Objective : The aim of the article is to capture the key elements determining the development of modern insurance in today’s Slovakia and to evaluate the role of Dr Ján Alojz Wagner in the establishment of insurance companies with Slovak capital on the territory of today’s Slovakia, which principally means in the newly-formed Czechoslovakia. Research Design & Methods : In-depth analysis of historical sources from several sources, such as libraries, archives and depositories. We used documentary, biographical and archival methods, which are useful in terms of historical research. Findings : A summary and analysis of Dr Wagner’s contribution to the establishment and subsequent development of the insurance industry in the region of Slovakia. Implications / Recommendations : We consider Dr Wagner to be a figure who contributed to the formation of this market, and we believe that an understanding of his work can help us to better understand how the Slovak insurance industry currently operates. Contribution : This article is a summary and analysis of Dr Wagner’s contribution to the establishment and subsequent development of the insurance industry in the region of Slovakia. Dr Wagner’s ideas were a knowledge base for the development of insurance in Slovakia, and his practical work laid the foundations of the Slovak insurance market.

Objective : This paper examines inflation and growth: revisiting the estimation of the threshold level of inflation for Pakistan. Research Design & Methods : The study uses time series data from 1985 to 2015. It employs the Generalized Least Square (GLS) and Conditional Least Square (CLS) methods with the aim of determining the impact of trade openness on economic growth and estimating the threshold level of inflation for the economy of Pakistan. Findings : The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant positive impact of trade openness on economic growth because the coefficient of trade openness improved from 4.26 before trade liberalization to 4.98 after trade liberalization. Secondly, the threshold level of inflation was estimated at 7% for the Pakistan economy. Implications / Recommendations : The study therefore recommends, among others, that Pakistan should liberalize its economy through a decrease in taxes on international trade as a percentage of tax revenue. Secondly, policymakers and the state bank should try to keep inflation below or at 7% for the good health of the economy. Contribution : It was observed that trade openness had a significant impact on the economic growth of Pakistan ( R (2; 11) = 4.98, p < 0.05) accounting for 77.6% of its variance (Adj. R 2 = 0.776). Invariably, trade openness significantly contributed to Pakistan’s economic growth between 2002 and 2015. However, it is evident that after trade liberalization the coefficient of trade openness significantly improved from 4.26 between 1987 and 2001 to 4.98 between 2002 and 2015. This implies that trade liberalization significantly and positively affects economic growth in Pakistan ( p < 0.05). The analysis to assess the impact of trade openness on economic growth was carried out using data before and after the structural break between 2001 and 2015 to capture whether trade liberalization could affect economic growth differently before and after liberalization. The study found that trade openness had a significant positive impact on economic growth because the coefficient of trade openness improved from 4.26 before trade liberalization to 4.98 after trade liberalization. Secondly, the Khan and Senhadji model (2001) for estimating the threshold level of inflation for developed and developing countries was adopted to estimate the threshold level of inflation for the Pakistan economy. The study revealed a threshold level of 7% for the Pakistan economy.

Objective : The objective of this paper is to examine the opinions of Poles about what they think is important in their professional work. Research Design & Methods : The paper analyzes the preferences of Poles regarding occupational hygiene factors and motivating factors using Generations and Gender Survey data for Poland. Due to the frequent connections between the possible alternatives of choice, the use of the nested logit model to model the preferences of respondents was proposed in this study. Findings : This study presents the factors that are important for Poles in their professional work depending on their socio-economic and demographic characteristics. For women, compared to men, options related to occupational hygiene and stable employment were less important than other motivating factors. However, for younger people, compared to people from the last age group, options related to occupational hygiene were also important. Implications / Recommendations : In the research on the opinions and preferences of respondents, a common approach is to perform a comparative analysis using descriptive statistics or standard logistic regression models. The use of standard multinomial logit models may lead to erroneous conclusions, because in discrete choice problems the available options are rarely unrelated. In such cases, the suggested solution is to use nested logit models. Contribution : The paper reveals the features of groups of respondents for whom good pay is not necessarily the most important factor in professional work, and so-called higher needs are also important.

Objective : This study analyzes the phenomenon of the grey zone in Poland and identifies the tax gap in Poland caused by its development. This raises the question of the extent to which the shadow economy affects the Polish economy, and in particular its contribution to the tax gap. Research Design & Methods : The article is based on grey zone data in the Polish economy. The data was obtained from the EY Economic Analysis Team report as well as from the CASE report for the European Commission on the VAT gap. Findings : The study shows that the impact of the grey zone on the economy is multi-faceted. The growth of the grey zone is largely due to the government’s mismanagement of economic policy. In turn, the reason for the reduction in the grey zone in Poland is the reduction in the amount of tax fraud through the use of better government measures and an increase in cashless transactions. The results show that although the grey zone in Poland has been increasing since 2019, it remains at a similar level to before. By contrast, since 2015 the tax gap has reduced by more than 20%. Implications / Recommendations : The study shows that in order to reduce the negative phenomenon of the grey zone in the economy, effective measures should be taken through the application of appropriate economic policies. The actions of the government should be focused on eliminating systemic factors that favour activities which are not officially registered. It is through the development of unregistered activities that the government loses tax revenue. Contribution : The article contributes to the literature on the changing size of the grey zone in Poland over the last decade. The analysis enhances our understanding of how the impact of this phenomenon on the Polish economy changed in recent years.