Equilibrium最新文献

{"title":"The institutional support for an innovation cooperation in industry: the case of Poland","authors":"A. Świadek, Jadwiga Gorączkowska","doi":"10.24136/eq.2020.035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2020.035","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Innovative economy and the business environment are important factors in the socio-economic development of a country. In a knowledge-based society, economic processes (especially innovation activity) require a specific stimulus. This stimulus can be provided by business support organization, which have been present in the Polish economy since the 1990s. \u0000Purpose of the article: The main goal of the article is to assess the system impact of business support organizations on cooperation in the area of new solutions (product and process innovations) in industry in Poland. \u0000Methods: The research method which was used in the analysis was logit modelling. Cooperation in the area of new solutions with the supplier, recipient and competitor was established as a dependent variable and business support organizations as independent variable. The analysis using logistic regression was based on comparison two groups of enterprises: those that were service recipients of support organizations and those that did not belong to this group. In this way, it was possible to determine if the use of BSO services increased the chances for innovative cooperation in industry. The survey was conducted in 2013?2017 among 6284 industrial enterprises. \u0000Findings & Value added: The survey showed that business support organizations significantly and systematically influence the establishment of innovative cooperation. Recipients of support organizations twice more often cooperated with suppliers and recipients than entities that did not. Stimulation of cooperation with competitors by BSO was weaker than it was in the case of suppliers and recipients. The conducted study provided information on the level of development of the national innovation system in catching-up countries on the example of Poland. It was pointed out that in economically weak territories, one should focus on stimulating innovative activity as such, while in the developed ones should be transferred to more advanced forms, i.e. innovative cooperation.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43006635","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":"Differences in the usage of online marketing and social media tools: evidence from Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian SMEs","authors":"M. Civelek, Krzysztof Gajdka, Jaroslav Svetlik, V. Vavrečka","doi":"10.24136/eq.2020.024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2020.024","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Because of the rapid improvements in advanced technological tools and widely usage of the Internet among the world, most of SMEs in various countries have become able to apply their marketing activities through online marketing and social media platforms that are less costly for them. Since SMEs encounter many financing constraints, these marketing options might be very beneficial for them to use for their marketing activities. However, socio-economic and cultural factors differ in each corner of the globe. \u0000Purpose of the article: This paper aims to investigate international differences between usage of online marketing and social media platforms by SMEs. \u0000Methods: The authors of this paper have selected 1156 Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian SMEs from Cribis database by employing random sampling method. An online questionnaire was directed by the researchers to have responses from managers and owners of SMEs. To find differences in selected variables, the researchers perform ANOVA analyses with Post-Hoc tests in SPSS statistical program. \u0000Findings & Value added: Regarding the size of businesses, Hungarian SMEs in both size categories: micro and small-medium sized, apply social media platforms in their operations more than Czech and Slovakian SMEs. When it comes to marketing activities, some similarities are in existence depending on size and age of SMEs. In detail, propensities of Slovakian and Hungarian older SMEs (that have been operating more than 10 years) and microenterprises to apply online marketing channels are higher than Czech older SMEs and Czech microenterprises. Corresponding to social media usage, Czech and Slovakian SMEs and older enterprises do not differ. But Hungarian SMEs and older Hungarian firms are more prone to apply social media channels than Czech and Slovakian SMEs and older Czech and Slovakian enterprises. This paper is a unique study that makes comparison between some Central European countries’ SMEs that are in the Visegrad Group regarding their usage of their online marketing and social media tools. Thus, this paper also fulfills some gap in the marketing literature.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49406269","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":"Do SME’s innovation strategies influence their effectiveness of innovation? Some evidence from the case of Podkarpackie as peripheral region in Poland","authors":"A. Lewandowska, M. Stopa","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.025","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Innovation is a very important pillar within a knowledge-based economy, in the regional and local perspective as well. A literature review on innovation and SME innovation strategies to their correlation and the possibility of their joint examination. \u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to explore the SME’s innovation strategies and their impact on effectiveness of innovation in a peripheral region. We investigate the effects of innovation activities not only among small and medium, but also micro firms which are not covered in official innovation surveys by the national statistical offices. We proposed a model of implementing innovation, and tested our hypotheses. \u0000Methods: Research was based on data drawn from CATIs carried out among 419 firms, therefore making a conceptual contribution to the knowledge on innovation strategy. The main statistical test for relationships and dependencies was the chi-square independence test. To arbitrate whether there were statistically significant differences between medians due to different factors among enterprises, analysis for variance (H Kruskal-Wallis’ test for k independent samples) procedure was implemented. \u0000Findings & Value added: The results of our research show that among SMEs in peripheral regions dominated those which we call ‘pragmatists’ and ‘imitators’ in context of their approach towards innovation. The significance of objective factors showed that there was a lack of enterprises that could play the role of ‘creators of innovation’ in the peripheral region. However, the examined firms more often noticed positive than negative aspects of introduced innovations, which is determined by the scale of enterprise; they were focused mainly on the consequences of innovation for their products and services.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46599082","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":"Changes in comparative advantages of the Polish food sector in world trade","authors":"I. Szczepaniak","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.022","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The period after Poland's accession to the European Union is a period of systematic development of Polish foreign trade in food products. Positive changes were visible already in the first year, but trade turnover and the balance of food exchange were even more dynamic in the subsequent years of Poland's membership in the EU. \u0000Purpose of the article: One way to assess the competitiveness of Polish food sector is the analysis of comparative advantages (relative) in the trade of products of this sector. So the aim of the presented research is to assess the comparative ad-vantages of the Polish food sector (including its most important chapters). \u0000Methods: The analysis of comparative advantages was based on relative trade advantage index (RTA) and the Lafay trade balance index (TBI). The analyses cover the years 2004–2017. The data source was the WITS-Comtrade trading database, in which trade flows are expressed in USD. The analysis was carried out at the HS chapter level. \u0000Findings & Value added: The analysis of comparative advantages in the Polish trade in food products showed that during the membership in the European Union Poland had relative comparative advantages in the food trade on the world market. In the years 2004–2017 Polish export in agri-food products increased more than 4.5 times and the positive balance of trade in these products increased more than 9.0 times. Products in trade of which Poland had comparative advantages in 2017 accounted for 55.5% of trade of the Polish agri-food sector in the global market, i.e. by 12.8% more than in the year of accession of Poland to the EU. The dynamic development of trade in food products after Poland's accession to the EU, as well as significant comparative advantages in trade in these products, testify to the competitiveness and high importance of the Polish food sector for the national economy.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44793149","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 similarity of European central banks in terms of transparency and effectiveness","authors":"M. Próchniak, Magdalena Szyszko","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.018","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The previous studies on monetary policy transparency suggest that the dependence between the degree of transparency and monetary policy effectiveness exists. In this examination, we tackle this issue for the most recent sample with the application of novel transparency measure, which is de-signed to cover forward-looking policy approach. \u0000Purpose of the article: We aim at evaluating forward-looking transparency of the European central banks and juxtapose it with their effectiveness in achieving monetary policy goals: price stability and output stabilization. The sample covers the central banks of the following countries: Sweden, the UK, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. We also search for the patters of similarity in our sample. \u0000Methods: We apply a novel, index-based transparency measure to assess central banks’ transparency. We also estimate inflation gap and the output gap. The methods used are based on data and statistical analysis. The comparison of the behaviour of individual central banks is carried out for the variables measuring transparency and inflation and output gaps. The similarity of the performance of individual central banks is assessed with the use of measures of the distance between objects, including our own measure. \u0000Findings & Value added: Our results suggest the existence of different degrees of similarity in the sample, but some common tendencies can be found as well. For example, central banks with comparable transparency degree are found more similar. Novelty of the examination is related to our methodology: transparency and similarity measures applied and the most recent time span covered.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45644206","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":"Circular economy in clusters' performance evaluation","authors":"K. Razminienė","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.026","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The value of clusters in developing advanced technology products and services as well as promoting regional growth is acknowledged by many policymakers and researchers (Lee et al., 2012). Hence, clusters are identified as enablers of the circular economy and resource efficiency in this study. Companies aim to enhance competencies and create competitive advantages in global competition and this can be achieved through pulling from a common and accessible pool of resources, information and demand for innovation which means that companies can profit from belonging to a cluster. \u0000Purpose of the article: The main aim of the article is to overview the scientific literature that addresses the circular economy, identify clusters and their role in the circular economy and suggest how small and medium enterprises could engage in a circular economy through clusters' performance development. \u0000Methods: Bibliometric literature analysis enables identifying the latest trends in scientific articles regarding a circular economy and clusters. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) allows for composing the scheme of the cluster’s competitive advantage within circular economy. \u0000Findings & Value added: The findings suggest that resource efficiency is considered to be one of the most important ambitions and clusters can work as enablers of a circular economy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), gaining a competitive advantage at the same time. Clusters can encourage and provide conditions in which SMEs would turn to a circular economy. The scheme of Cluster's competitive advantage proposed by the author can help cluster's coordinators, policymakers and all the concerned parties to verify the importance of clusters' involvement in the circular economy.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49185343","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":"Government social spending in the EU countries: efficiency in poverty and income inequality reduction","authors":"Magdalena Cyrek","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.019","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Income inequality and poverty attract a lot of attention among politicians, activists as well as scientists, who are trying to find a solution to these socio-economic problems. State intervention is commonly expected in this field, however, there is no agreement about the most efficient methods and instruments, as well as about the scale of public expenditure for the purpose of limiting poverty and inequality. \u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to specify efficiency of government social spending in reducing problems of poverty and income inequality in the EU countries. Moreover, the attention is paid to changes in the efficiency in a period of the 2007 crisis occurrence and its overcoming and to sources of the changes. \u0000Methods: To fulfill the main goal of the paper, the DEA method is used, which enables to compare the social efficiency of the EU countries. The Malmquist index is also calculated and decomposed to identify changes in the efficiency and their sources in the crisis period. Data used in the analyses were obtained from Eurostat and OECD databases and cover the period from 2007 to 2016 year. \u0000Findings & Value added: The main findings of the paper shed some light on the differences in social efficiency of government spending in the EU countries. Generally, the countries with a higher level of social spending are also those with lower efficiency in inequality reduction, however, the relationship doesn’t appear for poverty alleviation. Thus, the research suggests some substitution between the scale and the efficiency of social spending, at least for the inequality dimension. Moreover, some differences in a social model can be found between the countries of the  South and of the North: the countries of the South focus their social policy mainly on inequality reduction, while the Scandinavian countries as well as some other affluent societies direct their public support mainly on poverty alleviation. The research also shows that in the crisis period decreases in efficiency concerned mainly the poverty dimension. It reflects the fact that the poor were the losers of the crisis in favor of the middle classes. The efficiency losses were induced by negative changes in the current usage of public sources, while institutional reforms positively influenced the efficiency.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48581346","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":"Succession as a sustainability factor of family business in Slovakia","authors":"Z. Lušňáková, Zuzana Juríčková, M. Šajbidorová, Silvia Lenčéšová","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.024","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The success of family businesses abroad is not measured by profit, but is judged by the number of generations that have successfully mastered the succession process. This is why family businesses in Slovakia should also focus on long-term existence. Succession in a family business must be prepared with sufficient time in advance, as this is one of the most risky moments of its future. \u0000Purpose of the article: Successful management of the succession process in family businesses requires several years of preparation in different areas. The aim of this paper is to assess the readiness of Slovak family companies to owner generational change in application of selected factors in ensuring the smooth transmission of family businesses to the younger generation. \u0000Methods: The method of research was a questionnaire based on a 5-degree Likert scale, where the respondents expressed the degree of their agreement or disagreement with the particular statement. The questionnaire was filled by sample of 412 respondents — 206 family business owners and their 206 successors (son/ daughter).  The statistical relations and correlations between variables were performed by Cronbach alpha, Spearman test, Kruskal-Walis test using EXCEL and SAS Enterprise Guide 7.1. programs. \u0000Findings & Value added: Slovak family companies have already passed or they are in the process of preparing or implementing the first generational change. We cannot be compared yet with family companies in Germany, USA or the Nether-lands because these firms are in the process of the fourth generation change in the ownership. The added value of this paper is the identification of deficiencies and reserves that prolong or expel the process of successful company transfer to a young generation. It is related to human capital — the professional competence of the successor and the willingness of the founder to leave, the absence of important business documents, or the effort to cope with the process itself.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47438166","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":"What matters for firms’ participation in Global Value Chains in Central and East European countries?","authors":"A. Cieślik, J. Michałek, K. Szczygielski","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.023","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: There has been an extensive body of literature on the growing importance of global value chains (GVCs) in developed and emerging economies. This literature argues that GVCs significantly affect international trade patterns and open new possibilities for participating economies to increase both their exports’ quantity and quality, acquire advanced production technologies and improve the overall economic performance. However, the empirical evidence from the Central and East European (CEE) countries, especially at the firm level is still relatively scarce. The majority of existing empirical studies on GVCs in the CEE countries are based on sectoral input-output data. \u0000Purpose of the article: In this article, we study the determinants of firm participation in GVCs using firm-level BEEPS data for 29 CEE countries. We hypothesize that larger, foreign-owned, more productive and innovative firms producing a limited range of products and employing skilled workers are more likely to be involved in GVCs. \u0000Methods: The intensity of participation in GVCs is measured by the usage of imported inputs and the intensity of exports. The empirical study uses the BEEPS firm-level data set for the period 2011–2014 and the probit estimation method. \u0000Findings & Value added: The assembled empirical evidence generally supports these hypotheses. In addition, we find that firms which participate in GVCs pro-duce a smaller  range of products, which means that they concentrate on their core competencies. In particular, we find that the EU membership may facilitate participation in GVCs, especially for smaller firms in the CEE countries. This article adds to the existing literature by examining the firm-level determinants of participation in GVCs using the cross-country firm-level survey conducted by the EBRD and the World Bank.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42557865","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":"Sensitivity analysis as a tool to optimise Human Development Index","authors":"M. Kuc-Czarnecka","doi":"10.24136/eq.2019.020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.020","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Composite indicators are commonly used as an approximation tool to measure economic development, the standard of living, competitiveness, fairness, effectiveness, and many others being willingly implemented into many different research disciplines. However, it seems that in most cases, the variable weighting procedure is avoided or erroneous since, in most cases, the so-called ‘weights by belief’ are applied. As research show, it can be frequently observed that weights do not equal importance in composite indicators. As a result, biased rankings or grouping of objects are obtained. \u0000Purpose of the article: The primary purpose of this article is to optimise and improve the Human Development Index, which is the most commonly used composite indicator to rank countries in terms of their socio-economic development. The optimisation will be done by re-scaling the current weights, so they will express the real impact of every single component taken into consideration during HDI’s calculation process. \u0000Methods: In order to achieve the purpose mentioned above, the sensitivity analysis tools (mainly the first-order sensitivity index) were used to determine the appropriate weights in the Human Development Index. In the HDI’s resilience evaluation process, the Monte Carlo simulations and full-Bayesian Gaussian processes were applied. Based on the adjusted weights, a new ranking of countries was established and compiled with the initial ranking using, among others, Kendall tau correlation coefficient. \u0000Findings & Value added: Based on the data published by UNDP for 2017, it has been shown that the Human Development Index is built incorrectly by putting equal weights for all of its components. The weights proposed by the sensitivity analysis better reflect the actual contribution of individual factors to HDI variability. Re-scaled Human Development Index constructed based on proposed weights allow for better differentiation of countries due to their socio-economic development.","PeriodicalId":84667,"journal":{"name":"Equilibrium","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48502646","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}