Sustainable economic growth assumes interdependencies among social, economic, and environmental dimensions of growth. For Romania, in particular, the sustainable economic growth is both a challenge and an opportunity for prosperity. This paper aims at assessing the sustainability of economic growth in Romania in the period 1995-2019 by identifying the social, economic, environmental, and institutional drivers of the process of economic growth. Multivariate time-series analysis was used to analyse if the Romanian economic growth in the period 1995-2019 is sustainable. We also estimated the GDP per capita growth rate based on the determinants with which we found significant relationships.
Keywords: sustainable economic growth; Romania, GDP per capita growth rate; socio-economic, environmental, and institutional factors; multivariate time-series analysis; multiple regression model
The potential of using information technology for socio-economic development of the country and the life quality of every citizen is quite significant now in Ukraine. The aim of the article is to study the modern possibilities of using information technologies, namely, adaptations of accounting and analytical support in the conditions of diffusion of socio-economic values to increase the welfare of the population. The methods of divergence and convergence, rationality and irrationality were used in the work - to search for effective tools for regulating national and international financial relations in Ukraine in the context of the challenges of globalization; methods of analysis of cognitive data – to determine the forms and directions of digital hygiene in Ukrainian society; conceptualization of consequences and the duality of assessing results - to illustrate the reflection of the current state of development of the analytical basis and levelling Ukraine's dependence on financial hedonism, which currently prevails in the world. Specific areas of application of innovative technologies are proposed, such as tourism services and hotel and restaurant business. Ensuring the competitiveness of national industries as a result of their use of innovative behaviour and the development of new technologies and the accumulation by economically active subjects of innovative knowledge and empirical skills ensures the introduction of new information technologies in various spheres of human life, with no exception of tourism and restaurant industry. The modern industry of restaurant and tourism business has been actively using specialized software and global computer networks in recent years to increase the efficiency of the placement and search of information, the activation of promotion and services marketing, and the improvement of the quality of customer service, as this is an important condition for the quality of such services. Thus, integration aspirations in the global socio-economic system should be supplemented by facilitating access to advanced information technologies within the country itself. This is a necessary condition for the process of diffusion of socio-economic development and innovative knowledge that should be accumulated in the country.
Keywords: innovation, technology transfer, welfare, socio-economic development, accounting and analytical support
The article aims to characterize the remedial strategies undertaken by Polish families using social assistance to minimize material deprivation and the main barriers to empowerment of such families. The source of data are the results obtained as part of the author's own research, which were conducted with social workers in Poland and had quantitative (500 CATI) and qualitative (90 IDI) nature. In families living in difficult economic conditions, both active and passive activities are used to obtain the missing funds. Active strategies include taking up a job (permanent, additional or occasional, legal or in the so-called 'gray area'), selling or exchanging skills, time and goods, borrowing money, or applying for support to institutions (which is mainly a female domain). Women also implement many passive strategies that involve saving or reducing consumption by, for example, preparing dishes from cheap products, shopping in places with the lowest prices, buying second-hand items, etc. The main barriers to minimizing the poverty of families benefiting from social assistance in Poland are related to their life attitude and the gender of its members. Remedial strategies for difficult financial situations undertaken by poor families benefiting from social assistance vary depending on the type of family, problem(s) they experience and the resources they have. The strategies undertaken also depend on the gender of family members experiencing poverty.
Keywords: poverty, family, social assistance, social worker, gender
Innovativeness is currently one of the basic determinants of development and building competitiveness in modern organizations. It is conditioned by a number of factors, among which an important group are internal factors related to the activity and participation of employees in the generation, development and implementation of innovative ideas, among other things. Modern enterprises cannot limit themselves to active adaptation, but should themselves become innovative organizations characterized by skillfulness in creating, implementing and disseminating innovations. The aim of the study is to present the concept of measuring innovative employee behavior in the internal perspective of the organization. The article discusses the main methodological problems regarding the employee innovation measurement model. The implementation of the objective required reviewing the literature and developing an independent research model. The novel nature of the issues raised, together with the high relevance of the research problem at hand, prompted the need to pay special attention to the correct design of the research process. As the literature indicates, decisions made at the design stage of research, and further diligence in implementing those decisions, determine not only the quality of the research project itself, but more than anything, the credibility of the conclusions drawn on their basis.
Keywords: innovative behaviours, employee behaviours, stimulate innovations, research methods, scientific research
Decentralization, which has begun and continues in Ukraine, has raised the living standards of local people to a new level by updating tools and methods of managing the sustainable development of such territories, updating a particularly balanced approach to planning and finding reliable sources. In this context, it is advisable to identify qualitatively the local area, which is not only a guarantee of their subjectivity and sustainability, but also the basis for the strategies forming for their socio-economic development, the realism and effectiveness of which is based on sustainable development management as well as administrative and financial capacity of communities. However, as practice has shown, most local areas, although willing to identify their unique features, but do not know how to do it, because the current legal field in Ukraine does not regulate the procedure and criteria for such identification. This article was an attempt to research the managerial possibilities of creating a positive image of the territory through the sustainable development and choice of appropriate assessment parameters – the criteria for identifying the amalgamated territorial communities of Ukraine as local territories. As a result of the research, a model list of such criteria is proposed, which is sufficiently universal to determine the unique and typical characteristics of any territories, and also contains a specific subsystem that allows reflecting the individual features of territories close to the armed conflict zone in the Eastern Ukraine. Using this list will allow communities to form one or more images of the local area: from formal (real) to imaginary and special. It will help improve the results of communities and territories identification, the foundation for the sustainable development with marketing measures to promote communities as well as the formation of management decisions for their strategic and sustainable development, which will be best adapted to the realities of the current armed conflict.
Keyword: sustainable development management, identification criteria, local territories, amalgamated territorial communities, military conflict
Subsidizing electricity and non-electrical energy products has affected manufacturing output in Egypt, especially given the structure of Egypt's manufacturing sector which leaning heavily towards capital- and energy-intensive products. This effect is captured in a production function estimated for the twenty industries making up Egypt's manufacturing sector over the period 2002-2016. With homogeneous parameters, the estimated output elasticity of energy is 0.28. With panel member parameter heterogeneity, the output elasticity of energy is positive and statistically significant in ten manufacturing industries. Negative and statistically significant elasticity is however found in refined petroleum products, fabricated metal products, and electrical machinery and equipment. This indicates suboptimal energy use. Elasticity is also negative, though statistically insignificant, in: textiles, basic metals, and "other manufacturing". Except for "other manufacturing", industries of negative elasticity are all energy-intensive. Moreover, refined petroleum, fabricated metals and basic metals are pollution-intensive. A priority policy measure is to remove subsidies from energy inefficient and polluting industries as opposed to mere 'across-the-board' removal.
Keywords: energy consumption; manufacturing industries; energy- and pollution intensive; Egypt
The modern world is bound not only by global flows of information, capital, services, and movement of goods and people but also by the wide range of opportunities to exert both positive and negative effects on these flows. Already, most of the aforementioned global flows, stationary and variable objects are protected (organized, coordinated, controlled) by digital technology and in the foreseeable future digitization will encompass the most diverse aspects and processes of existence. Access to the development, deployment, management and use of relevant digital technologies has expanded to such an extent that it has become virtually difficult and even impossible to provide timely protection against a wide range of actors, ranging from unauthorized specialized gathering to varying degrees of security. The development of information technology, which increasingly embraces various aspects of the existence of different security entities, calls for a new rethink of the philosophical - ideological, political, economic, social and cultural foundations of public security. In recent decades human rights have dominated in the discourse of legal and political systems. Now the balance between protection of human rights and public safety in the context of digitalization imposes necessity to reflect the concept of fundamental rights once again. Keywords: Sustainable digitalization, public and private security, human rights
The main aim of the current study is to evaluate the opinions of the students at the departments of tourism and special education towards to the concept of sustainability of barrier-free tourism and society therefore with the light of this aim, and current study attempted to address how disabled individuals could have an access to the tourism and life opportunities as well as the challenges that they are experiencing while having an access to these opportunities, probable solutions which might be employed to cope with these challenges, universal rights of the disabled individuals about having an access and transportation in contexts barrier-free tourism practices in TRNCThe current study employed a semi-structured interview as a data collection tool. The study group of the current research consisted of 80 participants who are the students at the tourism and specialized education teaching departments at Near East University and the University of Kyrenia. Data were collected with 20 minutes face to face interviews. While performing data analysis, responses of the participants were categorized and placed to the tables and then the researcher(s) re-examined the classified data set and formed underlying themes and categories. With the light of the findings, it can be stated that education at universities, secondary and primary schools should be intensified to inject necessary information to the students regarding barrier free tourism and provision of health care services for disabled people. At the reffered point. joint commitment should be carried among ministry of education, tourism, heallth and municipalities to raise public awareness regarding barrier free tourism. Additionally media and press should design more programs regarding barrier free tourism at their broadcasting stream to raise public awareness, and in-service trainings for disabled people should be provided to employees in hotels.
Keywords: Barrier- Free Tourism, Sustainable Society, Education, Accessibility, Awareness
The main purpose of this research is to investigate the phenomenon of ethnocentrism in the food behaviour of Poles as a possible determinant of the development of short supply chains. For this purpose, primary and secondary tests were carried out. The primary studies examine the level of ethnocentrism in the food behaviour of Poles, while secondary data analysis focuses on finding a relation between this phenomenon and the development of short supply chains. The primary source of the survey consists in the results of an online and distributed survey covering the whole of Poland. A total of 660 people took part in the study. The main secondary sources used in the work include the latest publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Across the studies covered by this paper it was found that ethnocentrism is clearly observable in the food behaviours of Poles and it might have significant influence on the development of short supply chains.
Keywords: ethnocentrism; short supply chain; food behaviour
The complex and also very dynamic progress of information and communication technologies (ICT) enabled workforce to become more increasingly mobile. By consequence, the companies across the world have already adapted their work arrangements, offering more and more flexibility to their employees, to name just a few examples: homeworking, outsourcing, crowdsourcing, part-time work, temporary work, flexible working time. Our scientific approach represents an in-depth analysis of the homeworking trend within the EU Member States, by factors such as country and gender. It also examines the way ICT have evolved in enterprises across all Member States and provides specific trends per country. Furthermore, the research presents a comparative study of how the ICT skills enabled by companies has evolved over the last years and improved employee's lives. The results of our approach show that work from home trends increased in all EU Member States in parallel with the development of digital skills. This development make the companies to be more competitive on the market in attracting and retaining employees. In practice, companies will be required to diversify their work programs and allow flexibility in terms of working schedules and actual location of work. Of course, at the same time, the management of each company must pay a special attention to develop the ICT skills, so that people are properly equipped to perform efficiently and ensuring that the organizational performance is maintained at highest standards.
Keywords: flexible workplace, work from home, information and communication technologies
The necessity and importance of conducting agricultural market research was substantiated. Features of the process of marketing research were identified, taking into account the specifics of agricultural production and sales according to time requirements. The basic principles on the basis of which the algorithms for conducting market research are developed and directly carried out were determined. The main requirements for conducting research on the state of the agricultural market were outlined, the most important being objectivity, impartiality and independence from personal or political interests. The factors that should be taken into account when conducting marketing research on the state of the agricultural market were determined, taking into account both controllable and uncontrollable factors of the marketing environment. The stages of marketing research that meet the requirements of the agricultural market were offered. Gross production volume of agricultural products was predicted and trends in the whole branch were discovered, a polynomial trend line was chosen because the equation of this model has the highest coefficients of correlation and determination, and so it describes the dynamics most reliably. The agricultural market was studied in terms of marketing, i.e. from the perspective of two subsystems, the first of which is represented by the supply, and the second by the demand. It was established that the supply of basic foodstuffs is realised by means of domestic production, and the demand is realised by means of internal and external buyers.
The overall price situation on the agricultural market in Ukraine was analysed and predicted. The contemporary features and problems of formation of prices for agricultural products are outlined. The research on the modern state of agricultural market gave a reason to claim about its development being rather steady, reaffirmed by the positive dynamics of gross agricultural production volume.
Key Words: agricultural marketing, marketing research, economy, development trend, agricultural market, agricultural produce.
Built environment is a function of man-made setting, surroundings, conditions which is the center of human activity in architectural places. The integration of nature into the built environment determines the urban or the rural form of settlements. The present research aims to specify architectural morphology of sub-tropical region through a case analysis of the situation in Pakistan. The field study analyses the existing housing stock in Pakistan, in urban settings and as a result of vernacular traditions in the villages. The paper identifies the regional characteristic behaviour of highland, lowland, coastal and arid region. It gives an overview of the current urban housing situation in Pakistan. It discusses the type of housing unit, the occupant behaviour, lifestyle of the people, It also identifies the pattern of energy used within the residential buildings of Pakistan. The architectural planning in urban and rural regions, their long term passive design techniques to cope with the climate challenges of a particular area have been discussed in detail. The paper recommend some contextual and adapted passive features of vernacular architecture in urban houses.
Keywords: Architectural-morphology, Urban, Housing, Vernacular, Passive Design, Built Environment
The needs related to natural environment protection, which are accentuated both in world literature and practice, became the main prerequisite to find new management concepts enabling the development of solutions which are environmentally responsible and economically effective at the same time. One of the concepts which can be an answer for the requirements related to environment protection is the 'green logistics' concept. The literature review shows that publications referring to the development of 'green logistics' have so far focused primarily on the processes of implementation and development of 'green logistics' in large enterprises. In other words, the reviewed research studies didn't take into account the specific nature of the SME sector, which is a very important factor considering its diversity and, most of all, its high significance and size in the economy. As a consequence, a research gap related to the development of 'green logistics' among small and medium-sized enterprises was identified. To explore the identified research gap, a survey among 200 SMEs running their businesses in Poland was conducted. On the basis of the conducted research, it was revealed that SMEs' activities related to environment protection when running logistics processes are mostly determined by actual legal provisions. However, this amounts to enterprises reaching a certain minimum related to the state's environmental policy. On the other hand, it's worth emphasising the role of the supply chain leader, which becomes a strong driving force for implementing 'green' solutions in the area of logistics for enterprises with higher levels of 'green logistics' development. The research results can be a starting point for creating a model illustrating the development of 'green logistics' in the SME sector.
Keywords: green logistics, environmental sustainability, SME
Communication is the essence of interpersonal relations. The outcomes of all the activities we carry out depend on how we communicate, and in spite of the fact that it is essential that we prove our communication skills, we are poorer and poorer at doing so. Our study aims at revealing whether and to what extent young graduates of Romanian universities are aware of the importance of acquiring, practising and improving their communication skills, the more so that such abilities are decisive when it comes to achieving success in one's career. Our study was conducted between 2-13 May, 2019 on the basis of an online questionnaire. The research methodology used in order to achieve the objectives formulated in the study consists in quantitative research, by means of a survey supported via an online questionnaire. The analysis of the data collected by means of the questionnaire was done using techniques such as: frequency of occurence of the answers to the questions addressed to the participants in the study, multiple response analysis and, where appropriate, in order to enhance the interpretation of the results, the calculation of the interquartiles applied to the questions quoted on a 10 point Likert-type scale. The 195 answers received were validated, analysed and processed econometrically using the SPSS for Windows and ANOVA applications. On the one hand, We have noticed that universities do not ensure minimum training to the future graduates with respect to the acquisition and development of communication and negotiation skills. For this matter we intend to extend the study in the near future, to see if this is the result of a lack of concern/interest on the part of the universities and/or on the part of future graduates. At the same time, we have found that the future university graduates are not stimulated to become aware of the importance of developing their communication and negotiation skills or to actively participate in various forms of scientific interaction such as national or international scientific sessions, round tables, meetings with outstanding representatives of the business environment, etc. Obviously, we are aware of the limitations of our study. Thus, we consider that its addressability was rather restricted. The group of respondents included very young graduates of economic higher education institutions. On the other hand, the respondents were not previously selected, so that there is the risk that the points of view expressed would be based not only on experience, but on intuition. Extending the respondent base (both in terms of age/expertise and field of activity) is also and important point for future action. Finally, we have formulated several proposals meant to contribute, in our opinion, to giving more importance to the training and development of business communication and negotiation abilities as a prerequisite of career success.
Keywords: career success, graduates, communication abilities, interpersonal relations
Concerns over the two-legged march towards sustainability and biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes have sparked debates globally; both in research and development, socioeconomics and policy planning. While others argue that sustainable and biodiversity conserving agriculture is impractical, an increasing body of evidence continues to recognise the importance of biodiversity for human survival and environmental stability. Because of this recognition, the UN decided to integrate and prioritise biodiversity conservation in its sustainable development goals. Although the concept of biodiversity is recognised as a potential coping strategy for climate change and crop production challenges; the practicality of its integration in agriculture remains a challenge. In this paper, some of the important prospects that can support and facilitate biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes are briefly discussed. While we recognise that the path to sustainability is not going to be easy, we emphasise the need for integrated research from both the sectors of agriculture and conservation to be prioritised, to reconcile productive sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation. Such research should target trade-offs and synergies which can make it possible for these sectors to coexist and survive in their coexistence. This will be highly beneficial to facilitate and guide the sustainability and conservation policy planning.
Keywords: sustainable intensification; resilience; biodiversity conservation; ecosystem services; food security
