Equilibrium最新文献

{"title":"Disparities in the level of regional technical infrastructure development in Poland: multicriteria analysis","authors":"Dorota Miłek","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.036","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The development policy currently promoted by the European Union is focused on the use of the territory?s internal resources. Among the factors affecting regional development, by building its potential, infrastructure, being a basic necessity for developing activity in a given area, is of significant importance. Hence, investment in infrastructure is critical to stimulating economic dynamism, as it is the basis for supporting a variety of measures aimed at economic growth.\u0000Purpose of the article: This paper aims to evaluate the level of development of technical infrastructure and changes taking place in this field in Polish voivodeships in 2008 and 2020.\u0000Methods: The study was carried out using the Hellwig development pattern method and a comparative analysis of the technical infrastructure of Polish regions. The above approach makes it possible to measure the diversity of the state and availability of infrastructure for the communities of the regions.\u0000Findings & value added: While implementing the study aim, particular attention was paid to the spatial differences in the level of development of the technical infrastructure of Polish voivodeships. The analysis enabled to distinguish groups of voivodeships with the highest, high, low, and very low level of technical infrastructure development. From a long-term perspective, the conducted research can be seen as a contribution to existing research and serve to further compare the impact of technical infrastructure on the economic development of countries. The strength of the study is the adequately long time span of the analysis (2008 ? the period of the financial crisis and 2020 ? the COVID 2019 pandemic), which provides a basis for the formation of the infrastructure in question. The added value of the article is also a regional perspective on the level of development of technical infrastructure using multidimensional methods of statistical analysis. The results of the study can be used to make decisions at the national level regarding the retrofitting of infrastructure in regions with a low level of infrastructure development. For the European Union's decision-makers they can be a source of knowledge of where to direct EU funds the purpose of which is the infrastructural development of regions.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46145308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A multivariate approach towards the measurement of active employee participation in the area of occupational health and safety in different sectors of the economy","authors":"K. Boczkowska, Konrad Niziołek, E. Roszko-Wójtowicz","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.035","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Despite a dynamically growing exploration of broadly understood employee participation, there is still space left for more in-depth or new analyses in this area, and occupational health and safety (OHS) serves as a good example in this respect. In empirical studies, employee participation in the field of occupational health and safety is not treated as a separate element of ensuring safety in the organisation, but only as a minor element of occupational health and safety management, or as just one of the elements building a safety culture.\u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to propose a synthetic measure of active employee participation in OHS taking into account the depth and scope of this participation. A comparative analysis of the level of active participation of OHS at medical facilities and in other sectors of the economy was also performed.\u0000Methods: The theoretical model for active employee participation in OHS was tested by means of a survey using the PAPI (Paper & Pen Personal Interview) method. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used. The developed construct (characterised by an adequately high level of validity and reliability) was used in a comparative analysis of medical institutions with other sectors of the economy with the use of the Mann?Whitney U test.\u0000Findings & value added: This research fills the theoretical gap in the model approach to participation in OHS. It has been found (EFA and CFA analyses) that active employee participation in OHS consists of one dimension (15 items). The model for active employee participation in OHS and the universal measurement scale developed and validated in this study represent a step forward towards the effective and reliable measurement of employee participation. In addition, the research has shown that the level of active employee participation in OHS at medical facilities is lower than in other sectors of the economy. The added value of this paper results from the approach to measuring employee participation in OHS which takes into account the depth and scope of this participation. The tool is consistent with international regulations and standards in the field of OHS, and thus can be used in other countries to assess active employee participation in OHS, regardless of the size and profile of the company or the sector of the economy.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46382674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of European structural and investment funds absorption on the regional development in the EU-12 (new member states)","authors":"Martina Vukašina, Ines Kersan-Škabić, Edvard Orlić","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.029","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) as the main instruments of cohesion policy (CP) in the EU, provide a broad source of financing opportunities for the EU member states. The biggest amount in the CP budget is oriented to convergence NUTS 2 regions that have GDP p.c. below 75% of the EU average. The new members of the EU (accessed in 2004 and 2007) had available 176.3 billion EUR in the period 2007?2013 and 217 billion EUR in the period 2014?2020. Even the absorption rate (in 2007?2013) of available ESIFs is high (above 90%), the real implications on their economies don?t come automatically and they represent the area for examination.\u0000Purpose of the article: The research aims to analyse the impact of ESIFs absorption in EU new member states in the period 2008?2016 on their GDP p.c. \u0000Methods: As the sample has time and cross-sectional dimension, the panel data in static and dynamic form is employed. The analysis covers the major part of the financial framework 2007?2013 and a part of financial perspective 2014?2020 (depending on the available data).\u0000Findings & value added: The results indicate that increase in ESIF p.c. for 1% will contribute to the GDP p.c. increase for 0.0053 to 0.0064 % (static model) and for 0.008% (dynamic model). Although the impact of ESIFs is significant and positive, it is quite (and unexpectedly) small, and consequently new EU member states should not rely too much on them as the source of economic progress. It is necessary that countries should focus on channeling funds into specific segments (sectors, policies) that will result in increased competitiveness of their economies. The contributions lie in creating GDP p.c. determination function; in including all new EU member states; in including more recent available data and by observing ESIFs as a part of growth model.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47398327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inclusiveness as a key determinant of work engagement: evidence from V4 countries","authors":"Igor Borisov, S. Vinogradov","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.034","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: There is currently a need for empirical research regarding the validity of specific work environment model elements supported by strong statistical evidence. The amount of research conducted in this field has been particularly limited in Central-Eastern Europe. The desire to fill in these gaps was at least in part responsible for the uniqueness of the research approach and its differences from previous similar studies.\u0000Purpose of the article: The purpose of this study was to examine factors affecting employee engagement and to examine their relationship with each other using Visegrad countries as an example.\u0000Methods: The initial data is taken from the fourth European Company Survey (2019) for management respondents. After data cleaning, the sample sizes for Czechia, Hungary Poland, and Slovakia are N(CZ)=904, N(HU)=682, N(PL)=511, and N(SK)=361, respectively. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the following five dimensions were identified for this research: (1) inclusiveness, (2) empowerment, (3) work autonomy, (4) organizational learning environment, and (5) work engagement. An analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to determine the links that exist among these dimensions of a constructive work environment.\u0000Findings & value added: The structural model indicates that inclusiveness and empowerment have a significant positive impact on work engagement in all the countries examined. Inclusiveness was the strongest predictor of work engagement, followed by empowerment. Both of the two other predictors in the model (workplace autonomy and organizational learning environment) generally had less or no effect on employee engagement. The present study extends recent literature on work engagement by empirically validating the influence of workplace environment-related factors, as well as providing useful organizational policy recommendations for managers.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47830942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Segmentation and estimation of claim severity in motor third-party liability insurance through contrast analysis","authors":"M. Reiff, Erik Šoltés, Silvia Komara, Tatiana Šoltésová, Silvia Zelinová","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.028","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Using the marginal means and contrast analysis of the target variable, e.g., claim severity (CS), the actuary can perform an in-depth analysis of the portfolio and fully use the general linear models potential. These analyses are mainly used in natural sciences, medicine, and psychology, but so far, it has not been given adequate attention in the actuarial field.\u0000Purpose of the article: The article's primary purpose is to point out the possibilities of contrast analysis for the segmentation of policyholders and estimation of CS in motor third-party liability insurance. The article focuses on using contrast analysis to redefine individual relevant factors to ensure the segmentation of policyholders in terms of actuarial fairness and statistical correctness. The aim of the article is also to reveal the possibilities of using contrast analysis for adequate segmentation in case of interaction of factors and the subsequent estimation of CS.\u0000Methods: The article uses the general linear model and associated least squares means. Contrast analysis is being implemented through testing and estimating linear combinations of model parameters. Equations of estimable functions reveal how to interpret the results correctly.\u0000Findings & value added: The article shows that contrast analysis is a valuable tool for segmenting policyholders in motor insurance. The segmentation's validity is statistically verifiable and is well applicable to the main effects. Suppose the significance of cross effects is proved during segmentation. In that case, the actuary must take into account the risk that even if the partial segmentation factors are set adequately, statistically proven, this may not apply to the interaction of these factors. The article also provides a procedure for segmentation in case of interaction of factors and the procedure for estimation of the segment's CS. Empirical research has shown that CS is significantly influenced by weight, engine power, age and brand of the car, policyholder's age, and district. The pattern of age's influence on CS differs in different categories of car brands. The significantly highest CS was revealed in the youngest age category and the category of luxury car brands.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45977253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hybrid demand forecasting models: pre-pandemic and pandemic use studies","authors":"A. Kolková, P. Rozehnal","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.024","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: In business practice and academic sphere, the question of which of the prognostic models is the most accurate is constantly present. The accuracy of models based on artificial intelligence and statistical models has long been discussed. By combining the advantages of both groups, hybrid models have emerged. These models show high accuracy. Moreover, the question remains whether data in a dynamically changing economy (for example, in a pandemic period) have changed the possibilities of using these models. The changing economy will continue to be an important element in demand forecasting in the years to come. In business, where the concept of just in time already proves to be insufficient, it is necessary to open new research questions in the field of demand forecasting.\u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of the article is to apply hybrid models to bicycle sales e-shop data with a comparison of accuracy models in the pre-pandemic period and in the pandemic period. The paper examines the hypothesis that the pandemic period has changed the accuracy of hybrid models in comparison with statistical models and models based on artificial neural networks.\u0000Models: In this study, hybrid models will be used, namely the Theta model and the new forecastHybrid, compared to the statistical models ETS, ARIMA, and models based on artificial neural networks. They will be applied to the data of the e-shop with the cycle assortment in the period from 1.1. 2019 to 5.10 2021. Whereas the period will be divided into two parts, pre-pandemic, i.e. until 1 March 2020 and pandemic after that date. The accuracy evaluation will be based on the RMSE, MAE, and ACF1 indicators.\u0000Findings & value added: In this study, we have concluded that the prediction of the Hybrid model was the most accurate in both periods. The study can thus provide a scientific basis for any other dynamic changes that may occur in demand forecasting in the future. In other periods when there will be volatile demand, it is essential to choose models in which accuracy will decrease the least. Therefore, this study provides guidance for the use of methods in future periods as well. The stated results are likely to be valid even in an international comparison.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48279757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The distribution of wage inequality across municipalities in Mexico: a spatial quantile regres-sion approach","authors":"Rolando I. Valdez, Francisco García-Fernández","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.023","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: According to classical labor economics, wage differences among regions of a country that has free-factor mobility should eventually vanish. However, the level of wage inequality among Mexican territories is increasing. The nature and causes of this discrepancy are worth identifying.\u0000Purpose of the article: To identify the spatial relationship of wage inequality that existed in the Mexican metropolitan system during the years 2010 and 2015.\u0000Methods: We develop a model of wages that considers the interaction between spatial units within a region. Then, we specify a spatial autoregressive model with the average wage per municipality as a dependent variable. This variable is spatially lagged along with other controls such as productivity, schooling, and migration. We combine data from population and economic censuses. Then, we perform a quantile regression to estimate the spatial effect of wage in a region upon quartiles of the wage distribution.\u0000Findings & value added: Wage inequality increases within a given region when the average wage increases in one of said region?s municipalities. This phenomenon occurs because in municipalities that are neighbors of the one that enjoys a wage increase, the average wage tends to decrease. The impact is larger in those municipalities whose average wage is in the lower range of the regional wage distribution. Wage inequality is also increased by internal migration and increased productivity. These latter findings are some of the first for Mexico at this aggregation level. A novel aspect of our study is its use of territory as an observation unit for which statistics from population and economic censuses are combined to draw inferences about spatial inequality.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46095911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants for international competitiveness of the food industry in 43 countries world-wide: evidence from panel models","authors":"M. Hamulczuk, K. Pawlak","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.022","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Food industry is of key importance to each economy due to its role in ensuring food security, balancing the labour market, as well as contributing to the economic growth and international trade. With a limited increase in demand for food in many highly developed countries, further growth in this sector of the economy will largely depend on the ability to successfully distribute manufactured goods in international markets and cope with competitive pressure from other entities.\u0000Purpose of the article: Therefore, the study attempts to assess the determinants of international competitiveness of the food industry worldwide measured by the trade balance.\u0000Methods: The research was based on data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Data Center (UNCTADStat) and the World Input-Output Database (WIOD). The time frame for the analyses was determined by the availability of internationally comparable data and thus covered the period of 2000?2014. The empirical analysis was performed with the use of panel models, while international competitiveness was measured by trade balance (net export).\u0000Findings & value added: It was proved that increasing trade openness and relative demand, as well as decreasing relative unit labour costs have a positive impact on international competitiveness of the food industry worldwide. However, the nature of the relationship between relative labour productivity and trade balance appears to be ambiguous. A stronger impact of the examined factors on net exports in the long-run rather than the short-run was also evidenced. The novelty of our analysis is that we consider trade balance determinants of the food industry worldwide using panel models, whereas most of the existing studies focus either on one or a narrow group of countries.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45852442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Meeting the European green deal objective of expanding organic farming","authors":"A. Kowalska, M. Bieniek","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.021","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Economic growth is unsustainable. However, a circular economy has the potential to lead to sustainable development, while decoupling economic growth from the negative consequences of resource depletion and environmental degradation. The EU's strategy of climate neutralization in 2050 developed, inter alia, into a European Green Deal action plan aiming at the efficient use of resources by moving to a cleaner, circular economy. More sustainable EU food system is a cornerstone of the European Green Deal. The European Commission's goal is 25% of agricultural land to be used for organic production in 2030. The question is if it is possible to reach the objective with the use of current incentives. What else may be done to encourage European farmers to convert to organic farming?\u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of this research is to review the development of organic agriculture in Europe and the EU and to identify incentives for farmers to convert to organic farming.\u0000Methods: First of all, the methodological approach is to iteratively review the existing literature to frame the problem. Secondly, the data on organic agriculture in Europe is to be analyzed to answer the research questions. The analysis is based on international statistics, mainly collected by FiBL, IFOAM, EC Agri-food data portal and Eurostat..Fitting the trend functions to the actual data has been made in three scenarios (pessimistic, realistic and optimistic). These trend functions were used for the long-term forecasts of the share of organic farmland in the EU.\u0000Findings & value added: The long-run forecast might be treated as a goal, which can motivate to act more intensively to achieve the objective. The existing measures, including organic farming payments, are not sufficient to meet the goal of massive increase in the acreage under organic production. It is necessary to develop new incentives e.g. Green Public Procurement, innovative and effective media campaigns, development of a dynamic network of actors within the organic food supply chain with the use of blockchain technology.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41636474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Product and process innovation patterns in Polish low and high technology systems","authors":"Piotr Dzikowski","doi":"10.24136/eq.2022.026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.026","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: While the Sectoral Innovation System (SSI) anticipates technology-related similarities in innovation patterns in the same sectors across countries, the distance to the frontier suggests that there are important differences with respect to the level of national technological development. Most contemporary analyses of sectoral innovation systems are focused on well-developed economies. In contrast, the evidence from developing countries including new EU members are scared and lack dynamics.\u0000Purpose of the article: The purpose of this paper is to identify and compare product and process innovation patterns in Polish low and high technology systems. The main assumption is that divergence and convergence in innovation patterns of low- and medium-low technology (LMT) and high technology (HT) systems evolve over time and are strongly influenced by the characteristics of firms, their linkages with other system participants, existing demand, and institutional conditions.\u0000Methods: According to the third edition of the Oslo Manual (OECD, 2005), we employ a harmonized questionnaire and methodology to collect unique micro data on innovation.  The survey concerns 5252 firms including 873 firms from HT sector. The scope of the research relates to product and process innovation at least new to the firm.\u0000Findings & value added: Our results show that although the intensity of product and process innovation is higher in HT system, both business support institutions and public financial instruments better support firms in LMT sectors. On the other hand, existing demand and market structure favor the emergence of new innovations at the firm level (imitations), but with more emphasis on LMT. The key source of innovation is suppliers, with foreign suppliers in HT and national ones in LMT. In contrast to leading economies, LMT plays a key role in long term economic growth in Poland.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46449531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}