The study addresses some aspects of the management of two ministries in ROMANIA and SYRIA. But what is surprising as compared with some similar elements, the differences in national culture and characteristics of the external environment for each of the two countries is at the ministerial level as pointed out by the authors, refering to strengths and weaknesses, while pointing out their implications for micro-management. Next, there are reported some problems faced by a number of economic organizations (not only) in the two countries - both domestically and internationally - particularly in terms of bilateral relations. Finally some recommendations are developed targeting various managerial levels.government management, Romania, Syria.

Habib IBRAHIM

Ion COCHINA

English

Research Papers in Economics

Review of International Comparative Management                              Special Number 1/2011  227 
 
GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT AND MICRO 
MANAGEMENT. COMPARATIVE ASPECTS  
FROM ROMANIA AND SYRIA 
 
 
Ion COCHINĂ 
T he Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania 
Habib IBRAHIM 
First Secretary Embassy of Syrian Arab Republic in Bucharest 
 
 
 
 
1.  General aspects 
 
The  study  takes  into  account  the  wider  context  in  which  they  can  be 
analyzed socio-economic systems at the macro level, so even a state (country) can 
be  considered  as  organizations,  regarding  the  managerial  point  of  view.[1] 
Correspondingly,  if  we  think  of  a  possible  know  how‟s  management,  from  a 
country to another, from a culture to another, supposes a good knowledge of the 
cultural particularities of  the two involved and their influence on management. [2] 
In the sense defined above, we will give some details about issues related 
to management of two ministries (Foreign Affairs and that of Tourism) in Romania 
and Syria, with implications for managerial decisions and actions of companies and 
governmental and nongovernmental organizations from both countries, including 
bilateral relations.  
In designing their strategies, organizations take into account the external 
environmental  factors,  but  also  governmental  decisions  and  strategies.  It  is 
generally  known  that  gaining  a  national  competitive  advantage  is  favored  or 
disfavored  the  four  categories  of  factors  (determinants):  national  competitive 
environment,  acquisition  of  resources,  links  between  industries,  demand 
characteristics. [3] 
Management requires a program, plan and information given in hand to be 
shaped by the manager into actions for dealing with a provided case.  
ABSTRACT 
The  study  addresses  some  aspects  of  the  management of two  ministries  in 
ROMANIA and SYRIA. But what is surprising as compared with some similar elements, 
the differences in national culture and characteristics of the external environment for 
each of the two countries is at the ministerial level as pointed out by the authors, 
refering to strengths and weaknesses, while pointing out their implications for micro-
management. Next, there are reported some problems faced by a number of economic 
organizations (not only) in the two countries - both domestically and internationally - 
particularly  in  terms  of  bilateral  relations. Finally  some  recommendations  are 
developed targeting various managerial levels. 
          Special Number 1/2011                         Review of International Comparative Management  228 
Knowledge is also an important factor in this issue. Knowledge as "data 
information"  and  also  as  "digested  information"  is  expressed  by  this  simple 
example "if you buy a book, you buy information; if you have read the book and 
understood ("digested") it, you have knowledge". [4]  
Of  course  there  are  many  ways  for  countries  or  organizations  to  store, 
develop and transfer knowledge from one country to another by its desire, through 
initiating special strategies to export or import its culture, strategies, life styles, or 
management methods. 
Sometimes transferring ideas, information or knowledge comes into force 
when occupying or dominating powers, enforcing occupied or dominated countries 
to  implement  special  educational  and  cultural  policies  or  trying  to  change  the 
cultural features (language, traditions, and buildings) of those countries. 
Transfer of knowledge and ideas can also come by what is called soft way 
that is expressed wildly by globalization which may not come with the desire of the 
country, but it cannot be avoided in any way. 
In all cases the influence of the imported knowledge, culture, and ideas 
depends on how much the country is willing to conserve its identity and how much 
its culture and people are careful about origin and traditions. 
 
2. Opportunities and threats. Characteristics of the external 
environment 
 
In  its  international  relations,  a  state  has  to  recognize  its  demographic, 
economical, political and geographical components as compared to the other states 
and has to exchange the experience, advice and the aid with its friends due to the 
international circumstances, obtaining benefits from the mutual needs and interests, 
similarities and differences between the state itself and the other states. 
Geographical components of the country play a positive role when it is rich 
from  the  natural  point  of  view,  fortunes  of  all  kind,  and  also  when  it  has 
landscapes, mountains, seashores and others. 
Also when the position and location of the state allow it to be in a special 
environment or in the middle of an important region it may have the opportunity to 
be appended for all kinds of economical and social activities. 
The similarity between Syria and Romania comes from this point of view 
as both of them has its specialty in its own geographical environment, and each one 
presents a gate for the other countries in its region, and also because of their old 
and continued relations. 
For Romania, it is a great opportunity to be integrated into the European 
Union and also to be a NATO member. Similarly we can consider the Arab League 
for Syria. 
Also we can not ignore the threat to the vicinity of the Western Balkans for 
Romania. We can not ignore that Syria is near Iraq and beyond is this country 
appalling. 
In  counterpart,  the  EU  integration  represents  a  strong  competition  for 
Romanian organizations, becoming a disadvantage for them. Review of International Comparative Management                              Special Number 1/2011  229 
From the geopolitical point of view, the Black Sea area is located at the 
intersection of three very important areas: the former Soviet space to the East, the 
Greater Middle East in the south and the Trans-Atlantic community in the West. 
All these regions are found in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea. [5] For now, the Euro-
Atlantic  community  lacks  a  unified  strategy  in  the  region. In  this  context, 
multilateral cooperation could be the chance to maintain the regional stability and 
unity. 
 
3. The impact of developing and implementing strategies.  
Other internal constraints 
 
For companies in any field of work are important national strategies and 
directions set by the departmental strategies. Regarding the strategy of the branch 
in  which  it  operates,  the  company  has  a  major  impact  in  developing  and 
implementing its strategy. 
In  creating  a  strategy,  the  most  important  problem  is  given  by  the 
environmental conditions. [6] The international relations and development of other 
sectors  in  the  national  economy  are  factors  which  lead  to  the  development  of 
tourist activities. Also, in developing strategies are taken into account the specific 
constraints of that country. 
On  one  hand,  there  can  be  addressed  the  elements  of  national  culture, 
different  for  the  two  countries.  The  influences  of  the  prevailing  religion 
(Christianity  in Romania, Islamism for Syria)  will be present.  As such internal 
constraints are different, with corresponding implications in the development of 
tourism activities. 
On the other hand, Romania's poor infrastructure (lack of highways, etc.) 
creates a disadvantage for the development of tourism. If Syria does not ask such 
questions (about features, 9000 km of highway) it would be considered a desert 
climate. 
Syria has a clear strategy in tourism. Since 2002, the first objected is the 
fact that the number of tourists doubles every five years. 
In  Romania  is  not  yet  outlined  a  comprehensive  strategy  for  tourism 
development. Various documents have been developed, called strategies, which - 
besides the limited nature - were not consistently enforced. 
 
4. Syrian-Romanian relations  
 
Relations between Syrian and Romanian people have started when the old 
Syrian civilization spread in the shores of the Black Sea. 
Friendly relations were expressed by the Silk Road the most famous trade 
road in the world which was used to cross from Europe through Turkey and Syria 
to India and China, „The Silk Roads are much older than most people realize. They 
have existed for at least 4,000 years, exchanging ideas, languages, people, diseases, 
technologies,  religions,  and  goods  between  the  eastern,  southern,  western  and 
northern edges. [7]          Special Number 1/2011                         Review of International Comparative Management  230 
Also Syrians were the most important part of the army of Emperor Hadrian 
and Trajan, when they came with their campaign in Dacia to annex it to the Roman 
Empire, while many of the Syrian soldiers remained at that time in Dacia (ancient 
Romania). 
"In his later years around year 114, Trajan worked to expand the empire 
even more. He led a successful campaign to Dacia". [8] 
One of the famous names at that time was the Syrian architect Apolodor, 
friend of the Emperor Trajan, who designed and implemented the giant, the well-
known bridge on the Danube.  
Also the spread of Christianity in Europe came in Syria with (Bolus the 
Messenger)  St.  Paul.  The  most  important  role  was  played  by  patriarchate  of 
Antioch and by the patriarch of Antioch in the entire East. 
“Now residing in Damascus and Syria, there are also Christians between 
Arab-speaking even if in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq”. [9] 
The relations continued through the common dominating authority of the 
Ottoman Empire on both Syria and parts of Romania. The emergence of mutual 
commercial activities led to the usage of hundreds of words of Arabic origin to the 
Romanian language. 
In the modern history, through some important steps:  
  Syria  and  Romania  started  their  diplomatic  relation  on  the  level  of 
representative in 1955; 
  They upgrade it to be at Embassy level in 1957; 
  Syria and Romania signed an agreement of cooperation in the field of 
tourism on February 1995; 
  They signed the first executive program of the agreement for two years 
in 1998; 
  They are preparing for the signature of a new executive program for the 
years 2011- 2012. 
 
5. Ministry of tourism in Syria Strategies and problems   
 
Syria moved during the past two years to specific measures in promoting 
tourism to Syria like: advertising campaigns of in the media, road signboards on 
the buses, and subway stations; 
participation  in  the  main  tourist  Exhibitions;  Allocate  for  that  an 
appropriate budget in 2010 at about / 350  million Syrian pounds / 7 million dollars 
in order to achieve balance between offer and demand. [10]; marketing studies to 
determine the tourist markets for Syrian tourism, and to determine the promotional 
activities in each of them. 
Syrian  Government  plans  to  invite  every  year  hundreds  of  Arab  and 
foreign  journalists  who  are  specialized  in  tourism  media  to  visit  tourist  and 
archaeological  sites  to  transfer  what  they  have  seen  in  Syria  to  their  readers 
through their documentation means and in various events such as the celebration of 
St. Paul 2008-2009, the 4th pilgrimage trip from Lebanon organized by the Syrian 
Ministry of Tourism to Brad - Aleppo, on 18 and 19 /09/2010, on the occasion of 
golden jubilee year of St. Mar Maron due to passing /  1600 / years since his death, Review of International Comparative Management                              Special Number 1/2011  231 
and the Silk Road Festival, which launched since 2002 to consignate Syria's role as 
a unique convergence  of the Silk Road coming from the East and West  on  its 
territory.  
The Ministry patronizes art, sport and cultural activities of world tourist 
dimensions, offers all exemptions and facilitations, and always organizes tourist 
weeks in a number of Arab and foreign states and participates in 35 international 
tourist fairs, inter-percolated by finalized agreements and common programs.  
Step by step Syria is trying to update the roles of the tourism marketing by 
issuing laws like: 
  low NO: /65/ of the year 2002 dictating the establishment of the tourist 
chambers, aiming to organize the tourist private sector;  
  low  NO:  /2/,  date:  January  11th  2009  related  to  institutions  of 
organizing tourist tours, travel agencies, activities, media, tourist and 
marketing promotion; 
  law  No.  /72/  2010  indicates  to  transfer  the  possession  of  Umayyad 
Palace for conferences to the Ministry of Tourism. 
 
6. Current situation and elements of the tourism in Syria 
 
The tourist movement to Syria witnessed during the first eight months of 
the year 2010 a marked a growth compared with the same period of the last year 
2009 as the number of tourists arrivals, passers-by and visitors for a day amounted 
to 6.5 million arrivals as compared to 4.4 million arrivals during the same period in 
2009 with an increase of 2.06 million and a growth rate of +47%. The tourism 
elements in Syria are: a).Syria is a huge museum, harboring the antiquities of more 
than 20 different civilizations, depicting in all the history of the human civilization 
and  realizing  a  unique  variety  on  the  world  level,  nature  is  obviously  various, 
including coast, mountains, forests, steppe, rivers, caves and caverns, natural and 
artificial  lakes and Winter and Summer resorts, intermixing  with the variety  of 
antiquity  and  ancient  cities,  old  houses,  handcrafts  and  traditional  industries, 
forming a compound attractive and unique tourist product, binding visits to seeing 
historical  life  styles,  in  addition  to  reviewing  traditional  arts  and  practicing 
attractive  various tourist activities.; b).Syria‟s  merits regarding the political and 
security stability; c).Syria has a complemented infrastructure, formed of a network 
of  highways  and  railways,  telecommunication,  water  and  electricity  networks, 
covering all over the state, in addition to five airports; d).Syrian visa isn't required 
from Arab countries, Turkey and Iran, and for the other tourists visa can be issued 
at the airports and bordering  entrances  within a few hours, by calling a tourist 
agency in his country. 
 
7. Horizons and aspirations in the tourism relations between Syrian 
and Romanian 
 
The good relation at the Governmental and popular levels between Syria 
and Romania must be translated as to developed relations in the economic field. 
They  began  to  be  done  with  the  signature  of  many  important  agreements  like          Special Number 1/2011                         Review of International Comparative Management  232 
(Exchange  investment,  avoiding  double  taxation,  road  transportation,  direct 
shipping line between Latakkia and Constanta ports and other agreements in other 
fields.  
So there is an aspiration to enrich the mutual cooperation to increase the 
number of the tourism groups, especially when we know that   there are more than 
5.000 mixed families Syrian-Romanian resulted from 35.000 Syrian students that 
have studied in Romania.  
Nowadays  there  are  three  transport  companies  with  modern  buses  that 
work between Damascus and Bucharest and more than five flights weekly form 
Tarom and Syrian air lines.  
But  we  still  have  one  big  problem  with  the  entrance  visa  which  is 
requested from the Romanian part and hard to be obtained from the Syrian citizens. 
And  there  is  a  need  for  encouraging  the  private  tourism  agencies  and 
companies as well as associations related to this section to exchange  visits and 
investment activities in both of the two countries. 
 
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issue 2/2001 and 3/2002, Bucharest, Romania, pp. 17-28, 145-156 
3.  After M. Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, The Free Press, New 
York, 1990, pp. 126-129 
4.  Hermann  Maurer;  Knowledge  Management  and  Knowledge  Transfer:  Key 
Issues of the Information Society Graz University of Technology and Austrian 
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Government Management and Micro Management. Comparative Aspects from Romania and Syria

http://rmci.ase.ro/no12vol1s/Vol-12_No-1S_Article-35.pdf

Government Management and Micro Management. Comparative Aspects from Romania and Syria

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