Journal articles on the topic 'Export demand attractiveness'

The purpose of the research. The relevance of the article is due to the decline in the consumption of petroleum products in the world and in Russia in particular, as well as changes in the structure of demand for petroleum products. The crisis related to the COVID-19 factor had a significant impact on the oil and petroleum products market. Consequently, this article is aimed at identifying the prospects for the development of the oil product market. Results. The leading approach to the study of this problem is the analysis of current indicators of the oil product market, which allows a comprehensive review of current market trends and prospects for its development. Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that in 2020, the volume of primary processing is expected to decrease, which will not suffer as much as the production of crude oil. However, all markets are expected to recover in 2021. It should be noted that the production of products aimed at the domestic market (automobile gasoline and diesel fuel) has increased in recent years. Fuel oil and gas oil production, which is export-oriented, decreased compared to 2014. Exports of petroleum products such as motor gasoline, diesel fuel, bitumen, and vacuum gas oil have not changed significantly over the past few years, while exports of fuel oil have declined significantly. The reduction in production and export of fuel oil is associated with a drop in the attractiveness of fuel oil exports as a result of an increase in export duties. In the future, diesel fuel production and exports are projected to increase, while fuel oil production and exports will continue to decline. The article has a practical value for companies working in the oil refining industry, public and private investors.

Over the past few years, oil crops cultivation has become investment-attractive in our country. This is due to both the increase in demand for products of their processing in domestic and foreign markets and the sustainable development of the processing and food industry. This article reviews approaches to the formation of the technologies introduction system for growing oil crops in Central Siberia (rape, dodder, mustard), industrial production of oils, food additives and feed products from them using biotechnology techniques, with a view to creating a high-tech competitive export-oriented oil sector of the agro-industrial complex in Krasnoyarsk Krai, which creates added value and increases its investment attractiveness.

The article presents proposals for the development of rural areas by increasing their investment attractiveness. It is proved that in addition to financial resources, limiting factors for the development of the territory can serve as its social, environmental, and institutional features. Lack of resources, technologies, and infrastructure will limit rural development. It is proved that the implementation of the development opportunities of territories involves the search for optimal solutions in the selection of investment objects, their integration into the economy of the region and the municipality. The article examines the investment attractiveness of the Ramon district of the Voronezh region, which has a shortage of energy capacity, which does not allow for further expansion of industrial activities in the municipality. It is proposed to consider the creation of a company providing services in the field of eco-tourism as an alternative investment object. Such projects do not have increased requirements for existing electrical capacity, preserve recreational potential, create jobs, and ultimately improve the quality of life of the district's population. A brief description of the development of the tourism industry in Russia and the Voronezh region is given, and the main measures of its state support are highlighted. The growth of the domestic tourist market is predicted, as well as an increase in demand for these services. The project for installing and launching a glamping complex on the territory of the Ramon district is calculated. Conclusions are drawn about the economic, social and budgetary effectiveness of the proposed project. The glamping complex will increase the export of tourist services in the region, increase the gross regional product, and create additional jobs without using significant energy capacity, which will ultimately have a positive impact on the development of the municipality as a whole.

The article assesses the effective use of investments in fixed assets in Uzbekistan and includes results of regression analysis of the impact of changes in foreign direct investment (FDI) volumes on GDP. The author established that in the previous period economic growth in Uzbekistan was primality caused by domestic investments. At the same time, analysis of the ICOR (Incremental Capital Output Ratio) dynamics and cross-section analysis of the impact of FDI on GDP in 15 transition economies show that misallocation of domestic investment in fixed assets reduces a country’s attractiveness to foreign investors. To assess the synergy effect of the investments, the author used an «Input-Output» model, which allowed to determine industry-specific coefficients of final demand, reflecting the multiplicative effect of investments in fixed assets on GDP growth.The degree of possible FDI influence on Uzbekistan current account balance was determined according to two scenarios, depending onthe capacity of the economy to attract FDI and the degree of export-orientedness.The results of the empirical analysis revealed an urgent need to strengthen the synergy effect of investment efficiency factors by combining them and simultaneously creating new qualities (emergence). Additionally, based on the revealed highest multiplier effect of the investments in following Uzbekistan’s industries: engineering, chemical and light industry, production of textiles, clothing, and electrical equipment and devices - the author formulated recommendations for increasing their attractiveness to foreign investors.

In the countries of the Middle East, oil and gas fields were discovered at about the same time, in the first third of the 20th century, but the development was mainly in the oil direction. Starting from the 1970–1980s, a keen interest in gas fields appeared, but most of these countries fell into a long period of military-political and organizational-economic turbulence. In the current period, in accordance with the increased world demand, growing environmental requirements, a long-term trend towards a fall in the cost and demand for oil, as well as the search for additional income, all these countries are developing the gas industry, but differ in terms of the internal factors of the industry’s investment attractiveness (reserves, type of gas, production volumes, consumption, infrastructure) and external (export orientation, transport component, the impact of sanctions, long-term regional military-political conflicts). The parameters of these national factors can affect both individual countries and the development of the gas industry in the entire oil and gas producing region of the Middle East. The combination of the influence of internal and external national factors creates new, potentially possible competitive advantages for the region’s oil and gas outsiders. The article systematizes statistics and analyzes reserves, production, cost and consumption of gas in the Middle East since 2008. The authors calculated the predicted values of these parameters based on the time series up to 2030. The authors also analyzed the transport possibilities and gas export by the countries of the region, which made it possible to differentiate the countries into developing gas industry in the coming years for national and/or local needs, and the gas exporting countries. The paper shows that cooperation between the oil and gas countries of the region is practically at the initial level and requires intensification of regional cooperation to create a powerful gas transportation infrastructure. The authors also determined the place of the gas producing countries of the Middle East in the world market for reserves, production and transportation of natural gas and LNG.

The research conducted in the article allowed to identify problems, explore strengths and weaknesses, consider threats and alternative opportunities and identify priority areas for development of the grain market of Ukraine. In particular, it is noted that the grain market is a complex economic system, which is significantly influenced by climatic factors, demand, supply, pricing, government regulation, efficiency of institutions, the existence of appropriate infrastructure, the intensity of competition of economic entities and more. At the macro level, the efficiency of the grain market is influenced by the following key factors: environmental (climate change); demographic (population growth); energy (growing cereals for biofuels); attractiveness of the grain market for TNCs and transnational grain traders; underdeveloped infrastructure of the grain market; lack of effective instruments of state regulation of supply and demand in the grain market; low level of credit security (high level of interest rates); imperfection of insurance protection; low efficiency of budget support for agricultural producers. Priority areas for the development of the grain market are: improvement of the regulatory framework for the functioning of the grain market; improvement of protection measures for grain market entities; optimization of land tenure and land use; introduction of effective insurance protection; modernization of material and technical base of business entities; creation of an information portal based on e-logistics and digitalization (monitoring, forecasting); development of the export potential of the grain market; ensuring equal economic conditions for all subjects of the grain market; improving state support; promotion of agrarian integration and cooperation; raising the competence level of managers and managers of business entities; diversification of grain use; introduction of new credit and investment collateral instruments; development of grain market infrastructure; introduction of e-logistics.

The paper deals with the results of the scientific discussion on the management of the complementary development of the adjacent territories to river freight. The main purpose is to substantiate the nature and directions of implementing the river transport potential in the country's logistics system by applying the concept of complementary development of the economy of port regions, focusing on the development of river ports as nodes of the country's logistics system. The relevance of the study is that the factors of radical growth of demand for inland waterway transportation from businesses and the state require a corresponding reorientation of logistics for many sectors of the economy, especially from the riparian territories. The research of the problems of river freight transportation сoncerning dimensional and functional economy restructuring of Ukraine's regions within logistics concept is carried out in the following logical sequence: the evaluation of the ability of river transport to form a direct and multiplicative effect of logistics, generated by gross regional product and export processes in the country's port regions; clustering of areas adjacent to river ports based on development potential (Gross Regional Product and exports); confirmation of the division of regions according to the mathematical algorithm of hierarchical clustering of adjacent regions; the evaluation of investment attractiveness of the country's port regions; managing the intensification of the impact of river transport for the development of surrounding areas; the evaluation of the potential of multiplier effect at the system of management of the river ports complementary development. The mathematical algorithm of hierarchical clustering of port regions using the SPSS software system and the heuristic approach to their structure (by author's method of forming clusters based on the contribution of river transport to the formation of the direct and multiplicative effect of logistics: formed GRP and export processes in the port regions of the country). The subject of the study is the port regions. The evaluation results of the contribution of river freight transport for the economy of the adjacent territories conducted based on regression analysis and analysis of the intensity of river transport use during 2007-2016 period, showed that river transport is not a market-forming factor of development of the adjacent territories. The results of the study can be useful for the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, administration of river ports, logistics operators, business in port regions, other participants of the market of water transportation in the process of prioritization of the goals of combined freight transportation Keywords logistics, regional development, river transport, port regions, territorial structure of Ukrainian, complementary development

The subject of the research is a set of models of systems analysis of the educational services market. The goal of the work is to develop a set of models of systems analysis of the educational services market in Ukraine, which allow to assess the state of regional market segments; to highlight the segments which are the most sensitive to the reduction of the educational institutions network; to assess the competitiveness of educational services in the foreign market; to determine the most attractive segments of the foreign market. The paper solves the following tasks: models of classification of regions according to the level of development of the education system are developed; models for a comprehensive assessment of the level of development of the education system are proposed, which allow assessing the position of Ukraine in comparison with European countries; models for classifying external market segments by the level of attractiveness for promoting educational services of Ukrainian universities in the context of an export-oriented development model are developed. The following methods are used: systems analysis – to describe the object of research, conceptual approach and a set of tasks to be solved; cluster analysis – for building classification models; taxonomy methods, development level method – to build a rating assessment of Ukraine's position in the educational services market. The following results have been obtained: a grouping of the regions of Ukraine by the level of development of the education system has been developed, the "pivotal" regions for the formation of a network of educational institutions have been identified; a system of rating assessment of countries in the educational services market institutions has been proposed; the most attractive external market segments for the promotion of educational services of universities in Ukraine institutions have been identified. Conclusions: the implementation of the models made it possible to conclude that the composition of the "pivotal" regions for the formation of a network of educational institutions includes such regions as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Dnipro regions. Educational services of universities in these regions are in the highest demand, but these regions are also the most vulnerable to the phase of market decline. The analysis of the "substitute" effect made it possible to conclude that Ukraine is characterized by a high rating of the level of development of the education system in comparison with European countries. In the context of the export-oriented development model, external market segments that are attractive for Ukraine have been highlighted.

The subject of this article is the analysis of integration processes at an interstate level and within individual business groups, as well as the economic links of all participants in market relations which provide real opportunities for a more intensive movement of capital into new, highly efficient, at the same time more risky markets. The aim is to explain the principles of re-evaluating the investment attractiveness and the level of safety of many quite cost-effective capital investment options. The effectiveness of the decision made will depend on which of the possible situations in the external environment will actually take place. Fundamental to this approach is the ability to make the most out of the resources that the country possess - minerals. infrastructure, labor resources, etc., since ultimately this will determine the degree of its efficiency, its internal order. The rate of the stability of the system, the expectedness and predictability of its development are characterized by the concept of entropy. The principal of this approach is that the following is used as initial data: the volumes of transit traffic, the capacities of the enterprises being created, the volumes of the alienated territories. To adjust the parameters, the indicators related to the creation of new jobs and labor productivity for each analyzed investment program were used. At the same time, the investment risk is measured by the absolute value of possible losses in monetary terms. Accordingly, options for the development of external conditions are assigned, alternatives for tackling an issue are set and the effectiveness of each alternative and risks in various conditions should be determined. An important aspect of this approach is the ability to identify areas of high and absolute risk. This study confirms the following hypothesis. The potential for an export and raw material development of the economies of the post-Soviet countries has been exhausted, nevertheless, they have the opportunity to obtain strategic benefits from the current situation based on the stable world demand for provision, creating conditions for the rational directing resources into promising industries with the aim of developing industrial and post-industrial sectors in the country’s economy.

Background. Brand formation of a resort and recreational enterprise is a key factor of success and competitive advantage. The socio-economic development of the destination, its investment attractiveness and the development of an export-oriented model of the resort and recreational sphere depend on the strength of the brand’s influence. This significant scientific aspect requires a theoretical substantiation of the brand concept of a resort and recreational enterprise and the study of the basic of its formation. The aim of the article is to study the methodological foundations of the brand concept of the resort and recreation enterprise, taking into account the key features of the resort and recreation service, which will increase brand awareness, provide reliable information to consumers, the resort and recreation company will balance supply and demand especially during periods of seasonal fluctuations. Materials and methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the article are theoretical and analytical-applied researches of Ukrainian and foreign scientists on bran­ding, as well as statistical data of international organizations, UNWTO, GWI, the State Sta­tistics Service of Ukraine, statistical and financial reporting of resort and recreational enter­prises, etc. Such scientific methods and approaches as system, analysis and synthesis, compa­rison, graphic have been used in the research. Results. Definitive analysis of the essence of the brand concept has showed that the concept covers key ideas and essence, it is irrational, it is transmitted non-verbally and it is a guide for consumers in the market environment. Functional attributes of resort and recrea­tional services are a consequence of interpenetration of features of resort, hotel and re­creational services. The brand of the resort-recreational enterprise must transmit information about the resort and recreational service as a set of services aimed at providing medical, health, rehabilitation, valeological, recreational and animation services. Taking into account the phenomenon of diffusion is associated primarily with the reflection in the brand of the enterprise of the complexity of the signs of resort and recreational services. The concept of a diffuse brand of a resort and recreational enterprise should reflect a suggestive and marke­ting approach to brand formation. Conclusion. Diffuse brand is an indicator that reflects the multifunctional of the resort and recreational service and broadcasts relevant information about its consumer character­ristics. Disclosure of the concept of the brand of the resort and recreational enterprise through a diffuse brand is a marker of the effectiveness of marketing activity of the resort-recreational enterprise in differentiating marketing communication channels to address poten­tial customers and stimulate sales of resort and recreational services. Keywords: concept, resort and recreational enterprise, resort and recreational service, diffusion, diffuse brand of a resort and recreational enterprise.

The competitiveness of Australian LNG projects against US projects has been a subject of much debate; however, as oil prices have fallen since mid-2014, the debate has shifted from the relative commercial terms of the LNG sales contracts to the relative cost of supply. Falling oil prices have decreased the price of LNG in the traditionally oil-linked price markets of Asia. A lower cost of LNG will increase the demand for gas, especially in the power generation sector. New gas supplies would be required to meet increased demand, but the new supply must be at a competitive cost. The market price will be set by the marginal cost of incremental supply. Legacy projects in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Australia are unable to increase their volumes. The only other source of incremental supply that can profitably sell at these lower prices are new projects in the US Gulf Coast. Australian greenfield projects will not be able to sell at these prices as they suffer from high capital expenditure (capex), high feed gas prices and high operating costs. In contrast, US Gulf Coast LNG projects are being constructed at significantly lower unit costs, have access to massive low-cost shale gas volumes and will operate at low costs using standard technology. These projects are ideally placed to operate in the lower priced environment, irrespective of the LNG sales contracts’ commercial terms.

The study of online shopping motives becomes more important because of the increasing number of online shops and the fast-growing size of the online retail market. This makes a significant impact on the consumer experience and changes the behaviour of people, profit, and the use of the distribution channels. The novelty of this research is based on the development of the classification model, which explores economic demand formation motives perceived by sellers in online shopping. It consists of: deliberate, reasonable-price shopping model, clear and easy, lower-price shopping model, fast, easy shopping model, fast and informed, reasonable-price shopping model, fast, low-price shopping model, clear and easy shopping model, clear, lower-price shopping model, and cheap and simple shopping model. These models are developed based on the interdependence of the following created latent models: demand inclination and growth interferences model, demand emergence stimulation model, and demand growth acceleration and growth incentives model. The study of online shopping economic motives perceived by the sellers has revealed that it is the multidimensional structure, which is essentially based on the understanding of the added value of shopping. This value usually depends on a set of factors that reduce the shopping attractiveness and, vice versa, induce it. For this study, the survey was used, and the experts representing top e-commerce managers and owners were selected. The five categories empirically defining the economic demand motives were extracted. Additionally, three categories that are unexplored empirically also were extracted due to a limited number of possible categories. The complete eight-category model fully describes the internationally relevant models of an e-commerce business.

Analysis of demand for air transportation is a key business process around which each airline develops strategic and operational plans. Based on the demand forecast, strategic plans for development of the airline’s route network are developed, as well as budgeting, financial planning, sales and marketing plans, aircraft fleet planning, risk assessment and plans to overcome their consequences. Demand analysis also facilitates important management activities, such as decision-making, performance evaluation, and reasonable allocation of resources in specific and uncertain conditions for development of the air transport system. Based on the specific requirements of the airline or in relation to a specific airline, an individual demand forecasting model can be developed. Such a model is an extension or a combination of various qualitative and quantitative methods for forecasting demand. The task of developing a custom model is often iterative, highly detailed, and driven by expert knowledge and can be accomplished by introducing suitable demand management software. The task stated in the article is not a staging task for building a model, but only offers to study the available theoretical material for the analysis of demand for air transportation based on the most famous models for forecasting demand for transportation. The method of scientific research of the problem posed in the article is the method of scientific analysis of existing models. Offer and demand for air transport services are reciprocal but asymmetric. Although the realized demand for transportation cannot take place without an appropriate level of supply, an air transport service can exist without appropriate demand. This is often found in projects that are developed with a margin that meets the expected level of demand, which may or may not be realized, or it may take several years to be realized. Regular air transport services form a supply that exists even if demand is insufficient. Several models presented in the article emphasize the conditions in which there is supply saturation, and on the other hand, the models in which demand is formed due to the mutual attractiveness of the entities that form demand are considered.

The article presents an assessment of the demand of non-agricultural activities (rural tourism) on the basis of farming enterprises and households in the Novgorod region. The author recommends carrying out such research in three main areas: from the perspective of the consumer, from the perspective of the economic entity, from the perspective of regional and municipal authorities. For this reason the author gives the recommended structure of feedback forms. The accomplished survey revealed the advantages of non-agricultural activities on the basis of peasant farms enterprises and households to consumers, as well as the conditions for their implementation. The article presents the assessments the independent experts regarding the development of non-agricultural activities of peasant farms and households. Author recommends to involve as the experts the chairmen of committees of agriculture, tourism and culture, economic departments of the municipal administration. Analysis of the demand for non-agricultural activities in the Novgorod region confirmed the attractiveness of rural tourism as relatively inexpensive and a recreational focused of vacation in the countryside. As a result of analysis the most important for consumers the additional services and possibility for their rendering by owners of peasant farm enterprises and households are revealed. In addition, constraining factors in the organization of non-agricultural activities, including a lack of knowledge and skills in rendering tourism services, as well as a lack of funding are disclosed. The research of demand and supply allowed identifying indicators of internal potential and external climate of non-agricultural activities in the region.

The strategic directions of reforming the economy of Ukraine are analyzed. The author defines the main reasons for the existence of structural imbalances, including limited resources (material, intellectual, financial, investment, innovative); reduction of innovative production; high material and energy intensity of production; a high share of intermediate structure of GRP, which shows a limited production of goods and services with a high share of GVA; low development of innovation infrastructure. The paper proves that the real sector of the economy is in a state of deindustrialization and needs to restore technological, scientific, intellectual, and export capacity. As a result, the author has focused attention on the necessity of systemic reforms in a number of areas, which should become the basis for the dynamic socially-oriented development of Ukraine. The most important reforms include the technological modernization, reindustrialization, increase of high-tech exports, systemic de-shadowing and formation of a competitive environment, business development, expansion of the middle class, modernization of social security and investment attractiveness, development of strategic industries, domestic market development, resource sector growth, and energy efficiency. The structural results of reforming the economy of Ukraine are summarized and indicators that will represent the efficiency of changes in each of the reformed basic areas are identified. For example, the efficiency of the reforms implementation in the social sphere will be displayed by the growth of incomes and the level of life quality and well-being of the population. In the field of education, such results will be summarized by increasing the quality and competitiveness of education, its harmonization with the needs and demands of professionals in the labor market. In the field of healthcare, the changes will be displayed in the creation of a modern reformed health care system with a high level of quality and accessibility of medical services. The decrease of migration activity processes is defined as the main result of the development of the internal labor market.

Purpose This paper aims to analyse reasons for the absence of renewable electricity (RE) imports to the European Union, for which the authors develop a multi-level heuristic. Design/methodology/approach The heuristic covers three sequential acceptance levels: political attractiveness (macro-level), the “business case” (micro-level) and civil society perspectives (public discourse level). Findings Numerous factors on all three levels determine the success/demise of renewables trade. So far, trade has failed on the macro-level, because European policymakers perceive that targets can be achieved domestically with significant co-benefits and because exporter countries have rapidly increasing electricity demand, limiting the realisable exports. As policymakers deemed it unattractive, they have not implemented policy-supported business cases. Public opposition against trade has not been an issue as no concrete plans or projects have been proposed. Research limitations/implications The authors show that the factors determining whether a RE programme is successful are plentiful and extend far beyond potential cost savings. This suggests that future research and the energy policy debate should better account for how cost savings are weighed against other policy aims and explicitly include the perspectives of investors and the public. Originality/value This paper adds the first holistic analysis of success/failure factors for RE trade to Europe. The three-level, sequential framework is new to energy policy analysis.

Nowadays, a large segment of shadow economy is related to educational and scientific works to order. It is characterized by significant demand. Special types of social and economic entities, their practices and interactions are formed in the structure of this market. However, meaningful characteristics of such employment are virtually unexplored. It can be noted that the place of this employment in the general context of freelance is not sufficiently studied. Its professional structure, its specifics and financial and economic characteristics, as well as social values and attitudes of performers of commissioned works, are not sufficiently studied. This paper is aimed at filling these gaps. The purpose of the paper is a socio-economic analysis of employment in preparing commissioned educational and scientific works. The results of the author’s sociological study (an expert survey of work performers, N = 48), as well as statistical and secondary sociological data are given. Social and economic parameters of preparing commissioned educational and scientific works are considered. An analysis of economic characteristics of commissioned educational and scientific works was carried out; a typology of motivations of this employment is given. The author concludes that preparation of commissioned works has social and economic attractiveness for performers in the general context of informal employment. Mechanisms for professionalization and continuation of this activity are being formed, which has an impact on market and educational institutions.

Ever since mobile has revolutionized the telecom scenario in India, experts often ask a pertinent question: is the old assignment of twenty-two telecom circles into four categories valid even now? It has become important in the light of variable rates of revenue sharing in different circles as per the policy of the Government of India (GoI). The extant literature is silent on the exact procedure followed by the GoI in classifying the circles, apart from mentioning the rationale of decreasing attractiveness. So we revisit the categorization process afresh from two perspectives: gross domestic product (GDP) and diffusion of mobile telephony. The GDP based clustering of the circles is quite straightforward. However, for the mobile diffusion based method, we take help of a dynamic model based on revenue potential. Interestingly, both the methods generate results, which are almost similar to the existing classification done by the GoI way back in 1999. Thus, our exercise provides a big relief to the policy-makers, thereby pre-empting the demands for immediate relook at the categorization.

The paper deals with the analysis of typical features of Russian mentality, the so-called «birthmarks », and their influence upon the ways business is conducted in the global economic markets. The aim of the paper is to examine how historically determined elements of Russian business culture correlate with demands of contemporary international business practice. It is shown that Russian mentality and business, nurtured on the boarder-line between Western and Eastern cultures, possess a dual character. The paper shows the pendulum character of Russian business strategies in their interrelations with other countries. Taking into consideration foreign experts’ appreciation and attitudes the author distinguishes the most typical features of Russian mentality, which demolish the specific attractiveness of Russia. They include predominantly humanitarian, but not practically oriented mentality, changeable interest to foreign contacts, inability to follow treaties, numerous weak points in suggested projects, high expectations at the beginning, dubious character of approaches to problems, etc. The paper generalizes the image of the modern Russian entrepreneur and the way he is perceived abroad.

Fermented milk products are the main components of functional nutrition. In response to the increasing demand of the population for fermented milk products, industry experts strive to expand the assortment, develop the latest technologies, and create new types of fermented milk drinks. The main task of creating industrial technologies is a beneficial effect on all organs of the human body. The study of the diversity of the microflora of fermented milk products allows the development of new technologies, giving the products special functionality. Since ancient times mankind has used fermented milk products not only in nutrition, but as a remedy for many diseases. Goat’s milk satisfies the need for a qualitative and quantitative ratio of nutrients. It has unique properties due to its protein composition, such as easy digestibility of milk, therapeutic and dietary properties, natural homogenization, hypoallergenic properties. Taking into account the increased demand for the processing of goat’s milk in Russia, the development of a fermented milk drink technology is urgent. A fermented milk drink based on raw goat’s milk will differ in quality characteristics, functionality and attractiveness for consumers of all age groups of the population, if compared with similar ones made from raw cow milk. The composition and properties of goat’s milk of local breeds of goats, as the main raw material for the production of a fermented milk drink with a functional orientation, have been studied in the research. The selection of starter cultures has been carried out, the use of which contributes to the absence of a pronounced taste and aroma characteristic of dairy products from goat’s milk, and also gives functional properties to the fermented milk drink.

The paper deals with evaluation of attractiveness of apple production in the Czech Republic using the Industry attractiveness evaluation matrix according to the methodology of Higgins and Vincze (1989). It identifies the key criteria for evaluation of attractiveness from five fields: market factors, competition factors, financial and economic factors, technological factors, and socio-political factors. The key criteria are described in detail and evaluated from the viewpoint of a producer operating in the apple production industry. The text comes from the papers from the field of fruit production and apple production published by Kudová (2003, 2004, 2005) and Chládková (2003). Application of these methods on other industries was applied by Žufan et al. (2001) and Tomšík, and Žufan (2004).According to the data of the Division of Perennial Plants of the Central Institutte for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture (CISTA), the number of subjects (firms and growers) operating intensive orchards reaches 1 238 on the area of 18 998 ha. In 2003 the number of subjects was 1 243 on the area of 19 514 ha. The total sales in fruit production were in decline from 1999 to 2005, and the decline of sales of apples grown in intensive orchards in 2005 was 34% in comparison with 2004. In the foreign trade, there significantly prevail imports above exports, and from 2002 to 2004 the imports of apples grew by 220%. The biggest growth of area of orchards was in 2004 – by 211 ha of mature apple-trees, which amounts only for 2% of the total area. In connection with this growth, there grew also the yield. Diversity of the market is based on varietal structure of apple-trees grown. According to the data of CISTA, the current varietal structure is not suitable and its change is very slow. Most of apples are grown in Central Bohemia, which amounts for 11% of the total area, which is more than 2000 ha. We can conclude, that even though the average market price of agricultural land is quite high – 25.76 CZK.m–2, the lands for agricultural use for market production with the area of more than 5 ha have the average price of 5.04 CZK.m–2, which is the country average of the price of agricultural land according to the value index (BPEJ).The costs of establishing an apple-tree orchard amount for CZK 409,000 to CZK 653,000 per hectare – depending on the number of trees per hectare. The average costs of attending an apple-tree orchard are CZK 75.226 per hectare (average for the period of 1998–2003). Profits in this industry are based on selling the harvest through growers-organization or to a cannery, or by storing the fruits in own warehouses (only those with a controlled atmosphere are competitive).Fruit consumption in the Czech Republic is slightly increasing from 1990, and till 2005 it grew by 12.1 kg per person per year (by 18.8%) to the current 76.5 kg per person per year. Apples have an important share on the total fruit consumption, and their consumption grows, as well. The increase in the period of 1990─2005 was 65%. European Union, and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic through the State Agricultural Intervention Fund (SZIF) introduce a spectrum of support programmes, in which it is possible to apply for financial support. But it is necessary to emphasize, that many fruit producers are not able to get to these funds because of high administrative demands on filling-in and submitting the proposals.The attractiveness of the Czech apple production is evaluated as below-average; the resulting attractiveness score according to the Industry Attractiveness Evaluation Matrix is 2.41, which means that it is lower than the general average score (3).The paper is a part of solution of the research plan of the Faculty of Business and Economics, MUAF in Brno (No. MSM 6215648904).

The fuzzy Kano model (FKM) adopts a linear scoring system that cannot accurately reflect the relationship between users’ needs and satisfaction and may underestimate the importance of users’ evaluation and needs. In this paper, we propose a preference-based evaluation-fuzzy-quantification method to determine the priority of the development of attractive factors of an electric scooter. In the evaluation analysis stage, the evaluation grid diagrams of all the interviewees are systemized. In the fuzzy computing stage, the continuous fuzzy Kano model (C-FKM) combined with the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) is developed to determine the priority of the development of attractive factors. By processing the ambiguity of users’ needs, the C-FKM can obtain a more accurate representation of users’ needs than the FKM. The opinions of 20 experts are integrated using the similarity aggregation method (SAM); then the FAHP is applied to calculate the weight of each evaluation criterion. Lastly, we use quantitative analysis to discover the important and specific characteristics that influence the attractiveness of an electric scooter. Research shows that Kansei images with attractive qualities are reliable and may be the first choice for satisfying the perceptual demands of consumers and can provide reference for the related research.

Purpose Crowdfunding (CF) is a fast-developing and multifaceted phenomenon at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, finance and sociology. Although it is an alternative way to fund innovative projects using the internet, CF can provide great value other than money. Nevertheless, only few studies have been conducted to shed light on such additional benefits. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrative model of benefits of CF for the successful undertaking and sustainability of an entrepreneurial initiative. Design/methodology/approach Based on a systematic review of literature, a preliminary taxonomy is first identified. Industry experts, campaign creators and the analysis of real cases are then used to progressively build a model of 11 areas and 85 categories of benefits deriving from CF. Findings The paper presents a comprehensive model of benefits of CF for the project, the start-up and the creator related to the following aspects: viability, costs, customer, demand, distribution, employees, fund, strategy, market, partners, personal, product. Research limitations/implications The study does not distinguish among different forms of CF. Besides, only benefits are studied whereas potential drawbacks and challenges are not considered. Further research is thus needed to complement the framework along such two additional areas of investigation. Originality/value The theoretical framework is an exhaustive snapshot of the benefits of a CF campaign and it can thus be assumed as a starting point for future and empirical studies. Moreover, the paper can support platforms managers in the design of values-added tools aimed to improve attractiveness and project creators in campaign design and management.

The article analyses current problems of ecotourism development in Severobaikal region and studies the perspectives of tourist-recreational complex foundation. The creation of special economic zones will undoubtedly require the development and implementation of strategic plan related to personnel education and training with the participation of national and foreign experts and specialized companies, taking into account marketing research and poll results. To ensure the realization of Russian governmental tasks there has been created a pilot program of linguistic training for hospitality and tourism staff basing in the Centre of linguistic support for eco-touristic education development. This program has been developed within the framework of current requirements concerning foreign languages teaching, tendencies of permanent lingual education and in the context of hospitality industry professional standards requirements. Considering new touristic routes creation, closely connected with the interregional project “Big Baikal path” and high level of tourist-recreational attractiveness of region, for promotion of small cities in Baikal region, demand for highly-qualified specialists for the hospitality and tourism sectors will grow. The identification of necessary competencies for each working unit will allow to develop lingua-didactic base including practical tasks which are obligatory for the personnel universal education. Moreover the methods and assessment forms in the framework of each competency will play an integral part in the creation of one algorithm as a main component of the educational process. Thus the abovementioned educational algorithm will serve as a dynamic factor of higher professional education and the system of advanced personnel training.

Introduction. The need for increasing the investment attractiveness of Russian regions and meeting the needs of territories for qualified personnel updates the search for infrastructure and coordination mechanisms and tools of the solution of these problems. At the same time, the diversity of interests of participants in dual education and their various structural positions do not allow to solve this task by directive methods, both on the part of state structures and corporate sectors. One of the solutions might be to form an effective management system for dual education, which assumes the organisation of practical vocational training according to inquiries of employers, who are involved in implementation of educational process in order to promote labour market with in-demand experts. The aimof the present research was the scientific substantiation of the choice of the institutional model for management of dual education system at the regional level, taking into account the interests of all its members: enterprises, government agencies, students and educational institutions.Methodology and research methods. The research was based on the systematic approach. The methods of modelling and comparative analysis were employed. The provisions and principles of utility theory served as the methodological basis of institutional model formation.Results and scientific novelty. The main target reference points of regional participants of dual education were identified and formalised in the form of certain indicators. Two types of models of management of these subjects were considered: models with and without the usage of institutional superstructures. As a key criterion for model selection, maximization of a complex indicator of its utility for interested parties was offered. In particular, it was demonstrated that supervision of graduates by a certain employer is caused by parameters of employment attractiveness, such as a wide range of horizontal and vertical career cards and a possibility of continuing vocational education. The conducted quantitative research on utility indicators allowed the authors to design the institutional model for management of regional participants within the system of dual education and to recommend it for further implementation.Practical significance.The institutional model presented in the publication is directed to the solution of tasks faced by partner companies and educational establishments within the system of dual education. When applying this model, it is possible to forecast personnel requirements – job availability in the future of jobs, resulting to a considerable simplification of vocational guidance work, which can be carried out in the course of applicants’ preparation.

The article examines the development of the Russian economy in its modern capitalist period. The authors emphasize that when analyzing the dynamics of GDP, there are five stages that have significant differences: growth rates, models that stimulate growth, sources of financing for economic growth, and other reasons, the totality of which determines the ‘face’ of each of the selected stages. The authors substantiate the necessity and possibility of using the potential of the financial market to stimulate economic growth. At the same time, considerable attention is paid to the justification of the impact of indicators that characterize the financial market within the framework of the institutional (financial institutions) and instrumental (financial instrument markets) approaches. The authors highlight five stages of Russia’s economic growth: economic (transformational) decline (1991–1998), rapid recovery economic growth (1999–2007), decaying recovery economic growth (2008–2012), stagnant economic growth (2013–2019). The article shows the importance of the financial market for the implementation of the main tasks at each stage from the standpoint of expert assessment of indicators of the development level of the financial market: depth (the importance of institutions and financial market instruments relative to macroeconomic indicators), availability of services provided by institutions and financial instrument markets, stability (the ability of financial institutions to continue providing services in the event of force majeure and financial market volatility), efficiency (the attractiveness of the market for business). The authors of the article believe that in 2020, a new fifth stage of Russia’s economic growth began, the potential of which can be revealed through the use of financial boost tools. At present, Russia is in a unique situation of a combination of a crisis based on both a demand model and a supply model. The authors propose specific measures to use the potential of these models. The combination of the measures used will reveal new opportunities for the development of the economy and society. These opportunities can be obtained by using the ideology of the strategy of accelerated financial development of the economy – financial boost.

Relevance. Within a market economy, some factors are constantly changing that affect prices, demand, supply, and the competitive environment, which greatly complicates the assessment and forecasting of development opportunities. At the same time, when formulating a strategy for innovative development and implementing the goals of an enterprise, it is impossible to do without reserves determination that can become a source of resource allocation for increasing the social attractiveness and competitiveness of an enterprise. Purpose of the study: to assess the reserves of innovative development of the coal-mining production association and to identify the impact of organizational and economic relations on their use. Methods of the study. In the course of the study, systemic and process approaches were used. To assess the reserves of innovative development, methods of comparison, timing observations, benchmarking, and statistical analysis were used. The dependence of the efficiency of using the production potential of a coal-mining production association on organizational and economic relations was formed using expert estimates, mathematical modeling, and statistical analysis. Results and practical relevance of the research. A system of indicators is proposed for assessing the reserves of innovative development of a coal-mining production association, including the coefficient of adaptation reserves (reflecting the possibility of increasing the efficiency of using the production potential of the association) and the progressiveness of technical and technological support (reflecting the growth reserves due to changes in technical and technological support). The application of the proposed indicators made it possible to establish that the efficiency of using the existing potential can be increased 1.39–1.52 times for various processes at the SUEK open-pit mining enterprises. Growth reserves, due to the possibilities of new technical and technological support of transportation excavation processes, amounted to 1.85 times relative to the achieved level. Conclusions. Organizational and economic relations are a relevant factor in the efficiency of using the production potential of a coal-mining production association, and their influence is described by a power-law increasing function. The revealed dependence makes it possible to increase the validity of choosing the most beneficial strategy for innovative development of a coal-mining production association from the perspective of stakeholders for realizing significant reserves and achieving the required efficiency of using its potential.

The main trend in the development of domestic and global transport is the rapid growth of container traffic, which meets the requirements of a market economy. They become an integral part of the national or international commodity distribution and warehouse system, which ensures the uninterrupted delivery of various products to the trading network and goods of industrial and technical purpose to industrial production. According to experts from many countries, such transportation should embody the freight transport service of the XXI century. The growing demand for container transportation in Ukraine and in the world by manufacturers and consumers of various types of products and services requires the search for effective technical, technological and organizational solutions. A promising direction of container transportation is a unified system of container terminals (CT) created on the traffic routes of container-transportable cargoes. In addition, the problem of improving the quality of service due to the increased competition from other categories of transport is of particular importance. In a market economy and industry restructuring, there is a need for a new approach to address these issues, which would allow for reducing the cost of container ports and increasing their attractiveness for users. The importance of addressing these issues for the container transport industry determines the importance of this study. Topical problems of the current state and developments of the global market of container transportations are discussed. The largest container ports in the world are determined using the data on their throughput and the dynamics of the total capacity of container vessels in the maritime trade. The data on operation of the largest shipping companies in the world are analyzed. Index Baltic Dry is proposed for forecasting the global market of container transportations, which measures traffic volumes of bulk carriers; it is proposed to create support container terminals for the largest companies that would represent a single system of alliances rather than an isolated transport and logistics company.

The rapidly increasing demand and the inefficacy of financing transportation infrastructure project investments have contributed to various challenges for Vietnam in recent decades. Since the country’s budget is inadequate for investing in all necessary infrastructure projects, the Vietnam government has been inviting other economic sectors, especially the private sector, to participate in infrastructure development. The cooperation between the government agencies and the private entities, called PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP), must encounter various challenges leading to difficulties in attracting private investors. A main reason is that private investors must deal with critical risks concerning PPP investment environment. It is a challenging task for the government to optimally manage such risks to enhance the attractiveness of PPP projects for private investors. This paper examines the critical risk factors that influence the private sector’s investment decisions on PPP transportation projects in Vietnam. Risk factors inherent in typical PPP projects were compiled by comprehensive literature review. To reflect unique characteristics of PPP projects in Vietnam, the compiled risk factors were reviewed by a group of PPP experts from both the public and private sectors in Vietnam through indepth interviews and questionnaire surveys. In addition, ten PPP project case studies in Vietnam were analyzed to derive the risk profile of PPP transportation projects of the nation. These risk factors were quantitatively assessed based on their probabilities and impact levels. We found that the critical risk factors of PPP infrastructure projects in Vietnam are acquisition/compensation problems, approvals and permits, inadequate feasibility studies, finance market issues, subjective evaluation methods, and change in laws and regulations. By performing factor analysis, these critical risk factors were grouped into four categories: (1) bidding process, (2) finance issues, (3) laws and regulations, and (4) project evaluation issues. These critical risk factors represent the obstacles that repel private investors from PPP transportation projects in Vietnam. Thus, the Vietnam government agencies should meticulously address these issues to attract both domestic and foreign private investors in PPP projects.

The main source of financial resources of enterprises of the agro-food complex is the favorable proportions of the purchase and sale prices for goods/services. In the Soviet period, the ratio of prices for input and output of agriculture provided collective farms and state farms with almost 40 percent profitability. Subsequently, hyperinflation of the era of coupon-karbovanets violated price parity in agricultural production, which resulted in the majority of agrarian enterprises being in a zone of loss-making. With the introduction of hryvnia, the parity of price movement in agriculture gradually improved, and today the agricultural sector is a highly profitable sector of the national economy. Currently, food consumption by the population of Ukraine is almost 20% lower than the norm recommended by the doctors. The combination of significant volumes of food exports with mass malnutrition is a sign of a drastic price disproportion – a violation of parity between the dynamics of household incomes and price movements in the national food market. The reason for the disparity is the high rate of inflation, which causes a permanent depreciation of the national currency. In 2014–2015, real incomes of the population declined by 30%, which by one third reduced its costs for the purchase of food products. Positive but insufficient rates of post-crisis recovery were observed in 2016–2017. If a third of effective demand is lost, and the pace of its recovery is at the level of 3–4% per annum, then the elimination of the consequences of the crisis will be delayed. One should follow the experience of developed countries that use higher consumption rates (the policy of “quantitative easing”) as an anti-crisis measure. In Ukraine, the opposite trend is observed: in times of crisis, consumption rate is declining. In the author’s opinion, it is advisable to increase it to 75% of national GDP and increase savings due to the growth of investment attractiveness for foreign investors. The main indicator that characterizes the price situation is the consumer price index. According to official statistics, real incomes of the population of Ukraine during the post-Soviet period have increased significantly, but the indicators of food consumption have considerably deteriorated. Such a contradiction shows understatement of the inflation index and requires clarification of the methodological principles of its calculation.

Current geopolitical changes and trends in socio-economic development increase the importance and prospects of development of domestic tourism. Emerging opportunities are significant not only for well-known destinations and tourist products, but also for tourism products and routes that by their attractiveness is competitive with the objects of mass tourism demand. Considering the possibilities of development of weekend tourism, flashpacker and trailering, can be concluded that the sector of rural tourism in all its diversity, can attract a significant part of the tourist flow. At present, rural tourism is not a mass leisure activity. Researches of needs and interests of tourists are known. However, there are no researches revealing assessment of the prospects of existing or potential rural tourism projects. With that, it should be emphasized that they are not only important for investors or business leaders, but also for tourism administrations as a tool to identify barriers or areas of support of rural tourism projects. Rural tourism - one of the most famous and popular forms of recreation. Many experts note its ability to compete with the leaders of the global tourism - beach and cultural tourism. Stavropol Krai of the Russian Federation is region with high level of agricultural development and rich touristic and recreational potential. Development of private sector in agriculture industry, aspiration of small and large private companies to diversify their activities by expanding non-agricultural segment caused the formation and development of rural tourism. Variety of tourism resources and cultural heritage of Stavropol region allowed entrepreneurs to create different tourist products in the segment of rural recreation. In the current context the formation of rural tourism industry in the Stavropol region is the rightful issue. The author has conducted marketing research to study the attitude of agriculture entities in Stavropol region to engaging in tourist activities. The data obtained show the positive attitude of agriculture entities of the region to the tourist activity. However, more than 89% of respondents consider it necessary to develop a state policy in the field of rural tourism at the federal and regional levels.

Introduction. Aberdeen-Angus breed, selection achievement of United Kingdom, long time ago ceased to be merely a cultural heritage and became a global transcontinental obtainment in beef cattle breeding. Productive "attractiveness" of Aberdeen-Angus breed makes it a popular genetic resource in the cattle branch production. It causes the optimistic results of the statistical analysis of farm animal biodiversity for data of European EFABIS data base, according which the status of this breed can be defined as "not at risk". Ukrainian population of Aberdeen-Angus formed in 1961 by importing breeding stock from Canada and animals of compact small type of Scotland (1962) and the establishment of breeding plant at the research station "Vorzel" of Agrarian Academy of Ukraine. The modern breed area covers 11 regions of Ukraine. According to the State register of breeding subjects in animal breeding on 01.01.2016, the stock has 7637 controlled heads (including 3475 cows, 80 bulls) and concentrated in 23 breeding subjects. For a long time, the Principal breeding center of Ukraine engaged with breeding farms’ development and controlled the situation in the breed. At this institution base bulls were evaluated, semen was sampled and stored, information database of individual data was being formed and automated, breeding program were developed and plans for the bulls’ matching were formed. Currently low share of artificial insemination at 18%, lack of control of live bulls involvement in the matching campaign, limited activities of regional breeding associations on centralized bulls’ assessment resulted in irreversible changes in the genetic structure of Aberdeen-Angus population, phenotypic manifestation of which is the youngsters’ growth and development declining, low efficiency of feed conversion, cows’ milk production decreasing, impairment in reproductive quality, increased exterior faults’ and genetic anomalies level. One of the measures for improvement of breeding herds is individual evaluation of bulls, which can optimize the selection and matching of bulls for breeding stock for calves of high breeding value production. However, the re-orientation in consumer demand, incapability of internal market to ensure profitable beef production and breaks of export-import relations naturally led to a weakening of motivation for breeding bulls branch business and its state control. Thus, according to the technology of beef cattle breeding mainly with natural mating feasible is the realization of sires’ on their own performance evaluation initial phase directly at the base of breeding farms in accordance with "Instructions on beef bulls’ selection" and to perform the Ministry of Agriculture Order N154 on 13.04.2016 on the approving of the "Procedure of sires’ breeding value determination by pedigree, their own performance, and progeny quality testing." Analyzing the quantitative and qualitative indices of economic activity we’ve found that one of the prospective objects for future beef bull evaluation is breeding farm "Buffalo" of Manevychi district, Volyn region. There are 850 Aberdeen-Angus dams (cows, heifers), evaluation power of the farm gives the possibility to evaluate simultaneously more than 400 animals. So, the aim of this paper is the analysis of Aberdeen-Angus bulls’ evaluation on their own performance results. Materials and methods of research. The study engaged 30 Aberdeen Angus breeding bulls of "Buffalo" farm. The selection of animals for evaluation was performed at the 210 days’ age with previously conducted individual analysis of their growth during suckling period, using the materials of electronic information database "ORSEK-M". At the time of evaluation diet of growing calves presupposed gain getting not below 1200 g per day. Analysis of the growth and development of youngsters was done by the results of monthly weighing during the period from 8 to 12 months. Key bull’s measurements was taken at 12 months’ age. The evaluation was carried out according to Regulation "Instruction on beef bull selection". Statistical data processing was performed, using the Microsoft Excel software. Results. Algorithms of determination and calculation of selection indices for evaluation of beef animals are chosen by representative organizations and approved at the level of each state. For countries participating INTERBULL (INTERBEEF) bulls’ evaluation results are converted to a common information data base on which the matching and comparison of data for further use in the breeding work correction. The main features taken into account in the assessment of the breeding value are share of pure blood, live weight at different ages, the intensity of growth for average daily gains, exterior parameters (body measurements, linear features), milk production, calving ease, temperament (for some breeds, such as Charolais), term of economic use, sperm productivity indices and others. According to international recommendations EBV and EPD indices are calculated, which define contribution weight of each feature into integrated breeding value of an animal. Under the current law of Ukraine, the evaluation of beef animals is done with the definition of an integrated class at appraisal, bulls are evaluated by index A – own performance, B – quality of progeny. The main results of sires’ evaluation were obtained during the process of native beef breeds creation. In the course of our studies we’ve initially selected bulls of Aberdeen-Angus breed, taking into account the indices of their individual growth till 7-months’ age. Totally there were selected sons of 7 Aberdeen-Angus bulls, including 5 native and 2 of German selection. Native bulls were of Wright Iver 9251195, BV Vinton 1342, Sauthoma Extra 715968, V.B.M. Henri 158013 lines. At 210 days’ age the average live weight of calves was 228,03 ± 6,750 kg, the average daily gain – 964,1 ± 30,881 g. Coefficient of variation for average daily gain at 17.5% reflects both the individual differences in eating behaviour of the researched calves during suckling and the differences in their mothers’ milk production and nutritional value of milk. The average live weight of animals evaluated at 12 months was 389,3 ± 8,35 kg, average daily gain when growing – 1114,47 ± 34,208 g. The coefficients of variability of these traits are under 11.5% and 16.8% accordingly. Average live weight at weaning and at 12 months’ age exceeded its corresponding values, determined due to the minimum requirements for live weight of beef calves to reach the complex class "elite" and "elite-record." Phenotypic features of farm animals’ body built are the indicators of species’ and breeds’ specificity and individual characteristics of the organism, the totality of which forms the parametric basis for primary estimation of genetic potential of productivity. Expressiveness, harmony and age matching of body parts outline a general picture of individual growth and development and reflect the level of balanced nutrition and optimal technology accepted as a whole. At the group studied the bull's average height in rump at the age of 12 months was 115,70 ± 0,622 cm with a coefficient of variation 2.9%. Chest girth is 158,33 ± 1,18 cm with variability 1.2%. Average body length was 126,63 ± 1,162 cm with a coefficient of variation 5.0%. Testicular circumference, as one of the evaluation parameters of bull reproductive system, was 31,10 ± 0,564 cm with a coefficient of variability 9.9%. Thus, among the recorded traits, the largest variability was indicated on live weight, average daily gain and scrotal circumference. The least variability was indicated on rump height and chest girth. Average value of complex selection index on all the researched bulls is 100,5 ± 0,9. According to the positions of Instructions, 14 calves with complex selection index above 100.0 may be allowed for further use as at the herds with natural mating, so put for assessment on sperm productivity at the State Enterprise "Volynian regional agricultural production enterprise on breeding business in animal breeding." This will allow to re-new the genetic material store from native valued representatives of the Aberdeen-Angus breed and partially restore local control over the use of sires in breeding herds as well as in households. Therefore, it is feasible to continue similar research involving a larger number of animals, to consider the power of influence of mother genotype and conduct further evaluation of sires of Aberdeen-Angus breed on performance of their sons and daughters. Conclusions. In similar conditions of feeding and management the realization of the genetic potential of productivity of Aberdeen-Angus bulls is different. The given results are the first step in the organization of systematic evaluation of sires’ breeding value, analysing of inheritance of key traits of growth and development of animals and rationalization of the use of genetic resources of the breed in general and reduction in cost per unit of production in live and carcass weight.

Purpose: of the article is a proposal for a methodology for assessing the level of development of Cycling infrastructure in Moscow and a conceptual model of a system for monitoring transport infrastructure.Methods: to achieve this goal, the authors analyzed foreign and domestic experience in the development of the cycle transport infrastructure and methods for assessing its level of development. In preparing the article, the results of content analysis of scientific publications and research reports of Russian and foreign scientists and practitioners who are experts in the field of increasing the mobility of the urban population in megalopolises, in field studies and observations are used. The study is based on the marketing approach, which takes into account the objective indicators of the development of Cycling and the perceived level of development of Cycling infrastructure.Results: increasing the mobility of Moscow residents using environmental modes of transport is an important strategic task of the metropolis. For its successful solution, it is necessary to create a monitoring system that provides control over the achievement of the objectives of the development of Cycle transport infrastructure. The article presents the results of the development of a system for monitoring the level of development of Cycling infrastructure. A system of indicators, which is the basis of the monitoring system, has been developed, and the methodology has been tested. The test results can be defined as initial for the next monitoring Cycle.Conclusions and Relevance: the analysis of international and Russian experience in the development of transport infrastructure of megacities showed a significant interest in the integration of Cycling in multimodal travel of passengers. Active use of Cycling is associated with a change in the transport behavior of residents of the metropolis. This is largely determined by the level of development of the Cycle transport infrastructure. The Cycle infrastructure must meet the demands of citizens, the safety of cycling around the city, as well as other characteristics that provide the attractiveness and convenience of using cycles in the city. The paper proposes a system for monitoring the level of development of Cycling infrastructure. The monitoring is based on the assessment of hierarchical indicators grouped by management objectives. The indicators recommended for use in the monitoring system correspond to the principles of accessibility of information, reflect both subjective and objective factors that characterize the development of Cycling infrastructure, allow to identify local problems of Cycling infrastructure in all areas of Cycling. Testing of the monitoring system confirmed the possibility of its use to support management decision-making on improving the city’s transport system.

Both domestic and international markets demand potash fertilizers with potassium chloride content not less than 95%, as well as with definite physical and mechanical properties. The flotation and halurgic methods of potassium chloride production ensure the required content of potassium chloride in the finished product. Thus far, the spotlight is on the wanted physical and mechanical properties of potash fertilizers, especially the export products under the conditions of high competition on the international market. The article presents the results of monitoring the physical and mechanical properties of fine-grained and granular potassium chloride exported by Uralkali. The factors that have the greatest impact on the commercial attractiveness of fertilizers to meet the international market demand are highlighted. The article studies the influence of various modifiers aimed to improve the physical and mechanical properties of potassium chloride and the agrochemical technology of fertilizer application. The quality of the final product should be closely related with the production technology of potassium chloride, its modification using different reagents, as well as with the conditions of haulage and warehousing of the finished product. The authors sincerely appreciate participation of Deputy Chief Technical Officer, Candidate of Engineering Sciences S. N. Aliferova and Head of Technical Control Department Yu. I. Moskvicheva, Uralkali, in the studies.

The garment manufacturing sector (and, implicitly, knitwear) was one of the most important areas of the Romanian economy during the communist era, satisfying a large part of the existing demand, both in the domestic market and at the external ones. By making a statistic untill the year of 1989, we note that this sector occupied about 10% of Romania's industrial output, 30% of the country's exports and 20% of the number of employees in industry. After 1989, this industry experienced several stages of development, but also stagnation due to the conjuncture that the Romanian economy crossed. Currently, the knitwear market in Romania is dominated by legal entities that carry out lohn production activities at the expense of own brand production, the factors favoring this reality being: relocation of lohn businesses from China to countries like: Romania, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Hungary etc .; high attractiveness of the lohn production system for domestic legal entities, both from an economic perspective and from the perspective of constancy of orders; and so on. This article wishes to highlight the current situation in the knitwear sector in the Northeast Region of Romania, namely the trends from the perspective of the local legal entities working on the lohn production system.

Introduction With a deluge of mouthwatering pre-publicity, the opening of The Spotted Pig, the USA’s first self-identified British-styled gastropub, in Manhattan in February 2004 was much anticipated. The late Australian chef, food writer and restauranteur Mietta O’Donnell has noted how “taking over a building or business which has a long established reputation can be a mixed blessing” because of the way that memories “can enrich the experience of being in a place or they can just make people nostalgic”. Bistro Le Zoo, the previous eatery on the site, had been very popular when it opened almost a decade earlier, and its closure was mourned by some diners (Young; Kaminsky “Feeding Time”; Steinhauer & McGinty). This regret did not, however, appear to affect The Spotted Pig’s success. As esteemed New York Times reviewer Frank Bruni noted in his 2006 review: “Almost immediately after it opened […] the throngs started to descend, and they have never stopped”. The following year, The Spotted Pig was awarded a Michelin star—the first year that Michelin ranked New York—and has kept this star in the subsequent annual rankings. Writing Restaurant Biography Detailed studies have been published of almost every type of contemporary organisation including public institutions such as schools, hospitals, museums and universities, as well as non-profit organisations such as charities and professional associations. These are often written to mark a major milestone, or some significant change, development or the demise of the organisation under consideration (Brien). Detailed studies have also recently been published of businesses as diverse as general stores (Woody), art galleries (Fossi), fashion labels (Koda et al.), record stores (Southern & Branson), airlines (Byrnes; Jones), confectionary companies (Chinn) and builders (Garden). In terms of attracting mainstream readerships, however, few such studies seem able to capture popular reader interest as those about eating establishments including restaurants and cafés. This form of restaurant life history is, moreover, not restricted to ‘quality’ establishments. Fast food restaurant chains have attracted their share of studies (see, for example Love; Jakle & Sculle), ranging from business-economic analyses (Liu), socio-cultural political analyses (Watson), and memoirs (Kroc & Anderson), to criticism around their conduct and effects (Striffler). Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is the most well-known published critique of the fast food industry and its effects with, famously, the Rolling Stone article on which it was based generating more reader mail than any other piece run in the 1990s. The book itself (researched narrative creative nonfiction), moreover, made a fascinating transition to the screen, transformed into a fictionalised drama (co-written by Schlosser) that narrates the content of the book from the point of view of a series of fictional/composite characters involved in the industry, rather than in a documentary format. Akin to the range of studies of fast food restaurants, there are also a variety of studies of eateries in US motels, caravan parks, diners and service station restaurants (see, for example, Baeder). Although there has been little study of this sub-genre of food and drink publishing, their popularity can be explained, at least in part, because such volumes cater to the significant readership for writing about food related topics of all kinds, with food writing recently identified as mainstream literary fare in the USA and UK (Hughes) and an entire “publishing subculture” in Australia (Dunstan & Chaitman). Although no exact tally exists, an informed estimate by the founder of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and president of the Paris Cookbook Fair, Edouard Cointreau, has more than 26,000 volumes on food and wine related topics currently published around the world annually (ctd. in Andriani “Gourmand Awards”). The readership for publications about restaurants can also perhaps be attributed to the wide range of information that can be included a single study. My study of a selection of these texts from the UK, USA and Australia indicates that this can include narratives of place and architecture dealing with the restaurant’s location, locale and design; narratives of directly food-related subject matter such as menus, recipes and dining trends; and narratives of people, in the stories of its proprietors, staff and patrons. Detailed studies of contemporary individual establishments commonly take the form of authorised narratives either written by the owners, chefs or other staff with the help of a food journalist, historian or other professional writer, or produced largely by that writer with the assistance of the premise’s staff. These studies are often extensively illustrated with photographs and, sometimes, drawings or reproductions of other artworks, and almost always include recipes. Two examples of these from my own collection include a centennial history of a famous New Orleans eatery that survived Hurricane Katrina, Galatoire’s Cookbook. Written by employees—the chief operating officer/general manager (Melvin Rodrigue) and publicist (Jyl Benson)—this incorporates reminiscences from both other staff and patrons. The second is another study of a New Orleans’ restaurant, this one by the late broadcaster and celebrity local historian Mel Leavitt. The Court of Two Sisters Cookbook: With a History of the French Quarter and the Restaurant, compiled with the assistance of the Two Sisters’ proprietor, Joseph Fein Joseph III, was first published in 1992 and has been so enduringly popular that it is in its eighth printing. These texts, in common with many others of this type, trace a triumph-over-adversity company history that incorporates a series of mildly scintillating anecdotes, lists of famous chefs and diners, and signature recipes. Although obviously focused on an external readership, they can also be characterised as an instance of what David M. Boje calls an organisation’s “story performance” (106) as the process of creating these narratives mobilises an organisation’s (in these cases, a commercial enterprise’s) internal information processing and narrative building activities. Studies of contemporary restaurants are much more rarely written without any involvement from the eatery’s personnel. When these are, the results tend to have much in common with more critical studies such as Fast Food Nation, as well as so-called architectural ‘building biographies’ which attempt to narrate the historical and social forces that “explain the shapes and uses” (Ellis, Chao & Parrish 70) of the physical structures we create. Examples of this would include Harding’s study of the importance of the Boeuf sur le Toit in Parisian life in the 1920s and Middlebrook’s social history of London’s Strand Corner House. Such work agrees with Kopytoff’s assertion—following Appadurai’s proposal that objects possess their own ‘biographies’ which need to be researched and expressed—that such inquiry can reveal not only information about the objects under consideration, but also about readers as we examine our “cultural […] aesthetic, historical, and even political” responses to these narratives (67). The life story of a restaurant will necessarily be entangled with those of the figures who have been involved in its establishment and development, as well as the narratives they create around the business. This following brief study of The Spotted Pig, however, written without the assistance of the establishment’s personnel, aims to outline a life story for this eatery in order to reflect upon the pig’s place in contemporary dining practice in New York as raw foodstuff, fashionable comestible, product, brand, symbol and marketing tool, as well as, at times, purely as an animal identity. The Spotted Pig Widely profiled before it even opened, The Spotted Pig is reportedly one of the city’s “most popular” restaurants (Michelin 349). It is profiled in all the city guidebooks I could locate in print and online, featuring in some of these as a key stop on recommended itineraries (see, for instance, Otis 39). A number of these proclaim it to be the USA’s first ‘gastropub’—the term first used in 1991 in the UK to describe a casual hotel/bar with good food and reasonable prices (Farley). The Spotted Pig is thus styled on a shabby-chic version of a traditional British hotel, featuring a cluttered-but-well arranged use of pig-themed objects and illustrations that is described by latest Michelin Green Guide of New York City as “a country-cute décor that still manages to be hip” (Michelin 349). From the three-dimensional carved pig hanging above the entrance in a homage to the shingles of traditional British hotels, to the use of its image on the menu, website and souvenir tee-shirts, the pig as motif proceeds its use as a foodstuff menu item. So much so, that the restaurant is often (affectionately) referred to by patrons and reviewers simply as ‘The Pig’. The restaurant has become so well known in New York in the relatively brief time it has been operating that it has not only featured in a number of novels and memoirs, but, moreover, little or no explanation has been deemed necessary as the signifier of “The Spotted Pig” appears to convey everything that needs to be said about an eatery of quality and fashion. In the thriller Lethal Experiment: A Donovan Creed Novel, when John Locke’s hero has to leave the restaurant and becomes involved in a series of dangerous escapades, he wants nothing more but to get back to his dinner (107, 115). The restaurant is also mentioned a number of times in Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell’s Lipstick Jungle in relation to a (fictional) new movie of the same name. The joke in the book is that the character doesn’t know of the restaurant (26). In David Goodwillie’s American Subversive, the story of a journalist-turned-blogger and a homegrown terrorist set in New York, the narrator refers to “Scarlett Johansson, for instance, and the hostess at the Spotted Pig” (203-4) as the epitome of attractiveness. The Spotted Pig is also mentioned in Suzanne Guillette’s memoir, Much to Your Chagrin, when the narrator is on a dinner date but fears running into her ex-boyfriend: ‘Jack lives somewhere in this vicinity […] Vaguely, you recall him telling you he was not too far from the Spotted Pig on Greenwich—now, was it Greenwich Avenue or Greenwich Street?’ (361). The author presumes readers know the right answer in order to build tension in this scene. Although this success is usually credited to the joint efforts of backer, music executive turned restaurateur Ken Friedman, his partner, well-known chef, restaurateur, author and television personality Mario Batali, and their UK-born and trained chef, April Bloomfield (see, for instance, Batali), a significant part has been built on Bloomfield’s pork cookery. The very idea of a “spotted pig” itself raises a central tenet of Bloomfield’s pork/food philosophy which is sustainable and organic. That is, not the mass produced, industrially farmed pig which produces a leaner meat, but the fatty, tastier varieties of pig such as the heritage six-spotted Berkshire which is “darker, more heavily marbled with fat, juicier and richer-tasting than most pork” (Fabricant). Bloomfield has, indeed, made pig’s ears—long a Chinese restaurant staple in the city and a key ingredient of Southern US soul food as well as some traditional Japanese and Spanish dishes—fashionable fare in the city, and her current incarnation, a crispy pig’s ear salad with lemon caper dressing (TSP 2010) is much acclaimed by reviewers. This approach to ingredients—using the ‘whole beast’, local whenever possible, and the concentration on pork—has been underlined and enhanced by a continuing relationship with UK chef Fergus Henderson. In his series of London restaurants under the banner of “St. John”, Henderson is famed for the approach to pork cookery outlined in his two books Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking, published in 1999 (re-published both in the UK and the US as The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating), and Beyond Nose to Tail: A Kind of British Cooking: Part II (coauthored with Justin Piers Gellatly in 2007). Henderson has indeed been identified as starting a trend in dining and food publishing, focusing on sustainably using as food the entirety of any animal killed for this purpose, but which mostly focuses on using all parts of pigs. In publishing, this includes Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s The River Cottage Meat Book, Peter Kaminsky’s Pig Perfect, subtitled Encounters with Some Remarkable Swine and Some Great Ways to Cook Them, John Barlow’s Everything but the Squeal: Eating the Whole Hog in Northern Spain and Jennifer McLagan’s Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes (2008). In restaurants, it certainly includes The Spotted Pig. So pervasive has embrace of whole beast pork consumption been in New York that, by 2007, Bruni could write that these are: “porky times, fatty times, which is to say very good times indeed. Any new logo for the city could justifiably place the Big Apple in the mouth of a spit-roasted pig” (Bruni). This demand set the stage perfectly for, in October 2007, Henderson to travel to New York to cook pork-rich menus at The Spotted Pig in tandem with Bloomfield (Royer). He followed this again in 2008 and, by 2009, this annual event had become known as “FergusStock” and was covered by local as well as UK media, and a range of US food weblogs. By 2009, it had grown to become a dinner at the Spotted Pig with half the dishes on the menu by Henderson and half by Bloomfield, and a dinner the next night at David Chang’s acclaimed Michelin-starred Momofuku Noodle Bar, which is famed for its Cantonese-style steamed pork belly buns. A third dinner (and then breakfast/brunch) followed at Friedman/Bloomfield’s Breslin Bar and Dining Room (discussed below) (Rose). The Spotted Pig dinners have become famed for Henderson’s pig’s head and pork trotter dishes with the chef himself recognising that although his wasn’t “the most obvious food to cook for America”, it was the case that “at St John, if a couple share a pig’s head, they tend to be American” (qtd. in Rose). In 2009, the pigs’ head were presented in pies which Henderson has described as “puff pastry casing, with layers of chopped, cooked pig’s head and potato, so all the lovely, bubbly pig’s head juices go into the potato” (qtd. in Rose). Bloomfield was aged only 28 when, in 2003, with a recommendation from Jamie Oliver, she interviewed for, and won, the position of executive chef of The Spotted Pig (Fabricant; Q&A). Following this introduction to the US, her reputation as a chef has grown based on the strength of her pork expertise. Among a host of awards, she was named one of US Food & Wine magazine’s ten annual Best New Chefs in 2007. In 2009, she was a featured solo session titled “Pig, Pig, Pig” at the fourth Annual International Chefs Congress, a prestigious New York City based event where “the world’s most influential and innovative chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers present the latest techniques and culinary concepts to their peers” (Starchefs.com). Bloomfield demonstrated breaking down a whole suckling St. Canut milk raised piglet, after which she butterflied, rolled and slow-poached the belly, and fried the ears. As well as such demonstrations of expertise, she is also often called upon to provide expert comment on pork-related news stories, with The Spotted Pig regularly the subject of that food news. For example, when a rare, heritage Hungarian pig was profiled as a “new” New York pork source in 2009, this story arose because Bloomfield had served a Mangalitsa/Berkshire crossbreed pig belly and trotter dish with Agen prunes (Sanders) at The Spotted Pig. Bloomfield was quoted as the authority on the breed’s flavour and heritage authenticity: “it took me back to my grandmother’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon, windows steaming from the roasting pork in the oven […] This pork has that same authentic taste” (qtd. in Sanders). Bloomfield has also used this expert profile to support a series of pork-related causes. These include the Thanksgiving Farm in the Catskill area, which produces free range pork for its resident special needs children and adults, and helps them gain meaningful work-related skills in working with these pigs. Bloomfield not only cooks for the project’s fundraisers, but also purchases any excess pigs for The Spotted Pig (Estrine 103). This strong focus on pork is not, however, exclusive. The Spotted Pig is also one of a number of American restaurants involved in the Meatless Monday campaign, whereby at least one vegetarian option is included on menus in order to draw attention to the benefits of a plant-based diet. When, in 2008, Bloomfield beat the Iron Chef in the sixth season of the US version of the eponymous television program, the central ingredient was nothing to do with pork—it was olives. Diversifying from this focus on ‘pig’ can, however, be dangerous. Friedman and Bloomfield’s next enterprise after The Spotted Pig was The John Dory seafood restaurant at the corner of 10th Avenue and 16th Street. This opened in November 2008 to reviews that its food was “uncomplicated and nearly perfect” (Andrews 22), won Bloomfield Time Out New York’s 2009 “Best New Hand at Seafood” award, but was not a success. The John Dory was a more formal, but smaller, restaurant that was more expensive at a time when the financial crisis was just biting, and was closed the following August. Friedman blamed the layout, size and neighbourhood (Stein) and its reservation system, which limited walk-in diners (ctd. in Vallis), but did not mention its non-pork, seafood orientation. When, almost immediately, another Friedman/Bloomfield project was announced, the Breslin Bar & Dining Room (which opened in October 2009 in the Ace Hotel at 20 West 29th Street and Broadway), the enterprise was closely modeled on the The Spotted Pig. In preparation, its senior management—Bloomfield, Friedman and sous-chefs, Nate Smith and Peter Cho (who was to become the Breslin’s head chef)—undertook a tasting tour of the UK that included Henderson’s St. John Bread & Wine Bar (Leventhal). Following this, the Breslin’s menu highlighted a series of pork dishes such as terrines, sausages, ham and potted styles (Rosenberg & McCarthy), with even Bloomfield’s pork scratchings (crispy pork rinds) bar snacks garnering glowing reviews (see, for example, Severson; Ghorbani). Reviewers, moreover, waxed lyrically about the menu’s pig-based dishes, the New York Times reviewer identifying this focus as catering to New York diners’ “fetish for pork fat” (Sifton). This representative review details not only “an entree of gently smoked pork belly that’s been roasted to tender goo, for instance, over a drift of buttery mashed potatoes, with cabbage and bacon on the side” but also a pig’s foot “in gravy made of reduced braising liquid, thick with pillowy shallots and green flecks of deconstructed brussels sprouts” (Sifton). Sifton concluded with the proclamation that this style of pork was “very good: meat that is fat; fat that is meat”. Concluding remarks Bloomfield has listed Michael Ruhlman’s Charcuterie as among her favourite food books. Publishers Weekly reviewer called Ruhlman “a food poet, and the pig is his muse” (Q&A). In August 2009, it was reported that Bloomfield had always wanted to write a cookbook (Marx) and, in July 2010, HarperCollins imprint Ecco publisher and foodbook editor Dan Halpern announced that he was planning a book with her, tentatively titled, A Girl and Her Pig (Andriani “Ecco Expands”). 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