Globalization and internationalization development impact on economic development and formulation of strategic objectives in the region, causing the need for a comprehensive analysis of the diverse and sometimes contradictory essential characteristics and features of the region as a system, organization, subject of strategic management with subsequent integration into a coherent object. A comprehensive study of the region using a systematic approach based on dialectical contradiction takes into account as the basis of this complex, multidimensional systems and administering the effect on this process. This article reviews the main socio-economic functions and objectives of the region and made an analysis of the region as an economic development.
The aim of this study is a comparative analysis of European Union countries in terms of human capital. Determination of the stock and prospects of human capital development is an important issue today, both in economic theory and business practice. In this study soft modeling method was used. It allows measurement of unobserved variables.
The paper presents the dynamics of trade diversification with respect to stages of development in the European context. The analysis focuses on EU27 countries observed across the years 1988–2010 and compared to a sample of 136 international economies at all levels of income per capita. We will use product level statistics (six digit HS0) and confront export and import patterns of absolute diversification/concentration. The results show that in line with \‘stages of diversification\’ approach [Imbs and Wacziarg, 2003], EU27 countries are characterized by a high degree of trade diversity (on average, EU27 countries export 78% and import 90% of goods effectively exported and imported at the world level) and within the analyzed period most of them registered a reconcentration of trade structures. Obtained estimation results confirm a positive relationship between trade diversity and economic development levels (conditional mainly upon the size of the country) with a possibility of reconcentration at higher stages of development (observable in nonparametric estimates).
The article provides a study of the most important literature on the rural development in Asian developing countries in terms of arrangements between a farmer and a company. The review of the theoretical aspects of outgrower schemes is the background to comparative analysis of smallholders’ contract in Eastern and Southern Asian developing countries. The paper discusses the potential results of these schemes, especially in relation to the economic development. The article addresses the significance of outgrower schemes in the light of increasing welfare of participants as well as potential disadvantages and barriers.
Knowledge-based economy (KBE) is an economy where knowledge is created, acquired, transmitted and used effectively by businesses, organizations, individuals and communities. The concept of KBE was emphasised in the EU programmes such as the Lisbon Strategy and the Europe 2020 Strategy. One of the three priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to promote smart growth, understood as developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation. The aim of the paper is to analyze the development of KBE in European Union in period 2000-2014. The concept of KBE measurement is based on Knowledge Assessment Methodology and the soft modeling method.
The aim of the present study is a descriptive analysis of the spatial variation of basic macroeconomic variables in the Polish provinces. Variables whose variation is considered here are: GDP per capita, gross value of fixed capital formation per capita, investment per capita, wages and the unemployment rate. The work carried out in the paper, because of the availability of relevant statistics for the CSO ww.stat.gov.pl in August 2012, concerns the years 2002–2009 (GDP per capita and gross fixed assets per capita), 2002–2010 (investment per capita), or 2002–2011 (wages and unemployment rate). The paper summarizes the development of taxonomic analysis of complex economic indicators of macroeconomic variables enumerated above.
Recent econometric research showed that there is a positive correlation between collectivism of a society and economic development. In this article, I aim at analyzing the causal mechanisms that connect this dimension of culture and economic efficiency. On the base of the conducted meta-analysis of questionnaires, case studies and other empirical research, I coined the following four possible causal mechanisms that make economies of collectivist-oriented societies grow faster: (1) more efficient business relations among economic agents; (2) rarer egoistic behaviours; (3) increased security due to belonging to a group and (4) positive influence on innovativeness.
The results of numerous investigations carried out show that the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship (SMEEs) represent a significant driving force of economic development of each country and that it is a potential generator of entrepreneurial ideas and innovations. With the intensification of the process of transition after 2000, SMEEs has become a bearer of economic growth and employment and grown into the most dynamic and most efficient segment of the economy of the Republic of Serbia. However, these companies still face many problems in business which is only further underlined by the global financial and economic crisis. The low level of competitiveness of this sector in the Republic of Serbia represents an important limitation of its future development. The main competitive advantage of every modern company accented in its ability to innovate. The advantage of SMEEs, among many others, is reflected in innovation. In general, SMEEs due to their flexibility, as well as a homogeneous structure having a good and an important prerequisite to develop innovation and thus enhance market competitiveness. Regarding their flexibility, it is particularly evident in periods of slow or stagnant economic activity and crises. Therefore, the main direction of development of the SME sector is an innovative approach to real market needs. Providing that, the aim of this paper is to contribute to a clearer understanding of the role and importance of SMEEs for economic development of the Republic of Serbia, as well as to point out the importance of improving the competitiveness and innovativeness of this sector bodies for the future economic development of the national economy.
In order to remove economic regional disparities, the European Union is realizing a cohesion policy. It is justified economically and socially. It is however conditioned by an acceptance of an active role of the Union and member states in the economy, and therefore a permission for cross-national interventionism. The mechanism of the cohesion policy is based on transfers, and then its essence is redistribution of incomes in order to support selected regions and unfavoured social groups. The main aim of the herein article is to evaluate the influence of the cohesion policy of the European Union on the economy of the regions and economic disparities as well as to formulate recommendations, which will enhance its effectiveness. The evaluation of the Union cohesion policy is not easy. We have to, however, separate its influence from other factors affecting the social-economic situation of the regions. Most of the studies and analyses indicates a positive influence of programmes of the cohesion policy on the economic growth, the situation in the labour market and other economic rates. It has however many imperfections. The controversies are evoked mainly by unsuccessful attempts to reach the main goal, that is social, economic and territorial cohesion. It does not mean the negation of the results of numerous researches, which confirm a positive influence of the cohesion policy on the economic growth. Those and other research methods confirm in fact, that the structural funds contribute to the growth of GDP per capita and to the reduction of unemployment.
This paper examines the information content of the selected composite indexes, namely the Global Competitiveness Report Index, the Human Development Index, the Knowledge Economy Index, the Innovation Union Scoreboard, and the like. These indexes are examined from the viewpoint of country rankings. It is argued that these indexes provide highly similar information, which brings to question the usefulness of such a variety of approaches. This paper also explores the drawbacks of composite indexes, and questions whether these indexes can adequately serve as policy-setting mechanisms.
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union several new states were founded, and majority of them created the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) while three Baltic states decided about independent path of development so now they are member states of EU. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the level of economic development of 10 countries, that previously were Soviet Union republic. The evaluation procedure is provided applying taxonomic indicators constructed on the basis of 12 variables observed for each country in years 1995-2009. Aggregated measure values are used to classify the investigated states into four classes containing countries with similar level of economic development.
Celem badań była ocena dysproporcji w dochodach samorządów terytorialnych w Polsce oraz ich związek z poziomem rozwoju gospodarczego województw. Podstawą tej oceny była łączna analiza dochodów samorządów wojewódzkich, powiatowych i gminnych w szesnastu województwach w latach 2002–2006. Na wstępnym etapie badań przyjęto hipotezę, że w województwach, które są na wyższym poziomie rozwoju gospodarczego, uzyskuje się też wyższe dochody w budżetach samorządów. Zmiany ustawowe wprowadzone 1 stycznia 2004 r. spowodowały wzrost dochodów ogółem oraz dochodów własnych w samorządach terytorialnych. Dochody te rosły najszybciej w województwach najbardziej rozwiniętych gospodarczo, a więc wpływały na pogłębianie dysproporcji rozwojowych między województwami w Polsce. Różnice te były tylko częściowo niwelowane przez dotacje i subwencje z budżetu państwa.
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The aim of the research was to evaluate disproportions in Polish local governments’ income and their connection with the level of economic development of voivodeships. The basis of this evaluation was an analysis including the income of governments at a voivodeship, district and commune levels in 16 voivodeships in the years 2002–2006. In the initial stage of the research, a hypothesis was made that in the voivodeships that are at a higher level of economic development the income of local governments is also higher. The changes in law introduced on l January 2004 caused an increase of local governments’ income. The income increased at the fastest pace in the most developed regions, thus contributing to the deepening of development disproportions between voivodeships in Poland. These differences were only partially decreased by subventions from the state budget.
Social trust is increasingly seen as a non-economic determinant of economic development. Its positive impact on the economic sphere of social life, proven by numerous studies, is an incentive for new research initiatives examining the social trust level, since the results may be vital for the local policy-making. The main aim of the article is to study the relationships between social trust and the economic development. To accomplish this goal, a social trust indicator and an economic ranking list for the researched units were created.The statistical analyses performed demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between the examined phenomena and proved that the highest developmental level is a characteristic feature of the districts with a high level of social trust. This conforms the claims of Polish and international scholars who see trust as a non-economic determinant of economic development.
Taxation on businesses, which makes up two thirds of local authorities' revenues, urges them to widen the range of their economic interventions. The communauté d'agglomération Plaine Commune is one of the most dynamic in the Parisian metropolis and has had considerable expertise at their disposal for 10 years. In order to ensure their economic influence, they now endeavour to stimulate and even structure some economic industries. Unfortunately, a local tax reform in progress may well jeopardise the pattern of development which is presented in this article.
The Chinese economic reform did not launch only astonishing economic development but also gave birth to a phenomenon of overtime work. For many white-collar workers in the Chinese megacities long working hours became an inseparable part of their working life, an unwritten rule, that mostly is in contradiction with their written work contracts. Since 2006, the spread of overtime work started to be referred to as “overtime culture” (加班文化 jiābān wénhuà) and formed part of the corporate cultures of Chinese companies. The aim of this paper is to provide a complex analysis of the overtime culture as well as an answer to the research question of why the overtime culture is so widely accepted. Reasons and motivations of white-collar workers to accept the extensively long working hours include specific aspects of the Chinese culture, career development, conditions on the job market, low work effectivity, survival pressure in the Chinese megacities and the new function of the workplace as a social interaction site for young professionals.
Rwanda is particularly interesting example of the economic success from the perspective of institutional development. It significantly improved the conditions of doing business during the last decade and is one of the most free countries across Sub-Saharan Africa (Heritage Foundation, 2019). In the article main institutional reforms are analyzed and compared to the other East African Community member states. The main aim is to identify the factors (institutional reforms) that helped Rwandan economy to transform and develop quickly during the last decade. The article focuses on the role of Rwandan Development Board in creating the conditions encouraging the inflow of FDI. The institutional reform analyses is based mostly on Doing Business Reports.
The starting point for my reflections was a thesis presented by Max Weber more than one hundred years ago. According to this thesis, a Protestant ethos was an important factor responsible for the spectacular economic growth of Northern Europe. In his own reflections, the German scholar paid attention mainly to both Protestant asceticism, which concentrated the energy of believers on the work they did, as well as on theology, especially Calvinism, which provided explanations for hard work and the accumulation of capital. It seems, however, that in his reconstruction of the Protestant ethos, Weber described universal mechanisms which are responsible for social mobilization in general. The problem is that instead of trying to analyze them, he ultimately concentrated on their cultural manifestations. The main aim of my paper is an identification of these mechanisms. They discipline individuals, or more correctly, they discipline the patterns of playing these social roles, which are functionally significant for initiating and sustaining the mobilization process. In other words, when there is a need in a society to achieve specific goals, including economic ones, it should develop social norms which will be able to bolster the engagement of its members and focus their energy on specific aspects of their life. Moreover, there is a need to prepare non‑normative mechanisms, which increase the probability that members of the society will adhere to these social norms. The reflections in this regard seem to be important mainly for developing states. On the one hand, they should prepare mechanisms which allow them to develop their economies. On the other hand, the members of these states must face many costs associated with their implementation and this problem should also be a part of the discussion.
Economic as well as ethical aspects of development are of great importance. In the last few decades, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has tried to overcome economic backwardness. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, a socialist market economy and socialism with Chinese characteristics were officially promoted. However, priority was given to market reforms and very fast economic growth while the ethical aspects of the PRC’s development were neglected. That is why the PRC must face important development challenges.
The aim of the article is to present tensions that occur in social, cultural, political, and technological spheres as a result of the development of postmodern societies. The changes that have been taking place in those areas involve, along with unquestionable benefits, a type of risk which, without any moral reflection, can cause a serious global crisis. The postmodern times should be understood as a continuation of the modern formation where all typical features of modernism take a more radical form. The postmodern specific style of life is characterised by uncertainty, the unpredictability of the future, as well as a decline of traditional values and morals. Moreover, the present postmodern tendencies in the area of morals can hinder the right course of development of society, economy and ecology.
The aim of the paper is to evaluate the Human Development Index (HDI) as an indicator of economic development. The analysis is based on case studies of five post‑socialist countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, and Poland. To carry out the assessment of the HDI, two approaches are employed. The first involves comparing the HDI values to seventeen other indicators related to different aspects of development chosen with reference to Amartya K. Sen’s approach. The second approach refers to public opinion surveys provided by the Eurobarometer and the European Quality of Life Survey programs. In the light of the analysis, it can be said that the HDI is a fairly good measure of economic development. However, certain important dimensions which have a significant impact on people’s living conditions are neglected. Knowing about Sen’s influence on the creation of the HDI and the emphasis he put on the relationship between democracy and development, it may be surprising that such neglected dimensions include the state of democracy.
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