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GREEK TOURISM IN THE GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL VALUE CHAINS
Full text linkThis article analyses the relationships between international, domestic and regional value chains and tourism sector, in terms of accommodation and food service activities, in Greece. Initially, methods for determining the role of imports in tourism in the context of global value chains (GVCs) and corresponding GVC participation indicators are presented, based on the OECD trade-in-value-added database. Furthermore, suitable analytical methods are explained for estimating the backward linkages from the agricultural sector, transport and other activities into the Greek tourism sector, at both national and regional levels, and the corresponding import multiplier effects on the Greek economy. The impact of inbound tourism and of the imports of services and goods is found to perform a gradual growth, which varies with origin country and product category. In 2018, the countries having the highest value-added share in Greek tourism exports were Germany (10.6%), Italy (7.8), Russia (6.8%), France (6.2%) and the Netherlands (6.1%). The results highlight the existence of significant interregional variations in the backward linkages of tourism, with island regions having greater linkages within the tourism sector, and less backward linkages with other sectors, such as manufacturing, in contrast to the rest of the country. These empirical findings can offer a deeper understanding of the role that tourism plays in the national and regional economy and the magnitude of its impact. They can also contribute to the formulation of appropriate policies with a national and regional dimension, for the sustainable development of the tourism sector itself and related sectors of the economy that interact with tourism. Among other things, such policies may concern the development of alternative forms of tourism and partnerships aimed at creating vertically integrated value chains, both within the tourism sector and between it and other activity clusters in the Greek economy, such as agriculture, food, trade and transport
PERCEPTION OF THE TERM ENTERPRISE AGILITY BY BUSINESS MANAGERS
Full text linkThe ability to respond in a timely and effective manner to unexpected changes in the environment of enterprises has become a prerequisite for successful coping with the corona crisis period as well as the significant increase in the prices of production inputs in recent years. This ability is referred to as business agility. The aim of this paper is to present partial results of primary research in which it was investigated how the term of enterprise agility is perceived by managers of Slovak enterprises and whether they are familiar with this concept and its meaning
MACROECONOMIC ASPECTS OF TWO PATHS TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PAY-AS-YOU-GO PENSION SYSTEM UNDER THE EXPECTED DEMOGRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT
Full text linkAs a result of natural demographic development, population dynamics has been slowing down and life expectancy has been increasing. If we want to maintain the stability of the pay-as-you-go pension scheme, it is necessary to maintain the ratio between those who contribute to the system and those who benefit from it. This can be done either by forcing the retirement period to be enforced or by increasing the incentive role of the pension system to extend the period of employment. The paper is based on a comprehensive view of the use of the second option, i.e. on the effective involvement of the lifelong learning system, health care aimed at preserving the physical and mental dispositions of a person, social work aimed at increasing the employability of handicapped or excluded people. It shows the economic mechanism of motivating the above-mentioned productive services to contribute to the permanent stability of the pension system, and shows the macroeconomic impacts in the form of multiplier effects of these productive services and their effect on changing the character of growth, which can be significantly more environmentally friendly and socially friendly without changing the way it is calculated
THE EDUCATION OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN SLOVAKIA DURING THE TIME OF THE FIRST CZECHOSLOVAK REPUBLIC
Full text linkThe contribution focuses on the education of medical personnel in Slovakia during the time of the first Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1939). It took various forms. Physicians underwent their highest level of medical education at the Faculty of Medicine at the newly founded Johann Amos Comenius University in Bratislava (1919). Other medical staff were initially trained through short-term courses organised by the religious orders who focused on care for the sick and immobile, and the Czechoslovak Red Cross. Later, church nursing schools were founded by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross (Bratislava) and the nuns of the Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (Košice). Our text also briefly touches on the separate courses organised for midwives. The authors drew from archival sources, the press and relevant specialist literature of the period
STEAM-BASED LEARNING ON "NATURAL COLOR AND COLOR PERCEPTION"
Full text linkThis paper presents a lesson on "Natural Color and Color Perception" in a STEAM-based learning environment. In the course of the described pedagogical practice are touched upon different areas of knowledge in: chemistry, physics, biology, technology, information technology, mathematics, history, etc. The relationship between formal and informal education as a prerequisite for the formation of science literacy is examined. It is shown the possibility of a learning experiment to be used in the educational process. A variety of activities used to stimulate critical thinking and create a working model through color filters are described
PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AMONG TEACHERS
Full text linkIn the professional environment, psychosocial risk factors are related to mental health issues, illustrated by structural aspects of the workplace and operational methodologies that can impact the mental wellbeing of educators. Teachers\u27 mental well-being profoundly affects cognitive processes, interpersonal communication, educational achievement, and personal development. A state of well-being promotes resilience and enhanced self-confidence, constituting essential components for active engagement in social and professional spheres. The study analyzed psychosocial factors such as role conflicts, material support for teachers regarding technological equipment, teaching resources, unlimited access to software programs, and high-speed Internet. Factors related to the professional training of teachers to use software products and hardware and retraining training to work in emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have also been studied. The trend is to improve the situation in terms of technological equipment and professional learning, although some of the teachers experienced some difficulties in using the software and hardware. The second aspect of research is stressogenic factors such as mental and emotional exhaustion, which are directly related to burnout, which is at medium to low levels. The results of the Maslach test showed a low percentage of burnout among Bulgarian teachers, which is a positive phenomenon regarding teachers\u27 mental health
BULGARIA\u27S AGRIBUSINESS SYSTEM IN TURBULENT TIMES
No full textThe approach implemented with the different EIP-AGRI instruments, including Horizon 2020 (at the transnational level) and CAP (at the national and regional level), gradually builds a comprehensive knowledge base capable of responding to the practical challenges faced by agriculture and food/nonfood sectors. Therefore, the focus is now on improving information and innovation flows within AKIS. Innovation is essential to building and sharing knowledge and creating a space for participants to meet and develop ideas. The development and spread of innovative practices in agricultural holdings in Bulgaria depend to a considerable extent on the development of agricultural science and the potential impact of scientific results. In this regard, the state-of-the-art and recent trends for developing the agribusiness system in Bulgaria will be analysed from the perspective of global and regional challenges
POULTRY PROCESSING BY-PRODUCTS AS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF BIOACTIVE PEPTIDES
Full text linkPoultry meat is characterized by its good nutritive value in terms of protein content with high biological value, as well as relatively low fat content composed of a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. The poultry-processing industry is one of the fastest-growing food sectors. In this industry with such a vast production volume, the generation of a considerable amount of waste is inevitable. Most of these waste materials are extremely rich in organic compounds and nutrient components. Therefore, their evaluation through different strategies is a matter of significant importance. Poultry by-products are recognized as remarkable protein sources facilitating the production of bioactive peptides at an industrial scale. These by-products are converted into protein hydrolysates mostly by enzymatic hydrolysis to provide the release of bioactive peptides. Various by-products obtained during poultry processing such as blood, skin, feathers, viscera, liver and feet have been reported to possess plenty of bioactivities after hydrolysis. The highlighted bioactive features of those sources mainly include antioxidant, antihypertensive and antimicrobial functions. Consequently, the poultry-processing industry presents a burgeoning opportunity for the valorization of by-products rich in bioactive peptides. As the demand for sustainable practices and novel functional ingredients continues to rise, future studies exploring the diverse bioactivities and applications of the peptides derived from poultry by-products are essential for maximizing their potential contribution to human health and the food industry
EFFECT OF THE APPLICATION OF PLANT BIOSTIMULANTS ON THE ACCUMULATION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN DIFFERENT CROPS UNDER SEMIARID CONDITIONS
Full text linkBiostimulants improve the efficiency of plant metabolism and stimulate plant responses to adverse environmental conditions. Among the abiotic stresses in the Mediterranean region, high temperatures and drought are of particular importance because of their devastating effect on crop yields. In order to defend themselves against these stresses, plants produce antioxidant compounds that have beneficial effects on human health due to their known anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant properties. These compounds include glucosinolates and betalains, which are secondary metabolites characteristic of the order Brassicales and Caryophyllales, respectively. This work investigates the effect of plant biostimulants (seaweed extract, salicylic acid, brassinosteroids, chitosan and modified plant polysaccharides) applied by root or foliar application on the accumulation of glucosinolates and betalains in white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), pak choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) and red beet (Beta vulgaris). The effect of the biostimulants depended on the species (cabbage, pak choi or beet) and the application (root or foliar). In cabbage, root treatment with salicylic acid significantly increased the levels of sinigrin, glucoraphanin, glucoiberin, 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin and glucotropaeolin compared to the control treatment, while in pak choi, foliar treatments with seaweed extract and salicylic acid significantly increased the levels of glucoalysin and brassinosteroids increased the levels of glucotropaeolin. In beetroot, chitosan increased the concentration of betanin, its isomer and both betaxanthins, and treatments with salicylic acid and brassinosteroids increased the concentration of prebetanin. The other treatments did not significantly affect the concentration of the compounds studied
REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT IN BULGARIA: WHY NATIONAL INTEGRATION POLICY MATTERS
Full text linkThis paper highlights the importance of the state’s role in refugee employment in Bulgaria. In this line of thinking, it analyses the current labour market’s needs in Bulgaria and the opportunity for more beneficiaries of international protection to compensate, at least to some extent, the manpower shortage in the country. The present study shows that in the current political and security context political actors and widespread local perceptions towards refugees negatively affect the integration of the latter, hindering the adoption of a national integration policy in Bulgaria. Concerning this, the paper argues that such a policy will improve refugees’ employability in a long-term perspective as well as the relationship between them and the local population. Thus, it will benefit the national economy and act as a preventive tool in terms of threats to national security that may arise from the potential marginalization of beneficiaries of international protection