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The paper presents the specifics of the taxing of tobacco products, its impact on the consumption of tobacco products, respectively on the public health, as well as on the control over the distribution of tobacco products in international and European aspect. The paper states the benefits of the increase of the taxes on tobacco products for the national economy and the state budget, as well as the reaction of the tobacco industry as a result of this increase. Special attention is drawn on the impact of the high taxes on the increase of the prices of tobacco products, respectively on the limiting their consumption amongst the young generation and people with low incomes. The paper states the benefits of the increase of taxes on tobacco products for the national economy (and economies of the EU member countries) and the state budget. Based on the good international practices the paper gives recommendations to the national strategies concerning forming optimal levels of taxing of the tobacco products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agri-food sector is one of the traditionally well-developed sectors in Bulgaria. Even more, Bulgaria has been a net food exporter since 2007. The export picture of Bulgarian food industry has been changed after the full EU membership of the country in 2007. Thus, the food import exceeds the food export more than twice nowadays. This state is the first pillar of the lost competitiveness of the agri-food sector in Bulgaria. The basic aim of the paper is to reveal why Bulgarian food producers have lost their competitive advantages so fast. So, the basic research question is the following: what kind of factors drives the food producers to worsen their production in comparison with other food-market players? Our expectations could be verified in two different layers: the sector's one as well as enterprise's one. At the sector level, it is interesting to find out how the market competition has changing. On the other hand, we have enterprise level, where the single food producer has been changing. According to the above, the paper has the following structure: the first and the second parts are introduction where we show some figures about the lost competitiveness of the food production in Bulgaria in the last few years. In the third part - methodology - we set our research thesis and give explanation how the analysis goes through. The fourth part is data analysis - where we analyse the changes of the competitive driven-factors as at the sectorial level (such as: agrarian development; food clusters development; institutional support etc.) as well as at the enterprise level (such as: input labour, input materials; distribution channels etc.). Finally, in conclusion we give our recommendations with priority to the enterprises what to do for their competitiveness increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies with consumer orientation have the opportunity to easier recognize and satisfy the needs of their clients, which combined with a correct offer is a premise for ensuring a desired level of client satisfaction. From the point of view of the business, it is important to determine the consumer orientation, the way it can be measured, and is it justified for the companies to strive to satisfy their clients. The multi-layer character of the consumer orientation requires its conceptualization and operationalisation in the concrete context for a correct measuring of its effect on the client satisfaction. A specific focus in the paper is the considering of the opinion of the managers and employees regarding the consumer orientation and client satisfaction. On this basis the paper studies the presence, direction and strength of impact between these constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the structural sources and characteristics of the inflation process in Bulgaria in different sections of the economy and of the consumer price index (CPI). It studies the behavior of the wage, the average labour productivity, as well as the existing between them dependencies by economic sectors, economic activities and some of their groups. It interprets the dynamics of these indicators in the sectors of tradable and non-tradable goods, and traces the changes in the relative prices of the non-tradable goods. It comments the changes in the relative prices of the goods with competitive and administrated prices, and of aggregated groups of goods and services in the CPI structure. The paper draws the connection of the analyzed indicators and the correspondences with the dynamics of the general price level. It evaluates the empirical validity in the Bulgarian conditions of base assumptions and conclusions of some of the fundamental structural inflation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper outlines the system connections of the participation of the personnel with the theory of corporate governance. It creates a base for applying the instruments of this theory in analytical and empirical studies in this area. It generalizes the results of actual international studies and determines the different forms of participation in the EU member countries. The study compares the differences in determining the forms of participation in the old and new EU member countries. It forms the reasons for the failure of the attempts for introducing the elements of the workers' self-management in the administrative system in Bulgaria. The paper identifies the first attempts for establishing forms of participation of the personnel in private Bulgarian enterprises. It determines the directions of development of these forms and makes suggestions for improving the policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the opportunities, advantages, problems and challenges to the application of RFID technology in the trade business. It determines the morphology of the radio frequency identification as a contemporary information technology. It evaluates the opportunities and advantages of its use in the trade business. The paper analyzes the main problems and challenged of the introduction and functioning of RFID in the trade activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every economic system can be considered a formal social-economic structure. It changes, and under certain institutional conditions it can develop stable. In its logical unity the economic system includes the "real" sector of the economy and social area. The statement that in Bulgaria the economic and institutional transformation in the real sector is done faster in transition is well-known. This paper studies the specifics of the economic institutions in the social area. The theoretical base of the analysis is the neoclassical and institutional approach. The branches of the social area "produce" services, which are direct investments in the human capital. The role of the human capital in the times of the knowledge economy is increasing. The institutions are the sustainable norms and rules, which determine the behavior of the people, of the economic subjects. The institutions are the very organizations - firms, departments, state. The main thoughts in the paper are on whether the forming of human capital can be left in the power of the institutions on the competitive market. This would mean realization of the functions of the market, forming a balanced market price of the social goods, monopolization, etc. The dilemma concerns the issue how admissible this market is in this socially sensitive area. It is known that the market is "socially immune". The article shows the main barriers to the full application of the market institutions in the social area. "Quasi" market forms of production and distribution of the main services are applicable here. The article defends another thesis as well - that there are factors requiring the application of elements of the market mechanism and the economic principles of behavior in the branches of the social area. "Building in" of the economic institutions in the branches of the social area should guarantee an optimal ratio between humanism and economization. The outsourcing and public-private partnership are some of the effective forms of management in the social areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the theory of the knowledge economy, the paper interprets the role of the industrial property for improving the competitiveness of the firms and the significance of the patent-license firm policy for their innovative development. Based on analysis, the article formulates conclusions on using the intellectual property in the firms in Bulgaria: ·Exclusive rights on the objects of industrial property do not provide real economic benefits to the Bulgarian firms. ·The imitators are a serious threat to the industrial property of the firms, and the increase of the number of violations of the rights of the industrial property is a main problem in all sectors. ·The weak activity of the technological market in Bulgaria is a direct result of the low technological profile of the Bulgarian economy and of the lack of motivation of the firms creating and introducing new technological solutions. In conclusion the paper makes the statement that the industrial property is not considered and used as an economic resource by the firms in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents problems to the educational preparation of the Bulgarian population, to the forming and presence of human capital, including such with high level and quality. It focuses the attention on more important barriers to increasing the quality of the human capital of the country, as well as some premises to the unfavorable phenomena and processes in the education. The paper states that the development of the education and human capital of Bulgaria should become a strategic national priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the human capital in the higher education and science is a result of their changed role and significance following the development of new realities of 21st century - knowledge economy, innovation economy, information society, education economy. The latter are treated as a premise for a theoretical analysis of the specific of the human capital of the people employed in the mentioned areas in three directions - by type of knowledge, specific abilities and skills, and the public role and functions. The paper outlines the structural characteristics of the term knowledge, which is basic for the specifying of such type of human capital. The paper analyzes its quality specifics - creative artistic character and type of thinking, possessing biologically input talent, specific intellectual abilities and skills. The paper determines its public and functional role for: creating knowledge economy, forming, storing and improving of the human capital of the nation, developing the innovation area of the economy, using the expert potential of the representatives of the academic circles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the state and perspectives of development of the scientific potential in Bulgaria and its role for establishing knowledge economy. It proves that the shortage of financial means for financing the science has had a negative effect on its development. The existing tendencies in the development of the scientific potential show that the developing processes are alarming, and that the shortage of financial means will have quite unfavorable consequences on the scientific potential in Bulgaria. The paper discusses one of the most significant problems for the scientific potential in Bulgaria - "brain drain". It concerns the large emigrant wave, ranging mostly young scientists and highly qualified specialists. The paper concludes that even the most complex problems of the society can be solved through increasing the investments in science and creating proper conditions for development of the scientific potential of the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the paper is to systemize and suggest scientific arguments to support the transition in Bulgaria from the model of financing social services based on the principle "money follows the supplier" to the alternative model based on the principle "money follows the client". Object of the study is the financing of the social services in the community. The paper focuses on learning lessons from the international experience (Netherlands, Great Britain) and from the Bulgarian practice. It suggests possible solutions for a change of the model of financing the social services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the relation between the economic cycle and the labor market development in different periods of the economic cycle in the years 1990-2010. The impacts of the cyclic economic development on the forming and developing of the labor market is traced through evaluations of the degree of balancing of the labor demand and supply, employment restructuring, labor force mobility and labor market flexibility. The paper analyzes also the impact of other internal and external factors on the development of the labor market in the different stages of the cycle. It draws conclusions on the connection between growth and employment in the different stages of the economic cycle, outlining the stronger dependence in the transition period and the weaker influence of the growth on the employment in the period of stabilization and growth. The paper states the significance of the stabilization for the labor force restructuring, for the development of the forms of employment and for increasing the labor force mobility. The increase of the labor market flexibility through developing its institutions and legal bases is considered in the context of an instrument for softening of the impact of the cyclic economic development on the labor market [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1991 the Egyptian government launches a wide-scale stabilization and reform program. Its main goal is achieving sufficient rates of growth. This paper in general aims to present the Egyptian experience as a successful example of a developing country. An evaluation of the privatization is made based on economic indexes and criteria. The privatization program in Egypt is carried out after long studies and analyses of the experience of many developed and developing countries. It turns out that there is no chance for success of the program for economic reform and overcoming the constant worsening of the national economy, unless structural reforms of the state sector are done. They should work for activating the role of the sector, together with the private sector. The country puts serious efforts in the change of ownership, mainly through privatization. Despite the starting of the Egyptian privatization in April 1996, preceded by many moves for sale of enterprises from the state sector, the dispute between the government and the representatives of the political trends continues. That is why this paper sets an important goal: to outline important contradictions, arguments, discussions, and to draw conclusions, recommendations and evaluations of the privatization program of Arab Republic of Egypt. JEL: F59; N47; R11; O11 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bulgaria the housing of the population is higher than EU average, and the property of homes is at the record level of 96%. However, on the other hand, most of the homes (especially panel ones) are small-sized, not maintained over the years and energy ineffective. Since 2004 the country has a National housing strategy, but none of its three main priorities has had any substantial development. Over 700 000 homes need a complete renovation. The share of uninhabited homes continuously increases up to almost 25% of all. At the same time about 48% of the homes are over-populated. The paper reasons the radical need for establishing a fund of public rented homes. It outlines that an adequate housing policy in the country could not exist in isolation - in conditions of EU lowest tax revenues with GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the causal and quantitative relationships between the real aggregate output and the unemployment rate in Bulgaria. A review of the main theoretical concepts has been made, explaining relationships between inflation and unemployment, natural rate of unemployment and potential output, which are important indicators of macroeconomic equilibrium and stability. By comparison between the unemployment rate and inflation, it is estimated the natural rate of unemployment and the potential output in Bulgaria. The specific quantitative relationship between the real aggregate output and the unemployment rate in Bulgaria has been estimated and analyzed, by econometric models that are based on the Okun's law, expressed in gap and difference form. The paper discusses some of the factors that affect the value of the Okun's coefficient - the hysteresis effect, the growth of the labor force and the productivity of the labor force, the share of the shadow economy, the changes in the structure of unemployment by level of education and occupation, the seasonal factor, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of modern economies is marked by the progress of knowledge, information and technologies. All countries to one extent or another are influenced by these objective processes. Based on a comparative analysis the paper examines the achievements of Bulgaria and Romania in this regard. The study ranges a few main directions of the knowledge-based economy, developed by The World Bank - institutional regime, education, innovations, information and communication technologies. Supported by these four "pillars", the analysis presents the state of the two economies, their positioning in the European and global scale. It reveals the similarities and differences between them. It outlines their strong and weak sides, the difficulties, and draws out the possible actions for their solving concerning realization of the relevant national goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study discusses the problem of determining the levels and trends in supply and demand for research and development (R&D) in Bulgaria as a problem of the modern market development of the knowledge economy. To solve this problem an own approach of positioning indicators for R&D as indicators of demand and supply in general and by institutional sectors is applied. The results achieved prove that the supply and demand for R&D in the government and the business sectors are still low and lagging behind the observed period 2000-2011/2012, despite the sharp increase in funding for these activities from abroad after 2010. The paper brings arguments that the latter is accompanied by a reduction in funding from the state and business, leading to a significant change in the supply of R&D - now mainly business has the resources for them. At the same time there is an increase of the imbalance between financing R&D and their results by institutional sectors. The conclusion is that this imbalance and the low level associated with suggest radical change in science and innovation policy. Some parameters of this change are set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical concepts discussed in present paper concerns on the nature of courier services and combinations of various additional components that can meet the demands and requirements of customers. Drawn are some specifics that apply to courier services, also there are described principles governing a modern system of customer service and we systematize the terms of delivery that can be used in forming the comparative characteristic of courier companies operating on a particular market. In the research part there has been conducted analysis of the non-universal postal services (NPU) in Bulgaria, the study traced their status in comparative perspective as characteristics of the proposed conditions for international and domestic supply of selected courier companies operating in our country. On this basis, are located several numbers of problems that accompany the provision of courier services in Bulgaria and allege some recommendations to improve the quality of customer service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the views of Buchanan on making collective fiscal decisions in conditions of simple majority, of the usefulness function of the politicians, bureaucrats and lobbies and the myopia in the behavior of the electors. He draws the conclusion that the fiscal decisions are ineffective, because they do not take into consideration the preferences of the electors. For overcoming this effect (defined by Arrow as theorem of impossibility of the society to reach effective collective decisions), Buchanan suggests introducing constitutional rights, which would make the public choice more effective. According to him, there are three different possible constitutions (on taxing, fiscal redistribution and money supply), or one Constitution, which includes tax, fiscal and monetary rules. To some or other degree, many countries have adopted fiscal and monetary rules in their Constitutions. After the crisis in 2008-2011, adopting fiscal rules is already considered an inevitable decision for achieving fiscal discipline and stability in the development of the different European countries and the Eurozone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper is done a comparatively analysis of the Bulgarian economy with Central and East European countries, members of European Union, which are quite close to the Bulgarian economy. It is found a serious retardation of the energy efficiency dynamics in Bulgaria. That is why, there are given many recommendations to improve the energy consumption, energy and carbon intensity and energy structure of the Bulgarian economy. As well, it is presented forecast data about Bulgaria up to 2030 in the context of the effective energy consumption of economy and respective comparative analysis with the Central and East European countries. In conclusion are suggested a lot of measures for improving the production, energy, ecological and investment policy of the country aimed to increase the Bulgarian energy safety, energy efficiency, sustainable development and competitivity of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the change of the influence of certain branches and branch changes on the economic growth, particularly the labor productivity observed in the last few decades. As a result the processing industry is replaced by the service sector, which gradually becomes dominating since 1970s. For this purpose it is proved with the results of a long-lasting work of the Groningen Growth and Development Centre (The Netherlands) concerning countries from European Union and USA in the second half of 20th century - mainly in 1980s and 1990s and until the middle of the first decade of 21st century. The achieved results give reasons for a change of the existing stylized facts formulated by N. Kaldor (1967), S. Kuznets (1971) and A. Maddison (1980). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate social responsibility is a problem of enormous scientific-theoretical and practical significance. It turns out that in the conditions of economic crisis the companies do not give up on social initiatives and engagements. The objective of the presentation is to focus on the currency of the problems concerning the social audit and the European experience in this direction. The paper analyzes the standards of corporate social responsibility and their application in Bulgaria. The article presents a study of 150 Bulgarian firms and generalizes the results for applying the CSR standards. It discusses the role of the responsible institutions in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study uses new methodology developed by Corrado, Hulten and Sickel in 2006 for measuring the intangible assets in Bulgaria and the factors that premise it. The study ranges data for 1990-2006. The data are aggregated from firm to sector level when reporting the import and export. Intangible assets are: costs for software and computer databases, innovative property, R&D costs, property rights, costs for acquiring licenses, architecture and engineer design, trademarks property, brands and economic compensations, costs for market research and brand advertising, specific firm human capital and organization structure. Recalculating by the new methodology, the paper shows the contribution of the intangible assets in forming GDP in the studied period. It takes into consideration the deep changes in the Bulgarian economy in the analyzed period, like the carried out privatization, the collapse of the industry, the financial crisis in 1996-1997, and the mass introduction of FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current economic conditions the survival and prosperity of organizations more and more depends on the success they have in unlocking the innovation potential of their employees. To greatest extent the human resource is capable to contribute to the progress of the Bulgarian economy in the long economic crisis. The paper presents modern approaches from the practice of effective organizations developing their human resources and using their skills for developing and introducing innovations. The article analyzes the characteristics of the small and medium-sized enterprises, dominating in Bulgaria, regarding the opportunities for increasing the innovation activity of the employees. It attempts to study the available statistical information concerning the obstacles to using the approaches in selection, training and developing the human resources in the organizations for increasing the innovation activity in the Bulgarian organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of inconsistence between acquired and demanded specialties on the labor market eventually reveals loss of human resources, which could have been realized as such if hired on the studied specialties. Avoiding such negative economic and social result requires a well organized monitoring of the higher and secondary vocabulary education and their results, evaluation and adjustments according to the needs of the employers and the public practice. In this connection, the article presents results of studies on this inconsistence according to the acquired education degree. It turns out that there is bigger shortage of staff with secondary education, and at the same time there is a deficit of staff with higher and secondary education with realized low intensity of transition from primary to secondary education. To a certain extent this limits the range of the transition from secondary to higher education. In this connection, the article gives recommendations to the education concerning improving its quality, and on that basis - achieving better mobility of the labor force. The paper counts also the complex requirements of the Europe 2020 program and the national engagements for their realization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With today's turbulence and global crisis the forming of innovation platform of development is considered a key approach for creating a sustainable social-economic dynamics at global, national, regional, local, branch and organization level. Based on short review of the international experience, the paper suggests an optimistic scenario for forming an innovation platform for development of Bulgaria. According to this scenario, based on innovation policy formatted into a concrete strategy carried out by the state, a flexible integration of economic, academic and education circles should be done. Through a cascade of events, those circles should create conditions for innovation regime of functioning in short-term, middle-term and long-term perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The actuality of global supply chain management increases together with the growing rates of globalization and the extending specialization of organizations which makes them dependant on each other. The ways to increase the effectiveness of material, information, financial and knowledge flows management in the global supply chains are based on the proper evaluation of a great number of factors from the international environment, the strategic configuration of the supply chain concerning its members, the functions they perform and the location of their operations, as well as on the continuous coordination of the activities in the chain through information and knowledge exchange and the development of relationships of trust and cooperation. On the basis of a research, carried out in Bulgarian organizations participating in global supply chains, the paper reveals the integration practices applied in the relationships with their foreign partners. There are proofs for the absence of readiness amongst the researched organizations to apply practices characteristic for the highly developed countries as well as to make efforts for integration with their Bulgarian contracting parties. JEL: R11; R19; C49; O18 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents information and comments on frame documents of the Global Commission of International Migration and the Development Center of OECD, which set the main principle and directions for improving the global approach to the migration. Special attention is drawn to the financing of this approach, as well as to the adopted in October 2008 during the French chairmanship "European Pact on Migration and Asylum". The paper presents the migration flows, practiced by the government policies of restraining, or on the contrary - of encouraging the international migration. Special attention is drawn to the migration pressure and situation in the EU countries. The development and debate on the European migration policy is traced. A review of many European initiatives for encouraging the global approach is made, concerning the legal migration and interaction of the illegal migration, as well as its geographic expedience. The focus is on the interdependency "migration - development". The study ends with presentation of the policies for migration and integration, carried out in Bulgaria. Sought are opportunities for synchronizing the management of the migration and cooperation for development in the context of the concrete Bulgarian conditions. JEL: F01; F22; J61; 015; 019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With combining of neoclassical and institutional approach and the methodological principle of the external adding, a tendency towards increase of the interaction between public and private sector is outlined. The public-private partnership (PPP) is proved as a perspective form of this interaction. The paper defends the thesis that due to the opportunity to attract private capital, to share the risks, to start the private initiative and market competitive mechanisms, FDI is more effective model for creating public assets and offering qualitative public services, compared with the direct state investments and the public orders. The condition is to follow the concrete goals and to have political support. JEL: B41; H40; H54 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the impact of the institutions of the labor market in Bulgaria on its flexibility. The institutions are widely defined, labor market policies included. Empirical evaluations of the flexibility of the labor market are made based on the adopted definition of flexibility. Suggested are quantitative evaluations and comparative analysis of the labor market institutions (the legal protection of the employed and the collective labor contracting), which are compatible with the OECD methodology. An evaluation and conclusions are drawn for the connection between the institutions of the labor market and its flexibility. JEL: C52; J20; J30; J50; J60 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]