Temporary Agency Work (TAW) is a unique employment model involving a three-way relationship between a posted worker, an employment agency, and a client organization, enabling clients to adjust their ...labour force in response to fluctuating demands, but also raising concerns about job precariousness. Achieving a balance between flexibility and employment and social security is crucial for integrating TAW effectively into the labour market.TAW arrangements within the labour markets of the EU are confronted by specific contemporary dynamics, including fluctuations and seasonality of labour demands, labour scarcity in some professions and labour migration. Building on a case study of the TAW legislation development in Slovenia, this study aimed to elucidate the repercussions of these challenges on the regulatory landscape of TAW, potentially illuminating the prospective evolution of labour law standards throughout the EU.Despite the inherent limitations of case studies, the findings suggest that a detailed legal framework providing strong rights for posted workers and controlled flexibility for clients can be operational in addressing particular labour market challenges. TAW has the potential for further growth, particularly in supporting groups with limited labour market access and in filling professional gaps, by facilitating the integration of foreign workers.
Abstract
This study was guided by previous research highlighting the significance of journal publishers' commercial or non‐profit orientations in shaping academic editors' perspectives regarding the ...necessity of enhancing editorial and business practices. There is limited understanding of how the editor–publisher relationship varies based on publishers' commercial orientation. This study revealed five key factors influencing editors' attitudes towards how publishers strive to provide high‐quality publications: (i) availability of high‐quality publication services; (ii) sufficient technological support and access to visibility‐related data; (iii) accessible marketing and indexing services; (iv) access to continuous education for the editorial team; and (v) a balance between editorial autonomy and publisher support in managing the journal. The study indicated that editors partnering with commercial publishers tended to receive more extensive and advanced services, better technological support, and more training opportunities, contributing to the production of superior end products. However, working with commercial publishers resulted in the trade‐off of less editorial independence, which sometimes compromised editors' decision‐making ability and made them feel uncertain about their further involvement. The study's findings highlighted the importance of publishers adopting a more strategic approach to support their editorial staff, while considering the unique needs of each journal.
Meticulous self-evaluative practices in the offices of academic periodicals can be helpful in reducing widespread uncertainty about the quality of scholarly journals. This paper summarizes the ...results of the second part of a qualitative worldwide study among 258 senior editors of scholarly journals across disciplines. By means of a qualitative questionnaire, the survey investigated respondents’ perceptions of needed changes in their own editorial workflow that could, according to their beliefs, positively affect the quality of their journals. The results show that the most relevant past improvements indicated by respondents were achieved by: (a) raising the required quality criteria for manuscripts, by defining standards for desk rejection and/or shaping the desired qualities of the published material, and (b) guaranteeing a rigorous peer review process. Respondents believed that, currently, three areas have the most pressing need for amendment: ensuring higher overall quality of published articles (26% of respondents qualified this need as very high or high), increasing the overall quality of peer-review reports (23%), and raising reviewers’ awareness of the required quality standards (20%). Bivariate analysis shows that respondents who work with non-commercial publishers reported an overall greater need to improve implemented quality assessment processes. Work overload, inadequate reward systems, and a lack of time for development activities were cited by respondents as the greatest obstacles to implementing necessary amendments.
Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is a relatively new tool that has been introduced into the legislative system of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. To streamline its implementation, all ...three countries have decided to conduct a pilot RIA in a very similar area - administrative burden on enterprises. Although the circumstances and rationale for preparing a pilot RIA differ from country to country, all three struggle with inadequate political support, institutional arrangements and lack of clear methodologies. This paper aims to compare the formal arrangements that have introduced RIA into their national systems and their experience with piloting RIA. It argues that the piloting was kidnapped by the agenda of administrative burden and business-oriented RIA, which served the substantive discussion rather than the potential pedagogical or demonstrative effects that the pilot could have brought.
In 2005, IPTS launched a project which aimed to assess the developments in eGovernment, eHealth and eLearning in the 10 New Member States at national, and at cross-country level. At that time, the 10 ...New Member States were Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia. A report for each country was produced, describing its government and health systems and the role played by eGovernment and eHealth within these systems. Each report then analyzes, on the basis of desk research and expert interviews, the major achievements, shortcomings, drivers and barriers in the development of eGovernment and eHealth in one of the countries in question. This analysis provides the basis for the identification and discussion of national policy options to address the major challenges and to suggest R&D issues relevant to the needs of each country – in this case, Slovenia. In addition to national monographs, the project has delivered a synthesis report, which offers an integrated view of the developments of each application domain in the New Member States. Furthermore, a prospective report looking across and beyond the development of the eGovernment, eHealth and eLearning areas has been developed to summarize policy challenges and options for the development of eServices and the Information Society towards the goals of Lisbon and i2010.
Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is a relatively new tool that has been introduced into the legislative system of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. To streamline its implementation, all ...three countries have decided to conduct a pilot RIA in a very similar area - administrative burden on enterprises. Although the circumstances and rationale for preparing a pilot RIA differ from country to country, all three struggle with inadequate political support, institutional arrangements and lack of clear methodologies. This paper aims to compare the formal arrangements that have introduced RIA into their national systems and their experience with piloting RIA. It argues that the piloting was kidnapped by the agenda of administrative burden and business-oriented RIA, which served the substantive discussion rather than the potential pedagogical or demonstrative effects that the pilot could have brought. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
When seeking the most effective response to plagiarism in an academic community, academic institutions need to re-examine their founding mission and core values. Traditionally among them is the ...constant striving of members of the academic community towards academic excellence. Excellence presupposes high quality creative works produced within the institution that comply with pre-set standards. Written academic works are partially based on the original ideas and concepts of academic authors and necessarily also on the accumulated knowledge encompassed by previous creative works. Academic excellence requires a clear distinction between these two categories and directs members of the community towards intellectual honesty when using the works of other authors. The problem of academic plagiarism is age-old. However, in our contemporary, technologically advanced society, which challenges some of the core principles of the (legal) protection of creative works (such as originality and copying), plagiarism is gaining new meanings. Academic institutions throughout the world are being challenged to either re-examine or establish new mechanisms for the monitoring and prevention of plagiarism. As autonomous teaching institutions, universities have two decisive functions. Firstly, they independently determine their internal standards and regulations related to the quality of written works produced within their community. Secondly, as part of managing the learning process, academic institutions instruct and teach the members of their community about the (mis)use of creative works. The responses of academic institutions to the problem of plagiarism are diverse and address general problems as well as nation/institution-specific issues. In Slovene academic institutions this debate is relatively new and the first anti-plagiarism guidelines are being drafted.
In 2005, IPTS launched a project which aimed to assess the developments in eGoverment, eHealth and eLearning in the 10 New Member States at national, and at cross-country level. At that time, the 10 ...New Member States were Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. A report for each country was produced, describing its educational system and the role played by eLearning within both the formal education system and other aspects of lifelong learning. Each report then analyzed, on the basis of desk research and expert interviews, the major achievements, shortcomings, drivers and barriers in the development of eLearning in one of the countries in question. This synthesis report developed in the final phases of the project offers an integrated view of the developments of eLearning in the New Member States. Furthermore, the project has prepared a prospective report looking across and beyond the development of the eGoverment, eHealth and eLearning areas to summarize policy challenges and options for the development of eServices and the Information Society towards the goals of Lisbon and i2010.
Glioblastoma is simultaneously the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumor in the central nervous system, with poor patient survival and scarce treatment options. Most primary ...glioblastomas reoccur and evolve radio- and chemoresistant properties which make them resistant to further treatments. Based on gene mutations and expression profiles, glioblastoma is relatively well classified; however, research shows that there is more to glioblastoma biology than that defined solely by its genetic component. Specifically, the overall malignancy of the tumor is also influenced by the dynamic communication to its immediate and distant environment, as important messengers to neighboring cells in the tumor microenvironment extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been identified. EVs and their cargo can modulate the immune microenvironment and other physiological processes, and can interact with the host immune system. They are involved in tumor cell survival and metabolism, tumor initiation, progression, and therapy resistance. However, on the other hand EVs are thought to become an effective treatment alternative, since they can cross the blood-brain barrier, are able of specific cell-targeting and can be loaded with various therapeutic molecules.
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