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The exhaustion of the traditional raw material export model, which results in a growing dependence of the core economic industries on imported goods and components, makes it increasingly relevant to develop tools for finding promising areas of import substitution. The paper proposes a methodology for assessing imported commodity groups to identify the priority areas for import substitution in a region. The theoretical framework of the study includes comparative and competitive advantage theories, as well as the concepts of production concentration, clusters, and industrial complexes. The research methods of economic-statistical, structural analyses and clustering were applied. The statistical data were retrieved from the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), and the Unified Interdepartmental Statistical Information System (EMISS). The proposed methodology was tested using the case of imports and exports in the Republic of Tatarstan in 2013–2021. We identified four key commodity clusters for import substitution, which account for more than 40 % of the region’s current imports, these are 1) the important localized import-dependent commodity groups a) having potential for import substitution in the region (tools, petroleum products), b) promising for import substitution in the RF (equipment and mechanical devices, furniture), as well as 2) the important non-specific import-dependent commodities a) having potential for import substitution (paints, electrical machines), and b) promising for import substitution (milk, clothing). The largest producers of the Republic of Tatarstan were identified for each cluster. Matrix modeling showed that some commodity groups are positioned in the area of the region’s low specialization, low localization and share of imports, which are typically grouped into three additional clusters that do not require enhanced policy on import substitution: growing import-dependent goods (grain, etc.), goods requiring no particular attention (silk, wool, etc.), and significant import-dependent goods (essential oils, etc.). The research findings can be used by regional ministries and departments when making strategic decisions on import substitution.

In any society, the focus of statesmen, policymakers, and researchers on poverty reduction and enhancing economic welfare is necessary. Given that most government economic policies affect relative prices and their fluctuations, which in turn impact welfare, analyzing the welfare effects caused by price changes in different product groups seems necessary The aim of this study is to investigate the role of inflation of different commodity groups on Iran's economic welfare from 1972 to 2021. The research model is estimated using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach. Economic welfare is measured using a composite index of well-being. The trend of the well-being index fluctuated during the study period reaching its peak in 1975 and its minimum in 1990. The long-term results of the estimation of the research model reveal several key findings: First, total inflation and inflation of different groups of goods have an unfavorable effect on economic well-being. Second, among different product groups, inflation in the housing, fuel, and lighting group has the most adverse effect on economic welfare. Third, considering that the share and weight of the group of food, beverages and tobacco in the consumption basket of households is larger than other groups of goods, but the size of the effect of inflation of this group of goods on economic welfare is in the fourth place. Fourth, the increase in the inflation of the health and treatment group has the least adverse effect on economic welfare. Another finding is that per capita income and economic growth have a favorable effect on economic welfare. According to the obtained results, the government should take measures such as adopting appropriate measures in line with monetary discipline and preventing the irrational increase of monetary variables in accordance with inflation targeting to control inflation in order to improve welfare. Introduction The provision of economic welfare across different segments of society is a key concern for politicians in the country. Article 43 of the Constitution aims to ensure the independence of society, eradicate poverty and deprivation, and fulfill the basic needs of individuals as they progress, including housing, food, clothing, health, education, and the necessary facilities for family formation, along with providing working conditions and opportunities for full employment. To attain a comprehensive understanding of welfare and how to measure it, it is crucial to clarify the concept itself. Identifying the impact of various sectors such as housing, education, nutrition, health, and treatment on changes in welfare is essential. This allows for prioritizing efforts in each of these fields to enhance societal welfare, growth, and development. Monroe asserts that the primary objective of a society is to allocate resources among its members to maximize their welfare. Achieving this goal involves allocating resources in a manner that generates the highest overall income for society. In a free market economy, this allocation is typically accomplished through prices, which play a crucial role in determining changes in household welfare. Inflation and its fluctuations should be recognized as significant factors affecting welfare. Understanding the relationship between inflation and welfare enables policymakers to implement effective measures to mitigate its adverse effects and promote overall societal well-being. Method The Index of Economic Well-Being (IEWB) serves as a comprehensive and inclusive measure utilized in the current research to assess economic welfare. This index encompasses various dimensions that contribute to overall well-being, including:effective per capita consumption flow, net social accumulation of reserves and wealth-generating resources, economic inequality and economic insecurity. Each dimension is assigned weights in a specific manner, reflecting their relative importance. Consequently, the weights allocated to each dimension may vary across different observations. (Ozberg and Sharp, 2009). The general form of this index is as follows: The value of the economic welfare index is measured by four components, which are consumption flow (CF), productive asset balance (WS), individual income distribution (ID), and economic security level (ES) (Bakhtiari et al., 2013). In this research, the base year of 2015 was used to validate the variables. In the following, in order to investigate the effect of inflation of the total basket and different groups of goods on economic well-being, the autoregressive approach with distribution breaks (ARDL) has been used. First, the research model is specified with the aim of explaining the effect of inflation in the total basket of goods and services on economic welfare. Then, with the aim of analyzing the effect of inflation in different commodity groups, the research model will be presented. So in these two specifications of the IEWB research model, economic welfare is expressed as a dependent variable, which is calculated with the combined index of welfare. Inf inflation of the entire basket of goods and services, inflation for each of the 7 product groups [including 1. Health and treatment group (Health), 2. Clothing and footwear group (Cloth), 3. Furniture, accessories and Services used at home (Furniture), 4. Food, beverages and tobacco group (Food), 5. Recreation, education, hotel and restaurant group (ECERH), 6. Transportation and communication group (Transport) 7. Housing, fuel and lighting group, RGDPPC per capita real GDP, EG is economic growth. Based on the above model, it is possible to test the effect of inflation in the mentioned 7 groups on the welfare of Iran's economy in the short ـ term and long ـ term situation. Result and Discussion In the material dimension of welfare, people should have a balanced life that includes employment and sufficient income to meet their basic needs. However, in many societies, includingIran, inflation and the instability of real purchasing power often pose challenges to people's ability to maintain material welfare. This can directly impact household consumption patterns and overall economic welfare. Therefore, understanding the effects of inflation on economic welfare is crucial. Considering the necessity of explaining the effect of inflation on economic welfare in Iran, in the present study, an attempt was made to analyze the effect of inflation of total goods and services and inflation of different groups of goods on economic welfare. For this purpose, while calculating the economic welfare with the composite index of welfare in the period of 1973 ـ 2022, the research model was estimated with the autoregression approach with distribution breaks. Our findings reveal a fluctuating trend in Iran's economic welfare during the study period. Following an initial increasing trend, economic welfare experienced a decreasing trend from 1976 until the end of the war. It increased again after the war, but decreased again in the post ـ war period. The maximum value of the welfare index with the value of 69.6 belongs to the year 1354 and the lowest value of the welfare index with the value of 1.16 belongs to the year 1991. The results of the model estimation in 8 different estimations indicate the existence of a negative effect of inflation (total and basket of goods) on economic welfare. Based on this, the comparative results in the long term indicate that firstly, the inflation of all goods and services and the inflation of different commodity groups have an adverse effect on welfare. Second, among the 7 product groups, the inflation of the housing, fuel, and lighting group has had the most adverse effect on economic welfare. Also, due to the fact that the share and weight of the group of food, beverages, and tobacco in the consumption basket of households is larger than other groups, but the size of the inflation effect of this group of goods on welfare is in the fourth place. The increase in the inflation of the health and treatment group has the least adverse effect on economic welfare. Per capita income and economic growth also have a favorable effect on welfare, as expected.

In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the dual effects of inflation in the total basket and commodity groups on income inequality in Iran. For this purpose, a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags (NARDL) and annual data from 1972-2020 is used. Research model in two formats with the aim of estimating the asymmetric effect of total basket inflation and inflation of 7 commodity groups (including 1. Food, beverages and tobacco, 2. Furniture and appliances and services used at home, 3. Health, 4. Housing, fuel and lighting, 5. Recreation and cultural affairs, education, restaurants and hotels, 6. Transport and communications 7. Clothing and footwear) on income inequality (share of the richest ten percent to the poorest ten percent) in a non-linear format) Was specified and estimated. The results in the first format (considering the total basket inflation) indicate that inflation is associated with a symmetrical effect and, conversely, the unemployment rate is associated with an asymmetric effect on income inequality. Government social expenditure has the opposite effect on inequality, and GDP per capita has a U inverted shape relationship with income inequality. In the second form, in the long run, increases and decreases in the inflation rate of the health group do not have a significant effect on income inequality. Inflation rate in the two groups of food and beverages and the group of entertainment and cultural affairs is associated with a direct and symmetrical effect on income inequality in Iran. Inflation rates in the furniture and housing, housing, transportation, communications, and clothing groups inversely and asymmetrically affect income inequality. Other results indicate that although the level of income inequality in the Iranian economy decreased after the revolution, it was not significantly different during the war from other years.

In recent years, Ukraine has been Increasing the import of agri-food products at a rate that signfiicantly exceeds the rate of increase іп exports. As a result, the Import-export coverage ratio is decreasing, and for many commodity groups and commodity items, instead of a positive trade baiance, a negative one appears. This article is devoted to the study of the formation of volume, dynamics, structure and reasons for the increase in the cost of imports based on the use of inethods and techniques of economic and statistical analysis. The paper states that the main reason for the increase in the volume and value of imports is the disproportion between the Iow growth rates of domestic production of agricultural and food industry products and the high growth rates of household incomes. The Iatter circumstance contributes to the formation of a constantly growing demand and a shortage of goods for individual commodity items, which is covered by an increase іп imports. The analysis of the commodity and geographic structures of imports of goods of four product sections was carried out in accordance with UKTVED. It has been estaЫished that for a number of commodity groups and commodity items of the first, second and fourth sections, imports increase for such types of products for the production of which Ukraine has the necessary conditions (Iivestock products, vegetaЫes, fruits, berries, seeds of cereals and oilseeds, most of the commodity food groups). Increasing the production of these types of products can significantly reduce their imports. For products of other commodity groups and commodity items in Ukraine, there are no necessary conditions (tropical crops, fish and crustaceans, etc.) and the cost of imports is determined by the financial capabilities of importers. The study of the geographicaI structure shows that the main exporters of agri-food products to Ukraine are the countriea of the European Union, which fully use the conditions of the free trade zone with Ukraine and are the main suppliers of products of the first and fourth sections (products of animal origin, some prepared food ргоducts). It is for these types of goods that a significant negative ЬаІапсе is formed in trade with the EU соuntries. . It has аІао been estaЫished that imports from other regiona of the world take pIace mainly for thoae types of products that are not produced in Ukraine. The conclusions provide recommendations that relate to the possibilities of reducing imports, mainly Ьу increasing domestic production, without excluding the use of administrative regulation for certain types of goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the proprietary methodology of distributing administrative expenses in the network retail businesses within the process approach to management, which has been developed to improve the quality of trade expenses administration. To this end, the author suggests using the original base unit (cost driver) in the course of distribution of the subject expenses to improve the accuracy of calculating the trade process efficiency. The author gives reasons to the necessity of applying a comprehensive approach in its selection. This implies use, as the base unit, of a coefficient representing shop turnover per 1m2 of sales area. The author has made a coefficient rating to formalize the relationship between the management results and economic factors of the trade businesses risk. This approach takes into account the commodity prime cost, and the quality and economic efficiency of the management processes in selling subdivisions of a network business.

The article describes the actual model of the exporting region; the export specialization of 83 Russian regions, calculated using the coefficient of specialization, is explored; subjects of the Federation, specializing in the export of products in six commodity groups are defined: food and agricultural raw materials, fuel and energy complex, chemical industry, rubber, timber, pulp and paper products, metals and metal products, machinery, equipment and vehicles; the analysis of the risks of export specialization of Russian regions is conducted, directions of the improving the stability of the economies the most vulnerable areas are proposed.

Purpose The purpose behind writing this research paper includes: 1. Developing a "Commodity Based View" towards various items falling under similar utility value following the standardization approach. 2. Raising awareness regarding profit strategy based on standardized view towards retailing in the small scale operations in retail business. 3. Helping the unorganized rural business operations in general in achieving sustainability through profits. Design / Methodology / Approach The subject scope of the paper is only small scale retailing operation in rural environment which covers only locally sourced items. It does not include any item which is carrying 'Maximum Retailing Price' tag. The researcher has followed standardization approach for creating various Commodity Groups which are nothing but broad based groups involving similar items for merchandising. The Simulation model employs MS Excel based Monte Carlo simulation which generates profit and loss situations under chosen variables as envisaged by the retailer. This approach will help him designing the item portfolio for achieving the desired profit objective. Findings The standardization approach combined with simulation technique provides ample scope for simulated trials for variety of commodities finding space in rural retailing operation. Also the trails can be run sufficient number of times so that the retailer can be rest assured that the selected variables including buying price, costs and quantity for sales with chosen standard deviation will end into overall profit situation rather than loss. Research Limitations/Implications The research work is premised within following limitations: 1. This article is conceptual in nature and a pilot study is recommended to explore other possibilities. 2. It is highly dependent on motivation and business acumen of the seller which also calls for precise forecasting of sales variables. 3. Non-MRP items which are gradually finding space in rural sales are precluded in the research work. 4. The environment of retailing operation in terms of demand and supply is based on assumed conditions. Originality / value The research paper is the outcome of empirical observations and interactions during long professional experience of the lead author. It brings about high level of sensitization to operational issues, inventory management and quantitative application in decision making. On the overall basis it is packed with enormous value for the rural folk in the area of business and commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the article is to understand the influence of factors biasing purchase decisions connected with measurement of consumers' involvement. Consumption expenditures are purposefully subdivided according to the classification made by the Statistical Office of the European Communities. The performed survey showed that the most important factors biasing purchases of all commodity groups are products' characteristics and the perceived quality. Together with these goes the factor price, nevertheless for example for the commodity group health price did not appear in the scale of the perceived importance at all. Factor necessity of need proved to be significant for decision making about the purchase of all commodities with the exception of alcoholic drinks and tobacco and recreation. Former experience compared to that is not crucial for clothing and footwear and housing equipment and contents. For alcoholic drinks and tobacco, there has notably approved also the factor brand. These analyses enable disclosure of rules of consumer decision making and thereby definition which factors for individual commodities should be targeted by the help of the marketing doyens or where the gradual changes should be achieved.

The paper describes the proprietary methodology of distributing administrative expenses in the network retail businesses within the process approach to management, which has been developed to improve the quality of trade expenses administration. To this end, the author suggests using the original base unit (cost driver) in the course of distribution of the subject expenses to improve the accuracy of calculating the trade process efficiency. The author gives reasons to the necessity of applying a comprehensive approach in its selection. This implies use, as the base unit, of a coefficient representing shop turnover per 1m2 of sales area. The author has made a coefficient rating to formalize the relationship between the management results and economic factors of the trade businesses risk. This approach takes into account the commodity prime cost, and the quality and economic efficiency of the management processes in selling subdivisions of a network business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the methodological aspects of world commodity markets, regional export portfolio analyses and regional strategic management. The methodology aimed to detect priority directions of region's export development, identify probable scenarios of the export portfolio strategic diversification and to work out an approach of designing the portfolio of types of economic activities, ensures the implementation of region's strategic priorities. It includes the competition analysis in the major export and import world markets. Priority in the strategic perspective commodity groups are estimated by indicators of contribution to the region economic growth, their possibility of joint export to concentrated product markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to analyse food consumption patterns in Slovenia. Cross-sectional household data from Household budget survey in year 2001 were used. We estimate expenditure and price elasticities for food demand for households segmented by quartile income levels and for Slovenia total. Food items are divided into the following commodity groups: bread and cereals, meat and fish, dairy products, oils and other fats, fruit, vegetables, confectionary. For a complete demand system analysis, we apply linearly approximated Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS). Empirical results show positive expenditure elasticities being close to one for all food groups. In general, demands for dairy products and vegetables could be regarded as the most sensitive to food expenditures. Further on, all Marshallian (uncompensated) and Hicksian (compensated) own price elasticities are negative and less than one. Own price elasticities for meat and fish are estimated as the lowest and for vegetables as the highest. With cross price elasticities close to zero the studied commodity groups seem to be unrelated. The negative sign of uncompensated cross price elasticities indicates complementary type of food groups, while substitution relationship of aggregate foods is indicated by mostly positive Hicksian cross price elasticities. According to these expenditure and price elasticities inhabitants of Slovenia seem to be losing consumption characteristics typical for countries in transition. However some unique food habits persist.

Abstract: At the European level there is an increasing focus on how freight transport can be moved from trucks on roads to more environmentally friendly modes such as rail and ship. A large proportion of the transport services between OD pairs, however, cannot be substituted since there is only one alternative available. The paper investigates the magnitude of this “structural inelasticity” of modal substitution in freight transport due to a sparser layout of rail and ship-based freight networks compared to road. In the analysis we use a recent Scandinavian freight demand model covering more than 800 zones. We find that the structural inelasticity is very significant – in particular for transportation over less than 500km. Moreover, the inelasticity varies greatly with commodity groups and between OD pairs, and it depends strongly on the port and rail infrastructure. The results suggest that pure charging instruments (road pricing for trucks) in many regions will have limited mode substitution impacts. However, if combined with structural changes in terms of improved infrastructure for rail and ship, impacts may be greater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper describes the estimation of a weighted discrete choice model applicable for analysing choice of mode and crossing for freight in the Oresund region. The study finds that, by applying a weighted logit approach, it is possible to establish a suitable decoupling of agents and shipments. Moreover, by assessing preferences on the basis of a representative baseline OD matrix it is possible to better reflect the dependence between mode substitution effects and geography/infrastructure. The paper presents demand elasticities with respect to monetary cost and travel time as well as value-of-time estimates for five modes and thirteen commodity groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Illinois soybean growers have not been satisfied with recent lagging yield trends. A yield "challenge" was created to blend the motivation and creativity of a yield contest with the learning power of teamwork and on-farm demonstration. In the initial year (2010), 123 on-farm side-by-side demonstration plots were located throughout the state; 81% of those locations showed increased soybean yields through additional management, and 55% of the experimental challenge plots were profitable. Participant surveys indicated that 92% learned a new production practice and that 69% would adopt experimental practices on more production acres the following year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year, >9 million foodborne illnesses are estimated to be caused by major pathogens acquired in the United States. Preventing these illnesses is challenging because resources are limited and linking individual illnesses to a particular food is rarely possible except during an outbreak. We developed a method of attributing illnesses to food commodities that uses data from outbreaks associated with both simple and complex foods. Using data from outbreak-associated illnesses for 1998-2008, we estimated annual US foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths attributable to each of 17 food commodities. We attributed 46% of illnesses to produce and found that more deaths were attributed to poultry than to any other commodity. To the extent that these estimates reflect the commodities causing all foodborne illness, they indicate that efforts are particularly needed to prevent contamination of produce and poultry. Methods to incorporate data from other sources are needed to improve attribution estimates for some commodities and agents.