"Scientific research" Almanac

More titles

• 

  PAYMENTS FOR PROPHYLAXIS AND REHABILITATION AS A FORM OF RISK PREVENTION IN THE PUBLIC SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM OF BULGARIA

  An attempt has been made to substantiate the thesis that the organisational development and improvement of prophylaxis and rehabilitation payments have significant capacity to promote prevention and overcome the consequences of risk as a form of proactive approach to the public social security management. The study of the opportunities for ... An attempt has been made to substantiate the thesis that the organisational development and improvement of prophylaxis and rehabilitation payments have significant capacity to promote prevention and overcome the consequences of risk as a form of proactive approach to the public social security management. The study of the opportunities for organisational development and improvement of the payments for prophylaxis and rehabilitation is the main objective of the study. The following specific tasks are set: study of the principles and limitations of the prevention of risk in the social insurance activity; justification of the need for continuing integration and development of prophylaxis and rehabilitation as an element of the Bulgarian social security system; study of the specificity of morbidity and traumatism among insured persons; evaluation of payments for prophylaxis and rehabilitation and formulation of proposals for their organisational development and improvement. The results of the survey confirm the necessity to make payments with a preventive and long-term effect, testify to the achievement of good organisational level of prophylaxis and rehabilitation in the NSSI system and outline the opportunities for their development and improvement. Organisational changes with significant capacity for continued successful integration of prevention and overcoming the consequences of risk as a form of proactive approach to the public social security management in Bulgaria have been proposed.

• 

  STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO OF BULGARIAN INSURANCE COMPANIES

  The structure of the portfolio of insurance companies shows what consumer preferences to different insurance products are. The comparison of product structures makes it possible to determine whether there is a change in the pattern of insurance consumption, to outline the reasons if there is a change and insurers to take adequate actions in line ... The structure of the portfolio of insurance companies shows what consumer preferences to different insurance products are. The comparison of product structures makes it possible to determine whether there is a change in the pattern of insurance consumption, to outline the reasons if there is a change and insurers to take adequate actions in line with new trends in consumer demand. The objective of this article is to assess the strength of the structural changes in the product portfolio of Bulgarian insurance companies. The assessment of the structural changes is done by tracing the dynamics in the distribution of Gross Premium Income by insurance sectors and insurance classes and also on the basis of the values of the integral coefficient of structural changes. The thesis defended is that tracking changes in the product structure makes it possible to identify the dynamics of the market shares of the insurance sectors and the insurance classes, to outline the trends in their market positions and to assess the degree of change in the consumer preferences. In order to achieve the objective and to prove the thesis, the following tasks have been formulated: formation of the structure of the insurance market by calculating the market shares of general and life insurance; formation of the structure of the product portfolio in general and life insurance by calculating the market shares of different types of insurance; establishing the changes in the positions of the individual insurance sectors and insurance classes in the product structure; characterizing the strength of the outlined structural changes. The survey results show that there have been changes in consumer preferences for different insurance products during the period under review. The changes in the product structure of life insurance are the most significant.

• 

  DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL BANKS BRANCH NETWORK ‒ A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THEORY AND PRACTICE

  This study focuses on commercial banking and the development of branch networks as an essential part of the banking system. At the centre of the analysis is the relationship between the expansion of the branch networks of commercial banks and the influence of the following four factors: the dynamics of the economic development cycle at global, ... This study focuses on commercial banking and the development of branch networks as an essential part of the banking system. At the centre of the analysis is the relationship between the expansion of the branch networks of commercial banks and the influence of the following four factors: the dynamics of the economic development cycle at global, national and regional levels; the processes of consolidation in the banking system; the evolution of information technology and electronic banking and regulatory policy and restrictive measures including insolvency procedures that the central bank establishes in its supervisory capacity for the banking sector. The aim of this study is to offer a critical evaluation of the factors influencing the decision-making concerning the dynamics in the branch network of commercial banks, both at a sector level and in the context of the individual banks. The paper comprises four main parts: Firstly, a critical review of the regulatory system and contemporary scientific studies in the area of bank administration and branch network management, including the structure of decision-making factors in relation to expanding, maintaining or reducing the network of bank branches; Secondly, historical and empirical-applied analysis of the dynamics in the licensed banking institutions and their positioning on the competitive banking market in Bulgaria; and thirdly, analysis of the financial indicators for the banking system and the related trends in the development of the branch network of the commercial banks in Bulgaria and their staffing. As a result of the study, it has been confirmed by the empirical data for the Bulgarian banking market that after 1989 the dynamics in the branch network was originally due to the dynamics in the creation and merger of banking institutions. During the period of EU membership, this process has been based mainly on the key factors developed with the priority of the regional demand and supply of banking services. About the two leading banking institutions, in terms of bank staff numbers, number of branches and personnel per branch for the two leading Bulgarian banks, the analysis has shown the following results: 3049 people, employed in 173 branches with a 17.6 average number of employees per bank branch for Unicredit Bulbank (data relating central management as well) and respectively, in the system of DSK Bank - 4115 people with an