The article reviews classic views on poverty for which Bulgarian scientific literature is extremely inexhaustible. A “Continuum of classical theories of poverty” has been composed through the author’s interpretation and systematization of theoretical views which are embedded in world scientific literature. Three approaches are highlighted – social Darwinism, egalitarianism and statistical-sociological approach. Poverty is studied on the basis of relatively independent, but also complementary aspects: economic, sociological and applied. Each of these aspects brings together both classical theories and modern concepts of understanding poverty as a phenomenon. Emphasis is placed on the causes, factors, measures and the need to eliminate poverty. The main indicators of poverty are presented: Lorentz curve, Gini coefficient, persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion, poverty line and the rate of persons living below the poverty line in Bulgaria. Inequalities in the distribution of income before and after social transfers are presented, as well as those who are categorized by statistics as poor – before and after social transfers. The analysis highlights Bulgaria’s unfavorable position compared to other European Union member states.
{"title":"Classic and Contemporary Views on Poverty","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2022.1.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2022.1.02","url":null,"abstract":"The article reviews classic views on poverty for which Bulgarian scientific literature is extremely inexhaustible. A “Continuum of classical theories of poverty” has been composed through the author’s interpretation and systematization of theoretical views which are embedded in world scientific literature. Three approaches are highlighted – social Darwinism, egalitarianism and statistical-sociological approach. Poverty is studied on the basis of relatively independent, but also complementary aspects: economic, sociological and applied. Each of these aspects brings together both classical theories and modern concepts of understanding poverty as a phenomenon. Emphasis is placed on the causes, factors, measures and the need to eliminate poverty. The main indicators of poverty are presented: Lorentz curve, Gini coefficient, persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion, poverty line and the rate of persons living below the poverty line in Bulgaria. Inequalities in the distribution of income before and after social transfers are presented, as well as those who are categorized by statistics as poor – before and after social transfers. The analysis highlights Bulgaria’s unfavorable position compared to other European Union member states.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123522466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The aim of the article is to answer one of the most interesting questions in recent decades – is there a transition to a post-industrial society or to the Third and then to the Fourth Industrial Revolution since the 1970s. The approach is politico-economic, because the main role for the development of technologies is played by the state, which tries to secure certain competitive and strategic advantages in the world race. The answer to the above question goes through the discussions on it, and through the analysis of the various concepts and the growing amount of empirical data. Therefore, the article begins with the emergence, development and essence of the concept of post-industrial society. Then the contradictions in the concepts of post-industrial society are considered and it is concluded that the industrial society continues to exist and the share of the industry increases, but the industry itself is increasingly changing and intellectualizing to produce all those industrial goods through which post-industrial technologies related to information, data and knowledge are realized. Attention is then paid to the special case of China, which in the context of the development of postindustrial societies in the West has managed to become industrialized, with the state having a special role in this regard, and this makes it the fastest growing economic power in history. After that the shift of geo-economic balances as a result of China’s rise and the West’s deindustrialization are considered a mistake, which is leading to new attempts at industrialization. The article ends with new industrial policies and the loss of legitimacy of theories of post-industrial society with the unfolding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution after the crisis of 2007-2008.
{"title":"Post-industrial Society or Third and Fourth Industrial Revolutions?","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2022.1.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2022.1.08","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of the article is to answer one of the most interesting questions in recent decades – is there a transition to a post-industrial society or to the Third and then to the Fourth Industrial Revolution since the 1970s. The approach is politico-economic, because the main role for the development of technologies is played by the state, which tries to secure certain competitive and strategic advantages in the world race. The answer to the above question goes through the discussions on it, and through the analysis of the various concepts and the growing amount of empirical data. Therefore, the article begins with the emergence, development and essence of the concept of post-industrial society. Then the contradictions in the concepts of post-industrial society are considered and it is concluded that the industrial society continues to exist and the share of the industry increases, but the industry itself is increasingly changing and intellectualizing to produce all those industrial goods through which post-industrial technologies related to information, data and knowledge are realized. Attention is then paid to the special case of China, which in the context of the development of postindustrial societies in the West has managed to become industrialized, with the state having a special role in this regard, and this makes it the fastest growing economic power in history. After that the shift of geo-economic balances as a result of China’s rise and the West’s deindustrialization are considered a mistake, which is leading to new attempts at industrialization. The article ends with new industrial policies and the loss of legitimacy of theories of post-industrial society with the unfolding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution after the crisis of 2007-2008.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122607834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
An attempt has been made by me to determine and analyze the guarantee of energy security in business. For this purpose, the ways and methods for measuring and determining the state of energy security are presented. The presented methods determine energy security in the Republic of Bulgaria. A description of the state of the energy business in the EU and specifically the situation in the Republic of Bulgaria is presented. The problems and the preconditions for their occurrence are considered. The place and importance of ensuring energy security in business is shown and the perspective for development of the energy sector, the business and the national economy is outlined.
{"title":"Methods for Determining the State of Energy Security in Business","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2022.1.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2022.1.04","url":null,"abstract":"An attempt has been made by me to determine and analyze the guarantee of energy security in business. For this purpose, the ways and methods for measuring and determining the state of energy security are presented. The presented methods determine energy security in the Republic of Bulgaria. A description of the state of the energy business in the EU and specifically the situation in the Republic of Bulgaria is presented. The problems and the preconditions for their occurrence are considered. The place and importance of ensuring energy security in business is shown and the perspective for development of the energy sector, the business and the national economy is outlined.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131954164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The article focuses on a specific valuation technique based on probabilistic simulation of value-relevant factors determining the intrinsic value of companies. In this paper I present the practical aspects and relevant problems related to the application of this type of valuation methods. Basic probabilistic processes applicable to different enterprises depending on their economic characteristics are analyzed. In the practical part, the presented evaluation technique is applied for evaluation of a Bulgarian pharmaceutical company, as the main advantages and results are presented.
{"title":"Application of Simulation-based Approach for Determining the Value of Companies Operating in an Environment of Uncertainty","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2022.1.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2022.1.10","url":null,"abstract":"The article focuses on a specific valuation technique based on probabilistic simulation of value-relevant factors determining the intrinsic value of companies. In this paper I present the practical aspects and relevant problems related to the application of this type of valuation methods. Basic probabilistic processes applicable to different enterprises depending on their economic characteristics are analyzed. In the practical part, the presented evaluation technique is applied for evaluation of a Bulgarian pharmaceutical company, as the main advantages and results are presented.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132220549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bulgaria adopts the principles of good governance along with its EU membership. That occurred with harmonization of public policies. The study makes a review on the application of the following principles of good governance: sustainability and long-term orientation in development, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability and transparency and the adoption of these principles at local level. The general evaluation: Bulgaria follows and applies in great extent the principles of good governance, but in the reality, there are numerous deviations, delays and negligence, which lead to their partial implementation. The country needs more political commitment, regulatory changes and institutional efforts to reach better levels of good governance.
{"title":"Evolution in Public Governance Models: From Administrative Management to the Hybrid and Normative Concept of Good Governance (Part II)","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2021.4.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2021.4.10","url":null,"abstract":"Bulgaria adopts the principles of good governance along with its EU membership. That occurred with harmonization of public policies. The study makes a review on the application of the following principles of good governance: sustainability and long-term orientation in development, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability and transparency and the adoption of these principles at local level. The general evaluation: Bulgaria follows and applies in great extent the principles of good governance, but in the reality, there are numerous deviations, delays and negligence, which lead to their partial implementation. The country needs more political commitment, regulatory changes and institutional efforts to reach better levels of good governance.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"369 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116617351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The administrative-bureaucratic system developed by M. Weber dominated for many years in public governance. Serious criticisms of its inefficiency led to the emergence of an alternative concept called new public management in the 1980s. The new model introduced market-oriented solutions, as well as corporate management tools and approaches such as strategic and business planning. As a result, the new public management increased the efficiency of public governance. However, it created public discontent due to ignoring the criteria of social justice. With globalization and technological change, new views and paradigms emerged, which have been derived from the practices of many countries and crystalize in the concept of good governance. It is a hybrid concept because new socially significant principles such as openness, transparency and digital communication have been added to accepted principles like rule of law, efficiency and effectiveness. It is also a normative concept because the principles are treated as guiding rules, which countries have to follow in their public governance.
{"title":"Evolution in Public Governance Models: From Administrative Management to the Hybrid and Normative Concept of Good Governance (Part I)","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2021.4.09","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2021.4.09","url":null,"abstract":"The administrative-bureaucratic system developed by M. Weber dominated for many years in public governance. Serious criticisms of its inefficiency led to the emergence of an alternative concept called new public management in the 1980s. The new model introduced market-oriented solutions, as well as corporate management tools and approaches such as strategic and business planning. As a result, the new public management increased the efficiency of public governance. However, it created public discontent due to ignoring the criteria of social justice. With globalization and technological change, new views and paradigms emerged, which have been derived from the practices of many countries and crystalize in the concept of good governance. It is a hybrid concept because new socially significant principles such as openness, transparency and digital communication have been added to accepted principles like rule of law, efficiency and effectiveness. It is also a normative concept because the principles are treated as guiding rules, which countries have to follow in their public governance.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127865064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Individualization is a process that adapts a ser vice or product to the needs of specific individuals. This process is a key element in recommender systems and is applied to establish innovative ser vices for technological solutions in the financial industry. For this purpose, a self-perfecting model for managing individualized investment portfolios is built, through which segmentation and evaluation of users are performed and for each of them a set of investment portfolios is recommended. This paper presents the process of recommending a portfolio of investment instruments, individualized according to the individual preferences of clients, methodology for its construction, and results of the approbation. Examples are shown of individualized portfolios, as well as a comparison of the main measures of the recommended portfolios in the respective clusters.
{"title":"Self-Perfecting Model for Managing Individualized Investment Portfolios","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2021.4.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2021.4.07","url":null,"abstract":"Individualization is a process that adapts a ser vice or product to the needs of specific individuals. This process is a key element in recommender systems and is applied to establish innovative ser vices for technological solutions in the financial industry. For this purpose, a self-perfecting model for managing individualized investment portfolios is built, through which segmentation and evaluation of users are performed and for each of them a set of investment portfolios is recommended. This paper presents the process of recommending a portfolio of investment instruments, individualized according to the individual preferences of clients, methodology for its construction, and results of the approbation. Examples are shown of individualized portfolios, as well as a comparison of the main measures of the recommended portfolios in the respective clusters.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"80 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126934754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The main purpose of the article is to reveal the attitude and behavior of Bulgarian citizens to vaccines and vaccination against COVID-19. To achieve this goal, answers are given to the following questions: 1. What is the state of morbidity of COVID-19 in our country? 2. How are vaccines perceived – reasons “for” and “against”? 3. What is happening with the process of vaccination and what lies ahead? Data from an author’s empirical study “Attitudes of Bulgarian citizens to vaccines and vaccination against COVID-19”, conducted in 2021, have been used.
{"title":"Vaccines against COVID-19 through the Eyes of Bulgarian Citizens","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2021.4.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2021.4.05","url":null,"abstract":"The main purpose of the article is to reveal the attitude and behavior of Bulgarian citizens to vaccines and vaccination against COVID-19. To achieve this goal, answers are given to the following questions: 1. What is the state of morbidity of COVID-19 in our country? 2. How are vaccines perceived – reasons “for” and “against”? 3. What is happening with the process of vaccination and what lies ahead? Data from an author’s empirical study “Attitudes of Bulgarian citizens to vaccines and vaccination against COVID-19”, conducted in 2021, have been used.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122881857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Readiness for change is amongst the major factors influencing the success of change initiatives in organizations. The construct is multifaceted and usually refers to the commitment (of employees) and belief (shared by the group, organization) in their collective capability to implement a specific change initiative. Applying the dynamic capabilities and organizational ambidexterity lens, some researchers suggest a different construct – organizational capacity for change. The capacity for change refers to the successful implementation of multiple, often overlapping change initiatives, and thus allows organizations to simultaneously achieve short-term, operational tasks and long-term, strategic goals. The capacity for change describes the appropriate organizational context, leadership, organizational learning and takes into account previous experience with changes and the extent to which these are considered fair and personally beneficial by employees. Readiness and capacity for change are not always clearly distinguishable and, in some cases, appear as interchangeable terms denoting similar phenomena. This conceptual article explores the two constructs based on a theoretical study of conceptual and empirical studies. The research conclusions support the proposition that the two constructs share similarities but also differences, which justify their distinct roles in deepening our understanding of change in organizations and how to manage and successfully implement it.
{"title":"Role and Applicability of the Constructs “Readiness for Change” and “Capacity for Change”","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2021.4.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2021.4.03","url":null,"abstract":"Readiness for change is amongst the major factors influencing the success of change initiatives in organizations. The construct is multifaceted and usually refers to the commitment (of employees) and belief (shared by the group, organization) in their collective capability to implement a specific change initiative. Applying the dynamic capabilities and organizational ambidexterity lens, some researchers suggest a different construct – organizational capacity for change. The capacity for change refers to the successful implementation of multiple, often overlapping change initiatives, and thus allows organizations to simultaneously achieve short-term, operational tasks and long-term, strategic goals. The capacity for change describes the appropriate organizational context, leadership, organizational learning and takes into account previous experience with changes and the extent to which these are considered fair and personally beneficial by employees. Readiness and capacity for change are not always clearly distinguishable and, in some cases, appear as interchangeable terms denoting similar phenomena. This conceptual article explores the two constructs based on a theoretical study of conceptual and empirical studies. The research conclusions support the proposition that the two constructs share similarities but also differences, which justify their distinct roles in deepening our understanding of change in organizations and how to manage and successfully implement it.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"85 2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114231194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Warehousing is an essential logistics activity that has a particularly strong impact on the movement of material flows in the supply chain. That is why in modern business concepts warehouses are an important part of efficient logistics systems. Warehousing management is a complex problem that requires economics and technical knowledge. Based on this, a number of related specifics for the management of these systems could be found in theory and practice. The article presents the results of a survey focused on Bulgarian trade and manufacturing enterprises and reveals some of the warehousing management practices. The scope of the study does not include logistics service providers. Several problems that have an important role in warehousing management are considered as an article focus, such as the characteristics of material flows, main challenges for warehousing systems, degree of integration of warehousing processes, application of quality management and controlling practices, human resources management, sustainable storage practices and usage of information systems and technologies in warehousing. Based on the research data, several conclusions are defined about the practices in warehousing in Bulgaria.
{"title":"Selected Warehousing Practices in Bulgarian Trade and Manufacturing Enterprises","authors":"","doi":"10.37075/isa.2021.4.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37075/isa.2021.4.06","url":null,"abstract":"Warehousing is an essential logistics activity that has a particularly strong impact on the movement of material flows in the supply chain. That is why in modern business concepts warehouses are an important part of efficient logistics systems. Warehousing management is a complex problem that requires economics and technical knowledge. Based on this, a number of related specifics for the management of these systems could be found in theory and practice. The article presents the results of a survey focused on Bulgarian trade and manufacturing enterprises and reveals some of the warehousing management practices. The scope of the study does not include logistics service providers. Several problems that have an important role in warehousing management are considered as an article focus, such as the characteristics of material flows, main challenges for warehousing systems, degree of integration of warehousing processes, application of quality management and controlling practices, human resources management, sustainable storage practices and usage of information systems and technologies in warehousing. Based on the research data, several conclusions are defined about the practices in warehousing in Bulgaria.","PeriodicalId":435790,"journal":{"name":"Economic and social alternatives","volume":"320 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134349299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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