Crises and capitalist oligarchies: a radical critique of society and its political economy

Author(s): Judith Dellheim / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Author's examination of 'crises and capitalist oligarchies' focuses on the socio-economic power exerted by economic elites in advanced economies and the particular role of contemporary oligarchies in shaping the mode of production of financialised capitalism. The author underscores the malign effect of intertwined ownership structures (including the role of credit rating agencies) on human and environmental development and proposes a radical reordering of social and economic priorities.

Power and Sandwiched Sovereignty: Nepali Migrant Workers in the Gulf Countries

Author(s): Hari KC / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Nepal is relatively a new entrant to global labour markets. Nevertheless, over the past few decades, a huge portion of its population has migrated abroad for employment, changing the image of Nepal from a country of “global warriors to global workers” (Rajauriya, 2015). In particular, the political change of 1990 that ushered Nepal into a multiparty democracy triggered the globalizing processes. Unlike during the King’s regime, obtaining passports became easier even for general people, affording them more agility and freedom to travel outside the country (Tiwari & Bhattarai, 2011). Further, the government formed after the 1992 elections embraced a policy of fast-paced economic liberalization, connecting Nepal with global economy and global labour markets (Labour Migration for Employment Report: 2014).

Overview of the Case Studies

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Alvo Medical LLC on selected Asian markets

Author(s): Małgorzata Bartosik‑Purgat,Barbara Jankowska,Krzysztof Wąchnicki / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

This paper presents Polish company ALVO MEDICAL (the producer and provider of solutions for hospitals and medical units, encompassing the equipment of operating theatres, surgical preparation rooms, treatment rooms, and many other hospital areas) and its strategies of entering the selected Asian markets.

China and USA: Trade war in the case of Huawei

Author(s): Piotr Bubrowski / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The author analyzes the China-US trade war in the case of Huawei by giving the Huawei company description, the history of conflict, the characteristics of the trade war image in Chinese media.

Приносът на газовата инфраструктура на Румъния за енергийната сигурност на Балканите

Author(s): Svetla Boneva / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The objective of the research is to present the importance of the gas infrastructure of Romania for the energy security of the Balkans. The research methods used in the study involve elements of retrospective analysis, content analysis, table presentation and generalization of the main ideas of key strategic and regulatory documents on the topic. This is a conceptual study and a posteriori research approach has been followed for its development. The thesis of the paper is that Romania is a key player for the Balkan countries and the wider EU region gas security. Romania possesses a high capacity of installed and functioning powers for transition, generation and storage of natural gas, which is the main factor for its important role in the Balkan region and the EU energy security. The results of the research represent generalizations and analyses of the role and importance of the Romanian gas infrastructure for the region. The research results provide ground for evidence-based recommendations and decisions on the future policy measures in the gas energy sector and their implementation

Анализ на състоянието и предпоставките за доходното неравенство в Европейския съюз

Author(s): Monika Moraliyska / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The report analyses the current situations and conditions for the existing income inequality in the EU. It presents various theoretical concepts and authors. The methodology utilized in the research includes systematic approach, comparative analysis, statistical approach.

Оценка на качествените аспекти на ефективността на разходите за висше образование в държавите – членки от Централна и Източна Европа

Author(s): Kristina Stefanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

This paper studies the efficiency of tertiary education expenditure by a comparison between EU Member States in Central and Eastern Europe with respect to the effects related to the quality of education obtained through the application of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. The paper introduces a new approach to measuring the outputs of tertiary education expenditure related to realization on the labour market and welfare. The results of the study show that, among seven CEE countries, EU member states, only in Romania efficiency of tertiary education expenditure is observed, while Bulgaria shows the largest deviation from the efficiency frontier.

Регионална конкурентоспособност – психологически, културни и поведенчески аспекти

Author(s): Milena Mihaylova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

This article is part of a study by the author made in the 2016-2019 year of the Balkan Regional Development Agencies. Regional competitiveness is viewed in terms of psychological, cultural and behavioral aspects. These characteristics are specific to each territorial community and have a significant impact on economic processes and hence on the competitiveness of the region. The article presents the individual elements of the community culture of the territory, each element being defined individually in view of its importance as a factor for competitiveness. The author has used in his article the ideas of a number of authors with significant contributions in the field of psychological, social and cultural studies of the regions. At the end of the article the author has formulated conclusions that can be a starting point for taking into account the influence of psychological and cultural aspects of competitiveness and their incorporation into the policies for effective regional economic development.

Как миграцията се отразява върху новата многогодишна финансова рамка Съюзи в рамките на Европейския съюз

Author(s): Atanas Pavlov / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

This analysis provides an assessment of some of the most important elements of the EC proposal for new 2021-2027 MFF and new system of own resources, mainly focusing on the issues regarding migration and their impact. Also, the analysis provides an overview and comparison between the new MFF and the current one. For the expenditure side of the EU budget, the European Commission has proposed a long-term budget of €1,135 billion in commitments (expressed in 2018 prices) over the period from 2021 to 2027, equivalent to 1.11% of the EU27's gross national income (GNI). This level of commitments translates into €1,105 billion (or 1.08% of GNI) in payments (in 2018 prices). Superficially, this amounts to an increase on the 2014-2020 MFF, which is an estimated 1.02% of EU-28 GNI (commitments), but a number of factors make comparisons difficult. On the revenue side of the EU budget, the Commission has taken the political opportunity presented by Brexit to propose a gradual phasing-out of most of the correction mechanisms that discount certain Member States' contributions to the EU budget. The proposal for a new own resources decision also takes up the recommendation of the High-Level Group on Own Resources to introduce new own resources explicitly linked to EU policies.

Основни фактори, обуславящи разходването на средства от бюджета на Европейския съюз за постигане на целите на Съюза

Author(s): Hristo Draganov / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The European Union pursues common policies through its institutions in order to attain the Union's objectives. The main financial instrument that provides the conduction of the common policies is the European Union budget. The use of this instrument is subjected to the fulfillment of various conditions. The basic factors determining the European Union budget expenditure could be grouped into as law factors, financial and economic factors, political factors. Many of the factors are aimed at ensuring financial stability and proper use of the European Union budget but their multitude makes them practically difficult to apply. The diversity of the (non-exhaustively) presented factors could be considered also as source of problems emerging in the practice of the European Union budgetary process.

Българското участие в Стратегията на Европейския съюз за Дунавския регион - принос и ползи

Author(s): Silviya Todorova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

This report aims to show what the main effect is and how significant the benefits for Bulgaria are as a result of the country's participation in the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region. The first part of the report addresses key issues such as: What is the Danube Region? What are the main problems and challenges facing the countries involved? Why is it necessary to have a joint European strategy in this direction?The answers to these and other questions will give us a clear perception on the idea and the mission set in the establishment of such strategies at an EU level. The second part of the report is devoted entirely to Bulgaria's participation in the Strategy. The strategy is reviewed in detail and considered under its realization in Bulgaria in particular. The main emphasis is on the contributions and benefits of our participation in the Strategy for the Danube Region. In conclusion, the author allowed herself to draw some conclusions about the achieved results in Bulgaria.

Критичен поглед върху институционалната система на Европейския съюз

Author(s): Monika Moraliyska / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The European Union is facing a number of serious challenges which shall be solved through utilizing its own resources – human, financial and intellectual. At the same time, its institutional structure is increasingly criticized - both externally and internally, by the European and national politicians, and increasingly by the European citizens. The disapproval of the EU is aimed both at the functioning and the activities of specific institutions and at the way in which they interact in the general structure, as well as against the implementation of certain policies. This report presents some weaknesses identified by the three main EU institutions - the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament. The second part presents the main critical directions to the EU institutional system - bureaucratic inefficiency, democratic deficiency and inefficiency of the EU policies. Their nature and opportunities for improvement are analyzed.

The impact of the crisis on the maintenance of sustainable development initiatives. A comparative analysis of local and international companies

Author(s): Łukasz Małys / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose: The aim of the chapter is to compare the declarations of local and international companies regarding the maintenance of sustainable development initiatives during acrisis. Design/methodology/approach: The article presents the results of a survey conducted in September 2020 on a sample of 500 enterprises located in Poland. Respondents were asked to declare if they will maintain or abandon sustainable development initiatives in a crisis situation. The examples presented a pandemic similar to the one caused by Covid-19, an economic crisis, or a significant decrease in company revenues. Findings: The research showed that the largest group of companies in acrisis situation will completely abandon their initiatives in the field of sustainable development. Another group will give up those initiatives that generate the highest cost. There are some small differences in responses of local and international companies. Companies with foreign entities in the ownership structure seems less likely to give up all initiatives in the field of sustainable development. International companies more often than local companies declare that they do not know which initiatives they will abandon and which will they keep. Research limitations/implications: Factors other than international involvement (e.g. company size, strategic approach to sustainable development) may have a decisive impact on decisions regarding the maintenance of sustainable development initiatives in acrisis. Originality and value: The chapter illustrates the approach to sustainable development by companies classified into various categories: local and international.

Audit of European Structural and Investment Funds, a Component of the Management and Control System

Author(s): Iulian Miserciu / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The European Commission (EC) has established through European regulations that at each Member State an independent body, generically called the Audit Authority (AA), who will ensure the external public audit function for each operational program financed by the European grants. Each Member State was free to set up its audit authority, subject to the above-mentioned conditions.The Romanian Audit Authority was set up at the level of the Romanian Court of Accounts, being established by national law as a body without juridical personality, operationally independent from the rest of the public audit activity. This audit body performs the external audit function for all operational programs financed by the European grants.The present article aims to present the Romanian Audit Authority, its institutional and organizational capacity to fulfil the legal requirements of the European legislation and the extent to which its results can provide a reasonable assurance to the European Commission that the management and control system (MCS) functions in way to prevent, detect and correct deficiencies and financial sanctions. One of the challenges of the audit is whether its recommendations can prevent malfunctions in the MCS, and in the event of irregularities, the managing authority (MA) and the certifying authority (CA) can correct them in time before the European Commission is declared expenditure. It will also present the procedure established by the legal framework on how audit recommendations are implemented by the other entities within the management and control system.Although it is part of the Court of Auditors, the Audit Authority has its own working procedures, which must reflect the requirements of European regulations and guidelines, and the results of its verifications are communicated to the European Institutions. The manner in which the EC uses the audit reports will also be the subject of this article.

Dangerous Demographic Change Reinforces Europe’s Declining Image

Author(s): Maria Negreponti-Delivanis,Ioana Panagoreţ / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Currently, one of the main factors that shows us a picture of Europe's decline is that of demographic change. This process of decline of the West is marked by more than five decades of several indicators and evolutions that show us that although the time of Western civilization is beginning to run out, a new one appears, namely that of the East. This process of decline in which there is an extreme and unprecedented form of capitalism appears more pronounced in Europe compared to the United States and is characterized by: corruption, alienation of peoples from their roots, religion, history, low birth rates, massive flows of migrants and refugees, the totalitarian tendency of governments. Although the signs of decline are numerous, in this paper we will analyze certain demographic developments observed mainly in Europe and which we consider from several points of view dangerous. In addition to these developments, which we consider quite dangerous, globalization is the most important. The paper is structured in four parts, in the first part being presented the basic trends and variations from the population's perspective. In the second and third part are presented the main causes and effects of these variations of the populations and in the fourth part the conclusions of this study.Most of the interpretive analysis of this unwanted stagnation process is based on demographic erosion, population aging, low middle class rates, the invasion of migrants and refugees that change the cultures of the host nations.

Nowe ramy efektywnego opodatkowania dochodu przedsiębiorstw w Unii Europejskiej

Author(s): Anna Siwiec / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

Purpose: The aim of the chapter is to present the latest corporate income tax (CIT) reform proposal developed by the European Commission in cooperation with the OECD. The proposed reform provides for the introduction of new rules in international corporate taxation, which are to contribute to increasing the efficiency of this taxation. As the initiative is supported by most OECD countries, including most EU countries, it is highly probable that it will be implemented. The chapter also presents a preliminary assessment of the implementation of the reform in the European Union countries. Design/methodology/approach: The used research method was the analysis of materials published by the European Commission and OECD by the end of August 2021, as well as their comparison with the currently applicable legal solutions or the current proposals regarding the taxation of trans national corporations (TNCs) in the EU. Findings: As a result of the analysis of the materials presented by the European Commission and OECD, the chosen direction of changes was recognized as justified, however, requiring consideration of the interests of less digitized economies. The chapter presents the potential positive and negative effects of the reform for the EU countries, as well as indicates the countries that can lose the most in terms of budget revenues from CIT.

Wpłaty od plastikowych odpadów opakowaniowych niepodlegających recyklingowi – nowe źródło dochodów budżetowych Unii Europejskiej

Author(s): Maciej Cieślukowski / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

Purpose: To present the construction of a new source of EU budget revenues (contributions from non-recyclable plastic packaging waste) and its assessment against the EU’s own resources system from the point of view of the set criteria. Design/methodology/approach: The study is of a literature and empirical character. The research consists of four stages. The first stage presents the evolution of the EU’s own resources in the period 1951–2020. Domestic literature and EU source documents in Polish and English were used. In the second stage, the construction of a new source of revenue was presented.The legal regulations of the EU were used. The third stage is the presentation of the proposed burden-sharing for the new resource between Member States in 2022. For this purpose, internal regulations and EU statistical data was used. In the final stage of the research, the new sourceof revenue was assessed against other own resources according to the criteria set (simple structure, transparency, fiscal stability and efficiency, link with the EU policy, low collection costs, fair burden sharing, financial autonomy). EU source material was used for this. The study mainlyuses the method of descriptive analysis, and for the assessment of own resources—also the method of qualitative multi-criteria analysis. Findings: The analysis shows that the new source of revenue is primarily characterized by a simple structure, low collection costs, is also closely related to the EU environmental policy, and ensures a relatively fair burden-sharing between the Member States. On the other hand, the weaknesses of the new source are poor transparency and poor fiscal efficiency. As a result, it provides the Union with little financial independence. The new source of revenue generally improves the quality of the entire system of UE own resources.

Rozwój rynku e-commerce w Polsce – wybrane zagadnienia

Author(s): Justyna Majchrzak-Lepczyk / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

Electronic commerce is a very dynamically developing distribution channel, which in recent years has turned from an additional way of selling products into a major source of sales and reaching customers. Undoubtedly, e-commerce offers many solutions that respond to the diverse needs of consumers. In addition to providing a wide range and full availability of products, issues related to logistics services, especially the implementation of deliveries, are also important. For several years, e-commerce in Poland has been recording clear increases. An increasing number of customers are expressing interest in e-shopping. The purpose of the article is to indicate the role of the growing importance of e-commerce in Poland and the demand it determines for warehouse space and their equipment. The formulated conclusions were supported by the author’s own observations, as well as a literature review and current reports and market analyzes were used.

Ekorozwój przedsiębiorstw sektora transport spedycja logistyka w krajach Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej – analiza porównawcza

Author(s): Magdalena Kowalska,Anna Misztal / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

The main aim of this paper is to assess eco-development of TFL enterprises in the Central and Eastern Europe in the time period from 2008 to 2018. Eco-development is conducting business in accordance with the protection of natural resources. In business practice, it means that companies take actions aimed at reducing the ecological footprint. The ecological development of enterprises depends on a number of factors, internal and external. On the one hand, they may be included in the scope of taking into account environmental protection, on the other hand, there may be a result of the development of ecological policy of managers. The first part of the paper discusses selected theoretical issues related to the environmental development of the company. The main part of the text is devoted to the statistical assessment of eco-development of TFL enterprises in Central and Eastern Europe. The study preceding the presentation of methods, the conclusion contains a description of the synthetic recommendations.