This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Our paper aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on private sector companies in terms of sales, production, finance and employment. We check whether the country and industry in which companies operate, government financial support and loan access matter to the behaviour and performances of companies during the pandemic. We use a microdata set from a worldwide survey of more than 15,729 companies conducted between April and September 2020 by the World Bank. Logistic regression is used to assess which factors increase the likelihood of businesses suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that COVID-19 negatively impacts the performance of companies in almost all countries analysed, but a stronger effect is observed among firms from developing countries. The pandemic is more harmful to firms providing services than those representing the manufacturing sector. Due to the pandemic, firms suffer mainly in sales and liquidity decrease rather than employment reduction. The increase in the number of temporary workers is an important factor that significantly reduces the probability of sales, exports or supply decline. The analysis results indicate policy tools supporting enterprises during the pandemic, such as increasing the flexibility of the labour market or directing aid to developing countries.
Magdalena Olczyk; Marta Kuc-Czarnecka. Determinants of COVID-19 Impact on the Private Sector: A Multi-Country Analysis Based on Survey Data. Energies 2021, 14, 4155 .
AMA StyleMagdalena Olczyk, Marta Kuc-Czarnecka. Determinants of COVID-19 Impact on the Private Sector: A Multi-Country Analysis Based on Survey Data. Energies. 2021; 14 (14):4155.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMagdalena Olczyk; Marta Kuc-Czarnecka. 2021. "Determinants of COVID-19 Impact on the Private Sector: A Multi-Country Analysis Based on Survey Data." Energies 14, no. 14: 4155.
This article aims to improve one of the newest energy transition measures—the World Economic Forum WEF Energy Transition Index (ETI) and find its driving forces. This paper proposes a new approach to correct the ETI structure, i.e., sensitivity analysis, which allows assessing the accuracy of variable weights. Moreover, the novelty of the paper is the use the spatial error models to estimate determinants of the energy transition on different continents. The results show that ETI is unbalanced and includes many variables of marginal importance for the shape of the final ranking. The variables with the highest weights in ETI did not turn out to be its most important determinants, which means that they differentiate the analysed countries well; nonetheless, they do not have sufficient properties of approximating the values of the ETI components. The most important components of ETI (with the highest information load) belong to the CO2 emissions per capita, the innovative business environment, household electricity prices, or renewable capacity buildout. Moreover, we identified the clustering of both ETI and its two main pillars in Europe, which is not observed in America and Asia. The identified positive spatial effects showing that European countries need much deeper cooperation to reach a successful energy transition.
Marta Kuc-Czarnecka; Magdalena Olczyk; Marek Zinecker. Improvements and Spatial Dependencies in Energy Transition Measures. Energies 2021, 14, 3802 .
AMA StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka, Magdalena Olczyk, Marek Zinecker. Improvements and Spatial Dependencies in Energy Transition Measures. Energies. 2021; 14 (13):3802.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka; Magdalena Olczyk; Marek Zinecker. 2021. "Improvements and Spatial Dependencies in Energy Transition Measures." Energies 14, no. 13: 3802.
Three decades after the fall of the Berlin wall and one and a half decades after the Big Bang enlargement of the European Union (2004-2007), we revisit contrasting narratives about the benefit of both free trade and the EU enlargement for Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. We distinguish old, pre-2004 EU countries from CEE countries that joined the EU in 2004-2007, as well as from the CEE countries that have not become part of the EU, in particular Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine. Our analysis looks at two temporal windows: one from 1991 – the demise of the Eastern European free trade zone (COMECON) – to today, and the second zooming on the period following the enlargement process of 2004-2007. Our analysis points to an unfavourable turn of events for CEE countries, which appear to have experienced significant losses in their process of rapid integration in the world and EU economies. We are comparing these events in Central and Eastern Europe with the patterns of de-industrialisation and migration that took place in Latin America after a similar free trade shock starting in the 1970s.
Marta Kuc‑Czarnecka; Andrea Saltelli; Magdalena Olczyk; Erik Reinert. The opening of Central and Eastern European countries to free trade: A critical assessment. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics 2021, 58, 23 -34.
AMA StyleMarta Kuc‑Czarnecka, Andrea Saltelli, Magdalena Olczyk, Erik Reinert. The opening of Central and Eastern European countries to free trade: A critical assessment. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics. 2021; 58 ():23-34.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc‑Czarnecka; Andrea Saltelli; Magdalena Olczyk; Erik Reinert. 2021. "The opening of Central and Eastern European countries to free trade: A critical assessment." Structural Change and Economic Dynamics 58, no. : 23-34.
The term Big Data is becoming increasingly widespread throughout the world, and its use is no longer limited to the IT industry, quantitative scientific research, and entrepreneurship, but entered as well everyday media and conversations. The prevalence of Big Data is simply a result of its usefulness in searching, downloading, collecting and processing massive datasets. It is therefore not surprising that the number of scientific articles devoted to this issue is increasing. However, the vast majority of research papers deal with purely technical matters. Yet, large datasets coupled with complex analytical algorithms pose the risk of non-transparency, unfairness, e.g., racial or class bias, cherry-picking of data, or even intentional misleading of public opinion, including policymakers, for example by tampering with the electoral process in the context of ‘cyberwars’. Thus, this work implements a bibliometric analysis to investigate the development of ethical concerns in the field of Big Data. The investigation covers articles obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection Database (WoS) published between 1900 and July 2020. A sample size of 892 research papers was evaluated using HistCite and VOSviewer software. The results of this investigation shed light on the evolution of the junction of two concepts: ethics and Big Data. In particular, the study revealed the following array of findings: the topic is relatively poorly represented in the scientific literature with the relatively slow growth of interest. In addition, ethical issues in Big Data are discussed mainly in the field of health and technology.
Marta Kuc-Czarnecka; Magdalena Olczyk. How ethics combine with big data: a bibliometric analysis. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 2020, 7, 1 -9.
AMA StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka, Magdalena Olczyk. How ethics combine with big data: a bibliometric analysis. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 2020; 7 (1):1-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka; Magdalena Olczyk. 2020. "How ethics combine with big data: a bibliometric analysis." Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 7, no. 1: 1-9.
Research background: The problem of digital deprivation is already known, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted its negative consequences. A global change in the way of life, work and socialisation resulting from the epidemic has indicated that a basic level of digital integration is becoming necessary. During the lockdown, people were forced to use ICTs to adapt to a rapidly changing reality. Current experience with coronavirus pandemic shows that the transition to these extraordinary circumstances is not smooth. The inability to rapid conversion to the online world (due to a lack of skills or technical capabilities) significantly reduces professional mobility, hinders access to public services, and in the case of children, exposes them to the risk of remaining outside the remote education system. Purpose of the article: This research paper is addressing new issues of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on deepening and increasing the severity of e-exclusion. The goal of the paper is to indicate territorial areas in Poland which are particularly vulnerable to digital deprivation due to infrastructural deficiencies. Methods: Raster data regarding landform, combined with vector data regarding population density and type of buildings as well as the location of BTS stations are used in so-called modelling overland paths (GIS method) to indicate areas vulnerable to the infrastructural digital divide. Findings & Value added: The research showed that 4% of Poles remain out-side the Internet coverage, and additional ten percent of them are out of the reach of the Internet, allowing efficient remote work or learning. The research indicated that digital 'accessibility gap' is underestimated. E-exclusion has become a pressing issue and requires urgent system solutions, in case of future lockdowns.
Marta Kuc-Czarnecka. COVID-19 and digital deprivation in Poland. Oeconomia Copernicana 2020, 11, 415 -431.
AMA StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka. COVID-19 and digital deprivation in Poland. Oeconomia Copernicana. 2020; 11 (3):415-431.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka. 2020. "COVID-19 and digital deprivation in Poland." Oeconomia Copernicana 11, no. 3: 415-431.
The reasons for and against composite indicators are briefly reviewed, as well as the available theories for their construction. After noting the strong normative dimension of these measures—which ultimately aim to ‘tell a story’, e.g. to promote the social discovery of a particular phenomenon, we inquire whether a less partisan use of a composite indicator can be proposed by allowing more latitude in the framing of its construction. We thus explore whether a composite indicator can be built to tell ‘more than one story’ and test this in practical contexts. These include measures used in convergence analysis in the field of cohesion policies and a recent case involving the World Bank’s Doing Business Index. Our experiments are built to imagine different constituencies and stakeholders who agree on the use of evidence and of statistical information while differing on the interpretation of what is relevant and vital.
Marta Kuc-Czarnecka; Samuele Lo Piano; Andrea Saltelli. Quantitative Storytelling in the Making of a Composite Indicator. Social Indicators Research 2020, 149, 775 -802.
AMA StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka, Samuele Lo Piano, Andrea Saltelli. Quantitative Storytelling in the Making of a Composite Indicator. Social Indicators Research. 2020; 149 (3):775-802.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka; Samuele Lo Piano; Andrea Saltelli. 2020. "Quantitative Storytelling in the Making of a Composite Indicator." Social Indicators Research 149, no. 3: 775-802.
Research background: Composite indicators are commonly used as an approximation tool to measure economic development, the standard of living, competitiveness, fairness, effectiveness, and many others being willingly implemented into many different research disciplines. However, it seems that in most cases, the variable weighting procedure is avoided or erroneous since, in most cases, the so-called ‘weights by belief’ are applied. As research show, it can be frequently observed that weights do not equal importance in composite indicators. As a result, biased rankings or grouping of objects are obtained. Purpose of the article: The primary purpose of this article is to optimise and improve the Human Development Index, which is the most commonly used composite indicator to rank countries in terms of their socio-economic development. The optimisation will be done by re-scaling the current weights, so they will express the real impact of every single component taken into consideration during HDI’s calculation process. Methods: In order to achieve the purpose mentioned above, the sensitivity analysis tools (mainly the first-order sensitivity index) were used to determine the appropriate weights in the Human Development Index. In the HDI’s resilience evaluation process, the Monte Carlo simulations and full-Bayesian Gaussian processes were applied. Based on the adjusted weights, a new ranking of countries was established and compiled with the initial ranking using, among others, Kendall tau correlation coefficient. Findings & Value added: Based on the data published by UNDP for 2017, it has been shown that the Human Development Index is built incorrectly by putting equal weights for all of its components. The weights proposed by the sensitivity analysis better reflect the actual contribution of individual factors to HDI variability. Re-scaled Human Development Index constructed based on proposed weights allow for better differentiation of countries due to their socio-economic development.
Marta Kuc-Czarnecka. Sensitivity analysis as a tool to optimise Human Development Index. Equilibrium 2019, 14, 425 -440.
AMA StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka. Sensitivity analysis as a tool to optimise Human Development Index. Equilibrium. 2019; 14 (3):425-440.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc-Czarnecka. 2019. "Sensitivity analysis as a tool to optimise Human Development Index." Equilibrium 14, no. 3: 425-440.
Marta Kuc. IS THE REGIONAL DIVERGENCE A PRICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONVERGENCE? THE CASE OF THE VISEGRAD GROUP. Journal of Competitiveness 2017, 9, 50 -65.
AMA StyleMarta Kuc. IS THE REGIONAL DIVERGENCE A PRICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONVERGENCE? THE CASE OF THE VISEGRAD GROUP. Journal of Competitiveness. 2017; 9 (4):50-65.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc. 2017. "IS THE REGIONAL DIVERGENCE A PRICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONVERGENCE? THE CASE OF THE VISEGRAD GROUP." Journal of Competitiveness 9, no. 4: 50-65.
Research background: Geographical proximity, common historical roots and collaboration within the Nordic Council cause the Nordic countries to be often wrongly treated as monoliths. However, in reality, Nordic regions differ in terms of broadly defined social and economic development. Issues concerning the standard of living are one of the priorities of the Helsinki Treaty signed by Nordic countries. Purpose of the article: The main goal of this paper is to analyze the existence of the social convergence in the Nordic NUTS-3 regions over the 2000-2015 period. The social convergence refers to a reduction in the dispersion of the standard of living across regions. The results of this analysis may be helpful in evaluating the efficiency of the activities under third and fourth Nordic Strategy for Sustainable Development. Methods: The spatial taxonomic measure of development proposed by Pietrzak was used as the standard of living approximation. Inclusion of spatial relationships in the construction of taxonomic measure of development is justified as regions are not isolated in space and can be affected by other units. The existence of beta-, sigma- and gamma convergence was tested for global spatial aggregate measure and as well for sub-groups of determinants forming the standard of living. Findings and Value added: The analysis showed that the regions with the highest standard of living are those situated on the west coast of Norway. Regions with the lowest standard of living were the ones located in central Finland. However, the most important part of this research was to investigate the existence of beta-, sigma- and gamma- social convergence. The results show that there is no convergence for global standard of living measure. However, the convergence occurs in groups of determinants of education and health care.
Marta Kuc. Social convergence in Nordic countries at regional level. Equilibrium 2017, 12, 25 .
AMA StyleMarta Kuc. Social convergence in Nordic countries at regional level. Equilibrium. 2017; 12 (1):25.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Kuc. 2017. "Social convergence in Nordic countries at regional level." Equilibrium 12, no. 1: 25.