Issue #1 (Volume 1 2017)

Sustainable development of the national economy is impossible without the creation of conditions for safe, high-quality, efficient work. The relevance of the study is explained by the need of methodological substantiation and development of theoretical and applied instruments for ensuring decent work. The scientific and practical significance of the study is to distinguish the forms of manifestation, to establish the causes of decent work deficit within the new economy and to determine the vectors of its overcoming in Ukraine. The results of the study are focused on generalization of the modern trends in the development of social and labor sphere in Ukraine and improvement of the concept of decent work to be used in practice in order to achieve progress in the social and labor sphere. The subject of the study is theoretical and applied principles of the concept of decent work as a basis for the development of mechanisms and instruments to overcome the deficit of decent work. The methodological platform of the study is formed by the general scientific and special methods: theoretical generalization; abstract and logical synthesis; induction and deduction; classification and typology; comparative and structural analysis that would allow carrying out multidirectional research of the progress (regress) in the sphere of work on different levels. The methodological basis for achieving this goal is the systematic and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of socio-economic indicators of decent work deficit. The purpose of the study is a scientific and theoretical substantiation of the decent work deficit and determination of strategic guidelines for its overcoming in Ukraine. In the article the authors present their view on the institute of decent work. Forms of manifestation and causes of decent work deficit are presented. The content of the article shows the relationship of the deficit of decent work and the precariat phenomenon. The authors present their vision of the concept of decent work as a strategic development of social and labor sphere and a major road towards elimination of the deficit of decent work in Ukraine.

Ukrainian educational system is not able to provide equal access to the university, regardless of children’s socio-economic background. Despite of the anti-discrimination ideas in legislation and in public discourse (with implementation of transparent mechanism of selection in 2004 - External Independent Testing), there are statistically significant differences in the results of EIT (that defines chances to get higher education) between children from rural area and their peers from urban schools (especially from elite ones). The research is based on Bourdieu’s theoretical concept of capitals and seven in-depth interviews with teachers from rural schools in different regions of Ukraine. Based on the findings, the author divides mechanisms of reproduction of educational inequality into four dimensions: economic capital of the school, economic capital of the family, cultural capital of the school and cultural capital of the family. Current educational reforms of secondary and higher education in Ukraine will not improve situation with access to higher education for children from poor social background. Closing of unprofitable universities and schools in rural area, expending the years of studying at school and implementation on funding reallocation based on a competition with financial support only of those, who are more successful, will deepen educational inequality, making accesses to the mechanism of improving socio-economic position even more dependent from socio-economic background.

The article studies objective preconditions of development of the concept of ‘human development risks’; the most prominent works of sociological science and their contribution to the theory of social risks, with some alternative modern interpretations of the risks of social development, which find their expression in such social movements as ‘anti-consumerism’ and ‘de-growth’. The focus is made on interpretations formed at the junction of two global concepts including ‘human development’ and ‘sustainable development’, as well as their reflection in international documents and activities of international organizations. The results of activities regarding the determination of priorities of sustainable development for Ukraine are presented. The specific features of the risks’ manifestation and their interpretation for the human development of Ukraine on the background of unfavorable socioeconomic dynamics are presented, while the estimates of Ukraine’s human development indices and their dynamics at the regional level are introduced.

This exploratory study deals with the core issues related to the operationalization of knowledge management in knowledge-intensive Pakistani banks. In terms of scientific relevance, this study is important, because it contributes to the body of literature on knowledge management issues in the context of banks in Pakistan. A qualitative research approach involving semi-structured interviews with senior managers and HR heads was adopted for the study. A total of sixteen interviews were conducted with senior managers and HR heads. All the interviews were carried out face to face amongst purposively selected participants from four commercial banks. The research findings were derived from the rigorous analytical process based on the qualitative content analysis method for making replicable and valid inferences from data in their context. The findings indicate that the present knowledge management system of the banks in Pakistan has helped members to meet the information needs through capture and to share explicit knowledge.

Knowledge Management (KM) implementation is as much a challenge as it is a great opportunity for businesses worldwide in several sectors. The controversy over its worthwhile application persists among practitioners and scholars, with claims having arisen that business opportunities and performance are enhanced through KM adoption. Conversely, challenges regarding effective implementation of KM concerning individuals’ behaviors, beliefs, and practices prompt significant questioning regarding its complex basis: individual-technology-process-production. The purpose of this work is to shed light on some perspectives for the effective adoption of knowledge management technology, the consolidation of a favorable and aligned organizational culture, and patterns of use and retrieval of information in organizations. This study brings into focus the concept of knowledge management and technology, and culture in the organization through a systematic literature review and based on the researcher’s hypothesis and observations that successful KM implementation results from a clear understanding of its multidisciplinary, complex, and multifaceted process, which requires a methodical and strategic business practice concerning the application of technological tools, the establishment of a learning culture through shared vision of business’ and individuals’ needs, and consequential enhancement of processes and solutions. It concludes that investment in KM practice and the consolidation of a learning culture are correlated, reflecting a type of leadership that is favorable to the flow of information, generation, and sharing of knowledge (the intellectual capital) and optimization of decision making and business performance.