Search

This paper develops a two-way research method - both top-down and bottom-up - to define a "standard but tailored" assessment framework for smart cities, based on shared smart city concepts, but designed to respond to different needs of each city. The method aims not to design a measurement standard, but to define a process able to create the best smart city measurement system. It is based on a standard framework but tailored on each city - with its own features, problems, values, and ideas about the quality of life. This method overcomes the limitations of using standard framework, as it links smart city assessment tools to local policies but giving to the tool the authoritativeness deriving from the scientific literature and the robustness acquired from international nest practices. An empirical implementation supports the theoretical background and allows to validate the method, as it has been successfully implemented in Genoa, a medium-sized city in Italy looking for its own performance measurement system that allows comparison with other smart cities at the same time. The bidirectional method is designed by the authors of this paper, and it is a novelty in the international literature about research methodology for business and management studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating organisational performance in relation to the Circular Economy (CE) has become increasingly important, yet the literature highlights certain limitations of micro-level CE indicators, such as the lack of a widely accepted method for measuring CE in both academia and industry. Among various Performance Management Systems (PMSs), the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) stands out as one of the most widely used by organisations, offering a more comprehensive perspective beyond purely financial metrics. Therefore, this paper aims to explore how CE measurement can be combined with organisational strategy assessment using the BSC. To achieve this, a theoretical framework that defines Circular Balanced Scorecard (CBSC) archetypes and integrates them with CE indicators is proposed. This framework serves as a tool for seamlessly integrating CE measurement into the PMS of organisations with different levels of CE maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a two-way research method -- both top-down and bottom-up -- to define a "standard but tailored" assessment framework for smart cities, based on shared smart city concepts, but designed to respond to different needs of each city. The method aims not to design a measurement standard, but to define a process able to create the best smart city measurement system. It is based on a standard framework but tailored on each city -- with its own features, problems, values, and ideas about the quality of life. This method overcomes the limitations of using standard framework, as it links smart city assessment tools to local policies but giving to the tool the authoritativeness deriving from the scientific literature and the robustness acquired from international nest practices. An empirical implementation supports the theoretical background and allows to validate the method, as it has been successfully implemented in Genoa, a medium-sized city in Italy looking for its own performance measurement system that allows comparison with other smart cities at the same time. The bidirectional method is designed by the authors of this paper, and it is a novelty in the international literature about research methodology for business and management studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Space Agency (ESA) Directorate of Operations (D/OPS) has the need to continuously challenge for improvement the working practices, the deployed resources, the delivered products and services. Since 2007 D/OPS has put in place the process of Lessons Learned to address proposed changes coming from the performed experience. The positive outcome of this process over the years is visible in the implemented organisational improvements and in the general learning-based culture accumulated. As part of EN9100-based QMS, it is essential to have evidence that the process is effective, i.e. whether it is carried out according to expectations of the process owner. The paper will present the introduction of Key Effectiveness Indicators (KEI) on the Lessons Learned process, their measurement and the analysis of the collected data for identification of possible improvement actions. Some pre-conditions for definition and implementation of KEIs (for any process) need to be satisfied. Then it is possible to identify few strategic points in the process where expectation on the discipline of the organisation can be translated in a quantitative target. A typical measurement of effectiveness is the duration in performing a specific step of the Lessons Learned process (i.e. in terms of timeliness). The paper will present: The identified KEIs for the Lessons Learned process The identified homogeneous environments where the instances of the process are running The (current) targets set by the process owner The time scope of effectiveness measurement. The analysis of collected data has demonstrated weaknesses in the process to be corrected but also highlighted the current strengths. This initiative confirmed that the continual improvement of the organisation relies also on the effectiveness of the Lessons Learned process itself, and not only on the contents to be learned (i.e. the performance indicators on the organisation itself). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyse the evolution of sustainability indicators, present in the various national tourism plans in Portugal, and, subsequently, to propose the creation of a tourism sustainability index that can provide a perspective on the level of sustainable development. Methodology: Qualitative methodology of document analysis of the main national tourism plans identifying the indicators used to measure sustainability over time and identifying the different possible methodologies for the implementation of a tourism sustainability index. Results: It was determined the methodology that seems more suited to implement a tourism sustainability index for Portugal, taking in consideration the different indicators analysed and made available by the Portuguese Tourism Board. Research limitations: This paper only proposes a methodology for the calculation of the sustainability index but does not calculate the index itself. This is subject of future work, which will also make it possible to verify the quality of the index itself and to adjust the methodology, if needed. Originality: Although there have been authors that have proposed sustainability indices for other areas of activity, there has never been a tourism sustainability index proposal for Portugal. This may be an important contribution to facilitate the analysis and comparison of sustainable development among different cities/regions/countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper is prepared in connection with the H2020 IMPACTOUR project on "Improving Sustainable Development Policies and Practices to access, diversify and foster Cultural Tourism (CT) in European regions and areas". It addresses the development of indicators for the management of accessibility in European CT destinations, responding to the growing accessible tourism market as a driver of sustainable tourism strategies. Methodology -- The paper describes the development of tools, indicators and metrics for gathering accessibility information, which DMOs may use as part of the IMPACTOUR CT destination management system. It reports on global and European destination management systems and tools, and describes key requirements for accessibility indicators, namely: 1) Validity, 2) Reliability, 3) Universality, 4) Availability, 5) Scalability and 6) Operability. Findings -- A set of "core indicators" and additional "optional indicators" are selected for initial testing in the IMPACTOUR Destination Pilot Sites in various EU countries. Pilot destinations and representative groups of citizens and visitors will be engaged in testing and validating the accessibility parameters of the tool and demonstrating how tourists with access requirements can be suitably catered for within the overall framework of sustainable destination management. Contribution -- The paper describes the development of information tools supporting CT destinations in managing the demands of the growing accessible tourism market. The use of accessibility indicators in destination management is part of the holistic, data-driven approach promoted by IMPACTOUR, aiming to ensure inclusive cultural tourism for all visitors and citizens in the host communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating smart tourism into development priorities is the key aspect for tourism destinations and therefore, it should be approached accordingly. In theory, smart tourism development is considered as a factor in achieving sustainable competitiveness of tourism destinations. The application of smart destination shifts the destination development; however, the progress is under-researched so far. The efficient destination management requires tools for measuring smart tourism development. For that reason, the aim of this paper is to apply the methodological framework for measuring smart tourism development in a selected Slovak destination (the Banská Bystrica region). We have applied the methodology based on the Valencian Network of Smart Destination Indicators. The methodology was adapted to the availability of the input data at a regional level in Slovakia and tested in the Banská Bystrica region (NUTS 3). The obtained findings reveal that the Banská Bystrica region is aware of the need to implement smart solutions to improve the quality of life in the region for its residents, as well as visitors. The paper provides recommendation on what data needs to be collected and how these data can be obtained at a regional level in order to assess smart tourism development. The research conducted has further applicability in different destinations and on different levels. However, it is limited by the availability of the input data, which can determine the applicability of the indicators in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has been high on the agenda of funders such as the European Commission (EC). Encouraging the use of indicators to further implementation of RRI has been a prominent feature in EC RRI funding calls. However, we provide evidence that using indicators for institutional RRI work is far from unproblematic. Indicator use vary considerably along national norms and organizational cultures. Whereas RRI indicators may have advantages in institutions generally governed by indicators, we show that in other settings, indicators may cause outright resistance to RRI and may be seen as curbing learning. If used, indicators should facilitate learning and take up as few resources as possible with respect to reporting. We further show that evaluations that include users, are a viable alternative to indicators with respect to implementation of responsible research and innovation. We finish the paper with practical advice on working with RRI indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature recognizes that the gradual countries' involvement in the economic globalization has generated competitive environments that stimulate innovation and economic growth. Yet, globalization has also apparently led to the increase of inequality, contributing for waves of populism and discontent, claiming for justice in sharing these benefits. Thus, it is not surprising that the interaction globalization/social justice is paying attention to politicians and academics, seeking to identify if there is reason to fear that the globalization leads to increase inequality. The paper deals with the link between globalization and social justice, measured by updated indicators that improved the data quality and broadened their baseline. In what globalization concerns are applied the renewed KOF index, including de facto and de jure perspectives. Concerning social justice, are used the latest "EU Social Justice Index". Structural unemployment trends, such as the long duration distressing people's skills and motivation, as well as youth unemployment, which has stimulated immigration and led to the departure of skilled young people, have greatly reduced their potential for growth. GDP declined, corporate failures increased, as did unemployment and poverty. Governments have greatly limited their spending, particularly at the social level, in order to meet the targets, set in the adjustment programs. In addition, countries no longer have financial conditions to implement measures to stimulate the economy, in order to promote a faster recovery. It has recently been surprising that the escalation of globalization has put people in a precarious employment position, who felt they were protected from the competition of low wages. This paper, also, reflects on the effects of the recent global financial crises in the EU members, which especially hit the Euro zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is becoming more important in boosting competitiveness of enterprises. It will not be possible to ensure rapid economic growth of Latvia without competitive innovations and without their introduction into business practice. The object of the present research paper is innovations. The subject of the research paper is analysis of the technological business environment and innovations in Latvia. The objective of the research paper is to study the integration process of micro and macro business environment and innovations problems, to elucidate the technological business environment factors influencing innovations, to develop proposals for solving problems and for innovation management mechanism by making use of relationship between these factors in investigation of innovations in Latvia. The tasks advanced in order to reach the objective: to identify the concept of business micro and macro environment and their main economic indicators; to carry out analysis of the factors influencing innovations in the process of micro and macro environment integration; to carry out analysis of indicators characterising innovations. Theoretical study methods are reported analysis of business micro and macro environment, innovations, management, marketing; study of correlation between technological business environment factors and innovations. Empirical pilot methods are observation for the purpose of studying mutual influence between technological business environment factors and innovations; study of documents regulating innovations in Latvia; economic and statistical analysis of the innovations indicators; economic and statistical analysis of business environment indicators; study of public and non-government institutions data in Latvia. Research basis are innovations, business and its environment in Latvia. The research period is from the year 2008 till the year 2018, separate themes have been studied for a shorter period of time or by way of comparison. This is the first research on the analysis of factors influencing innovations in the macro and micro business environment integration process by making use of innovations factors, regularities of business environment and innovations development have been revealed, legal and economic aspects of innovations of Latvia have been evaluated, economic indicators of business environment, innovations and the mechanism for management of innovations of the Republic of Latvia have been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In This Paper, we will present the analysis of the main indicators of financial development and economic growth in the Comoros, Morocco, Tunisia, Rwanda, Mauritius and Senegal for the period 1980-2016. The descriptive analysis of the statistical data shows an evolution in terms of financial aspect and economic growth, but relatively, economic growth depends not only on these indicators but on other factors too. These relationships have already been tested in other developed countries, but we are in African countries where their financial systems are organized in a capitalist way. The endogenous variable of our study is the rate of economic growth and financial development is measured through five indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essence of the «bioeconomy» concept as one of the modern vectors of economic and social systems has been examined in this paper. This concept is characterized by orientation to sustainable development, reducing the negative impact of economic activity on the environment by decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, as well as gradual «biologization» of economic processes. The development of this concept in EU countries has been analyzed. The selection of indicators for assessing the national bio-economies of EU countries has been carried out and followed by division of these indicators into five groups. For the first time, the importance of each indicator in the group has been examined and its weight coefficients have been calculated with the help of expert analysis. Further promising areas in the field of national bio-economies assessment have been highlighted, in particular, the methodology of an integral index of bio-economy, the importance of its calculation for European countries which can be the basis for the assessment of bio-economies development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable competitiveness as a concept is introduced in the scientific debate in the last two decades. It is addressed on considering economic, social and environmental factors that determine competitiveness in the long run. The paper is focused on measuring sustainable competitiveness at the national level. Two indexes are considered: the Sustainability Adjusted Global Competitiveness Index (World Economic Forum) and the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index (SolAbility). The paper compares sustainable competitiveness of EU28 countries, EU13 and selected South-East Europe. The author conclude that almost all observed EU28 and EU13 countries have better scores in sustainable competitiveness compared to the economic pillar. The data confirm social sustainability dimension as being interrelated with the higher level of economic development while the environmental dimension is still a challenge for many observed countries. Sustainable competitiveness is a conditio sine qua non for sustaining or increasing current and future welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In connection with elaboration of scientific project 'Statistical study of forestry companies competitiveness' and on the basis of the accumulated national and foreign experience a system of indicators and sub-indicators for complex quantitative assessment of forestry companies competitiveness has been offered. The proposed indicators are: competitiveness of product being offered; labor productivity; financial results; enterprise growth; market adaptability; economic realization of property of forest resources; silvicultural activities. In current paper are presented the scientific results from the verification of the offered indicators and sub-indicators reliability.1. The verification is carried out on the basis of questionnaire survey among specialists connected with forestry. The questionnaire includes two parts. Through the first one is checked the reliability of the system of indicators related with competitiveness of economic subjects that manage Bulgarian forest territories. By means of the second part is checked the reliability of the system of indicators connected with competitiveness of economic subjects engaged with timber harvesting and silvicultural activities in Bulgarian forest territories. On the grounds of the collected and processed data the initial system of indicators and sub-indicators is supplemented and improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand observed trends in energy performance of economy or specific sector, it is necessary to evaluate the driving forces underlying these changes. Index decomposition analysis measures the impact of energy efficiency gains on the level of energy consumption, at the most detailed sector disaggregation level allowed by the available data. The ODEX energy efficiency index was developed under the EU ODYSSEE-MURE program and is published annually for the 28 EU countries and Norway. Index is used in monitoring process of energy efficiency trends and measures in Europe in relation to the achievement of the EU energy policy objectives. In this paper, the index decomposition analysis of the ODEX indicator is carried out for Polish economy and its main sectors between 2000-2016. The aim of the study is to identify factors determining changes in energy consumption at the level of each end-use or subsector in Poland, and to recognize areas where there is still potential for further reduction of energy consumption. The analysis is extended into comparison to European statistics in the context of implementation and monitoring of the UE indicative energy targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to: 1) discuss and analyze the adaptation of the innovation program in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) through an examination of 8 successful case studies; 2) to identify the innovation indicators in four categories, (i) culture, (ii) policy, (iii) industry, and (iv) economy; and 3) to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of innovation (a SWOT analysis) and their potential use worldwide. Prior Work:The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (EIP) is a powerful engine for expansion and for addressing societal and global challenges. The innovation drives economic growth and job creation and is of significance not only within high-tech sectors but in all economic sectors. While economists and policymakers worldwide have recognized the importance of technological innovation for growth, the relationship between innovation and entrepreneurship has been especially appreciated recently because entrepreneurs play an important role in fomenting innovation. The results are part of the ongoing research project funded by a grant by Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Sciences (KFAS-2012-1103-01). Methodology /Approach: The methodology is based on uses a qualitative approach consisting of literature review and eight international interviews in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Results:This paper provides ranking of innovation programs and a set of guidelines and recommendations for future adaptation. Implications: This paper provides value-added knowledge for both academics and practitioners who are interested insuccessful adaptation ofEIP. Value: The authors believe that this paper demonstrates an added value to the current literature on EIP and fill the gap in the case studies of developed and developing countries literature. Also, presents more comprehensive analysis of progress and challenges for practitioners including policy makers, governments, and funded organizations through the successful implementation of EIP best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers the findings of a review regarding the term empathy and its two dimensions - measurement and education. The main question that is discussed through the paper is the definition of the term, as well as its measurability and possibility of being taught. Empathy is a critical interpersonal and societal role, which enables cognitive and emotional understanding of others' feelings and experiences. In business processes, empathy is the key indicator for improving customer satisfaction and revenue growth and as such was analyzed in 2014 by the Harvard Business Review. The Global Empathy Index was established and analysis on a sample of companies with major financial indexes was conducted. Over the years, the criteria were adjusted and the data sources were expended. Even though the conducted research revealed that top 10 companies in the 2015 Global Empathy Index increased in value more than twice, in comparison to the bottom ten and generated 50% more earnings, the problem that still persist is empathy implementation as well as the negative connotations and its quantify issue. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of larger scale empathy indicators and to define empathy as a discipline that can be learned with the proper education and promotion among the leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is composed to specify the indicators identified by scholars used for cluster performance, efficiency or competitiveness assessment. Traditional bibliometric technique was chosen to identify the trends in cluster literature. Articles from the Web of Science database were selected according to the times they were cited which allowed systemizing the aspects of the research and making valuable observations. A system of indicators which should get the most attention in cluster research was composed identifying exceptionally important points to discuss and include in the following studies. In the national level clusters usually are not able to compare their performance for there is no system created to serve this purpose. The close analysis of the indicators of cluster performance would enable cluster evaluation tool formation for cluster performance evaluation in national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zbornik Radova / Proceedings SKEI (1986-5945) is the property of University Vitez, Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since Latvia joined the European Union (hereinafter the EU) in 2004, socio-economic territorial development in the regions of the country has been unbalanced, increasing regional disparities. At NUTS3 level, there are six statistical regions in Latvia. Zemgale is one of the regions of Latvia. Since 1992, two administrative and territorial reforms (hereinafter ATR) have been implemented in Latvia, and in 2021 it is planned to carry out the third administrative and territorial reform. In June 2020, the new ATR was approved by the government. Before the ATR, Zemgale region consisted of 22 territorial units: two cities under state jurisdiction and 20 municipalities. After the ATR, Zemgale region will consist of five municipalities and two cities under state jurisdiction. The territorial border of Zemgale region will not be changed. The socio-economic comparison led to a conclusion that the administrative territories created as a result of the ATR could not become more prosperous in the future under the current conditions and with their current potential in order to eliminate the territorial disparities. Research methods. The research employed general research methods, statistical analysis, logical construction as well as analysis and synthesis. The research period: indicators for Zemgale region in the period 2010-2019. The sources of information used: specialised economic literature, research documents and scientific conference papers, EU regulatory documents, laws of the Republic of Latvia, the National Regional Development Agency’s RDIM database and Central Statistical Bureau data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero emission mobility such as electromobility is a key to reduce the CO2 emissions of the transport sector. In order to increase the acceptance and demand of electromobility a reliable, publicly accessible charging infrastructure is needed. For planning issues as well as for investors the degree of utilization of charging points is important. Yet there is no consistent definition for the degree of utilization of a charging point in literature. This paper presents a set of indicators to measure the utilization of a charging point. Furthermore, these indicators are calculated with data from charging points that are funded by the Federal Program Charging Infrastructure. The analysis compares the indicators and discusses the significance and usability of these indicators. In conclusion, it is important to take several indicators into account as there is no single indicator that provides an overall impression of the utilization of a charging point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author proposed some indicators for performance evaluation in dynamic steady of working time in the case of heavy machines. Thus, it was monitored the hydraulic parameters of a wheel loader knowing it’s as a machine with an intense and varied working regime characterized by over-pressurization occurred because of excessive loads that appear when execution different tasks during technological cycle on construction site. Based on hydraulic parameters, it were evaluated engine power required for loading phase and, taking into account by the performance indicators, the supplementary power needed for task execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper with the modern quality management methods using is argued the rationality of rehabilitation equipment production for the patients with the hand and fingers movement disorders basing on the 3D - printing technology. First of all, we start from the descriptions of special needs in rehabilitation for some distributed diseases and shortly characterize the proposed case study (assistive device). Next, we choose the best 3D - printing method for our case study compared with the others, and after that we make the same procedure for the possible material. Then we made estimation with the chosen methods based on the comparative analysis of the branch simulators produced with the 3D-printing technology in the Russian Federation and by the foreign companies. After the analyzing the unique features of the case study simulator, we focused specifically on the prospects for the rehabilitation devices (assistive devices) production development on the national level. We conclude with the offering the few suggestions for such products standardization in the national practice for the quality assurance and efficiency purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Topical Issues of Tourism: Tourism & Its Impacts on Society is the property of College of Polytechnics Jihlava and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Leadership has become a vital research field in management science. Research shows that leadership is a complex phenomenon which has led to a substantial amount of studies in the past to improve the understanding of this research field. Literature and empirical studies addressing leadership reveal that research is still fragmented and studies are not conducted in a uniform framework. This leads to the fact that research results are partly comparable due to different definitions and interpretations. In recent years, transformational and transactional leadership gained attention by several scholars. In brief, transformational leadership stimulates and enhances the performance of the followers. In this respect, the leader transforms and motives the subordinates to achieve higher organizational goals by embodying a role model. In addition, the leader becomes a mentor by considering the individual needs and wants. Consequently, this fosters creativity and individuals consider their work as essential. In contrast, transactional leadership conveys clear goals and structures which are based on an exchange model. Therefore, the employees are obliged to follow the instructions to achieve the company goals. Moreover, the subordinates do not have the allowance to make own decisions. In case of deviations, the superior takes corrective measures. The aim of this paper is to identify indicators for measuring transformational and transactional leadership in order to offer a uniform research framework. The author performs content analyses to evaluate the current state of science to identify indicators for measuring transformational and transactional leadership. To gain a holistic view, the author uses scientific books and databases such as Emerald, Springer Link, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Sage Journals, JSTOR and Taylor and Francis. The preliminary research results show that numerous indicators describe transformational and transactional leadership which contribute to the theoretical and practical implications in leadership research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green economy, green growth and sustainable development are currently very often used terms. There are many international organizations intensively involved in the field of green growth and sustainable development. Green growth, according to the OECD, is a way how to support economic growth and development, while protecting natural resources, so that we could continue to use the natural resources and environmental services, on which our prosperity depends. One of its aims, especially in developed countries, is green economy building and ensuring social and economic sustainable development. However, it is not always clear how to build a green economy or achieve social and economic activities in the sense of sustainable development. The European Union is a cluster of relatively homogeneous countries, based on similar social and economic development. Ensuring green growth and sustainable development should be a common, coordinated and targeted activity of all European Union countries. The main aim of the paper is to evaluate green growth and sustainable development in the European Union countries using the selected indicators of green growth and selected indicators of sustainable development, including assessment of interregional disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the main strategic benchmarks of the urban water supply and sanitation systems. The authors have studied the results of the biggest Russian urban water supply companies operation for the last three year period. The indicators that were considered: financial profits, investments, losses of water, the structure of costs etcetera. The results were compared with world level parameters. Many companies have really effective investment programs. This activity is related with, on one hand, the forthcoming strengthening of environmental legislation starting in 2020 and, on the other hand, financial support instruments of government. In addition, key directions of development of water economy were analyzed. The socioeconomic development strategy of Russian Federation identifies the need to strengthen the role of private companies. That is why difficulties and pressures of some enterprises were revealed. Furthermore, the water supply industry in Russia is characterized by the modification of institutional administration system. In conclusion, the prospects of the water supply companies according to the improving legislation and state and regional policy in this field are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a study on water quality, which can be influenced by biological, physical and chemical parameters of water. Water quality has the purpose of identifying the direction of water use for both domestic and industrial purposes and is of particular importance to humans and living organisms. In addition to the human factors that have a major impact on water quality (both for surface and for groundwater), there are also natural factors and anthropogenic activities. The purpose of the study is to analyze the indicators determined in surface water in the salt mine area in Targu Ocna, Romania and to identify potential pollution factors. The samples were collected from two points in the Slănic River and two points from the Trotuş River. They were analyzed 7 indicators such as pH, chloride, sulphate, calcium, sodium, filtrate residue, extractable substances. These values of this parameter were compared to the permissible limits according to the water quality standards. Following the water quality analyzes conducted on the Slănic River and the TrotuşRiver, the quality indicators tracked show that their value falls largely within the limits imposed by the legislation. Following the analysis of the water quality of the Slănic River and the Trotuş River, the quality indicators pursued highlight that the values of the indicator concentrations are higher downstream and lower upstream with the Salt Solution Section for the Slanic River and for the Trotuş River the concentrations of the indicators are higher upstream and lower downstream of the salt mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current development in the European Union countries may be considered heterogeneous, even though their economic and social similarities. Each country achieves its economic and social goals with different success rate. It is similarly in relation to the complex value such as sustainable development. Evaluation of sustainability and sustainable development is problematic, because of sustainable development (resp. part of it) can be evaluated using the various indicators. It is, for example, the evaluation of sustainable development through its different areas (pillars) using indicators belonging to these areas, or using the set of indicators (eg. Indicators Rio+20, Green growth indicators etc.). Another possibility is sustainable development evaluation by aggregate indicators. The problem is that none of the indicators of sustainable development does not evaluate the sustainable development comprehensively. The aim of this paper is to evaluate sustainable development and in european countries using selected indicators and regression analysis. Realized evaluation and its results could be helpful for countries of the European Union, but also for the EU, and could be useful the process of managing their economic, social and environmental development towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a method for calculating the amount of thermal energy which is required for heating buildings, by enlarged indicators: area, storeys, material of walls, the number of people in the building and the specifics of its operation. On the basis of analysis of results of energy audit conducted in 2012-2016 for municipal institutions in the Belgorod region, a statistical analysis was carried out and dependencies were obtained to determine the geometric characteristics of buildings needed for thermal engineering calculations from aggregated indicators. Simplified methods for calculating energy input with solar radiation, heat losses with ventilation air are proposed. As a result, a technique has been obtained that allows estimating energy costs for heating and energy efficiency of buildings without conducting a detailed instrumental energy survey, using only reporting and statistical information on its functioning. Based on the methodology, it is possible to calculate the effects of energy-saving measures and evaluate their effectiveness. The results of the research are intended for the planning and energy management in large distributed systems of institutions, with the view of minimizing the cost of implementation and maximum effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air is a mixture of different gases and particular matter, which make up for the earth's atmosphere. They allow for the existence of all life on the earth. With the increase in population and the progress of development, more and more substance of natural origin and on general not occurring in the nature, which may affect harmfully on the environment, gets into the air. Dusts and gases, flowing in excess into the atmosphere, cause local and even global pollution. Since the beginning of 2017 all the time in Poland, people speak about the increase of smog. Poland has become one of the countries with biggest air pollution in Europe. The analysis of air pollutions in an industrial city, Zabrze, in Poland in the period of four years and their evaluation in terms of the requirements contained in the relevant legislations was presented in this paper. This analysis includes the following air pollutions: nitrogen oxides - nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide. Measurements come from urban monitoring point, which is situated in Zabrze, not in the centre of the city, but in the neighbourhood of Metallurgical Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the role of Open Innovation (OI) events in the proper functioning of an innovation ecosystem. To that end, we categorised the different types of OI events, identified the best practices for each group participating in such events and provided indicators of event success for each type of group. By categorising the indicators by type of group, our approach ensures that all perceptions will be considered when one is measuring the impact of an OI event on its entire ecosystem. We suggest ways to measure that impact. The framework we present, together with supplementary metrics that build on existing knowledge, will help each participating group contribute to OI events and, consequently, to innovation ecosystems. With better data, funding for OI events will become more accessible, and the events themselves will be improved and thus have a more positive impact on their ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has a great importance in all aspects of life, including education as well. With the fast technology progress, implementation of ICT in education is inevitable. There is an old stereotype for mathematics as the most problematic course. Students often tend to use technology in order to find solutions for different mathematical problems without tending to understand them in the reasonable way. This paper investigates the implementation of ICT in education, especially the importance of the use of the ICT in the subject of mathematics. We give its definition, indicators, techniques and methods of implementation, the obstacles that the implementation faces, and some good implementation practices performed in Mathematics. This research covers the teachers from the R. of Macedonia of different ages which come both from elementary and high schools. We analyze the level of ICT usage in mathematics; the different barriers for not using it by the teachers; the ways of communication between the teachers; student arrangement and grouping while using ICT; the importance of using ICT on problem solving, the impact of the ICT in improving the results on the subject of mathematics and comparing it with other subjects. Some of the results found by this research are compared by the results found by the research done by the Institute for Applied Social Science (ITS) with teachers from Germany, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium. In order to get a clear illustration concerning the interpretation of the gathered data, making conclusions and decisions, we have used the Statistical Analysis Software SPSS. We have analyzed some elements from the descriptive statistics. For analyzing the obtained data in this research we have used Cross Tabulations. For analyzing the dependencies between variables the chi-square test and the so called t-testing is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Proceedings on Quality is the property of University of Zenica, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The emergence of distance learning and other alternative forms of education was a natural response of educational demands, their growth being supported by the ICT development. In the same way, the massive open online courses had even a greater rate of development and currently enjoys a great popularity (universities joined the concept declared million students enrolled). The term of lifelong learning is now, in 2015 more topical, perhaps more than it was in 1972, remaining an act of assumed individual responsibility. The success of an educational programme carried through distance learning does depend by its characteristics, mainly by overcoming physical barriers, and all derived effects. The use of virtual environments for learning is no longer a novelty, being used for a long time, with different results. The offer for online learning environments is generous and wide. This comes with some difficulties: the selection and implementation processes become challenging and the results are not always satisfactory. The same platform can have different results in terms of use and efficiency in different institutions, depending on a series of external factors which have to be taken into account when a platform will be implemented. When it comes to the main indicators which make a platform to be a successful experience this are various and must cover all the facets of an educational experience, covering all the user possible demands. We started from the assumption that, the platform's characteristics, although similar, have a different impact on users (impact measured by the frequency of accessing the platform in general and of certain services in particular). Thus, some services are more widely used than others and more than that, some facilities offered by the platform, there are almost never accessed by users, their existence and integration platform being decided by default and developers. The aim of this paper is to present the result of a study conducted in order to identify possible indicators which makes the selection of platform easier and adapted to user (students, didactical staff, administrative staff) needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the new economy, economic system of production and value creation has focused increasingly toward the use of information and mind. The economic value is generated by knowledge and the ability to manipulate information. Therefore, future professions involve a high level of competence focusing on initiative, creativity and problem-solving, important role returning to the ability to apply knowledge and develop new ideas. In the knowledge economy, the workplace is featured by an increasing number of knowledge workers. Knowledge workers are actually those workers in an organization who are sensitive to change. They constantly respond to the changes in the environment by gathering information and then arranging their work accordingly. Knowledge workers use their creativity and inquiry driven learning in the work. With the accelerated pace of change, we should not hesitate in accepting the reality that all knowledge workers have significant place in the organization. The importance of their role to any organization that wants to survive in this dynamic era cannot be underestimated. Knowledge workers are indispensable for the organizations. Therefore it is a challenge for the manager to evaluate knowledge workers in the absence of a general model accepted by organizations. To solve this problem we have developed a model for evaluating knowledge workers. This paper aims to evaluate knowledge workers, they being the most important workers in organizations today. The solution proposed for the evaluation of knowledge workers in this research is an innovative model for evaluating knowledge workers. The model for the evaluation of knowledge workers is based on qualitative and quantitative index system, with the purpose of providing a good tool for organizations to manage their knowledge workers. The tool developed has the principal role the identification of knowledge workers that exist within the organization. Based on identified knowledge workers, the tool will provide to the stakeholders report on knowledge workers and plus the value it bring to the organization. The proposed model is applied in university environment. The paper simply throws some light on how to evaluate knowledge workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern economy, competitive advantage has moved from tangible and financial assets to intangible and nonfinancial assets named intellectual capital (IC). In this era, the society is base on knowledge resources as information, intellectual property, and experience. Intellectual Capital on national level is a rather recent line of research that has attracted interest of the academia and business environment with the purpose that country wins more and more strategic importance. However, there is a relatively common understanding the role of intellectual capital as the economic driver for creating national wealth and economic competitiveness. But how to evaluate the intellectual capital of the nation? The evaluation of the national intelectual capital is indeed a challenge and demand a strongly system of metrics to help find and manage that nations intangible assets, providing an overview of the wealth of the nation. In striving to gain ever more reliable knowledge on the effects of IC, however, we need the established measurement practices of the next generation. The models and approaches used until now for measuring national-level IC and its economic effects form a good basis for further development.The purpose of this paper is to develop an innovative model for evaluating nation intellectual capital, mainly in the context of creating competitive advantage of the nation. This paper is organized in five sections. Section 1 introduces the concept and of national intellectual capital from the perspective of various specialists. Section 2 shows the most important models for evaluating intellectual capital developed at national level. The Section 3 is devoted to the description of the proposed methodology and includes defining the components and metrics that has been developed to perform the evaluation of national intellectual capital model. Section 4 presents the testing and validation of the model for evaluating national intellectual capital in East Europe. Finally, Section 5 presents the preliminary conclusions. This development model helps nations to identify and evaluate the intellectual capital in terms of coping in the knowledge economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Topical Issues of Tourism: Tourism & Its Impacts on Society is the property of College of Polytechnics Jihlava and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Maize, original from America, ranks third in the top of cereal crops as importance and ranks second in the international top, after wheat cultivation, these positions being acquired due to a series of particularities I presume: high production capacity, wide area spreading, ecological elasticity and the fact that it is a good precursor for most crops. The present study analyzes, at national level, both the technical indicators (cultivated area, average production) and economic indicators (prices, subsidies granted per hectare, economic balance) for maize crop in the period 2007-2017. By using the methods of statistical analysis, we will follow the evolution of the statistical data series studied, the purpose of the paper being to highlight both the technical and economic aspects of the studied culture, the dynamics and the importance of the maize culture referring to the demand of the internal market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romania has been particularly interested in rice culture since the 1930s through culture and biology technology, which has made it possible to capitalize less productive land productivity on other crops. In the present study we will analyze the technical indicators of the cultivated area and the production averages, as well as the economic indicators represented by the prices, the subsidies granted / ha an the trade balance. The research method used will be the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the statistical data series from 2006 to 2016. The aim of the study is to highlight the technical and economic aspects of the studied culture, their dynamics and the importance of rice culture that reflects on the demand of the national market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance is a combination of efficiency and effectiveness. If efficiency is to achieve maximum effects with minimal effort, effectiveness is the quantification of the extent to which the objectives are met. The new economic configuration of commercial transactions, characterized by change and unpredictability, leads to a shift from a reactive approach, based on previous planning and subsequent control, to a dynamic, proactive, characterized by the quantification-action-reaction. The quantification of the performance of the economic entity is carried out with the help of the indicators. The indicator thus becoming a decision support tool that verifies whether the actions taken are registered in the direction approved by the General Meeting of Shareholders and the Board of Directors. Therefore, quantification of performance involves identifying a methodology in which the following components appear as the main directions of action: customers, shareholders, business partners, own staff, various interested audiences, widening the company's responsibility to groups other than shareholders, managers, employees and trade unions, internal processes, quality system, information system. In this paper I propose to analyze the correlation between corporate governance and the performance of economic entities, known to be the fact that economic agents with poor corporate governance have low economic performance (low yield of assets, equity and investments, etc), expose themselves more often the risks (eg stock price volatility of BSE listed companies, low interest rate, etc.). I believe that it is necessary to create a new global governance model that takes into account the organizational and evolving dimension of the entity, but also other partners whose actions can maximize the efficiency, performance or value of the brand, and which puts particular emphasis on creating value or wealth for stakeholders. We need a new policy to maximize shareholders' wealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of existing interrelationships between performance indicators within a Performance Measurement & Management System (PMMS) is an ongoing topic of research. There have been many attempts to deepen the understanding of the relationships between performance indicators although this is not always well defined in PMMS methodologies. This paper presents a structured approach for quantitatively establishing these interrelationships based on a current set of indicators of an organization, through the creation of a dynamic model that simulates their behavior based on Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM), autoregressive exogenous regression models (ARX) and System Dynamics theory. The procedure also allows the model to represent dynamic complexity such as delays, feedbacks and nonlinear relationships within a set of performance indicators. This can be used by companies to model and analyze their performance with an increased understanding about how their processes and areas are connected, thus improving competitiveness by focusing initiatives in the right spot. As a form of validation the procedure is applied to a set of indicators related in a preexisting dynamic model to show the application of the procedure and determine its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University rankings are becoming more and more important for student attraction, for financing attraction for research, for employment of respective university graduates. Several university ranking systems are popular in world and used for references by universities, employer's attitude for respective university graduates. Tasks for research: investigation of scientific publications on role of university rankings with special attention to role of research results and scientific achievements for university rankings; compare importance of research results and scientific achievements for university rankings in university ranking results in different ranking systems. The methods used in this study are scientific publication analysis, investigation of university ranking results with special attention to research organisation at the university. Within the framework of the reserch the role of the study of higher education institutions in the facilitating of their place in the international ratings is analysed. There are evaluated and compared the succsess of leading univesities of Baltic states in the more popular international ratings of higher education institutions - QS World University Rankings (QS), The Times Higher World University Ranking (THES), Academic Ranking of World Universities. Particular attention has been drawn to the assessment of the research activity of universities. There are concluded, that different methodologies are used in the international ratings of higher education institutions, however the evaluation of the reserh activity has significant proportion in all of them. Acquired findings indicate, that the results of research activity of universities have important role in the international ratings of higher education institutions and the improvement of these results facilitates the place of higher education institution in the ratings, thus fortifying, to which aspects of the strenghtening of reserch activity must be drawn special role and attention in the missions and strategies of higher education institutions. As well as important aspects are: innovative encouragement of academic staff for active scientific publication creation; support for academic staff for international communication, extensive information on research results; popularisation in mass media on research findings are very important aspects and often not seriously recognised aspects by several universities and higher education administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common practice under modern conditions in urban planning is the tendency of urban areas to grow, which is usually at the expense of agricultural areas. This, both in a global aspect and specifically for Bulgaria, is a particularly relevant problem due to the extremely important ecosystem functions of soil resources and the fact that they are an extremely slowly renewable natural resource. The assessment of ecosystems condition and their services is a suitable approach as an additional study on the effects of changing the main purpose of one or a group of agricultural properties. For this purpose, the established methodologies of MAES and the results of the project "Methodological support for the assessment of ecosystem services and biophysical assessment" were analyzed. As a result of the study, sets of indicators (of the state/pressure and vulnerability of the affected ecosystems) have been proposed. Their assessment provides an opportunity to compare alternative structural solutions in different situations concerning spatial planning. Often in planning practice, with available investment intentions, there is a need to change the main purpose of agricultural properties and, accordingly, a change in the current Spatial Development Plan. Applying this type of assessment contributes to achieving greater objectivity in decision-making, as well as a higher environmental and social impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In agricultural activity, the performance and competitiveness concepts are interest targets for decisionmakers, regardless of their representation level (production unit and / or product level, activity sector and / or national and / or international level). The way of materializing these two concepts of performance and competitiveness, in the agricultural activity is accomplished through the indicators system used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the urgent need for an inclusive society, the demand for metrics to evaluate the impact of different types and scales of organizations has grown significantly in recent years. The challenge of how to evaluate the impact coming from social innovation (SI) has emerged as an important question posed by various actors, such as academic researchers, students, project managers, leaders of organizations, and policymakers. To find an answer to this question, this research seeks to contribute to bridging the gap between SI initiatives and the evaluation of their impacts. Despite the interest and popularity of the topic of SI, this gap can be justified due to the lack of tools and frameworks to help organizations approach SI impact assessment. Although indicators have been widely used by researchers in different fields of study, the current literature has failed to develop indicators, frameworks or methodologies to assess the impact of SI initiatives. The research includes an investigation of the state of the art in terms of measuring the impact of SI, based on both scientific literature and practitioners' reports. Based on this analysis, a set of thirty-eight indicators was identified to assess the impact of SI. From the literature consulted, it can be seen that the results highlight the gap in the literature regarding the lack of instruments and frameworks. Regarding the set of thirty-eight indicators identified, if applied as a complement to a measurement tool, the indicators can be used as a first attempt to help organizations address the evaluation and effectiveness of the SI impact on their actions. The proposal may contribute to bring to light new evidence in the SI domain for policymakers, researchers and governments, then contributing to a better understanding of the impact of SI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changing consumer behaviour and growing preferences for purchasing and using environmentally friendly products are influencing destinations to include ecotourism products in their offer. Monitoring and evaluation are essential processes in the long-term development of ecotourism in the destination. The comprehensive set of indicators is an inevitable managerial tool to assess the impact of tourism on destination development. Therefore, the aim of the research is to present a methodology for monitoring the development of ecotourism in a region. The methodology proposed in the case study is derived from the European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS), adapted to the availability of input data at a regional level. The proposed methodology was tested in the Košice region in Slovakia. The article provides recommendation on how and which data need to be collected at the regional level to assess the ecotourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimate the reduction of electricity poverty in Vietnam from 2008 to 2018 using national household surveys. We find that in 2018, the fraction of households with access to electricity was over 98%, the median level of electricity usage was 139 kWh per month per household, and the electricity bill weighted less than 6% of income for 92% of households. The macroeconomic inequality in electricity consumption was lower than income inequality. In 2014, the fraction of households declaring unsatisfied electricity needs was below three per cent. This indicator indicates that Vietnam has mostly reached the Sustainable Development Goal 7 Affordable and clean energy for all (SDG7). We find that the electricity subsidy mechanism contributes more to alleviating poverty (SDG1) than to SDG7. While there remains households who cannot afford to turn on fans or air conditioner during a heatwave, the engineering, economic and socio-political perspectives converge to indicate that electricity poverty was not an acute social issue in 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of the article is the theoretical and applied aspects of assessing the level of achieving sustainable development of the enterprise. The aim of the research is to use innovative means to develop the concept of assessing the level of achievement of sustainable development in the system: enterprise-industry-region-state. During the study, groups of external and internal stakeholders were identified from the position of 3 levels. There is a significant inconsistency of motives of stakeholders in the implementation of the concept of sustainable development at the enterprise le vel and a diverse vision of the essence and meaning of the term sustainable development of the enterprise. This necessitated the formulation of the concept of assessing sustainable development in the system: enterprise - industry - region - state in terms of external and internal sustainability of development. The obtained results describe a system of indicators of the level of sustainable development in terms of its "usefulness" for the regional and national economy and can be used to develop and implement measures to ensure sustainable development at the individual enterprise, region, industry and state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas emissions are high among global environmental issues, which is also true for Russia. Based on an analysis of government reports on the state and environmental protection of the Russian Federation and on the state and use of the subsoil of the Russian Federation, it has been established that over the past five years at least 70% of greenhouse gas emissions in Russia account for the fuel and energy complex. Significant reductions in the emissions of these gases in industry are very problematic due to mining and geological conditions and lack of necessary technologies. Thus, best strategies for adapting technological solutions, including expanding public opinion programs, monitoring the environment and introducing innovative solutions that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions at all stages of the production cycle, need to be developed. Public opinion, being a form of public consciousness and reflecting the attitude of large social groups to the current phenomena of modern life, is becoming an increasingly important element of the mechanisms of social interaction, society on the one hand, and effective management on the other. It is now a contradiction between the necessary and real practice of teaching and the functioning of public opinion on new technologies, which is the relevance of this study. The article examines studies on the choice of criteria for assessing public opinion on the problem of CO2 sequestration, and proposes a system of indicators to assess awareness of the problem in the Russian Federation. In accordance with the proposed system, a survey was conducted among the students-masters of the Saint-Petersburg Mining University, studying in the field of oil and gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]