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Making agricultural support objective-oriented: a linear programming approach for Ukraine
79-83Views:269The overall aim of the paper is to analyse the distribution of state agricultural support in Ukraine with the purpose of drawing up proposals on how to make it more objective-oriented. The investigation is based on the results of a case study conducted in Zdolbuniv district3, in the Rivne region of Ukraine, where interviews with local agricultural experts were held. The research is founded on the Linear Programming (LP) methodological approach, which is applied to calculate an objective-oriented agricultural budget allocation. This approach also integrates judgements from district agricultural experts. The outcomes show that agricultural support should have been redistributed in a slightly different way from the district perspective. However, the calculated changes in most cases match with the overall development directions in the Ukrainian agricultural support policy. Furthermore, the developed model has proved to be a useful and, at the same time, quite simple tool in application support, and one which could have been used by the agricultural decision-makers in the process of the distribution of agricultural support.
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Croatian wine market, support policy and specific obstacles to wine exports
19-22Views:340In this paper, analysis of Croatian wine sector in period 2006-2013 is conducted through the record of wine production, exports and imports together with Government support measures. In the light of Croatian EU membership together with opening of EU wine market and global wine market, recommendations for further discussion of support measures for small and medium winemakers are given.
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The influence of direct support under common agricultural policy on farm incomes in Poland
33-37Views:348The main objective of the paper is the analysis of changes on the level of income of agricultural producers, which took place in Poland in the early years of the accession to the EU, as well as a determination of the scale of the impact of financial support under the Common Agricultural Policy on the farm income situation. Poland’s membership in the EU gives rural farms opportunities to improve their economic situation. Financial aid, mainly in the form of a direct payment, has been the main factor determining the economical status of rural farms, whilst the other income making factors, such as improved productivity and increased agricultural production have played a much smaller role. The increase in revenue has enabled farmers not only to increase current expenditures, but also to carry out modernization efforts, which will determine the future economic and structural situation of the Polish agricultural sector and its competitiveness. However, a strong differentiation in terms of the economic situation of rural farms according to their size and specialization in production was also noticed. As a result, there is a still large number of farms in which the revenues received by farmers are insufficient to assure them adequate life standard. Therefore such farms are not able to both develop and invest. Only economically strong rural farms with high production potential have such opportunities, meaning that EU support will never be able to fully minimize the effects of small-scale production or to offset the insufficient efficiency and productivity of production factors.
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The role of agribusiness in stimulating on-farm investments – case-study of the armenian dairy sector
85-91Views:301This paper analyses the impact on investments of contractual arrangements between farms and agribusiness in the Armenian dairy sector. Our empirical evidence is based on a unique survey of 300 Armenian dairy farms. The dairy sector is of particular importance as it provides vital employment and income, in an environment of weak social security and scarce job opportunities. Furthermore, milk production is predominantly organized in small-scale farms, which are most likely to be affected by adversarial financial conditions and limited in their opportunities to raise resources to invest. The results show that a large share of milk producers in Armenia is actively investing to upgrade their farm business. Furthermore, investment activity is not limited to large dairy farmers as over 30% of respondents with less than eight cows have made dairy-specific investments. We find that the linkages between farms and agribusiness – and more specifically the support programs that agribusiness firms offer to their suppliers – have been crucial in stimulating this restructuring process at the farm level. Interestingly, farmers with a more exclusive relationship to the buyer and farmers that deliver to more internationally oriented buyers are more likely to receive support. On the other hand, buyers that operate in a more competitive market are less likely to provide support to their suppliers. These findings have interesting policy implications. On the one hand, our results point to the gains that can be made from openness to international firms. On the other hand, the negative competition effect indicates that buyers are unable to enforce repayment of the provided farm services in an environment where a lot of buyers are competing for the same supply. Policy makers should look at ways of improving the enforcement capability of dairy companies under these circumstances.
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DIVESTITURE POST MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS IN INDIA – REASONS AND MODEL TO PREDICT
Views:265Divestitures post-acquisition are a common occurrence yet the jury is still out on whether they represent correction of prior mistakes or are a restructuring tool to improve performance in the hands of managers evaluating overall portfolio of assets. We take a sample of 1,344 deals buy Indian public listed buyers from 2000 to 2020 of which 13% were followed by a divestiture to create models to predict if an acquisition is likely to be followed by a divestiture or not using logistic regression and discriminant analysis. Our model is more than 75% accurate in its prediction even when tested on unselected data (new data for the model). We find support for portfolio theory and reject the correction of prior mistakes theory to explain post-acquisition divestitures. We support the theory that financial constraints leads to post acquisition divestiture. We also support the theory on indigestion that post acquisition divestitures are due to cookie-jar problem where buyers are finding it difficult to integrate. Increased volatility and poor mean stock price returns both contribute to conditions leading to such divestitures. The model constructed is useful for shareholders and other stakeholders to predict whether a divestiture will follow an acquisition or not. Managers can also use the model to predict eventual outcome of their acquisition decisions.
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Establishment of the Customer Perspective of the Balanced Scorecard System at Sports Enterprises Through the Example of a Hungarian Football Club
5-16Views:1148In our present world, more and more attention is being paid to the evaluation and monitoring of different sports organizations, which is because the support of spectator sports has become an important issue. Our fundamental assumption is that football clubs of our time should operate just like large companies in the business sectors. Obviously, it is an essential prerequisite that controlling, a controlling system or a performance measurement system be applied at the business entities operating the clubs. According to our experience, conscious financing of organizations is often neglected in the course of the management processes of sports companies. It is necessary to create the conditions at these organizations that enable managerial decision support and the establishment of a controlling system. It is essential to find controlling methods and tools that can be successfully applied in the life of a sports organization and that ensure the harmonization and coordination of different processes. Consequently, controlling provides a higher level of transparency and information supply for decision makers. The aim of present study is to introduce the Balanced Scorecard (The Balanced Scorecard is a balanced strategic system of indexes, which measures the performance of companies for the sake of implementing the strategy), one of the tools of strategic controlling and its application to sports companies through an example of a Hungarian football club.
JEL Classification: Z23
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The connection between academic and athletic performance among elite university student athletes
19-26Views:715Athletes in higher education are not only expected to produce high level performance but to find the balance between the preparation for post-athletic life and the requirements of the university. The objective of this study is to explore the connections between academic performance and level of sport. Also, to elaborate on the role of relevant policy regulations and institutional support that help elite athletes meet academic requirements. Data collection was conducted by means of online questionnaires involving athletes receiving sport scholarships at the University of Debrecen (N=159). The data from questionnaires were processed by using SPSS 18. Version software. For data analyse four groups were extracted based on level of sport performance and involvement: international elite, division I, division II, division III. The results indicate that the academic performance on the two international elite of sport did not differ from the average, and that these athletes did not experience any difficulties earning course credits at the university while being engaged in doing sport. In most cases, elite athletes did not apply for the various kind of support instruments, thus, they are able to balance athletic preparation and academic requirements without supportive modifications of university policies. The results also shed light on the fact that the academic performance does not only depend on the level of sport and the chosen major at the university, but it is also influenced by the time devoted to study and training, and the sport type (individual or team sport). There are differences observed between athletes participating in individual or team sport concerning the general average of grades, the effectiveness of earning credits, the number of weekly training, as well as the time devoted to training in preparatory and competitive periods. According to the results, the various amount of time devoted to study or sport does not necessarily result in academic performance decline. In addition, results support that athletes do keep academic studies rather important and they are aware that university years are considered to be a significant period in preparation for post-athletic life.
JEL code: Z20
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Some possibilities for risk analysis in the decision support of crop production
79-85Views:303This article has been made according to my dissertation in which I present some opportunity of risk analysis and risk management in the decision support of crop production. Plant production is one of the most hazardous agricultural enterprises. Among risk sources seasonal fluctuation of average yields plays an important role in the assessment of enterprises. Therefore, I analyzed the production risk of the produced crops in Hungary compared to the European Union’s, after that I took into consideration the production site’s circumstances as well. Decision-makers must possess such means, by which they can measure, oversee and manage the effects and consequences of risk. In crop production linear programming models can be used to determine the optimal crop structure, by which income-sensitivity can be taken into account, but it does not reflect the behavior to risk. This deficiency can be avoided by using risk programming models. By the complementary usage of linear programming and risk programming models the optimizing and adaptive planning can be executed. It often causes a problem for the producers to decide when and how much to sell to realize a maximum turnover. The decision is mostly influenced by the selling prices, but also important factors are the financial status of the business, the amount of credit and its conditions, the stock piling opportunities and costs, and the short-term investment opportunities as well. For the resolution of the problem I set up a dynamic, simultaneous financial model by which the system-conceptual analysis of the above mentioned factors and a sound decision-making can be executed.
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CONTRIBUTION OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN ENHANCING RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: INSIGHTS FROM OSUN STATE, NIGERIA
Views:135This study examined the contribution of community-based organizations (CBOs) to rural community development in Osun State, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the characteristics of CBOs, identified their goals, types, and development projects, determined their contributions to rural development, and identified challenges limiting their performance. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select 48 registered CBOs across the state, with 180 respondents. Data were collected through structured interview schedules and analyzed using descriptive statistics, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was applied to test the study hypotheses. Results indicated that the mean years of formation of CBOs was 21.3 ± 9.5 years, majority had written constitution with a mean membership strength of 40±12 members. Primary goal of CBOs was economic empowerment of members (85.4%), The most prevalent CBOs included landlord associations and social groups. Most CBOs initiated erection of security gate at community entrance (75%) and provision of vigilante (70/8%). Provision of security for community and government property (mean = 2.83) and implementing of developmental projects (mean = 2.70) were s the most prominent contribution of CBOs. The major constraints affecting CBO performance were lack of funds (mean = 1.85) and lack of government support (mean = 1.51). Statistically significant relationships were observed between contribution and leadership tenure (r = -0.276, p ≤ 0.01), operational constitution (r = -0.406, p ≤ 0.01), and membership size (r = 0.299, p ≤ 0.05). The study concluded that despite the fact that CBOs contributed meaningfully to rural development, their potential remains constrained by limited institutional and community support. It is recommended that government should recognize and institutionalize the role of CBOs in rural development
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Educational projects – support for development of tourism and rural areas in Serbia
65-69Views:335The paper presents three mini-projects that have been implemented by The Institute of Agricultural Economics – Belgrade in the 2006–2008 period. Those were special educational projects in agriculture and rural development, whereas extension activities were concentrated onto three topics: farm management, support of rural development and improvement of small farms. Implementation of projects took place on the territory of the South Banat County and some Belgrade city communes. The projects intended to solve current problems of sustainable agriculture and rural development. Within the projects there were identified priorities related to investments, strategic planning and tourism. Educational activities were aimed at a number of holders or members of their registered farms. Dynamics of the projects' implementation included introduction and discussion with a number of farmers, formation of small groups, preparation and making of materials, a series of theoretical lectures and determination of the joint work results. Education programs are aiming at improvement of the farm holders' knowledge in the field of business and management. Specific objectives of training are to increase sales of goods and services at domestic and foreign market, to increase competitiveness in a particular market, to achieve higher profits, to create new jobs and improve living conditions in rural areas. Evaluation of projects was related to determination of level, to which there were achieved set objectives, then to define implementation of projects in accordance with the plan, as well as to determine an impact of educational activities to promotion of knowledge concerning business and management.
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Strategy for soil protection in cross-border region of Hungary and Romania
135-137Views:275Within the Hungary-Romania Cross-Border Co-operation Programme for 2007-2013 the University of Debrecen and the University of Oradea is to elaborate a soil strategy for the Nyírség and Bihor Mts region. Project partners expect the strategy will support and strenghten national, regional and local soil policies and contribute to the competitiveness of the region by protecting and developing various soil functions. Project partners also expect to prevent cross-border problems with soil and reduce the competition caused by cost differences.The elaboration of the strategy includes the problems of erosion, deflation, compaction, water-deficiency, inland water-threat, problems induced by the usage of fertilizers, loss and substitution of soil organic matter, amelioration (bentonite, sewage sludge, fermented biogas). Based on summarised data of former examinations and new experiments a concise database will make it possible to calculate and apply the Sustainability Index Model, which may be useful in order to address EU supports properly based on objective calculations, and may be useful to determine the optimal culture. The project also encourages the farmers to keep in mind the cross-compliance, since EU gives financial support to realise sustainable soil strategy based on EU directives. This may enhance the options to initiate the take off of rural areas with shrinking export facilities, to mitigate social tensions and the effect of migration processes.
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Education, scientific-research and consulting work in agriculture of Serbia
11-18Views:309Serbia has small number of producers2 which have encircled production system (from primaryproduction to processing), which do business successful, introduce marketing strategy and production standards, registered their products' mark of origin, succeed to export on EU market, use internet or has its own internet domain, etc. For creation of such, competitive and modern agricultural producer, there is necessity for production specialization, any kind of cooperation and better organization. In same time, there is more space for bigger financial support of state, as expert and consultative support „created“ through strong partnership between public and private sector, i.e. tough and constructive cooperation of state and farmers sector, like as institutions of education, science, research and consultative work. In the paper was given review of number and territorial dispersion of educational institutions, current scientific-research work and consultative functions in agriculture in Serbia, than was pointed out main problems in their functioning and previous work and also proposed concrete suggestions for overcoming of existing limitations, as for modernization /reorganization of those institutions, in a way to be more useful for agricultural producers.
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ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR AS PART IN COMPANIES
Views:451This 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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Semi-subsistence farming situation and policy – the example of Hungary
143-148Views:283In Hungary small farms have played very important role since collectivization (1959-61). Up to radical changes small households have received strong support from coops in the field of providing inputs on one side and, marketing their products on the other. The latter was disrupted by radical reforms and small farms started struggling with survival under market conditions. Government took measures to provide a development path for those having a chance to become competitive after five years development. Three calls (2004, 205 and 2006) were released. In Hungary SSF from three regions were more interested in getting the grant as North Great Plain, South Transdanubia and South Great Plain. All three regions are agriculture dominated ones. The policy with the call has reached a very moderate number of SSFs and, on the other side small farms, either because not meeting the criteria of the call or not wanted to take the additional costs of being registered and monitored for such a small amount of support decided not to apply. The paper ends with policy lessons.
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Disciplines and practices for selection and workplace orientation within an American company
83-88Views:509The primary objective of this essay is to present how selection and orientation at the workplace are regulated and practiced at an American profit oriented company. Moreover, considering these practices to outline the disciplines which determine and influence them. The first part of this essay is a literature review which specifically illustrates various perspectives of selection and orientation at the workplace. Following this review, the objectives of this paper are enumerated. The next part presents the case study, the half-structured interview and the questionnaire methods used for this research. The results and the discussion parts are separated, because the results part shows how selection and orientation work in practice and then, by examining the results in some detail, the discussion part presents the disciplines which have been extrapolated. In order to support the conceived disciplines this paper also seeks to examine the most important supporting factors in the procedure of work orientation. General and professional/organizational factors of workplace orientation have been collected. Quantitative data from an empirical analysis is used for the research. Qualitative data is a part of a future dissertation. Questionnaires were completed by 80 employees at a distributor company in the United States of America. The results clearly show that the following disciplines should be maintained through these HR processes: equal opportunity, importance of professionalism, documentary, checking, support and continuance.
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Strategy for soil protection in cross-border region of Hungary and Romania
173-175Views:292Within the Hungary-Romania Cross-Border Co-operation Programme for 2007-2013 the University of Debrecen and the University of Oradea is to elaborate a soil strategy for the Nyírség and Bihor Mts region.Project partners expect the strategy will support and strenghten national, regional and local soil policies and contribute to the competitiveness of the region by protecting and developing various soil functions.Project partners also expect to prevent cross-border problems with soil and reduce the competition caused by cost differences.The elaboration of the strategy includes the problems of erosion, deflation, compaction, water-deficiency, inland water-threat, problems induced by the usage of fertilizers, loss and substitution of soil organic matter, amelioration (bentonite, sewage sludge, fermented biogas). Based on summarised data of former examinations and new experiments a concise database will make it possible to calculate and apply the Sustainability Index Model, which may be useful in order to address EU supports properly based on objective calculations,and may be useful to determine the optimal culture. The project also encourages the farmers to keep in mind the cross-compliance, since EU gives financial support to realise sustainable soil strategy based on EU directives. This may enhance the options to initiate the take off of rural areas with shrinking export facilities, to mitigate social tensions and the effect of migration processes.
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Regional examination of certain factors influencing the quality of life
73-79Views:317The rate of unemployment in Hajdú-Bihar County is several percent higher than the national average and the actual number of unemployed people is the highest, resulting in considerable social problems. The majority of families living under the minimum subsistence level cannot cover their housing maintenance costs. These costs include the rents of tenement flats, public charges, water, electricity, gas and district heating charges. Cutting the number of unemployed people and stimulating economic activity is a high priority. Important tools towards achieving these goals include the promotion of non-agricultural activities by households engaged in agriculture, incentives for rural micro-enterprises, the development of rural and agro-tourism and support for traditional arts and crafts. As for general subjective well-being,although its average value is positive, merely 50% of the population is contented. Naturally it does not mean that we are unhappy. 4 respondents out of 5 claim that they are rather happy.This may suggest that the picture is not so pessimistic as it is revealed by questions about living conditions.
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Changes in the Relationship Between ICT Use and Economic Development in EU Member States 2010-2016
91-100Views:401In this study, we examined some ICT indicators of the EU Member States between 2010 and 2016 based on data of the World Bank and Eurostat. We wanted to know, how can the EU Member States be grouped according to these indicators, and which group can Hungary belong to. With the help of international literature reviews, three indicators were chosen. According to these we created three groups (underdeveloped, developing, developed) with the K-Mean cluster method that is classified by their level of development. Interesting changes took place during the period under review. By the end of the analyzed period, six countries lost their “developed” rating among others some founding members. There were also interesting changes in the clusters. The value of some indicators increased more than 40% in some cases, surprisingly, only in one case measured reduction. The proportion of ICT specialists decreased in developing countries (by 1%). The highest growth rate was observed in the developed countries in e-commerce. Because of the high proportion of ICT professionals and the share of e-commerce in the developed cluster we assumed that service would be the dominant sector. The two-sample t-test did not confirm our hypothesis. We supposed the focus in developing countries will be on the industry, due we think the developed countries started to outsource their SSCs (shared service centers) to less developed countries. With the help of a statistical indicator, we confirmed our assumption, but the result not so convincing since the significant level is only 11%. Although we thought that the underdeveloped group of countries was based on agriculture, statistical studies did not support our hypothesis.
JEL Classification: O13, O14, O52
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Potential impact of the European Green Agreement on EU and Hungarian crop production
Views:656European arable farming, including Hungarian arable farming, faces a huge dilemma: how to contribute to and maintain the global food supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions while main taining biodiversity, but reducing inputs that are potentially damaging to society and the environment while ensuring that no more land is taken out of production? Not to mention that the increasingly urgent need to tackle climate change is also placing additional demands on EU agricultural decision-makers. Under the European Green Deal (GD), the 'From Farm to Fork' (F2F) strategy will help achieve climate neutrality by 2050, with a target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Achieving this will require significant changes in food production, a shift in crop health strategies and accelerated innovation in the agricultural sector. The study addresses these issues. Our first hypothesis (A1) is that the GD and F2F strategies can be implemented without problems and without losses. Our second assumption (A2) is that the know-how solutions and the technological conditions for precision agriculture that are already available exist, and that all of these already justify the feasibility of A1. In order to prove this, we have reviewed recent and up-to-date literature on DG and F2F. For A1, we found that there are pro and con findings in the literature. However, the summary finding is not positive. The conclusion of the studies, based on data calculations, is that EU agriculture faces huge additional costs if it is to maintain production and reduce environmental pressures. Their calculations suggest that more people will be disadvantaged by the decisions, and that millions of euros could be lost to the public. However, the article also shows that there are many cases where positive results can be achieved even with reduced chemical use. Facts and figures from international and Hungarian technological and know-how solutions and their trials at plant level show that the DG's objectives are already partially achievable. It has been established that the systematic use of precision technologies allows to increase the natural and at the same time the economic efficiency. In our work we have used the results of primary and recent secondary research. We have shown the downsides of GD, but also that with targeted support, the objectives of sustainability and GD can be approached. Changes in 2022, drastic price increases for inputs including fertilizers and pesticides, inflation at a 20-year high, energy prices spiraling out of control, and an almost unprecedented drought affecting crop production and horticulture, point to the need for a radical change in technology, thinking and regulation. And all this to ensure that there is enough affordable food in Hungary, that there are export products within and outside the Community, and that those working in agriculture have a decent living.
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The present of equine tourism in Hungary in reflection to an empirical research
19-23Views:476In the last years the necessity of developing equine tourism in Hungary has been called for by experts. Moreover, the government has spent a significant amount on constructing equestrian facilities all around the country, and has published equestrian brochures in order to attract foreign guests. On the contrary, little attention is paid to equestrian life inside Hungary, though it would be essential to create a Hungarian equestrian audience, so that more and more horse riders could regularly exercise different riding activities.
A more economical operation of equestrian facilities is vital in order to achieve a busier domestic equestrian life, since it is currently self-supporting: it is covered exclusively by the incomes of horse riding. A reinforced financial support of the sector, however, would provide countless additional advantages for the economy. Moreover, enriched riding opportunities drive people back to nature, promote environmental awareness, and provide regular horse riding opportunities for a high number of riders. The present study aims at introducing an empirical survey research in the framework of which participants of Hungarian equestrian life and their features of touristic demand were investigated.
The results of the research show that Hungarians riding on a regular basis are mostly attracted by affordable European riding holidays and riding study visits. -
Agriculture in the Netherlands: Its recent past, current state and perspectives
129-134Views:305The driving forces that determine the prospects of the agricultural sector are dominated by international and European developments related to the demand for and supply of products. In this context, European policy, (such as the CAP), and national policy (e.g. nature management) can greatly influence the development of the agricultural sector.A further reduction of the support by the government forms an important element in the expected future developments.
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HOW TO INCREASE WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY FOR MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITH A CUSTOM-BUILT MOBILE APP IN HUNGARY - A CASE STUDY FOR A LANGUAGE LEARNING SCHOOL
Views:400The increasing availability of information and communication technology (ICT) has boosted interest in ICT-based microservices. Limited research examines the efficacy of ICT-based microservices and administrative burden-alleviating solutions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within a domestic context. This study investigated the potential of such solutions through a case study on a custom language training SME. Key workflows with administrative burdens were identified using an expert interview, leading to the design and development of a custom mobile application. The researchers developed an easily adaptable, general-purpose layer structure during the development process. Results suggest automating essential, low-cost elements of SMEs' internal and external processes through digitalisation and on-demand support can increase competitiveness and employee satisfaction. Further research with a larger sample size could solidify these initial findings and inform broader SME development strategies. Additionally, investigating the long-term impact on factors like employee skill development and customer satisfaction would provide valuable insights for SMEs considering such solutions.
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Agrarian budget as an instrument of agrarian development policy of Serbia
Views:284Purpose of the research is to emphasize the role of agrarian budget in development of Serbian agrarian economy and to examine the problem of agricultural and rural development financingsupport.Furthermore, in this research initial reforms of economic measures have been analyzed concerning Serbian agrarian policy. The goal of this paper is to provide an insight into the role of agricultural budget in agrarian policy of Serbia.The first part of the study gives an overview of macroeconomic situation in Serbia and impact of the financial crisis on Serbia’s economy. Second part includes analysis of the topic item, i.e. agrarian budget role in Serbian agrarian sector. It includes review of relevant literature and researches already conducted on legislation and practice of Serbian agrarian policy as well as examination of statistical data regarding present agrarian budget for 2009.The research focuses at the Serbian agrarian budget for 2009 and agrarian policy of the present Serbian government administration.
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The economic efficiency of apple production in terms of post‑harvest technology
99-106Views:310This study analyses how the level of postharvest technology’s development influences the economic efficiency of apple production with the help of a deterministic simulation model based on primary data gathering in producer undertakings. To accomplish our objectives and to support our hypotheses three processing plant types are included in the model: firstly apple production with no postharvest and prompt sale after the harvest, secondly parallel production and storage combined with an extended selling period and thirdly production and entire postharvest infrastructure (storage, sorting-ranking, packing) with the highest level of goods production and continuous sales. Based on our results it can be stated that the parallel production (plantation) and cold storage, so the second case is proved to be totally inefficient, considering that the establishment of a cold storage carries enormously high costs with resulting a relative low plus profit compared to the first type of processing plant. The reason for this is that this type is selling bulk goods without sorting-grading or packaging; storage itself – as a means of continuously servicing the market – is not covered properly by the consumers. Absolute efficiency ranking cannot be established regarding the other two processing plants: plantation without post-harvest infrastructure resulting lower NPV, but a more favourable IRR, DPP and PI as developing a plantation and a whole post-harvest infrastructure.
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ENHANCING AGRICULTURAL MARKET EFFICIENCY THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF VALUE CHAINS INTO TANZANIA’S AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY EXCHANGE AND WAREHOUSE RECEIPT SYSTEM
Views:181Enhancement of small-scale agricultural performance is undoubtedly one of the Tanzanian government’s initiatives toward an industrialized economy as stipulated in “Intergrated Industrial Development Strategy 2025”. The coordination of agricultural commodity exchange market operations with those of warehouse receipt system was aimed at improving the forward market linkages for agricultural products from small-scale farming. However, due to the growth of the sector, it became imperative to review the marketing structure in place to align with the new changes. This study was conducted to assess a need of upgrading the marketing structure for small scale agribusinesses by focusing on sunflower sub-sector. Primary data were collected from 399 sunflower farmers from Kondoa and Itigi district councils based on cross-sectional survey design. The gross margin analysis revealed that, smallholder farmers engaged in sunflower oil business earned 5.085 times more than those who just sell unprocessed seeds. The secondary data from Tanzania corporation development commission (TCDC), Tanzania mercantile exchange (TMX) and warehouse receipt regulatory board (WRRB) showed that, the current marketing structure did not support the trading of processed agricultural products. It was therefore recommended to upgrade that system in place to have a designated window for trading the value added agricultural products for improved performance.