The Post-Socialist Transformation of Central and Eastern European Countries at the Turn of the Century: Regional Development and Economic Inequality

Постсоциалистическая трансформация стран Центральной и Восточной Европы на рубеже веков: региональное развитие и экономическое неравенство

Author(s): Askar Akayevich Akayev,Yury Rolandovich Ichkitidze,Askar Islamovich Sarygulov,Valentin Nikolayevich Sokolov / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2016

Keywords: regional development;economic inequality; integrated modernization; economic transformation; new states; clustering; institutional reforms; social differentiation; middle class;

The evolution of the socio-economic systems is a non-linear process and it contains periods with smooth changes and subsequent periods of sharp jump transformation. The general design of new prospects opens at a stage of the birth of evolutionary processes, their forecasting requires the analysis of the historical prerequisites and risks, which are closely integrated to the change of moods in society. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the newly independent states have passed the transformational and evolutional stage of development from the regional economy (they actually were the regions) to the economy of the state; the Central and Eastern European countries have experienced a dramatic “drift” to the European Union. In the article, the results of almost 25 years’ transformation of these states are considered. New states, formed as a result of the collapse of the USSR, passed throughout three types of transformation. Firstly, it is the transformation at the ideological level. The transformation of the second type was purely economic. The third type can be characterized as the institutional (including structural and financial) transformation. It is shown that one of the important reasons for the modest economic performance in the post-Soviet space is that newly independent states ignore and do not use in the practice the principles of regional policy and regional modernization. One of the important characteristic of the social and economic evolution of the countries of Eastern Europe after 1990 became the process of stratification and social differentiation of society with an insufficiently strong middle class and the polarization in income levels between the different regions. The increasing polarization in the income levels of the various regions acts as the dominating trend of the growing economic inequality.

Methodological Tools for Assessing the Investment Attractiveness of Renewable Resources in Northern and Arctic Territories

Методический инструментарий оценки инвестиционной привлекательности возобновляемых ресурсов северных и арктических территорий

Author(s): Alexander Ivanovich Tatarkin,Valery Vasilyevich Balashenko,Vladimir Grigoryevich Loginov,Margarita Nikolayevna Ignatyeva / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2016

Keywords: investment; investment attractiveness; Northern and Arctic territories; natural resource potential; renewable natural resources; landscape areas; economic evaluation; income approach; zoning;

The article is devoted to the relevant problem, i.e. the evaluation of the investment attractiveness of renewable natural resources in the underdeveloped Northern and Arctic territories. Economic interaction arising from the development of natural resource potential is the subject-matter of the study. The development of the methodological tools for the assessment of investment attractiveness for business and authorities is the purpose of the study. For the zoning of territories at the pre-investment project stage typical landscapes were selected and assessed by each type of renewable natural resources. On the basis of the analysis of the existing approaches to the zoning of natural resources, three types of landscapes were defined: the investment-attractive ones, the investment-attractive ones with some restrictions and the investment unattractive ones. During the study, the following hypothesis was confirmed: the selection of the most valuable natural resources increases the opportunities of their development. The investment attractiveness is determined by the advantages of geographical location, development of regional infrastructure, natural potential which is considered as a priority investment target. The need for the valuation of the natural resource potential of landscape areas within the boundaries of the assessed area is justified. The limitations are the low level of infrastructure development, insufficient resistance of landscapes to anthropogenic influence, the export of raw materials for recycling from the territories. The list of conditions that demand the introduction of correction factors to the cost parameters of the natural resource potential of landscape areas is justified. The main results of the research are presented in the form of the landscape zoning of the territory and as the developed methodological tools for assessing the investment attractiveness. The testing is conducted on the example of the Berezovsky municipal district of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — Yugra.

Comparison of the Efficiency of Budget Financing and the Social Security of a Region

Сопоставление эффективности бюджетного финансирования и социальной безопасности региона

Author(s): Aleksandr Anatolyevich Kuklin,Svetlana Evgenyevna Shipitsyna,Kseniya Sergeevna Naslunga / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2016

Keywords: risks; threats; social security; budget financing; consolidated budget; rate of natural increase; gross regional product; unemployment;

In the article, the theoretical and economic aspects of the category “security” are considered; the distinction between philosophical and socio-economic approaches to the understanding of social security is drawn. From the point of view of the system approach, the place of social security for national security protection is determined. The theoretical content of the category “social security” is shown; in the authors’ treatment, the specifying concepts such as “social risks”, “danger”, “threat” are given. For the purpose of risks identification (deviations) and the revealing of the factors of inefficient financing, the methodological tools for the assessment of the social security of a region are proposed. These tools are based on the integrated assessment of the regional socio-economic indexes and the indexes assessing the budgetary financing of the territory. The methodical approach offered by the authors is based on the detection of dependencies between the social and financial security of a region. As estimates, the indicators reflecting the level of social security in the territory of residence are chosen: income, expenses of the consolidated budget of a region, growth rate of gross regional product, rate of natural population growth, level of unemployment, population share with the income below living level. This approach is approved on the example of Perm Krai and Sverdlovsk region; the regularities, the favourable and adverse periods for social security of the region are revealed. The received estimates are ranged depending on a temporary log of growth (fall), elasticity and sensitivity to the budget financing. The results of the assessment have shown that, from the point of view of social security protection, Perm Krai has entered a stage of deep recession, which started in 2012. Similar tendencies are observed in the Sverdlovsk region. Nevertheless, considering both a visible variety and the dominating influence of Perm Krai and Sverdlovsk region on the social and economic development of the Volga and Ural Federal Districts respectively, the given comparison is of scientific and practical interest.

Analysis of the Approaches to the Assessment of Regional Processes of Formation of Social and Economic Security

Анализ подходов к оценке региональных процессов формирования социально-экономической безопасности

Author(s): Valeriy Petrovich Chichkanov,Lyubov Alexandrovna Belyaevskaya-Plotnick / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2016

The aim of the article is to study the paradigm of regional development, the importance and the need to integrate social components in the assessment of the level of socio-economic security of the region. The analysis of regional development theory shows that the evolution of the region’s theory moves in the direction of increasing the role of the society and factors of economic development. This correlates with the concept of the present study which increases the role of the society from the previously adopted subsystem in the economic security system to the equivalent of the social component in the socio-economic security. Often prevailing “economic” approach to solving the problems of social and economic security of a region is undoubtedly justified by the crucial importance of the economy for the territories. The threshold and critical values of certain indicators of socioeconomic security, beyond which destructive processes threaten the economy and the society, are analyzed. The authors note that achieving of the threshold values of security indicators demonstrates the need for immediate intervention by the authorities to overcome the undesirable tendencies. The basic methodological approaches to modeling and forecasting the socio-economic security of the region are systematized. The authors prove that it has to occur in an integrated manner, i.e. with the analysis and accounting of all aspects of the scope of the research, as well as in systematic manner taking into account the interrelations and interdependence of regional development. At the end of the research, a conclusion is formulated: the reasonable set of methods and opportunity to adapt them in short terms for new tasks in the conditions of a quickly changing environment of regions are necessary for the solution of various tasks of the analysis and the evaluation of socio-economic security.

Territorial Factors of Strategic Development of the Regions of the Far East

Территориальные факторы стратегического развития дальневосточных регионов

Author(s): Olga Anatolievna Kozlova,Tatyana Valeryevna Terentyeva,Mariya Nikitichna Makarova,Do Lan Huong / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2016

Keywords: regional development strategy; urbanization cluster; migration of population; population distribution; regional policy; territorial and industry organization; the Far East; urban population;cluster approach;

The article examines the issues of the territorial organization of social and economic space in the context of the development strategies implementation on the example of the Far East regions. This problem is associated with the growing unevenness of economic development under the conditions of the outflow of population. This leads to the growing shortage of labour, deteriorating age and educational structure of population. The population outflow results in the destruction of the existing patterns of settlement and an appropriate network of social services. The negative migration processes contribute to the loss of working-age population and increase of its differentiation. The authors hypothesized that the success of the regional strategies of socio-economic development is largely determined by the synthesis of agglomeration and cluster technologies based on the regional demographic, migration and settlement factors that are closely linked the processes of the organization of regional socio-economic space. The authors conducted the content analysis of the socio-economic development strategies of the Far East regions and substantiated a poor implementation of the cluster and agglomeration technologies in strategic planning, and the underestimation of contradictions in the strategies of socio-economic development conditioned by the outflow of the population. In the conclusion, the authors justified the necessity to develop and implement the mechanisms for the effective incorporation of the cluster and agglomeration technologies of the regional space organization in the socio-economic development of the regions of the Far East. The solution of the above mentioned problems, according to the authors, would contribute to a more substantiated development of regional spatial policy.

From the Food Sovereignty Ensuring Strategy to the Strategy of Improving the Agro-Food Complex Competitiveness

От стратегии обеспечения продовольственной независимости к стратегии повышения конкурентоспособности агропродовольственного комплекса

Author(s): Anatoly Ivanovich Altukhov,Veniamin Vasilyevich Drokin,Aleksey Serafimovich Zhuravlev / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2016

Keywords: agro-food complex; state-run program; import substitution; macroeconomic factors; territorial and sectoral specialization; population household; agricultural organizations; dairy cattle breeding;

In the conditions of the globalization of national economies, the current situation in macroeconomics and, as a result, the need to improve the quality of life of the population it is necessary to clearly outline and resolve the following three strategic tasks of the country’s agro-food complex: ensuring the country’s food sovereignty based on import substitution; improving the farm products competitiveness; ensuring high level standard of living at the rural area based on the social-economic development of the territories. The analysis of the government policy documents and concepts of developing the agricultural sector of economy has revealed the following. The state-run program for the farming sector development and regulation of the farmers’ market, agricultural raw materials and food in 2013–2020 is the main functioning tool, a primary factor of accelerated agro-food import substitution, and a foundation for the new national agricultural policy. At the same time, the program does not answer the question, how one can really improve the competitiveness of the domestic farm products. It does not outline the tasks and mechanisms to raise the standard of living for the rural population. The article considers the necessity to increase the agrofood sector competitiveness as a prospective strategic direction in the government export policy. It clarifies the key factors of the influence on the competitiveness of the domestic farm products, namely: at the macroeconomic level — equivalence of cross-sector exchange, subsidizing and credit financing of the agro-food sector; at the sectoral level — territorial and sectoral specialization in agricultural production and system of profit distribution between the producers, processors and retailers of the farm products. The article outlines the possible ways of employment assistance for the rural population being released as a result of improving the competitiveness of the agricultural production. It shows the advisability of formulating the single scientifically based interministerial document in the form of the national strategy and some relevant programs to improve the competitiveness of the country’s agro-food complex, employment and income of the rural population.

The right to privacy in the legal system of United States of America

The right to privacy in the legal system of United States of America

Author(s): Monika Bartczak / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: privacy;common law;human rights;right to privacy;

The article presents a historical aspect of development of the right to privacy in the American legal system. The considerations bring closer the most significant issues concerning the privacy protection presented among U.S. case-law and doctrine.

The growing importance of the risk-taking channel in the process of transmitting monetary policy

The growing importance of the risk-taking channel in the process of transmitting monetary policy

Author(s): Magdalena Redo / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: monetary policy;risk-taking channel

Effectiveness of monetary police depends on proper identification of changes happening in functioning of particular channels which transmit impulses of monetary policy directly into economy. Such changes sometimes limit the importance of certain channels, and sometimes they strengthen other channels, as it occurred in the recent years with risk-taking channels. Globalization, growth of competition, anchoring of low inflation in Western economies, too low economic growth when compared with the issue of unemployment, development of finance market, conscious policy of low interest rates in the USA – all of that contributed to lowering interest rates all over the world, growing the level of acceptable risk, and strengthening the negative correlation between the level of investment based on interest rates and the tendency of risk and, at the same time, operating of a risk-taking channel in the process of transmitting impulses of monetary policy into economy. The main aim of this essay is to familiarize readers with importance of the risk-taking channel in the process of transmitting monetary policy into economy and to overview research confirming growth of its importance in the recent years.

The problem of public debt (the case of Spain)

The problem of public debt (the case of Spain)

Author(s): Grzegorz Górniewicz / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: public debt;public finance;the limits of debt

The present paper concerns a crucial problem of contemporary public finances, that is the public debt. Apart from the definition, the causes and methods of incurring debt , the present paper demonstrates the acceptable limits of being indebted. Furthermore, the paper presents the scale of public debt in the world and the current status of public finances of Spain (one of the most indebted countries).

Directions of foreign migration of Poles and the level of socio-economic development of the country of emigration from the European Union area in the years 2004–2011

Directions of foreign migration of Poles and the level of socio-economic development of the country of emigration from the European Union area in the years 2004–2011

Author(s): Ewa Jankowska / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: migration;economi migration;human development index (HDI);

This paper provides an introduction to the enhanced study of the relationships occurring between the choice of the country, to which Polish citizens emigrate, and the level and quality of life in the country of emigration. In the first part of the article the author focused on the major causes of departures of Poles out of the country and the effects of emigration for Poland. Next, the directions of departures of Poles to the EU countries for a temporary stay longer than three months in the period 2004–2012 have been analyzed. In the last part of the paper the author made the preliminary analysis of the relationship between the number of people emigrating to a given country and its level of the socio-economic development. In order to determine the level of the development the Human Development Index has been used.

Józef Winiewicz – a man of the Congress

Józef Winiewicz – a man of the Congress

Author(s): Katarzyna Kącka / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: Józef Winiewicz; Ministry of Congress Works;Bureau of Congress Wroks

The purpose of this article is to present the silhouette of Józef Winiewicz – “a man of the Congress” who throughout almost the entire period of World War II collaborated with the Ministry of Congress Works as part of the Polish government-in-exile, and later worked for the Bureau of Congress Works in post-war Poland. Only his activities undertaken during his stay in Britain and later in Poland, and related to the works carried out by the above institutions in the years 1940 to 1947 are presented here. His chief responsibilities included development and presentation of Polish demands for the future peace treaty with Germany.

British foreign direct investments in the light of the World financial crisis

British foreign direct investments in the light of the World financial crisis

Author(s): Piotr Siemiątkowski / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: British FDI flow;British foreign direct investments;stock of British FDI

This article analyzes outflow of foreign direct investment from the United Kingdom, with particular emphasis on the period of the global financial crisis (2007 +). Examined both flows and resources of British FDI in terms of industry and geography. In the final part of the article analyzes British transnational corporations profits from investments abroad.

The perspectives of entry of ukrainian companies at the world market of services

The perspectives of entry of ukrainian companies at the world market of services

Author(s): Rita Zablotska / Language(s): English / Issue: 6/2013

Keywords: international trade;national trade policy;Porter diamond model;

In this article author analyzes main issues of Ukrainian service market integration within the international competition environment. It is proved that institution and transaction costs are one of the key factors in the development of the modern Ukrainian trade in services sector. The author examines them as a basis for competitive advantages in the process of internation-al exchange in services.

Social indicators and the measure of the quality of life

Social indicators and the measure of the quality of life

Author(s): Ewa Jankowska / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2014

Keywords: social indactor;economic development;social development;

The quality of life is one of the main categories of the researches conducted in sociological, psychological and social sciences. It is related to assessment of the degree of satisfaction of the needs of the society. The increase of the quality of life is the symptom of economic and social development that takes place in the country. The assessment of satisfy of the needs is done with using the special tools which are known as the social indicators. In this article, the author: • introduced the different definitions of the categories of quality of life, which are used in sociological, psychological and economics sciences • presented the concept of human needs, and • showed the concept of the social indicator as a tool used to measure the quality of life of individuals and society.

The role of Ukrainian think tanks in shaping of public opinion on the European integration (on the example of Razumkov Centre and Gorshenin Institute)

The role of Ukrainian think tanks in shaping of public opinion on the European integration (on the example of Razumkov Centre and Gorshenin Institute)

Author(s): Olena Shkrobanets / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2014

Keywords: public opinion;think tanks;foreign policy;international relations;

In this article the author has explored the role of Ukrainian think tanks, notably the Razumkov Center and Gorshenin Institute, in the formation of public opinion on the European integration policy of Ukraine during the period of 2007–2013. As a result of content analysis of these analytic institutes’ information materials it is concluded that the consolidated public opinion on the problem of European integration of Ukraine was not formed as Ukrainian citizens did not obtain from Ukrainian analytical structures complete, accurate and unambiguous information on this actual issue.

Financial dependence of the Polish economy

Financial dependence of the Polish economy

Author(s): Piotr Siemiątkowski / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2014

Keywords: financial dependence;international investment position;

The article presents the structure of net international investment position (NIIP) of Poland and on that basis to specify the degree of financial dependence of our country on external business entities. The stated data unequivocally points to the essential disproportion between the amount of capital which inflows to Poland and the stream of its outflow. Additionally, a part of external liabilities are the foreign portfolio investments and the remaining foreign investments, which are usually of speculation nature. It causes a considerable degree to which Polish economy is dependent on the foreign capital.

Construction of “enemy’s” image in soviet press in 1939-1953-s

Construction of “enemy’s” image in soviet press in 1939-1953-s

Author(s): Lidiia Sirenko / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2014

Keywords: propaganda;image of "enemy";children`s press

The article presents how in Soviet Union through children’s press government tried to raise new generation of Soviet men, who would be loyal to communists regime. As the main tool was used image of “enemy”, which consisted of two main parts: “external” and “internal enemies”. “Enemy’s” concept was not constant. The article examines evolution of the concept and its connection with the geopolitical situation and economic and political processes within the Soviet state. Children were taught how to identify “enemy” among other citizens, where they located, how they looks like, what values they have. And why it was so important for Soviet child to be attentive and report about all suspicious persons.

The development of information society in the light of new dangers in the area of internal security as viewed by the students

The development of information society in the light of new dangers in the area of internal security as viewed by the students

Author(s): Beata Stachowiak / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2014

Keywords: internal security;information society;students

The development of information society contributes to many transformations; they virtually encompass all the aspects of the contemporary world. However, not all the realms of transformations are subject to scrutiny to the very same degree. This paper is an attempt to acquaint its readers with the issues oftentimes evaded or even not picked up by researchers. The author in this paper presents the results of the research conducted among the students of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń in the realm of judging the risk resulting from the development of information society within the context of internal security as well as within the evaluation of the level of these dangers. The results of the author’s investigation indicate that there are many factors which statistically significantly determine the student’s beliefs in the scrutinized realm. Such determinants proved to be – among others- gender, the students’ field of study and the frequency of using the Internet etc.

Prospects for Ukraine’s integration into the EU labour market in the context of the Ukraine - EU Association Agreement

Prospects for Ukraine’s integration into the EU labour market in the context of the Ukraine - EU Association Agreement

Author(s): Roman D. Stakanov / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2014

Keywords: labour migration;EU labour market;EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

Upon signature of the Association Agreement Ukraine has gained an opportunity to deepen its integration into the European labour market. Such integration plays an important role given the fact that about half of the labour migration is directed towards the EU and the share of remittances from the EU amounts to over 30% of total revenues from migrant workers. The Agreement stipulates that the EU and Ukraine shall make joint endeavours to tackle the root causes of migration, establish an effective against illegal migration while legally employed workers from Ukraine and the EU shall guaranteed equal rights and the need to expand the number of bilateral agreements on employment between Ukraine and the EU Member States is declared as well. The Agreement provides for separate provisions on temporary presence of natural persons for business purposes that allow for employment of “key personnel” as well as for rendering of commercial services under a simplified procedure of stay in the host country. However, liberalisation of access of migrants from Ukraine applies primarily to skilled migration that generally corresponds to the common trend of implementing the EU immigration policy today. However, the issue of access to the national labour markets of the main part of labour migrants from Ukraine still remains in the domain of bilateral relations between Ukraine and the EU host countries.

Nubar Pasha: a representative of Egypt’s intellectual elite of the second half of the 19th century

Нубар-паша: представитель интеллектуальной элиты Египта второй половины XIX века

Author(s): Dimitry A. Makeev,Svetlana A, Cheremnykh / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 2/2015

Keywords: Nubar Pasha; colonial regime; reformatory initiatives; Anglo-Egyptian relations;

The article reflects the main stages of the state activity of the leader of the Egyptian intellectuals during the establishment of the British colonial regime. Noted is the role of Nubar Pasha in the formation of a new administrative service of Egypt.