Risk of EU-UK trade disruption remains strong

Significance The agreement will temporarily cool tensions between the United Kingdom and the EU over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP). However, underlying problems remain unaddressed and the possibility of targeted retaliatory action by the EU remains significant. Impacts The unionist marching season in July and August threatens to inflame social and political tensions over the NIP in Northern Ireland. Early elections in Northern Ireland would essentially be a referendum on the NIP, and would threaten to damage EU-UK relations further. London may consider an EU-UK veterinary deal if it is temporary and the United Kingdom can withdraw if its ability to sign FTAs is harmed.

Sweet Revenge Feels Less Bitter: Spontaneous Affective Reactions After Revenge Taking

Previous studies suggested that people feel better after revenge taking, while other studies showed that they feel worse. The interpretation of this research is however ambiguous due to its extensive reliance on self-report measures. The present research examined spontaneous affective responses after retaliatory punishments in a laboratory task using an indirect measure of affect (affect misattribution procedure). Experiment 1 showed positive reactions after noise punishments of a provocateur compared to a control person, but only in revenge-seeking participants. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and revealed that punishing either individual led to less positive responses than not punishing anyone. It is suggested that revenge taking is associated with brief pleasurable responses that can ameliorate negative affective consequences of retaliatory action. Revenge is sweet because it makes one feel better about one’s punitive action.

efin Recruiters: at the crossroads of the Indian RPO Industry

Subject area Strategic Management. Study level/applicability Master of Business Administration/Executive Program in Management Level. Case overview Rajat Malik started eFin Recruiters in January 2015 an RPO firm solely catering to the finance domain. Positioning eFin Recruiters in a niche domain created serious challenges to be tackled. Rajat was contemplating leveraging the Indian Government’s Startup India campaign launched on January 16, 2016 to his advantage to scale up eFin Recruiters’ operations by 400 per cent and compete with large established players in the RPO industry. Complacency and anticipated retaliatory action by competitors against eFin Recruiters’ positioning in the niche domain were a huge impediment in eFin Recruiters’ path to exponential growth. Expected learning outcomes This case will enable students to understand the concepts of industry analysis, strategic positioning from the view of an entrepreneurial firm and business level strategy. This case acts as a medium to integrate entrepreneurship and strategy which is of utmost relevance. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS: 11: Strategy.

US 9-11 bill veto override could have wide impact

Significance This bill creates an exception to US foreign sovereign legal immunity for supporters of terrorism. Although JASTA passed Congress on an untallied voice vote, unofficial vote counts show that each chamber would probably reach the necessary two-thirds vote to override Obama's veto. This would mark the first veto override of Obama's tenure. Impacts Even unsuccessful legal action can lead to costly freezes on financial transactions pending the outcome. The next Congress is unlikely to defer to the White House's lead on policy towards key security relationships in the Gulf. US intelligence officials and military personnel could be subject to retaliatory action by foreign governments.

Russia’s quest for respect in the international conflict management in Kosovo

This article examines the emotion-based status-seeking logic in Russia’s foreign policy vis-à-vis the West, presenting the example of Russia’s reactions to NATO’s military campaign against Serbia in 1999. It is argued that Russian assertiveness in combination with expressive rhetoric must be understood as a result of the ruling elite’s need to have Russia’s identity and self-defined social status as an equal great power in world politics respected by its Western interaction partners. Russia’s reactions to NATO’s intervention, which was not authorized by the UN Security Council, must be read as a strategy coping with the emotion anger about the perceived humiliation and provocation of status denial and ignorance by the West. We find various elements of such a coping strategy, among them the verbalization of the feeling of anger among Russian political circles and the media; uttering retaliation threats, but no ‘real’ aggressive, retaliatory action; minor and temporary activities aimed at restoring Russia’s image and status as an influential an equal power. On the surface, the Kosovo episode did not result in any visible break or rift in the RussianeWestern relationship. However, emotionally it has lead to a significant loss of trust in the respective partner on both sides.

The European Neutrals and the Atlantic Community

When major plans for European or Atlantic integration are under discussion, European neutrals receive little attention. Much concern is expressed over the impact of the European Economic Community or of an Atlantic Community upon Latin America, Africa, or Asia, and considerable care is exercised to alleviate apprehension, to quiet fears, to subdue sharp reactions, and, finally, to prevent retaliatory action. But the situation of the small neutral European states is only mentioned in passing. In the last analysis, more consideration is shown for distant and often hostile neutralists than for neutral, but friendly, neighbors.