Academic literature on the topic 'Export market assessment'

The tasks of developing non-resource exports set for domestic producers require achieving competitiveness of Russian products on world markets, and creating a high-performance export-oriented sector in the basic industries. A significant place in their solution is given to the agricultural sector. The article contains the results of an author’s study of the possibilities, prospects and problems of the export-oriented development of the oil and fat industry in the Altai Territory. The definition of export potential and its quantitative assessment are given. The influence of macroeconomic factors on the market conditions of oil and fat products is investigated. The assessment of the possibilities of solving the problems facing the industry in the field of increasing the volume of export supplies is given. The conditions and directions of the export development of the oil and fat industry in the Altai Territory are studied, taking into account the main trends in the development of the world market. Promising export markets are identified and access opportunities to high-margin markets are assessed. The results of the study, conclusions and suggestions may be of interest to students, researchers and practitioners involved in organizing the export of agricultural products.

The purpose of the article is to conduct a thorough analysis of the regions of the Middle East and North Africa that are potentially attractive for the export of dairy products, to highlight promising markets for the export of Ukrainian dairy products. Research methods. The study is based on a systematic approach to assessing the situation that has arisen in the global dairy market. Historical and analytical methods are used in the formation and analysis of analytical materials, as well as a comparative method for evaluating its results. The method of analysis highlighted the types of products imported to certain countries and the level of consumption of the products. Due to this, a general picture of the import and consumption of dairy products in certain countries was formulated. Research results. In the course of the research, potential countries for export of dairy products from the regions of the Middle East and North Africa were selected. The most promising product items for export and strategies for working with two types of buyers have been identified. Scientific novelty. A mechanism for selecting the export market among different countries has been developed. Recommendations for negotiations and business with representatives of the Middle East and North Africa region are developed. Practical significance. The recommendations published in this article are aimed to help to get acquainted with the markets selected for export, and consumers and their product selection criteria. The selection of countries can make it easier for dairy producers to choose an export market and a strategy to enter it. Figs.: 5. Refs.: 20.

In the work, the economic justification of the efficiency of export operations of LLC “Industrial Group “Phosphorite” was carried out. The enterprise under study is a part of EuroChem Group AG and sells products on the Russian market and also exports mineral fertilizers to foreign markets. The organization and features of export operations are investigated. The basic principles and methods of state regulation of foreign trade activity in the Russian Federation are considered. When considering the world and domestic market of mineral fertilizers, the analysis of volume indicators of chemical industry production was carried out, the main importing countries of Russian fertilizers and the main competitors of EuroChem Group AG were identified. The paper analyzes the foreign economic activity of EuroChem Group AG and its subsidiary LLC “Industrial Group “Phosphorite”. The main markets for products were identified and a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of two export transactions was carried out. Based on the effectiveness assessment, recommendations were made to increase the profitability of export transactions. The implementation of measures to increase the efficiency of export transactions will lead to an increase in the company’s profitability.

Manufacturing imperatives of the electronics industry require technological capability across components to develop a strong supply base. With domestic value addition being less than 25%, catapulting domestic production capability would necessitate promoting productivity enhancing innovations at the firm level, particularly in design and development capabilities. For assessing the technological orientation of the electronics manufacturing Industry, the empirical investigation of this article focuses on two important channels of influence, namely imports and firm productivity and exports and firm productivity under a liberalised regime, thereby identifying the determinants of production growth of electronics manufacturing in India. The econometric analysis has underlined the low technological capability of manufacturing firms. While the import of raw material is significant for both domestic-oriented and export-oriented firms, import of capital goods is significant for only export-oriented firms. Further, R&D expenditure is low which is statistically significant. Taken together, these results highlight that high imports are on account of domestic non-availability, and imports have substituted domestic R&D that underlines low technological capability of Indian firms. Further, export-oriented firms have technologically advanced products possibly to face the competitive pressures in the international market. To supplement these insights, the descriptive analysis focused on the trade orientation of the sample firms and cost structure in determining their market behaviour. The share of firms engaging in domestic activity surged post liberalisation, suggesting that the focus was primarily on fast expanding domestic market. As such, import engagement has increased significantly but export engagement has decreased. This suggests that imports have not facilitated export growth but only bridged the gap of non-availability of inputs domestically. The analysis of cost structure points to a decline in the share of capital goods and R&D, both implying lack of technological capability of the firms. Further, increasingly firms are turning to trading, that is, import of finished goods. As such, to promote a conducive manufacturing ecosystem, there is a need to promote technological capability and encourage export orientation of the firms. JEL Codes: F10, F14, L63

Purpose Exporting is a popular foreign market entry mode, especially among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The success of SME exporters depends on their ability to establish and maintain profitable long-term relationships with foreign customers. This study aims to propose that the development of an effective export sales strategy can contribute greatly toward this aim. The study also demonstrates that export market intelligence generation and export market intelligence dissemination activities are important drivers of export sales strategy. Export sales strategy comprises three dimensions, which are expected to have a positive influence on export performance. Design/methodology/approach The study uses survey data obtained from 168 exporting firms based in Greece, to test a set of research hypotheses. Structural equation modeling procedures are used. Findings Findings indicate that export market intelligence generation and dissemination activities support and facilitate the development of effective export sales strategies, tailored to serve individual foreign accounts. Furthermore, all strategic dimensions of export sales strategy demonstrate significant positive effects on export performance. Research limitations/implications The research underlines the importance of incorporating export sales strategy in studies that aim to investigate the drivers of export performance. Practical implications The findings also indicate that exporting firms must actively engage in market intelligence activities to reinforce their strategic decision-making process. Originality/value The study emphasizes the crucial importance of export sales strategy in achieving superior export performance. The study provides a theory-driven conceptualization and operationalization of export sales strategy and offers an empirical assessment of a comprehensive model that includes the key antecedents and performance outcomes of export sales strategy.

The aim of this paper is to present the results of a preliminary assessment of Poland’s export expansion policy in relation to the export of commodities, which is a result of the Government’s Plan for Responsible Development, in the context of existing barriers and the external and internal conditions reported by small and medium‑sized enterprises sector (SMEs). In the latest ranking of its competitive position in the global market for the period 2016–2017, Poland ranked 36th in the world. It should also be stressed that in this most recent world ranking Poland held the 16th position among EU Member States. A positive phenomenon in relation to Poland’s foreign trade in 2016, as compared to previous years, was that the value of export exceeded import, which allowed for a turnover surplus of nearly EUR 4.8 billion, i.e. two times higher than in 2015. In 2016 (and also in the first half of 2017) there was a favorable diversification of Polish export, demonstrating an increase in export to non‑EU markets of economically developed countries. After two years of relatively slow growth, export to this group of countries in 2016 increased by 5.6% (to EUR 12 billion), i.e. nearly 2.5 times faster than the total export. Despite the tariff‑free and quota‑free access to the single European market, there are still limits and barriers to the free movement of goods, and especially services. There are also many internal barriers in small and medium‑sized enterprises’ export to foreign markets, which limit their export expansion. Despite the gradual increase in export observed in recent years, the internationalization of non‑Polish enterprises is still much lower than in Western European countries. As a result, the share of Polish SMEs in the EU market is one third smaller than the EU average.

Price policy instruments are common political measures to influence the supply and export of agricultural products. Different price policies have thus different influence on national agricultural markets. These policies can also influence the world market and third countries provided that the exporting country places a high share of its production on the world market. Using a Cobb-Douglas market model we quantitatively assess global implications of national price policies in the EU-27, Russia, and the US (as leading wheat exporting countries) on the world market price for wheat and on welfare, foreign exchange, and producer surplus in third countries. The results prove that increasing protectionist price policies in the EU-27, Russia, and the US would only slightly influence the welfare in third countries. This policy would however bring about a higher decrease of foreign exchange and producer surplus in third countries.

The problem of export diversification remains pressing for Russia, which needs to increase the share of the non-resources exports, and in particular, the share of higher valueadded products. The paper aims to examine the spatial differentiation of the Russian exports by various entities (federal districts, regions, top exporting companies), including in the sectoral context, and for the latter considers the most important machines and equipment sector. The methodological basis of the research rests on regional and spatial economics and theories of foreign economic activity. The paper applies economic-statistical methods, including the corre lation analysis. The authors examine Russia and its regions’ exports for 2013–2018 based on the data of Russia’s Federal State Statistic Service and Federal Customs Service and reveal “consist ency” between production and export of mechanical engineering products in the four groups of regions. The analysis demonstrates high importance of the resources export for the national economy and high spatial differentiation of exports, including of the non-resources ones. Dur ing 2013–2018, the mechanical engineering production and export grew in 27 regions, how ever, on average, high-tech production is more focused on the domestic market. The analysis confirms the significance of export as a channel of production preservation and can serve as a contribution to justify the necessity to develop the new industrial export specialisation. The results of the research can be of use to the institutions of economic development (government authorities) to outline the perspectives of the regional development of export.

Introduction. The lack of a unified methodology of the export potential assessing of agro-industrial enterprises poses some difficulties in the activities of export-oriented economic entities. This situation is conditioned by the subjectivity of the export potential concept, as well as the inability to establish a clear relationship between the enterprise export potential, the market export potential and the market enterprise position. The research purpose is to study the existing methodological approaches to the export potential assessment of agricultural enterprises. Results. The components of the enterprise export potential are determined. The model of export potential determination for the conditions of agrarian production is presented for the future. A set of indicators is described to characterize the export potential. The increase of role of the managing system in the enterprise international competitiveness is substantiated. The essence, purpose and peculiarities of managing the enterprise international competitiveness are outlined. The system structure of enterprise international competitiveness management (monitoring of competitive environment in the international market, assessment of the enterprise competitiveness level and their products, determining the mission of enterprise functioning, the strategy implementation of the international competitiveness management system, evaluation and control of the implementation results of the chosen strategy). The problematic aspects of the agricultural enterprise activity are identified in the process of managing international competitiveness. The measures aimed at improving the management of the international competitiveness of agricultural enterprises are characterized and substantiated. Conclusions. Assessing the export potential of agricultural enterprises is an important issue in the process of improving their export activities. Developing valuation approaches that take into account the specifics of the domestic and world economies will enhance the export potential of agricultural enterprises. This, in turn, will be the basis for developing the country's exports. Keywords: export potential, agrarian potential, economic potential, competitiveness, factors, agroindustrial production, export.

The object of this research was to develop an international market screening methodology which selects highly attractive markets, allowing for the ranges in diversity amongst organisations, countries and products. Conventional business thought is that, every two to five years, dynamic organisations which conduct business internationally should decide which additional foreign market or markets to next enter. If they are internationally inexperienced, this will be their first market; if they are experienced, it might be, say, their 100th market. How should each organisation select their next international market? One previous attempt has been made to quantitatively test which decision variables, and what weights, should be used when choosing between the 230 countries of the world. The literature indicate that a well-informed selection decision could consider over 150 variables that measure aspects of each foreign market's economic, political, legal, cultural, technical and physical environments. Additionally, attributes of the organisation have not been considered when selecting the most attractive short-list of markets. The findings presented in the dissertation are that 30 criteria accounted for 95 per cent of variance at cross-classification rates of 95 per cent. The weights of each variable, and the markets selected statistically as being the most attractive, were found to vary with the capabilities, goals and values of the organisation. This frequently means that different countries will be best for different organisations selling the same product. A

This thesis draws on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession” and an international political economy (IPE) approach centred on the institutional arrangements and power structures that privilege certain actors and values, in order to critique current capitalist practices of primitive accumulation by the global corporate extractive industry. The thesis examines how accumulation by dispossession by the global extractive industry is facilitated by the “free entry” or “free mining” principle. It does so by focusing on Canada as a leader in the global extractive industry and the spread of this country’s mining laws to other countries – in other words, the transnationalisation of norms in the global extractive industry – so as to maintain a consistent and familiar operating environment for Canadian extractive companies. The transnationalisation of norms is further promoted by key international institutions such as the World Bank, which is also the world’s largest development lender and also plays a key role in shaping the regulations that govern natural resource extraction. The thesis briefly investigates some Canadian examples of resource extraction projects, in order to demonstrate the weaknesses of Canadian mining laws, particularly the lack of protection of landowners’ rights under the free entry system and the subsequent need for “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC). The thesis also considers some of the challenges to the adoption and implementation of the right to FPIC. These challenges include embedded institutional structures like the free entry mining system, international political economy (IPE) as shaped by international institutions and powerful corporations, as well as concerns regarding ‘local’ power structures or the legitimacy of representatives of communities affected by extractive projects. The thesis concludes that in order for Canada to be truly recognized as a leader in the global extractive industry, it must establish legal norms domestically to ensure that Canadian mining companies and residents can be held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies abroad. The thesis also concludes that Canada needs to address underlying structural issues such as the free entry mining system and implement FPIC, in order to curb “accumulation by dispossession” by the extractive industry, both domestically and abroad.

The subsequent report is aimed at describing the group project conducted under the Management Consulting Field Labs initiative. It consisted of, as the name indicates, a consulting project completed by four NOVA SBE’s students for the Oil and Gas Company Galp energia(Galp)on its Lubricants Export Department(Export Department). The project’s main objective was to develop a global market assessment and redefine Galp’s Lubricants Export Department internalization strategy. In order to respond to the Company’s needs, having in consideration the dimension of the scope, a high level approach was adopted. Furthermore, the close relationship with the client was critical in order to develop a project that matches the Export Department’s specific needs and therefore creating value for the client.

The subsequent report is aimed at describing the group project conducted under the Management Consulting Field Labs initiative. It consisted of, as the name indicates, a consulting project completed by four NOVA SBE’s students for the Oil and Gas Company Galp energia (Galp)on its Lubricants Export Department(Export Department). The project’s main objective was to develop a global market assessment and redefine Galp’s Lubricants Export Department internalization strategy. In order to respond to the Company’s needs having in consideration the dimension of the scope, a high level approach was adopted. Furthermore, the close relationship with the client was critical in order to develop a project that matches the Export Department’s specific needs and therefore creating valuefor the client.

The subsequent report is aimed at describing the group project conducted under the Management Consulting Field Labs initiative. It consisted of, as the name indicates, a consulting project completed by four NOVA SBE’s students for the Oil and Gas Company Galp energia (Galp)on its Lubricants Export Department(Export Department). The project’s main objective was to develop a global market assessment and redefine Galp’s Lubricants Export Department internalization strategy. In order to respond to the Company’s needs, having in consideration the dimension of the scope, a high level approach was adopted. Furthermore, the close relationship with the client was critical in order to develop a project that matches the Export Department’s specific needs and therefore creating value for the client.

The subsequent report is aimed at describing the group project conducted under the Management Consulting Field Labs initiative. It consisted of, as the name indicates, a consulting project completed by four NOVA SBE’s students for the Oil and Gas Company Galp Energia (Galp)on its Lubricants Export Department(Export Department). The project’s main objective was to develop a global market assessment and redefine Galp’s Lubricants Export Department internalization strategy. In order to respond to the Company’s needs, having in consideration the dimension of the scope, a high level approach was adopted. Furthermore, the close relationship with the client was critical in order to develop a project that matches the Export Department’s specific needs and therefore creating value for the client.

In the textbook sets out the basic information about the structure of markets, information and communication technologies (ICT), the methods of their research, assessing the attractiveness and forecasting, criteria and methods of segmentation. Deals with the organization of the sales Department of an IT company, involving analysis of organizational forms, population division, methods of remuneration and non-material incentives for experts dealing with sales of ICT products. Sets out the methodology for strategic sales of complex IT solutions, the technique of negotiation and the basics of neurolinguistic programming. The textbook pays attention to the peculiarities of the sales and promotion of ICT products through the Internet, the possibilities of the use of CRM systems. The principles of the organization of partnerships with clients. This methodical approaches to the assessment of the efficiency of the sales Department of an IT company and its sales staff. Discusses the economic evaluation of the project implementation in selling IT solutions. The textbook is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Federal state educational standard of higher education of the last generation. Designed for students enrolled in training 38.03.05 "Business-Informatics", but it can be useful to students from other disciplines and practitioners working in the field of information and communication technologies.

AbstractSide Channel Attacks are nowadays considered a serious risk for many security products and ubiquitous devices. Strong security solution providers need to evaluate their implementations against such attacks before publishing them on the market, thus performing a thorough assessment. However, this procedure is not straightforward and even with the appropriate equipment, it may require considerable time to provide results due to the slow process of collecting measurements (traces) and the inflexible way of controlling the tested implementation. In this chapter, we explore and overview the trace collection landscape for generic devices under test (including ubiquitous systems) highlighting and overviewing the latest trace collection toolsets and their shortcomings, but also proposing a trace collection approach that can be applied on the most recent, open source toolsets. We showcase our proposed approach on the FlexLeco project architecture, which we have developed in our lab, and manage to practically describe how an evaluator using the proposed methodology can collect traces easily and quickly without the need to completely redesign a control mechanism for the implementation under test.

Chapter 6 examines Cambridge’s performance at a regional and national level. Cambridge’s position relative to other leading towns nearby, such as Ely, Bury St Edmunds, King’s Lynn, Huntingdon and St Ives, is examined. The competitiveness of its market is evaluated through assessment of its transport connections and the local charters for market and fairs in the Cambridge area. Once again new information is brought to bear on the subject; in this case the account rolls of the Merton manor in Cambridge, previously owned by the Dunning family and subsequently acquired by Walter de Merton for the endowment of Merton College, Oxford. The chapter demonstrates the dominance of Cambridge market in the local economy. The strength of this market, combined with the town’s control of the export-oriented river trade, assured its leading position in local trade and contributed to attracting investors from the local region and beyond.

The share of developing countries in the world trade is increasing every day. According to an assessment made by the World Trade Organization (WTO), a share of developing countries in the world export is expected to rise by 8.5% in the years ahead. Turkey's share in the world trade is around 1%, and it is expected to increase up to 1.5% by 2023.Turkey is ranked 22nd in the world export and 15th in the world import of goods. Turkey's current problems are account and trade deficits. New markets will potentially offer an opportunity to overcome both account and trade deficits. The aim of this chapter is to define new export markets for Turkey. According to the survey results, Turkey may potentially increase its export to the USA. Apart from the USA, Germany and Russia will continue to serve as export markets for Turkey in the years ahead. Therefore, Turkish companies will maintain their existing trade relations with these countries.

This chapter uses data on the diffusion of life insurance in nineteenth-century America as a testing ground to explore the larger theoretical problem of establishing monetary equivalences for sacred things. It hypothesizes that cultural resistance to including certain items in the social order—namely, those related to human life, death, and emotions—into a market-type of exchange introduces structural sources of strain and ambivalence into their marketing. Life insurance raises the issue in its sharpest terms by posing the question of how one establishes a fixed-dollar amount for any individual death. The chapter argues that resistance to life insurance during the earlier part of the nineteenth century was largely the result of a value system that condemned the materialistic assessment of death, and of the power of magical beliefs and superstitions that viewed with apprehension any commercial pacts dependent on death for their fulfillment.

Environmental management, technologies, products and services are commonly expected to provide significant economic opportunities for companies and countries. This is mainly due to increasing awareness among politicians, academics and the wider population on the importance of environmental aspects in daily life. Consequently demand for environmentally friendly solutions is expected to grow continuously in the next decade. The present study is part of a broader research project which examines the long-term science and technology (S&T) agenda in Russia up to 2030. The project's results were approved by the Prime Minister of Russia in early January 2014. Researchers from the National Research University Higher School of Economics carried out the research project at the request of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science between 2011 and 2013. The research comprised six interrelated spheres: ICT; biotechnology, medicine and public health; new materials and nanotechnologies; environmental management; transport and space systems; and energy efficiency and energy conservation. For each sphere, the project explored in-depth the global emergent challenges and opportunities, the risks, and their degree of influence on Russia. The authors analysed the most important potential market niches, products and services that are capable of radically shaping world markets and highlighted their competitive advantages. Within the framework of these priority science areas authors emphasised several spheres of particular potential value and compared the level of research carried out in Russia and the leading countries. The current chapter also covers the analyses the natural resources sector made within a project aimed at integration of national and sectoral S&T Foresight studies funded by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. Findings show that the potential applications for environmental products and services are manifold. The study is based on a thorough analysis of expert opinions and their assessment of future applications and the development of demand for these applications. However the authors note that the expert opinions included in the assessment of prospective products, services and markets, despite being based on rigorous assessment, still reflect expectations. Their opinions incorporate a degree of uncertainty especially with regard to how and when (or whether) the markets, technologies, products and services will develop in the expected ways.

Electroencephalograms (EEGs) recorded from sleeping newborns contain information about their brain maturity. Although these EEGs are very weak and distorted by artifacts, and widely vary during sleep hours as well as between patients, the main maturity-related patterns are recognizable by experts. However, experts are typically incapable of quantitatively providing accurate estimates of confidence in assessments. The most accurate estimates are, in theory, provided with the Bayesian methodology of probabilistic inference which has been practically implemented with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) integration over a model parameter space. Typically this technique aims to approximate the integral by sampling areas of interests with high likelihood of the true model. In practice, the likelihood distributions are typically multimodal, and for this reason, the existing MCMC techniques have been shown incapable of providing the proportional sampling of multiple areas of interest. Besides, the lack of prior information increases this problem especially for a large model parameter space, making its detailed exploration impossible within a reasonable time. Specifically, the absence of information about EEG features has been shown affecting the results of the Bayesian assessment of EEG maturity. In this chapter, authors discuss how the posterior information can be used in order to mitigate the problem of disproportional sampling in order to improve the accuracy of assessments. Having analyzed the posterior information, they found that the MCMC integration tends to oversample the areas in which a model parameter space includes EEG features making a weak contribution to the assessment. This observation has motivated the authors to cure the results of MCMC integration, and when they tested the proposed method on the EEG recordings, they found an increase in the accuracy of assessment.

This chapter addresses benchmarks. A benchmark is essentially a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared. Benchmarks are referenced in many contracts including commodity derivatives. They can be determined in a number of different ways, from calculation of factual data such as information about transactions executed through to exercise of expert judgement. In recent years, there has been a focus on the need to ensure that benchmarks accurately reflect the market they claim to measure, are transparent about how they are determined, and that they are not influenced by potential conflicts of interest. This action started at international level, with the G20 leaders declaring in 2011 to prepare recommendations to improve the functioning and oversight of the oil price reporting agencies (PRAs). PRAs are publishers and information providers who report prices transacted in physical and some derivatives markets, and give an informed assessment of price levels at distinct points in time. The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) subsequently published a set of Principles for Financial Benchmarks (IOSCO Principles) in light of investigations and enforcement actions regarding attempted manipulation of major interest rate benchmarks.

Built environment refers to the places in which we live and work, the services that meet our needs, and everything humans do by way of physical planning, design, development and controls to ensure our basic needs are met and quality of life maximised. This broad definition encompasses residential neighbourhoods, transport systems, farmland and industrial zones. It is also worth distinguishing between ‘spaces’ where things can be built and activities occur, and ‘places’ which have meaning – such as play and work spaces, living and meeting places, all within social and cultural value systems. Impacts of tourism and events on the built environment are of increasing importance, particularly because so many cities have pursued tourism and culture-based development or re-positioning strategies. There are many examples of using events, venues, iconic architecture, tourism and culture synergistically, with profound effects on the urban landscape, its image and liveability. In small towns the impacts of development can be more noticeable and have more profound impacts on residents. In the literature on events and the built environment the focus has often been on the effects of mega events that require enormous investment in infrastructure and venues. However, construction and operation of sport arenas and stadia, major arts and culture facilities, as well as convention and exhibition centres all have profound implications for cities. In this chapter the starting point is a discussion of the roles of events and venues in urban development and renewal, a theme that incorporates the concepts of liveability (or quality of life), community development, healthy and creative cities. A second theme is the use of public spaces by events, looking at both the positives and negatives. The influence of the environment upon events and tourism has to be mentioned, although it is not part of the objects of impact assessment considered in this book. Within ‘environmental psychology’ there is the principle of ‘setting affordances’, meaning what the environment allows (or lends itself to) by way of events and tourism. For example, many urban spaces with heritage status and unique design are popular venues for festivals and other events, but with possible negative impacts owing to crowd activities and, over time, the accompanying change in the character of the place. Parks and streets lend themselves to parades and open-air events, but at a potential cost. Attention is then directed at place making and place marketing and the interdependent elements of image, reputation, positioning and brand. In recent years the communicative properties of events have come to the fore, and in many cases even replacing the emphasis on events as attractions. We live in a networked world, with mass and social media presenting global opportunities to both market events (especially to special interest segments) and to exploit events and related images for broader political, economic and social purposes. Completing this chapter is a case study from Rudi Hartmann about events and the evolution of the resort town of Vail, Colorado. A number of themes are reinforced, and new theoretical perspectives introduced.

In the conditions of continuing instability and tension in the world economy and the global agri-food market, interaction in the framework of interstate, integration, regional associations and the strengthening of ties come to the fore. The article analyzes and evaluates the agricultural market of the Eurasian Economic Union in terms of its export potential.

In the long term, the regions of the Russian Far East traded more intensively with the domestic market than with foreign countries. The low values of trade intensity the Russian Far Eastern regions with NEA countries was compensated by low transport costs. This circumstance determined the export orientation of the Russian Far East in favor of nearby large foreign markets.

The analysis of the development of the agrarian sector, dynamics and structure of exports and imports of food and the state of the food market in Kyrgyzstan is carried out. The assessment of the level of competitiveness of the industry and food security is presented. Factors and risks of increasing the competitiveness of the agricultural sector under conditions of integration are revealed. The factors of unjustified growth of import-privatizability of the domestic food market and a reduction in the volume of exports of agri-food products were revealed. It is determined that the primary development of small-peasant forms of entrepreneurial activity negatively affects the effective use of the economic potential, the dynamics and growth rates of production and, in general, the competitiveness of the industry. The directions of development of import substitution of food have been developed. Prospects and economic mechanisms for supporting and stimulating the development of the production of competitive products of the industry and developing the country's agro-export potential under conditions of integration are grounded. Measures are proposed for the development of agricultural cooperation and the formation of competitive forms of management that will facilitate the effective transformation of the country's agricultural sector within the framework of the Unified Energy System.

An initial assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the North Macedonian labour market is widely anticipated that will be severe, pushing thousands of people into unemployment, underemployment and working poverty. This paper aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on labour market by analysing the most affected sectors and government measured aimed to prevent job losses. Many small and medium businesses have already closed their operations or decreased the number of employees. The most affected industries due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 are the tourism industry and export-oriented industries, including the textile sector. To mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 the Government of North Macedonia has adopted measures for support of the firms which aim to keep jobs, maintain social stability, and help the citizens affected by the crisis. Specific local labour market characteristics should be considered when specifying eligibility criteria and undertaking crisis response measures.

Abstract Uranium was initially mined in Canada as a strategic mineral, primarily for export to the United States. Currently, uranium is produced for the global energy market and Saskatchewan is the sole producing province in Canada. Uranium development in Saskatchewan dates from 1953 and in 2000 accounted for 31% of global mine production. In the 1990’s the Saskatchewan Government Environmental Assessment Branch reviewed a new generation of uranium mines with large reserves and extremely high average grades. Technically, the development of these mines has required the development of innovative technologies to manage the environmental and occupational health and safety issues associated with the mining of high-grade uranium ores. While the development of these innovative technologies posed a challenge to science and engineering, the potential environmental impacts and level of public concern associated with the development of the high grade uranium deposits equally challenged the ability of the Province of Saskatchewan’s environmental assessment process to evaluate the acceptability of the proposed mines. During the assessment process a major technical, and public, issue was the decommissioning and long-term management of uranium tailings containing high levels of radionuclide and metal contaminants. While technically decommissioning and reclamation are phases of mining that are considered at the end of mine life, scrutiny of these issues during the assessment process contributed significantly to the public and technical acceptability of the proposed mine developments. The design, construction, operation, decommissioning and reclamation of uranium tailings management facilities for the proposed high-grade mines were subject to critical analysis during the technical and public review phases of the environmental assessment processes. Advances in tailings management design, incorporating innovative in-pit disposal methods capable of isolating decommissioned tailings from local groundwater regimes, presented a technical solution to concerns about long-term tailings containment after decommissioning. Public awareness and acceptance of the proposed mine developments was enhanced by the creation of an independent, public inquiry which ran concurrently with the existing federal and provincial assessment processes. The public inquiry was a critical factor, providing an independent forum where the technical acceptability of the proposed long-term tailings management methodologies was discussed. In retrospect the development of the new mines reflects the successful application of an assessment and review process in that the projects met the tests of technical and public acceptability in a process that was seen to be fair, timely, rigorous and public.

According its position in the supply chain, agrarian producers could contemplate higher or lower possibilities for the realization of its production. Not all types of cultures allow reaching final clients directly, because those products are aimed for intermediate consumption or are used as a source for Food processing Industry. Reaching final clients producers could be benefited by higher prices of realization of their products, but a "vertical integration forward" is required to be done successfully. Additional labor and capital resources need to be invested in that activity. Information of the market and acquisition of knowledge both commercial and assessment of experts are also required in order to be accomplish the realization of products both in national and external markets. The aim of this research is to identify and asses different ways that are available to Bulgarian agricultural producers for the realization of their production. For that reason precisely the position of the supply chain could determine broadly the depth and the horizon of market possibilities available.

The global energy market continues to face significant change, evolving over time in several dimensions. One of them is a structural change, where it went into de-regulation and that has become a viable opportunity and reality; another is clean technology as new generating alternatives with greater efficiency and “environmental friendliness” has become available. Today, there is a keen interest in power plants using the latest gas turbine technology, which has higher firing temperatures, greater output, and improved efficiencies and remains environmental friendly. With evolving markets and variations in prices, the importance of reliability has increased greatly. As these technologies evolve and improve, it is important to recognize that the operational performance and profitability is expected to be consistently on the rise. Consequently, market conditions and expectations continue to place a significant emphasis on the achievable level of reliability and availability, which in turn provides the importance on having feedback from the plants within the framework of quality data resulting in building up benchmarking statistics. ORAP® (Operational Reliability Analysis Program) which is owned by Strategic Power System Inc.® (SPS) tracks reliability and availability performance on gas turbines from various MW size ranges, manufacturers, applications, and duty cycles. NERC is another data source with several years of data from varied fuels and power plant types. This paper presents the importance of having benchmarking data from an independent third party and the results of quality analysis by OEM experts. This focused approach develops the methodology of setting targets for MTBF, MTTR, FOR and failure rate not only at system level but also even down to component level for any operating power plant. The reliability growth potential is identified and reliability techniques are applied.

Abstract Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) liquefaction plants have become increasingly important as natural gas is exported from the United States of America to markets world-wide. Downtime of any part of the process train (gas turbine, compressors, controls, etc.) due to failure of one or more of its components can result in high costs. The total cost of loss is of great concern to the LNG industry as it moves towards increased LNG exports with required operational efficiency, and downtime reduced to a minimum. This paper reports the application of a methodology of property risk assessment, providing insight into the use of PML (Probable Maximum Loss) and MFL (Maximum Foreseeable Loss) risk measures. Major sources of risk are analyzed, drawing from both technical literature and operational information on typical large LNG liquefaction plants. The outcome of this paper is an estimation of the economic loss associated with property risk for two hypothetical LNG liquefaction plants, based upon sample plants located in North America and characterized by different capacity. These plants represent recently built and commissioned plants and are chosen to take advantage of current technology and plant capacities.

Abstract Combined Cycle Gas Turbines, CCGTs, are often considered as the bridging technology to a decarbonized energy system thanks to their high exploitation rate of the fuel energetic potential. At present time in most European countries, however, revenues from the electricity market on their own are insufficient to operate existing CCGTs profitably, also discouraging new investments and compromising the future of the technology. In addition to their high efficiency, CCGTs offer ancillary services in support of the operation of the grid such as spinning reserve and frequency control, thus any potential risk of plant decommissioning or reduced investments could translate into a risk for the well-functioning of the network. To ensure the reliability of the electricity system in a transition towards a higher share of renewables, the economic sustainability of CCGTs must be preserved, for which it becomes relevant to monetize properly the ancillary services provided. In this paper, an accurate statistical analysis was performed on the day-ahead, intra-day, ancillary service, and balancing markets for the whole Italian power-oriented CCGT fleet. The profitability of 45 real production units, spread among 6 market zones, was assessed on an hourly basis considering local temperature, specific plant layouts, and off-design performance. The assessment revealed that net income from the ancillary service market doubled, on average, the one from the day-ahead energy market. It was observed that to be competitive in the ancillary services market CCGTs are required to be more flexible in terms of ramp rates, minimum environmental loads, and partial load efficiencies. This paper explores how integrating a Heat Pump and a Thermal Energy Storage within a CCGT could allow improving its competitiveness in the ancillary services market, and thus its profitability, by means of implementing a model of optimal dispatch operating on the ancillary services market.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the condition and development prospects of ecological farming and its product market in Poland. Sources of data used for the analysis included: IJHARS (Agicultural and Food Quality Inspection) national reports, literature, and information provided by experts and consumers. The time frame of the research covers the years 2004–2020. The date of Poland's accession to the EU 2004, and subsequent formal-legal factors were taken into consideration to schedule the time frame of the research. The trend was analyzed in reference to the number of ecological farms and the area of ecological farmlands as well as ecological manufacturers in 2004–2016. The method of the “least squares” was used in the study. Parameters of the trend function equation (linear, square) were determined by means of this method. MS Excel calculation sheet was used as a calculation tool. The value of determination coefficients indicated good consistence of the determined trend lines with empirical data. A distinctive linear trend with upward tendency in the number of ecological manufacturers was found in the analysed period of time. According to the determined trend function, the number of ecological manufacturers could be more than 764 in 2020, that is, reach the expected value according to the assumptions of the Framework Action Plan for Ecological Agriculture and Food in Poland for the years 2014–2020. The analyses were confronted with the experts' assessment results carried out by the method of online survey and consumers'' assessment by the method of group interview carried out in 2017. Two measurement instruments were prepared, that is, a survey questionnaire and interview scenario. It needs to be noted that although during the last 3 years a drop in eco-production was reported, development of ecological agriculture and its product market in Poland is possible, on condition that the government policy in this field is consistent and predictable, the society becomes richer and the ecological awareness of both farmers and consumers improves.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) requested the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), on behalf of South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), to undertake an independent and objective evaluation of potential alternative telecommunication technologies for the areas of the Karoo Central Astronomy Advantage Areas (KCAAA). The study encompasses regulatory, public sphere, and technical dimensions to explore options for maintaining the functionality of the telescope while, at the same time, delivering appropriate connectivity solutions for local communities.The objectives of this study are as follows: 1) Assess the technologies currently being, or planning to be, deployed through existing alternative communications programs managed by SARAO, including whether these technologies are comparable with market available technologies that could feasibly be deployed in the KCAAA; and 2) Assessment of current and future telecommunication technologies that may act as suitable replacement and/or improvement (functional and feasible) for existing detrimental technologies, utilised in the KCAAA. This report provides a critical background into the relationship between the SKA and local communities as it relates to ICTs in the area. Based on this understanding, potential technology solutions are proposed to ensure residents of the KCAAA are still afforded valuable access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) within the parameters of affordability, desirability and feasibility.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.