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Sport, nonprofit and civil organisations: The investigation of employment and volunteering in Hungary and in Romania
90-101Views:88The civil organisations started to appear more often around the local regime changes in Hungary and Romania. Most of these civil organisations aimed to perform different tasks in culture, sports or other public purposes. At the same period in the two named countries, Hungary and Romania, a significant change began in employment. Before the regime changes in the two countries, the most important actor on the employer's side was the state itself. However, after 1989, private companies started to employ more employees and play a greater role in the labour market. At the same time, several civil organisations appeared on the local labour markets that could employ people. However, some of these organisations employed a few volunteer employees who covered most of the activities related to the organisational aims of these organisations. Volunteerism became more popular in Hungary and Romania as well. Volunteering is widespread in sport-focused civil organisations in connection with organising smaller or major sporting events. The study aims to explore the employment characteristics of the sectors concerned in the context of volunteering, particularly the study of non-profit and nongovernmental organisations active in the field of sport and measurable volunteering in the field of sport. Based on the hypothesis test results, it can be concluded that due to the different political past, there was indeed some delay in developing the civil sphere in Romania. In the case of both Hungary and Romania, the role of voluntary work is significant. In sports, the role of volunteers has become unavoidable in connection with the operation of various sports associations and sports clubs and the organisation of large sports events.
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Community culture in the National Archives of Hungary Bekes County Archive
1-8Views:18In this essay will present the activity of the community culture in the National Archives of Hungary Bekes County Archive. The new strategy of the opening has started in the middle of the 2000’s. During the review of the results I am focusing on our programs, cultural activities, our educational works with regards to the essencial base from the history. At first since 2006 our annual conferences, our gallery in the head building in Gyula and our temporary exhibitions has been providing insight into our daily works in the archive, our scientific works and it makes visible our collections, the actual documents of our history. We’ve had the opportunities to join to some widespread program both in Bekes County and in the country. In these events we have introduced ourselves to new audiences. Meantime we have built a fruitful relationship with the local and county press, hence besides the coverages from our events we have found a new platforms (newspapers, online media, television) for our cultural activities. Our education activities has formed in line with our other programs. If so our prime purpose is the familiarizaton of our institution to younger ranges but we also have created lessons about specific historical topics based on our documents. Often the groups are spread good reputation on our works, or – like the librarians from the city library – returned. After a visit they ofter asked a lesson on the subject of the actual summer camp for elementary school pupils. Essencally the Bekes County Archive have had a successful past decade. We are looking forward the next period, and trying to stand our’s ground in the fields of the comunity culture which is more and more come to the front in the National Archives of Hungary.
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Quantitative study of customer and consumer behaviour towards spas and balneo cosmetics, with special regard to the Central Hungarian region
131-148Views:49The starting point for the presentation of the topic indicated in the title of the study is the use of spas in Central Hungary (mainly belonging to Budapest Spas cPlc.), and the purchase and consumption of balneo cosmetics (especially the Budapest Spas product family, which is Budapest Spas cPlc.'s balneo cosmetics family) a description of a research model describing the relationship between factors - based on literature, secondary sources and qualitative research. This last phase of the research concludes with the interpretation of the result of single-phase online quantitative data collection (n = 218) based on the research model concept. The methods used in the study are one-, two- (cross-tabular) and multivariate (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) methods. Univariate methods show the prominent role of each key variable. Bivariate or multivariate methods explore the relationships between the variables examined and the lists of claims in the field of spas and balneo cosmetics. The objectives (and results) related to the data collection were as follows: The advantage of spas in Budapest is that they are relatively close to each other, so their frequency of visits is one or more times a year. The spas of Pest County are the least visited, which may be due to the unknown nature of the spas here. The frequency of visits to the examined Budapest spas can be explained by their awareness, frequency and breadth of services. The most common reason for visiting regional spas is the refreshment, which is behind the variable, the reason why consumers, in their conscious free time, look for the opportunities provided by medicinal waters, by which they can recharge and relax. The need for recreation, on the other hand, does not show a difference between each age group, as all age groups need rest and recharge. Among the spa services, a distinction can be made between basic, extended and extra packages, of which the basic and extended packages are used more by women and the extra packages are mainly used by men. Consumer groups can also be formed based on the reasons for using the spas. There are consumers who are open and there are those who are not open about their attitudes towards spa services. Spas are generally used by consumers for regeneration, disease prevention and recreational reasons. Balneo cosmetics are especially bought by women, both for medical, preventive and recreational purposes, and because they consider these cosmetic products to be anti-allergenic, ie they do not fear the risk of developing allergies. In terms of openness to balneo cosmetics, there is an open and an open group for balneo cosmetics, and an open group that cannot be called open for all factors examined. The practical applicability of the research is to make medicinal waters as widely known as possible in relation to both spas and balneo cosmetics.
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The situation of pálinka in Hungary. Problems and opportunities
75-87Views:138Distillation has centuries-old traditions in Hungary. A brief international outlook will also present the private distillation practices of the surrounding countries. Pálinka is a Hungaricum product produced by exclusively in commercial distilleries. In our country it is possible to make in subcontractdistilleries or at home, however, the product made in this way can only be called distillate and cannot be marketed. Over the last ten years, the legal framework governing the production of pálinka has changed very often, affecting the operators in the sector in different ways. Statistical information on each type of distilling will be presented, with special emphasis on the tax exemption period. Using known data from subcontract distilling, it was found that a HUF 52.1 billion deficit arose from the abolition of excise duty. The 0% excise tax resulted in a boom in subcontract distillation, with a neutral, partly negative effect on commercial distilling. The number of home distillers started to grow extraordinarily, and after the tax was restored, about 50,000 to 70,000 people disappeared from the ranks of subcontractors. Based on secondary sources, I have identified problems in the sector that need to be resolved. Furthermore, I outline the opportunities that are available but are not being used enough.
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Development characteristics of small villages in Hungary after the turn of the millennium
48-57Views:64The aim of the study is to describe some characteristic features of Hungarian small villages. Based on a literature review, the topic of a comparative analysis of settlements with different populations has been the subject of research in Hungary for about half a century. Laws had been enacted since the 1970s to reduce the spatial differences. However, despite the national's intention, the differences between the individual regions and settlement groups continued to increase. This is also reflected in the fact that under the current development policy legislation – Government Decree 290/2014. (XI. 26.) – small villages have a higher than average chance of being included in disadvantaged districts. The aim of my study is to outline the situation of municipalities with a population of less than half a thousand people by analyzing statistical data and presenting the results of my own questionnaire survey. These municipalities make up more than a third of the Hungarian settlements population, while their population just only 2.2% of the national population. In the course of the analysis, I focus primarily on demographic processes and the development of communal infrastructure. These developments (sewage network, pipeline gas supply) could highly improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of small settlements. Despite all these investments, emigration is significant due to the lack of jobs, as a result of which the aging of local society continues. The importance of the regional embeddedness of the settlements is shown by the fact that while the situation of the small settlements of Veszprém, Vas and Zala county can be said to be relatively favorable, the small villages of Baranya, Somogy and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén can be considered disadvantaged in almost all indicators.
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Spatial characteristics of European Union supported projects with the objective to enhance the dissemination of renewable energy resources in in the 2007-2013 budgetary period
59-68Views:47In the recent period, the use of renewable energy sources has received increasing emphasis both in the European Union and in Hungary. Building on the successes of the recent decades, the European Union and Hungarian documents have set increasingly ambitious objectives. European Union subsidies play a very important role in the financing of investments, and in the spirit of this, the aim of the study is to present the spatial characteristics of projects supporting the use of renewable energy sources in one specific region of Hungary, in the Northern Great Plain region. As a result of the research, on the one hand, the influencing role of three factors can be detected. The effect of socioeconomic development was observed at both county and district levels, and in the case of settlements the number of population and the administrative role (existence of a district center) can be mentioned. On the other hand, the study also revealed that there are significant differences between the spatial characteristics of the two operational programs supporting the use of renewable energy sources (Regional and Settlement Development Operational Program, Environmental and Energy Efficiency Operational Program).
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Long live generalissimus Stalin! – The first experience of digital storytelling in the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County Archives of the National Archives of Hungary
161-170Views:29In 2020 Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County Archives of the National Archives of Hungary tried a new form of presenting. In contrast with the previous static posts, this time Institute used the opportunity of modern video making, which can satisfy the needs of today’s audience more successfully. Digital storytelling is such content that is meant to be shared, and is created by the logical connecting of auditory and visual elements. We found it important to place such original archival documents in the centre of the video that are capable of grabbing the attention both with their substance and appearance. The demonstrated documents originate from 1949. They include the texts and drawings of young students, celebrating Stalin’s 70th birthday. These documents can appeal to the interest not only by their spectacular appearance but also by their historical value. The children's words are trustworthy proof for Stalin's personality cult and perfectly reflect the propaganda of the era. The video was published on YouTube.
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The role and opportunities of short supply chains - with a focus on the organizations of Hajdú-Bihar county
45-58Views:133An important basis for the development of new rural development practices is the re-creation of supply chains. SFSCs (Short Food Supply Chain) are also capable of breaking the system of long, complex industrial chains. In the case of SFSCs, producer-consumer relations are “shortened” and redefined. After exploring the literature, I came to the conclusion that short supply chains are receiving more and more attention nowadays, and more and more forms of operation are appearing in Hungary as well. The promotion of local products has been helped by a number of programs in recent years. I have found that the international literature presents the operation of RELs in the form of a case study. The primary aim of the study was to search for international examples that can form a basis of comparison for the organizations operating in Hungary, especially in Hajdú-Bihar County. After that, I presented specific networks operating in Hajdú-Bihar county, four networks were identified. Finally, I discussed the results of a questionnaire survey between REL members. In summary, 80% of the respondents believe in the viability and economical operation of RELs. Most identified the development of information technology as an area of operation to be developed. Farmers would be willing to strengthen direct sales in order to make product production economical. 88% of producers sell in local, producer markets. They are basically satisfied with the functioning of the producer market and also consider it economically satisfactory to sell on the producer market.
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Honey consumption and purchasing habits in Hajdú-Bihar county
88-101Views:146The main objective of our research is to present the market situation and conditions of the Hungarian beekeeping sector from the perspective of consumers. We considered it appropriate to present the beekeeping market because the European Union is the second largest producer of honey in the world, and Hungary ranks third in the EU in terms of the honey production volume. The changes in global and EU trade, market trends and changes in consumer habits are significant influencing factors in terms of domestic conditions. The market situation is presented through a review of the relevant domestic and foreign literature, and we analysed statistical databases to examine the topic (data provision of beekeeping programs of the European Union member states, CSO, OMME, Statista database and reports). The consumption of honey by the Hungarian population has been slowly increasing year by year, but we are still below the European Union average. Honey is our basic food of animal origin; it has many beneficial properties, so the study of consumption and purchasing habits is an important issue. To analyse the consumer and purchasing habits, we chose the questionnaire survey method. In our research, we sought the answer to how and in which direction honey consumption and purchasing habits have changed in Hungary today, and whether there are any regional difference based on the answers of the respondents. The online questionnaire was structured according to the 4Ps of the marketing mix; accordingly, we had questions about the product itself (honey), its price, place of purchase, promotion opportunities and the way and frequency of honey consumption. The results obtained from the survey were evaluated, subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, and then analysed for correlations based on background variables including gender, age, education, type of settlement, and county. Responses were evaluated using the SPSS 22.0 data analysis and statistics program. The results of the sample are not representative, but they well represent and summarize the situation.
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The sharing economy in EU-28 and its popularity in Hungary and Romania
88-103Views:40The emergence of sharing economy into the tertiary sector has changed the balance of power and redefining the way of achieving it. The purpose of the study aims at introducing the sharing economy, one of the most popular economic mechanisms at present, with special regard to its nomenclature and definitions. The spreading of trading platforms in services sector has created a wide variety of virtual marketplaces, where consumers and suppliers contact each other directly according to their interests. It focuses on the economic markets of the Hungarian and Romanian sharing economy to obtain a clear picture of its growing range and forms. The paper includes both primary and secondary research, literary sources and the open-access database of the European Commission, which is analysed by the SPSS 24 software. Sharing economies have been studied from both consumer and service provider perspectives, surveyed the proportion of users and suppliers, the advantages and disadvantages, the reasons for not using services offered as such, and the motives behind the participation of suppliers on sharing economy platforms was carried out in Hungary and Romania and the EU-28 members. As far as we know, the analysis of this field has not been carried out.
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Examination of the organizational structure and the management functions of state-accredited football academies
102-111Views:183My research was aimed to investigate the organizational structure and the management functions of the state-accredited football academies in Hungary. The relenvance of this topic is given by the high amount of money flowing in to this sector, and the changes in the onganizational background. With the development of football, the clubs are working yet as companies, and this organistional frame requires a well planned structure. In my research I analized the operation of these organisations as companies, and I tried to answer the suggested questions about structure and leadership, with a comparative analysis of the academies highlighted by the national federation. I revealed what are the organizational problems faced by the academies, and which directions they have to follow to develop their companies, to ensure the safe, and long term operation. I choosed 3 from the 10 state-accredited academies to analyse their structure. The chosen clubs were the Várda Sport Egyesület, the Vasas Kubala Akadémia, and the Győri ETO FC youth base. It was important for me to represent an academy from each part of Hungary, to have the possibility to see some regional specialities. Through my study I investigated the responsibilities of the academy directors to see which were the key areas they had to enchance in their companies, and to define the differences in each organization. It was also my goal to reveal these differences have benefists or disadvantages for the operation. My main goal was to locate critical success factors needed for the modern, and proper operation. The research revealed that the three academies examined follow the traditional linear, functional organizational structure, but there are also differences in the definition of jobs and in the operation of the company. These differences are largely to be found in the local identity and the still ongoing development of the organizational background.
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Regional differences in the distribution of Industry 4.0 applications in the SME sector
79-87Views:94Since 2014, the European Commission has been measuring the development of the digital economy and society with the DESI indicator. The DESI 2020 report shows that the Covid-19 epidemic has made digital tools even more important for countries’ economies. Hungary is ranked 21st out of 28 EU Member States on the DESI indicator which is measuring the digital economy and society. Improving the competitiveness of Hungarian companies in the international market depends on the extent of their digitalisation. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the financial instruments and resources available to support the implementation of an advanced digitalisation systems at Hungarian companies in the past EU budget period. Two calls for proposals were available in the 2014-2020 funding period in Hungary in the context of advanced digitisation: GINOP 1.2.8-17 and GINOP 3.2.6-8.2.4-17. A regional comparative analysis between the two calls was not feasible because the funding intensities for eligible costs are different for the two calls, therefore the calls were evaluated separately. The analysis found that the reasons for the low willingness to apply are assumed to include the lack of economic and social potential in rural areas, with the main reasons being the lack of own resources to invest and the lack of a workforce with the right digital skills.
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Qualitative study of customer and consumer behaviour towards spas and balneo cosmetics in the Central Hungarian region through own model development
118-130Views:73The starting point for the presentation of the topic indicated in the title of the study is the use of spas in Central Hungary (mainly belonging to Budapest Spas cPlc.) and the purchase and consumption of balneo cosmetics (especially the Budapest Spas product family, which is Budapest Spas cPlc.'s balneo cosmetics family). Description of a theoretical model describing the system of relations between the influencing factors - built on the basis of literature and secondary sources. The practical significance of the topic covered through the theoretical concept is primarily the return to naturalness, in terms of the topic, to medicinal water and the purchase and use of cosmetics made from medicinal water ingredients. Following the presentation of the theoretical model, the research model concept is described, the factors of which have been supplemented with new determinants by the qualitative research results. The research model concept was developed by interpreting the results of two-phase qualitative data collection. The objectives (and outcomes) associated with the surveys were as follows. (1) With the help of online content monitoring (n = 50) the main factors of buying and consuming balneo cosmetics were identified. (2) With the help of individual research interviews (n = 20) the validity of the theoretical model was examined and the use of balneo, the main variables of the purchase and consumption of cosmetics were explored, highlighting the identification of consumer grouping directions that focus on consciously spent leisure time, health awareness and recreation. This publication focuses on the presentation of model development and key qualitative research findings.
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Development of online cost calculator aiding vehicle purchase
19-30Views:46Replacing conventional vehicles by vehicles that operated with alternative energy sources is a significant step towards sustainable development of transport systems and efficient energy management. In our research, Hungarian characteristics and peculiarities are analysed; special focus is given to the applicability of renewable energy sources. The road electromobility system has been analysed according to energy production, vehicle stock, charging facility and operational aspects. We found that initial higher share of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) is gradually decreasing against that of pure battery electric vehicles (BEV). We investigated and compared electric vehicle cost calculators available online in English or Hungarian. We found that applications lack a drivetrain fitness evaluation method based on vehicle use. Accordingly, we have elaborated a conventional, hybrid and pure electric drivetrain type evaluation method, which is the main scientific contribution of the paper. The function was integrated into a new online cost calculator method in Hungarian, that may contribute to the spread of electric vehicles in Hungary.
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Introducing the social situation of Hajdú-Bihar County in numbers
27-40Views:133The aim of our study is to provide an overview of the social situation in Hajdú-Bihar County. Hajdú-Bihar County, the economic, educational, scientific and cultural center of the Northern Great Plain region. Its conditions are favorable for fulfilling its role, and it’s economic, educational, commercial, and cultural and health relations are significant beyond the national borders. In connection with Hajdú-Bihar County, it is important to mention the utilization of its logistics role and the role of the regional knowledge base. Debrecen city is the center of HajdúBihar County, this is the second largest city in Hungary in terms of population. For decades Debrecen has been an outstanding role of Hajdú-Bihar County, and the city has a socio-economic impact on the whole region as a regional center. Among the above-mentioned impacts, this study focuses on the social impacts of Hajdú-Bihar County and the calculations based on local and national statistics to support and analyze this impact. The social impacts were examined primarily from a demographic point of view (population, gender, age and composition by educational level, qualifications, employment, income conditions) compared to previous years and national data.
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The vision of newer generations on the farms of Hajdú-Bihar county
110-117Views:23For the former rural society the basic pillar of economic security was the homestead, and farming there, which was then further inherited within the family. A century ago more than a million people lived on homesteads in Hungary, but today it has fallen to well under a quarter of a million. The decline in population was due on the one hand, to the emergence of modern machinery and new cultivation and breeding technologies in agriculture, which transformed farming and the people involved, and on the other, to society's living standards and expectations out of infrastructures that meet modern needs, so the emigration of the younger generations living there began, who moved into nearby villages and towns. The aim of my research was to explore the future tendencies of the possibilities of moving from homesteads among the homestead inhabitants of Hajdú-Bihar county, taking into account the current conditions, which was based on a survey conducted in all its districts. The results of the study show that most of the newer generations growing up on homesteads no longer envision their future there, however if the homestead were more extensively constructed in terms of comfort and corresponded to a higher degree of comfort, this might guarantee that the young people would still remain in place.
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Employment during the Coronavirus crisis, experiences from the Northern Great Plain Region
48-57Views:71The impact of the pandemic crisis was particularly significant on the labour market. In our study, we sought the answer to what percentage of workers were brought into precarious conditions by the epidemic. Another question was in which industries were the organizations able to use the Home Office option and their practical experience. Based on secondary data, different economic sectors have been affected to different degrees by the viral situation, with low, medium and high levels separated by the literature according to the impact on emissions. Compared to the global average (50%), Hungary has a higher proportion of employees (60%) in the “high” or “medium high” sectors. According to German regional results, education, finance and telecommunications within the service are the areas where teleworking is most applicable to maintain continuous operation and employment. As part of primary research, we interviewed the head of an organization operating in a low-, medium- and high-impact sector in the Northern Great Plain Region. There was no significant change in the “low” category, in the case of “medium” the acquisition activity was pushed into the background, in the case of “high” there was a downsizing. Based on this, it can be said that the Pandemic catalyzed the digitization processes, the Home Office, which was introduced or expanded by force, presumably had a developmental effect on organizations, which effect cannot be left without a trace after the virus situation. The organization’s experience can be utilized if it returns to the “normal” wheelbase by eliminating the disadvantages and strengthening the advantages.
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The impact of events in and around Kisvárda on tourism in the region
34-47Views:77The main goal of our research is to present the impact of the festivals organized in and around the city of Kisvárda on tourism. The main direction was given by the Kisvárda Festival of Theaters, which has been organized for more than 30 years, as it has greatly contributed to the development of tourism in Kisvárda in recent years. In our research material, we briefly present the festival tourism in Hungary, and we also review the relationship between tourism and the festival, taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic that has been present for the past few years.
We also consider the presentation of the research topic important because the tourist offer of the city of Kisvárda and its region is growing, there are many tourist attractions in Kisvárda that make it worth visiting the city and its surroundings. In addition to examining the impact of the Kisvárda Festival of Hungarian Theaters on tourism, we also conducted a questionnaire survey in order to find out the opinions of visitors to events in Kisvárda. In our opinion, festivals can have a significant positive impact on the economy, society and cultural life.
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System Changes and Their Effects on the Society in Szabolcs-SzatmárBereg Country in the last one and a half centuries (part 1)
6-15Views:42Starting from the mid-19th century numerous changes can be classified as systemic changes or shifts. The change of the landscape has shaped the ways lands were tilled and also caused changes in the economical structures. Then the Treaty of Trianon triggered ethnical, political, administrative and cultural changes with the new borders. The key issues of the most recent system change in 1989 the mobility of the society (and what threatens it) the survival of local traditions (and whether they are still followed) and the effects of being a border region of Hungary and the EU. The peripherical situation of the region threatens with lagging. This is threat is strengthened by the regions ethnical and social situation worsened by the decline of the educational system. Self-government is also severely damaged by the loss of local control over public bodies. Paradoxically enough, despite all system changes the life of local people improved only moderately and the region is still among the nation’s most vulnerable ones.
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Theoretical review of corporate communication with special attention to linguistic effects and communication noise
82-88Views:164Based on literature, the aim of this review is to provide a clear vision of the general aspects of communication, the linguistic effects in communication, and noises in organizational communication and their solutions. Regarding the review of different disciplines, the basic concept of communication appears differently; communication noises must be considered in all the cases during communication. Noise includes physical phenomena, psychological factors, but it can also be interpreted as linguistic or intellectual barriers, such as those arising from the interpretation of loanwords and different wording. In Hungary, research on the effectiveness of organizational communication has examined the effect of different wording of job advertisements in a general framework, research results on the use of loanwords and different wording are found in linguistic research.
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Changes of soil chemical properties after sewage sludge compost treatment
40-48Views:36The small-plot experiment with sewage sludge compost (SSC) was started in the spring of 2003. Soil type is acidic Arenosol at the Research Institute of Nyíregyháza, University of Debrecen, in the NE part of Hungary. The applied SSC contained 40% of sewage sludge, 25% of straw, 30% of rhyolite and 5% of bentonite. Four treatments in five blocks have been conducted, where the SSC was applied at a rate of 0, 9, 18 and 27 t ha-1 and then was ploughed into the soil. Treatments were repeated in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015. Test plants were maize (Zea mays L.), triticale (x Triticosecale x Wittmack) and green pea (Pisum sativum L.) followed each other in a crop rotation every year. Composite soil samples were mixed from 5 subsamples in each plot from 0-30 and 30-60 cm soil layers after harvesting of test plants. Experimental results showed that composted sewage sludge Régiókutatás Szemle 2018 2. sz. DOI: 10.30716/RSZ/2018/2/5 application had positive effects on the chemical properties of the soil, especially the increase of pH and humus content.
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The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on different areas of life in Hungary (work, private life, health and mental state)
25-36Views:225The COVID-19 epidemic had an enormous impact on the entire world, including the Hungarian population. The situation was accompanied by numerous new restrictions, strict regulations, and their consequences had to be dealt with, which also affected the life of everyone. Therefore, it was considered that it would be worthwhile to assess the different reactions to this situation among the population, what effects the people had to face and whether there was a change in their lives. The opinions of respondents on different areas of life was surveyed, such as private life, changes in personal relationships, introduction of changes in workplace habits, and the effects on health and mental state. Also the survey intended to reveal newly developed good and bad habits. The survey method was a questionnaire-based survey, which was delivered to the respondents online (n=362). The results obtained from the sample were evaluated, subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, and then crosstabs were performed based on background variables (gender, age, educational attainment, occupation, and income) to present correlations. The results of the sample are not representative, but they properly represent and summarize the situation.
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The significance of foreign language Geography teaching in the dual language secondary school programmes of the Northern Great Plain region
46-60Views:63Dual language education has been present in numerous institutions across the Northern Great Plain region of Hungary. Educational centres across the region have been running dual language programmes in secondary grammar schools and vocational schools for decades. As regional centre and traditional educational hub, Debrecen is also represented by a number of schools offering international programmes. Although recent socioeconomic and education policy changes have forced schools for constant renewal, bilingualism in educational programmes managed to remain popular, partly due to the achievements of foreign language subject teaching. Through the alignment of subject-specific content and the development of language competence, this form of education effectively contributes to the improvement of students’ language skills, shapes their mindset and expands their further education and increases their market value as potential workforce. This study will explore the role and impact of foreign language Geography teaching across the secondary schools of the Northern Great Plain region through the lens of teaching and educational research, by discussing some of the relevant regional findings of a broader PhD dissertation (including school visits, final exam results and a recent nationwide teacher survey). Research findings prove that Geography has been a popular subject choice to be taught in foreign languages: it has been present in the majority of the 15 dual language secondary schools of the region, it has been playing an important role in vocational school programmes and it has been chosen as final exam subject by nearly 1,000 candidates.
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The possibility of making urban public transport more attractive
58-66Views:87Urban transport today sets a significant challenge to its residents. The increase in passenger car traffic, which has increased significantly in recent years due to the pandemic situation, also shows that the population is rather committed to private transport then using public transport. In order to create a livable urban life, urgent steps need to be taken to ensure that urban mobility remains sustainable as expected by the population. Fo this, several tools are available to city leaders. These could include the use of micromobility devices, the introduction of sharing-based systems and measures to restrict car traffic. In addition, the development of public transport and the diversion of the population in this direction are obvious. Most major cities today are working in this direction by developing these networks and services in order to improve the accessibility and attractiveness of these transport systems. Several major European cities have made public transport partially or completely free in order to maximize public use. This effort is not unknown in Hungary either, as a significant part of the population has been able to use this form of transport free of charge for several decades. However, if full free service is introduced, it will be necessary to examine its effects from an economic and social point of view.
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Corruption as a concomitant phenomenon of the lack of democratic traditions or thoughts on the margin of failure of the democratic experiment in 1945
15-26Views:35For decades, there has been an open debate among historians about whether there was democracy in our country in 1945, and if so, what those few transition years were like, and what caused the failure of democracy. The study, – instead of the democratic state of the electoral system, the rule of law, respect for freedoms, self-government and civil society organization, – attempts to highlight the presence or absence of democratic traditions, which is generally less attended to, but undoubtedly was also part of the failure of the democratic experiment in 1945. Perhaps surprising, but the political and moral traditions of a society determine the chances for the development and survival of a democracy. In a corrupt, morally inferior society, it is more difficult to establish and operate democracy. Thus, democracy is guaranteed not only by the appearance of institutions and elections, but also by the thinking of the people living in it and by the norms that determine their behavior. The study illustrates the peculiarity of Hungary with examples mostly from Szolnok that in the 20th century the interchanging systems were struggling with a serious deficit of democracy, and therefore no democratic traditions could be formed in the society, and in 1945 they could not go back to such antecedents. Therefore, after 1945, Hungarian society appears as corrupt as it did before 1945. Corruption has affected not only politicians but also those at lower levels of society and has engulfed society as a whole. Thus, in order to consolidate democracy, it will not be enough in the future to replace politicians and reform institutions, but the society as a whole must change too, especially in its way of thinking and behavior.
