Danube Region Countries Research Articles

Fiscal resilience over time and its management in the context of multi-risks: an application to the Danube Region

Multi-hazards as well as multi-risk management are increasingly gaining importance in research, policy, and practice, but present a challenging task. Focusing on governments as key risk bearers, we assume a multi-hazard and multi-risk perspective and address the question of how different natural hazards can influence fiscal risk and how fiscal risk can change over time due to other risk realizations (e.g., pandemics). We employ a risk-layer approach to analyze the changes in fiscal risk, comparing the fiscal stress associated with different hazards during distinct time periods and scenarios. In doing so, we address the question under which circumstances risk reduction or risk financing may be needed as well as how an iterative approach can account for changing financing resource levels for different hazards under different scenarios. We apply this methodology to the Danube Region which is exposed to different natural hazards and encompasses countries with different levels of fiscal resilience. Furthermore, the countries in the Danube Region were affected by Covid-19, which acted as an additional stressor and caused large economic costs. The analysis should demonstrate the flexibility as well as the relevance of the presented methodology to address multi-risks within a coherent framework. One of the main outcomes of the study is the appreciation of different fiscal resilience levels for different countries and the different types of disasters they are exposed to, which can inform the diverse strategies needed on a case-by-case basis but within a common framework to tackle current and future risks. The analysis should be therefore not only informative for the Danube Region and respective countries but also regarding the more general question under which circumstances risk reduction or risk financing may be needed as well as how an iterative approach can account for changing financing resource levels against multiple risks.

Key policy mechanisms supporting the University–Industry collaboration in the Danube region: case study of academic HPC centres and SMEs

Purpose This paper aims to explore the key anchors of the National Innovation System shaping the nature of collaboration between academic high-performance computing centres (academic HPC centres) and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in the automotive and electronics sectors of the Danube region. With two main research questions, it discusses the importance of knowledge transfer and technology transfer for collaboration between University and Industry (U-I collaboration) in three groups of developmentally distinct countries: competitively advanced, competitively intermediate and competitively lagging. As main anchors of the innovation system, stable legal environment, exciting innovation policies and strong R&D funding are recognised.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative empirical study in 14 Danube region countries included 92 focus group participants, expert representatives of academic HPC centres and SMEs. The data were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed.FindingsThe findings show the main prerequisites of the framework conditions for efficient U-I collaboration evolve through a goal-oriented National Innovation Policy and developed and functioning legal environment supporting labour market and intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement. Additionally, skilled people are needed to be able to operate with HPC, where it seems all the countries lack such skilled workforce. In competitively lagging countries, the high levels of brain drain exhibit strong impact to U-I collaboration.Research limitations/implicationsResearch into relationships between academic HPC centres and SMEs conducted was qualitative; therefore, limitations in terms of generalisation arise from it. On the other hand, the research is promising in terms of offering the guidance for policy makers who can use the findings when delivering innovation policy mix, adjusted to developmental level of own innovation ecosystem.Originality/value The study is among the pioneering work in U-I collaboration between academic HPC centres and SMEs from automotive and electronics industries in the Danube region. The research addresses the dynamics of collaboration and offers policy implications to strengthen the particular U-I collaboration.

The Effect of Retail Market Concentration on Development of Electronic Retailing in the Danube Region

The development of electronic retailing as a new retail marketing channel based on the Internet appears in contemporary theory and practice. In such market conditions, there is a research problem in which the level of development of the retail market and increasing concentration and competition in the market impact the development of electronic retailing. The aim to prove in this paper is to determine whether the level of concentration of the traditional retail market influences the share of electronic retailing in total retail revenue. The Danube region countries are chosen because of differences in the level of development of the retail market and electronic retailing. The sale revenues of the largest retailers based on which the level of concentration of the retail market in a particular country is determined are analyzed. The study concluded that a high share of the ten biggest retailers in the total retail revenue, as an indicator of the development of the retail market, follows the high share of e-retailing in total retail revenue to some extent. The results also confirmed a significant relation between the origin and types of retailers and the degree of concentration of electronic retail. Recommendations for future research are given in the paper.

Analiza elektronske maloprodaje u zemljama Dunavskog regiona

This paper investigated the role and importance of e-retailing in traditional marketing channels in the selected countries of the Danube region. The main aim of the research was to highlight the economic benefits of e-retailing in traditional retail institutions analyzing the revenue from the sale of e-retailing in traditional retailers' business and representation of e-retailing "click and brick" in the group of largest e-retailers. The core idea of this paper was to empirically evaluate if the e-retailing implementation is in correlation with business profit, origin and specific form of a retailer. In this context, the study was conducted using the volume of sales revenue, the origin of retailer and form of the retail outlet, as independent variables based on which a volume of e-retailing presence as the dependent variable is evaluated. This study eliminates retailer's sales revenue as a statistically significant indicator which influences the implementation of e-retailing. On the other hand, the findings show that foreign retailers significantly less likely to implement e-retailing than domestic retailers when analyzing all countries in the region. When it comes to retailing formats, results suggest that retailers with retail format shopping centres and kiosks don't have e-retailing. All remaining retail formats have e-retailing. This paper formulates practical suggestions for further using of e-retailing in Danube region countries' marketing channels.

Economic Development, CO2 Emissions and Energy Use Nexus-Evidence from the Danube Region Countries

The aim of this study is to examine the empirical cointegration, long-run and short-run dynamics and causal relationships between carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in 14 Danube region countries over the period of 1990–2019. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing methodology was applied for each of the examined variables as a dependent variable. Limited by the length of the time series, we excluded two countries from the analysis and obtained valid results for the others for 26 of 36 ARDL models. The ARDL bounds reliably confirmed long-run cointegration between carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Economic growth and energy consumption have a significant impact on carbon emissions in the long-run in all of these four countries; in the short-run, the impact of economic growth is significant in Austria. Likewise, when examining cointegration between energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic growth in the short-run, a significant contribution of CO2 emissions on energy consumptions for seven countries was found as a result of nine valid models. The results contribute to the information base essential for making responsible and informed decisions by policymakers and other stakeholders in individual countries. Moreover, they can serve as a platform for mutual cooperation and cohesion among countries in this region.

Exploring E-retailing in the Danube Region countries: A study on internet purchasing

The paper aims to define the target market on the Internet, characteristics of consumers and especially loyal customers of e-retailing in the Danube Region countries. Empirical research about consumer shopping on the Internet was conducted on a sample of 816 consumers from Danube region countries. The results have shown that the respondents recognize the advantages of e-retailing and Internet shopping in comparison to traditional channels. However, most consumers who buy products via e-retailing do so only from the retailers where they otherwise buy in a traditional way. Based on the obtained results, a set of measures and incentives was proposed to increase the use of e-retailing and to increase the loyalty of Internet consumers.

Evaluation of Criteria for the Implementation of High-Performance Computing (HPC) in Danube Region Countries Using Fuzzy PIPRECIA Method

The use of computers with outstanding performance has become a real necessity in order to achieve greater efficiency and sustainability for the accomplishment of various tasks. Therefore, with the development of information technology and increasing dynamism in the business environment, it is expected that these computers will be more intensively deployed. In this paper, research was conducted in Danube region countries: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. The aim of the research was to determine what criteria are most significant for the introduction of high-performance computing and the real situation in each of the countries. In addition, the aim was to establish the infrastructure needed to implement such a system. In order to determine the partial significance of each criterion and thus the possibility of implementing high-performance computing, a multi-criteria model in a fuzzy environment was applied. The weights of criteria and their rankings were performed using the Fuzzy PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment—fuzzy PIPRECIA method. The results indicate different values depend on decision-makers (DMs) in the countries. Spearman’s and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to verify the results obtained.

Quality indicators for mental healthcare in the Danube region: results from a pilot feasibility study.

Quality indicators are vital for monitoring the transformation of institution-based mental health services towards the provision of person-centered mental healthcare. While several mental healthcare quality indicators have been identified as relevant and valid, their actual usability and utility for routine monitoring healthcare quality over time is significantly determined by the availability and trustworthiness of the underlying data. In this feasibility study, quality indicators that have been systematically identified for use in the Danube region countries of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Serbia were measured on the basis of existing mental healthcare data in the four countries. Data were collected retrospectively by means of the best available, most standardized, trustworthy, and up-to-date data in each country. Out of 21 proposed quality indicators, 18 could be measured in Hungary, 17 could be measured in Bulgaria and in the Czech Republic, and 8 could be measured in Serbia. The results demonstrate that a majority of quality indicators can be measured in most of the countries by means of already existing data, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of quality measurement and regular quality monitoring. However, data availability and usability are scattered across countries and care sectors, which leads to variations in the quality of the quality indicators themselves. Making the planning and outputs of national mental healthcare reforms more transparent and evidence-based requires (trans-)national standardization of healthcare quality data, their routine availability and standardized assessment, and the regular reporting of quality indicators.

Dementia care in the Danube Region. A multi-national expert survey.

BackgroundDementia is a particularly severe societal challenge in several countries of the Danube Region due to higher-than-average increment in population longevity, disproportionate increase of the old-age dependency ratio, and selective outward migration of health care professionals. A survey was conducted among dementia experts to obtain a deeper understanding of the dementia care structures and services in this geographical area, and to identify the educational needs of health care professionals, and the availability of assistive technology.Subjects and methodsA standardized questionnaire was sent out to 15 leading dementia experts/clinicians in 10 Danube Region countries inquiring about professional groups involved in dementia care, availability and reimbursement of services, inclusion of dementia in professional education and training, acceptability of Internet-based education, and availability of assistive technology. The authors are the survey respondents.ResultsThe majority of individuals with dementia receive care in the community rather than in institutions. The roles of medical specialties are disparate. General practitioners usually identify dementia symptoms while specialists contribute most to clinical diagnosis and treatment. Health care professionals, particularly those who work closely with patients and carers, have limited access to dementia-specific education and training. The greatest need for dementia-specific education is seen for general practitioners and nurses. An Internet-based education and skill-building program is considered to be equivalent to traditional face-to-face but offer advantages in terms of convenience of access. Assistive technology is available in countries of the Danube Region but is significantly underused.ConclusionDementia care in the Danube Region can be improved by an educational and skill-building program for health care professionals who work in the frontline of dementia care. Such a program should also attempt to enhance interdisciplinary and intersectorial collaboration, to intensify the interaction between primary care and specialists, and to promote the implementation of assistive technology.

MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS, TRADE AND COMPETITIVENESS COUNTRIES IN THE DANUBE REGION

This paper observes macroeconomic performance of the Danube region countries, with a special focus on Serbia, as well as the increase of GDP, inflation, unemployment, public debt share, external debt, foreign direct investment (FDI), current- account deficit and shares of export and import in GDP. The Danube region countries have different characteristics of economic development and different degrees of competitiveness in the international market. The subject of this research is the analysis of macroeconomic performance and influence of foreign trade on the economic development of the Danube region countries, paying special attention to Serbia, with the aim to improve its position in the international market. This study points to the presence of a high degree of correlation between economic development, level of GDP and foreign trade. The conducted research proved that there is significant interdependence among the mentioned parameters, supporting our thesis that the increase of export positively affects the level of GDP.

The textile and clothing industry in the Danube region countries: Comparative advantages

The subject of this study is the analysis of comparative advantages of international export in the TC (textile and clothing) industry of the Danube region countries with a special focus on Serbia. The aim of this study is to analyze the comparative advantage and suggest possible economic and legal measures to strengthen export. This study observed export per capita and participation of TC industry export, and measured the comparative advantage and specialization of the Danube region countries in the period between 2005 and 2013. In the course of research, we used the Balassa (RCA) and Lafay (LFI) indexes of comparative advantage, and the GL index and RUV index of horizontal and vertical specialization in intra-industry exchange. The research has revealed positive comparative advantage in the export of the textile industry in the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovenia. In the clothing industry export, positive comparative advantage was revealed in the cases of: Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Serbia. The research has shown a positive comparative advantage of the TC industry sector in Serbia. The results of our research into the TC industry reveal the existence of correlation between comparative advantage and intra-industry specialization in international trade.

Balance of Comparative Advantages in the Processed Food Sector of the Danube Countries

In this paper, we investigated the level of competitiveness of the processed food sector of the Danube region countries, in order to show the existence of comparative advantage and the correlation of exports. We used the Balassa (RCA–revealed comparative advantage) index and TPI (trade performance indexes). At first, using the Pearson and Spearman index, we examined the existence of correlations between the processed food sector of the Danube countries. Then, we applied the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test to further compare the value and answered the question: between which Danube countries are there significant differences? With the study, we found that the distribution of the RCA index in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Moldova and Slovenia deviates from normality. We also found the existence of a strong correlation of the RCA index of the Czech Republic with Romania, Hungary with Moldova and Serbia, Moldova with Serbia and Bulgaria with Ukraine. Finally, we concluded that the development of trade in the countries of the Danube region requires the participation of all relevant interest groups and could play an important role in providing faster economic development, that is in achieving sustainable development of the countries, with the sustainable use of available resources.

Development performances of agriculture in the Danube region countries

In the recent decades, the Danube Region countries profle their policies towards a more effcient way of exploiting the natural resources of the Danube basin. The Danube can contribute to a better integration of the countries, enhancing economic opportunities through diversifcation and promotion of rural development. The trend analysis in the agricultural sector of the Danube Region countries refers to the frst decade of this century, and it begins with the determination of the agricultural importance in the overall economy. The development performances of agriculture in the Danube Region countries are considered according to the production and export performances of this economic sector, using a comparative approach. The agricultural production growth, level and growth of the partial agricultural productivities - labour and land, as well as the value of exports in relation to engaged labour and agricultural land, are analysed in such a context.

Soybean Crop in Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova: Current Situation and Perspectives

In the past decade Europe and the EU in particular are facing a major deficit on soy protein. In the case of certified non-GM soy protein this deficit is even broader. EU counts for 0.4% of worldwide soybeans acreage. Soybean imports – grain equivalent – represent 95% of the European annual consumption of 38 million tons. The EU accession of the countries from the Danube region and the association treaties signed by other Eastern European countries have created new opportunities to increase the acreage of soybeans, the region being known for very favorable conditions for this crop. Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova represent an important reservoir of conventional soy protein from the perspective of soybeans breeding capabilities and growth potential. In all three countries breeding and cropping soybeans have a history of 100 years. Today, Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova are following this long time tradition through breeding and registering new soybean varieties well adapted to local cropping conditions. The agriculture research communities from these three countries are continuously challenged to supply local farmers with high yield and new traits genetics, as well as to develop or improve the cropping technologies for soybeans. In the past 7 years the soybeans acreage stagnated or slightly decreased in these Danube region countries. Recently, a growing interest of the farmers in the region to increase the soybeans area can be observed. However, to maintain this trend, farmers should benefit from incentive schemes for soybeans as well as demonstration platforms, training and know-how transfer programs. Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova have a soybean cropping potential of 0.8-1 million hectares. This potential may generate a minimum of 2 million tons representing 5% of the EU annual consumption, respectively 30% of non-GM soybean annually used in the EU.

The Danube region and the determinants of the climate change policy

In terms of resources and development potential, the Danube river basin region, including nineteen countries, is one of the most important regions of the EU. The Danube Strategy is an important foothold, frame and instrument of development policy and regional cooperation. The second pillar of the Danube Strategy, with its three priority areas, is related to the environmental protection of the region, including the climate change. The main objective of this paper is to examine if any presumptions exist for defining common policies of the countries of the region in the area of climate changes. Accordingly, the paper presents basic elements relevant for understanding the situation in the field of climate change in the countries of the Danube region (emissions of green­house gases, emission tendencies, indicators of hazards due to climate change, the share of nuclear energy production, participation in international treaties, and the EU membership or the prospects of the EU membership), as well as an overview of EU objectives on climate change ('2020'). In conclusion, it is estimated that the possibility of defining a common climate change policy of the Danube region countries are limited, primarily due to the huge differences in the level of economic development and the related respective interests. However, the existing cooperation framework, defined by international treaties on and relevant to climate change, provide the basis for cooperation and joint action of the countries, especially in the part referent to climate change adaptation measures. The EU membership of the countries in the region, or the prospects for this organization membership of the countries of the region, as well as the leading position of the EU in the field of climate change policies, further support this conclusion.

Common or competing products? Towards supra‐national branding in BaltMet Promo

PurposeSince early 2000s, several efforts have been initiated to market the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) globally, and the BaltMet Promo project is among them. Simultaneously, several other cases of supra‐national branding have emerged, e.g. the Greater Mekong region, Danube region, and Visegrad countries. Little attention has yet been paid in the literature to branding of supra‐national entities. The purpose of this paper is to discuss branding of BSR using the examples of supra‐national product building of the BaltMet Promo project (2010‐2011).Design/methodology/approachBranding BSR has faced criticism against its supra‐national perspective which may be seen as a direct competitor to city or nation branding. To shift from competition to cooperation BaltMet Promo acknowledged a bottom‐up approach and nine organisations from six countries created supra‐national products to promote tourism, talent attraction, and investments. Each product concept was built on intensive background research and transnational triple‐helix cooperation.FindingsThe case of BaltMet Promo shows that supra‐national branding benefits from a bottom‐up approach that uses concrete products and services as the core of the brand identity. To shift from competition to cooperation the partnership promoted BSR as a common region with a common work plan. Different scales of branding serve different markets. The more distant the market, such as Japan in the case of BaltMet Promo, the more cost effective supra‐regional branding becomes compared to more narrow scales of branding.Originality/valueThe paper introduces recent developments in supra‐national branding using data of the BaltMet Promo project. The analysis aims to contribute to product building, triple helix stakeholder cooperation, and policy making.

Management approaches and aquaculture of sturgeons in the Lower Danube region countries

Summary This paper presents the status and trends in management of sturgeon species and the development of sturgeon aquaculture in the Lower Danube countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and Moldova. Sturgeon fishery moratoria and aquaculture development represent first steps in the Lower Danube countries to combat extirpation. Supportive stocking was used as a compensation for the impact of sturgeon fishery and dam construction, but these efforts unfortunately lacked adequate cooperation and coordination between and among region countries. Unsolved problems remain, such as the presence of illegal sturgeon fishery, water pollution, habitat destruction and fragmentation. Construction of fish passes and habitat restoration project developments are two key issues that have yet to be tackled in the Lower Danube region.

DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES OF THE PORT OF RIJEKA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The port of Rijeka, as part of the future system of the NorthAdriatic ports (Koper, Trieste, Rijeka) plays a significant role infreight transportation towards the Central European region. Bycons/meting the Danube - Sava Canal from Vukovar toSamac, by canalising the river Sava from Samac to Sisak, andby good railway and road connections that will be realised inthe first two to three decades of the third millennium the port ofRijeka will receive the key role in the development of the NorthAdriatic ports. High-quality railway and road connections betweenthe port of Rijeka and /stria, Koper and Trieste, will providemajor possibilities of rationalising the transportation processfrom the port of Rijeka towards the Danube region and theCentral European countries.

Seventeenth colloqium of the Danube region countries on the natural and artificial ageing of polymers

Seventeenth colloqium of the Danube region countries on the natural and artificial ageing of polymers