DETERMINANTS OF SME ACCESS TO PUBLIC PROCUREMENT: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE VISEGRAD GROUP COUNTRIES

This article aims to investigate the factors influencing the success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in public procurement in the Visegrad Group Countries. According to the European Union, tools such as the division of contracts into smaller lots or the evaluation of tenders based on the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) increase the chances of SME’s winning contracts in public procurement. In particular, the evaluation of tenders based on MEAT rather than the lowest price is a tool favoring SMEs, as it boosts their innovative potential, which creates the preconditions for achieving the best value for taxpayers' money. By analyzing more than 150,000 contract award notices published in the Tenders Electronic Daily in 2019, we found a positive effect on SMEs' chances of winning a contract when using framework agreements or dividing contracts into smaller lots. Moreover, the results of multinomial logit regression suggest that the evaluation of tenders based on MEAT rather than lowest prices increases the chances of SMEs to win the contract by more than 50%. However, the findings that the share of SMEs in the total financial value of contracts is less than 20%, with SMEs winning more than 60% of all contracts, suggest that some obstacles of SMEs' access to public contracts, such as financial, administrative or technical complexity of projects may persist and require further research.

Changes in Alcoholic Beverage Choice and Risky Drinking among Adolescents in Europe 1999–2019

This paper explores trends in beverage preference in adolescents, identifies related regional differences, and examines cluster differences in key drinking measures. Data were obtained from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), covering 24 European countries between 1999 and 2019. Trends in the distribution of alcoholic beverages on the participants’ most recent drinking occasion were analysed by sex and country using fractional multinomial logit regression. Clusters of countries based on trends and predicted beverage proportions were compared regarding the prevalence of drinkers, mean alcohol volume and prevalence of heavy drinking. Four distinct clusters each among girls and boys emerged. Among girls, there was not one type of beverage that was preferred across clusters, but the proportion of cider/alcopops strongly increased over time in most clusters. Among boys, the proportion of beer decreased, but was dominant across time in all clusters. Only northern European countries formed a geographically defined region with the highest prevalence of heavy drinking and average alcohol volume in both genders. Adolescent beverage preferences are associated with mean alcohol volume and heavy drinking at a country-level. Future approaches to drinking cultures need to take subpopulations such as adolescents into account.

THE EFFECT OF SAVING ACCOUNT OWNERSHIP AND ACCESS TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ON HOUSEHOLD LOANS IN INDONESIA

This study investigates whether saving account ownership and access to financial institutions influence household credit in Indonesia. Using a multinomial logit regression model and a sample of 294,426 households from the 2018 national socioeconomic survey and the village potential data, we find that account ownership is essential in encouraging formal credit and reducing informal credit. Access to commercial banks, rural banks, and cooperatives can then improve formal credit without significantly reducing informal credit. Hence, the government needs to encourage bank account ownership and facilitate access to financial institutions in order to promote formal credit and reduce informal credit.

Keberlanjutan Penerapan Teknologi Padi Sawah Ramah Lingkungan dalam Aspek Kapasitas Petani dan Sifat Inovasi di Sulawesi Tengah

Friendly environment lowland rice management is an alternative way which can be implemented by farmers for getting a balance and sustainability of environment. However, challenges often faced by environmentally friendly agriculture such as the sustainability of its application after the technological innovation was disseminated. Some factors are thought to influence the sustainability of friendly environment rice management namely capacity of farmers and the nature of technology innovation. This study aims to determine the relationship between farmer capacity and the nature of innovation on the sustainability of the application of environmentally friendly rice technology in Central Sulawesi. Data collection was carried out through a survey using a questionnaire to 174 respondents. Data were analyzed descriptively and statistically quantitatively using multinomial logit regression. The results of the analysis show that the capacity of farmers and the nature of innovation that significantly affects the sustainability of the application of environmentally friendly lowland rice technology in Central Sulawesi is the relative cost advantage, relative price advantage, complexity in application, evaluation of farming, and knowledge of environmentally friendly lowland rice management. Therefore, there is a need to increase all significant variabels and to expand the dissemination of innovations in environmentally friendly lowland rice technology.

Exploring Consumers’ Preferred Purchase Location for Fresh Fruits

Before consumers choose what and how much fruit to buy, they first decide where to buy it. To address the choices of stores for fresh fruits, this study investigated the influence of market attributes and customers’ attitudes toward their purchasing decisions. Data from a web-based survey of 1658 U.S. consumers were used to conduct multinomial logit regression to investigate the factors guiding their choices regarding four types of stores: chain, independent, club/warehouse, and direct-to-consumer. We found attitudinal scales and market attributes have different effects on the choice of marketplace for fresh fruits. Driven by price and convenience, most consumers prefer chain stores when buying fresh fruits, whereas those same factors deter them from choosing independent and ethnic stores for fresh fruits. The supply of local fruits, friendly atmosphere, and access to desirable fresh fruits positively influenced consumers to purchase fruits at local markets. Our findings can provide insight regarding food retailers and farmers targeting fresh fruit consumers. For example, our findings highlight the importance of providing a friendly atmosphere and outstanding customer service to positively influence purchasing behavior.

The Impact of Market Outlets Choice on Beekeepers’ Income in Rural Poor: A Case Study of Badakhshan Province

This research carried out to uncover the effect of beekeeping on the income of rural poor and to which extent that market outlet choice affects the income of beekeepers. The findings of Multinomial Logit regression, from 129 questionnaires of 4 districts indicate that there is no relationship between market outlet choice and income of beekeepers. The income of beekeepers is mostly affected by their family size and working experience. But the factors affecting to choose the home selling market outlet is very different from those of three other channels. In order to promote the income of beekeepers, it’s recommended that the government and other involved NGOs work on arrangements on wholesale opportunities for beekeepers. Because over 102 out of 129 samples have indicated that their products aren’t sold out on time. It means that there is a huge opportunity of filling the gap of honey demand in Afghanistan by promoting the links between producers and buyers.

Covid-19 Pandemic and Food Waste: An Empirical Analysis

This paper investigates the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on food waste using an original dataset from 176 agrifood business operators in the European Union (EU). Our objective is to assess whether and why the pandemic crisis affected food waste level. Unlike previous studies that addressed the issue at a consumer level, our research focuses on pre-consumption waste covering stages of the agrifood supply chain from input suppliers to retailers. Considering the importance of waste reduction for the sustainability of food production, the study provides an insight into the ability of the agrifood supply chain to cope with a major shock and its resilience. A multinomial logit regression model is used to estimate the effect of Covid-19, testing whether the ability to innovate, the role in the supply chain, the magnitude of the shock and policy support were drivers of changes in food waste. We find that three main factors affect the change in a firm’s food-waste level during the Covid-19 pandemic: The magnitude of the disruption of the sale channel, the firms’ ability to adapt the business model to the new pandemic environment, and the adoption of public policies mitigating the lockdown effects. The first driver was associated with an increase in food waste, while the others were associated with a decrease.

The Impact of Market Outlets Choice on Beekeepers’ Income in Rural Poor: A Case Study of Badakhshan Province

This research carried out to uncover the effect of beekeeping on the income of rural poor and to which extent that market outlet choice affects the income of beekeepers. The findings of Multinomial Logit regression, from 129 questionnaires of 4 districts indicate that there is no relationship between market outlet choice and income of beekeepers. The income of beekeepers is mostly affected by their family size and working experience. But the factors affecting to choose the home selling market outlet is very different from those of three other channels. In order to promote the income of beekeepers, it’s recommended that the government and other involved NGOs work on arrangements on wholesale opportunities for beekeepers. Because over 102 out of 129 samples have indicated that their products aren’t sold out on time. It means that there is a huge opportunity of filling the gap of honey demand in Afghanistan by promoting the links between producers and buyers.