Gabriela Dumbrava - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Gabriela Dumbrava

Research paper thumbnail of The Concept of Framing in Cross-Cultural Business Communication

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), 2010

Starting from the concept of cultural frames and their role in signifying human experience, the p... more Starting from the concept of cultural frames and their role in signifying human experience, the paper aims at pointing out that business communication, like any social interaction, is underrun by a process of framing, according to which individuals perceive, comprehend and appropriate otherness. Expanded to cross-cultural business communication, framing provides a clearer perspective on cultural divergence and ensures the acquiring of cultural sensitivity, which, in a global business environment, is of crucial importance for effective interactions.

Research paper thumbnail of Workplace Relations and Emotional Intelligence

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2011

The paper resorts to the instruments of social anthropology and psychology to quantify the role o... more The paper resorts to the instruments of social anthropology and psychology to quantify the role of non-cognitive aspects of intelligence, generically known as 'emotional intelligence', in the professional success of the individual and, implicitly, in the efficiency of business communication as a specific form of social interaction. In this sense, relying on research conducted in the field over the past decades, this study is an attempt to substantiate the theory according to which career accomplishment depends not so much on people's IQ as it does on their EQ, the indicator of their capacity to react and adapt to the working environment.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural Consequences of Globalization. Major Contemporary Theories on the Globallocal Interference

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Oct 1, 2016

The paper approaches the phenomenon of globalization from the perspective of the theories set for... more The paper approaches the phenomenon of globalization from the perspective of the theories set forth by two leading 21 st century figures in the field of global studies, namely Roland Robertson and Geoge Ritzer. By bringing together theoretical concepts and concrete examples from contemporary reality, this study attempts to point out that, depending on the relation between its driving forces, globalization can be either an integrative process, based on understanding, respecting and embracing diversity, or an act of leveling colonization.

Research paper thumbnail of The fear of the ‘other’ in the age of globalization. The image of Romanian migration in the British press

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2015

The present study attempts to show that, in the age of declarative cosmopolitanism and globalizat... more The present study attempts to show that, in the age of declarative cosmopolitanism and globalization, the ancestral fear of 'the Other' keeps resurfacing under the form of nationalism and xenophobia, very often generated and fueled by the media themselves. In this sense, the paper presents a selection of news from major British printed media covering the event of the so-called 'opening of the British borders' for Bulgarian and Romanian workers in January 1, 2014, showing how they build into an aggressive antiforeigner discourse that proves beyond doubt that the 'European ideal' still remains pure theory.

Research paper thumbnail of Romania’s Cultural Capital in the Global and European Context

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Oct 1, 2016

Starting from Bordieu's theory on the connection between the economic, social, and cultural capit... more Starting from Bordieu's theory on the connection between the economic, social, and cultural capital of society, the paper analyzes two variables of cultural consumption in 2014 Romania, namely the population's perception of national heritage and their attitude towards foreign cultures, in order to assess the effects of the accession to the European Union on the Romanians' sense of national identity. The study combines social theories with historical facts and statistical data in an attempt to show how Romania's Europeanization actually perfected the country's economic, social, and cultural disruption started after 1989.

Research paper thumbnail of The Present Collapse of Romanian Higher Education. Causes and Effects

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2014

The paper corroborates statistical data of economic and social nature in an attempt to outline th... more The paper corroborates statistical data of economic and social nature in an attempt to outline the national and European context within which the Romanian educational system has constantly degraded over the past years. At the same time, the study exceeds the limits of a simple identification of causes and analyzes the collapse of higher education both as an ultimate consequence of governmental oblivion towards national education, and from the perspective of its devastating boomerang effect on the Romanian economy and on the society at large.

Research paper thumbnail of Standing In - Between: Elements of Balkan Identity Underlying Romania’s Position in The EU

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2014

The paper examines the decisive impact of Romania’s Balkan heritage on its current position in th... more The paper examines the decisive impact of Romania’s Balkan heritage on its current position in the EU. Our study aims at proving that Romania’s present status among the EU countries is not only a matter of perception from the outside, but also a matter of self – perception, both being shaped by the stereotypes pertaining to the concept of ‘Balkanism’. Historically torn between the East and the West, the central and the liminal, the local and the global, the Balkan area has fostered a unique awareness of national identity, supported by a suspicious and defensive attitude towards the ‘outside’ and totally incongruent with the idea of integration. During the past years, the tension between its Balkan heritage and the integrative EU policies has generated a sense of identity crisis, due to which the Romanians find themselves “concomitantly inside and outside, actors in and audience at a play; owing to this ambiguity, they neither perform, nor watch very well”

Research paper thumbnail of The dynamics of enrollment at the University of Petroșani over the past decade in the European, national and local context

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2015

The paper studies the process of students’ enrollment at the University of Petroșani, Romania, ov... more The paper studies the process of students’ enrollment at the University of Petroșani, Romania, over the past decade and places its dynamics within a European, national and local context. On grounds of statistical data, the study aims at detecting the connection between the decreasing number of students at the University of Petroșani and a series of economic, social and political factors.

Research paper thumbnail of Keying and Role Play in Business Communication: Gender, Age and Race Cues

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2013

This study comes as a sequel to other two papers published in this journal in 2010 and 2012 1 bei... more This study comes as a sequel to other two papers published in this journal in 2010 and 2012 1 being part of a larger research that approaches business communication from the perspective of Goffman's theory of the relational dimension of meaning. The paper starts from the premise that meaning is generated within the context of each specific interaction, as a result of a culturally determined process of framing, during which inherited patterns of thought and behavior establish well defined positions from which the interlocutors perceive and respond to one another. It also aims at further analyzing the process of keying by identifying the paradigm shifts that individualize business encounters according to gender, age, and race cues, as well as the communication malfunctions induced by keying errors (misunderstandings, conflict and discrimination).

Research paper thumbnail of Keying and Role Play in Business Encounters. Spatial, Temporal, Behavior and Language Cues

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2012

This study proposes an approach business communication based on Erving Goffman's theory of the re... more This study proposes an approach business communication based on Erving Goffman's theory of the relational dimension of meaning, according to which meaning is not attached to the communication process, but generated within the context (frame) of each specific interaction. This automatically involves a complex process of keying, which basically refers to a series of paradigm shifts that individualize each instance of communication. Therefore, the present study aims at tracing the way in which the process of keying operates in business communication where the overlapping frames of everyday informal interactions and of formal, standardized communication generate, under the pressure of culturally inherited patterns, specific sets of spatial, temporal, behavior and language cues that assign well defined roles to the participants.

Research paper thumbnail of “Actions Speak Louder than Words” - Body Language in Business Communication

The paper starts from two premises, namely that business communication is a specific form of huma... more The paper starts from two premises, namely that business communication is a specific form of human interaction, and 70% of our communication is non – verbal. Therefore, relying on the latest findings in the field, our research deals with such basic elements of non – verbal communication as the use of interpersonal space and body language in order to prove

Research paper thumbnail of Turning history into culture

European Journal of English Studies, 2007

The central premise of this essay is that literature is one of the realms of epistemology that sh... more The central premise of this essay is that literature is one of the realms of epistemology that should not, and actually cannot, be discussed in opposition with science, simply because they are two parallel ways of articulating human experience into coherent forms. Structured at the intersection of philosophy, aesthetics, semiotics and sociology, the article is an attempt to reveal the particular way in which the narrative discourse assimilates and restores experience, so that the text becomes the space within which ‘the museum’ of humanity is perpetually reassessed and invested with new significance. This ‘bringing back to life’ of the museum, with its trajectory from explanation to comprehension, from syntactic to hermeneutic relations, from iconology to archaeology, and from rigid patterns to flexible frames, reveals more subtle relations between ontology and epistemology, offering a more adequate perspective on our own ambiguity as cultural beings.

Research paper thumbnail of The Vicious Spiral of Economic and Cultural Crisis . Cultural Implications of Romania ’ s Economic Collapse ( 2009 – 2010 )

The paper examines the dynamics of cultural consumption during Romania’s most dramatic period of ... more The paper examines the dynamics of cultural consumption during Romania’s most dramatic period of economic crisis (2009 – 2010) in an attempt to reveal the interdependence between the two phenomena, in the sense that any decline in one of them reverberates in the other. Thus, Romania’s particular case substantiates the assumption that the immediate, measurable consequences of economic crisis, such as poverty or unemployment, are doubled by a long – term impact on the population’s patterns of thought and behavior, whose alteration has a boomerang effect on the economy. Ultimately, this research combines the quantitative and the qualitative perspective in order to reveal the way in which, in moments of crisis, the economic and the cultural constantly backfire on each other in a vicious spiral and have a negative impact on social evolution at large. Key – Words: economy, society, economic crisis, cultural crisis, cultural non – consumption, social development 1 Economy – Society – Cultu...

Research paper thumbnail of From Archetype to Stereotype: a Postmodern Re–reading of the American South

European journal of American studies, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Elements of Cosmopolitanism and Globalization in Constantin Stere’s Work

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2005

The paper is an attempt to point out the cosmopolitan orientation of Constantin Stere’s work, whi... more The paper is an attempt to point out the cosmopolitan orientation of Constantin Stere’s work, which offers an exquisite sample of modern thought, anticipating as early as the end of the nineteenth century such actual problems as nationalism, anti - Semitism culturalization and globalization. By using examples from two of his major works, this study focuses on the central doctrine of his writings, which are centered on the idea that the national feeling should not exclude the opening towards universal values as a background for the self – awareness and self – assertion of any nation.

Research paper thumbnail of Gift Symbolism in International Business

Preparing for a business meeting requires thorough knowledge not only of the information to be di... more Preparing for a business meeting requires thorough knowledge not only of the information to be discussed and the material to be presented, but also of details regarding specific business etiquette, which varies dramatically from one cultural space to another. The paper focuses on an important component of business manners, namely gift offering, which can make the difference between a successful meeting and a fiasco.

Research paper thumbnail of Writing for Business Purposes: Elements of Email Etiquette

Starting from the premise that electronic mail has experienced an explosive development throughou... more Starting from the premise that electronic mail has experienced an explosive development throughout the world over the past few years, gaining substantial territory in the field of business communication, the paper focuses on the basic elements of email etiquette and on their importance in writing an effective and competitive electronic message. adapted to the context and purpose of professional writing.

Research paper thumbnail of Basic Aspects of Effective Business Writing

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2008

The paper starts from the premise that writing for a business context or audience displays specif... more The paper starts from the premise that writing for a business context or audience displays specific features of the rhetoric of discourse, being different from writing in the humanities, social sciences, or other academic disciplines. Within the framework of general writing rules, the paper points out the special issues arising in the business context, analyzing the major content and form - related aspects meant to ensure an effective written communication.

Research paper thumbnail of Eminescu and protectionism

The paper presents several aspects of Eminescu’s view of free exchange and protectionism in Roman... more The paper presents several aspects of Eminescu’s view of free exchange and protectionism in Romania, in a period when every national economy was threatened to be stifled by the Western economy, which was much more advanced. By taking over progressive ideas from European economic doctrines, Eminescu boldly elaborates a nationalist doctrine, his conception relying on the need of a technical education.

Research paper thumbnail of The Concept of Framing in Cross-Cultural Business Communication

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), 2010

Starting from the concept of cultural frames and their role in signifying human experience, the p... more Starting from the concept of cultural frames and their role in signifying human experience, the paper aims at pointing out that business communication, like any social interaction, is underrun by a process of framing, according to which individuals perceive, comprehend and appropriate otherness. Expanded to cross-cultural business communication, framing provides a clearer perspective on cultural divergence and ensures the acquiring of cultural sensitivity, which, in a global business environment, is of crucial importance for effective interactions.

Research paper thumbnail of Workplace Relations and Emotional Intelligence

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2011

The paper resorts to the instruments of social anthropology and psychology to quantify the role o... more The paper resorts to the instruments of social anthropology and psychology to quantify the role of non-cognitive aspects of intelligence, generically known as 'emotional intelligence', in the professional success of the individual and, implicitly, in the efficiency of business communication as a specific form of social interaction. In this sense, relying on research conducted in the field over the past decades, this study is an attempt to substantiate the theory according to which career accomplishment depends not so much on people's IQ as it does on their EQ, the indicator of their capacity to react and adapt to the working environment.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural Consequences of Globalization. Major Contemporary Theories on the Globallocal Interference

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Oct 1, 2016

The paper approaches the phenomenon of globalization from the perspective of the theories set for... more The paper approaches the phenomenon of globalization from the perspective of the theories set forth by two leading 21 st century figures in the field of global studies, namely Roland Robertson and Geoge Ritzer. By bringing together theoretical concepts and concrete examples from contemporary reality, this study attempts to point out that, depending on the relation between its driving forces, globalization can be either an integrative process, based on understanding, respecting and embracing diversity, or an act of leveling colonization.

Research paper thumbnail of The fear of the ‘other’ in the age of globalization. The image of Romanian migration in the British press

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2015

The present study attempts to show that, in the age of declarative cosmopolitanism and globalizat... more The present study attempts to show that, in the age of declarative cosmopolitanism and globalization, the ancestral fear of 'the Other' keeps resurfacing under the form of nationalism and xenophobia, very often generated and fueled by the media themselves. In this sense, the paper presents a selection of news from major British printed media covering the event of the so-called 'opening of the British borders' for Bulgarian and Romanian workers in January 1, 2014, showing how they build into an aggressive antiforeigner discourse that proves beyond doubt that the 'European ideal' still remains pure theory.

Research paper thumbnail of Romania’s Cultural Capital in the Global and European Context

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Oct 1, 2016

Starting from Bordieu's theory on the connection between the economic, social, and cultural capit... more Starting from Bordieu's theory on the connection between the economic, social, and cultural capital of society, the paper analyzes two variables of cultural consumption in 2014 Romania, namely the population's perception of national heritage and their attitude towards foreign cultures, in order to assess the effects of the accession to the European Union on the Romanians' sense of national identity. The study combines social theories with historical facts and statistical data in an attempt to show how Romania's Europeanization actually perfected the country's economic, social, and cultural disruption started after 1989.

Research paper thumbnail of The Present Collapse of Romanian Higher Education. Causes and Effects

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2014

The paper corroborates statistical data of economic and social nature in an attempt to outline th... more The paper corroborates statistical data of economic and social nature in an attempt to outline the national and European context within which the Romanian educational system has constantly degraded over the past years. At the same time, the study exceeds the limits of a simple identification of causes and analyzes the collapse of higher education both as an ultimate consequence of governmental oblivion towards national education, and from the perspective of its devastating boomerang effect on the Romanian economy and on the society at large.

Research paper thumbnail of Standing In - Between: Elements of Balkan Identity Underlying Romania’s Position in The EU

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2014

The paper examines the decisive impact of Romania’s Balkan heritage on its current position in th... more The paper examines the decisive impact of Romania’s Balkan heritage on its current position in the EU. Our study aims at proving that Romania’s present status among the EU countries is not only a matter of perception from the outside, but also a matter of self – perception, both being shaped by the stereotypes pertaining to the concept of ‘Balkanism’. Historically torn between the East and the West, the central and the liminal, the local and the global, the Balkan area has fostered a unique awareness of national identity, supported by a suspicious and defensive attitude towards the ‘outside’ and totally incongruent with the idea of integration. During the past years, the tension between its Balkan heritage and the integrative EU policies has generated a sense of identity crisis, due to which the Romanians find themselves “concomitantly inside and outside, actors in and audience at a play; owing to this ambiguity, they neither perform, nor watch very well”

Research paper thumbnail of The dynamics of enrollment at the University of Petroșani over the past decade in the European, national and local context

Annals of the University of Petrosani: Economics, 2015

The paper studies the process of students’ enrollment at the University of Petroșani, Romania, ov... more The paper studies the process of students’ enrollment at the University of Petroșani, Romania, over the past decade and places its dynamics within a European, national and local context. On grounds of statistical data, the study aims at detecting the connection between the decreasing number of students at the University of Petroșani and a series of economic, social and political factors.

Research paper thumbnail of Keying and Role Play in Business Communication: Gender, Age and Race Cues

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2013

This study comes as a sequel to other two papers published in this journal in 2010 and 2012 1 bei... more This study comes as a sequel to other two papers published in this journal in 2010 and 2012 1 being part of a larger research that approaches business communication from the perspective of Goffman's theory of the relational dimension of meaning. The paper starts from the premise that meaning is generated within the context of each specific interaction, as a result of a culturally determined process of framing, during which inherited patterns of thought and behavior establish well defined positions from which the interlocutors perceive and respond to one another. It also aims at further analyzing the process of keying by identifying the paradigm shifts that individualize business encounters according to gender, age, and race cues, as well as the communication malfunctions induced by keying errors (misunderstandings, conflict and discrimination).

Research paper thumbnail of Keying and Role Play in Business Encounters. Spatial, Temporal, Behavior and Language Cues

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2012

This study proposes an approach business communication based on Erving Goffman's theory of the re... more This study proposes an approach business communication based on Erving Goffman's theory of the relational dimension of meaning, according to which meaning is not attached to the communication process, but generated within the context (frame) of each specific interaction. This automatically involves a complex process of keying, which basically refers to a series of paradigm shifts that individualize each instance of communication. Therefore, the present study aims at tracing the way in which the process of keying operates in business communication where the overlapping frames of everyday informal interactions and of formal, standardized communication generate, under the pressure of culturally inherited patterns, specific sets of spatial, temporal, behavior and language cues that assign well defined roles to the participants.

Research paper thumbnail of “Actions Speak Louder than Words” - Body Language in Business Communication

The paper starts from two premises, namely that business communication is a specific form of huma... more The paper starts from two premises, namely that business communication is a specific form of human interaction, and 70% of our communication is non – verbal. Therefore, relying on the latest findings in the field, our research deals with such basic elements of non – verbal communication as the use of interpersonal space and body language in order to prove

Research paper thumbnail of Turning history into culture

European Journal of English Studies, 2007

The central premise of this essay is that literature is one of the realms of epistemology that sh... more The central premise of this essay is that literature is one of the realms of epistemology that should not, and actually cannot, be discussed in opposition with science, simply because they are two parallel ways of articulating human experience into coherent forms. Structured at the intersection of philosophy, aesthetics, semiotics and sociology, the article is an attempt to reveal the particular way in which the narrative discourse assimilates and restores experience, so that the text becomes the space within which ‘the museum’ of humanity is perpetually reassessed and invested with new significance. This ‘bringing back to life’ of the museum, with its trajectory from explanation to comprehension, from syntactic to hermeneutic relations, from iconology to archaeology, and from rigid patterns to flexible frames, reveals more subtle relations between ontology and epistemology, offering a more adequate perspective on our own ambiguity as cultural beings.

Research paper thumbnail of The Vicious Spiral of Economic and Cultural Crisis . Cultural Implications of Romania ’ s Economic Collapse ( 2009 – 2010 )

The paper examines the dynamics of cultural consumption during Romania’s most dramatic period of ... more The paper examines the dynamics of cultural consumption during Romania’s most dramatic period of economic crisis (2009 – 2010) in an attempt to reveal the interdependence between the two phenomena, in the sense that any decline in one of them reverberates in the other. Thus, Romania’s particular case substantiates the assumption that the immediate, measurable consequences of economic crisis, such as poverty or unemployment, are doubled by a long – term impact on the population’s patterns of thought and behavior, whose alteration has a boomerang effect on the economy. Ultimately, this research combines the quantitative and the qualitative perspective in order to reveal the way in which, in moments of crisis, the economic and the cultural constantly backfire on each other in a vicious spiral and have a negative impact on social evolution at large. Key – Words: economy, society, economic crisis, cultural crisis, cultural non – consumption, social development 1 Economy – Society – Cultu...

Research paper thumbnail of From Archetype to Stereotype: a Postmodern Re–reading of the American South

European journal of American studies, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Elements of Cosmopolitanism and Globalization in Constantin Stere’s Work

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2005

The paper is an attempt to point out the cosmopolitan orientation of Constantin Stere’s work, whi... more The paper is an attempt to point out the cosmopolitan orientation of Constantin Stere’s work, which offers an exquisite sample of modern thought, anticipating as early as the end of the nineteenth century such actual problems as nationalism, anti - Semitism culturalization and globalization. By using examples from two of his major works, this study focuses on the central doctrine of his writings, which are centered on the idea that the national feeling should not exclude the opening towards universal values as a background for the self – awareness and self – assertion of any nation.

Research paper thumbnail of Gift Symbolism in International Business

Preparing for a business meeting requires thorough knowledge not only of the information to be di... more Preparing for a business meeting requires thorough knowledge not only of the information to be discussed and the material to be presented, but also of details regarding specific business etiquette, which varies dramatically from one cultural space to another. The paper focuses on an important component of business manners, namely gift offering, which can make the difference between a successful meeting and a fiasco.

Research paper thumbnail of Writing for Business Purposes: Elements of Email Etiquette

Starting from the premise that electronic mail has experienced an explosive development throughou... more Starting from the premise that electronic mail has experienced an explosive development throughout the world over the past few years, gaining substantial territory in the field of business communication, the paper focuses on the basic elements of email etiquette and on their importance in writing an effective and competitive electronic message. adapted to the context and purpose of professional writing.

Research paper thumbnail of Basic Aspects of Effective Business Writing

Annals of the University of Petrosani Economics, 2008

The paper starts from the premise that writing for a business context or audience displays specif... more The paper starts from the premise that writing for a business context or audience displays specific features of the rhetoric of discourse, being different from writing in the humanities, social sciences, or other academic disciplines. Within the framework of general writing rules, the paper points out the special issues arising in the business context, analyzing the major content and form - related aspects meant to ensure an effective written communication.

Research paper thumbnail of Eminescu and protectionism

The paper presents several aspects of Eminescu’s view of free exchange and protectionism in Roman... more The paper presents several aspects of Eminescu’s view of free exchange and protectionism in Romania, in a period when every national economy was threatened to be stifled by the Western economy, which was much more advanced. By taking over progressive ideas from European economic doctrines, Eminescu boldly elaborates a nationalist doctrine, his conception relying on the need of a technical education.