Development In Slovakia Research Articles

Current Trends, Forecasts, and Risks of the Sports Industry in the World and in Slovakia

The essence of the paper is to present the results of the analysis of current trends, forecasts, and risks of the sports industry in the world and in Slovakia, which are the basis for the solution of a scientific project in Slovakia. The processed results are based on the analysis of different views on current changes, trends, and problems in the sports industry in the world. Other results represent the identification of strategic risks of the concept of sports development in Slovakia from the established six strategic pillars point of view. The benefit of the paper is to participate in the developing discussion about the direction of the sports industry not only in Slovakia but also in the world. The authors of the paper want to contribute to raising awareness about the effective management of sports organizations and their impact on the entire society. Also, increase interest in prevention and paying more attention to risk management in sports organizations.

A vision of a more sustainable Slovakia in the light of participatory processes

The paper reflects the results of the ongoing discussion about sustainable development in Slovakia as an increasingly urgent topic resonating across scientific disciplines. Specifically, it deals with the participation processes, which were realized in 2022-2023 under the auspices of the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic (MIRRI), and the second part of which was implemented at the Institute of Management of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava using its expert and organizational capacities. The mentioned activities follow the strategic document entitled Vision and Development Strategy of Slovakia 2030 and are related to the preparation of the document Vision and Development Strategy of the Slovak Republic until 2050 – Slovakia 2050. In the light of the outputs from the participation processes, the paper deals, among other things, with the necessity of accelerating the transformation of regional economies from the industrial towards the post-industrial society, including sustainable innovation-oriented circular economy less dependent on raw materials and energy, with the simultaneous optimization of the system of decision-making and effective management, based on partnership and division of responsibilities between different levels and various actors of sustainable development. It also points out that discussions about this vision have the potential to significantly frame the creation of concepts of integrated territorial innovation-oriented clusters, the urgency of which - in parallel with the frustration of the ineffectiveness of fragmented development processes and activities - is felt at different levels by practically all participating subjects of the professional discourse analyzed in this paper. The results of the participation process fully confirm that Slovakia is not adequately prepared to respond to the challenges associated with all the necessary transformation processes.

Innovation activity of Slovak ICT SMEs

Research background: The innovation process is a key factor when creating and maintaining competitiveness, so the SME sector has to address a special attention to it. Examining the impact of corporate co-operation on innovation activity has to be mentioned as a crucial goal. Purpose of the article: The main goal of the research is to assess the innovative activity of the SMEs operating in ICT sector, and to map the distribution between the innovative and non-innovative businesses. The article's purpose was to outline the most recent developments in Slovakia's ICT industry with regard to SME innovation. The empirical study concentrated on the types of innovation, variables that encourage and discourage innovation, and the innovation activity of SMEs in the ICT sector. Methods: In accordance with the main goal of the research, descriptive statistical methods, i.e. unweighted and weighted arithmetic mean were used to analyze the research hypothesis. A questionnaire research study was carried out between September 2021 and February 2022 in Slovak ICT SMEs. Findings & Value added: Significant differences can be determined between the innovative and non-innovative ICT companies in terms of innovation. The majority of SMEs implemented both technological and non-technological innovations. A small number of SMEs failed to implement either type. A significant portion focused on technological innovations, with the majority successfully implementing them, and over half of them introduced non-technological innovations between 2018 and 2020. Over 75% of the companies felt they were more innovative than their competitors. More than 67% of non-innovative SMEs saw themselves as less innovative than their competitors. 92% of innovative SMES implemented both technological and non-technological innovations. 51% implemented technological innovations. 56.41% innovative SMEs implemented 3 to 5 types of innovation activities, while 38.46% implemented 6 to 7 types. Only 5.13% implemented all 9 types of innovation activities considered. 38% of innovative SMEs spent the most on research and development, 33% allocated highest expenditure to machinery and equipment. In case of supporting SMEs in innovation activities, three market players received above-average ratings: customers and consumers, suppliers of raw materials and piece parts and the group of companies.

The trade-off between national growth and interregional inequality: Three decades of regional development in Slovakia

The trade-off between national growth and interregional inequality: Three decades of regional development in Slovakia

Ecological Innovation: Sustainable Development in Slovakia

Background: Systematic management of innovation in the context of sustainable development based on ecological innovation is an essential part of the global market. Therefore, it will be guided by ecological innovations, which represent a means of sustainable development. The traditional approach to the evaluation of innovations focused mainly on economic results and failed to capture the ecological dimensions of sustainability from the theme of view of their consumers’ application. Therefore, the paper has the aim of evaluating the sustainability of ecological innovations from the perspective of customers in Slovakia, focusing on the elementary characteristics of sustainability through ecological innovations from the point of view of consumers. In the research, we focus on the parameters of ecological innovations connected with the sustainability of buildings and their operation—energy, health, comfort, materials, living processes and the quality of the place and equipment from the point of view of mobility. Methods: The primary study method is the Kano model. Conclusions: The results point to the fact that Slovak respondents are largely unaffected by ecological innovations, but they perceive the use of cars with an internal combustion engine as a mandatory requirement; innovations in thermal insulation, the use of natural and renewable materials and mass transport are attractive requirements for the respondents. Heating and use of recyclable materials are one-dimensional requirements.

Cesty a dial'nice na Slovensku v medzivojnovom období [Roads and highways in Slovakia during the interwar period] by Michal Ďurčo (review).

Reviewed by: Cesty a dial'nice na Slovensku v medzivojnovom období [Roads and highways in Slovakia during the interwar period] by Michal Ďurčo Jan Štemberk (bio) Cesty a dial'nice na Slovensku v medzivojnovom období [Roads and highways in Slovakia during the interwar period] By Michal Ďurčo. Bratislava: VEDA, 2020. Pp. 230. This monograph is this young Slovak historian's first book, based on his dissertation defended in 2019. So far, in Czech/Slovak/Czechoslovak historiography, little research has looked at the development of the road network. Recently, roads in the Pardubice Region featured in Štěpán and Pražan, Silnice v Pardubickém kraji, 2009. As works published in the past (for example, Musil, Po stezkách k dálnicím, 1987) are now outdated, Michal Ďurčo's monograph is therefore a welcome contribution. His focus on the interwar period divided by 1928, when the Road Fund Act was issued, is very important, as it was a time when load directions in Slovakia changed, initiated by the establishment of the Czechoslovak state, and motor cars appeared, placing higher qualitative demands on the roads. Ďurčo's monograph goes hand in hand with the work of another young Slovak historian, Jančura, Osobný motorizmus na Slovensku v rokoch 1918–1938, 2017, examining personal car transport, for which a good quality road network was a prerequisite. Durčo's grasp of the topic shows a solid knowledge of history writing methods as well as current research trends in transportation history, which he interweaves with approaches used in historical geography. Applying historian Thomas Hughes's Large Technical Systems concept to the road network is a decidedly fresh approach. The sources are Czech and Slovak archives, as well as professional journals and popular magazines. This work is well structured. After introducing the theory and methodology, the narrative is chronological: the central milestone is 1928, the tenth anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia and when the Road Fund was legally established, aiming to modernize Czechoslovakia's road [End Page 1194] network. Although the author's focus is Slovakia, he does not neglect the rest of the republic areas that were also facing problems with poor road network conditions (see Dvořák's contribution to Cestami hospodářských dějin, 2020), and the potential for public funding was limited. The clarity of the monograph is enhanced by the same approach to analyzing the periods before and after the 1928 Road Fund. Readers will certainly welcome the overview of road development in Slovakia from the late 1700s mercantilism to 1918, as well as brief outlines of the economic history of both eras that form the basis for subsequent interpretation. Each stage of the problems encountered with modernizing the Slovak road network is exemplified by a specific structure: the Pohronská Polhora–Tisovec road in the 1920s and Stará Huta–Podkriváň in the 1930s. The case studies are appropriate because 320 km of new roads were built in Slovakia during the period examined, and 600 km were provided with a dust-free surface. However, both cases are notably in central Slovakia. In my opinion, the final chapter (pp. 173–204), devoted to the plans and preparations for the Czechoslovak highways in the late 1930s, is the best. This covers a relatively short period, mostly consisting only of discussions, and the real preparatory work had to be crammed into the few months after the 1938 Munich Agreement. Yet the author captures the development of the idea and its gradual implementation until construction began in February 1939. He thus successfully supplements the up-to-now insufficient literature covering the beginnings of motorway construction in these regions (see Lídl and Janda, Stavby, kterým doba nepřála, 2006). Hopefully the book will initiate further research not only on other parts of the region, but also in the second half of the twentieth century, when the topic was just as relevant. Jan Štemberk Jan Štemberk is associate professor at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, in Prague, the Czech Republic. He is the author of Podnikání v automobilové dopravě v českých zemích v první polovině 20. století [Automobile industry and trade in the...

Impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on unemployment in Slovakia: a statistically created counterfactual approach using the time series analysis

Research background: The current health crisis, which began to take shape in mid-March 2020 due to the massive spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has shaped the face of the Slovak labour market the most. Slovakia, similarly, to other countries in the world, has operated with several non-pharmaceutical anti-pandemic measures taken by the government to reduce the spread of the virus or reverse adverse developments. On the other hand, these measures have frozen production, and business activities of companies annulled not only the number of physical meetings with business collaborators but also business contracts themselves. Consequently, the demand for new labour has decreased, and in many cases, redundancies have occurred. Purpose of the article: The study aims to develop a comprehensive and detailed analysis of unemployment and its development in Slovakia, during the 1st and 2nd wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, determine the extent to which the anti-pandemic measures have affected the Slovak labour market, and identify the most affected groups of unemployed. Methods: To analyze the impact of the anti-pandemic measures on the unemployment situation in Slovakia, we applied the approach where the statistically created hypothetical state of the absence of the pandemic was compared with the real state as the consequence of the pandemic. The hypothetical state was modelled by the autoregressive 1st order or one-dimensional time series model with a linear trend and seasonability. Findings & value added: The results of the analysis identify the groups of the population, mostly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic together with the quantification of the impact on unemployment. The findings of quantification of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the Slovak labour market can be further used in creating targeted measures aimed at supporting unemployed individuals or at the sustainability of already existing jobs and in other governmental economic and social decisions.

Perception of the Impacts of Tourism by the Administrations of Protected Areas and Sustainable Tourism (Un)Development in Slovakia

Sustainable tourism development within protected areas has been a subject of interest for professionals. The effective development of nature-based tourism can be beneficial to both the environment and people. This work presents the results of research on the positive and negative impacts of tourism in protected areas of Slovakia as perceived by the administrations of individual protected areas of the country. Subsequently, the paper highlights the major issues affecting sustainable tourism development in protected areas in Slovakia, based on a review of recent legislation and strategic documents. The results of the study indicate that the status of a large-scale protected area does not play a role in the perception of the impact of tourism. The most significant impacts of tourism in protected areas, according to their administrations’ perceptions, include an increase in waste production, informing local people about the value of the natural and cultural heritage, the education of visitors, the conflict of interest in using natural resources when doing business in a protected area, and the destruction of natural habitats. However, when linking the impacts of tourism to sustainable tourism development in these areas, current Slovak legislation does not allow for the sufficient development of nature-based tourism in protected areas in Slovakia. In this regard, appropriate measures are required to positively change the recent situation in this field.

Music therapy in Slovakia: Contexts and current practice

Music therapy has its own historical roots in today’s Slovakia. As early as the 18th century, information about music healing had already appeared. Nowadays, music therapy is becoming more widespread in our country. Therefore, it is deemed important to clarify music therapy as a contemporary profession and to focus on current events. This article focuses on the historical underpinnings of music therapy as well as the current situation, legislation and personalities who strongly influenced the development in this area, as well as organisations and providers who played an important role in music therapy developments in Slovakia. The article also provides basic information about my own research, presenting findings of a survey questionnaire and two brief interviews with music therapy experts in Slovakia.

The Use of Geothermal Energy for Heating Buildings as an Option for Sustainable Urban Development in Slovakia

The use of geothermal energy (GE) and the green economy in the environment of Slovak municipalities and towns is significant, due to the reduction in the negative influences and impacts of human society’s constant consumer lifestyle. The authors highlight the use of modern scientific knowledge, practical experience, and ever-improving technologies in the field of renewable energy sources RES. The aim of this contribution is to draw attention to the under-utilization of GE’s potential in Slovakia. Given the country’s commitment to meeting emission limits under EU carbon neutrality agreements by 2050, the use of this resource is very pertinent. Slovakia has significant geothermal resources that are not currently sufficiently utilized. The article suggests using GE to heat housing units of the housing estate near the geothermal source. Three scenarios (60 °C (pessimistic), 65 °C (conservative), and 70 °C (optimistic)) were considered in our energy balance and economic advantage calculations. The green economy offers a sustainable way of using the earth’s resources. The financial calculations regarding the amount of investment, the expected financial return and the possible values of the saved emissions confirm the possibility of the further use of GE technology. The information under consideration can be used in other significant territories, which may be a theme for further research in this field.

Prediction of the Epidemiological Situation of Tuberculosis in Slovakia by 2040- Data Update.

Background:Despite the available diagnostics and treatment, tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease currently occurring. Even some high-income countries in the world do not fully control it at this time. The reason for this situation is the lack of elimination programs to address the situation. The aim of the update of the prediction data was to create a presumption of TB development in Slovakia by 2040.Methods:We used the time series prediction method with exponential equalization. The basis for the calculation were historical data on the incidence of TB from 1960 to 2018 in Slovakia (data for the last 58 yr). This time series has a clearly declining level. In view of this trend, we have set a threshold, whether and when the incidence in the future will fall below 5.0 patients per 100,000 inhabitants.Results:In case of a favorable development, the limit of our incidence drop below 5.0 cases per 100 000 inhabitants in 2022, when the incidence will be 4.91 per 100 000 inhabitants. In 2040, the predicted incidence of TB should be 1.78 per 100 000 inhabitants. A gradual decline may also be related to a decrease in the population of the Slovak Republic.Conclusion:Slovakia belongs to those countries of the world where TB is under control. Increased surveillance of high-risk communities through community interventions and countries' readiness for global migration can help to influence factors that may aggravate the epidemiological situation of TB.

The Christian Ideal of Sustainable Development and Its Perception among Young Adults: A Case Study from Slovakia

In this article, we present the concept of the participation and responsibility of individuals in the sustainable development (SD) of the world from a Christian ethics point of view. The Christian ethics perspective is based on the biblical command to care for and protect creation. Nevertheless, errors have been repeated throughout history because of a misunderstanding of human responsibility for what has been entrusted to man from the beginning. The article explores not only these mistakes, but also the concept of a properly understood individual responsibility from the point of view of Christian ethics. The ideal from the perspective of Christian ethics is followed by our own qualitative research. The research sample consists of 120 young adults. During the research, the perception of a person’s individual responsibility tasks for SD is explored from the perspective of university students. The research findings answer the question of in which of the four areas of SD do respondents see the needs of their participation the most. The findings of the research also indicate the importance that the young respondents allocated to all four areas of SD, which were clearly defined by The National Strategic Document on Sustainable Development in Slovakia. Furthermore, we recorded a total of 12 main areas that the respondents considered to be important tasks of man for the world and its SD. We also evaluated the qualitative findings in the group of young adults that confirm the perception of each student’s individual participation and responsibility for the SD of society and the physical world.

Land Concentration and Land Grabbing Processes—Evidence from Slovakia

In Slovakia, the large-scale acquisition of agricultural land in combination with land concentration represents a legitimate threat that can lead to land grabbing. Based on the research, two interrelated areas of protection need to be effectively regulated to limit land grabbing: the protection of access to land and the protection of agricultural land. Due to the absence of relevant data analysis regarding this issue, the main aim of the study was to analyse the emergence of land concentration in Slovakia based on historical and cultural factors and to evaluate the current legislative and institutional framework of both aspects of land protection with a possible impact on the successively graduating threat of land grabbing. In particular, analytical methods were used, presenting the data from secondary literature sources, a questionnaire survey, and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Slovakia. The research shows that although the state has adopted the necessary legal framework for the protection of property rights to agricultural land, it is not possible to enforce it, as the institutional framework for its implementation is absent. It is also the state’s malfunctioning land protection regulatory mechanism and the absence of indirect action instruments that may be key indicators leading to the processes of industrial agriculture. Therefore, the adoption of legislation limiting agricultural land acquisition is important, but the processes of land grabbing presume the state’s complex provision of a regulatory mechanism and adoption of strategic measures aimed at sustainable land quality and food security.

Occupational Disease as the Bane of Workers’ Lives: A Chronological Review of the Literature and Study of Its Development in Slovakia. Part 1

This article not only offers a chronological overview of the development of occupational medicine, but also offers a summary of occupational diseases recommended by the ILO and legislative decisions that have influenced how we approach assessment today. We consider that these areas form a whole in which they cannot function without each other and they would lose their relevance if the system was collapsed. By excluding even one part of it, we would find ourselves at the beginning of the era of occupational medicine, and a large number of employees would once again be exposed to conditions that previously led to considerable illness and mortality of employees. The article also examines legislation and the development of occupational diseases in Slovakia in the period 1997–2019. Using basic statistical methods and time series, a trend model for the time series of the development of the number of occupational diseases over the last 20 years is created. The modeling also includes a forecast for the development of the number of occupational diseases for the next 5 years. The model created shows a favorable, decreasing trend in the number of occupational diseases in Slovakia.

Tax Instruments Supporting Science and Research as a Factor of Economic Growth – Evidence from the Slovak Republic

Objective : The main aim of this paper is to provide a united view on the issue of tax instruments supporting science and research in the Slovak republic and to evaluate their impact on state budget revenues. Research Design & Methods : The research question that this paper tries to answer is whether the support of research and development in the Slovak Republic through tax instruments is sustainable and suitable for the business sector. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used in the research. The paper analyzes legislation related to the issue of super deduction in order to identify the factors that affect this tax instrument. At the same time, the authors adopt the descriptive and normative economic approaches. Based on the deduction, procedures are subsequently chosen to quantify selected factors and their impact on state budget revenues in the Slovak Republic. Findings : Apart from the last seven years, the Slovak Republic has been characterized by almost no state support for research and development. However, since 2015, new forms of tax incentives have included the provision of tax relief in the form of a deduction of research and development costs, a patent box, as well as tax breaks for new investments. In 2015, 83 entities claimed a deduction of research and development costs amounting to more than EUR 9 million, while in 2019 the amount of this deduction increased to more than EUR 119 million. The statistics of the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic also show that small companies with 10 to 49 employees apply the deduction to the highest degree, followed by medium-sized companies with 50 to 249 employees, micro-enterprises with up to 9 employees, and large companies with over 250 employees. The highest rate of deduction of research and development cost in terms of regional distribution was recorded in the Bratislava, Trenčín and Trnava regions. Implications / Recommendations : Tax incentives for research and development encourage investment and are therefore considered an appropriate form of support for the business environment. However, the biggest positive is the duplication of the possibility of claiming costs with respect to the reported corporate tax base. The question arises here: how often should the percentage rate for duplicate costs be changed? The analysis of applicants for a deduction of research and development costs in the Slovak Republic also showed that the number of new applicants for the tax benefit is constantly growing. This may encourage the re-use of such a tax credit in future years. The decrease in the volume of the deduction of research and development costs in 2019, with a 1.5-times increase in its rate, can be assessed negatively. It is clear that the success of this instrument of tax stimulation of private investment in research and development in Slovakia may encounter a barrier such as the inability to claim the costs incurred in the form of a deduction of research and development costs against a sufficient tax base. Contribution : The question arises here: how often should the percentage rate for duplicate costs be changed? The success of this instrument of tax stimulation of private investment in research and development in Slovakia may also run into the barrier of not being able to claim the costs incurred in the form of a deduction of research and development costs against a sufficiently high tax base, especially in the current period, when there has been a significant decline in Slovak companies’ profits. What, then, is the perspective for deducting research and development costs in the pandemic period and in the post-pandemic period, respectively?

Evaluation of Slovakia’s R1 expressway enhancement impacts on local socio-economic development: expert panel approach

Transport infrastructure development is considered one of the basic structural preconditions of competitiveness, growth and economic development in Slovakia. Transport network upgrading in the country has recently been focused mainly on road and motorway networks. The goal of this paper is to contribute to existing approaches to transport infrastructure impact assessment. The paper presents selected results of qualitative research focused on an analysis of the R1 expressway (as a part of TEN-T network) and its impacts on the economic, social and environmental dimensions of life at the local territorial level. The paper also seeks to answer the basic question, whether and to what extent the new section of the expressway brings any stimuli to regional or local development. Qualitative research realized by field sociological methods has shown new data and information necessary for a complex assessment of transport infrastructure impacts on social and economic development of regions. We assume that these impacts should not be based purely on mathematic and statistical research methods.

The Development of the Innovative SMEs in Slovakia in the Context of Macroeconomic Environment

Abstract EU integration brought expressive economic development to Slovakia. The main drivers of the economic growth have been export-oriented FDIs. Slovak government pursues provision of the favorable FDI-friendly business environment for keeping continuance of the productive capital into domestic economy. Nevertheless, the FDIs represent giant multinational companies and the Slovak economy is in a stage of development that it needs the advancement in the productivity growth in the remaining sectors of the economy addition to export-intensive FDIs. From this token, development of the SME in Slovakia is important for transition of the Slovak economy up to next level. In this article, I analyze the effects of the macro-economic variables such as financial development, export growth, innovativeness, and the EU structural funds on SME development in Slovakia. I deploy regression analysis to measure these effects. The lower interest rates and higher export growth positively contributes to development of innovative SMEs. The inadequacy of the organizational capacity and innovation structure of SMEs impedes them benefits from EU funds and Innovations. Keywords: SME productivity, EU funds, cost of finance, innovation structure, organizational structure

Social Entrepreneurship as a Tool of Sustainable Development

Purpose: The article deals with the analysis of the perception of social entrepreneurship in Slovakia by social entrepreneurs. The main aim is to identify how social entrepreneurs perceive individual aspects of social entrepreneurship in Slovakia, including the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development.Methodology/Approach: The analysis was based on data obtained from a questionnaire survey conducted among social entrepreneurs in Slovakia. The survey was attended by representatives of 35 social enterprises from Slovakia. A seven-point rating of Likert scale used within the questionnaire. The mode, median and interquartile range of answers were used to evaluate the questionnaire.Findings: Social entrepreneurs pointed out that social entrepreneurship is still in development in Slovakia and several obstacles causing this situation. They also agreed that the most important benefit of social entrepreneurship in Slovakia is the effort to solve social problems. The research results show that the priority of social entrepreneurs in Slovakia is not to support sustainable development.Research Limitation/implication: The research was limited by the number of social entrepreneurs who participated in the survey. More than half of social enterprises, registered in Slovakia were not willing to participate in the survey.Originality/Value of paper: The article brings important findings in the field of social entrepreneurship, which are based on the practical experience of social entrepreneurs in Slovakia.

Assessing the potential of bioeconomy in Slovakia based on public perception of renewable materials in contrast to non-renewable materials

There is a need for societal transformation towards bioeconomy, which promotes the replacement of non-renewable natural resources with renewable ones. Slovakia has considerable potential for bioeconomy development, yet this potential remains untapped. This article evaluates the public perception regarding the individual properties of renewable and non-renewable materials and their relation to the potential for bioeconomy development in Slovakia. It is found that Slovak consumers prefer natural renewable materials, regardless of other influencing factors, and realise the need for transformation towards a more sustainable economy.

Management Consulting Trends in Slovakia in the Light of Global and Regional Tendencies

Management consulting, as we know it today, has existed for over 100 years. We review the basic concepts of consulting, outline the major steps in the development of business-related consulting, and highlight that consulting plays an important role in shaping the globalization of multinational firms. Next, we depict the specific evolutionary steps of consulting in Czechoslovakia and independent Slovakia in the light of global and regional trends. The development of Slovakia is described within the framework of the first (1919-1939) and the second (1945-1992) Czechoslovak Republics, and we discuss the development of Marketing, HRM, and other consulting in Slovakia. We also discuss clients' opinions of consultants in the light of an empirical research project carried out in 2018.