Entry and Exit of firms explained by trigger points: Dutch glasshouse horticulture

The entry and exit decisions, considered as investment decisions, are investigated in the paper. Taking into account the heterogeneity of entry and exit, the analysis is based on two types of entry-exit: real (related to the establishment or closing of a firm), or entry-exit in a new sector (indicating the diversification or changing specialisation). The theoretical model is based on Marshallian trigger points with Real Option trigger points as an alternative. The estimation exploited the negative binomial model to investigate the role of trigger points (thresholds) on the observed number of entry or exit firms in Dutch glasshouse horticulture over 25 years. Firms should overcome different thresholds depending on types of entry and exit. Marshallian trigger points function as good as the ones based on Real Option theory. The estimation of the model, which takes into account expected output prices, uncertainty and the interest rate, however, provides the best explanation of entry and exit. That model can be considered of a flexible variant of Real Option theory. The model provides plausible elasticities of entry and exit, either real or in changing specialisation.entry and exit, trigger points, glasshouse horticulture, Crop Production/Industries, Industrial Organization,

Investment Spikes in Dutch Horticulture: An Analysis at Firm and Aggregate Firm Level Over the Period 1975-1999

An intermittent and lumpy pattern of investments is observed in the Dutch horticulture sector: only 16.5% of firms experience of investment spike, but they account for 67.7% of total investment. The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of time-varying and time-invariant variables on the probability of observing an investment spieke. This paper investigates the spells between investment spikes in a discrete-time proportional hazard framework. Duration models were estimated on two data sets: on an unbalanced panel and on a grouped into 10 groups data of Dutch glasshouse firms over the period 1975-1999. Different specifications of the model were estimated. Theoretically based model can sufficiently explain the occurrence of investment spikes. Both models show a 6- year period of investment spikes that is also confirmed for the average firm which exhibits a higher hazard ratio in the 6th, 12-13th and 19-20th years of duration. The presence of investment cycle can demonstrate the long-run policy of firms in presence of non-convex adjustment costs. The panel-data models are augmented with a Gamma distribution to account for unobserved heterogeneity among firms.Investments, discrete-hazard duration model, Dutch greenhouse horticulture, gamma heterogeneity, Crop Production/Industries, Q12, D9,

Brand Platform as an Element of a Company Marketing Strategy

Abstract- The gist of this article boils down to the comprehensive understanding of the company brand by consumers of linguistic services in a turbulent competition. Development of a brand platform is a stage in building a marketing strategy, which is the foundation for creating a brand. The effective marketing strategy of the company should include the stage of developing a brand platform and be at the forefront in importance, among other issues. And how the company promotes itself in the market, how it promotes itself in the minds of consumers, partners, suppliers, and the media will determine the successful achievement of its strategic goals. Despite the crisis situation, difficult political situation and high rates of foreign currencies, there is still a need for the population to learn English. In this regard, the formation of a marketing strategy and its brand platform of the linguistic center in this market are important, because without it the market will belong exclusively to competitors. Based on the brand platform, the company management understands what consumers are interested in and plans a policy for further development. As part of the marketing strategy a brand platform was proposed for the company. Based on the selected target segment, positioning was carried out based on three points of differentiation: the result for everyone, the simplicity and uniqueness of the methodology and the learning speed. Final positioning concept is formulated in the paper

Necessity of Changes in the System of Hospitality Industry and Tourism Training in Terms of Import Substitution

The purpose of the authors in this study was to prove the relevance of research identifying the necessity of changes in the system of training for hospitality industry and tourism in terms of import substitution. The aim of this research was to assess the significance of tourism in the framework of import substitution, to justify the need for changes in the system of training for hospitality and tourism industry in recent situation. It is also essential to give practical recommendations on training and education development. The authors implemented expert assessment method and statistics analyses, tourists' questionnaires evaluating their travel preferences and personal materials and findings to enable construction of complex model of training and education development for hospitality industry. All above mentioned techniques allow authors to introduce their own findings concerning this issue in terms of import substitution. Through the study the authors scrutinize and generalize the problems concerning training and education for hospitality industry and give offers and solutions to improve activities most vital and perspective for the industry. The authors emphasize that it is essential not only to follow our national concept of import substitution but also to take into consideration the employers' requirements for staff working in hospitality. Furthermore, it is of vital importance to influence hospitality management to take part in educational programs development, while educators and scientists should introduce new technologies of customer service to the business organizations. As a result of implementing authors' recommendations given in the following article it will be likely to generate competitive tourism products and modernized educational programs which will meet customers' demands. The article findings are of practical importance for training and development in hospitality industry organization. It also has practical significance for all types of training organizations in hospitality industry and researchers of international training for the industry in the terms of import substitution. Keywords:  Tourism.  Import substitution. Personnel Training,  Development. JEL Classifications: H25, H54, O14, Z3

Destination development in Western Siberia:Tourism governance and evolutionary economic geography

Tourism development has often been identified as a tool for balancing negative effects of economic restructuring, especially in peripheral regions. Tourism-based activities often utilize the availability of abundant nature, but although most English language studies of destination development are presented from western contexts, examples from post-Soviet Russia are rare. Western Siberia is a periphery with access to natural resources and heavy industrialization but remotely located from domestic (Russian) and international markets, where tourism is often considered a saviour, especially for the regional economies. Stakeholders in this Russian resource periphery face challenges in managing governance and cooperation in destinations development due to frequent institutional, economic and social changes. Using evolutionary economic geography and based on primary sources and interview data, tourism development and stakeholder relations are assessed in three Western Siberia regions: Tomsk, Kemerovo and Altai Krai. Findings show that for tourism to make a significant contribution, it must be more central to the economic development agenda in all three regions. However, it is currently only achieving a permanent high-profile in one of them, being crowded out by other (mostly primary) industries in the other two. Although the specific tourism governance set-up varies between the three regions, it is clear that public tourism governance still sits somewhat uneasily between state control and the market economy. Tourism receives substantial public subsidies, especially in large-scale investment projects, which depend on federal support within a governance system where decentralization seems to be somewhat limited and unstable. As a result, the tourism path development in the Siberian periphery is highly dependent on state intervention and success in other sectors.</p

Investment Spikes in Dutch Horticulture: An Analysis at Firm and Aggregate Firm Level Over the Period 1975-1999

An intermittent and lumpy pattern of investments is observed in the Dutch horticulture sector: only 16.5% of firms experience of investment spike, but they account for 67.7% of total investment. The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of time-varying and time-invariant variables on the probability of observing an investment spieke. This paper investigates the spells between investment spikes in a discrete-time proportional hazard framework. Duration models were estimated on two data sets: on an unbalanced panel and on a grouped into 10 groups data of Dutch glasshouse firms over the period 1975-1999. Different specifications of the model were estimated. Theoretically based model can sufficiently explain the occurrence of investment spikes. Both models show a 6- year period of investment spikes that is also confirmed for the average firm which exhibits a higher hazard ratio in the 6th, 12-13th and 19-20th years of duration. The presence of investment cycle can demonstrate the long-run policy of firms in presence of non-convex adjustment costs. The panel-data models are augmented with a Gamma distribution to account for unobserved heterogeneity among firms

Entry and Exit of firms explained by trigger points: Dutch glasshouse horticulture

The entry and exit decisions, considered as investment decisions, are investigated in the paper. Taking into account the heterogeneity of entry and exit, the analysis is based on two types of entry-exit: real (related to the establishment or closing of a firm), or entry-exit in a new sector (indicating the diversification or changing specialisation). The theoretical model is based on Marshallian trigger points with Real Option trigger points as an alternative. The estimation exploited the negative binomial model to investigate the role of trigger points (thresholds) on the observed number of entry or exit firms in Dutch glasshouse horticulture over 25 years. Firms should overcome different thresholds depending on types of entry and exit. Marshallian trigger points function as good as the ones based on Real Option theory. The estimation of the model, which takes into account expected output prices, uncertainty and the interest rate, however, provides the best explanation of entry and exit. That model can be considered of a flexible variant of Real Option theory. The model provides plausible elasticities of entry and exit, either real or in changing specialisation

Development of an express method for the quantitative assessment of the contamination of wheat flour with Bac. spores. subtilis

The causative agent of potato bread disease (Bacillus subtilis, ssp. Mesentericus) develops in the crumb of wheat bread. To prevent potato disease of bread, it is necessary to control raw materials and finished products in order to identify their microbiological contamination. Various methods can be used to determine the presence of bacteria that cause potato bread disease. These methods are usually subdivided into four groups: 1) bacteriological; 2) technological; 3) biochemical and 4) physical. Within the framework of all four groups of methods, there is no single method for analyzing the detection of pathogens of potato disease in bread, which would be easily reproduced in any laboratory and would have a correct assessment of the results.At the Department of Nutrition Technology of the Ural State University of Economics, an express method for the colorimetric determination of the contamination of wheat flour with Bac spores has been developed. subtilis by the content of erythrodextrins in it, which give a reddish-brown color when interacting with iodine solution. The advantages of the improved method for determining the potato disease of bread include: speed and rapidity; the possibility of both qualitative and quantitative determination of Bac. subtilis in flour to predict the occurrence of potato bread disease in wheat flour bread