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Diversity is the wealth of Montenegro. It is a comparative advantage that provides an exceptional opportunity for understanding and tolerance. It encourages citizens to dialogue, get to know each other and get closer and not to misunderstand, confront and divide society. Any attempt to explore and consider the position of the minority national and ethnic groups in a given social reality is a very specific problem. The best indicator of democracy and tolerance achieved by the social system in a country is the attitude towards its minorities. It is reflected in the majority population's ability to exist under the conditions of tolerating and respecting minorities and their rights. In that sense, the question of the actual (not only constitutional) position of the minorities is an issue of the majority community just as it is a specific mirror of its achieved level of tolerance, emancipation and culture of living. It is especially interesting to explore those national and ethnic minorities with no ‘mother country’, that is, ‘no one to stand up for them’. The Roma population is one of these. It should be kept in mind that its position, regardless of the state in question, is complex and faces various problems.

In order to significantly improve the overall position of the Roma population in Montenegro, it is necessary to improve the socio-economic status of this group. The best way to do such a thing is through the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, as well as the promotion of Roma's identity and cultural heritage. The poor socio-economic status of Roma in Montenegro is a consequence of their inability to be employed. They are not employed because they are not formally educated or do not have a significant level of institutional education. So it is a vicious circle in which the Roma are spinning unsuccessfully to resolve, at least somewhat decently, their socio-economic position. The educational situation of the Roma population in Montenegro is significantly better at the end of the second decade of the twenty-first century, but still not nearly satisfactory in the way how that members of this population successfully participate in finding and getting a job. Therefore, through mutual communication between Roma and other social actors in Montenegro, it is necessary to raise awareness and strengthen the capacity of Roma about the importance of education and the connection of this segment of society with their employment. This leads to the improvement of the overall position of the Roma population in Montenegrin society, as well as the building of an inclusive and open society, a society of equality and justice and equal opportunities for all residents to access educational institutions at various levels and other legal and social structures.

The Egyptian Revolution gave birth to an intriguing community of graffiti artists that have been going through successful social learning processes. The naturally formed learning groups provided a fertile substance for social learning research and called for a comparison between the nature and elements of social learning and those of the learning taking place in the more traditional settings in an attempt to magnify factors of success. The purpose of this paper is to draw upon Wenger’s (1998) theory of Communities of Practice (CoP) and examines three major elements of learning in relation to it; namely, motivation, social practice, and the role of experts.

The paper offers an in-depth analysis of perceptions of six Egyptian graffiti artists of their learning experiences.

The paper argues that the motivational factor is underdeveloped in Wenger’s theory and that a concept that encompasses a combination of intrinsic motivation (IM) and identified regulation would provide a more accurate description of the driving force of a successful social learning process.

Although a snowballing approach was adopted, reaching the interviewees was not an easy task for security reasons; therefore, limiting the number to six was forced upon the researcher. Yet, a sense of saturation was reached. The paper underlines the vital role of social practice, which places meaning at the centre of learning, calls for revisiting the role of experts in Wenger’s theory and claims its marginality.

Conclusions of this study suggest that the idea of a combination of passion and goal as core components of a CoP is an underdeveloped concept in Wenger’s (1998) theory and that outward motivational factors need to be discarded from the equation. This research proposes that a combination of IM and identified regulation provide a more accurate description of the driving force of a successful social learning process.

The purpose of the paper is to showcase the significant achievements of Egypt's scientists in the 20th century across various fields of study such as medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, math, geology, astronomy and engineering. The paper highlights the struggles and successes of these scientists, as well as the cultural, social and political factors that influenced their lives and work. The aim is to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and make their own contributions to society by presenting these scientists as role models for hard work and dedication. Ultimately, the paper seeks to promote the importance of science and its impact on society.

The purpose of this review is to present the scientific biographies of Egypt's most distinguished scientists, primarily in the field of Natural Sciences, in a balanced and comprehensive manner. The work is objective, honest and abstract, avoiding any bias or exaggeration. The author provides a clear and concise methodology, including a brief introduction to the scientist and their field of study, an explanation of their major contributions, the impact of their work on society, any challenges or obstacles faced during their career and their lasting legacy. The aim is to showcase the important achievements of these scientists, their impact on their respective fields and to inspire future generations to pursue scientific careers.

The group of outstanding scientists in 20th century Egypt were shaped by various factors, including familial upbringing, education, society, political and cultural atmosphere and state support for scientific research. These scientists made significant contributions to various academic disciplines, including medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering. Their impact on their communities and cultures has received international acclaim, making them role models for future generations of scientists and researchers. The history of these scientists highlights the importance of educational investments and supporting scientific research to foster innovation and social progress. The encyclopedia serves as a useful tool for students, instructors and education professionals, preserving Egypt's scientific heritage and honouring the scientists' outstanding accomplishments.

The encyclopedia preserves Egypt's scientific heritage, which has been overlooked for political or other reasons. It is a useful tool for a variety of readers, including students, instructors and education professionals, and it offers insights into universally relevant scientific success factors as well as scientific research methodologies. The encyclopedia honours the outstanding scientific accomplishments of Egyptian researchers and their contributions to the world's scientific community.

The practical implications of this paper are several. First, it highlights the importance of education, family upbringing and societal support for scientific research in fostering innovation and social progress. Second, it underscores the need for continued funding and support for scientific research to maintain and build upon the accomplishments of past generations of scientists. Third, it encourages young people to pursue scientific careers and make their own contributions to society. Fourth, it preserves the scientific heritage of Egypt and honors the contributions of its outstanding scientists. Finally, it serves as a useful tool for students, instructors and education professionals seeking to understand the factors underlying scientific success and research methodologies.

The social implications of the paper include promoting national pride and cultural identity, raising awareness of the importance of education and scientific research in driving social progress, inspiring future generations of scientists and researchers, reducing socioeconomic disparities and emphasizing the role of society, politics and culture in shaping scientific researchers' personalities and interests.

The paper's originality/value lies in its comprehensive documentation of the scientific biographies of Egypt's most prominent scientists in the 20th century, providing unique insights into the factors that contributed to their development and their impact across various academic disciplines. It preserves Egypt's scientific heritage and inspires future generations of scientists and researchers through the promotion of educational investments and scientific research. The encyclopedia serves as a useful tool for education professionals seeking to understand scientific success factors and research methodologies, emphasizing the importance of supportive and inclusive environments for scientific development.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA) on sustainable development (SD) and to explore VSLA as an approach that leads to women’s financial empowerment and its impact on SD in Egypt.

A mixed method was applied for this study, including qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative method includes 50 individual interviews with women in the upper Egypt communities that applied the VSLA approach, the quantitative method, on the other hand, relied on secondary data, such as the outcomes of (knowledge, attitude, and practices [KAP]). The VSLA was applied in the Egyptian Community in 2015–2019, according to KAP study reports presented by international funders.

This study concludes that this VSLA approach helped many women and families to improve their economic situation and overcome financial hardship, which reflected on rural SD. Furthermore, the concept equipped and empowered women with a needed financial hardship that allowed them to improve their family situation and to participate in the process of developing their communities in a sustainable way. Also, women participated in VSLA leading initiatives and took an active role in rural SD in their community.

The findings only apply to the sample that has participated in the VSLA project implemented by an international donor. A longitudinal quantitative evaluation of the VSLA approach and its impact on SD strategy of Egypt would be recommended in terms of further research study, highlighting the role of VSLA’s impact on achieving the Egyptian sustainable strategy 2030.

This paper is unique in presenting the concept of the VSLA as an intervention and approach for rural SD in the rural community by empowering marginalized women financially. Although this approach has been used by international donors as part of large programs implemented in Egypt and other countries since 1979 aimed at SD in rural areas, there is scarcity in the literature related to this approach.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of women as human capital on sustainable development in the Egyptian community factories. Presently, sustainability has become one of the targets all over the world , especially the Egyptian strategy that focuses more on women’s empowerment as human capital. There is a positive trend among organizations, governments and communities to focus more on the lead of sustainability in all our daily activities and business activities.

Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to gather data from 100 engineers (50 women and 50 men) employees of Egyptian factories and industries located in Egypt. To analyze, the collected data, regression analysis and correlation coefficient were employed to examine the study objectives and questions. A statistical Package for Social Sciences has been used for data analysis.

Results reveal that there is a direct positive relationship between women as a capital and sustainable development with its four interrelated pillars (economic, social, environmental and education) in a positive and significant way and the three factors of Human Capital (leadership and motivation, qualifications and satisfaction and creativity).

The findings only apply to the sample (engineering women, men) that has participated in the questionnaire in the Egyptian factories. More research would be recommended in terms of further research study, highlighting the role of women in other categories in the STEM field as they are the human capital crucial for sustainable development and highlighting its impact on the Egyptian sustainable strategy 2030.

Although the Egyptian strategy reinforces gender equality and gaining more roles for women in the Egyptian community, there is still absence of women in factories and science. Based on the findings, there are three concerns that must be addressed: First, opportunities need to be embedded in the factories for more women, especially in engineering categories. Second, authorities must encourage human capital development for women. Third, there is a strong need to create responsible leadership between all human capitals which are especially important in areas of industry.

Egyptian factories need to support women’s enthusiasm for innovation, continuously advance science and engineering, foster a business environment that fosters the coexistence of science and technology, the economy and society, support enterprise transformation and optimize the industrial structure of Egyptian industry. Simultaneously, it should encourage and promote the transformation of female achievements and strengthen the role of women leadership enterprises in Egyptian society. In order to promote the ideas of women, more money must be spent on scientific research, human capital must be allocated more effectively and fresh momentum for sustainable economic growth must be generated. It must expand training investment, encourage high-quality human capital and remove the bottleneck.

This paper is unique in presenting women as human capital in Egyptian society and reflects its impact on sustainable development pillars. Although much literature and study is dealing with the two topics of human capital and sustainable development separately or with links to other topics, they have not been dealt with together and there is a scarcity in the literature related to these topics focusing on women separately.

This chapter traces the Egyptian tourism policies since the 1980s and showcases patterns of successes and pitfalls of plans instrumented by such policies. It also debates the extent to which Egyptian tourism policies and strategies have been able to cope with the shifting international trends and comprehend the most recent models of development with all its economic, technological, and environmental dimensions. The discussion illustrates different plans/tools employed to achieve broad goals and discusses influences of their implementation. This sheds light on the current uncertain political situation and problems posed by such unstable circumstances.

This chapter delves into the education of Kosovo's Roma community, shining a light on the obstacles they encounter and the initiatives taken by the government to enhance their educational prospects. The Roma community represents just 0.5% of Kosovo's entire population and faces significant challenges with low literacy rates and high dropout rates, particularly at lower levels of education. Since Kosovo's independence proclamation in 2008, there have been institutional advancements and partnerships with local, central, and worldwide organisations to improve the education system for the Roma community.

This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the educational situation of the Roma community in Kosovo. It recognises their challenges and proposes practical solutions to accelerate their integration and improve their social, educational, and cultural welfare. Various analytical methods, including descriptive statistics and historical analysis, are utilised to conduct comparative and quantitative assessments.

The Roma community in Kosovo continues to encounter numerous challenges, such as economic hardships, lack of education opportunities, and early marriages that often result in school dropouts. However, research highlights the government's dedication to enhancing education conditions and enabling better access to the labour market for the Roma community through proper education and qualifications. Additionally, Kosovo's constitutional and legal framework safeguards the rights of all communities, including the Roma community, regarding education and employment with high standards.

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to identify the CSR dynamics through a social capital lens in a developing country's context.

Approach – The research design underpinning this study is qualitative. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with SMEs owner-managers.

Findings – Adopting a pragmatic stance, the research highlighted the significant role of the social capital concept in enabling or hindering SMEs’ engagement in the CSR discourse in the Egyptian context.

Implications/limitations – A holistic understanding of the subject has been achieved by examining core issues at different levels. It is recommended that micro-individual (SME owner/manager), meso-organisational (SME context and industry), and macro-environmental (socio-economic and cultural environment) dynamics be explored by employing suitable research methods grounded in research paradigms that allow for qualitative exploration.

Practical implications – By giving prominence to SMEs as the research focus, the significance of these enterprises for sustainable development is highlighted at the policy level by developing tools and mechanisms that deal with effective implementation of CSR programmes in that sector.

Social implications – An in-depth understanding of the CSR practices of SMEs as embedded in their operational management will help policy makers in promoting sustainable practices by integrating social and environmental activities in the day-to-day operations of SMEs.

Originality/value – The chapter makes a contribution to academic theory in the area of CSR in SMEs by examining the phenomenon through a social capital lens using a multi-layered approach from a developing country's perspective.

The study aims to investigate the appearance of corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) practices in a context where economic, communal and political institutions are highly central and competing with each other.

Theoretically, the study draws upon the institutional logics perspective and the theoretical concepts of logics centrality and compatibility to understand how higher-order institutions interact with mundane CSER practices observed at the case company's micro level. Empirical data were solicited in an Egyptian village community, where fishing, agriculture and especially salt production constitute the main economic activities underlying its livelihood. A combination of interviews, informal conversations, observations and documents solicits the required data.

Thereby, this study presents an inclusive view of CSER as practiced in developing countries, which is based not only on rational economic perspectives – as is the case in developed and stabilised contexts – but also on social, familial and political aspects that are central to the present complex institutional environment.

The reported findings in this study highlight the role of non-economic (societal) logics in understating CSER in African developing nations.

This contribution analyses marketing strategies of transnational corporations operating in the field of consumer goods in contemporary Egypt. Using anthropological methodology, I explore the interrelations between rural marketing and consumer intifada, and note that in contrast to commonly held views about the homogenisation of local consumer cultures, in the sense of a Coca-Colaisation process, corporate communications strategies and product policies over the past decade have been increasingly taking cultural spheres of meaning into account in their effort to penetrate the Egyptian mass market. Various indicators show that the relevance of producing and marketing standardised goods has been diminishing as compared to the key importance of adapting global products to the local setting with its various cultural and political components.