International Journal Of Management And Economics Fundamental

Social Networks, Power, And Competitiveness: Institutional Interactions Between Business, State, And Society In Transitional Economies

2026-01-01T02:36:33+00:00

The relationship between business, the state, and society in transitional economies has been a persistent object of scholarly debate across sociology, economics, and political science. This article offers an integrated theoretical and empirical examination of social networks, institutional power relations, competitiveness, and social responsibility within economic systems undergoing structural transformation. Drawing exclusively on classical and post-Soviet scholarly traditions, the study synthesizes concepts from social anthropology, economic clustering theory, small business studies, and analyses of informal economies to construct a comprehensive analytical framework. Particular attention is given to the role of social networks as embedded structures shaping economic behavior, the interaction between formal and informal institutions, and the evolving dialogue between power and business at regional and national levels. Methodologically, the article employs a qualitative-analytical approach based on comparative theoretical interpretation and contextual reading of established research. The results demonstrate that competitiveness and economic modernization cannot be adequately understood without accounting for informal social ties, gift exchange practices, shadow economic mechanisms, and socially negotiated responsibilities between state and business actors. The discussion critically evaluates dominant economic rationalist perspectives and proposes a socio-institutional interpretation emphasizing trust, dialogue, and networked coordination. The article concludes that sustainable development in transitional economies depends on the institutionalization of social dialogue, the constructive integration of informal practices, and the strategic use of clustering to enhance regional competitiveness.

The Impact of the Six-Dimensional PDEODE Teaching Strategy on the Development of Critical Thinking among Secondary School Students

2026-01-16T01:33:57+00:00

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the six-dimensional PDEODE teaching strategy on the development of critical thinking among secondary school students. To achieve this aim, the researcher adopted an experimental research design involving two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The study sample consisted of 60 male and female secondary school students, randomly selected from Dhi Qar Governorate. The researcher administered a critical thinking test developed by Qanoua Mustafa (2019), which comprises five subscales. The results revealed a statistically significant superiority of the experimental group over the control group in the critical thinking test. Accordingly, the researcher recommended the adoption of the six-dimensional PDEODE strategy in teaching secondary school students.

Human Capital and Social Capital Theories: Theoretical Foundations, International Experience, And the Development Model of Uzbekistan

2026-01-10T12:37:39+00:00

This article provides a scientific analysis of the theoretical and methodological foundations of human capital and social capital theories, as well as their impact on economic growth, labor market efficiency, and institutional development. The study examines and compares classical approaches to human capital developed by T. Schultz and G. Becker, Paul Romer’s endogenous growth model, and social capital concepts proposed by P. Bourdieu, J. Coleman, and R. Putnam, revealing their interconnections and complementary nature. Based on international practice, the influence of human and social capital on national competitiveness is substantiated through indicators such as the Human Capital Index (HCI), years of schooling, life expectancy, social trust, and civic engagement. Particular attention is paid to the role of education quality and health investment as key drivers of sustainable economic development. Using the example of Uzbekistan, the article discusses priority areas including investment in education and healthcare, increasing youth and female participation in the labor market, the role of the mahalla institution in shaping social capital, and the importance of collective participation mechanisms in strengthening social cohesion. The findings highlight that the integrated development of human and social capital is a crucial factor for inclusive growth and long-term socio-economic transformation in Uzbekistan.

Blockchain And The Future Of Public Finance Transparency In Transitional Economies: Comparative Insights From Uzbekistan, Estonia, Georgia, And Kazakhstan

2026-01-16T09:31:45+00:00

Public finance transparency has become central to economic modernisation, fiscal accountability, and anti-corruption reform in transitional economies. With the emergence of distributed ledger technologies (DLTs), blockchain systems have been increasingly explored as instruments to improve auditability, reduce information asymmetry, and strengthen institutional trust between state, business, and society. This article develops a comparative analysis of blockchain adoption in public finance across four transitional or post-socialist economies: Uzbekistan, Estonia, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. Drawing on political economy frameworks, digital governance studies, and blockchain technical literature, it examines the potential and constraints of distributed ledger innovation in procurement, budgeting, treasury operations, registries, and asset disclosure systems. The analysis shows that blockchain adoption is not solely a technological issue but an institutional one, shaped by state capacity, bureaucratic incentives, regulatory ecosystems, and pre-existing digital infrastructure. While Estonia demonstrates advanced institutional integration of blockchain-based infrastructure, Georgia and Kazakhstan illustrate intermediate pathways of digital governance with selective blockchain pilots, and Uzbekistan represents an emerging adopter with rapid digital modernisation but slow blockchain deployment in fiscal functions. The article concludes that blockchain-based transparency reforms in transitional economies require a coordinated approach linking governance, data interoperability, legal reform, and administrative incentives rather than technology alone.

The Extent to Which Arabic Language Teachers Focus on Developing Critical Thinking Skills at the Basic Education Level in Iraqi Schools

2026-01-16T01:27:08+00:00

Critical thinking has consistently occupied a central position in educational discourse across historical periods, owing to its pivotal role in equipping learners with essential cognitive and learning skills. The significance of critical thinking stems from its capacity to develop students’ abilities to analyze, evaluate, and make reasoned judgments, thereby preparing them to effectively address academic challenges and real-life situations. Accordingly, educators across different educational levels strive to adopt and implement instructional strategies specifically designed to cultivate and enhance critical thinking skills.

The systematic promotion of inquiry sustained investigation, and the rigorous interrogation of unexamined assumptions constitute a foundational mechanism for expanding students’ cognitive horizons. Such an approach encourages learners to engage critically with a wide range of academic domains, thereby deepening their conceptual understanding and reinforcing their capacity for autonomous, lifelong learning. Given that learning is intrinsically a cognitive enterprise grounded in processes of thinking, the deliberate and explicit instruction of critical thinking assumes heightened significance. This importance is particularly pronounced in the context of Arabic language education, where teachers bear a central responsibility for cultivating learners’ higher-order thinking skills through linguistically mediated analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.

The study population comprised all male and female Arabic language teachers at the basic education level in Iraq. To achieve the study objectives, a random sample of 510 teachers was selected from this population. The sample reflected diversity in gender, academic qualification, and type of secondary school certificate (scientific or literary).

Research Instrument: The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST, 2000).

The California Critical Thinking Skills Test was developed based on a comprehensive definition of critical thinking derived from a consensus among a group of experts in the field of psychology. The test aims to measure five core critical thinking skills: analysis, induction, inference, deduction, and evaluation.

The study revealed variation in the levels of critical thinking skills among participants, with mean scores ranging from 1.578 to 4.507. Nevertheless, all of these means were below the level considered educationally acceptable. This outcome is attributed to shortcomings in the curricula in promoting critical thinking, as well as to the difficulty of acquiring and practicing these skills.