the used communications strategies partly expressed in the practices developed in the service provision and delivery, on a theoretical point of view creates a set of tools for the performance evaluation of this sector and contributes in the assessment of the future of the sector. Highlighting what streamline has been followed till now, by micro and macro progresses, to affected these systems, indicates at which level the relations between parts involved in the delivery of a service by the public administration are being expressed in standards. Relations, communications and the future of the communicative situations between citizens and public operators including the public administration during the public service proceedings, are investigated as indicatives for the service quality and sustainability as well as the forecasting of their impact in the future. The impact that these variables have had in the new dimension of accountability, which is a strong indicator of the evolution of public administrations, pro-active public relations and how much they include the public(citizens) interest in the public services delivery, how much the public itself is actually ruling through a careful reading of the communications hold between them and public administrations, are the core arguments of this monography

Albania, the human factor and sustainable development: a lesson from the present

Albania as all Balkan countries in general, in the past 20 years faced with deep and continuous socio-economic change which resulted not simply in a totally newly shaped economy, but also in new and unexperienced paths of human resources developments. This referring to the qualitative, quantitative and diversification terms, brings the age of new professions and connections between the academic development and advancement and the adaption with the real necessities of the labor market. Adding to this complex and mobile situation the effect on their economy of the last financial crisis, the turbulence level is expected to be increased . Practitioners and researchers must understand connections and make up different scenarios which will face with a very unpredictable environment. Not surprisingly, Albania as some other southwestern European countries, due to the low level of integration into the international financial market, their mainly domestic market for goods and services produced by them, did not suffer the same consequences as other neighboring countries. But even the effect of downsizing their economies will affect Albanian economy too, because the payment balance and foreign trade balance as well as due to the widening of globalization in its domestic economy, which Albania cannot afford to avoid any longer. At the same time, the country must take in consideration the economic structure change and its adoption with the EU countries economic structure. These two main challenges can be afforded with substantial foreign investments and the most attractive resource has proved to be the human one. Sustainable development of human resources for a national sustainable development, requires making pro-active decision regarding their development and planning. The welfare of countries more and more is not being measured by the GDP pro capita, instead it is being used the term” life quality” which calls for decision making process aiming to increase and not simply exploit, which pro-actively develops qualitative human resources . This because a major factor for development is direct foreign investment. This drives Albania as well as other Balkan countries shift from naturally gifted with human resources due to the high nativity toward having attractive human resources in terms of quality and diversity related to actual and future trends of economy structuring and development. The paper deals with issues related to economic and human development by comparing two major factors in the case of Albania: the quality of human resources, role of foreign investments in the Albanian economic development and effects of human resources have on them and the careful planning of human resources development driven by actual and future trends of economic development. At the same time, the paper analyses the necessity to link the didactic offer of universities and high schools and market driving forces

Communication and Ethical Behavior in the Public Service

Setting up public administration which operates effectively and taking over responsibilities, both crucial on the point of view of the democracy indicators, requires great effort from all social stake holders in setting up and maintaining a public service organization. This notion implies the setting in function of the instruments and procedures that prevent undesirable behavior and provide encouragement of good behavior among operators of those services. While doing this, communication as a main component of the public service, calls for structure and control. Ethics or standards of behavior in the public sector are important political and public issues for every country, which is always held as a fundamental prerequisite for “good behavior” (good governance). The Code of ethics by which are expressed the values and standards in the civil service is one of the ethical elements of infrastructure. It enhances the function of orientation (giving instructions for action and behavior), and aims: respect for the law, respect for individuals, personal and professional integrity and efficiency in managing public resources, reinforcing the role and importance that the communication strategies and tools have. Professional association helps to develop judgment and of the necessary skills to enable white collar workers to apply communication strategy and tools and ethical principles in real circumstances. Objective progress can help create an environment where the white collar workers are willing to face and resolve communication problems and ethical disputes, they can even develop essential skills for effective communication and ethical analysis. The mechanisms of awareness about mission and processes of the public service, orientation and internal consulting in the civil service should be available to help white collar workers to apply basic communication and ethical standards in the workplace. Improvements in the legal framework is necessary for the proper functioning of public service, namely: to gain and maintain public confidence

Communication Technologies and the public service: Is it the case of citizens inclusion in the public service standard in Albania?

The Albanian challenges have been insistent not just for domestic researchers, academics, or even Albanian citizens; they pique a lot of people in different geographic positions, first of all, the European ones, because by a strong European drive Albanian progresses have been oriented. This brings a great necessity to watch very close those evolutions, processes and the impacts they have in the Albanian social tissue. At the same time, it is very important to understand what streamline has been followed till now by micro and macro processes which have affected the systems affecting thou the relations between pairs, which not necessarily are being expressed in standards. There is no sustainable change or improvement, if it is not built at the cellular level, and when we talk about the state, institutions and citizens, the way they relate, if it is standardized or not by laws or procedures, it becomes the most important reading that we must do to understand the substratum of those changes. Relations, communications and the future of the communicative situations between citizens and public operators including the public administration during the public service proceedings, indicate the quality and sustainability of Albanian evolutions in social view, as well as the forecasting we can do regarding their impact in the future. To increase complexity, we can add another variable to the communication’s analyses in the public service, which represents an important evolution of Albania in this context, the wide introduction of the Technologies of Information and Communication (TIC) in the biggest part of public service provision. This makes us investigate about effects and impacts they have had during the service delivery. We may judge the transparence’s perception related to how much equal citizens consider they are being treated by public operators, what’s the influence it has in the trust climate, notably on the citizens trust towards public administration, whose salaries are being paid by public and who theoretically must carry over public interest. We may, as well, investigate the impact that this variable has had in the new dimension of accountability which en bloc, associated by an accurate lawful and institutional monitoring, has been very sensitive and actually they represents mayor arguments of social and political debate in the country

Tourism development, touristic local taxes and local human resources: A stable way to improve efficiency and effectiveness of local strategies of development

Tourism represents an aggressive and growing industry which is gaining fast impact and importance in national and local economies. This new shape that the touristic product and touristic sector is gaining makes necessary a deep understanding of influencing factor and the range of impact this shape creates while trying to understand patterns, strategies and increased benefits. This not just referring to the touristic operators, public administrators and academic researcher. The big changes in the tourism concept affect actually more and more small businesses, families which actually have more chances to get in this industry as well as to have more tangible benefits from revenues of the sector. All this actors become more and more aware that the management of the sector, it’s outcomes particularly referring to tourism tax at local level becomes the only way to create added value to the touristic chain and ensure touristic infrastructure set up and reinforcement, so much necessary for a sustainable local economic development. Local resources are the key elements for this aim and human local resources quality becomes more affecting the whole sector as much as its main characteristics, management and direct benefit becomes more local. Touristic local tax managed in a more efficient way when it comes to its collection, and distributed more effectively among different elements which constitute the backbone of local public services, underline the importance of qualitative and responsible local public administrations representing a strong item for the future of the touristic sector as well as for the development of communities