Zoltán Bartha

The SLEM Model as an Assessment Method for Local Goods' Competitiveness

In this paper we develop and present the SLEM model created to measure the market potential of local goods supplied by the entrepreneurs of the Cserehat region, one of the most deprived regions of Hungary. The SLEM model evaluates goods along four dimensions: supplier conditions, labour conditions, (professional) embeddedness, and market conditions. The four pillars were measured with factors that are easily accessible, and so the evaluation can be repeated with other regions as well. In case of Cserehat, we have identified the following five groups of local goods with the greatest potential: animal husbandry; honey; spices and pharmaceutical crops; nature tourism; and mineral water.

A nemzetközi hallgatói mobilitás területi irányai és akadályai a Miskolci Egyetemen

Hungary joined the Erasmus program in 1998, and, by 2012, its share of outgoing students reached the European mean. Since then, however, this number declined and, starting from 2014, the country could not meet the financial quota allocated for sending students abroad. This trend, furthermore, affected Hungarian institutions differently and is especially conspicuous at the University of Miskolc. This study aims to uncover causes of declining interest, to identify mobility barriers and to give suggestions to overcome them. The study is based on a questionnaire conducted in February 2016 on all students enrolled at the University of Miskolc. A total of 225 answers were recorded, and follow-up interviews were made based on the preliminary results. In the second phase, we interviewed 15 students and 5 teaching staff members. While the raw data may suggest that there are considerable differences between answers from different departments, binomial logistic regression analysis points to other factors: students’ familiarity with the Erasmus programme and the staff responsible for it; international experience; foreign language skills; fear from the credit transfer mechanism; study level. We argue that the university might be able to improve on most of the critical factors by adopting a proper strategy. Better communication and involvement could familiarize students with Erasmus opportunities; improvements of services could help overcoming language deficiencies and credit transfer problems, and foreign study trips and international summer schools could provide them an important international experience. These suggestions would be easy to implement, however, currently they are hindered by universities’ lack of financial resources. Although the study was conducted at the University of Miskolc, our result can be useful for all Hungarian stakeholders.

Cultural Characteristics and the Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students

The goals of the paper are to analyse the relationship between the cultural dimensions and to investigate the entrepreneurial intentions and activity of university students in 21 selected OECD countries. The analysis was conducted using the GUESSS database, which also includes three cultural dimensions of the GLOBE project. We found that there is a positive correlation between the entrepreneurial intentions of students and In-Group Collectivism. Uncertainty Avoidance does not have a direct effect on entrepreneurial activity of intentions; however, it correlates positively with perceived behavioural control, which has been proved to have a significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions.

Hungarian Energy Prices in an OECD Comparison

The goal of the study is to assess the effect of the utility cost reductions announced by the Hungarian government in 2012 on Hungarian energy prices. The effects are discussed in an OECD comparison. It is concluded that the government price control has resulted in a 15% steeper price reduction occurring 5-7 quarters earlier, compared to other OECD countries. The price reductions saved around 202 billion HUF for Hungarian households in 2014, which was around 0.63% of the GDP. If prices are compared to the monthly average wages however, household energy prices are still high in Hungary. One of the costs of the reduction in household energy prices was an increase in energy prices for industry: the industry/household price ratio is highest among OECD countries in the case of natural gas, and third highest for electricity.

Divergence in the Socioeconomic Development Paths of Hungary and Slovakia

This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of socioeconomic development in Slovakia and Hungary. For this purpose, we use the State of the Future Index (SOFI) to measure and forecast the socioeconomic well-being of both the countries from 1995 to 2015. The SOFI methodology has many characteristics that are in line with the 2009 Stiglitz–Sen–Fitoussi report. We find that during 1995–1999, Slovakia had a higher overall SOFI total, signifying a higher level of well-being; subsequently, however, Hungary pulled ahead between 1999 and 2005, after which Slovakia overtook Hungary yet again. Our predictions suggest that Slovakia will continue to pull ahead in the 2015–2025 period. The areas where Hungary has scope for considerable improvement are life expectancy, GDP per capita, renewable energy resources and CO2 emission and government debt. In some areas, both countries perform poorly: level of corruption and demographic trend. However, Hungary seems to have an advantage in R&D expenditure, unemployment level and voter turnout.

Characteristics of the large corporation-based, bureaucratic model among oecd countries - an foi model analysis

Abstract Deciding on the development path of the economy has been a delicate question in economic policy, not least because of the trade-off effects which immediately worsen certain economic indicators as steps are taken to improve others. The aim of the paper is to present a framework that helps decide on such policy dilemmas. This framework is based on an analysis conducted among OECD countries with the FOI model (focusing on future, outside and inside potentials). Several development models can be deduced by this method, out of which only the large corporation-based, bureaucratic model is discussed in detail. The large corporation-based, bureaucratic model implies a development strategy focused on the creation of domestic safe havens. Based on country studies, it is concluded that well-performing safe havens require the active participation of the state. We find that, in countries adhering to this model, business competitiveness is sustained through intensive public support, and an active role taken by the government in education, research and development, in detecting and exploiting special market niches, and in encouraging sectorial cooperation.