European Journal of Economic Studies

58-68

Authors: Murat Cetin, Eyyup Ecevit

This study investigates the dynamic causal links between energy consumption, trade openness and economic growth for upper middle income countries over the period 1971-2014. The ARDL bounds test is used to examine the presence of cointegration between the variables. The VECM Granger causality method is also used to explore causality between the variables. Empirical results indicate that i) the variables are stationary at first differences, ii) there exists cointegration between the variables in Turkey, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica and Peru, iii) there exists important causal linkages among the variables in the long run, iv) the energy-led-growth and trade-led-growth hypotheses are demonstrated for Turkey, China, Colombia, Jamaica and Peru.

77-88

Authors: Rinor Kurteshi

This research looks at the main drivers of public sector innovation and localized cultivation of an innovation culture in the public sector of Kosovo. This study is exploratory and a mixed methodology is used, while the findings are compared with the most recent literature in the field of public sector innovation. Findings clearly indicate that the introduction of new laws and regulations have been found to be the most prevalent driver of innovation in the public sector of Kosovo. In addition to that, mandated increase/decrease in the organization’s budget has had an important role in the overall innovation processes. The public sector of Kosovo has made some progress in cultivating an innovation culture. Public sector managers support experimentation of new ideas and take an active role in the development and implementation of innovations. However, interestingly enough the introduction of e-government or online services has not been of paramount importance in driving innovation in the public sector of Kosovo. Moreover, the public sector of Kosovo has failed to engage service users in the designing, planning and evaluating new or improved services, which is an element that the literature supports. In addition to the findings, this research enriches and extends the current knowledge of innovation in the public sector domain. Finally, it is a unique contribution to Kosovo's academics and practitioners.

98-108

Authors: Nasikh

This study aims at identifying the characteristic of the local resources regarding to the sustainable food self-sufficiency in East Java as well as arranging policy strategy of regional government of East Java to achieve the sustainable food self-sufficiency. The study is carried out in Madiun and Nganjuk regencies in East Java. The two regencies are chosen as they are the food buffering area for other regencies in East Java. The study is conducted in eight months, from March to October 2015. The research finding shows that the regional characteristic in the local resources-based sustainable food self-sufficiency in East Java has been surplus in terms of rice which is 4.403.553 tons; corn which is 6.095.325 tons; meat which is 146.448 tons; and egg which is 29.147 tons. The availability of energy total consumed by East Java citizens in 2014 is 3.589 kcal/cap/day or 149.54 % out of the Recommended Dietary Allowance which is 2.400 kcal/cap/day. The availability of energy in 2014 is dominated by vegetable (96.91 %) and animals (3.09 %). If compared to the Recommended Dietary Allowance in 2012, the decrease is 967 kcal/cap/day or 21.22 %. The strategy of the regional government to maintain the local food security to be the imported-rice free is encouraging the food reserve development, enhancing the food distribution system, fostering the consumption diversification, monitoring fresh food, conducting citizen empowerment action program to solve the food security issue, and synchronizing the action program funding among the state budget, regional government budget, and citizen fund in East Java.

126-131

Authors: Evgeniya V. Vidishcheva, Marina Gunare

Major local and international events require significant financial and labour investments. Modernization of infrastructure and marketing activities are largest part of organizational and holding expenditures. However, the share of the wages fund is also significant, that's why the practice of engaging the unpaid volunteers is becoming more and more popularity. Despite the relatively short history of development the event-volunteer’s movement in Russia specialized centers for the volunteer's training has already been formed and actively operating now. Tens of thousands of volunteers pass a qualification every time before the events, and the economic and social contribution of volunteer activities to the event industry and country's economy is constantly growing. Volunteering is a source of self-development and improvement of professional skills for both young and older generations. And in many developed countries it is also an impressive share of gross domestic product. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of volunteering in the economy of mega-events.