Countries In Economic Transition Research Articles

Between commons and anticommons: a nested common-private interface framework

The collapse of the former Soviet Union signaled failure of large-scale experiment in communitarian property. Privatization reform consequently was taken as the start point to transfer the planned economy to a market economy by the post socialist countries. This also occurred in economic transition countries such as China. However, in overcoming the tragedy of the commons privatization might create anticommons problems. Here we develop a nested common-private interface framework from the perspective of resource system and resource units and apply this framework to explain reforms of rangeland property in China and Kyrgyzstan. We confirmed that the root of the dilemma, either caused by commons or anticommons, can be attributed to the interface mismatch between individual elements and common elements. Trying to overcome the dilemma by changing property arrangements alone cannot eliminate the incentive mismatch caused by the common-private interface. Institutions aimed at alleviating the mismatch are accordingly required. Theoretically, this framework converts Ostrom’s concept of commons into liberal commons that the members have options to exit, which is becoming increasingly common in the current global context of marketization. In the real world, this framework can serve to understand the property reform progress of transition countries, and may enlighten future property reforms.

Identifying and modelling key physiological traits that confer tolerance or sensitivity to ozone in winter wheat

Tropospheric ozone threatens crop production in many parts of the world, especially in highly populated countries in economic transition. Crop models suggest substantial global yield losses for wheat, but typically such models fail to address differences in ozone responses between tolerant and sensitive genotypes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify physiological traits contributing to yield losses or yield stability under ozone stress in 18 contrasting wheat cultivars that had been pre-selected from a larger wheat population with known ozone tolerance. Plants were exposed to season-long ozone fumigation in open-top chambers at an average ozone concentration of 70 ppb with three additional acute ozone episodes of around 150 ppb. Compared to control conditions, average yield loss was 18.7 percent, but large genotypic variation was observed ranging from 2.7 to 44.6 percent. Foliar chlorophyll content represented by normalized difference vegetation index and net CO2 assimilation rate of young leaves during grain filling were the physiological traits most strongly correlated with grain yield losses or stability. Accumulative effects of chronic ozone exposure on photosynthesis were more detrimental for grain yield than instantaneous effects of acute ozone shocks, or accelerated senescence of older leaves represented by changes in the ratio of brown leaf area/green leaf area index. We used experimental data of two selected tolerant or sensitive varieties, respectively, to parametrize the LINTULCC2 crop model expanded with an ozone response routine. By specifying parameters representing the distinct physiological responses of contrasting genotypes, we simulated yield losses of 7 percent (tolerant) or 33 percent (sensitive). By considering genotypic differences in ozone response models, this study helps to improve the accuracy of simulation studies, estimate the effects of adaptive breeding, and identify physiological traits for the breeding of ozone tolerant wheat varieties that could deliver stable yields despite ozone exposure.

Entrepreneurial culture in educational institutions: A scoping review

This study highlights the importance of entrepreneurial culture in educational institutions as an organization. This study emphasizes the relationship between entrepreneurial culture, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial intention as study variables. This study highlights several aspects: the relationship between variables, study trend, contextual aspect like (country or educational institutions), population, publication type, and study design. A scoping review method is considered for this study based on both Scopus and Web of Science databases. The covered publications in the analyses were for the last 20 years ranging from the year 2003 till August 2021, with no limits on languages. After filtration, the eligible number of studies was (n = 94) out of 180 from both databases. The methodology part contains several sections based on the PRISM-ScR checklist. The findings show a significant relationship among the three variables with the possibility of entrepreneurial culture being a mediator between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention for future studies, which has not been tested yet. The highest publications werein 2015, especially by European Union countries, as studies in developed countries were more than developing and economies in transition countries. Quantitative studies were more than qualitative and mixed methods, as studies considered HEIs more than schools focusing on students and then teachers. To conclude, policymakers are encouraged to follow policies to improve entrepreneurial culture growth by promoting strategic cooperation among stakeholders and educational institutions implementing several concepts to enhance entrepreneurial culture. Future studies should validate and test these variables’ relationships through a standard and accurate instrument.

A Low-Vision Navigation Platform for Economies in Transition Countries.

An ability to move freely, when wanted, is an essential activity for healthy living. Visually impaired and completely blinded persons encounter many disadvantages in their day-to-day activities, including performing work-related tasks. They are at risk of mobility losses, illness, debility, social isolation, and premature mortality. A novel wearable device and computing platform called VIS4ION is reducing the disadvantage gaps and raising living standards for the visually challenged. It provides personal mobility navigational services that serves as a customizable, human-in-the-loop, sensing-to-feedback platform to deliver functional assistance. The platform is configured as a wearable that provides on-board microcomputers, human-machine interfaces, and sensory augmentation. Mobile edge computing enhances functionality as more services are unleashed with the computational gains. The meta-level goal is to support spatial cognition, personal freedom, and activities, and to promoting health and wellbeing. VIS4ION can be conceptualized as the dovetailing of two thrusts: an on-person navigational and computing device and a multimodal functional aid providing microservices through the cloud. The device has on-board wireless capabilities connected through Wi-Fi or 4/5G. The cloud-based microservices reduce hardware and power requirements while allowing existing and new services to be enhanced and added such as loading new map and real-time communication via haptic or audio signals. This technology can be made available and affordable in the economies of transition countries.

A SCOPING REVIEW OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION, ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION AT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Purpose: The aim of this study to highlight the role of entrepreneurial culture in the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions at higher education institutions as study variables. This study could play a vital role in guiding students to choose entrepreneurship as a career by encouraging them.
 Methodology: A scoping review method was used to identify critical evidence in the reviewed relationships between the three above mentioned variables, which are: entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial culture, and entrepreneurial intention. By using the scoping review method, the authors analyzed articles from Scopus and Web of Science databases published from the year 2003 to 2019, in which 52 relevant articles out of 105 related published articles were identified using Mendeley software to filter these articles. 
 Main Findings: The results show that there was a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial culture, and entrepreneurial intention when the entrepreneurial culture was inculcated in entrepreneurship education activities at higher education institutions. This study shows that the most used theory is the Theory of Planned Behavior, in which most studies were done on the level of universities, and a significant volume of reviews have been carried out in developed countries.
 Application of This study: The cultivation of entrepreneurial competencies is heavily influenced by the prevailing culture, which is usually strengthened through education and directed by individual entrepreneurial intention along with the role of entrepreneurial culture. Hence, this could be useful for developing and economies in transition countries that might face high unemployment rates to focus on these variables in comparison to developed countries.
 Novelty: This study highlights and further proposes the mediation role of entrepreneurial culture in entrepreneurship education - entrepreneurial intention relationship based on the outcomes of the scoping review. Indeed, this relationship was just mentioned by words and not validated or measured comprehensively by the scholars. Hence, there is a chance for further studies in this body of knowledge.

Personal Remittances and Financial Development for Economic Growth in Economic Transition Countries

This study investigates the effect of personal remittance inflows and financial development on the economic growth of 29 economic transition countries for the period of 2000–2015. Dynamic panel system GMM estimation results show that there is a positive relationship between remittance inflows and economic growth. It also shows that remittances and the level of financial development have a substitute relationship in promoting economic growth. So the remittance inflows have a positive effect on economic growth for the countries with low levels of financial development, but they have a negative effect on such growth for countries with moderate to high levels of financial development.

Innovation management strategy to promote the regional cooperation between China and Russia (case study of Moscow and Yiwu’s Cooperation)

China and Russia are not only two major influential power in the world, but also the two largest economic transition countries. As a neighboring country, the cooperation of economic and trade between two sides not only has obvious geographical advantages, but highly complementary. With the in-depth cooperation in trade and economic of two countries,more and more direct cooperation between cities has taken place. In the past years, due to geographical advantages, the cooperation mostly took place in border cities, such as Heihe City and Blagovichensk City. With the new cooperation trend between China and Russia, more and more developed city of two countries begin to make cooperation, it’s a new cooperation phenomenon that different from previous cooperation between border cities. In the process of cooperation, there are advantages and mutual interests, as well as difficulties and conflicts. Therefore the management of the cooperation of these cities also need innovation method. Therefore, it is urgent to analyze the problems and make research in this field. The previous researcher mainly focus on the analysis of the cooperation and management strategy between border cities of two countries which has been fully studied. However, there is less even almost no research analysis the current new cooperation situation between the economic center cities of two countries, including the problems exiting, further cooperation analysis, and future development trend as well as innovation management method to well promote the cooperation of them.

경제체제전환국의 경제성장 요인분석과 북한 체제전환에 대한 시사점

본 연구는 1995∼2015년 기간의 국가별 패널자료를 이용하여 전체 국가와 41개 경제체제전환국의 경제성장 결정요인을 패널 시스템 GMM으로 실증분석한 것이다. 분석 결과에 의하면 경제체제전환국의 경제성장에 총고정자본형성, 무역, 경제자유지수, 인프라, 교육 등이 긍정적인 영향, 인플레이션과 정부소비는 부정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 경제체제전환국의 경제성장 결정요인 중 국내 투자를 반영하는 총고정자본형성과 경제자유지수는 경제체제전환국만의 차별적인 성장요인이다. 총고정자본형성은 경제성장과 역 U자형의 비선형적 관계를 갖고 있다. 이는 국내 투자 재원이 부족한 체제전환의 초기에 국내투자를 늘리는 것이 경제성장에 긍정적인 영향을 주었음을 의미한다. 한편, 경제자유지수는 전체 국가에서는 경제성장에 미치는 유의한 영향이 존재하지 않았으나 경제체제전환국에서는 유의한 양(+)의 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 분석을 통해 북한이 경제체제전환을 하는 경우 경제성장을 위해 우선적으로 국내 투자 재원을 확보하고 경제적 자유를 확대하는 것이 중요하다는 시사점을 도출하였다.

Species interactions limit the occurrence of urban-adapted birds in cities

Urbanization represents an extreme transformation of more natural systems. Populations of most species decline or disappear with urbanization, and yet some species persist and even thrive in cities. What determines which species persist or thrive in urban habitats? Direct competitive interactions among species can influence their distributions and resource use, particularly along gradients of environmental challenge. Given the challenges of urbanization, similar interactions may be important for determining which species persist or thrive in cities; however, their role remains poorly understood. Here, we use a global dataset to test among three alternative hypotheses for how direct competitive interactions and behavioral dominance may influence the breeding occurrence of birds in cities. We find evidence to support the competitive interference hypothesis: behaviorally dominant species were more widespread in urban habitats than closely related subordinate species, but only in taxa that thrive in urban environments (hereafter, urban adapted), and only when dominant and subordinate species overlapped their geographic ranges. This result was evident across diverse phylogenetic groups but varied significantly with a country's level of economic development. Urban-adapted, dominant species were more widespread than closely related subordinate species in cities in developed, but not developing, countries; countries in economic transition showed an intermediate pattern. Our results provide evidence that competitive interactions broadly influence species responses to urbanization, and that these interactions have asymmetric effects on subordinate species that otherwise could be widespread in urban environments. Results further suggest that economic development might accentuate the consequences of competitive interactions, thereby reducing local diversity in cities.

The Role of IT-Management in the Digital Transformation of Russian Companies

Nowadays many business models rely heavily upon adequate IT management practices. Quite often in developed economies, the role of IT has organically evolved over decades from a mere business support function to an efficiency driver and enabler, and finally (at least in some cases) to a driver of business innovation and digital transformation. Unlike developed countries, little is known about the role of IT in companies of countries with transitional economies, such as Russia. Historical, political, and geographical reasons have in many areas of life led to a “Russian way of doing things”. Does this also hold true for IT management? By way of case study research, this contribution investigates the features of the IT-role and use in large Russian companies that are aware of the need for digital business transformation. The obtained results allow one to not only gain a better understanding of the situation in Russian companies through the prism of IT management practices but also to identify possible trends and challenges that appear relevant for organizations in other countries in economic transition or even in developed economies as well.

Institutional Matrices Theory, or X- and Y-Theory: A Response to F. Gregory Hayden

:This article draws attention to issues about the institutional matrices theory (IMT) as perceived by and raised in the article by F. Gregory Hayden. To clarify the “controversial” points, I structure my response narrative along two lines. First, I present the prehistory of IMT, or X- and Y- theory, including earlier work by scientists related to the concept of institutional matrix. I connect the development of the actual IMT with the period of “perestroika” and the associated market experiments and reforms in Russia and Eastern European countries. One could see that the effects of market reforms in Russia were different in comparison with other countries in economic transition. I show that the institutional approach was accepted as more relevant to understanding the unexpected results in Russian society. I present IMT as a development of the ideas of Karl Polanyi and Douglas North to answer the challenges of explaining the real social and economic processes in Russia, as well as its wider application to a broader range of economic and social situations in different countries. Second, I then present the main IMT theses, giving special attention to the issues as perceived and raised by Hayden. In conclusion, I suggest the possibility of a joint project that combines IMT consideration and the social fabric matrix (SFM) concept of F. Gregory Hayden.

Macroeconomic Imbalances in the Economies of Former Communist Countries During the European Integration

In 2011, the European Union (EU) introduced the new economic governance aimed at reducing the build-up of macroeconomic imbalances. A procedure to prevent excessive macroeconomic imbalances is an important element of this supervision. The theoretical part of this paper reviews the approach of different schools of economics to the macroeconomic balance—internal and external—as well as to the sources of its instability. The main purpose of this paper is to recognise the scale and sources of macroeconomic imbalances in the post-communist countries during the European integration. The following countries were surveyed: Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania, and the survey covered the 2004-2013 period. These analyses allowed the author to find many common features, typical for countries in economic transition, catching up to the developed countries of the EU. The results reinforce the arguments that the EU’s economic governance should take into account the different economic situation of particular countries.

Sanitary Landfilling – A Key Component of Waste Management

In many affluent countries waste management is experiencing a fast transition from landfilling to sophisticated recycling and waste to energy plants. Thus, landfilling of waste becomes less important in these countries. The present paper discusses whether a similar development will take place in transition economies, or waste management systems will mainly rely on landfilling in the near future. For this purpose, the current waste management practices and associated environmental impacts as well as the economic situation of different countries in economic transition are analyzed. Based on the status quo, scenarios for improving waste management are developed and evaluated. Criteria for evaluation are economic parameters, and indicators pointing out if the goals of waste management (protection of human health and the environment, the conservation of resources), are reached. Based on the results of selected case studies, it is shown that for regions that can afford less than 20 €/capita and year for waste management, landfilling will remain a key component of waste management, since other disposal options such as waste to energy or mechanical biological pretreatment are too expensive. In addition, the results indicate that in many of these countries waste collection still represents a main challenge.

What are the Indications of the Comparative Analysis between SME Economy in Croatia and in Germany?

Small economy, well known as S&M, is important part of every national economy. Around 60% to 70% of total employment is employees in S&M in all European countries. S&M is key factor of social and national economic stability. That is why developed countries take special attention to S&M.Companies what belong to S&M from developed European countries attempt to be included in global business trends, for example they are included in export-import businesses outside of Europe and their portion in these kinds of businesses are 10%. Countries in transition are just trying to manage development of S&M, it means development of S&M is happening spontaneously. Transition from central planning economy to market economy has been paid with lower quality of development for S&M. Export-import businesses where are included S&M companies from countries in transition are linked only for neighboring countries and there is almost no any intercontinental businesses.The world financial crises are much deeper than what was expected, because there is no ideas how to solve these financial problems. The biggest corporations in the world are not prepared to solve social and economic problems in national economies. That is why S&M is getting more important role in global economic stability. Further to economic crises the role of government in national economy has been replaced by regional and local economies. It means S&M companies are together with local areas become factor of development for sustainable economic development and manage this development.Comparative analyses of S&M in developed European countries and European countries in transition for the first level of analysis, showed high level of similarity for strategic positioning of S&M in national economies. Analysis of basic factors for development, apropos characteristics of factors for development showed important differences between developed European countries and European countries in transition. What kind of unfavorable specificities of S&M for countries in economic transition making influence? On what way is possible to contribute for development of S&M for countries in transition? What has to be the role of government for development of S&M for economies in transition, compare to developed European economies? How to link S&M from developed European economies with economies in transition? These basic questions will be answered in this analysis and in the same time will join to requirements for incentive development of S&M and eliminate key differences between S&M in developed European economies and European economiesin transition.

The Constitutional Right to a Healthy Environment

Do people have a right to clean air, safe drinking water, and a healthy environment? Fifty years ago, the concept of a human right to a healthy environment was viewed as a novel, even radical, idea...

Does Science Education in Developing Countries Really Count?

Emmanuel T. Tyokumber, Ecology and Environmental Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Introduction Although capital intensive, countries that have invested wisely in science education get good returns in human and infrastructural development and achievement. A long-term project, science education does not necessarily translate into immediate breakthroughs, economic returns, and national honors or pride. However, the manpower needs for sustaining the educational sector, industry, and commerce in the short term, and invariably for long-term purposes of social, infrastructural, and economic development, justify investments in science education by developing countries and economies in transition countries. Grappling with a myriad of economic and social challenges, many developing countries have the attitude that science education is the exclusive reserve of rich countries that can afford its capital-intensive nature. This attitude arises from the fact that new technologies resulting from investments in science and technology are quickly mass-produced in Far Eastern countries using optimal labor and infrastructural costs. These products then become readily available at an affordable price in developing countries without their investment in the research and development process. The unfortunate result of this is that science education in most developing countries is poorly financed and developed; at best it allows the brightest students to excel to the extent that they can then leave as part of the brain drain to the developed world. This brain drain brings economic and convenience benefits to the recipient countries, while also allowing many developing country scholars and scientists to access opportunities that enable them to excel in their chosen fields of endeavor. The aim of this article is to explore the relevance and challenges of science education in developing countries and offer some recommendations for meeting the challenges.

Epigenomics – Grand Challenge: Much more than the Developmental Origins of Adult Health and Disease

Epigenomics – Grand Challenge: Much more than the Developmental Origins of Adult Health and Disease

Social-environmental factors associated with elevated body mass index in a Ukrainian cohort of children

While obesity is a growing epidemic in most developed countries, we still lack information on countries in economic transition. In this study, we evaluate the built environment, activity levels, economic status and dietary patterns associated with body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the 85th percentile among 3-year-old Ukrainian children living through the downturn in the economy during the mid-1990s. We evaluated 883 3-year-old children from the Ukraine ELSPAC cohort. Principal components analysis was used as a data reduction tool for dietary, built environment and activity variables. We evaluated predictors of elevated BMI (> or = 85th percentile) using a multivariable logistic regression model. The final multivariable model showed that for every kilogram increase in the mother's weight, there was a corresponding 2% increase in risk of a child having a BMI> or = 85th percentile (OR=1.02; 95% CI: 1.00-1.04). A higher social class and a friendly neighborhood were associated with higher BMI, whereas infrequent outings to places that require spending money was associated with lower BMI. Except for meat consumption, none of the dietary variables were associated with elevated BMI. The picture in the Ukraine during the 1990s, a period of economic hardship, revealed that variables associated with higher standards of living were predictive of elevated BMI: higher social class, meat consumption and friendly neighborhoods. Variables associated with economic isolation were predictive of a lower risk of elevated BMI.

Measuring underground (unobserved, non-observed, unrecorded) economies in transition countries: Can we trust GDP?

Abstract This paper compiles alternative estimates of underground economies in twenty five transition countries during the transition decade and finds a disturbing lack of convergence between them, calling into question the reliability of GDP figures (which in varying degrees now include non-transparent imputations for the “non-observed economy”) as well as the macro model estimates of the unrecorded economy. A corollary of this finding is that substantive results from many studies examining the consequences of the radical transition from planned to market economies must be viewed with considerable skepticism. Underground (unobserved, non-observed, unrecorded) economic activities play a major role in transition economies. Evaluations of the success and failure of the transition experience should be based on estimates of total economic activity (TEA) namely, recorded plus unrecorded economic activity. We examine the conceptual and empirical relationships between new National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA) methods for obtaining “exhaustive” measures of total economic activity and the two most popular macro-model approaches (electric consumption and currency ratio models) for estimating the size and growth of the unrecorded sector. Our updated empirical results detailing the size and trajectory of unrecorded activities obtained from different estimation methods reveal a disturbing lack of convergence. Until these important differences are resolved, investigations of the relationship between economic reforms and economic outcomes during the transition decade must be viewed with considerable caution. Given the shortcomings of conventional macro model estimates of the underground economy and the lack of transparency and consistency of NOE estimates, it is high time that the profession acknowledges how little we really know about underground economies and their causes and consequences.

Measuring Underground (Unobserved, Non-Observed, Unrecorded) Economies in Transition Countries: Can We Trust GDP?

This paper compiles alternative estimates of underground economies in twenty five transition countries during the transition decade and finds a disturbing lack of convergence between them, calling into question the reliability of GDP figures (which in varying degrees now include non-transparent imputations for the non-observed economy) as well as the macro model estimates of the unrecorded economy. A corollary of this finding is that substantive results from many studies examining the consequences of the radical transition from planned to market economies must be viewed with considerable skepticism. Underground (unobserved, non-observed, unrecorded) economic activities play a major role in transition economies. Evaluations of the success and failure of the transition experience should be based on estimates of total economic activity (TEA) namely, recorded plus unrecorded economic activity. We examine the conceptual and empirical relationships between new National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA) methods for obtaining exhaustive measures of total economic activity and the two most popular macro-model approaches (electric consumption and currency ratio models) for estimating the size and growth of the unrecorded sector. Our updated empirical results detailing the size and trajectory of unrecorded activities obtained from different estimation methods reveal a disturbing lack of convergence. Until these important differences are resolved, investigations of the relationship between economic reforms and economic outcomes during the transition decade must be viewed with considerable caution. Given the shortcomings of conventional macro model estimates of the underground economy and the lack of transparency and consistency of NOE estimates, it is high time that the profession acknowledges how little we really know about underground economies and their causes and consequences.