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This study examines the end of art, focusing on the trivialization that has impacted art in the contemporary period, influenced by various challenges faced by modern society, including social media. This raises concerns about the possible end of art. In the current era, art is no longer purely an emotional expression. Instead, it has become intertwined with market demand and supply. Artworks are treated as commodities, and the artist has assumed the role of a craftsman. As a result, there has been a shift from focusing on the substance of art to prioritizing spectacle, leading to a crisis of triviality. Today, individuals lacking true artistic depth are often labeled as artists. This makes it essential to redefine art and determine whether every creation should be considered a genuine work of art. Furthermore, it is crucial to explore the reasons behind the current superficiality in art. The vulgarity that has infiltrated contemporary art, largely due to liberalism and the shallow tendencies of certain individuals, signals the potential end of art in its original form. This study questions whether the end of art is inevitable in light of this decline in quality and substance. Is it possible for art to maintain its relevance and authenticity amidst this growing vulgarity?

Generally, organizational climate research does not focus on the work environment because the mindset and emotions of employees are often mistaken for organizational culture. Additionally, surveys to evaluate the organizational climate tend to be long, and therefore, organizational climate studies are conducted only once a year—that too if an organization is concerned about its employees. This research proposes a methodology to evaluate organizational climate; the methodology has the following characteristics: it is a short evaluation named “pulse”; it is oriented toward specific elements of culture that influence the organizational climate and its variability; and it considers organizational contexts. The study was conducted in three organizations encompassing three sectors (N=3,331 employees). The survey included three questions regarding employees’ feelings and climate perception at the individual, group, and organizational levels. Additionally, it had 56 questions related to the elements of organizational culture, grouped into six components after an exploratory analysis: Structure, Recognition, Leadership, Accountability, Work Team, and Ethics. The results showed significant differences between organizations based on the organizational climate perception, its strength, and the behavior of the variables associated with the organizational culture that impacts the climate. Additionally, cultural elements were reduced because of their relationship with the organizational climate. This research suggests that organizational climate studies should be conducted for specific organizational contexts. Additionally, it proposes a methodology to reduce the duration of organizational climate studies by focusing on specific cultural dimensions associated with the climate, which can be applied longitudinally throughout the year to monitor climate changes. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-05-09 Full Text: PDF

Based on the three dimensions model of sustainability, different studies that address the integration of the culture and sustainability concepts from a theoretical field propose that culture should be included as another sustainability dimension to a greater degree. This approach has not been put into practice to date. In fact, when sustainability application is examined in cultural activities such as museums and exhibitions, in most cases it is associated with only one dimension and evaluation methodologies based on a holistic approach; the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is used in very few cases. In this work, a methodological framework is proposed to add the cultural dimension to the study of the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. A sequence of phases in line with the LCSA methodology is used to achieve the simultaneous evaluation of impacts associated with a sustainability approach based on four dimensions. A thorough literature review revealed cultural indicators, which were classified and organized in order to facilitate the cultural impact assessment and complement the indicators already used to evaluate other dimensions. Additionally, the approaches and methods proposed are put into practice in a case study, which consists of an experimental exhibition room. The different phases of the methodology have been successively developed, and indicators for all sustainability dimensions have been obtained. Thus, the theoretical contribution of this work is embellished with the development of a practical case, which demonstrate that cultural dimensions can be evaluated together with the rest of the dimensions in order to obtain a multidimensional assessment of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the opinions of the communities living in Antalya and Erzurum, cities hosting international sports organizations, about the effects of mega-organizations. The research was conducted on 1066 individuals residing in Antalya and Erzurum between August 23, 2023, and September 1, 2023. The data were collected through online and face-to-face surveys. The assessment of participants' views on the effects of mega-organizations was done using the Mega Organization Impact Scale. According to the research results, the mean of the participants' Mega Organisation Effect Scale reached 85.2% of the score obtained from the scale, indicating a very high level. Based on these findings, it can be said that individuals living in cities where mega-organizations are held have very positive views on the effects of these events. In general, women have more favourable views than men. Occupations have an impact on the mega organisation effect and its sub-dimensions. The positive views of tradespeople and employees were significantly higher than all other groups. In addition, the general opinions of those living in Erzurum about the impacts, economic benefits, solutions to social and environmental problems, and environmental and cultural protection were found to be sig-nificantly more favourable than those living in Antalya. As a result, 85.2% of the participants evaluated these organisations' economic, social and cultural impacts as positive. These findings reveal that mega-events have the potential to strengthen the international profile of host cities, provide economic benefits and enrich the socio-cultural structure of local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the profound cultural impact of All India Radio (AIR) in Kerala through a posthumanist perspective, analyzing how the medium has shaped and been constructed by socio-cultural dynamics neglecting human centric agency. By inquiring AIR's role in Kerala’s social environment, this paper aims to manifest how a technological, social, and ecological element participates in the formation of regional identity and cultural practices. This paper argues that AIR's influence in Kerala can be understood through complex relationships involving human actors, technological advancements, and environmental factors, reflecting a posthumanist perspective that surpasses traditional anthropocentric analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the cultural influence of hip-hop on urban youth in Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania (Romania), through a case study of the “Concrete Rockers” Association. This dynamic group is deeply involved in hip-hop activities, with a particular emphasis on breakdancing, its core focus, as well as organizing hip-hop events such as “One May Jam”—the group’s flagship event. Here, members and special guests participate in various hip-hop activities like DJing and graffiti art. By exploring the motivations and experiences that drive these individuals to engage with hip-hop, we aim to gain insight into their roles as both consumers and practitioners of this culture. The article further investigates how group affiliation and identity are formed within this vibrant and close-knit community, while also exploring the Concrete Rockers’ aspirations to become prominent representatives of hip-hop in Transylvania. Our findings, based on primary data, offer a deeper understanding of hip-hop’s role in shaping the identities and lives of young adults in Cluj-Napoca, highlighting the local adaptations and transnational connections of this global movement and underscoring the positive impact hip-hop has on these individuals.

Historical dramas have long served as a vital medium to convey stories of heroism, often bringing to life the valor and virtues of historical figures and events. This study delves into the multifaceted portrayals of heroism within the realm of historical drama. By critically analyzing various dramas, the research sheds light on how these works both mirror societal perceptions of heroism and mold them. The nuanced interplay between dramatic representation and historical fidelity is explored, revealing the balance creators strike between artistic interpretation and factual authenticity. The paper underscores the influence such portrayals have on audience perceptions, cultural values, and societal norms, emphasizing the enduring impact of historical drama on collective memory and identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Partition of 1947 is an unforgettable event in the history of the Indian subcontinent. This event led to significant turmoil and changes. While there has been a lot that is written about the human and political aspects of the Partition, its impact on culture and art has not been discussed so often. This study focuses on the effect of the Partition on the Dilli Gharana which is a musical tradition rooted in Delhi. This exploration is particularly examining the influence on Khayal Gayaki (vocal art form). This exploration has been done and data is collected using interviews as the main research method. Interviews were conducted with artists from the Dilli Gharana residing in modern Delhi as well as those who chose to live in Pakistan post partition. The findings reveal significant cultural and artistic losses on both sides of the border. Instruments and art forms were separated, with some remaining in India while others moved to Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fostering a spirit of joy and hope in society, with its diverse benefits, leads people to exert efforts with multiplied energy, resulting in comprehensive progress in various fields. The question now arises: how can we create and enhance enthusiasm and hope in society? This research, using a descriptive-analytical method, examines verse 7 of Surah Ibrahim, revealing two divine traditions related to the effects of gratitude and ingratitude for blessings. The spirit of gratitude and avoidance of ingratitude are indispensable factors in creating and elevating levels of hope, happiness, enthusiasm, effort, self-esteem, and positivity. The goal of this research is to demonstrate that the divine traditions in this verse, considering their characteristics, convey a message that can significantly contribute to cultivating a general culture based on them, playing a substantial role in fostering gratitude and avoiding ingratitude, consequently spreading joy and hope in society. Following the definition of traditions and an examination of their characteristics, the existence of two traditions in verse 7 of Surah Ibrahim is established. Subsequently, the impact of each feature of these two traditions on the development of a spirit of gratitude and avoidance of ingratitude is explored. The influence of this spirit on creating joy and hope is then highlighted. Finally, inspired by the Quranic cultural approach, the general cultural process based on the message of this verse is elucidated.

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The future challenges of artificial intelligence, especially in the relationship between humans and intelligent systems or technologically advanced machines as well as the power of its functions in social media, are a cause of concern whose cultural impacts have been presented after further investigation. As such, the main goal of the article is to analyze the cultural consequences of artificial intelligence in social media i.e. what positive and negative impacts the use of AI have on social media. Taking into account the analytical method of thematic analysis, the data has been collected through questionnaire-based interviews with experts. The findings show that one of the most important cultural impacts of the use and development of artificial intelligence on social media is the scalability (expansion of the scope) of the effectiveness of human decisions and actions, new structuring of the human communication system, transformation in the way of cultural consumption, reducing the power of human choice and delegation. Other aspects mentioned are the disruption of the functioning of the representation of truth in the media, the disruption of the balance between the benefits of personalized content and privacy protection, the countercultural effects of designers and technology owners on the functioning of intelligent systems, the transformation in the way humans and technology interact, the lack of transparency of the consequences of the use of artificial intelligence, and the limitation of the power of governance as well as traditional and the impossibility of effective supervision and legislation, etc.

Abstract This article defines "cultural experience" and places it in a holistic conceptual model; “the cultural city” where it plays a relevant role in improving the performing of cities. The conceptual model combines the basic elements of the heritage city, the smart city and the creative city. The city is interpreted from a threefold perspective; as a repository of resources, as a connective interface, and as the setting for citizens' life and social and professional experiences. In this context, each of these perspectives incorporates culture in a different way, enabling different models of value creation and different processes of production and reproduction of this value. In each of the urban models described above, production processes that combine symbolic, physical, financial, social, human and cultural capital in different ways and urban strategies are implemented to provide cultural experiences that ignite transformative effects through several spillovers. That means that culture, in its different dimensions, regains the role of a raw material and becomes the point of origin to activate development processes and improve urban performance. The integration of the dimensions of the heritage city, the creative city and the smart city through an enabling context is the core proposal of the “cultural city”. In alignment with the New European Agenda for Culture, we deepen the analysis in the specific spillovers on wellbeing and quality of life, citizen engagement and urban renewal as the backbone of a set of external effects of cultural experiences. In the final part of this article, we test the plausibility of this speculative proposal through some empirical evidence. We develop an OLS model with proxy indicators, that could be considered transitional indicators, for the three different potential strategies (heritage, smart, creative). The findings support the assertion that it is conceivable that the supply of cultural experiences through a variety of tactics (heritage city, smart city and creative city) can account in part for the growth of European cities in the years after the 2008 financial crisis. These strategies have contributed to the good performance of the urban device in a way that is positive, not negligible (accounting for around 50% of the variance in productivity) and statistically significant. The provision of a context that increases the cultural experiences for citizens has clearly improved the performance of European cities, and we develop some conceptual and empirical mechanisms to explain and measure the socioeconomic impacts of these processes.

Risk-taking, defined as undertaking actions with potential negative outcomes in pursuit of greater rewards, has shown gender-specific patterns, often heightened in males by mating-related cues. Previous research has primarily focused on visual attractiveness indicators such as facial features and body ratios, while the impact of auditory cues like female voice pitch, linked to attractiveness and fertility, has been underexplored. Moreover, the interaction of cultural factors with risk-taking behavior remains insufficiently examined. This study investigates how female voice pitch affects male risk-taking behaviors, combining evolutionary and cultural insights, and uses virtual reality to enhance ecological validity by simulating real-world scenarios. Two experiments were conducted at a university in Shanghai. Experiment 1 used virtual reality to simulate a "The Stoplight task" game, finding that higher female voice pitches increased male risk-taking. Experiment 2 introduced a cultural dimension, revealing a significant interaction: in cultures promoting risk-taking, high-pitched voices led to the highest risk-taking, while in more conservative contexts, they prompted the least. The results suggest that both evolutionary traits and cultural settings shape risk-taking behaviors. This has practical implications for areas like navigational voice design and mate selection guidance. • Female voice pitch influences male risk-taking. • High-pitched female voices promoted male risk-taking behavior • There is an interactive effect between female voice pitch and socio-cultural context on male risk-taking behavior. • Male risk-taking behavior exhibits situational sensitivity and results from both natural and cultural adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) is an initiative that promotes European cultural diversity with the aim of economic, cultural, and social revitalization. Measuring complex impacts is a constant challenge for both practitioners and academia. Thus, the paper presents a comprehensive impact assessment framework (iECoC) quantified through an integral aggregation operator based on a novel use of fuzzy measure (Choquet integral). The iECoC results in a single number, but has an inherent value of reviling its segmented structure, which separately depicts the impact on three segments: culture, economy, and community, thus providing insights into trends for sectoral decision-making. The impact is measured in three years span on the example of Novi Sad—European Capital of Culture 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutionally, contemporary dance in Ukraine is represented only in the curricula of state art educational institutions. As a result, contemporary dance and contemporary choreography are defined and studied according to the formal features and is framed as styles, forms, techniques, and trends. In addition, phenomena and projects of contemporary dance in Ukraine mostly are not considered, perceived, or studied in the context of the development of dance culture and physical culture in general, or the art of dance, choreography, and performing arts in particular. This extremely limits the understanding of the real influence and role of contemporary dance in mentioned contexts. The paper introduces the Little Prince art project of contemporary dance and the related projects of Moving Arts Project company (Netherlands), created in interaction with the social groups of the Transvaal district of the city of Amsterdam, by exploring the cultural impact and institutional aspect of project implementation, including their interrelation. The aim of the paper is to present the practice of contemporary dance in a wider context, to follow their integration into cultural processes, to reveal the interaction of contemporary dance with other institutions, as well as to briefly review the institutional representation of contemporary dance in the Netherlands and its current challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article defines "cultural experience" and places it in a holistic conceptual model; "the cultural city" where it plays a relevant role in improving the performing of cities. The conceptual model combines the basic elements of the heritage city, the smart city and the creative city. The city is interpreted from a threefold perspective; as a repository of resources, as a connective interface, and as the setting for citizens' life and social and professional experiences. In this context, each of these perspectives incorporates culture in a different way, enabling different models of value creation and different processes of production and reproduction of this value. In each of the urban models described above, production processes that combine symbolic, physical, financial, social, human and cultural capital in different ways and urban strategies are implemented to provide cultural experiences that ignite transformative effects through several spillovers. That means that culture, in its different dimensions, regains the role of a raw material and becomes the point of origin to activate development processes and improve urban performance. The integration of the dimensions of the heritage city, the creative city and the smart city through an enabling context is the core proposal of the "cultural city". In alignment with the New European Agenda for Culture, we deepen the analysis in the specific spillovers on wellbeing and quality of life, citizen engagement and urban renewal as the backbone of a set of external effects of cultural experiences. In the final part of this article, we test the plausibility of this speculative proposal through some empirical evidence. We develop an OLS model with proxy indicators, that could be considered transitional indicators, for the three different potential strategies (heritage, smart, creative). The findings support the assertion that it is conceivable that the supply of cultural experiences through a variety of tactics (heritage city, smart city and creative city) can account in part for the growth of European cities in the years after the 2008 financial crisis. These strategies have contributed to the good performance of the urban device in a way that is positive, not negligible (accounting for around 50% of the variance in productivity) and statistically significant. The provision of a context that increases the cultural experiences for citizens has clearly improved the performance of European cities, and we develop some conceptual and empirical mechanisms to explain and measure the socioeconomic impacts of these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in countries reacting differently to an ongoing crisis situation. Latent to this reaction mechanism is the inherent cultural characteristics of each society resulting in differential responses to epidemic spread. Epidemiological studies have confirmed the positive effect of population mobility on the growth of infection. However, the effect of culture on indigenous mobility patterns during pandemics needs further investigation. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the moderating role of country culture on the relationship between population mobility and growth of CoVID-19. Hofstede's cultural factors; power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term and short-term orientation are hypothesised to moderate the effect of mobility on the reproduction number (R) of COVID-19. Panel regression model, using mobility data and number of confirmed cases across 95 countries for a period of 170 days has been preferred to test the hypotheses. The results are further substantiated using slope analysis and Johnson-Neyman technique. The findings suggest that as power distance, individualism and long-term orientation scores increase, the impact of mobility on epidemic growth decreases. However, masculinity scores in a society have an opposite moderating impact on epidemic growth rate. These Hofstede factors act as quasi moderators affecting mobility and epidemic growth. Similar conclusions could be not be confirmed for uncertainty avoidance. Cross-cultural impact, as elucidated by this study, forms a crucial element in policy formulation on epidemic control by indigenous Governing bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of second home tourism has been one of the most researched topics in international literature. The main objective of this study is to assess the possible socio-cultural effects of second home tourism on the local community from a spatial perspective. Therefore, in order to achieve this goal, a spatial statistical analysis was performed using two variables: the distance of the vacation homes from the nearest buildings of the local people, and the density of vacation homes in the place in which they are located, respectively. The results show four different patterns of second home development in relation to the local community: areas with a low density of vacation homes, located a short distance from the local peopleʼs buildings; areas with a high density of vacation homes, located a short distance from the local peopleʼs buildings; areas with a high density of vacation homes, located a great distance from the local peopleʼs buildings; areas with a low density of vacation homes, located a great distance from the local peopleʼs buildings. The results were interpreted primarily in accordance with the literature, and secondly based on direct field observations. The evidence suggests that the socio-cultural impacts of second home tourism are significantly influenced by the spatial context.

This research analyses the Coronavirus Makers in Spain, focusing on three characteristics: the hybrid organisation, the use of technologies, and the cultural impact. To do so, we carried out a multimodal ethnography (Dicks, Bella, Bambo Soyinka, and Amanda Coffey. 2006. "Multimodal Ethnography." Qualitative Research 6 (1): 77–96) from March to June 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19. Coronavirus Makers' activity can be framed as a pandemic movement, enhancing expressions of solidarity, social mobilisation, and resilience. The decentralised collective work and the anti-commercial logic (i.e. promoting open designs and protocols) tackled the immediate shortage of medical materials and structural deficits in health services. This network embraced the Spanish legacy of social mobilisation, as during the 15M, yet it presents actions that are circumscribed to the pandemic context and deserve further attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concern regarding the impact of cross-border migrants on a nation's culture is a key factor that hampers local acceptance of immigrants. In this light, mitigating cultural anxieties can enhance immigrant acceptance to some extent. This paper contends that the internet facilitates people to consume immigration information through digital media, thereby reducing unjustified concerns about the cultural implications of immigrants. Leveraging a cross-national survey spanning 17 Western countries, we find that internet use is indeed negatively associated with perceived immigrant cultural threat. This association remains to hold across several robustness checks. Follow-up analyses indicate that internet use can alleviate immigrant cultural concerns for those with regular left-wing digital media exposure, but not for those who consume right-wing digital media frequently. Additionally, social media use and personal ideology are also found to have moderating effects, with internet use being less effective among individuals who use social media heavily or are ideologically right-leaning. This paper sheds light on the role of the internet in fostering inter-group understanding and alleviating out-group discrimination. • Citizens' internet use is negatively associated with their perceived immigrant cultural threat. • Internet use can mitigate immigrant cultural concerns only for those with frequent exposure to left-wing online media, but not for those who regularly consume right-wing online media. • The effect of internet use is stronger among individuals who have less frequent social media use or who identify as left-wing or centrist in their political ideology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some communities have valued and still value contact with nature and an active lifestyle in its bosom than others. It is worth using the experience of such societies. Norway is definitely a country where such activity has been and is being cultivated in a very effective and common way. The aim of the study was to determine selected aspects of physical activity of students aged 11-13 from Poland and Norway.

Die deutsche Sprache ist vor allem eine europäische Sprache; ihre Zukunft entscheidet sich in Europa, denn hier hat sie ihren Schwerpunkt. Sie wurde nicht durch Kolonialismus in der Welt verbreitet. Doch übertrifft sie in Europa nach der Zahl der Muttersprachler (95 Mio. in Europa, 120 Mio. erdeweit) und der Zahl der Staaten (7), in denen sie Amtssprache ist. Wenn wir über die deutsche Sprache im europäischen Kontext reden, fällt uns der mittlerweile auf der ganzen Welt gebräuchliche Ausdruck Globalisierung ein. Wir denken dabei in der Regel an Prozesse ökonomischer und ökologischer Verflechtungen, wir denken an die Öffnung von Märkten und Grenzen, an die wachsende Integration von Nationalstaaten durch den wirtschaftlichen und wissenschaftlichen Austausch, wir denken an politische Konfigurationen, an den technologischen Fortschritt und die kulturellen Einflüsse, aber auch an die globale Verbreitung von Ideen und Überzeugungen auf Deutsch und an seine Anziehungskraft bei seinem Erlernen. German is a European language whose future will be determined primarily in Europe, because it is here where this language is used most of all. Although the German language’s usage wasn’t expanded due to colonial achievements the number of the speakers who consider it their mother tongue makes nearly 95 million people in Europe and 120 million throughout the world. Seven European nations provide German language with official status. When they speak about this language in European context globalisation issues come forth at once. First of all it designates not only the intertwined economical and environmental development processes, but also discovery of new sales markets and borders opening, deeper integration of new nations due to scientific and economical exchange between them and “Old Europe” countries, technological progress, cultural impact and didactic attraction of the German language as well as the exchange and dissemination of ideas, thoughts, and views leading to mutual understanding between nations.

Hagia Sophia is one of the jewels of the Byzantine crown and an important part of the world cultural heritage, praised for its outstanding architectural and cultural value. The mosaics, as part of its interior decoration, are one of its more beautiful and important parts, which are helping us understand and analyze the development of the Byzantine culture and its impact on the world cultural processes. Created under different circumstances and in different eras of the Byzantine existence, the mosaics in the main great imperial church represent the summit of the Byzantine mosaic craftsmanship, which dominated Europe almost through the entire Middle Ages. During the centuries after the fall of the city in 1453 in Ottoman hands, some of the mosaics disappeared and other are considered lost forever. Fortunate for us, Hagia Sophia has more secrets to reveal to us and in 2020 a new mosaic, the last unseen imperial one, was partially cleaned and conserved. We are now able to look closely and examine its features and find its perfect place and importance as an ultimate creation of the Byzantine culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renzo Canestrari wrote several handouts and handbooks of psychology from the late 1960s to 2000s. His handbooks dealt with the main topics of general psychology and some topics of developmental, differential, comparative and animal psychology. He always aimed to provide accurate information not only on the most recent items of experimental evidence, but also on the theoretical frameworks within which they were gathered. In this manner he attempted to accompany the acquisition of information useful for the professional career with a cultural growth of students. This educational aim was associated to that of enhancing the theoretical impact of the studies carried out by Italian scholars in the postwar period. In this paper the content, cultural impact and didactic methodology of the four most important handbooks (published in 1970, 1974, 1984 and 1997) are described in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glocalisation as a fallout of globalisation has received a lot of theoretical and empirical attention in the past few decades. Though the concept of globalisation was much evident and propagated through television in the streaming of foreign content on local networks, that content soon had to be given local flavours to captivate the local audience. Examining whether the global content just got a local twist or propagated an amalgamation amounting to novel cultures is the primary focus of the present study. Though it is evident that glocalised television content (intentionally or unintentionally) brought about significant changes in mass attitude, lifestyle and behavior, it needs to be empirically analysed and understood. Using a survey of 200 Indian-urban youth, the study measures the cultural impact of glocalised television content. This apart, the study analyses content and growth of television channels, viewing patterns of urban youth, the motivation behind using the medium, degree of attitudinal change and also the perceptional impacts on local cultural dimensions.

The aim of this research is to understand the effect of product quality, medical price and staff skill on patient’s loyalty through cultural impact in medical tourism. In this study, three exogenous con-structs; namely product quality, medical price, and staff skill constructs were adopted to find their effects on patient’s loyalty. Meanwhile, the cultural impact is also adopted as a mediator construct. This study uses confirmatory approach as Covariance based Structural Equation Modeling (CBSEM) for testing the research hypotheses. The study explores inbound medical tourists loyalty from 324 respondents sampled comprised from different countries using stratified sampling. In terms of the direct effect, the method reveals that medical price and staff skill had positive significant effects on cultural impact and patient loyalty. In terms of indirect effect, the cultural impact mediates the relationships between product quality, medical price, and staff skills on patient’s loyalty.

Situated in an intercultural communication setting, this study explores the impact of the writer’s and the receiver’s national cultures and the writer’s professional identity on the move structures of persuasive email requests. The paper particularly compared persuasive email requests written by Hong Kong Chinese and Japanese university students. For triangulation, the pre-writing group discussions and post-writing reflective essays produced by the same groups of students were also analyzed. By employing the genre analysis framework developed by Bhatia and Swales, we identified eight structural moves in email messages and observed similarities and differences in the use of these moves across the two corpora. The findings suggest that culture and identity construction interactively play important roles in affecting the students’ use of persuasive strategies.

From a historical point of view, Rome and especially the University of La Sapienza, are closely linked to two geniuses of Baroque art: Bernini and Borromini. In this study, we analyze the rivalry between them from a scientometric perspective. This study also serves as a basis for exploring which data sources may be appropriate for broad impact assessment of individuals and/or celebrities. We pay special attention to encyclopaedias, library catalogues and other databases or types of publications that are not normally used for this purpose. The results show that some sources such as Wikipedia are not exploited according to the possibilities they offer, especially those related to different languages and cultures. Moreover, analyses are often reduced to a minimum number of data sources, which can distort the relevance of the outcome. Our results show that other sources normally not considered for this purpose, like JSTOR, PQDT, Google Scholar, Catalogue Holdings, etc. can provide more relevant or abundant information than the typically used Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus. Finally, we also contrast opportunities and limitation of old and new (YouTube, Twitter) data sources (particularly the aspects quality and accuracy of the search methods). Much room for improvement has been identified in order to use data sources more efficiently and with higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The church "St. Polyeuktos” in Constantinople is one of the least known and explored monuments in the imperial capital, compared to its enormous architectural and cultural significance for world civilization. The purpose of this study is to present it in its full grandeur to the largest scientific audience and to arouse interest and discussion about the cultural influence it has on the neighboring countries and Europe. "St. Polyeuktos” surpasses in beauty, wealth and its strictly specific and unique style, all existing Christian monuments up to that time. The building and its layout are not only the epitome of Roman power and wealth, but for the first time it introduces elements of the art of Sasanian Persia, stylized through the Eastern Roman worldview. They subsequently spread to the surrounding countries, including Bulgaria and Europe. The church became a kind of symbol and apotheosis of the rivalry between the old supreme aristocracy in the person of Anicia Juliana and the ruling dynasty, not popular among the aristocracy and without noble origin, of Emperor Justin I (Procopius, 1982). It is an unrivaled example of the outstanding personality and richness of its decoration, design, scale and architectural features. Thanks to the phenomenon "St. Polyeuktos”, as expression of rivalry and the claim to power, Emperor Justinian I constructed in response his "Hagia Sophia", which is admired by the whole world today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporary public art sculpture trails (T-Pasts) have been used for over 20 years around the world to fulfil a number of objectives. They can help to generate revenue for host towns and cities; they can contribute to place branding; they can provide entertainment for residents and visitors; and they can raise funds for designated charitable causes. They typically feature object characters that have a relevance for the host place and they invariably utilise the same operational model. They receive significant local publicity and various claims are made concerning their economic, social and aesthetic impact. But there is a case to be made that they are 'hidden in plain sight' as some people will walk or drive past exhibits without ever seeing them. In this article, we track the history of T-Pasts, categorise them into different types, examine their value for different stakeholders, discuss their various impacts and offer a conceptual impact model. We conclude the article with a discussion that contextualises T-Pasts in relevant themes, including place enabling and place building, and also the significance of the temporary element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid process of globalisation since the beginning of the 21st century, education and businesses face the challenge of intensifying multiculturalism. Higher education institutions in Europe are expected to play a particularly important role in facilitating this process. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between national culture and the preferred learning styles in the context of Higher Education as well as to find out specific patterns of cultural influence on individual learning preferences. It aims to identify practical implications for teachers and trainers in a culturally diverse environment. The empirical investigation was based on D. Kolb’s Experiential learning theory (ELT, Kolb 1984) and G. Hofstede’s (1980) work on National and Organisational dimensions of culture.

As the lingua franca of the 21st century, English has become the main language for intercultural communication for those wanting to embrace globalization. In Portugal, it is the second language of most public and private domains influencing its culture and discourses. Language contact situations transform languages by the incorporations they make from other languages and Portugal has witnessed an increase in the pervasion of English in written communication. The aim of this study is to disclose how this sociolinguistic behavior is perceived by examining the presence of English loanwords in the Portuguese financial media to uncover its role and functions. Three Portuguese newspapers, Diário Económico, Expresso Economia and Vida Económica were chosen as the corpus of analysis over a two-week period in January 2016 corresponding to the pre and post presidential election weeks. This may reveal if the electoral results affect the presence of English. The motivations of journalists for borrowing English items and the reactions of readers complement the analysis. Results have shown English borrowing as an acceptable/accepted behavior in the analyzed Portuguese financial newspapers.

يتحدث هذا البحث عن معجزة القرآن الكريم وما حباها الله تعالى به من خصائص فريدة، جعلت لها التميز عن كل المعجزات، ولذلك كان لها الأثر الفعَّال في تغيير حياة كل الشعوب، وتعديل أنماط حياتهم إلى ما هو أفضل في الأخلاق والقِيم والسلوك الفردي والجماعي، ولم يقتصر دورها على شعب دون شعب أو أمة دون أمة، بل كان أثرها عاما كما هي معجزة لكل العالمِين. This study explores the miracles of the Qur’an as well as its superiorities given by Allah that distinguish it from the other miracles. One of the miracles is its power to influence and change the life of a nation into a better living, both individually and socially. The notable miracle of the Qur’an is not limited to a particular nation or community, but its effect is general as the miracle for the whole universe

Media Façade is expressed in many cities by providing new attractive city images. The term „Media Façade‟ is a façade that is functionally and aesthetically specific and thus it represents the integration of architecture, technology. This integration is applied to represent new form of modern art and communication (Haeusler et al., 2012). Implementing new technology such as " Media Façade "following the purpose of fashion trend or adding new stylistic feature without being well studied will cause a massive impact on architecture. This technology " Media Façade " started to be used in Egypt in various buildings with different functions. This paper will firstly illustrate what is Media Façade then state the social, cultural and environmental impacts of these techniques by analyzing local examples using SWOT analysis.

This article attempts to analyze the cultural impacts of the Spanish dollars in the south of Fujian, province in the southeast coast of China where these coins used to have the largest circulation thanks to the business relations between Fujian and the Philippines during the 16-19th centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]