scholarly journals Explaining and tackling envelope wages in the Baltic Sea region

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin C Williams ◽  
Ioana Alexandra Horodnic
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Informal Institutions ◽  
Formal Institutions ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Laws And Regulations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance a new way of explaining and tackling the illegitimate wage practice where employers pay their employees an undeclared (envelope) wage in addition to their formal salary. Drawing upon institutional theory, it is here proposed that envelope wages result from the lack of alignment of a society’s formal institutions (i.e. the codified laws and regulations) with its informal institutions (i.e. the socially shared unwritten understandings which reflect citizens’ norms, values and beliefs). Design/methodology/approach – To evaluate this, data are reported from a 2013 Eurobarometer survey involving 1,738 face-to-face interviews with formal employees in four Baltic countries, namely, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Findings – The finding is that the greater is the asymmetry between the formal and informal institutions (i.e. the level of disagreement of citizens with the codified laws and regulations of formal institutions), the higher is the propensity to pay envelope wages. This is the case at both the individual- and country levels. Practical implications – To reduce the prevalence of envelope wages, the resultant argument is that the values of employers and employees need to be aligned with the formal institutions. This requires alterations not only in the informal institutions, using measures such as tax education, awareness raising campaigns and normative appeals, but also changes in formal institutions so as to improve trust in government by fostering greater procedural justice, procedural fairness and redistributive justice. Originality/value – This is the first paper to apply institutional theory to explaining and tackling envelope wages in the Baltic Sea region.

Shipping sulphur regulation, freight transportation prices and diesel markets in the Baltic Sea region

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olli-Pekka Hilmola
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Freight Transportation ◽  
Diesel Oil ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Transportation Mode ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transportation Modes ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Regulation Change ◽  
The Baltic

Purpose – Purpose of this research is to shed light on the changes caused by shipping sulphur regulation, which will globally take off during years 2015 and 2020. It has significant effects on diesel markets globally, but especially in regions, where demanding 0.1 per cent level is required. One of these regions is the Baltic Sea. It is relatively undealt issue, how this forthcoming change will affect these specific sub-regions of stiff 0.1 per cent sulphur level demand and their transportation modes with different tax obligations. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use second-hand data from various different sources, earlier research as well as simulation to estimate the effects on the diesel markets and transportation prices in the Baltic Sea region. Different transportation modes have diverging taxation treatment on diesel oil use, which complicates analysis further. Findings – Based on research findings, it is rather probable that diesel markets for sulphur-free diesel oil shall face price spike in the beginning of 2015 in the Baltic Sea region. This is mostly explained with needed large-scale scrubber investment and short-time span to complete these (there are both technical and financial challenges). Therefore, numerous ships shall enter sulphur-free diesel oil market. Based on the simulation study, freight transportation will mostly be hurt in shipping, whereas road and rail shall face smaller price increases. Results are mostly explained with taxation treatment, where shipping is still using tax-free diesel oil, and no fixed taxes are hedging this transportation mode from sudden price changes. Research limitations/implications – Analysis concerns only Baltic Sea region, and effects and changes in the entire Europe from sulphur regulation change in 2015 are unknown. This would mean to extent study to North Sea. In addition, taxation system harmonization is not yet complete in Europe, and differences exist between member states. Research work was completed with diesel oil tax treatment regarding different transportation modes in Finland. Practical implications – Based on this study, short sea shipping will be hurt by regulation change in 2015. However, in the future, this transportation mode shall face additional cost increases, as most probably, tax harmonization in diesel markets shall lead to fixed taxes added on shipping diesel. So, transportation mode shall face difficult and challenging times ahead. Originality/value – Research is seminal study from possible sulphur regulation change implications in transportation mode level. It takes into account taxation treatment, cost share of diesel in transportation mode level and possible diesel price change. Until today, no other study exists in this detailed level.

scholarly journals The Baltic Sea Macro-Regional Transport Cluster as an Element of the Silk Road Economic Belt

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (78) ◽  
pp. 77-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Nežerenko ◽  
Ott Koppel
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Hierarchical Cluster ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
One Belt One Road ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract This article analyzes the opportunities of the Chinese initiative “One Belt, One Road”, for the development of the Baltic Sea macro-region (BSR), as a single transport cluster. One of the objectives of the initiative is to strengthen transport linkages from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea Region. Thus, the contemporary macro-regional approach to the development of EU macro-regions can provide an additional impulse to the creation of formal macro-regional inter-cooperation, via in this case, the project that will advance the transport infrastructure of the region. This study examines the situation of the railway sector in the BSR in the period 2004–2015, through hierarchical cluster analysis, to identify countries with similar trends in cargo flow turnover. Taking into account the favorable geographical position of Poland, its transport performance and advanced (in comparison to other Baltic Sea region countries) relations with China, it is concluded that Poland’s conditions are more suitable to promote economic integration with its closest neighbors – the Baltic countries-through the creation of formal macro-regional railway transport within the Rail Baltic project.

scholarly journals Współpraca w regionie Morza Bałtyckiego – Rada Państw Morza Bałtyckiego

2012 ◽  
pp. 175-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iwona Śmigerska-Belczak
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Sea State ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
20Th Anniversary ◽  
The Baltic

In 2011 the Baltic Sea region was marking the 20th anniversary of the Baltic countries regaining their independence and the resumption of diplomatic relations with them. This region with the riches of experiences is the region where the currently established methods and practices of cooperation are a source of knowledge and experience for a peaceful striving after stabilization and welfare. The changes that took place 20 years ago have brought development of different forms of cooperation and a lot of regional international organizations were established. The governmental international organization is the Council of the Baltic Sea State, a regional political forum, whose stated aims are to coordinate the cooperation between the partners and to achieve sustainable growth of the region. The Prime Ministers have established a number of the valuable initiatives, such as Baltic21, which was a regional counterpart to the UN Agenda21, the Strategy for the Baltic Sea region or the Northern Dimension Partnership for Health and Social well-being. Also the groups of experts were appointed in order to advance work in the respective areas. Many of these aspects are connected with sustainable development, which nowadays is considered as one of the biggest challenges. The Baltic Sea region is also important for the European Union due to its strategic neighborhood.

scholarly journals Genotypic Diversity and Virulence Characteristics of Clinical and Environmental Vibrio vulnificus Isolates from the Baltic Sea Region

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 3570-3581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Bier ◽  
Silke Bechlars ◽  
Susanne Diescher ◽  
Florian Klein ◽  
Gerhard Hauk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Vibrio Vulnificus ◽  
Genotypic Diversity ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Microbiological Methods ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Seawater Samples ◽  
The Baltic

ABSTRACTThe genetic diversity ofVibrio vulnificusisolates from clinical and environmental sources originating from the Baltic Sea region was evaluated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and possible relationships between MLST clusters, potential genotypic and phenotypic traits associated with pathogenicity, and source of isolation were investigated. The studied traits included genotyping of polymorphic loci (16S rRNA,vcg, andpilF), presence/absence of potential virulence genes, includingnanA,nab, and genes of pathogenicity regions, metabolic features, hemolytic activity, resistance to human serum, and cytotoxicity to human intestinal cells. MLST generated 35 (27 new) sequence types and divided the 53 isolates (including four reference strains) into two main clusters, with cluster I containing biotype 1 and 2 isolates of mainly environmental origin and cluster II containing biotype 1 isolates of mainly clinical origin. Cluster II isolates were further subdivided into two branches. Branch IIB included isolates from recent cases of wound infections that were acquired at the German Baltic Sea coastline between 2010 and 2011 and isolates from seawater samples of the same regions isolated between 1994 and 2010. Comparing the MLST data with the results of genotyping and phenotyping showed that strains of MLST cluster II possess a number of additional pathogenicity-associated traits compared to cluster I strains. Rapid microbiological methods such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry combined with typing of selected virulence-associated traits (e.g., serum resistance, mannitol fermentation,nanA, and pathogenicity region XII) could be used for risk assessment purposes regardingV. vulnificusstrains isolated from the Baltic Sea region.

Effect of photovoltaic installation power and façade glazing ratio on the energy performance of a nursery building

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Marchwiński ◽  
Karolina Kurtz-Orecka
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Energy Profile ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic

PurposeThe aim of the research is to determine the influence of photovoltaic (PV) installation and the share of façade glazing on the energy profile of nursery buildings in the Baltic Sea region, as well as defining the most favorable configuration in terms of energy efficiency.Design/methodology/approachThe article provides comparative calculations of energy performance indicators (Ep, Ed, Eu) and CO2 emissions (mCO2) made for the defined model of the nursery. It includes calculations concerning energy performance of the building, depending on its PV power (0–60 kWp), PV efficiency (100 and 85%) and façade glazing ratio (GR = 25%, 50% and 75%).FindingsThe results of the research indicate that an increase in the PV power exerts proportional impact on the reduction of the Ep and Ed indicators, as well as on the CO2 emissions. Only low GR values (25%) reduce the Eu indicator significantly. Decrease in high range of GR values (over 50%) does not provide proportional effects. In the variant: 60 kWp (100% efficiency) with GR = 25%, the biggest share (99.5%) of RES was obtained. This proves that the concept of energy independent nursery buildings is feasible and reasonable in the examined location.Practical implicationsDesigning buildings towards environmental neutrality requires laborious pre-design conceptual work before developing the right solutions. The set of results of the relationship between the variables of the building's envelope, energy performance indicators and the required involvement of active RES installations to achieve high energy performance of a building presented in the article is valuable. It allows for a preliminary decision of the direction of the design solutions selection in the design process of public utility buildings, such as nurseries. Thus, it may significantly shorten the pre-design analysis process for the location of the southern part of the Baltic Sea region.Originality/valueThe novelty of the paper relies on examining the dependences between PV power and façade glazing ratio in terms of their influence on energy profile of nursery buildings.

scholarly journals The protection of the sea as a cooperation area case in the Baltic Sea region

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-136
Author(s):  
Tiziana Melchiorre
Keyword(s):  
Cold War ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
The United States ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Environmental Cooperation ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Cold War

This article investigates how the geopolitical interests of states in the Baltic Sea region have determined the emergence and the development of environmental cooperation around the Baltic Sea since the late 1970s. It is shown that the Nordic and the Baltic countries have played a key role in this process and that other actorsm such as the European Union and the United States, also influence environmental cooperation because their geopolitical interests contribute to shape the cooperative links in the region. The United Nations with its legislation and its policies reinforces cooperation in the field. It is also argued that the case of environment around the Baltic Sea is one of the rare successful attempts to establish closer links among states in a particular issue area during the Cold War in Europe. Spanish Este artículo investiga cómo los intereses geopolíticos de los estados de la región del Mar Báltico han determinado la aparición y el desarrollo de la cooperación medioambiental en torno al Mar Báltico desde finales de la década de los setenta. El artículo muestra que tanto los países nórdicos como los países bálticos han jugado un papel clave en este proceso, así como otros actores, entre ellos la Unión Europea y los Estados Unidos, los cuales han influido también en esta cooperación ambiental debido a que sus intereses geopolíticos contribuyeron a dar forma a los vínculos de cooperación en la región. Las Naciones Unidas, a través de su legislación y sus políticas, refuerzan la cooperación en este campo. También se argumenta que el caso de la cooperación medioambiental en el Mar Báltico es uno de los pocos intentos exitosos para establecer relaciones más estrechas entre los estados en un área particular durante la Guerra Fría en Europa. French L'article analyse la naissance et le développement de la coopération dans le domaine de l'environnement sous l'influence des intérêts géopolitiques des États dans la région de la Mer Baltique à partir des années 1970. Les pays nordiques et le pays baltes ont joué un rôle fondamental dans ce processus ainsi que l'UE et les États-Unis dont les intérêts géopolitiques contribuent à former la coopération régionale. Les Nations Unies renforcent la coopération dans ce domaine grâce à leur législation et à leurs politiques. Ce cas de coopération dans le domaine de l'environnement constitue une des rares tentatives réussies pour établir des liens étroits entre les États durant la période de la Guerre Froide en Europe.

scholarly journals Securitizing Russia: Discursive Practices of the Baltic States

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øyvind Jæger
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
The Other ◽  
Political Space ◽  
Discursive Practices ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The One ◽  
The Baltic

The author argues that the security situation of the Baltic countries cannot be separated from the way the Balts themselves speak of security. This is a discourse of danger producing insecurity in pursuit of security. Moreover, this article is a study of identity by demonstrating how Baltic security issues are constituted by discourses of danger revolving around Russian Otherness and European Sameness. In conclusion, the following aspects are addressed: the prospects for the coming together of East and West in the Baltic Sea Region – and NATO’s role in this process – and whether this process will come to ease with a parallel between sovereignty and regionality as organising principles for political space, or whether the one will succumb to the other in the course of a prolonged contest.

scholarly journals Editorial Foreword

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-6
Author(s):  
Silviu-Marian Miloiu
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Holy Land ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Literature Teaching ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Impact

On 28-29 May 2020 in full Coronavirus pandemic upsurge and lockdown conditions the Eleventh Conference on Baltic and Nordic Studies gathered on Zoom instead of The Palace of Culture and The Middle Age Citadel of Târgu Mureș as initially planned. The meeting was summoned in partnership with Rethinking Europe in order to reflect, from the perspective of the Baltic Sea Region, upon the Old Continent in the context of Brexit and the pandemic. Questions on the impact of the recent evolutions on Baltic and Scandinavian states have been raised, but the perspective was much wider looking on how the countries of this region responded to structural changes or alterations of the international environment over time. The two plenary sessions on the EU after Brexit: Perspectives on the Future of Europe and Constructions of Christian Identity and the Idea of the Holy Land in the Northern Periphery: The Sawley World Map in Twelfth-Century England appropriately mirrored the sequential diversity of the conference. Panels have been devoted to Encounters, fantasies and perceptions in shaping Europe, Rethinking Europe in Nordic and Baltic cultures, Rethinking the Baltic Sea Region in Europe during the interwar period, Rethinking Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea Region in Europe during the two world wars, Intercultural relations in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Reception of Nordic literature, New perspectives on Norwegian literature, Teaching and use of Nordic languages. The main theories, concepts and ideas presented are resumed in the Book of Abstracts published before the conference, while the full papers are assembled in volume 12, issues 1 and 2 of our biannual peer review journal. The Honorary Chair of the Conference, Her Excellency Dr. Violeta Motulaitė, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania in Romania and Bulgaria, Honorary President of the Romanian Association for Baltic and Nordic Studies, has focused in her lecture, published in this issue, on the Lithuanian perspective of the current European Brexit and Covid crisis, professing that:

scholarly journals SOCIETAL SECURITY IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION: THE RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Baltic Region ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-24
Author(s):  
Alexander A. Sergunin
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
International Terrorism ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic

This study discusses whether the concept of societal security is embedded in the Russian official and informal discourses as well as in the Russian strategic documents on national security and the Baltic Sea region. Particularly, the paper describes four paradigms of international relations (neorealism, neoliberalism, globalism and postpositivism) and theoretical approaches to the concept of societal security formulated in them. On a practical plane, Russia managed to develop — together with other regional players — a common regional approach to the understanding of societal security threats and challenges in the Baltic Sea region. These challenges include uneven regional development, social and gender inequalities, unemployment, poverty, manifestations of intolerance, religious and political extremism, separatism, large-scale migration, inconsistencies in education systems, climate change, natural and man-made catastrophes, transnational organized crime and cybercrime, international terrorism, so-called hybrid threats, etc. Russia and other Baltic countries agreed that the Council of the Baltic Sea States should be a proper regional institution to implement a common societal security strategy exemplified by the Baltic 2030 Agenda Action Plan (2017).

scholarly journals Analysis of the Competitiveness of the Performance of Baltic Ports in the Context of Economic Sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3267
Author(s):  
Vaidas Gaidelys ◽  
Raminta Benetyte
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Financial Analysis ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
New Members ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Baltic Coast ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Capacity Calculation ◽  
The Baltic

Baltic Seaports are a part of the sustainable global transport infrastructure. The main competitors of the Baltic countries in Baltic Sea region are the ports of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The ports of all three Baltic States are important transit corridors, connecting not only East and West, but also South and North. Periodical investments, modernization, and the construction of new terminals allow the Port of Klaipeda to successfully compete with neighbouring ports and strive for leadership positions. Thus, the aim of our study is to investigate the competitive environment of the Baltic Sea region. We use systematization, grouping, summarization of the scientific literature, data collection, comparison, financial analysis, and capacity calculation. The main results show that the Port of Klaipeda, a seaport on the eastern Baltic coast, is an important hub of the East-West (IXB) transport corridor, connecting roads and sea routes in this direction. With the accession of new members, including Lithuania, to the EU in 2004, the Baltic Sea became the internal Sea of the Union. Many Baltic seaports belong to the same system and organizations (ESPO, BPO). EU ports policy provides them with equal requirements for security, transport regulation, environmental protection, anti-air pollution, and sustainable development. The results obtained enable exploration perspectives. This includes a feasibility study for port development and attracting new investment from foreign capital markets in the Baltic Sea region.

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