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In order to reveal the dichotomy of convergence and divergence, the article discusses the profile of Lithuanian social inclusion policy. The article critically evaluates the Open Method of Coordination and the new social policy tool, which is still under the process of elaboration – the European Pillar for Social Rights. The concrete examples of Lithuanian social policy that suit the definition of the austerity measures reveal that instead of a promoted and supposed convergence towards Social Europe, the European policies of social inclusion diverge. In order to explain the diverging social policies and their institutional constellations, the theory of path dependency, one that emphasizes the transaction costs and typology of social knowledge, is employed. The article also aims to elaborate the theoretical framework for the examination of the relationship between the profile of social inclusion policy and value orientations of the population. Lithuanian policy experts of social inclusion, as well as professionals working in the same field of social policy, are inclined to prioritize the austerity measures and the role of social control.

In order to reveal the dichotomy of convergence and divergence, the article discusses the profile of Lithuanian social inclusion policy. The article critically evaluates the Open Method of Coordination and the new social policy tool, which is still under the process of elaboration – the European Pillar for Social Rights. The concrete examples of Lithuanian social policy that suit the definition of the austerity measures reveal that instead of a promoted and supposed convergence towards Social Europe, the European policies of social inclusion diverge. In order to explain the diverging social policies and their institutional constellations, the theory of path dependency, one that emphasizes the transaction costs and typology of social knowledge, is employed. The article also aims to elaborate the theoretical framework for the examination of the relationship between the profile of social inclusion policy and value orientations of the population. Lithuanian policy experts of social inclusion, as well as professionals working in the same field of social policy, are inclined to prioritize the austerity measures and the role of social control.

ABSTRACTUniversities with limited resources are being pressured to cover more material within their degree programs. Because of this, schools are looking to integrate material from different classes. This paper sets out to determine if students can learn business writing within the context of another class, specifically, an information systems class. The goal is to eliminate the need for a separate business‐writing course. However, the students will have to learn the material with limited support in order not to place an additional load on the instructor. This study investigates whether individuals can develop their business‐writing skills during the course of repeated group work and whether there are differences in the level of their learning, based on collaborative media. The results show that individuals can learn business‐writing skills with a minimum of support through direct instruction. In addition, there is no difference between individuals working in face‐to‐face (F2F) groups and those working in groups using electronic collaborative work (ECW) systems.

[EN] This paper briefly introduces a summary of the special session on Hybrid Reasoning and Coordination Methods on Multi-Agent Systems, held in conjunction with the 4th International Conference on Hybrid Artificial Intelligence Systems 2009 (HAIS'09). The research papers of this session have been revised and extended and the final results are published in this journal special issue. ; This special session was supported by CONSOLIDERINGENIO 2010 under grant CSD2007-00022 and by the Spanish government and GVA funds under TIN2006-14630-C0301 and PROMETEO/2008/051 projects. ; Heras Barberá, SM.; Navarro Llácer, M.; Julian Inglada, VJ. (2009). Hybrid Reasoning and Coordination Methods on Multi-Agent Systems. Journal of Physical Agents. 3(3):1-2. https://doi.org/10.14198/JoPha.2009.3.3.01 ; S ; 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 3

"1. Implementation of the strategic goal will be facilitated by applying a new open method of co-ordination as the means of spreading best practices and achieving greater convergence towards the main EU goals. This method, which is designed to help Member States to progressively develop their own policies, involves: – fixing guidelines for the Union combined with specific timetables for achieving the goals which they set in the short, medium and long terms; – establishing, where appropriate, quantitative and qualitative indicators and benchmarks against the best in the world and tailored to the needs of different Member States and sectors as a means of comparing best practices; – translating these European guidelines into national and regional policies by setting specific targets and adopting measures, taking into account national and regional differences; – periodic monitoring, evaluation and peer review organised as mutual learning processes. 2. A fully decentralised approach will be applied in line with the principle of subsidiarity in which the Union, the Member States, the regional and local levels, as well as the social partners and civil society, will be actively involved using varied forms of partnership. A method of benchmarking best practices on managing change will be devised by the European Commission networking with different providers and users, namely the social partners, companies and NGOs." (Conclusions of the Lisbon Summit, 23–24 March 2000, paragraph 37 'Implementing a new open method of co-ordination').

At both the global and local levels, employment policy currently constitutes one of the major issues confronted by governments faced with economic crises and globalization. The success of these policies depends, in particular, on their ability to link together initiatives undertaken not only at different levels of power, but also within a single level between multiple actors that (more or less) have prerogatives in matters of employment policy. This domain of public policy constitutes a unique space in which to analyse the developments and circulation of principles promoted by advocates of two new patterns of governance: New Public Management and the Open Method of Coordination. On the basis of a qualitative analysis conducted with employment policy actors in the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR), this article studies the difficulties these actors come up against when faced with the implementation expectations of new managerial demands, as well as coordination demands that force an increasingly flexible economic landscape and an increasingly complex institutional landscape onto these actors. Enumerating the difficulties encountered, the article also updates the strategies put into place by the actors themselves to address the often severe diagnoses that are made of the situations to which they are subject. This article also constitutes a contribution to the clarification of both the favourable and undesirable conditions for the establishment of new forms of governance within public policy. Points for practitioners In most countries, employment policies figure among the highest priorities. When new initiatives in this sector need to be elaborated and implemented, practitioners attempt to balance a wide variety of opinions, focusing on the coherence of their decisions and actions. In the context of performance management, practitioners are also required to demonstrate the success of their public interventions. In Europe, these expectations are exacerbated by the requirements of the Open Method of Coordination and New ...

This paper briefly introduces a summary of the special session on Hybrid Reasoning and Coordination Methods on Multi-Agent Systems, held in conjunction with the 4th International Conference on Hybrid Artificial Intelligence Systems 2009 (HAIS'09). The research papers of this session have been revised and extended and the final results are published in this journal special issue. ; This special session was supported by CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 under grant CSD2007-00022 and by the Spanish government and GVA funds under TIN2006-14630-C0301 and PROMETEO/2008/051 projects.

In order to reveal the dichotomy of convergence and divergence, the article discusses the profile of Lithuanian social inclusion policy. The article critically evaluates the Open Method of Coordination and the new social policy tool, which is still under the process of elaboration – the European Pillar for Social Rights. The concrete examples of Lithuanian social policy that suit the definition of the austerity measures reveal thatinstead of a promoted and supposed convergence towards Social Europe, the European policies of social inclusion diverge. In order to explain the diverging social policies and their institutional constellations, the theory of path dependency, one that emphasizes the transaction costs and typology of social knowledge, is employed. The article also aims to elaborate the theoretical framework for the examination of the relationship between the profile of social inclusion policy and value orientations of the population. Lithuanian policy experts of social inclusion, as well as professionals working in the same field of social policy, are inclined to prioritize the austerity measures and the role of social control. ; Straipsnyje siekiama galima atsakyti į klausimą, kodėl Lietuvos socialinės įtraukties politikos profilis yra būtent toks, koks jis yra. Kritiškai aptariamas socialinės įtraukties politikos konvergenciją turėjęs ir vis dar turintis skatinti atviro koordinavimo metodas bei naujas Europos Sąjungos politikų ir biurokratų rengiamas instrumentas Europos socialinių teisių piliorius (European Pillar for Social Rights). Apibūdinant socialinės įtraukties politikos profilį ir iliustruojant jį konkrečiais socialinės politikos pavyzdžiais, formuluojama socialinės politikos konvergencijos ir divergencijos dichotomija. Ieškant paaiškinimo, kodėl socialinės įtraukties politika, užuot konvergavusi, diverguoja, pasitelkiamos priklausomybės nuo tako teorija, kuri pabrėžia transakcinius institucinių konsteliacijų kaitos kaštus, ir socialinio žinojimo tipologijos teorija, kuri suteikia įrankių aiškintis, kaip institucinės konsteliacijos įsitvirtina skirtingose socialinio žinojimo struktūrose. Straipsnyje aptariami Lietuvoje atliktų tyrimų duomenys, kurie galėtų būti priskiriami ekspertų ir gerai informuotų piliečių socialinio žinojimo tipams. Lietuvos socialinės įtraukties politikos ekspertai ir šioje srityje dirbantys specialistai, kurie atitinka gerai informuoto piliečio apibrėžimą, yra linkę sureikšminti griežtas taupymo priemones ir socialinės kontrolės didinimą.