Publisher: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)

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English for a Successful Career: A Study of the ESP Needs of Students of Economics and Socio-Political Studies

English for a Successful Career: A Study of the ESP Needs of Students of Economics and Socio-Political Studies

Author(s): Albena Stefanova,Denitsa Bozeva / Language(s): English

Keywords: ESP; needs analysis; ESP for economics; ESP for socio-political studies

The monograph presents a study of the ESP needs of students of economics and socio-political studies aimed at course optimisation. The research includes two stages with the pilot one having finished in June 2021 and involving the students at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) in Bulgaria as well as the subject, and ESP lecturers at UNWE. The second stage included students from universities with the profile of UNWE in Bulgaria and worldwide (April-October 2021). Altogether, 1106 students from seven Bulgarian and twelve foreign HEIs took part in the survey along with thirty-two faculty members who teach English, subject or both. The impressive number of respondents allowed for an in-depth and insightful research. The results from the study were analysed in detail, which led to the development of comprehensive recommendations that could be used in order to optimise course parameters and hence design more effective and engaging ESP courses for students of economics and socio-political studies. Even though the examination of the issue was related to the educational process at a particular university, there are implications for all academic institutions worldwide whose mission is to offer high-quality programmes and provide a learning-enhanced environment.

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Branding: Genesis and Contemporary Discourse

Branding: Genesis and Contemporary Discourse

Author(s): Hristo Katrandjiev,Emil Mitkov Buzov / Language(s): English

Keywords: genesisi of branding; cylinder seals; Ancient Egypt

Over the last two decades, marketing has seen rapid development based on new technologies and digitalization. Communication methods are becoming more sophisticated, marketing strategies are becoming more precise, new forms and methods for marketing impact are emerging more and more rapidly. These are trends that are interesting and they should inevitably be studied urgently and their results should be quickly put into practice and marketing theory enriched. However, parallel with the studies devoted on the digital trends in marketing one new direction of study is appearing among marketing scholars – the direction of searching the roots of modern marketing. Obviously marketing has become mature enough to turn back and to see the way behind and explore his own history. Recently, there has been an increase in the publication of articles in reputable global journals with a high impact factor that are dedicated to the history of marketing. Moreover, high rank journals are being publishing studies connected with marketing history. Even specialized journals focused historical development of marketing approach (e.g. “Journal of Historical Research in Marketing”. The Conference on Historical Analysis and Research in Marketing (CHARM) has been organized and held annually for the past 20 years and is supported by the American Marketing Association (AMA), world-renowned publishers and universities. The present research falls fully in the stream of this trend and as will be elucidated later seeks the genesis of branding at the dawn of human civilization and the links of ancient branding practices with contemporary trends. Besides the tendency of historical research in marketing the marketing scholars are obliged to seek the truth – especially for not entirely studied issues. Such an issue is the genesis of branding. In book and textbooks this question is either answered very briefly (by the way) or isn’t paid any attention. In addition, the opinions concerning the branding genesis are diverse. As marketing and brand management are developing faster and faster – both from the side of the practice and from the side of academic research, we firmly state that the marketing science owes an answer to the question about the genesis of branding: When, where and how branding emerged? It is this question that the present study attempts to answer. In the process of research analysis, we will try to prove/reject the following Hypothesis (H): the genesis of branding as a systematic practice (not occasional markings on pots) in the economic life of humankind emerged in the Beginning of Antiquity – and more specifically – simultaneously with the birth of the Ancient Egyptian State.

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Regional Economic Growth : Theory and Practice

Регионален икономически растеж : теория и практика

Author(s): Kamen Petrov,Nikolay Tsonkov,Cvetelina Berberova-Valcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: regional development; regional economic growth; regions; public governance; Bulgaria; modelling

Modeling regional economic development on the territory of a country and individual regions and peripheral spaces is undoubtedly a complex process. It is carried out using one or more key indicators or is a consequence of political, economic, administrative, and cultural processes taking place in the country. In this direction, the regional toolkit is called upon to illustrate processes and phenomena in the management of territorial development by business and public management. Most research in this area has involved the analysis of individual factors that influence the dynamics of problems over a time horizon. In this regard, the study examines some of the aspects that can lead to imbalances in the development of territorial units or to a change in the pattern of administrative-territorial division that has significant importance for state governance. Along with this, a new approach is needed to derive a new framework for the structure of the regional economy. This implies that the focus of regional economic growth has its distinctive features of geographical location, spatial localization, and regional development management. Thus, regional economic growth does not even exhaust the territorial aspect of a site" such as "location, size, shape, topography, hydrography, climate, population, economy, roads and communications, and so on, but also relies on each territorial unit to be characterized in a larger passport effect. This process of regional economic flexibility of the territory gives us the new spatial form of the settlement structure, which also determines the way of life of the settlement and its role in the national economy. The complex nature of the regions and the presence of many separate systems make their linear mathematical programming impossible. For this reason, two regions that are completely identical in terms of quantitative characteristics, with similar production performance, age structure, and employment, may have opposite development trends. Careful selection of indicators for analysis will lead to correct forecasting of future development of individual regions. This brings regional development management to the fore. At the heart of regional development is the proper planning of activities that lead to regional economic growth. Monitoring this process involves the selection of adequate indicators. This monograph aims to examine the different aspects of regional economic growth, which is fundamental for the territorial development of regions. The book provides several examples of regional development in Bulgaria and the changes needed to achieve high regional economic growth. The present study in the field of regional economic growth is a combination of knowledge presentation and accumulated practice in Bulgaria and worldwide.

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Readiness for Administrative Work on the Formation of Knowledge and Skills of a Student of Regional Development

Готовността за полагане на административен труд относно формиране на знания и умения на студентите по Регионално развитие

Author(s): Kamen Petrov,Nikolay Tsonkov,Vladimir Valkov,Cvetelina Berberova-Valcheva,Tsvyatko Tolev / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: regional development; administrative work; higher education; training; administration; management

The spatial development and the territorial disparities that have emerged set the need to recruit staff and professionals to receive their training in regional development for positive change in the different territorial communities. The focus is on the training of specialists in the professional field of administration and management, where training in regional development can be most effectively delivered. This approach requires the foregrounding of the functional philosophy of regional development and the conscious model of preparation that is the contribution of the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) in terms of the preparation of specialists in higher education. In this direction, the regional being has its scope and purpose, because it combines the public and private sectors in organizational and managerial terms and directly corresponds to the processes taking place in our surroundings. In practical terms, we live in a world dominated by a spatially localized economy. A snapshot of our daily lives shows that all economic life has a territorial dimension, despite a globalizing economy. This makes it necessary, through the specialized knowledge and skills of the regional development curriculum, to prepare professionals who can make adequate and creative managerial, organizational, and technical decisions for socio-economic development and, above all, for the imposition of new products and spatial solutions for the geo-economic development of individual territorial communities. The regional and local profile of the economy is particularly necessary for the positioning of products, trademarks, and names that are in tune with the change in the surrounding environment and bear the specificity of the region. However, for this process to have a sustainable framework, the organization and management must be at the right high level. It is through the knowledge and skills of scientific thought that action can be taken and solutions imposed to improve administrative capacity and develop institutional completeness. The main objective of the training in the specialty "Regional Development" is to prepare competent and motivated experts, researchers, and scientific staff in the field of regional economy and administration, with a high level of mastery of theoretical and practical knowledge, which will allow them to be properly integrated into the socio-economic life of the country. The main idea of the study is to analyze the curricula and the possibilities for improving the education and training of specialists in the field of regional development. The book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the basic concepts and the second part is practically oriented towards the study of students' attitudes and attitudes towards their studies in the field of Regional Development. Part of the research tracks the qualitative change of students in terms of the knowledge and skills acquired.

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Dynamics in the Regional Development of Municipalities with a Population Between 10 and 30 Thousand in Eastern Bulgaria

Динамика в регионалното развитие на общините с население между 10 и 30 хиляди в Източна България

Author(s): Nikolay Tsonkov,Kamen Petrov,Krassimira Slaveva,Cvetelina Berberova-Valcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: regional development; connectivity; municipalities; Eastern Bulgaria; Black Sea region; regional policy

The Black Sea region is an economic, trade, transport, energy, geostrategic and political crossroads. The interests of the European Union, the United States, Russia, China, Turkey, and the Balkan countries are intertwined here. Over the decades, several initiatives have been organized to satisfy the interests of global and regional players and to improve the economic, environmental, social, and transport situation, including connectivity through the construction of strategic transport infrastructure (regional and interregional). The analysis of past policies leads to the conclusion that a high degree of coherence, coordination, and implementation of a strategic approach to solving regional problems and creating integrity, connectivity, and regional connectivity has not yet been achieved. Both within the Bulgarian Black Sea coast and looking at the wider context, there is no successful cooperation and economic interconnection between the municipalities located on and near the sea. This is done through regional connectivity, building strategic transport infrastructure, and intermodal transport. Despite all the initiatives and policies undertaken, the Black Sea municipalities in the northeast and Southeast regions of Bulgaria are visibly underdeveloped (especially in the Black Sea hinterland) and their development potential is decreasing. It is therefore important to initiate research on Black Sea municipalities to develop regional policies to stimulate their economic development and improve their connectivity. The above argues for the need to plan and develop the Black Sea region in Bulgaria considering it in a broader context in terms of strategic transport infrastructure development. It is the basis for the subsequent improvement of connectivity, economic links, and socio-economic development, including in this part of the Bulgarian territory. The relevance of the research stems from the contemporary processes taking place in the Black Sea region. These processes are related to increasing tensions and strengthening of different interests for control of the inland sea. At the same time, from the point of view of Bulgaria and the European Union, this is a region that requires a specific approach to solving the various problems that have been layered over the years. These are related to security, geo-economics, geopolitics, transport, accessibility, urbanization, investment policies, and, finally, resolving regional socio-economic disparities. In another direction, regional policy in certain regions and areas is proving to be one of the most feasible mechanisms for regional development. This predetermines that the focus of European integration and the sustainability of regional policies must be seen through the prism of repositioning regional development as a genuine national priority.

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Trajectories of Social Development

Траектории на социалното развитие

Author(s): Evgenia Penkova,Ralitsa Veleva,Ivaylo Iliev,Violeta Toncheva-Zlatkova,Kalin Boyanov,Daniela Petkova Krasteva,Zlatina Shotarova,Denitsa Gorchilova,Evgeniya Delcheva,Krasimira S. Valcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: Innovation; social development; value-added public management; social networks and network management; solidarity economy; social entrepreneurship; financial management; human resource management; social protection; healthcare; education

The idea of writing this book is spurred by the discernible lacunae within the scholarly and pedagogical Bulgarian literature concerning the domain of social development. The intricate and multifaceted essence of social activities warrants examination from varied perspectives. Studies concurrently addressing the overarching essential characteristics, economic and societal significance, while delineating their specificities and corresponding managerial mechanisms and instruments, are scarce. It is precisely such an approach that is embraced in the present inquiry, wherein the unifying thread among indisputably heterogeneous activities (commodities and services) in healthcare, social services, and education is sought in the direction of their ultimate function – the enhancement of individual and collective welfare. The delineated issues are structured into two parts. The first part, at a theoretical level, delves into the general managerial challenges pertinent to social development, intertwined with their specific peculiarities: managerial approaches and instruments, mechanisms and instruments of financial management, and human resource management. It amalgamates the possibilities for the implementation of innovations for social development. The second part of the book applies a sectoral approach to the examined issues, focusing on spaces for social development. Emphasis is placed on the services provided by the sectors of social protection, healthcare, and education. The logic of exposition in this section is against the backdrop of sector-specific managerial approaches aiming to delineate the parameters of applied models and trends in the development of the respective sector. Questions of exceptional relevance to social practice, not only within Bulgaria but also on an international scale, are examined, such as: social networks and public value management; civic engagement, policies for retaining specialists, and others.

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Spatial and Transport Modeling in an Urban Environment at the Municipality Level (Stara Zagora Municipality Example)

Пространствено и транспортно моделиране в градска среда на ниво община (по примера на община Стара Загора)

Author(s): Christina Nikolova,Kamen Petrov,Nikolay Tsonkov,Ivelina Zhecheva-Radeva,Hristo Grozdanov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: urban transport; urban mobility; modeling; regional development; municipality; Stara Zagora; urban environment; transport scheme; tariff policy

Globally, the transport sector is in a period of significant changes associated with using new technologies, products, and services that contribute to a change in customer attitudes and requirements. All this is causing a rapid development of the market for services providing so-called 'smart mobility'. In this context, users of services related to the transport sector and all other stakeholders need to take account of changes in mobility within a global and integrated system. The concept of mobility as a service facilitates the development of a profitable market for a new type of transport service. Renewed opportunities for the traditional transport and infrastructure sector are part of the concept of innovative services and cooperation in transport. The Mobility as a Service (MaaS) concept integrates different modes of transport into a single journey. It combines the capabilities of different modes of transport and transport operators to provide a public transport service scheduled as a journey for which a public price is paid. The development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans offers various measures to stimulate and support local, regional, and national authorities in achieving sustainable urban mobility objectives, including meeting the mobility needs of people and businesses in and around cities to ensure urban accessibility and a better quality of life. The main objective of the present study is to propose options for optimization of the public urban transport scheme and measures for improvement of the tariff policy through the analysis of strategic documents, spatial development, and the state of urban transport in Stara Zagora municipality. In this sense, the optimization of the transport scheme and the conceptualization of the tariff policy as a tool for achieving sustainable urban mobility are linked to the analysis of the existing transport scheme and policy, and subsequently define and analyze proposals for the introduction of new tariff products for travel by public transport, which would contribute to increasing the demand for public passenger transport in cities and assess their impact in terms of transport volumes, passenger flow and estimated revenues from sales of the relevant tariff documents. It should be borne in mind that the accuracy and correctness of forecasts based on such studies are not always high. This conclusion is confirmed by several studies carried out in France and the UK, as well as by studies on the discrepancies between forecasts and actual ridership figures for many urban mobility plans implemented worldwide. Significant variances do occur, and these are mainly related to methodological problems, poor quality data, changes in consumer behavior, unaccounted-for externalities, force majeure (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic situation, unforeseen changes in fuel prices, etc.), unforeseen political factors, variances in consultants' estimates, variances in investment cost estimates, etc. Furthermore, when forecasts must be made over a long-term period, and within that timeframe many of the external factors that are included in the models (such as fuel prices, traffic growth, and political conditions) can change significantly. Demand for public passenger transport is determined based on potential passengers who travel and will continue to travel by public transport, as well as those who state their willingness to use public transport under certain conditions and will be allocated to modes by the requirements for optimizing transport costs, travel times and the quality of services. An important factor influencing the change in passenger demand in recent years has been the development and implementation of electronic charging systems. However, the effect of these developments is not always related to optimizing journeys and generating higher revenues from ticket sales. In many cases, their results are relevant to changing the volume and characteristics of transport services demanded. For example: transport operators could use these systems to improve the quality of transport services and optimize their prices; the use of mobile applications and the Internet enables customers to reduce the number of journeys and optimize their consumer transport costs, etc. The citizens of Stara Zagora municipality define the state and development of urban transport as an essential indicator of socio-economic well-being and development. In addition, urban transport is also facing several trends, such as increased traffic and congestion, dirty air, noise, and other problems identified by the municipality's residents. In addition: the deteriorated state of road infrastructure, the lack of sufficient parking spaces, the unattractiveness of public transport, and poor-quality repairs hurt the provision of a quality transport service. Finding a solution to slow travel in the city can be achieved through the priority development of public electric transport, cycling, and micro-mobility.

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Comparative Legal Analysis of the Withholding Tax through the Prism of the Practice of the Court of Justice of the European Union

Сравнителноправен анализ на данъка при източника през призмата на практиката на Съда на Европейския съюз

Author(s): Nina Chilova,Tanya Atanasova,Aleksandra Valcheva,Stoycho Dulevski,Tyurker Mollahasan,Stanislav Dzhinsov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: withholding tax; Court of Justice of the European Union; Corporate Income Tax Act; taxation of interest and royalties; taxation of parent companies and subsidiaries

The present monography examines the withholding tax in the Bulgarian tax law, drawing a comparison with the European perspective. The study outlines the main elements of this kind of tax according to the national perceptions, including the historical prerequisites for its introduction. The relevant directives on this matter, as well as the significant cases of the CJEU, have been examined chronologically. The study ends with a theoretical and practical analysis of fundamental points on this issue, with a number of recommendations in relation to the improvement of the concept of the withholding tax in the domestic law.

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Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion in Bulgaria

Риск от бедност или социално изключване в България

Author(s): Mariana Mourgova,Marta Sugareva,Veselka Pavlova,Vasil Bozev,Iva Raycheva / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: poverty; material deprivation; social exclusion; risk of poverty or social exclusion; poverty among children; working age poverty; old age poverty; Bulgaria; European Union

The reduction in the number of poor in the European Union (EU) is one of the key tasks in the Europe 2020 Strategy of the European Commission. Another priority objective is to reduce the size of the population at risk of social exclusion. Bulgaria is the EU Member State where the risk of poverty or social exclusion is one of the highest. This unfavorable position requires studying the causes and inferring policies to reduce the number of the population at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The aim of the study is to analyze the causes of high poverty among three of the most vulnerable groups in Bulgaria: children, working poor and elderly people over 65 years of age. The period from 2010 to 2021 is considered according to the available statistical data. The study includes six chapters. The first chapter examines the main measures of poverty and social exclusion used by various international institutions. Some key documents and strategies at international and national level related to poverty and the possibilities for its eradication are presented. The nature and manner of measuring the main measures of poverty and social exclusion, including those used by Eurostat, is clarified. The second chapter presents a review of the literature on the problems of poverty, social exclusion and social inequalities in Bulgaria. In the third chapter a critical analysis of the poverty measures used by Eurostat and other institutions is made, pointing out their shortcomings and consequences in their interpretation. An international comparison of countries is made according to poverty rates as measured by the indicators material deprivation and extreme material deprivation. The next three chapters present an analysis of the risk of poverty and social exclusion among the three most vulnerable groups of the population – children, working poor and people aged 65 and over.

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Marketing Management of the Tourism Regions in Bulgaria – Innovative Approach

Marketing Management of the Tourism Regions in Bulgaria – Innovative Approach

Author(s): Mariana Ianeva,Ralitsa Georgieva,Stiliyana Basmadzhieva / Language(s): English

Keywords: marketing management; tourism regions in Bulgaria; DMOs; innovative approach

The object of study in the current paper are the tourism regions in Bulgaria, registered according to the Concept for Tourism Zoning with specialized product profile (main and extended). The subject of study is the management of these regions of the registered and functioning 9 Destination management organizations (DMOs) in Bulgaria. The aim of the paper is related to the thesis that the marketing management of the tourism regions in Bulgaria can be improved by creating an innovative approach to managing the regions, developed by an analysis from a study of existing activities currently carried out by the organizations. The thesis aims to prove that the creation of an innovative approach to the management of a tourism regions by the DMOs includes a process of research, analysis, matrices, algorithms and technological prescriptions – a basis for the future development of the tourism regions in Bulgaria, also of the priority specialized types of tourism. The set scientific tasks are also implemented as results that prove the aim of the paper. Obtained as results of the research are: first result includes business identification of the nine tourism regions in Bulgaria with specialized product profile (main and extended); second result includes analysis of the activities of the nine DMOs in Bulgaria, based on the registered ones; third result is related to a developed model for an innovative approach for marketing management of the tourism regions in Bulgaria; fourth result is differentiating main activities in the innovative model for marketing management of tourism regions from DMOs; fifth result relates to general recommendations for more publicity about the activity of the DMOs; increasing the participation and cooperation of the municipalities with the DMOs, regarding the development of specialized products and others. The innovative approaches modeled in this way, including studies, analyses, algorithms and technological prescriptions, are the basis for the future development of the tourist regions in Bulgaria, as well as the priority specialized types of tourism. The created innovative model aims to support the improvement of the marketing management of tourism regions in Bulgaria by DMOs.

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Industry 5.0 : Business Platforms and Social Business Networks

Индустрия 5.0 : Бизнес платформи и мрежи от предприятия

Author(s): Nikolay Sterev,Valentin Kisimov,Tsvetana Stoyanova,Venko Andonov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: Industry 5.0; social business network; knowledge based economy

The study of the development of business platforms for information sharing is an issue of increasing importance in recent years as there has been a huge increase in the amount of information shared, including photos and video materials, between individual individuals. At the same time, business platforms are still accepted by companies as the "forbidden fruit" that everyone wants for themselves but not to share. The importance of social business platforms is justified by the fact that this issue covers the intersection of two main fields, especially important for a modern, economically rational society: knowledge, as permanent and significant information, which is acquired and used in making important economic and management decisions, on the one hand; information dissemination technologies, using modern tools and approaches, for example, social networks, on the other hand. Formulated in this way, the problem of combining knowledge as an approach to management of modern economic and social systems and tools, from a technical point of view, has not been the subject of more in-depth research either in Bulgaria or around the world. The significance of the researched problem is also expanded in the search for the combination of two different approaches to a new social and economic phenomenon: dissemination of information between individual social units through the sharing of knowledge, experience, photos, and video information. The liberalization of world markets, the dynamic development of new technologies, and the rapid growth of resources devoted to training and innovation turn knowledge into a basic production resource and a critical factor for the success of individual companies and countries, and the "knowledge economy" becomes a key word. Thus, with the development of information technology and its tools, we are witnessing a real revolution in the creation, distribution, accessibility, and use of knowledge. Knowledge has become the most valuable asset, with its own rules of existence and management. The more knowledge is added to a product, the more valuable it becomes. The conducted literary and applied research shows that both the attitude and the motivation to join business social networks depend on the use of Internet techniques and the digitalization of business. However, the relationship found and the real dependence are not so clear and/or so strong. The explanation is that social business networks are used similarly to traditional social networks. This leads to the fact that Bulgarian managers are too skeptical about the benefits of social business networks (or because of a lack of trust or unwillingness to share information or to be part of the information community), since many of them are offline: there are no emails, no corporate pages, no network profiles, etc. That being said, the real business digitization effort is the translation of business excellence from real business to the digital world. In summary, social business networks should be accepted as the natural evolutionary development of business digitalization. Accordingly, businesses must decide not whether to be part of these emerging global business networks, but how to join and which business networks to join, so as to derive maximum benefits for their future development.

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Development of Industry in Bulgaria after 1989 : Economic, Social and Political Effects

Развитие на индустрията в България след 1989 г. : Икономически, социални и политически ефекти

Author(s): Nikolay Sterev,Vyara Milusheva,Zornitsa Yordanova,Ivaylo B. Ivanov,Kiril Dimitrov,Marin Geshkov,Miglena Molhova-Vladova,Petya Biolcheva,Petya Slavova / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: industrial growth and development; competitive growth; Industry 3.0; Bulgaria

Undoubtedly, the industrial growth in recent years has aroused wide interest, not only from researchers and economic analysts but also from politicians and practitioners. The main goal, implemented in the three stages of the study, is: To make an analysis of the industrial sector, including the current state of Bulgarian industry and the structural changes that have occurred in the industry over the past 25 years. The implementation of the individual stages also takes into account the implementation of the following project results: analysis of the historical development of the industry worldwide and comparison with the development of the Bulgarian industry; An analysis of the state of Bulgarian industry by year as a whole and by individual sectors was conducted. A real assessment of the state of Bulgarian industry and the historical basis of this state has been made; the main factors limiting or stimulating the growth of industrial enterprises in selected sectors have been identified; a real assessment of factors, incl. events, measures, or mechanisms of the industrial policy, that lead to the realization of the potential for growth of the industrial enterprises and hence of the growth of the Bulgarian industry; systematized main conclusions and guidelines for the development of individual sectors and industry as a whole for the next few years.

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Тhe Economy of Bulgaria and the European Union: Inflation, Fiscal Consolidation and Sustainable Developmenт : 18th International Scientific Conference of Young Scientists : Conference Proceedings

Икономиката на България и Европейския съюз: инфлация, фискална консолидация и устойчиво развитие : Осемнадесета международна научна конференция на младите учени : Сборник с доклади

Author(s): / Language(s): English,Bulgarian

Keywords: inflation; fiscal consolidation; sustainable development; monetary policy; fiscal policy; central banks; economic growth; economic stability; international trade; economic integration; risk management

The 18th international scientific conference of young scientists was held on 6 November 2023 at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Faculty of Finance and Accounting at the UNWE organizes the conference under the patronage of the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, PhD, and the co-organizers of the conference – VUZF University, Sofia, Bulgaria; University of Bologna – Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna-Sede di Rimini, Bologna, Italy; University of Split, Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, Split, Croatia; Poltava University of Economics and Trade, Poltava, Ukraine; Lutsk National Technical University, Lutsk, Ukraine; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, Rijeka, Croatia; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. The purpose of this international conference is to give floor of the young scientists – doctoral students, post-doctoral students, researchers, lecturers and students to present their scientific research on the most current and significant problems of the economy at the national and international level. They have the opportunity to discuss their views with Bulgarian and foreign scientists and specialists from economic practice. Participation in the conference was also present online (virtual) in the MS Teams electronic platform. The working languages of the conference are Bulgarian, Russian and English. During the conference there is a separate section announced with the working language “English”. Main accent on the 18th International Scientific Conference of Young Scientists are inflation, fiscal consolidation and sustainable development in Bulgaria and the European Union. The Conference proceedings include 57 papers prepared by doctoral students, post-doctoral students, researchers, lecturers and Bachelor`s and Master`s degree students from Bulgaria and abroad. The conference is financed by a university scientific project for a scientific event under contract No. NID NF-15/2023/B.

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The Еconomy of Bulgaria and The European Union: Innovations and Transformation : 17th International Scientific Conference of Young Scientists : Conference Proceedings

Икономиката на България и Европейския съюз: иновации и трансформация : Седемнадесета международна научна конференция на младите учени : Сборник с доклади

Author(s): / Language(s): English,Bulgarian

Keywords: monetary policy; fiscal policy; central banks; Covid-19; pandemic crisis; economic growth; risks; economic stability; monetary regime; Euro zone; international trade; economic integration; green finance; banks; trade credit; economic recovery

The 17th International Scientific Conference of Young Scientists was held on 11 February 2022 online (virtually) in the electronic platform MS Teams due to the Covid-19; pandemic. The conference is financed by a university scientific project for a scientific event under contract No. NID NP-4/2021 at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE), Sofia. The Faculty of Finance and Accounting at the UNWE, Sofia, organizes the conference under the patronage of the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, Ph.D. and the co-organizers of the conference are the following leading universities: VUZF University, Sofia, Bulgaria, University of Bologna – Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna-Sede di Rimini, Bologna, Italy, University of Split, Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, Split, Croatia, Poltava University of Economics and Trade, Poltava, Ukraine, Lutsk National Technical University, Lutsk, Ukraine, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, Rijeka, Croatia, and Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. The International Conference of Young Scientists brings together doctoral students, post-doctoral students, researchers, lecturers and students to present their scientific research and discuss their views on the most current and significant problems of the economy at the national and international level. The published scientific results of the conference prove the significant potential for the future professional development of young scientists. The format and organization of the conference are aimed at creating an academic atmosphere that favors dialogue and the exchange of ideas both between the different levels of the academic collegium and with prominent specialists from economic practice. The papers are in Bulgarian and English.

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The Transformation of Europe - the Strategic Compass of the World : Scientific Conference

Трансформацията на Европа - стратегическият компас на света : научна конференция

Author(s): Knut Abraham,Masis Hadjolian,Nina Dyulgerova,Plamen Dimitrov,Darina Grigorova,Hristina Nikolova,Ivo Stamboliyski,Lyubomir Kyuchukov,Dragomir Krastev,Evelin Videnov,Nikolay Nikolov,Viliyan Krastev,Simeon Kulish,Boris Manov,Vladimir Zinoviev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian

Keywords: sustainability; energy; decarbonization; cyberspace; infrastructure; transport system

The international conference "The Transformation of Europe - the Strategic Compass of the World" is presenting the potential and the challenges of the economic, political and energy transformation process. Key-opinion leaders from the scientific, public and private sector provide a deeply structured overview and a forecast in medium- and long-term perspective of the European region.

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Organizational Leadership Through a Proclaimed Culture

Организационно лидерство чрез провъзгласена култура

Author(s): Kiril Dimitrov,Kaloyan Dimitrov,Petya Slavova / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: management; leadership; organizational leadership; organizational culture

The challenges, confronting companies that operate in Bulgaria in the second and third decades of the twenty-first century require their managers to constantly make efforts to attract, retain, engage and energize the people contributing to the successful long-lasting existence of the respective businesses in their role as the only source of sustainable competitive advantage, not subject to timely copying by competitors, even under the conditions of disruptive innovations. That is why managers often have to go outside their comfort zone by experimenting in specific organizational contexts, deliberately pursuing enrichment in the systematization of implemented human resource management methods. For this reason, the special position of organizational leadership, the creation of a specific corporate (firm, company) culture and the nature of realizing effective interaction between them as a driver for the successful development of companies in the modern dynamic business environment is substantiated in this collective monograph. Based on an in-depth and critical literature analysis, the contributions of selected postmodern theories and management approaches, as well as targeted new characteristics of business organizations to achieving organizational leadership, are grounded. This allows the formulation of a useful and modern definition of the concept of "organizational leadership". From this starting point, the role of corporate culture for the creation, maintenance and development of organizational leadership is started to be substantiated through the mandatory clarification of the important for scientific research and management practice relationships such as "innovation – culture", "organizational leadership – corporate culture" and "organizational leadership – formal corporate culture", the study of which would assist managers in dealing with the problems that confront the business, due to undertaking social innovation, unlearning old practices, adopting and embedding in consciousness new ways of thinking and acting, especially through appropriate formulation and public disclosure to stakeholders of their strategic business intentions. In connection with the latter, on the basis of the results of the theoretical and empirical research, the essential characteristics of the elements of the proclaimed organizational culture, comprising its structure, are derived and an updated definition of the concept of "proclaimed firm culture" is proposed. Specific recommendations are provided to senior managers to gain leadership positions through their companies in terms of uncovering the proclaimed organizational culture with a view to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. This monograph represents a significant step in the development of management theory related to organizational leadership and its cultural dimensions

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Proactive Public Policies for Poverty Reduction

Проактивни публични политики за намаляване на бедността

Author(s): Ralitsa Veleva / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: proactivity; reactivity; public policies; public management; poverty; inequality; well-being

The scope of research in this work is at the intersection of proactive public policies and poverty. These two phenomena co-exist in a mutually defining contradiction and active development. This challenge sparked my interest in exploring the ways through which states can deliberately improve the conditions of their citizens in both the short and long term. "Poverty" is a category commonly used in daily life as a synonym for hidden deprivation. Perceived primarily as a personal problem, it remains a constant focus of inevitable public interest. In colloquial language, linking existence with "poverty" naturally evokes associations with destitution, scarcity, indigence, and so on, almost always unconsciously connected to its antonym, well-being. This monograph is an attempt to investigate poverty as a social phenomenon within the context of a set of effective tools for its potential gradual reduction, examining it as past experience, present challenges, and future prognosis. Its "eradication" remains but a faint hope. This book results from years of efforts to decipher the mechanism of understanding the functioning of public policies within the context of the factor-determined nature of poverty. We have invested faith in these policies, emphasizing their recognition and role in the development of education (the bidirectional relationship between the two phenomena) to enhance human capital as an anti-poverty factor. Later, our analyses extended to the complex "poverty-health" relationship, including the link between public health expenditures and life expectancy, framed through the concept of "health poverty." At that stage, the state of poverty in the EU member states was fragmentarily addressed, with a focus primarily on Bulgarian theory and practice. These aspectual studies form the emotional foundation of the present work, placing at its core the examination of state interventions in the EU and their potential to ensure a better life for the population in each member state. Having established the strong correlation between the level of completed education (or the lack thereof) and poverty, and how people's health follows the trajectory of their economic and social status, we proceeded to a thorough theoretical analysis of this complex phenomenon in the context of public administration development in the current century. All these inquiries directed our attention to public policies as an instrument for societal governance in modern democracies, including the development of a mechanism to measure the bidirectional relationship "proactive policies-poverty" (based on extensive and in-depth circumstantial evidence), which forms the basis for generating contemporary measures to regulate levels of deprivation in EU countries. In this process, the key characteristic of these policies emerged: their forward-looking perspective, which provoked the use of proactivity as a protagonist in the study. The title of the book contains two focal points: "proactive public policies" (means) and "poverty reduction" (end). These two centers are mutually determined. The increase in poverty requires the formation of proactive policies, whose implementation reduces the intensity of the observed scarcity. The driving forces of poverty management relationships are the integrated potential of state, business and civil organisations, along with the regulatory significance of community bodies. The study is organized into three chapters. The first chapter argues the necessity and possibilities for effective public administration through the application of proactive public policies. The second chapter presents the essential characteristics of poverty, its integration into international analyses, and the attempt to propose a comprehensive indicator framework by understanding the picture that illustrates the state and problems of poverty in EU countries. The third chapter views poverty as a multidimensional phenomenon that affects the choice of socioeconomic action alternatives. Measures for its possible reduction are proposed within the context of feasible political interventions. The conclusion of the study does not contain direct primary findings from the exposition, but through dialogical summaries, it models the diverse palette of the connection between poverty and key proactive factors and expected results. The aim of the research is to present and interpret the necessary "requisites" for the development and implementation of a comprehensive proactive policy for poverty reduction based on the accumulated achievements in this direction by EU countries. The adopted logic of presentation and analysis techniques, though addressing the specific problem of poverty/proactive policies, is applicable to solving other socioeconomic challenges faced by contemporary societies. The methodology of the study is based on the combination of a system approach with positive and normative analysis. The theoretical views on "proactive public policies" and the conceptual coherence between inequality and poverty are based on the analysis of literary sources and document research (desk analysis). In the second and third chapters, a comparative empirical approach is used in combination with the analysis and synthesis of existing best practices. The study contains current empirical material, distinguished by the structured presentation of arguments and tools for the formation and impact of public policies. Evidence is supported by correlation analysis, which evaluates the strength and direction of poverty dependence and its influence on long-term interventions. The study's limitations concern the period from 2011 to 2021/2022, and the observed countries are EU member states. Without bias towards any of them, Bulgaria and Romania are often subject of additional analyses due to their unfavourable position concerning public management of poverty.

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Economic Activity and Development of The Banking Sector in Central and Eastern Europe in The Context of Contemporary Crisis Processes

Икономическата активност и развитието на банковия сектор в Централна и Източна Европа в условията на съвременните кризисни процеси

Author(s): Gergana Mihaylova-Borisova,Milena Kovachevich,Darina Koleva,Elena Panayotova,Monika Kirilova / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: economic growth; banking efficiency; banking regulation; financial stability

The world has been gripped by a series of crises over the past two decades - the Global financial crisis in 2008, the European debt crisis in 2012-2013 and the Pandemic crisis in 2020 caused by the spread of the coronavirus. All these crises have an impact on the economic development of countries worldwide, but inevitably also affect banking activities in many of them. The aim of this monograph is to offer an in-depth and logically coherent scientific study on the problems of economic development and the stability, regulation and efficiency of the banking systems of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and to assess the relationship between economic growth and the development of the banking system in these countries, as measured by their technical efficiency. This study covers the CEE countries: Bulgaria Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Latvia. The study argues that in order to achieve sustainable and stable levels of economic growth, it is necessary to maintain a stable and well-functioning banking system, which is the main intermediary in the CEE countries. The CEE countries managed to cope with the worsened economic conditions in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, but got out from it better prepared for the next crises. The banking sector, with its stricter regulations and improved efficiency, remains a key element in the resilience of the economies to the crises.

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The Market of Audit Services in Bulgaria

Пазарът на одиторски услуги в България

Author(s): Daniela Vatkova-Milusheva,Ina Lecheva,Georgi Ranchev,Adriana Atanasova / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: Market for audit services; Independent financial audit; Concentration in the audit services market; Supervisory impact model

"The Market of Audit Services in Bulgaria" is a collective monograph that explores various aspects of the auditing profession and the state of the market for audit services through the lens of national legislation, international aspects, and trends in conducting independent financial audit. The research is motivated by the understanding that knowledge of the market structure and the degree of market concentration of audit services should underpin legislative decisions and regulatory actions. The aim is to provide a basis for presenting and comparing research results related to the levels, consequences, and measures taken to reduce market concentration in auditing, in order to provide systematic empirical evidence of the state of this market in Bulgaria. The monographic study focuses on a wide range of issues: The main characteristics and specifics of the market for audit services; Regulatory prerequisites for conducting independent financial audit and non-audit services; Measurement and analysis of the concentration of the audit services market in Bulgaria, including through statistical measures; Joint audits as a measure to reduce market concentration; Resource adequacy of audit practices and its link to audit quality; Motivation for choosing a registered auditor; The role of the supervisory authority in the market for audit services; Possible risk-based supervisory approach (Supervisory Impact Model); Methodological toolkit for monitoring the audit services market. As the first of its kind for Bulgaria, the study presents an argument that although the structure of the audit services market in some segments may be defined as oligopolistic, the levels of market concentration of audit services in Bulgaria are substantially lower than those in other European countries, respectively below the average value for EU countries, which in turn requires a different type of supervisory impact.

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Issues and Challenges of Fiscal Policy in the Balkan Region Countries

Проблеми и предизвикателства на фискалната политика в страните от Балканския регион

Author(s): Presiana Nenkova,Gergana Mihaylova-Borisova,Milena Kovachevich,Nelly Popova,Diyana Metalova,Velichka Nikolova,Angel Angelov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: fiscal policy; Balkan countries; tax systems; government spending; government debt

The purpose of the collective monographic work is to explore the problems and challenges faced by the fiscal policy in the Balkan region countries. In this regard, the national experience in fiscal governance has been studied in a comparative perspective in the period 2004-2020, covering the years before, during and after the global financial and economic crisis and the first pandemic year 2020. The first chapter provides a comparative analysis of the Balkan countries in terms of key macroeconomic, demographic and social indicators in the period 2004-2020, and identifies the importance of a set of factors, having a direct and indirect impact on fiscal governance and the stability of public finances in a particular country. The second chapter systematizes the characteristics of the tax systems of the countries included in the study based on a review of the tax reforms implemented in the last two decades and their driving forces. The third chapter highlights the effects on the structure of the expenditure side of the budget from undertaken reforms, aimed at achieving specific socio-economic goals and outlines the problems faced by the public expenditure management through identifying the circumstances that will continue to have a determining importance for the size of some expenditure groups. Chapter four assesses the efficiency of government spending in the Balkan countries, while chapter five presents the differences and similarities in terms of their debt sustainability. Chapter six traces the degree of convergence of the Balkan economies with those of the EU and the Eurozone countries, and chapter seven summarises the challenges faced by the fiscal policies of the Balkan countries.

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