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PurposeThe paper focuses on bridging the existing literature gap on the role of leadership in influencing employee engagement considering the advancement in technologies. With this, the author explores how the three critical elements of service-based companies' business environment-artificial intelligence (AI) success, employee engagement, and leadership are interlinked and are valuable for raising the engagement level of employees.Design/methodology/approachA purposive sampling strategy was used to select the employees working in the respective companies. The survey was distributed to 150 senior management employees but responses were received from only 56 employees making the response rate 37.33%. Consequently, an empirical examination of these 56 senior management employees belonging to service-based companies based in Delhi NCR using a survey questionnaire was conducted.FindingsThe PLS-SEM (partial least squares structured equation modelling) revealed that AI has a positive role in affecting employee engagement levels and confirmed the mediation of leadership. The magnitude of the indirect effect was negative leading to a reduction in total effect magnitude; however, as the indirect effect model has a higher R square value, the inclusion of a mediating variable made the model more effective.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to extending the existing knowledge of the academicians about the relationship theory of leadership, AI implementation in organizations, AI association with leadership and AI impact on employee engagement. The author extends the theoretical understanding by showing that more integration of AI-supported leadership could enable organizations to enhance employee experience and motivate them to be engaged. Despite its relevance, due to the limited sample size, focus on a specific geographic area (Delhi NCR) and the constraint of only using quantitative analysis, the findings open the scope for future research in the form of qualitative and longitudinal studies to identify AI-supported leadership roles.Practical implicationsThe study findings are beneficial majorly for organizations to provide them with more in-depth information about the role of AI and leadership style in influencing employee engagement. The identified linkage enables the managers of the company to design more employee-tailored strategies for targeting their engagement level and enhancing the level of productivity of employees. Moreover, AI-supported leadership helps raise the productivity of employees by amplifying their intelligence without making technology a replacement for human resources and also reducing the turnover rate of employees due to the derivation of more satisfaction from existing jobs. Thus, given the economic benefit and societal benefits, the study is relevant.Originality/valueThe existing studies focused on the direct linkage between AI and employee engagement or including artificial intelligence as a mediating variable. The role of leadership is not evaluated. The leadership enables supporting the easy integration of AI in the organization; therefore, it has an important role in driving employee engagement. This study identifies the contribution of leadership in organizations by providing the means of enhancing employee satisfaction without hampering the social identity of the company due to the integration of AI.

As an arrow flighting towards the centre of the target politics gives us wholly and entirely the wrong economic answer:Angela Rayner has vowed to get benefit claimants out of "expensive private rented accommodation" after analysis found that landlords will be paid a record £13bn in housing benefit this year.The amount of taxpayer money spent on supporting private tenants has surged by 30pc since the pandemic began, rising from £9.9bn in 2019-20 to £12.1bn in 2022-23. The Housing Secretary has promised to deliver "the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation" as official forecasts predict benefits spending on private tenants will hit £12.8bn this year.The push will be to provide more social, housing association and "affordable" housing. Instead of just paying the cash to prviate landlords. Which is entirely and wholly the wrong thing to be doing - for disguising the bill doesn't make that bill go away. British housing is too expensive for many Britons to be able to afford reasonable quantities and qualities of it. That's our central starting point. As solutions we have those two ideas. One is to build more of those "affordable" houses on the government tenpence. The other is to provide the cash to tenants to pay to their landlords.But the cost of housing being too expensive is still there either way. The capital used to build those affordable houses - also the land - could be used in other ways. That's an opportunity cost and if we're not to include opportunity costs then whatever it is we're doing it's not economics. Further, those "affordable" houses could be rented out at market rent. The gap between affordable and market is a cost of those affordable houses. An opportunity cost again.The correct answer is to entirely abolish all indirectly subsidised forms of housing and only subsidise through those direct - and visible - cash payments. Yes, we'll all shriek in horror as the housing benefits bill rips up through tens of billions a year toward the century. Which is exactly the point of the exercise. This is a cost that we have to carry - whichever system we use to deal with it - of the nationalised planning system's refusal to allow people to build houses Britons wish to live in, where Britons wish to live, in Britain.The cost of affordable housing is the same as subsidising housing benefit. Better to have all those costs where we can see them so that we finally bite the bullet - driven by shock at the size of the bill - and blow up the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 and successors. Proper blow up - kablooie.Hiding the bill doesn't make costs go away but seeing the full bill might well mean we get to grips with the real problem.Tim Worstall

O processo de ensino-aprendizagem do professor(a) em relação ao aluno com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) na escola tem se apresentado como um desafio educacional da contemporaneidade. A complexidade do TEA e a formação precária, em sua grande maioria, ofertada para os professores são fatores contributivos para a adversidade do processo de inclusão no ambiente escolar, do público em questão. Em contrapartida, o professor, apropriado de saberes e práticas específicas sobre o tema, apresenta-se com um real potencializador no processo educativo. Este trabalho desenvolve seu referencial teórico articulando a leitura de saberes docentes em correlação com os teóricos Paulo Freire, Maurice Tardif e Vigotski. Tendo como objetivo investigar os saberes adquiridos e os saberes específicos pelos professores atuantes com alunos TEA na Escola Estadual José Ribeiro Mira, na cidade de São Sebastião do Rio Verde – MG, para intervir na construção de um produto que contemplasse e articulasse esses saberes. A população do estudo foi composta por 18 professores, três supervisores e a diretora da escola. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas qualitativas e associados a uma revisão bibliográfica do tema. Os resultados apontam uma defasagem em relação aos saberes específicos existentes sobre o espectro autista e a inclusão escolar com os saberes adquiridos pelos professores, ficando evidente a necessidade de maior investimento nos processos de capacitação para que a educação inclusiva seja realizada com mais eficácia dentro das salas de aula.
Palavras-chave: Inclusão Escolar. Transtorno do Espectro Autista, Saberes Docentes.
AbstractThe teacher's teaching and learning process in relation to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at school has been presented as a contemporary educational challenge. The complexity of TEA, and the precarious training, mostly offered to teachers, are contributing factors to the adversity of the inclusion process in the school environment, of the public in question. On the other hand, the teacher, appropriated of specific knowledge and practice on the subject, presents himself or herself as a real enhancer in the educational process. This work develops its theoretical framework by articulating the reading of teaching knowledge in correlation with theorists Paulo Freire, Maurice Tardif and Vigotiski. It was aimed to investigate the knowledge acquired and the specific knowledge by teachers working with TEA students at the José Ribeiro Mira State School, in the city of São Sebastião do Rio Verde - MG, in order to intervene in the construction of a product that contemplates and articulates this knowledge . The study population consisted of 18 teachers, three supervisors and the school principal. Data were collected through qualitative interviews and associated with a literature review on the subject. The results point to a gap in relation to existing specific knowledge about the autistic spectrum and school inclusion with the knowledge acquired by teachers, making it evident the need for greater investment in training processes so that inclusive education is carried out more effectively in the classrooms.
Keywords: School Inclusion, Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Teaching Knowledge.

Оксид олова – широкозонный полупроводниковый материал, который часто используется в реакциях фотоокисления органических соединений. Однако связь между энергетическими и фотоэлектрокаталитическими свойствами в окислении малых органических молекул еще недостаточно исследованы. В данной работе с использованием гидротермального, золь-гель, а также темплатного методов синтезирована серия оксидов олова. В качестве темплатов применены полистирольные сферы размерами 250 нм, а также цетилтриметиламмоний бромид. Методами рентгенофазового анализа, низкотемпературной адсорбции азота, рентгеновской фотоэлектронной спектроскопии, спектроскопии комбинационного рассеяния и диффузного отражения исследованы структура и поверхностный состав образцов, оптические и энергетические характеристики. Фотоэлектрохимическими методами определены потенциалы зоны проводимости и валентной зоны и исследованы фототоки в водных и водно-метанольных растворах в зависимости от поляризации электрода. Показано, что метод приготовления (золь-гель или гидротермальный) не влияет на положение энергетических зон, в то время как использование темплата при синтезе приводит к увеличению среднего диаметра пор в образцах и повышению значений фототоков в присутствии метанола. Установлено, что для темплатных образцов величина фототоков в водно-метанольной смеси возрастает с ростом потенциала валентной зоны. Образец, приготовленный гидротермальным методом с использованием темплата, показал наиболее высокие значения фототоков как в фоновом электролите (17.3 мкA/см2), так и в присутствии метанола (26 мкA/см2), по сравнению с образцом, приготовленным без использования темплата в электролите с добавкой (7.6 мкA/см2) и без добавки метанола (7.8 мкA/см2).
Tin oxide is a wide-gap semiconductor material that is widely used in photooxidation reactions of organic compounds. However, the relationship between energetic and photoelectrocatalytic properties in the oxidation of small organic molecules has not yet been sufficiently explored. In this work, a series of tin oxides were synthesized using hydrothermal, sol-gel, and template methods. Polystyrene spheres with a size of 250 nm, as well as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, were used as templates. X-Ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy methods were used to study the structure, surface composition, optical and energy characteristics. Using photoelectrochemical methods, the potentials of the conduction band and valence band were determined, and photocurrents in aqueous and aqueous-methanol solutions were studied depending on electrode polarization. It is shown that the preparation method (sol-gel or hydrothermal) does not affect the position of energy bands, while the use of a template during synthesis leads to an increase in the average pore diameter in the samples and an increase in photocurrent values in the presence of methanol. It has been established that for template-synthesized samples,the magnitude of photocurrents in a water-methanol mixture increases with an increase in the valence-band potential. The sample prepared by the hydrothermal method using a template showed the highest photocurrent values both in the background electrolyte (17.3 μA/cm2) and in the presence of methanol (26 μA/cm2), compared to the sample prepared without using a template in the electrolyte with the addition of methanol (7.6 μA/cm2) and without it (7.8 μA/cm2).

Introduction & BackgroundPrevious literature has found that financially vulnerable households often make involuntary spending trade-offs between necessities, particularly energy and food. This effect is especially pronounced during winter, when homes require greater energy expenditure to maintain an adequate temperature. Despite frequent colloquial and journalistic references to the "heat-or-eat dilemma", there remains limited recent empirical evidence of this phenomenon in the UK. This is a considerable knowledge gap, given recent economic hardship and rising energy costs.
Objectives & ApproachThis study uses survey data (n=2877), collected during winter 2022 in London, UK, to analyse the sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics of respondents affecting self-reported heat-or-eat trade-offs. The survey was deployed via users of the food-sharing app, OLIO, and quota restraints were enforced to ensure the socioeconomic representativeness of the sample (based on Index of Multiple Deprivation). The survey question of interest (i.e., the dependent variable) was ""in the past year, how frequently did your household reduce or forego expenses for basic household necessities, such as medicine or food, in order to pay an energy bill?"" and responses were recorded using a discrete, ordinal scale: never; 1-2 months; some months but not every month; almost every month.
Given the nature of the dependent variable, the Random Parameters Ordered Probit (RPOP) model, a statistical modelling framework used in the case of discrete, ordered outcomes, was considered suitable. The RPOP approach allows the effect of various independent variables to be explored, which in this case, are sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics of respondents.
Relevance to Digital FootprintsThe relevance to the digital footprints theme is embedded in the study's aim: to draw insights into social issues through the analysis of sociodemographic and behavioural data retrieved from the users of a mobile app.
ResultsInitial results show that a considerable proportion (~37%) of the sample made heat-or-eat trade-offs at least one month of the year. Interestingly, this is several times higher than the official rate of fuel poverty in London (11.9%), suggesting that the government's fuel poverty metric fails to capture many homes that display signs of energy unaffordability. The RPOP model estimation results show that a broad range of sociodemographic variables (including features of household composition and disability), as well as several behavioural features derived from the respondents' use of the OLIO app, including the frequency of app usage and food requests, significantly affected the likelihood of heat-or-eat trade-offs.
Conclusions & ImplicationsOur results can be used to guide remedial food and fuel poverty policies. It may be particularly useful to focus on the sociodemographic variables that lead to heat-or-eat trade-offs, given that the English fuel poverty metric places arguably unjust focus on a home's energy efficiency, rather than occupant characteristics.

The article is devoted to the problem of the compatibility of the economic and ethical foundations of entrepreneurial activity. In the conditions of postmodernism, their connection is blurred by a complex interweaving of economic and ethical motives. The conclusions of researchers who study this issue often contradict actual practice. Moreover, in postmodern philosophy, ethics in the general theoretical sense was not only underestimated, but also not regarded as an acceptable phenomenon. That is why science has not developed a complex of intellectual actions that would have a universal character to neutralize the negative consequences of postmodernism. Considering the growing role of ethical issues in the modern society and their lack of development in the economic environment, it is reasonable to analyze the series of works of the German economist, philosopher and sociologist Peter Koslowski. In his studies, the issues of bridging the gap between ethics and economic rationality associated with postmodernism as a special historical era, which is characterized by a number of specific features that are critical to the emergence and deepening of socio-economic risks, are discussed in a balanced and objective manner. Due to this it is relevant to define the problems of the theory of ethical economy not in isolation, but in interaction and mutual influence with modern transformation processes of postmodernism. The productive attempt to consider these issues was made by Peter Koslowski in his fundamental works: «Postmodern Culture», «Principles of Ethical Economy», «Ethics of Banking». The purpose of this article is to consider, based on the conceptualization of Peter Koslowski's methodological position, the theoretical concept of ethical economy as a potentially important factor in overcoming the ethical neutralization of the economic system in the postmodern period. The novelty is the definition of ethical economy as a universal theory of rational activity, which takes into account the interaction of various socio-economic factors — ethics, economy and finance, law, sociology, history — which allows it to be interpreted as a multi-subject scientific discipline, the semantic contexts of which determine behavioral choice of economic entities, consumer and humanitarian expectations of the population. The methods of hermeneutics, analysis and synthesis, comparison, abstraction and generalization were used in the research. The main conclusions of the article are characterized by theoretical innovations that can provoke methodological discussions and ultimately contribute to an in-depth study of the multifaceted issues of ethical economy. The detailed and logically consistent concept of ethical economy as a system of economic views on a fair economic order during the period of change of world history eras, change from modernity to postmodernity is presented. The normative side of ethical economy includes legal obligations, which can be properly implemented in laws. In the triad of law, ethics and economics, the principle of efficiency and social justice applies to both law itself and ethics and should be used in the development of adequate legislation.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to identify the main challenges and limitations of current business process management (BPM) development directions noticed by researchers, as well as to define the areas of the main BPM paradigm shifts necessary for the BPM of tomorrow to meet the challenges posed by Industry 4.0 and the emerging Industry 5.0. This is extremely important from the perspective of eliminating the existing broadening gap between the considerations of academic researchers and the needs of business itself.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted on the basis of the resources of two digital databases: Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS. Based on the PRISMA protocol, the authors selected 29 papers published in the last decade that diagnosed the challenges and limitations of modern BPM and contained recommendations for its future development. The content of the articles was analyzed within four BPM core areas.FindingsThe authors of the selected articles most commonly point to the areas of organization (21 articles) and methods and information technology (IT) (22 articles) in the context of the challenges and limitations of current BPM and the directions of recommended future BPM development. This points to the prevalence among researchers of the perspective of Industry 4.0 – or focus on technological solutions and raising process efficiency, with the full exclusion or only the partial signalization of the influence of implementing new technologies on the stakeholders and in particular – employees, their roles and competencies – the key aspects of Industry 5.0.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposal of BPM future development directions requires the extension of the BPM paradigm, taking into account its holistic nature, especially unpredictable, knowledge-intensive business processes requiring dynamic management, the need to integrate BPM with knowledge management (KM) and the requirements of Industry 5.0 in terms of organizational culture. The limitation is that the study is based on only two databases: WoS and SCOPUS and that the search has been narrowed down to publications in English only.Practical implicationsThe proposal of BPM future development directions also requires the extension of the BPM paradigm, taking into account the specific challenges and limitations that managers encounter on a daily basis. The presented summaries of the challenges and limitations resulting from the literature review are accompanied by recommendations that are primarily dedicated to practitioners.Social implicationsThe article indicates the area people and culture as one of the four core areas of BPM. It emphasizes the necessity to account to a greater degree for the influence of people, their knowledge, experience and engagement, as well as formal and informal communication, without which it is impossible to use the creativity, innovativeness and dynamism of the individual and the communities to create value in the course of business process execution.Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, this is the first systematic review of the literature on the limitations of modern BPM and its future in the context of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.

Este artigo discute a tendência da produção acadêmica sobre Metodologias Ativas no contexto da Educação contemporânea, sustentando a utilização majoritária na área da saúde e a consolidação da concepção de que, metodologicamente, é proveitosa para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem e produção de conhecimento com autonomia e motivação. Para isso, realizou-se uma Revisão Sistemática de Literatura, que reúne experiências e concepções sobre as Metodologias Ativas. A coleta de dados ocorreu na primeira semana de setembro de 2022 na base de dados do Portal de Periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) e na base A Scientific Electronic Library (SciELO). Fizeram parte da coleta apenas artigos de periódicos revisados por pares, publicados entre 2018 e 2022, em língua portuguesa. A partir das definições, critérios e combinações de palavras-chave definidas para o estudo, foram localizadas 1757 publicações. A amostra final foi composta por vinte artigos. De acordo com os resultados evidenciados, houve uma propensão a ponderar as Metodologias Ativas como vantajosas para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, conquanto também se tenham feito observações quanto à formação docente, assinalada como um obstáculo para sua ampla adoção. Ressalta-se, ainda, que há mais produções relacionadas à Educação Superior em detrimento das demais etapas educacionais, bem como são indicados desafios quanto à defasagem na formação docente no que tange à temática.
Palavras-chave: Práticas Pedagógicas. Metodologias de Ensino. Ensino Superior. Processo de Ensino-Aprendizagem.
AbstractThis article discusses the tendency of academic production on Active Methodologies in the context of contemporary Education, supporting the majority use in the health area and consolidation of the conception that, methodologically is useful for the teaching-learning process and production of knowledge with autonomy and motivation. For this, a Systematic Literature Review was carried out, which brings together experiences and conceptions about Active Methodologies. The data collection process took place in the first week of September 2022 in the database of the Portal de Periódicos of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and in the database A Scientific Electronic Library (SciELO). Only articles from peer-reviewed journals, published between 2018 and 2022, in Portuguese were part of the collection. From the definitions, criteria and combinations of keywords defined for the study, 1757 publications were located. The final sample consisted of 20 articles. According to the evidenced results, there was a propensity to consider the Active Methodologies as advantageous for the teaching-learning process, although observations were also made regarding teacher training, identified as an obstacle to their wide use. It is also noteworthy that there are more productions related to Higher Education to the detriment of other educational stages, as well as challenges are indicated regarding the gap in teacher training regarding the theme.
Keywords: Pedagogical Practices. Teaching Methodologies. University Education. Teaching-Learning Process.

Abstract
Introduction
This article addresses the processes that led to the recognition of LGBT rights in Brazil, the role played by civil society mobilization, and the interaction between the Federal Supreme Court and the National Congress in these processes.

Methods
The study's primary method is document analysis. Our sample was established in 2021 and includes four court decisions and 93 law proposals presented from 2011 to 2020 by 83 legislators whose profiles are also analysed (data collected in 2021). Moreover, the article references secondary source interviews conducted in 2017 and 2018.

Results
The Federal Supreme Court was responsible for all the LGBT rights recognized at the federal level in Brazil. Our data shows that federal legislators, on the other hand, have been unable to make bills focused on LGBT rights (pro or against) pass. Some highlights from the results show that 46.2% of the proposals on the matter are contrary to those rights, and 48.2% of the legislators who mobilize the matter are affiliated with the Evangelical Bench, an influential conservative institution in the Brazilian National Congress. Although not yet able to make law proposals pass, those legislators with a conservative profile tend to use LGBT rights as political currency by presenting bills or making speeches against these rights. They also play a role in not allowing pro-LGBT rights achievements in the legislative arena. Aware of the legislators' profile, civil society organizations tend not to focus all their efforts on this arena and to take or create legal opportunities, even though the path through courts still represents several obstacles. Moreover, although the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court has shown a willingness to decide on LGBT rights, the outcomes of the rulings depend on the composition of the body, which is influenced by nominations made by the president. That is, the same court Brazil has relied on to recognize LGBT rights could be responsible for denying them had it had the same powers but different members.

Conclusions
While the deadlock in the Federal Congress persists, and the judicial decisions that recognized LGBT rights remain effective, LGBT persons continue to exercise their conquered rights. However, the conservative wave in Brazil places the country in a context of uncertainty and vulnerability with regard to LGBT rights.

Policy Implications
This study's contribution lies in showing why Brazil is an unpaired case when it comes to LGBT rights recognition and how vulnerable these conquered rights are in the country. The article provides an overview of the recognition processes taking multiple arenas and actors into account. Therefore, the analyses and the database of law proposals fill a gap in the literature and can contribute to future work from both scholars (for example, other studies from the database) and practitioners (for example, the development of legal mobilization frames and strategies).

AbstractThe concept of circular economy, aiming at increasing the sustainability of products and services in the water and other sectors, is gaining momentum worldwide. Driven by this concept, novel bio-composite materials produced by recovering resources from different parts of the water cycle are now manufactured in The Netherlands. The new materials are used for different products such as canal bank protection elements, as an alternative to similar elements made of hardwood. As much as these new materials are appealing from the sustainability point of view, they may leach toxic substances into the aquatic environment given some of their ingredients, e.g., cellulose recovered from wastewater treatment. Therefore, a methodology for the assessment of related environmental risks is needed and it does not exist currently. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by presenting a framework for this. The framework is based on European environmental risk assessment guidelines, and it includes four key steps: (i) hazard identification, (ii) dose–response modelling, (iii) exposure assessment and (iv) risk characterisation (i.e. assessment). As part of the first step, laboratory leaching tests were carried out to evaluate the potential release of specific chemical substances such as heavy metals and resin compounds into the aquatic environment. Laboratory test results were then used as input data to evaluate the risk of potential leaching from canal bank protection elements into surface water. A deterministic model was used first to identify the chemicals exceeding the guideline threshold. Subsequently, a stochastic model was applied to evaluate the environmental risks across a range of leachate concentrations and water velocities in the canal, thereby simulating a broader spectrum of possible situations. The risk analyses were conducted for four alternative bio-composite materials made of different ingredients, two different flow conditions (stagnant water and advective flow) in two types of canals (wide ditch and primary watercourse) and for two different water levels based on season conditions (summer and winter conditions). The results obtained from leaching tests identified Cu, Mn, Zn, styrene and furfuryl alcohol as potentially troublesome chemicals. In the case of stagnant water, the absence of a flow rate increases the residence time of the chemicals in the surface water, resulting in a higher PEC/PNEC (i.e. risk) value. However, under stagnant case conditions, environmental risks for all chemicals considered turned out to be below the safety threshold. In the advective case, the existence of a flow rate, even at low velocities simulating the conditions of 'almost no flow,' contributes to increased dilution, resulting in lower PEC/PNEC ratio values. The results presented here, even though representing real-case scenarios, are only indicative as these are based on laboratory leaching tests and a number of assumptions made. Additional field tests involving collecting and analysing water and sediment samples from the canal where the canal bank protection elements are located, over a prolonged period, are required to come up with more conclusive findings.

This paper deals with the issue of the growing military-strategic partnership between Romania and the United States, and addresses its effects on the post-Soviet countries. After 2022, the U.S. has become increasingly interested in the Danubian theater of operations, deploying a sizeable contingent of American ground troops in Romania. Making use of its partnership with the Americans, and inspired by the successful example of Poland, the Romanian government started to modernize its national armed forces after years of technological stagnation. One can reasonably assume that the consequences of this policy could affect Moldova and Transnistria, shifting the regional balance of power in a direction unfavorable to Russia. At the present stage, however, the U.S. – authorized infusion of relatively modern Western weapons into the Romanian army is primarily aimed at offsetting the technological gap, which had formed during the Cold War years and intensified in the 1990s?2000s. The events of the 2022 Ukrainian crisis presented Bucharest with a chance to strengthen its position within the United States' strategic framework and, as a result, dramatically expanded the scope of its military and technical partnership with Washington. The Romanian leadership seems eager to capitalize on the growing American interest in the rapid and lasting takeover of the Danube theater of operations. It cannot be ruled out that this trend will affect Moldova, which maintains close political ties with Romania. The American base of operations has not shifted to Eastern Europe so far. The rear logistics command of the U. S. European Command remains in the same location it was originally established during the Cold War. The forces deployed as part of the Operation Atlantic Resolve have only slightly advanced closer to the conflict zone. That said, the experience of the Cold War and, more specifically, the deployment of American forces to provide cover for West Germany and South Korea suggests that, in order to effectively deter a would-be adversary, the rear base of operations must be located inside the confines of the potential combat theater, not outside of it. The current deployment of U.S. troops, therefore, appears to be an act of politics rather than strategy. In the eyes of Eastern European leaders, even a marginal, purely symbolic United States' military presence acts as a psychologically significant form of assurance against a hypothetical escalation vis-a-vis Moscow. At the same time, the American deployment in Eastern Europe resembles a "sanitary cordon" rather than an "iron curtain" in the sense that it is motivated more by political considerations than by strategic concerns. The fact that the recent U.S. military preparations are purely demonstrative in nature, as opposed to establishing a full-scale logistics command in a potential combat theater, means that Russia can continue to respond with similar symbolic gestures and warning signals.

The scientific relevance. The formation and development of the newsreels and documentary films in Ukraine in the 1920s remains one of the least researched pages in the history and development of Ukrainian cinema. That is why the relevance of this research lies, mainly, in filling a significant gap in the history of Ukrainian cinema. A detailed study of newsreels and documentary films production will allow to reveal trends in the development of the Ukrainian film industry in the 1920s in the field of documentary films.
The purpose of the article is to study the specifics of the VUFKU policy on strengthening the material and technical base of Ukrainian film production during the 1920s, to study and analyze the history of the formation and development of the production of newsreels and documentary films in the specified period.
The methodology of analysis of the problem consists in using, first of all, the historical-systemic approach, which provides an opportunity to understand the dynamics of the development of newsreels and documentary films at a specific historical stage. The problem-chronological approach made it possible to distinguish by year the main directions of the VUFKU activity in the development of newsreels and documentary cinema within the defined chronological framework. The historical-systemic approach made it possible to understand the dynamics of the development of Ukrainian cinematography in the field of documentary cinema as a system at a specific historical stage.
The results of the research are that the article examines the prerequisites that served as an impetus for the emergence of a special technical basis for shooting newsreels. The way of development and establishment of newsreels production is considered. Genre and thematic directions of newsreels, types of newsreels, as well as the circumstances that led to the development of the production of newsreels and documentary films are analyzed. The composition, features and functions of the elements of the Ukrainian organizational and creative model of cinematography have been established.
The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the article for the first time, on the basis of a complex analysis, researches the process of transformation of structural elements of Ukrainian cinematography in order to establish the release of newsreels and documentary films.
The practical significance of the article lies in the fact that the results of the study will contribute to the filling of the "white spots" in the history of Ukrainian cinematography, in particular, the establishment of newsreels and documentary cinema as a component of Ukrainian cinematography, which contributes to the creation of a holistic concept of the development of domestic cinema, further understanding of the film production process of the past and present. The materials of the article can be used in further scientific and theoretical researches, during the creation of training manuals and separate sections of the history of Ukrainian cinema.

 I wasn't going to have another post on this topic, but then I read an article in the New York Times that drew parallels between Biden's position today and Obama's and George W. Bush's positions when they were running for re-election.  It suggested that discouraging early polls had led Obama and Bush to "retool" and "recast" their campaigns.  But the figures in my last post shows that both led in the polls at the corresponding point in the campaign, and that their performance in the election was very close to what would have been predicted from the polls a year before.  Of course, this doesn't mean that the campaign efforts didn't matter--holding onto a narrow lead is an accomplishment, but it's a different accomplishment from "turning around a struggling campaign."The story contrasted GW Bush and Obama to "George H.W. Bush in 1992, [who] failed to heed polls showing voters distressed about the economy and ready for a change after 12 years of Republicans in the White House."  I hadn't included that race in my post because there were no surveys about Bush vs. Clinton in November 1991.  But there were surveys in October and December, and then more starting in January 1992.   In the October 1991 survey, Bush had a big lead:  58% said they would vote for Bush and 22% for Clinton.  Bush's lead in the surveys through early April 1992:His lead diminished pretty steadily, with maybe an upturn in late March, but he was consistently ahead:  out of 25 surveys, 24 had Bush in the lead, and one had them tied.  So the early polls weren't showing warning signs.  I had forgotten that Bush was far ahead for so much of the campaign, and not just against Clinton--he led by similar margins in matchups with other potential Democratic candidates.  I remembered that he had been very popular after the end of the Gulf War, but thought that faded pretty quickly and that the presidential race was competitive from the beginning.  It looks like the New York Times writers made the same mistake.  The growth of partisan polarization means that a swing of this size couldn't happen today.  But the 1992 election may be relevant in  another way.  Going by basic economic statistics, things weren't great, but weren't that bad either, but popular perceptions of the economy were very negative.    As far as I know, there's no generally accepted explanation for the gap.  Either the Bush campaign didn't make enough effort to turn the perceptions around, or their efforts weren't successful.  Either way, the experience may have some lessons for today.[Data from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research]

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the marketing opportunities for after-school educational services in the Chinese context by examining children's perceptions of intelligence using visual methodology.


Design/methodology/approach
Altogether 30 Chinese children aged 9–12 studying in grades four to six were asked to draw what comes to mind for two statements: "This is an intelligent child" and "This is a child of average intelligence." After doing the drawings, the children were interviewed face-to-face to answer questions about the personalities and social relationships of the children depicted in the two drawings that they had produced.


Findings
A child described as intelligent was imagined wearing glasses, studying hard and obtaining excellent academic results. A child described as of average intelligence was imagined as having many friends, playing a lot and experiencing tension with parents over studies. Participants had a restrictive view of intelligence and associated intelligence with academic success. They endorsed both a growth mindset and a fixed mindset of intelligence. On the one hand, they endorsed a growth mindset of intelligence as they associated intelligence with personal efforts and practices. On the other hand, participants endorsed a fixed mindset of intelligence as they tended to avoid challenges and appeared to be threatened by the success of others. Participants imagined that an intelligent child would experience poor relationships with friends.


Research limitations/implications
The findings were based on a nonprobability small sample. The study did not investigate the socialization process of such perceptions.


Practical implications
Educational services and nonschool activity service providers can position themselves as agents to help students develop meta-analytical skills in embracing challenging tasks. Marketers can develop courses and learning materials that teach children different learning strategies. They can use incentives to encourage persistence and resilience in meeting challenges. This study uncovered the emotional and social needs of intelligent children. A new market segment was identified that targets children with high intelligence. Educational service providers can design curricula and activities to support high-performing children in developing empathy and good communication skills. Educators can assist those who perform well academically to nurture genuine friendships and improve social relations with peers.


Social implications
The prevalence of the private tutoring industry in the Chinese context may introduce educational disparity, as families with low resources will not be able to afford these services. Nonprofit organizations can provide similar educational services at a low cost to bridge the gap. The narrow view of intelligence expressed by participants, and their lack of awareness of the wide range of types of intelligence, indicates that education service providers can develop the confidence of a child with average intelligence through appreciation of his or her unique talents beyond academic achievements.


Originality/value
This study explores attributes associated with intelligence among Chinese children using an innovative visual method. The marketing implications can apply to other societies where the after-school tuition market is prevalent.

Oil spills have adversely affected the oil-bearing communities in resource-rich regions of Nigeria, especially the Niger Delta Region. Over the decades, the underlying causes of this menace and its consequent effect on the environment, economy, and human rights in the Niger Delta have generated endless debates, civil unrest, and insurgencies. In order to identify the reason for these unabated oil spills, this project examined the current and relevant legislation on oil spills in Nigeria, including all legal and regulatory frameworks governing the oil and gas sector in the country. The assessment focused on how to safeguard the environment and ensure that Nigeria benefits sustainably from an oil-based economy. The fundamental finding that was found is that recurring and unabated oil spills pillage Nigeria solely because of the inadequacy of existing legislation to curb the menace. Nigeria still does not have a strong framework, with it over six decades of oil production. While there exist enforcement issues, the major problem is the inadequacy of existing laws. There is a huge gap in oil spill governance in Nigeria because several standards and legislation are missing. The existing legal framework features the absence of prevention, planning, and preparedness mechanism; lack of an immediate clean-up mechanism; lack of a contingency plan; no liability limits for removal costs and damages; pre-emption of state laws and a lax punitive measure. Although the country can boast of several laws regulating the oil sector, combining these laws has failed in minimizing or preventing oil spills. The study then projected the legal framework governing oil spills in the United States with a particular emphasis on the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA). It gave an overview of the strategies and standards contained in the U.S. legal regime. It further explained the fundamental differences and similarities between Nigeria and the U.S. The paper found that the U.S. approach to mitigating oil spill incidents could fill up the clear gaps in the oil spill regime in Nigeria. The paper recommends that Nigeria adopt the various standards inherent in the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, such as creating a contingency plan, a higher liability limit, and the non-preemption of state laws. Although there exist functional differences between the operation of the legal system in Nigeria and that of the United States, the paper highlighted how the U.S. model could easily be transferred to Nigeria. The study compiles the oil spill occurrence data from both a Nigerian Government Agency (NOSDRA) and Amnesty International. The Agency's data was mostly used in the project as it is more reliable and acceptable. The paper assessed all relevant legislation on oil spills in Nigeria. It also assessed the U.S. Oil Pollution Act, which is the major statute governing oil pollution in the U.S. The Study recommended the United States model as a potent approach because of the country's high oil production capacity being the largest oil-producing country in the world.