Bogusław Bembenek

RFID within High-Tech Clusters – Towards a Knowledge-Based Economy

Abstract - The concept of knowledge-based economy (KBE) in this article constitutes the basis for the undertaken considerations regarding the implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the development process of high-tech clusters. It has been indicated in the article that this type of economy is characterised by quick development, particularly, of these disciplines which are related to information processing and science development, mainly the high-tech industry, including the technologies and services of an information society. It has been emphasised that in these market conditions the key sources of competitive advantage of business entities comprise, inter alia, the efficiency of knowledge management as well as various knowledge-intensive undertakings, which create newer and newer value for key stakeholders. The main subject of this paper is to analyse the development and application of RFID within the high-tech cluster. Firstly, the paper aims to present a literature review on the strategic importance of RFID technology for firms located in high-tech clusters through tracing a broad range of literature. Secondly, it constitutes an attempt to characterise the factors determining the decision to implement this technology, by focusing on the research results.

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER IN THE CONTEXT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – A NEW CHALLENGE FOR CLUSTER MANAGEMENT

Cancer in general in Albania is an increasing problem and cervical cancer is the third most common gynecologic cancer among all women. Refer to European Code Against cancer an important action for women to help to prevent cervical cancer is to take part in organised cancer screening programmes. The study aims to identify in women health beliefs about cervical cancer. This is a transversal and analytical study with a sample of 210 healthy women from Vlora city with different socio-economic and educational levels. A selfadministered questionnaire that assesses the health beliefs components about cervical cancer was the data collection instrument. The results highlighted low risk perception relative to cervical cancer. Most of women believe that cervical cancer as dangerous as all the other cancers and uncertainties about the chances to recover from it exist among them. Misunderstandings and high sensitivity relate to cervical screening. Relationship between perceived benefits, emotional, economic barriers and Pap test uptake was found. Large numbers of women never screened. The results indicated that to improve the womens attitudes to health, to encourage adherence to cervical screening and to avoid misconceptions due to lack of information conversations with health operators and the designing of effective prevention strategies based on health beliefs are fundamental.

Business Clusters and Social Cooperatives — A Chance to Promote Female Entrepreneurship in Rural Poland?

Making up 91% of its territory and being inhabited by over 56% of its citizens, rural areas constitute an essential part of the EU’s geographical characteristics and identity (ec.europa.eu). Many of these areas struggle with serious socio-economic and infrastructure problems, thus, it is very important to constantly seek new ways of improving rural dwellers’ quality of life, developing entrepreneurship, and enhancing the competitiveness of farms and agricultural enterprises. The significance of positive attitudes towards change, a constant motivation to acquire knowledge and a need for self-fulfilment among the local population are rarely considered in the frame of regional development policies. Nevertheless, the success of those policies depend heavily on the strategic thinking and way of making decisions of regional actors, and on the entrepreneurial attitudes and actions of the local population. Against this backdrop women’s entrepreneurship has attracted growing attention in the light of the importance of new business creation for economic growth and development. While ‘the policy rationale for the development of women’s entrepreneurship was traditionally focused on issues like poverty alleviation, women’s equality and empowerment, and social inclusion’ (Lotti 2006: 2; for the case of developing countries see, for example, Jamali 2009) positive effects of female commitment are increasingly appreciated in the context of rural development strategies.