APPROACHES TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE SOCIAL CONTEXT THROUGH THE LENS OF THE SOCIAL INSURANCE BUDGET EFFORT IN ROMANIA. REALITIES AND PERSPECTIVES

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).01

UDC 316.6:369(498)

Monica-Laura Sorici (Zlati), Svetlana Mihaila, Veronica Grosu

Abstract. The social context in Romania is determined by the issue of the degree of social security, through the budgetary effort in a context of rising inflation and elements of geo-political instability manifested by recession and social insecurity, especially for the low-income population. The objective of the study is to identify the current situation affecting the social status of citizens in Romania and the prospects for its evolution by introducing a social security index based on statistical and econometric forecasting methods. The methods used are of an empirical nature represented by the study of the specialized literature and of an analytical nature, respectively the consolidation of databases, econometric modelling, prospective analysis and economic forecasts. The results of the study are useful for national decision-makers in order to adjust social policy elements in line with the sustainability objectives agreed at European level and in relation to the growing needs of the population at risk of poverty, continuing inflation and economic recession.

Keywords: social protection, social security index, economic recession, social contributions, econometric model.

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SOUTH AFRICA’S STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUTH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME MODEL

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).02

UDC 351.71:331.5(680)

Nomazulu Sibanda, Vusilizwe Thebe

Abstract. This paper presents an analysis of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), one of the key South African government policy initiatives that are meant to ease the burden of poverty or unemployment on the poor and unskilled. Historically, such programmes have been used as a relief during short-term crises. Of late, countries have adopted them for long-term structural challenges. In South Africa the programme is meant to protect women and youth. This paper uses a mixed methodology approach to determine the active participation of women and youth in the EPWP and their chances of transitioning into the labour market. The study also solicited the views of the EPWP participants (active and former) and officials to get information which is not captured in the programme’s official reports. The analytical procedure involved document analysis, focusing on EPWP reports from phases One (1) to Three (3) of the programme. The study makes two propositions: the need for public private partnerships to solve the country’s unemployment challenge because independent policies for government or markets are inadequate; a new programme design which separates job seekers from social protection beneficiaries. In its current form, the EPWP is designed as a lower tier poverty trap.

Keywords: Expanded Public Works Programme, Public Employment Programmes, Public Works Programmes, Unemployment, Women, Youth.

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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMIC GROWTH AND POVERTY IN INDONESIA

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).03

UDC 330.35+330.59(594)

Muhammad Bukhori Dalimunthe, Bethlehem Efrata Sitanggang, Fitri Yani Panggabean

Abstract. Economic growth is one of the main parameters to evaluate a country’s development efficiency. The higher the economic growth, the more productive and advanced the country will be. On the other hand, economic growth is also a strategic step to reduce poverty, which has always been an urgent problem in various parts of the world. Therefore, economic growth is needed to prosper the community through equitable economic growth. The purpose of this paper is to analyze economic growth against poverty. Data analysis used the literature review method from articles sourced from the Science and Technology Index (SINTA). The analysis is based on the latest findings on economic growth and poverty in Indonesia over the last decade. Research findings reveal that the synthesis of economic growth impacts reducing poverty in Indonesia. Furthermore, suppose economic growth is evenly distributed at all levels of society. In that case, the role of government is fair, honest, and responsible. As a result, the competence of human resources increases, and job opportunities will be wide open to absorb workers, positively impacting poverty in Indonesia.

Keywords: human resources, job opportunities, literature review.

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WHAT IS SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE?

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).04

UDC 316.6:159.9

Titu-Marius I. Băjenescu

Abstract. The article analyses a social problem with a major impact on the development of society, the macroeconomics, but also on each individual. The ability of some people to understand the behaviours, thoughts, and feelings of others and to interact effectively with them is called social intelligence. Also called interpersonal intelligence, it is closely related to emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is a person’s ability to understand and control their own emotions, as well as the ability to deal with those of others. Although complicated to measure, these two forms of intelligence are particularly useful in everyday life: family or friends, married life, professional life…

Keywords: social intelligence, emotional intelligence, social relations, reliable scientific knowledge, interaction of economy, culture and social structure, economy as a politically controllable apparatus, concept of “embeddedness”, anthropology, sociology, generalizable theory of social systems, statistical experiments, definitions and empirical statements, ethical aspects.

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF ROADSIDE AUTOMOBILE WORKSHOPS IN OTA CITY, NIGERIA

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).05

UDC 656.1:504(669)

Ayobami Ademola Akanmu, Simeon Oluwagbenga Fasina, Umar Obafemi Salisu, Lukman Adedayo Adeyemo, Samuel Oluwaseyi Olorunfemi

Abstract. Roadside Automobile Workshop (RAW) activities remain principal components of the informal sector in many Nigerian cities. Its emergence is attributed to the advent of automobiles and their use in easing urban mobility. Expectedly, unlike the formal auto-workshops, the RAW are located across the available spatial places where, motorists find solace to immediate respond to maintenance and other mechanical faults/malfunctions of their vehicles. However, the spatial locations and operations of RAW, along with the accompanying adverse effects, are recurring issues of concern in many cities in Nigeria. In this regard, this study assessed the socio-economic and environmental implications of RAW in the city of Ota, Nigeria. A cross-section survey research is adopted in this study, while 400 residents were sampled using multistage sampling technique. Major findings show that most of the residents have spent over four years in study area. It also revealed that increase loss of green area, noise pollution, and land vibration are the top-ranked environmental implications, while increase road traffic congestion, untrained technicians, and disruption of traffic flow are top-ranked economic implications. However, improve access to maintenance workshop, reduce vehicular breakdown on roads are top-ranked social implications of RAWs. This study concludes that the indiscriminate location of RAWs in the study area is detrimental to socio-economic development of study area (F10 38923.851, p=0.000<0.05), and recommends policy implications and strategies to improve the activities of RAW in the study area.

Keywords: Cities, informal sector, perception analysis, transport operations, urban mobility.

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DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH:THE CASE OF MOLDOVA

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).06

UDC 321.7+330.35

Cristina Pavliuc, Alexandru Buga

Abstract. This article addresses the issue of the cause-and-effect relationship between democracy and economic growth in Moldova from 1990 to 2020. This problem is one of the key topics of modern economic political science, but the results concerning the influence of the political system on economy are still ambiguous. No research has been conducted to date on this issue for Moldova. The econometric analysis was conducted using tree composite indexes of democracy, published by Freedom house, Polity V and V-Dem Varieties of Democracy. The causal impact between democracy indexes and per capita GDP growth is tested using Granger causality analysis. The results show that the choice of the democracy indicator and the time interval influences the modeling outcome. All three democracy indices depict different democratic trends at the country level. Although there is a positive causal link between the Polity index and GDP per capita in a short period, other results show no evidence that democratic reforms did contribute to economic growth in Moldova and vice versa. We conclude that democratization in conditions of weak law and political instability contributed to the emergency of a so-called hybrid democracy in Moldova.

Keywords: democracy, economic growth, Republic of Moldova, hybrid democracy, Granger causality analysis.

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GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT ON ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA: THE IMPACT ON URBAN MOBILITY

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).07

UDC 330.322.14:625.7(669)

Samuel Oluwaseyi Olorunfemi, Ayobami Ademola Akanmu, Umar Obafemi Salisu

Abstract. Road infrastructure has been identified as a major factor for sustaining urban mobility and requires constant investment in the form of budgetary allocation for construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance. To this end, the study assesses government investment in road infrastructure in Kogi State, Nigeria and how it impacts urban mobility. The study adopted a mixed-method research design and deployed a questionnaire survey to elicit information from randomly selected 1,215 household heads. Also, data on the state’s budgetary allocation and road infrastructure expenditure from 2008–2018 were sourced. Findings shown that the year 2015 received the highest budgetary allocation for road infrastructure and there is a statistically significant trend difference in the development of road infrastructure in the area. The results revealed that the annual road infrastructure expenditure has a statistical influence on the state’s general sectoral budget (F𝟏𝟏𝟗𝟗 92.776,
p=0.000<0.05). Meanwhile, residents’ perception analysis revealed that government investment on road infrastructure is fairly impactful in Adavi, Okene, Dekina, Ajaokuta, and Lokoja, somewhat impactful in Ankpa and Kabba-Bunu, and no impact was felt in Mopa-Amuro and Bassa-Oguma communities. The study recommends giving more priority and increasing budgetary allocations for road infrastructure towards improving urban mobility and logistics functions in the state.

Keywords: Budgetary allocation, government expenditure, road transport infrastructure, transport system, urban area, urban transport.

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EFFICIENCY INDICES OF INVESTMENT IN IT PROJECTS WITH EQUAL LIVES

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).08

UDC 65.011.4:004

Ion Bolun, Svetlana Ghetmancenco

Abstract. Theoretical results not always give an unambiguous answer regarding the preference of using the indices of efficiency of investment in IT projects with equal lives. To complement some of such results, the Net Present Value (NPV), Profitability (PI) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) indices are researched by computer simulation. In this aim, a model of comparative analysis of projects with equal lives is defined and the SIMINV application is made up. Using SIMINV, the percentage of cases when the solutions, obtained according to indices of each of the pairs {NPV, PI}, {NPV, IRR}, {PI, IRR} or of the triplet {NPV, PI, IRR}, differ for seven groups of alternatives of initial data is determined. Based on done calculations, some properties of indices were identified, including: the quantitative features and the character of dependences on initial data; the average percentage of cases with different solutions, which is of approx. 9 % for the pair of indices PI and IRR, and of 34-35 % for the other two pairs of indices specified above. On average, the solutions of comparing the efficiency of projects with equal lives, obtained using the NPV, PI and IRR indices, does not coincide in more than 1/3 of cases.

Keywords: comparative analysis, computer simulation, internal rate of return, net present value, profitability index.

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THE COLLABORATIVE EVALUATION AND CO-DESIGN (CEC) APPROACH: PROSPECTS FOR EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS-INNOVATIONS, EPISTEMOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).09

UDC 303.443+658.512.2(64)

Judicaël Alladatin

Abstract. One typical challenge of designing solutions is that they seem feasible in theory but are difficult to implement at scale and to make sustainable. To address this challenge, there is a growing call for the inclusion of every actor in the innovation process. Our study’s hypothesis points to the collaborative evaluation and co-design (CEC) approach as the ideal way to the adoption of workable solutions. This methodological design paper aims to introduce the reader to the foundations and the use of this approach. Multiple tests of its effectiveness were conducted in different Moroccan school environments. Then a comparative analysis of the tests’ results allowed a revision each time and led to the first finding; the development of the CEC approach based on the theoretical perspective of “meaning making” by actors. The second finding is the different steps of its use, namely the exploratory phase and the organization and conduct of workshops. The research identified key opportunities and recommendations for the successful implementation of the findings. Finally, this evolution of design research from a user-centered approach to co-design opens new areas of collective creativity as well as potentially more sustainable innovations in different fields.

Keywords: corrective actions, meaning-making by the actors, methodological design, stakeholders, workshops.

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CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).10

UDC 658.14/.17:005.915:330.4

Teodora-Valentina Lica

Abstract. This paper presents different methods of measuring performance, including the traditional method, investor indicators, the ”balanced scorecard” method, the non-financial indicators method, the performance method, the stock market performance and the forecast performance. In order to compare the results of different companies in a particular sector of activity, there are benchmarks of the sector over a certain period of time, but they should contain much more data. The development of an unanimously accepted software program for calculating and comparing the financial performance of companies in a certain sector of activity, but also for examining and establishing the similarities and differences of performance of the companies in different countries would be very helpful for both financial planning of commercial companies as well as for the economic-strategic planning of the nations.

Keywords: financial performance analysis, indicators, decision, investment, ratio, bankruptcy.

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CONNECTION TO THE USE OF FREE ANDROID APPS IN KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).11

UDC 343.72:004.738.5(669)

Zauwali Sabitu Paki, Shamsu Sani, Gambo Isah Diri

Abstract. In this paper, we studied scamming emanating from the use of free Android apps by conducting an online survey with respondents recruited from four tertiary institutions in Kebbi State, Nigeria. We found that the apps used for communication, such as Facebook and WhatsApp, have the highest number of users. Also, 55.26 % of users reported receiving scam messages that could be linked to their use of free apps, whereas 32.45 % of them were indeed defrauded by scammers. The study concludes that the free social media apps coupled with the characteristic of the users’ login credentials could be responsible for the high rate of scam messages that the respondents receive regularly.

Keywords: Scamming, respondents, privacy-sensitive data, authentication, users, android operating system, security updates.

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THE DILEMMA OF MUSIC INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT: EXTERNAL FACTORS AND INTERNAL TRENDS

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).12

UDC 78.001.5

Iurie Badicu

Abstract. This research is motivated by the development of the music industry, in order to obtain new results, through extensive and revolutionary actions to move from the current quality to a new one. The specific hypothesis of the study of the music industry is based on the consideration of the dilemma: although the leaps and interruptions of evolution favor the growth and considerably expand the musical activity, they do not result in a totally new state of quality accompanied by highlighting musical values. Thus, the interpretable cultural result obtained, of the current music industry, is due to a series of external challenges, both solitary distinguished and numerous associated. The study sums up all the challenges, coming from outside the structure of the music industry, to shape the external influence; whose action is reflected in the generation of new internal trends. In this sense, the external influence is the expression, and the internal tendencies are the reflection of this expression. The research used various methods, principles, techniques and scientific procedures combined, and based on the principle of integrity, the author developed his own culturological procedures. At the same time, in the presentation of the material, preference was given to the descriptive method with the application of the elements of comparison, analysis and deduction, as well and the search engine Scopus. The research finds, through the prism of different civilizational paradigms, that the music industry is in the dilemma of its development. In the circumstances of 2022 and for the next period, the author concludes with two directions of development of the music industry that require special research.

Keywords: the dilemma of the music industry, external factors of the music industry, internal trends of the music industry.

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DIGITAL REVITALIZATION OF POPULAR PORT PRODUCTS

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).13

UDC 391.004.67

Svetlana Cangas, Elena Florea-Burduja

Abstract. Restoring and revitalizing popular port products is a long-term process. The time workmanship for making a shirt by an experienced craftswoman lasts about from six to nine months. Various studies of the folk costume often require the restoration of the product. The need for restoration is imposed by: the analysis and study of the cooperation of embroidery elements with the form of product offered by shirts of different types; analysis and adaptation of the shape of the shirt to the conformation of the wearer; analysis of the form and assembly methods offered by the cut schemes; restoration of cut landmarks and schemes with immediate simulation on the mannequin of museum products (Republic of Moldova); analysis and adaptation of these products to carrier conformation parameters; identification of conformation parameters, etc. The advanced level of contemporary digital technologies allows us in reduced time to simulate the product form without waste accumulations and the destruction of raw material resources. In this work will be presented the results offered by the digital simulation of the products of folk costumes, vestiges of the cultural heritage from the Museum of History and Ethnography, Hancesti city. You also have the connection possibilities of digital technologies and technologies used in the manufacture of popular port products.

Keywords: CLO 3d, decorative elements, embroidery elements, tailoring.

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PUPILS ATTITUDE TOWARDS DIDACTIC CAREER

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).14

UDC 37.04:005.966

Marianna Savva

Abstract. In this article we present the results of a stage within a pedagogical experiment on improving the attitude of high school students towards the teaching career. Being a fairly current topic, but also quite complicated, based on the fact that it is a long process and it is difficult in a short period of time to form positive attitudes towards an activity, but this is not impossible. The attitude of the pupils towards the teaching career can be different, depending on many factors, from which its external manifestation in the form of opinion or actions, can be unstable and be different from each other. We assume that capitalizing on a model of guiding pupils in the teaching career would have a positive impact on the level of attitude of pupils towards the teaching profession. In this regard, in this article we mention the tools that have been applied in this regard, and have demonstrated their effectiveness with positive comparative values.

Keywords: pupils, teaching career, motivation, attitude towards teaching career.

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THE URGENCY OF CRIMINALIZATION OF BRIBERY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS A CRIMINAL ACTION OF CORRUPTION IN THE CORRUPTION LAW

https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2022.5(3).15

UDC 343.352:332.012.3(594)

Resmen, Abdul Madjid, Faidzin Sulistyo, Reka Dewantara

Abstract. The purpose of this study is to examine the philosophical basis, the urgency of regulating bribery as a criminal act of corruption and reformulating the regulation of bribery as a criminal act of corruption in the future. This study applies normative legal research, using a normative juridical approach, using analysis techniques of legal materials obtained from research, examined, to be compiled systematically and presented in descriptive sentences. The results of the study indicate that the cause of the weakness of the corruption law is due to the absence of norms (vague of norms) from the perpetrators of corruption crimes committed other than the government. That every private actor in committing a criminal act of corruption is required to have joint participation with state officials (state apparatus), other than that it is not a criminal act of corruption, even though the consequences of that act have caused state financial losses or very large state economic losses. This study focuses on legal subjects, legal acts and criminal sanctions (penal) which are more open in order to achieve fair legal certainty against bribery by private to private actors, thus there is a need for new regulatory arrangements regarding private to private bribery. as a criminal act of corruption in Indonesia.

Keywords: corruption, bribery, private sector, UNCAC, state finance.

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