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Daniela Georgieva
Digital Competences of Accountants within the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Summary:
The aim of this research is to identify the major digital competences that are required for accounting professionals. The focus of the research is on three positions in the National Classification of Professions and Positions (NCPP – 2011) – those of a chief accountant, an operational accountant and a bookkeeper. The objective of the research is to make a comparative analysis of the different classes in the NCPP-2011 and the major digital competences required for them according to the main duties of the people appointed to those positions. Our research approach is based on the methods of logical reasoning, deduction and comparison, as well as analysis and synthesis of the legal requirements which have been adopted at a national and an international level in terms of the competences and professional duties for each position. In addition, an analysis has been made of proposed classifications and identified competences in related economic literature. The propositions and conclusions we give will contribute to raising the awareness of employees, employers and educational institutions about the digital competences and knowledge required from persons practising the profession. The research has been funded by the MES Program ‘Young Scientists and Postdoctoral Students’ through a grant made to the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University. The author would like to acknowledge the support which has been provided through the program.
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Nikolay Ninov
Efficiency of the Social Assistance System in Bulgaria through Planning the Use of European Funds
Summary:
Within the social policy implemented to alleviate the worst forms of deprivation and combat poverty, targeting European Union citizens that are most affected by the socio-economic crisis, and through the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, the European Commission finalized the process of adoption of all national operational programmes for the period 2014-2020 amounting to a total value of 3.8 billion Euros. These funds will be spent on achieving social cohesion and implementing one of the main objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy – “Lifting at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty or social exclusion”. The Republic of Bulgaria received 104.8 million Euros to finance social benefits and social services aimed at promoting social inclusion, thereby the national social assistance system is expected to demonstrate greater effectiveness and efficiency in spending them
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Nina Koteva
The Economic Efficiency and Financial Sustainability
of Agricultural Holdings
Summary:
The purpose of this article is to study the levels and trends of some basic indicators characterizing the economic efficiency and financial sustainability of agricultural holdings.
The study is based on official statistical information (NSI, MAF, Eurostat) and covers the period 2006-2013. It uses the following survey methods: systematic and comparative analysis; method of statistical groupings, inductive and deductive methods of analysis.
The survey results show that there is no clear steady upward trend in the efficiency and financial sustainability of agricultural holdings in the country. The economic performance of agricultural holdings growing field crops repeatedly exceed the performance achieved in the other types of holdings, mainly due to the larger sizes of the holdings and the support received rather than the more efficient production. The agricultural holdings growing perennial crops are in the most unfavourable situation.
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Venelin Terziev
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LABOUR MARKET IN BULGARIA
AND THE IMPACT OF IMPLEMENTED POLICIES REGARDING EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT
Summary:
The adequacy and timeliness of an implemented policy are crucial for the effective support of changes in the parameters of the labour market and economic development. Considering the time delay of the effects and changes. its duration should not be overlooked in order to develop preventive measures for a timely response. Shortening the period in which the effects of the contemporary crisis are transferred on the labour market, respectively labour demand, reflects not only the degree of elasticity of labour demand to primary markets, but also the flexibility of the implemented policies. This fact has focused attention on the flexibility of labour markets and opportunities through its increase to strengthen the mobility and adaptability of the workforce to the dynamically evolving labour demand.
Considering the features of economic development and the possible impacts on the labour market is gradually becoming an inseparable part of the policy-making process in the labour market. If, in the early periods of the development of the labour market, policies were aimed primarily at tackling the effects of economic reforms on employment, at a later stage labour market policy has a pronouncedly active character and it is aimed at influencing processes or the formation of behaviour among target groups according to pre-planned targets. The functioning labour market is an adequate mechanism of the market environment and the implemented policy is increasingly based on the existing relationships and interactions between the periods of economic development and the labour market.
Regulatory regimes have a certain influence on the development of the basic parameters of the labour market, but overall their impact, and that of the specific policies of the labour market for activation of labour resources, for providing employment and for better labour adaptation of the workforce have effects with limited opportunities towards the balance of labour supply and demand.
The policy on the labour market in Bulgaria during the transition period so far has reflected in varying degrees the needs of the economy . In 1990-2000 this policy was built together with the development of the labour market itself and therefore its nature is mainly preventive. After 2000 the policy of the labour market involves more active programmes and activities that reflect more adequately the changes in the macroeconomic environment and the periods in the economic development. Overall, however, the active policy has a minor and a temporary role in supporting employment and cannot replace investment activities to create jobs. Economic development is crucial for supply and demand in the labour market and for its balance in the different periods of development.
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Silvia Gospodinova
STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN GROSS VALUE ADDED AND THEIR RELATION TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF BULGARIA IN THE PERIOD 1997-2017
Summary:
The changes in the sectoral composition of the economy reflect many processes and are an accurate indicator of the nature and rate of economic development of the state. What is more, sectoral structure is important for the analysis of economic development rate and the patterns and the increase in the productivity of all economic activities.
Sectoral changes are important due to their role in the production pro-cess and the different labour productivity of different economic sectors and activities. Hence, the assessment and the use of the opportunities for accelerated development of the different sectors can contribute significantly to the economic growth and the increase of labour productivity.
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Eduard Marinov
BULGARIA’S TRADE RELATIONS WITH ITS MAIN PARTNERS
IN SUBSAHARAN AFRICA – TRENDS AND PROSPECTS
Summary:
This article aims at presenting the prospects for trade between Bulgaria and Sub-Saharan Africa by analysing the geographical structure of international trade relations with the region. To achieve this firstly it presents Bulgarian trade with Sub-Saharan countries summarizing the trade flow dynamics for the 2003-2015 period, the share of Sub-Saharan Africa in Bulgarian international trade, as well as the commodity structure of the trade flows. The main section of the article thoroughly discusses firstly the major trade products for the leading trade partners, then the dynamics of trade with these countries and finally it analyses the significant cases of trade fluctuations. The conclusion summarizes the main findings which show the increasing importance of Sub-Saharan Africa for Bulgaria’s international trade relations.
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Radoslav Tsonchev, Stoimenka Tonova
FINANCIAL INNOVATION
AND THE NEW REGULATION
Summary:
The majority of experts and practitioners share the opinion that one of the major reasons for the world financial crisis from the period 2007-2009 is the failure of the market regulation both as statutory framework and professional practice. Unfortunately, the traditional financial doctrine was not in position to adequately assess the high complexity of the modern financial markets. It did not address in detail the essence of the financial innovations and to a certain extent allowed the deregulation and market self-regulation and thus allowing the widespread of such innovations. This survey is an attempt (i) to respond to the need for better understanding of the financial innovations, (ii) to point out and analyze the regulatory challenges caused by the market dynamics and (iii) to assess the steps already taken. It is not by chance that the reforms of the regulatory framework played a major role in the post-crisis period. Their progress in the last two or three years has been remarkable but, in our opinion, there is still a lot left to be accomplished in this field.
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Mihal Stoyanov
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF LOW-COST AIRLINES
AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE
Summary:
Air passenger transport is essential for society and economy. This article examines the development of the low-cost carriers market in Europe and the specific characteristics of low-cost airlines, which distinguish these airline operators from the other participants in the aviation market. It also analyzes the serious expansion of this market segment in Europe for the period 2005-2013 and formulates recommendations for possible improvement of the business strategy of low-cost airlines.
