"Scientific research" Almanac

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  PREDICTING DEMAND OF BUNDLED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES USING DISCRETE CHOICE-BASED MODELS

  This study explores consumer choice of bundled telecommunications services and empirically investigates some new possibilities of menu-based choice models for explaining and predicting the share of preferences. It demonstrates how to use menu-based conjoint analysis, aggregate multinomial logit and hierarchical Bayes models in order to estimate ... This study explores consumer choice of bundled telecommunications services and empirically investigates some new possibilities of menu-based choice models for explaining and predicting the share of preferences. It demonstrates how to use menu-based conjoint analysis, aggregate multinomial logit and hierarchical Bayes models in order to estimate part-worth utilities of attributes and price levels of digital telecommunications services for home users. A spreadsheet-based analytical simulation model for predictive analysis of the demand structure for alternative scenarios is composed based on empirical estimates of preferences. Our research purpose is to offer and demonstrate opportunities for optimal planning of product bundles that match the actual and potential customers’ expectations and willingness to pay.

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  OUTSOURCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF MACHINE-BUILDING ENTERPRISES

  This study aims to identify the outsourcing opportunities for increasing the competitiveness of machine-building enterprises. The following main tasks are solved to achieve the stated objective: first, the state of the machine-building enterprises is investigated and assessed and the prospects for their development are outlined; second, the ... This study aims to identify the outsourcing opportunities for increasing the competitiveness of machine-building enterprises. The following main tasks are solved to achieve the stated objective: first, the state of the machine-building enterprises is investigated and assessed and the prospects for their development are outlined; second, the opportunities for gaining competitive advantages by using the potential of outsourcing are analyzed and evaluated; third, the degree of use of these opportunities is analyzed and evaluated based on the empirical study. The study includes 26 machine-building enterprises from Veliko Tarnovo district. The state of enterprises, outsourcing implementation, functions and activities that are often assigned to external specialized organizations, as well as various competitive advantages resulting from the implementation of this business model, are revealed based on data from the surveys.

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  ANALYSIS OF SUPPLEMENTARY PENSION FUNDS OPERATIONS IN BULGARIA

  The purpose of this research paper is to evaluate pension funds operations in Bulgaria. The achievement of this goal involves reviewing the following tasks: Clarifying the nature and goals of supplementary pension insurance; Evaluation of the macroeconomic environment for the development of supplementary pension insurance; Analysis of ... The purpose of this research paper is to evaluate pension funds operations in Bulgaria. The achievement of this goal involves reviewing the following tasks: Clarifying the nature and goals of supplementary pension insurance; Evaluation of the macroeconomic environment for the development of supplementary pension insurance; Analysis of supplementary pension insurance funds operations in Bulgaria for the period 2007-2011 according to the following indicators: achieved investment results, net assets, and number of insured people. The main thesis of the current research paper supports the idea that the functioning of pension funds is closely related to the macroeconomic environment. It influences investment policies and the financial situation of private pension funds, as well as the capitalization of individual accounts of insured people. We have formulated the following conclusions based on the current study: Supplementary pension insurance provides supplementary insurance protection against the following risks: disability, old age, death; Supplementary pension insurance leads to increased pension savings; The size of payments of supplementary pension insurance to insured or entitled people depends on the accrued funds in the individual accounts and their investment gains; Due to the global economic crisis there has been a drop in profitability that has affected all pension funds. Net assets have decreased in professional and voluntary pension funds; The Sharpe ratio gives a comprehensive overview of the investment policy of pension providers; By assessing the Sharpe's ratio, we can conclude that the leader among pension providers is “Rodina” PIC .