Suchergebnisse

BACKGROUND: This study aims at analyzing the efficiency of the health systems of 31 European countries in treating COVID-19, for the period January 1, 2020 – January 1, 2021, by incorporating some factors from a multidimensional perspective. METHODS: The methodology used in the research was Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), through which efficiency scores for health systems have been calculated. The research was performed considering three stages: the first wave (January 1–June 15), the relaxation period (June 15–October 1) and the second wave (October 1–December 31). In evaluating the determinants of the efficiency of health systems, six major fields of influence were taken into account: health care, health status, population, economic, cultural/societal and governmental issues, all covering 15 indicators. After measuring the efficiency, we used the Tobit type regression to establish the influencing elements on it. RESULTS: The results for the public health systems of European states were determined for each country and period. We evaluated the efficiency of health systems in Europe against COVID-19, starting from health inputs (COVID-19 cases, physicians, nurses, hospital beds, health expenditure) and output (COVID-19 deaths). The obtained outputs show that, especially in the first phase of the pandemic, the inefficiency of the health systems was quite high, mainly in Western countries (Italy, Belgium, Spain, UK). In the relaxation phase and in the second wave, the Western states, severely affected at the beginning of the pandemic, began to take adequate measures and improve the efficiency of their sanitary systems. Instead, Eastern European countries were hit hard by the inefficiency of health systems (Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Romania). After Tobit regression, results of the study show that the influencing elements are different for the three stages: concerning the first wave, comobirdities, population age, and population density are important; for relaxation period a great influence have government ...

In this study we will analyze the relationship between governmental expenditure and economic growth rate for 8 Eastern-European countries using data between 1995-2014. The main goal of the present study is to test whether there is or there is not an inversed U-curve type relationship between public spending and economic growth as well as to find an optimal level of public spending which maximizes economic growth. The econometric method used in this study is the ARDL model, while the empirical observations show that the present weight of public spending within the GDP exceeds the optimal level calculated for the three countries for which the Armey-type phenomenon occurs. Based on the study results, a proposal for an economic policy could be the fact that the weight of public expenditure should be reduced while the efficiency of public spending programs should be increased.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.28.2.7734

This study analyses the relationship between governmental expenditure and economic growth rate for 8 Eastern-European countries with data for 1995–2014 using the ARDL model. The main goal of the present study is to test the presence of a non-linear - Armey Curve type - relationship between the government size and economic growth and also to find an optimal level of public spending which maximizes economic growth. Our results reveal the occurrence of a significant cointegration of public spending and economic growth for all considered countries and show that the current share of public spending within the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeds the optimal level calculated for the three countries for which the Armey-type phenomenon occurs. Also, the results suggest that the optimal percentage of governmental spending varies between 37 % and 41 % and the present level is higher than the optimal level for Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. The outstripping of the optimal level may conclude to the idea that the weight of public sector should be slightly decreased in these countries since the public sector is not able to efficiently cope with its resources. Based on the study results, the weight of public expenditure should be reduced while the efficiency of public spending programs should be increased.

In the current decentralization reforms and severe budget constraints faced by Eastern European countries, we consider as imperative to analyze the effectiveness of structural funds management at regional level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to estimate the technical efficiency of attracting structural funds by the regions in Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, determining the factors that influence efficiency and its implications for local development. The calculations were based on the mathematical model Data Envelopment Analysis, the main source of data being EUROSTAT. The estimates confirm the strong need for systemic reforms in the organization and operation of the development regions: modification of current transfer system, strengthen financial autonomy and solve the problem of excessive fragmentation of administrative-territorial structure, all having a negative impact on the efficiency of absorption of European funds developing regions of analyzed states.

The current financial crisis and the lack of resources made imperative the analysis of the efficiency for managing public money, both at the central and at the local level. The general objective of the research is constituted by the estimate of the technical efficiency of all counties in Romania, as well as the analysis of its implications in local development. The originality and novelty of the study are supported by the research of a subject that has in the center the efficiency of the public authorities, current research direction for the public sector, in view of achieving a complex study. In order to reach the objective proposed, we will perform calculations on the basis of the Data Envelopment Analysis mathematical model and of the Tobit non-linear econometric model. At the same time, we reach the conclusion that in Romania, as in other states, there is a causality link between the efficiency of the local authorities and the level of corruption.