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Responding to the growing impact of changing environmental conditions and the requirement it generates for cities to respond in a resilient way, together with a changing economic climate on a global and local level [1], the research focuses on one particular aspect, aiming to gain critical insights on the reconfiguration of fragile industrial waterfronts. This research paper focuses on the reconfiguration of the Coney Island Creek in New York as an exemplary case of the needed transformation of fragile industrial waterfronts. The objective is to provide critical insights on the spatial, economic and environmental aspects of transformation of fragile industrial waterfronts. The projects want to study its transformation process through analyzing the property structure, the territorial configuration and appropriation of its collective spaces, the economic cycles of industrial production and contrast these with the growing environmental threats (storm surges, rising sea level) and a changing economic context (decreasing investments, rising unemployment etc). The research focuses on the constant reconfiguration of the waterfront's constituent collective spaces that are both strongly and simultaneously defined by natural and urban transformation processes. This research paper deals with the case study of the Coney Island Creek (New York, USA); part of an intriguing urban peninsula with a complex coexistence between industrial, recreational and residential waterfront conditions and the constant threat for urban floods by the Creek, compounded by political neglect. During the last decades, Coney Island has changed a lot by the aftermath of the financial crisis and its effect on investments and real estate projects in the area, the decrease of productivity, the changing immigration waves and new patterns of the way urban space is planned and consumed. The political abandonment and lack of individual capital of the small entrepreneurs leaves little space for alternative commercial and urban processes to assure the resilience of the industrial waterfront. Analysis shows that this case gathers what can be considered a most advanced repertoire for urban industrial transformations, and it exhibits how the dynamics, conditions and characteristics of the location causes its industrial areas to decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first decades of the 21st century are characterised by an urgent need of changing of the fundamental paradigm of managing and using of resources. The globalisation of the economy, in the "age of Capitalocene" is resulting in increasing social inequalities, the pollution of the ecosystem and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources that ultimately endangers human existence. The focus of this paper was on the process of economic localisation as a driver towards a more responsible economic model. The aims of the paper were to consider the limitations of the dominant economic concept, to discuss the concept of economic localisation and to analyse the process of economic localisation in Croatia. The empirical research was aimed to map different grassroots initiatives related with economic localisation developed in the last decade in Croatia. The main criteria were their contribution to the transition towards sustainable economy. The research has shown different initiatives at the local levels that are already contributing to a creation of more resilient and sustainable local communities. Although those initiatives currently have small impact at the national level, they are clear indicators of potentials that sustainable economy in Croatia could have. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the relation of creative industry and its position in current European Union Industry policy, where in the long-term run it plays determining role within the industry structure of European Communities countries. The meaning of creative industry within the European Union Industry policy structure is more and more actual because it contributes to the European prosperity and European economy is depended on the vitality of its industry. EU Industry policy includes the set of activities what is the means of how the EU tries to affect the efficiency of processing and services sectors, it is an area on what depends the development and competitiveness of EU member states in addition to as a whole is focused on structural adaptation process which goal is to gain comparative advantages of EU economy in the world economy environment. The goal of this study is by means of the EU industrial policy analysis to figure out the utilization rate of its current efficiency regarding the creative industry issue, in the way of further possible increasing of the EU industrial policy influence in international economics, as well as their significant role relating to the overall socio-economic development of the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siberian Jews occupied their niche in Jewish Sciences long ago. The problems of social adaptation of Judaists in Siberia in XIXth - the beginning of XXth centuries were paid much attention to in scientific papers of XXth - the beginning of XXIth centuries. At the same time particular issues associated with development of the economy of the Jewish community and their place and role in the development of distinct entities in Siberian regional areas were insufficiently examined. The given paper presents the solution of the set problem, i.e. on the basis of materials of various archives and published sources the key features of formation and development of the Jewish community in Western Siberia during the after-reform period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global financial crisis has influenced economic performance of the world economy and economic theory as well. The crisis has underlined the fiscal position as a fundamentally fragile element of the Euro Area members' economies and it has also proposed the question whether the growth has not been systematically fed and accelerated by increasing public indebtedness. The paper focuses on the quantification of relation between economic performance and public debt. There is an analysis of 27 EU countries and other 13 OECD economies data (1971-2010) divided into two groups - developed economies and less developed emerging markets and categorized into four blocks. Main findings of the paper are following: increasing public indebtedness as a percentage of GDP has led to lower economic performance in analysing group of 40 countries. The difference between the highest and lowest category of public debt level is almost 2 percent. It is supposed that unsufficient GDP growth might even deepen the ongoing debt crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solution of the problem of comparative evaluation of economic performance of enterprises and branches of industry under the situation of application of the multi-criteria projections population is discussed in the paper. The projection approach proposes distribution of performance indicators in relevant groups (projections), solving specific optimization problems within the established groups, and search for the final answer. Multiprojectiveness is applicable to economic problems of the analysis of sustainability, innovativeness and security at different hierarchical levels. However, the specific stakeholders are public authorities at various levels of management, owners, managers, investors, creditors, etc. In responding to such the challenges, one shall operate the relevant principles of multiobjective optimization, in particular, the Pareto principle that enables to obtain the answer as a population of unimprovable variants. It is reasonable to use the principle of effective selection as the main principle of determination of mutually acceptable solutions. When following the specified principle, one shall consider all effective alternatives, determined by the stakeholders within the projection approach and obtain a joint solution based on the established alternatives. The paper presents a methodical three-criteria example of the projection analysis of enterprises and branches of industry by the stakeholders in terms of maximization and minimization of indicators, as well as under oppositely directed indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solution of the problem of comparative assessment of economic performance of enterprises and branches of industry under the situation of application of a set of indicators is discussed in the paper. There is a need to use the multi-criteria choice when addressing a variety of issues such as the integrated assessment of business parameters of the companies in the branch of industry, the analysis of economic performance of the enterprises for investment, the cost-benefit analysis of investment projects based on the set of economic indicators, the cost-benefit analysis of socially significant investment projects based on the population of economic, social, environmental and other indicators. Multicriteriality of settings enables to take into account different aspects, but exacerbates dramatically the comparing procedure due to inconsistency of estimated indicators. Improvement of one estimated index results in degradation of the others; and the particular optima are obtained in different points. With the aim of fulfilling these tasks, one shall apply the relevant principles of multiobjective optimization, in particular, the Pareto principle. The direct formation of a Pareto set according to the definition is rather difficult, especially if there is a significant number of indicators and alternatives to be compared. In view of this, different methods for formation of an effective set and lower ranks have been elaborated to facilitate the analysis. The paper presents typical three-criteria examples of the author's methods implementation for the analysis of enterprises and branches of industry in terms of maximization and minimization of indicators, as well as under oppositely directed indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of modern economic conditions in which service companies operate is determined by increasing uncertainty, rapidly changing market conditions and the external environment. In this connection, the need to ensure and develop the adaptive abilities of the company for a long period is more acutely recognized, which, in turn, determines the importance of implementing strategic changes. Service companies can implement a variety of strategic changes, develop them, and implement several strategic changes at the same time. The scale of small business, prevailing in the service sector, allows businesses to flexibly and mobility respond to ongoing changes in the market environment. The companies need to study constantly happening changes in the main components of the external environment and to estimate the requirements on implementation of strategic changes. Strategic changes cannot provide serious results in the market and optimal economic parameters if advantages for business that the company doesn't realize are created. In this connection, the core of any strategic change is the creation of new opportunities for the company. The paper presents an analysis of strategic changes in the service sector and identifies three main ways to create strategic changes in service companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the social policy, social assurance and indicators of social help for seniors. It is about the period of senior age of human being. It refers to phase of aging process of life, its specifics and possibilities of meaningful seniority. We point out social status, position of seniors in society. We emphasize the quality of life from the point of view of health and social accuracy, full-value use of time, leisure, education. We think about active and healthy aging of seniors. The period of seniority brings problems with health leading to psychical and physical unbalance. We remark healthy life style, prevention and dimension of settling with aging. We also underline intergeneration relations, the sense of family for senior and position of senior in family. We stress the issue of human rights, elimination of ageism and we analyze the perception of seniors by young generation in Slovakia. The paper also deals with the possibility of accuracy of seniors in the era of social help in family; we describe the meaning of caretake services for seniors - also in the context of their quality and accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public sector approaches tourism with special interest due to its positive impact on the economy. However, in order to realize the benefits of the effects of tourism, the public sector must achieve certain prerequisites for the development of tourism. The public sector by its intervening in tourism development seeks to achieve its long-term sustainable development, i.e. the maximization of benefits from tourism activities while preserving the attractiveness of tourist destinations. After an overview of issues associated with measuring tourism, the paper describes some of the characteristics and possibilities for improving the Croatian tourism. Croatian public sector should adequately evaluate its tourism potentials. To bring about improving Croatian tourism, modern management practices will be needed, together with the creation of a desirable destination image, adequate valorization of natural, historical and cultural heritage, innovative forms of investment, and improvement in the infrastructure facilities. The next part deals with the role of the public sector in tourism. The fundamental role of the public sector in tourism lies in planning its development. The last part of the paper is based on conclusion that sustainable development is the reason for the public sector interventionism in tourism. However, the level to which the public sector can influence tourism flows is limited. Successful management of tourism as much as tourism planning and regulation of activities related to tourism, requires coordination between government bodies, interest groups, private sector and the involvement of local and regional government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the publication is to classify the European Union countries with an application of the modified HDI indicator for year 2005 and 2015 The index, which will be created, is treated as a modified Human Development Index due to the fact that it will be completed with the added information. The modified synthetic index will be calculated for the following determinants: economics, science and technology, health, education and living conditions. The source data will be obtained from Eurostat databases. The synthetic index of the standard of living of the European Union countries will be created as the mean of the indices calculated for each determinant. Based on this, a ranking of EU countries will be created, as well as the classification of similar countries. The cluster analysis method will be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All EU countries are confronted with the effects of population ageing. The expected decline in the population should compensated. Otherwise, it may have been a decline of economic growth. That situation therefore requires additional workers, including immigrants. Foreign students are clearly the easiest potential immigrants to integrate. When foreign students stay on after graduation, they have a long-term influence on the economy. The aim of the article is to highlight the current problems associated with the use of the potential of foreign students in the EU. The paper analyses these effects of foreign students on the economies of EU countries: demographic situation in the Member States, presence in the labour market following completion of studies, and revenues generated by educational institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Included as a vital component of an in depth research project, concerning homelessness and life trajectories of homeless people, this study is devoted to the identification of communalities and singularities between daily life and survival strategies of homeless men and women. To accomplish this major goal, the researcher participated in outreach interventions (6 teams, n>400) and performed 96 in depth interviews with (formerly) homeless people and professionals [38 homeless, 11 formerly homeless, and 47 professionals (27 in the context of street intervention)]. The first two groups' discourses comprised the following domains: life path, namely through the identification of key moments and circumstances associated to the emergence/maintenance of homelessness, daily routines, expectation and major needs, concerns/fears and survival strategies. The participants in the third group presented their perspectives on the major communalities and singularities in life trajectories of homeless people and described/assessed the intervention developed. The comparative analysis of the narratives of these three groups and the observation notes exposed major differences in the experiences and perspectives of male and female homeless people. Concerning the more prominent similarities, for both (men and women) homelessness is experienced as a complex, nonlinear and dynamic process. Nevertheless, despite the likeness of trajectories, there are considerable dissimilarities on the typology, number, duration and significance of factors that male and female associate to daily life and survival during the phases of emergence, maintenance and reinsertion in community. Women frequently stand out as highly important factors, conflicts in the network of relationships (proximity and extended), the existence of dependencies [sometimes by the (a) partner (a)] and unemployment. Men give preponderance to unemployment, which is associated to the accumulation of debt and the loss of housing. They also mention violent breaking of ties with the nuclear family. For each one of those fields participants gave specific examples and presented their most intense difficulties and fears. In the last part of the paper the author proceeds to a brief presentation of policies and intervention implications from the data analyzed. The specificities inherent to intervention in this problematic are discussed, particularly regarding the need to develop flexible and interdisciplinary gender unbiased approaches, which effectively contribute to improve quality of life and well-being of homeless people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the history cities have accumulated, controlled, regenerated and dispensed things/concepts which have been carried by flows; nevertheless, with the switch from analog communication to digital communication, they have become more receptive to every thing/concept than ever. In this sense, it can be expressed that, with this switch, Istanbul has also entered into a new period in which the flows have accelerated and intensified. Moving from this acknowledgement this study creates a conceptual ground by defining six global flows existing in modern world which are put forward by Arjun Appadurai and Paul Knox; and, queries potential of Istanbul in the context of flow on this conceptual ground. These global flows are 'ethnoscape', 'technoscape', 'finansscape', 'ideoscape', 'mediascape' and 'commodityscape' while it is accepted that every single 'scape' defines 'spatiality' that collects, processes and dispenses the flows. In this context, this study aims at questing whether or not Istanbul is a city which could accumulate the six flows that move to its scapes and actualize accumulated things; and comes to an end with the evaluation that this city does not transform or does transform hardly while emphasizing that city's historicity and transformational characteristics must be sustainable and consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to present a known concept - the one of financial performance, but being assessed by means of random variables, which are routinely applied by econometric techniques. The innovation of the article is ensured by showing there would be a correlation between the two simple concepts. The research is fundamental type. An articles database was intensively used in order to assess the frequency of occurrence of the two mentioned notions published together within the same article. After investigation was performed, the hypothesis according to which the literature does not treat the financial performance of the companies through random variables was confirmed. However, the idea is open for further development and applicability pathways solution in the economic domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the burning issues in identifying the financial status of an industrial enterprise is a well-balanced system of financial indicators. Existing methods of financial assessment are similar in comprising the following indicators: current liquidity ratio; profitability ratio; indicators of financial sustainability and financial results: receivables and payables; limiting constraints. The specifics of extractive industry companies dictate the need to consider dependence of financial indicators on investments in fixed capital. A brief description of the concepts of current liquidity ratio, profitability ratio, indicators of financial sustainability and financial results, receivables and payables, internal and external limiting constraints are presented in the interpretation of Russian scientists. Correlation matrices are constructed and correlation window technique is applied to identify relations between independent and dependent variables for different periods of companies' operation. The data for the case of extracting companies is taken from All- Russia integral interagency system of information and statistics. Frequent dependences occur between the following pairs of independent variables: current liquidity/corporate loan payables; return on assets/financial results; corporate loan payables/limiting constraints. The data from correlation windows substantiated the dependence of investment in fixed capital on financial indicators, specifically close relations between independent variable of current liquidity and dependent variability of investment in fixed capital are revealed. This fact can lead to the conclusion that current liquidity ratio is most essential indicator for creation and reproduction of corporate fixed assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade the EU economy was hit by two economic crises. The first was the deep global financial and economic crisis in 2008. After a brief economic recovery occurred in 2012 in the European Union another, more moderate economic recession. Reason for its existence was excessive indebtedness of some euro area countries, mainly Greece, Portugal, Ireland and Spain. The debt crisis and uncertainty about the future of the European economic and monetary union was the cause of creation of the second, though less severe economic recession. Slovak economy in the pre-crisis period was characterized by high economic growth. In 2007 gross domestic product grew year on year to 10.7%. The unemployment rate decreased to 9.6%. This article aims to assess the impact of the global financial and economic crisis as well as the second economic recession in 2012 on the EU economy and on the economy of Slovakia. Economic performance evaluation was based on the development of basic macroeconomic indicators, notably real GDP, unemployment rate and public debt. We focused on the comparison of the development of the demand side of the economies, so domestic and external demand in the last decade. For this purpose we used statistical data from Eurostat. Based on the analysis it can be concluded that due to the global financial and economic crisis the EU economy in 2009 declined year on year by -4.4% and the Slovak economy by -5,3%. This at a time stopped positive development of the Slovak economy. After a brief recovery in both economies, a second recession took place in 2012 in the EU. Reason for its creation was the debt crisis and uncertainty and fears of further economic development. EU gross domestic product fell year on year by -0.4% and in the euro area by -0.7%. From 2015 we can expect a positive development and growth of both economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With regard to the human trafficking phenomenon, Romania continues to be mainly a country of origin, with the highest number of people trafficked and exploited both internally and abroad in the European Union, next to Bulgaria (Eurostat, 2013). Although cross-border trafficking is predominant, during the last years the internal trafficking phenomenon became more and more visible, both with regard to sexual and labour exploitation (National Agency Against Trafficking of Persons: ANITP reports 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014). On the basis of the unfavourable economic conditions and lack of a professional education more and more people looking after seasonal or daily work in other region of the country or outside of the country. Based on a working methodology developed in the frame of the AGREE project, funded by EC under the program "Prevention of and fight against crime" (http://www.agreeproject.eu) coordinated by Center Partnership for Equality, we will present the results of qualitative field research in Romania. We will analyze the trends of the phenomenon, vulnerability factors and several characteristics of the phases of trafficking process (recruiting, transportation, details of exploitation: like accommodation, payment, working program, etc), the traffickers' strategies to retain the workers, asking for help) in the case of cross-border as well as of internal trafficking. Our results show that the increased rate of illegal labour, unemployment, poverty, corruption, lack of information and prevention services, but also the negative effect of certain laws that should protect vulnerable categories (such as the daily worker's law or the child protection law) or the missing answers from certain institutions are social factors with great impact on maintaining the labour exploitation phenomenon and also the trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation purposes, regardless of the type of exploitation, internal or external. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palm oil production has experienced rapid growth for recent decades and has the potential to generate significant economic and social development in rural areas of Indonesia. The majority of palm oil production (80%) is situated on Sumatra island. Converting smallholder agriculture into a dynamic sector helps to increase the efficiency of rural economy through demand growth in other sectors. Unfortunately, there are numerous problems and constraints that smallholders face while striving to maximize their potential of palm oil production, e.g. ownership, access to information, securing capital, decision on land-use system and markets risks. The independent smallholders cannot maintain long term economic development because they are not able to invest in such projects as technical innovation or infrastructure innovation. Therefore, supported smallholder production has an advantage. Contract farming between smallholders and private companies could be potentially a way of overcoming of these problems and may play a role in improving welfare and increasing of incomes of the smallholders. Study was carried out in North Sumatra province during two periods in 2012 and 2013. Data were collected through semi-structured interview with local administration and NGOs and group discussions with local palm oil smallholders. Main questions were focused on attitudes of the respondents toward potential benefits from contract farming and income diversification. Study reveals that markets in target area are often poorly serviced that hinder potential benefits from increasing market orientation. Furthermore, smallholder face high transaction costs that are connected to market access strategies. Nevertheless, they perceive contract farming as a suitable tool to achieve income diversification through lowering costs of production and promoting high value crops with better extension and raising returns by higher prices for the produce. Contract farming seems to be the promising solution providing palm oil smallholders the access to more stable and profitable business relationships. Entering into a contract clearly yields higher value and improves the farmers' welfare and supports economic development of rural areas in North Sumatra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]