"Scientific research" Almanac

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  EVALUATION OF CONVERGENCE IN SOCIAL PROTECTION EXPENDITURE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

  The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the degree of convergence across the EU Member States in social protection expenditure for the period 2008-2016 by using statistical and econometric approaches for measuring convergence. This is achieved by accomplishing several tasks: presentation of theoretical concepts and statistical and econometric ... The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the degree of convergence across the EU Member States in social protection expenditure for the period 2008-2016 by using statistical and econometric approaches for measuring convergence. This is achieved by accomplishing several tasks: presentation of theoretical concepts and statistical and econometric approaches for convergence evaluation; exploring the convergence process through the club convergence approach; exploring the convergence process through the beta-convergence approach across European Union Member States as a whole, and between countries in individual convergence clubs; analysis of the impact of structural variables on social protection expenditure and the cohesion process. The thesis defended by the author is that by using the applied approaches for the study of the club convergence and beta-convergence, an adequate evaluation of the degree of convergence of the EU Member States is achieved. This makes it possible to establish the rate of convergence to the general equilibrium both within the European Union and within separate convergence clubs. As a result of the study of club convergence, convergence clubs, clubs in a process of transitional divergence, as well as countries that are not involved in that process are identified. The study of beta-convergence shows a process of reducing disparities in convergence clubs and the European Union as a whole. The findings of the study indicate that the additional variables in the models of conditional beta-convergence have a significant impact on the increase in the social protection expenditure and the cohesion process. EU countries converge at a faster pace into the general equilibrium level of social protection expenditure when it is presented as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product.

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  CURRENT TENDENCIES IN E-COMMERCE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

  In today’s competitive and dynamic business environment, companies need to transform their business in order to survive. There has been a steady trend for companies to engage in e-commerce and business based on online technologies, since it has become clear that unless they do so, they will drop out of the market. Although their presence on the ... In today’s competitive and dynamic business environment, companies need to transform their business in order to survive. There has been a steady trend for companies to engage in e-commerce and business based on online technologies, since it has become clear that unless they do so, they will drop out of the market. Although their presence on the internet offers new channels for the distribution of goods and services, it also poses a number of risks which companies need to be aware of so that they could analyse and adequately manage them. The aim of this study is to present the opportunities provided by different technological solutions for developing e-commerce applications. Those solutions, like any new technology, are viewed from different standpoints and provoke different reactions and assessments. It is therefore necessary to present their specific characteristics, as well as the impact of their implementation. The main thesis of the research is that business transformation requires the development of e-commerce apps with maximum efficiency according to the resources, which companies have at their disposal. The findings of the study indicate that teams engaged in the digitalisation of a business must be aware of current trends in developing e-commerce apps and the ability of a company to adjust to them. Hence, there are two major issues to be resolved in terms of digital transformation: first, designing and running the right online store (e-commerce website) and second, choosing the best approaches to accomplish that.

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  CHARACTERISTICS OF FRAUD AND PERPETRATORS OF FRAUD

  The development of economic processes and activities raises the need for adequate knowledge and skills related to fraud detection. The relevance of the study is related to the continuous change and development of the means and approaches used by the control bodies, the emerging phenomena and processes requiring innovative thinking and the ... The development of economic processes and activities raises the need for adequate knowledge and skills related to fraud detection. The relevance of the study is related to the continuous change and development of the means and approaches used by the control bodies, the emerging phenomena and processes requiring innovative thinking and the developing technologies and software tools for financial fraud. The purpose of the research study is to identify the inherent characteristics of financial fraud and their perpetrators by analysing the regulations governing its manifestations and systematizing the types of financial fraud. The goal is achieved by performing the following tasks: defining the concept of "fraud"; outlining the main features of financial fraud; analysis of the legal framework; systematizing the types of financial fraud by certain indicators; examining the profile of the perpetrator of financial fraud. The thesis being defended is that financial fraud is a dynamic and complex phenomenon that requires adequate measures by the control and judicial authorities, taking into account the changes in the profile of the perpetrators and the methods of committing misconduct. As a result of the study, the legal regulation of financial fraud was systematized, criteria for their differentiation were drawn up and the characteristics and profile of the perpetrators of financial fraud were drawn up.