The theory of strategic groups predicts the existence of stable groups of companies that adopt similar business strategies. The theory also predicts that groups will differ in performance and in their reaction to external shocks. We use cluster analysis to identify strategic groups in the Polish...

This paper analysis business strategies of banks by solving a goal programming model using a multi-criteria decision making approach. Multi-criteria business performance is represented as the weighted sum of selected indicators, and the weights or importance of the indicators are a solution of...

In times of increasing public distrust in government and its institutions, engaging the public in decision making may strengthen democracy as well as result in a more effective allocation of scarce public resources. Participatory budgeting has started in Brazil and spread around the world but is...

This paper provides an analysis of absolute economic convergence among the group of ten new member states (NMS-10) that entered European Union in the year 2004. Convergence dynamics is estimated for the period from 1997 to 2012 as well as for two sub-periods: 1997-2007 and 2007-2012. The...

Fiscal policy can have positive effects on economic growth through changes in the structure of total expenditure, i.e. reductions in unproductive or current expenditure, lower taxes, and higher government investment - provided that it is offset by a decrease in unproductive expenditure. Such...

In a global economy, foreign direct investment (FDI) represents the main form of international business activities. More than the mere cross-border movement of capital, FDI includes transfer of technology and know-how, thus contributing to competitiveness, employment and trade, and consequently,...

Tax havens are not recent phenomena. However, in contrast to historical precedents, tax havens in the age of mobile capital allow for non-consensual transfers and are not profitable for every citizen. We discuss the four main groups of tax havens (former Western possessions, sovereign nations,...

Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia differ not only in level of average gross wage but also in the overall taxation of wages. While Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia tax the average gross wage less than Italy and Austria, a comparison of gross wages that are in absolute values close to the...

The global financial crisis and the problems in peripheral EU countries resulted in increased attention to fiscal developments and their impact on borrowing costs for both public and private sector. Existing theoretical literature suggests that worsening of current and expected budget balances...

This paper presents an overview of theoretical and empirical research on the interaction between political institutions and economic variables. Using the dynamic panel model, the paper also investigates the indirect effects of electoral systems on the size of general government spending. The...