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THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN HAJDÚ-BIHAR COUNTY
Views:272In our survey-based research, assessed the opinions of 39 small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders in Hajdú-Bihar County on digitalization, how they evaluate their employees' digital skills, what digital best practices they apply, and how familiar they are with current trends in digital best practices. In the literature review, we touch on the concepts and significance of digitalization and digital transformation, the characteristics and types of best practices, benchmarking as a tool for identifying them, and the steps involved in their implementation. We introduced five currently popular digital best practices: optical character recognition, homomorphic encryption, robotic process automation, intelligent process automation, and blockchain technology. The advantages and impact of these practices on corporate efficiency are highlighted. Based on the results, we reached the following conclusions:
The findings show that most Hungarian companies view digitalization as an opportunity, but there are deficiencies in strategic planning and commitment. Although leaders theoretically support technological progress, 93% of companies do not have a developed digital strategy, and leaders also rate employee engagement as low. The resources allocated for digitalization investments are also low, with most companies spending only between 0-10 million HUF. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is still in its early stages, though there are positive examples. Dissatisfaction is evident regarding employees' digital competencies, particularly in problem-solving and data security. The lack of knowledge of modern digital technologies also hinders innovation. Companies' digital maturity is low, with most having only taken initial steps in this area. Often, the perceived digital intensity of the industry does not reflect reality, which can hinder development. -
New sources of employment to promote the wealth-generating capacity of rural communities
15-21Views:351New Sources of Employment to Promote the Wealth-Generating Capacity of Rural Communities (acronym: RuralJobs) is a collaborative research project partly funded under the European Commission Research and Development 7th Framework Program. The Rural Jobs consortium consists of partners drawn from eight European Union (EU) countries (Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Spain and UK). The project began on February 2008 and finished in October 2010. RuralJobs quantified labour market, demographic and economic trends, and the impact of employment creation measures and policies in seven, representative “reference areas” across the EU, and used the information to demonstrate how rural development measures can be better targeted and how rural development policies should evolve.We identified labour market, demographic and economic trends in rural areas across EU-27 and the potential for new sources of employment outside traditional primary and secondary sector activities, and examined the interaction between different types of rural area (peri-urban, remote, high environmental/amenity value etc.). We identified employment growth areas where rural development programmes can be targeted to increase their contribution to employment creation. Our strategic objectives were the following: review of employment policies and programmes, scenarios for new sources of employment according to rural typologies, recommendations for better targeting of strategies, dissemination and mainstreaming. The main outcome expected is that the results will allow a better targeting of rural development measures and future evolution of rural development policies in line with the Lisbon Strategy.
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Greener cement sector and potential climate strategy development between 2015-2030 (Hungarian case study)
65-74Views:526Advancing the domestic industrial production towards a sustainable, resource-preserving direction can become an important pillar to support competitiveness in the European Union, as well as in Hungary. Reaching the de-carbonization goals for industrial production via lowering the production volume may result in less desirable macro-economic effects, so decisions which concern the industry require a lot of attention from the climate policy as well. In the case of the cement sector, economic actors have to be motivated to make energy-efficiency investments and technology developments, which also show promise in terms of business efficiency. In the more natural-resource-intensive branches of the industry, both innovations and technological developments will be required to reduce the amount of used non-renewable energy resources, keep it in the industrial cycle, and reduce environmental load. The importance of greener cement will be essential in the near future to reduce the sector’s CO2 emission levels. We need to identify more sector branches which relate to sustainability, which can aid the country in establishing long-term competitiveness that points towards the de-carbonization goals. The cost-efficiency aspects of this development process are the most tedious questions in today’s business planning.
JEL classification: Q55
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Optimal crop plan of cooperative farmers in Osun state, Nigeria: a linear programming approach
Views:405Optimal level of production requires better use of existing resources at the lowest possible cost. Despite the inherent advantage of cooperatives to the agricultural sector, the question of how farmers under cooperative umbrella use farm resource for optimal outcome remains unanswered. This study investigates optimal crop mix for cooperative farmers in rural communities in Southwest Nigeria. Primary data were collected for the study through structured questionnaire. The data were fitted to Linear Programming Model. Three different cropping patterns are identified among the cooperative farmers. Based on the results from linear programming model, only maize, cassava and yam are admitted in the final plan and this combination is to be produced at 2.23 hectares. The gross margin value associated with the plan is ₦156, 235.781 (1$ = N365). Input resources such as land, labour, fertilizer, and chemicals are not fully utilized. The slack values for these inputs are 0.31, 651.20, 1929.6 and 140.76 respectively. The sensitivity analysis shows that seed/seedling is the only binding resource in the final plan with a shadow price which suggests that proper allocation of seed and seedlings would improve returns to cooperative farmers. There is need for appropriate farm management strategies to ensure optimal return for farmers. More education and training is suggested to boost cooperative farmers understanding of optimum strategy that is needed to improve production and earnings.
JEL code: Q10, Q13
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The role of emotions and perceived control in the recovery strategy of service companies
65-68Views:274The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of service recovery tactics. The reseach included a qualitative study based on 30 interviews with customers and employees of a telecommunication company. This was followed by a quantitative study using between subject experimental designs based on scenarios. Our research results suggest that employees’ positive emotions and perceived control during the recovery process make consumers more satisfied.
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The role of social media in gastronomy industry
95-103Views:1971Considering the rapidly changing business environment, staying competitive is a key issue and challenge for companies in the 21st century. The criteria of a company’s success and competitiveness is the changing behavior of the different economic actors and its influence. Through the information society came to the fore, the use of diverse information technology tools and methods has become a significant influence factor in terms of the entrepreneurs or company management and also the customers or other partners. Due to the rapid expansion of new technology developments, the role and importance of social media is continuously increasing. Also statistics show that one of the most regularly used IT tool is the social media and the different web 2.0 applications. The current study is intended to provide a better understanding how social media can emphasize the competitiveness of companies and format the consumer behavior in a special sector – the rapidly developing gastronomy industry. This paper presents an empirical research about the role of social media in the above mentioned industry based on the primary data which are gathered through a survey performed in Hungary. Beyond the empirical results presented, the paper also aims to provide some recommendations for research methodology – based on the international literature review and the Authors’ own experiences – both in gastronomy industry’s and customers’ point of view. Through the analysis the research hypotheses were examined and the most important correlations were identified between the survey results and the Authors’ initial supposition.
JEL Code: D83, L83, M31, Z33
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ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR AS PART IN COMPANIES
Views:388This research estimates public perceptions of corporate environmental responsibility and the use of clean energy in terms of how businesses exhibit environmentally sensitive behaviour through their operations and how clean energy is used within daily business operations. It carries out a large-scale survey among 100 participants, analyzing responses across various dimensions of corporate social responsibility, especially those relevant to environmental practices. The findings show that there is a high public expectation of business environmental responsibility, as 82% of the respondents regard it as very important for companies to undertake social responsibility activities. The same percentage (80%) feel it is essential that companies be liable for environmental damage. The same study also firmly focused on carbon emission reduction since 91% rated it somewhat or very important for companies to reduce their carbon emissions.
On the other hand, a perception gap was indicated since 52% of the respondents strongly believed that companies genuinely care about their social and environmental impact. This contrasts with the 77% of participants publicly declaring support for corporations promising to reduce environmental degradation. On the use of clean energy, while the research does not give an explicit quantitative status of the practice by corporate entities, it generally creates a good case demonstrating popular support for such corporate initiatives. A 72% rated a firm's effort to reduce its carbon footprint as essential, representing a clear expectation of adopting clean energy within corporate operations. The study finds considerable public mandate for companies to engage in environmentally sensitive business practices, including using clean energy. It also calls for improving business environmental responsibility programs, better communication transparency, prioritizing clean energy, and using environmental initiatives to gain market advantage. The findings and recommendations carry significant implications for corporate strategy, public policy, and future research in corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
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Sport sponsorship in Finland: the case study of FC JJK Jyväskylä
135-140Views:330This paper seeks to analyse sport sponsorship in Finland via using the case study of Football Club JJK Jyväskylä from the Finnish Premier League. The results of a master’s thesis conducted on FC JJK fans’ sponsor awareness and sponsor orientation is presented. This research has provided implications to the management of the club, such as how to increase sponsorship efficiency, how to benefit from applying sponsorship alignment as well as relationship marketing. In order to successfully implement the study, an online survey, interviews, and participant observation was utilised. In addition, statistical data were obtained from the club.
It has been concluded that JJK fans’ sponsor awareness and attitude stood at a low level, therefore JJK’s sponsorship strategy was advised to be reorganised. Conclusions from this paper might be beneficial for clubs from peripheral football countries, including those from Hungary as well. The size and level of Finnish and Hungarian football clubs are fairly similar and both countries can be considered as peripheral football countries at present. -
An analysis of the national strategies for sustainable development with special emphasis on the issues of Agriculture and Rural development
53-60Views:244In this paper which is based on my dissertation I carried out a comprehensive analysis of the national strategies for sustainable development prepared by the EU and its member states. I paid special attention to agricultural and rural development issues discussed in the strategies. According to my hypothesis the sets of objectives defined in accordance with the principles of sustainable development provide a firm basis for the objectives of the ongoing reforms of the European Union’s CommonAgricultural Policy. Due to the complexity of the topic I applied an interdisciplinary approach in my research.
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New tools and opportunities in growth and climate friendly greening for small and medium enterprises in the European Union
25-31Views:335The role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is unquestionable in the European economies, while financial opportunities are still inadequate for them. The more than 20 million SMEs play a significant role in European economic growth, innovation and job creation. According to the latest EC Annual Report , SMEs are accounting for 99% of all non-financial enterprises, employing 88.8 million people and generating almost EUR 3.7 tn in added value for our economy. Despite the fact that there is plenty of EU funding available for these SMEs, for certain reasons these funds hardly reach them. But we have to see that the EU supports SMEs by various way, e.g. by grants, regulatory changes, financial instrument, direct funds. On the other hand, SMEs and decision makers realised that the environmental sustainability has to be attached to the economic growth, therefore more and more tools are available for these enterprises. Over the last few years, public institutions, the market, the financial community and non-governmental associations have explicitly demanded that firms improve their environmental performance. One of the greatest opportunities might lay in the Climate- and Energy Strategy till 2030 as 20% of the EU budget is allocated to climate-related actions, however the easy access to finance is still a key question. Does the EU recognise the actual difficulties? Is there a systemic reason behind the absorption problems? Is the EU creating a more businessfriendly environment for SMEs, facilitating access to finance, stimulates the green and sustainable growth and improving access to new markets? The paper analyses the current European situation of the SMEs and the effectiveness of some new tools, which are specially targeting SMEs.
JEL classification: Q18
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GENDER-BASED FINANCIAL ACCESS IN LIBERIA'S FISHING INDUSTRY
Views:37One essential component of the competitive operation of the fishing industry is the availability of finance. Access to finance is an important issue, but women's access to finance is more critical than men's. The study's objective is to emphasize gendered experiences with financial need, access to and selection of financial services, and service providers among Liberian actors in the fish industry. The study collected and analyzed data using a cross-sectional design. The research used primary data collection methods. Workers in Liberia's artisanal fishing value chain, both men and women, were the main population of interest. Respondents were chosen for the study using a two-stage sampling technique. Purposive sample of counties and random sampling of respondents were the two components of the two-stage sampling strategy. For the study, 278 men and women fish actors were selected as respondents using the random sampling technique. This study employed quantitative methodologies for data collection. From the findings, access to financial products is generally limited for fish actors. Nonetheless, some financial services and products are exclusive to either gender. Commercial banks are more accessible to men than to women. Because of their low income and educational attainment, women have limited access to commercial banks.
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Competetiveness of the Montenegrin fruit and vegetables sector and recommendtations for impovement
69-75Views:196A number of facts, primarily including high fragmentation at all levels, weak vertical integration, limited dimensions in comparison to competitors poor technological level and unbalanced quality/price ratio make the sector weak, low competitive and exposed to international competition, reducing its capacity to capture any existing market potential. Almost all opportunities are frozen by prevailing weaknesses and threat impacts are exacerbated by a largely prevailing number of weaknesses. High production unit cost appears to be a major constraint to local supply market competitiveness. This situation appears to be mainly caused by general low levels of productivity – provoked by not adequate and up-to-date cultivation practices, reduced levels of input use, utilisation of old and, therefore, less performing varieties, and also farm management shortcomings. High losses from reduced availability of post-harvest facilities and equipment add up to the problem. The improvement of the sector is not easy. In other words, there is a lot to do for the Montenegrin sector operators to increase sales: tackle imports and increase market shares in the domestic market and abroad. Based on our research, we suggest that the Montenegrin fruit and vegetable sector should primarily aim at substituting imports, increasing domestic consumption and developing exports to the region (CEFTA countries) primarily via promising market opportunities. Based on our analyses of the state of affairs of the sector, the competitiveness and the market potentials, the recommendations for improvement competitiveness are outlined.
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Development of the European Union’s environmental policy and its measures for climate protection – a review
Views:528The negative impacts of human activities on the environment and nature can be felt worldwide. Thus there is a growing focus on measurements that keep sustainability in mind. As one of the main pioneers of environmental protection and sustainability efforts, these aspects are more and more prevalent in the current environmental policy of the European Union (EU). In this review article, the development of the environmental policy of the EU is presented. After listing the main milestones, the role of the EU in the area of environmental protection, the frameworks built around the goals and the roles of the institutions are discussed. Then – with an international detour – the details of the Paris Agreement about climate change and the state of the 20/20/20 commitments are summarised. In the remaining parts of the article, the focus is on the climate protection goals of the EU for the next three decades, the expected future directions, and the agenda of the von der Leyen Commission concerning climate protection. An important step and tool for achieving the goals set until 2050 is to incorporate climate and environmental protection elements to the 2021-2027 budget of the EU. In order to achieve the expected effects, it is crucial to develop the right tools of the environmental policy, to form a widespread cooperation, to raise awareness, and incentivise and support the innovative solutions in the sustainability area.
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