Britain's exit from the European Union affects the plans of Bulgarian immigrants there. They are a significant number that has been growing steadily over the last 15 years and even contrary to expectations since the European referendum in June 20016. Based on an online survey of 361 Bulgarians living in the country, conducted in the period March-April 2019, this article reveals the attitudes and expectations of the respondents about changes in their lives as a result of BREXIT. Bulgarians of different ages, with different socio-demographic characteristics and different status on the labor market are covered. Special emphasis is placed on the plans of the Bulgarians to change their place of residence – return to Bulgaria or move to another country. The analysis reveals that factors such as age, education, length of stay in the UK and the degree of integration into the labor market influence the decision of our compatriots to leave or stay in the UK.
Over the last decade, the concepts for domination in international conflicts increasingly involve the use of methods and instruments described as “hybrid“ actions. Mainly, these approaches attempt to exercise effective impacts and influences by boosting uncertainties and blocking counter actions, including by paralyzing the target’s decision-making process. Furthermore, substantial is the role of intelligence and security services in guiding and implementing such “hybrid“ activities.
The highly qualified migration is the desired migration all around the world in 21st century. Attracting back and retaining the highly qualified specialists becomes a policy for many countries with recent emigration history. The study explores the motivation factors and professional trajectories of young highly qualified Bulgarians who returned to Bulgaria in the years around 2010, comparing and analysing the answers of the interviewees conducted one to three years upon their return with their current situation 10 years later. The study is qualitative based on semi-structured interviews and its core value lies in its longitudinal character and the possibility to review the interviewees’ situation in a longer time span. The paper focusеs on: sustainability of the return: are the highly qualified returnees still in Bulgaria; professional realization: how their professional trajectories have developed through time; other factors of sustainable return: what keeps them in Bulgaria beside the professional realization and civil activism: to what extend returnees participate in different forms of civil initiatives. As main conclusions and factors for sustainable return stand out the development of the economy and the possibilities for innovations, the realization of new professional niches along with the social factors of taking care of own family and/or older parents/relatives.
The object of the study are commercial enterprises. The subject of the analysis is the human resources in trade. The indicators analyzed are: number of employees by levels of education, labor productivity, labor costs, staff costs, structure of labor costs of employers for employees, the costs of research and development in trade, the costs of qualification of personnel, the movement of labor in trade. The aim of the study is to reveal the trends in the development of human resources in trade and to outline their strengths and weaknesses. The time period of the study is from 2008 to 2018.
The competencies of employees in the transport sector are a significant factor in increasing the efficiency of rail, road, air and water transport. The successful development of human resources in the sector requires providers of education and training in the field of transport to be thoroughly aware of the changes in work processes. In the context of the modern dynamics of technologies, business scenarios and services offered in the transport sector, the article systematizes the main challenges for the education and training system in the field of transport with emphasis on the role of higher education as a provider of formal education (bachelor's, master's anddoctoral programs) and non-formal training
At the national level, there is no thorough and comprehensive study of freight demand and the factors that influencing it. This is actually the main objective of the study – to fill this gap in research on the subject and to define and analyse the various factors influencing freight demand by identifying a system of demand determinants that can be analysed regularly and which allows forecasting changes in freight volumes over certain periods of time. The research methods used in the research include elements of literature review, retrospective analysis, comparative and meaningful analysis and generalised ideas for systematising the main factors influencing the freight transport dеmand. The results of the survey are summaries and analyses that provide a basis for empirical research, analysis and forcasting of the demand for freight transport in the country.
The research is dedicated to the role of The International Labour Organization in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and its long-term socio-economic consequences. It examines the applicable international labour standards in times of crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research reveals current work motivation challenges and employment problems in the social care system in Bulgaria. On that basis, are outlined some challenges for the social care system in the Bulgarian regions. The conclusions are based on the authors’ survey data and a content analysis of the social services strategies in 22 Bulgarian NUTS 3 regions (districts). The paper shows which ongoing problems in the sector demotivate the social work specialists due to their own opinions and are not solved as policy and planning in the regional and municipality strategies and government level.
In view of the dynamic development of Asia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the context of expanding imperialism, the subject of genesis and ideological evolution of Pan-Asian concepts provokes special attention at research level. The paper explores the principal dimensions of the unfolding process of Pan-Asianism during this period. The author discusses the fundamental factors for its emergence in Japan and the directions for the manifestation of the „spillover effects†on other countries, which adopt these ideas, but also form their own directions in its development. The analysis showcases the main vectors of the expansion of Pan-Asianism, by applying a comparative perspective for its influence in the region.
The article discusses some methodological issues in the study of interests and values in the philosophical and political science literature. An overview of the understanding of the nature and peculiarities of interests and values is made. An answer is sought to the question of their current understanding. Special emphasis is placed on the problem of the specifics of political interests and values and their role in the political process.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all economic sectors. The outbreak of the pandemic and the measures for preventing the spread of the virus have led to changes consumers lifestyle, their shopping habits and to reduce retail sales. Faced with uncertainty about the future retailers need to adapt their activities to these changes. The purpose of the research is to assess the impact of Covid-19 to retail sales and consumers’ behavior changes during the period from January 2020 until June 2020. The negative impact of Covid-19 is assessed by comparing the pace of decline in retail sales in Bulgaria and EU. The research is using data published by NSI and Eurostat about the index of the volume of retail sales which measures changes of the net sales, adjusted for price changes (deflated), i.e. the change of the total amount of goods sold, based on data adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects. On the other hand the retail sales changes are indicating the changing consumer behavior. The results of the research are showing that the EU is reducing the effects of the negative impact of Covid-19 on the net retail sales faster than Bulgaria.
The present study aims at tracing the correlations between democratization and GDP growth in the Western Balkans for the period 2009-2018. To achieve this goal, a democratization index is used, which refers to GDP growth through a Pearson bilateral correlation. This methodology provides an opportunity to track whether (1) there is a statistically significant linear relationship between two continuous random variables – democratization index and GDP growth, (2) the strength of the linear relationship between them and (3) its direction. The study takes into account the countries of the Republic of Albania, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result of the analysis, it was found that with regard to these countries, the processes of democratization do not lead to economic growth. An exception to this conclusion is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where GDP growth is a consequence of democratization and therefore only in this country does democratization lead to economic growth.
The current paper aims to track the movement of interest rates and volumes for 2020 in Bulgaria. The observed interest rates include those of deposits and loans. As the pandemic caused by Covid-19 started in the beginning of February, 2020 the data used in this paper includes the period January-November 2020. Because of the short period regression analysis is not prepared but comprehensive analysis of large set of data is done. The main results show that there was a change in deposit and loan market in Bulgaria. The interest rates in the local and euro currency show different volatility as well as the interest rates on households and non-financial corporations deposits. Inflation fell as, did the yield of government debt securities whilst indebtedness in the euro area increases.
The paper reveals the state and growing distrust towards democracy in Bulgaria. The crisis processes in civic participation, parties and political representation are analysed. Their cause and effect relationship and their negative impact on the democratic process in Bulgaria are identified. Possible approaches are proposed to alleviate the democratic crisis and its manifestations. In methodological aspect, the paper adheres to the political analysis that combines theoretical conclusions and empirical data and assessments of the researched problems.
The independent financial audit of the transport companies’ financial statements is characterised with specific audit procedures for the purposes of determining reliable basis for expression of audit opinion by the certified public accountants – registered auditors who audit and certify the financial statements of these companies in relation to the observance of the going concern principle. Registered auditors are required to check for the timely, fair, objective, proper, true and correct presentation, in all material aspects, of the information about the property and financial position of transport companies and their performance. The aim is to present, justify and outline in the light of the good global audit practices the specific features of the accounting reporting units formed as a result of the transport companies’ specific activities, as well as the audit procedures applied during the independent financial audit of their financial statements. This publication may be used for the performance of different types of financial audit – internal audit performed by the internal auditors of the transport companies; independent financial audit performed by the certified public accountants – registered auditors, and external audit performed by the government authorities with regard to the taxation of the transport companies’ business.
Research on the use of different management tools trace the evolution of leading trends in management. It outlines the content and limitations of the general management tools, as well as differentiating between them. The text introduces a clear-cut model of the top management tools and the results of a study among Bulgarian managers. There are two components to this research: to what extent are the subjects familiar with the tools listed; to what extent do they wish to learn more about them. Special attention is paid to the sales managers – which of the tools they are familiar with and which they use in their practice. A comparison is drawn between the sales managers and the production managers relative to the whole studied aggregate.
The purpose of this article is to analyze whether and how social institutions could imitate biological mechanisms. The assumption is that both types of systems are complicated and can be put under a single denominator, which states that the analogies are not mechanical. This research applies the principles of interaction, structuring of quantities and self-establishment, typical for evolutionary complex systems, to the social dynamics and the construction of identity in minority groups in the Balkans. The article is not intended to be framed only in the field of biology alone, but rather seeks to expand and enrich the transitional field of connections between the biological and the social. The ant colony was used as a prototype of a biological system. The minority groups included in the research are Slavic in ethnicity and Muslims as religious denomination from several Balkan countries. In order to achieve the purpose of the analysis, first, the ways to structure quantities are considered, as the basis of the assumption for comparability between biological and social interaction. Second, the mechanisms for the interaction of an ant colony type of system are discussed. Third, these mechanisms and characteristics are compared to the dynamics and characteristics of the minority groups in the Balkans. Finally, the strengths and limitations of such analysis are outlined as well as an assessment of the applicability of the biological models to social interactions is made.
Road safety is primary concern to many cities, seeking to be a better place to live. Safety of vulnerable participants in traffic, specifically pedestrians, cyclists, and bikers is a major issue. These three groups are disproportionately represented in statistics of casualties in urban environment, representing the largest share of fatalities. This mandates road safety and security of these participants in traffic to occupy a significant part of planning for sustainable urban mobility. Within the here presented report are listed the major indicators of road safety and additionally are specified the principles that need to be adhered to in order to make safety an achievable goal within the frame of an urban mobility system. The final part provides an overview of specific good practices and summarizes recommendations regarding the possibility to increase the personal safety efficiency of the vulnerable participants in traffic.
The present study analyzes the changes in labor legislation made in order to reduce the negative effects of the crisis caused by SCovid-19 on employment. They extend the powers of employers to change certain elements of the content of employment relationships unilaterally that affect the rights of employees substantially. Adopted suddenly and under the pressure of events, the new regulation needs to be refined to meet correspond the function of labor law to protect employees. The main purpose of the article is based on the normative, formal-logical and deductive method to analyze the legal norms establishing the possibilities for reaction of the employer and to derive the guidelines for increasing the protection of labor in cases of state of emergency or emergency epidemic situation.
The widespread penetration of digitalization changes the nature of exchange between market agents and has a direct impact on the forms of trade, including retail. The aim of this study is to examine the productivity of retail trade in the context of digitalization based on a brief theoretical analysis and the example of empirical data from the retail sector in Bulgaria for the period 2008 – 2019 or between the two economic crises. A descriptive analysis was used. Productivity is presented as the ratio of gross value added, volume of sales and gross income per employee.
