We estimate the size of income underreporting in Poland by following and extending the consumption method of Pissarides and Weber (1989). Our study shows that underreporting of income occurs among households with income from self-employment. We do not find any significant underreporting activity by the employees working in the private sector. The main findings indicate that roughly one-fourth of the total income of self-employed households is not reported in Poland. This share varies between 20 to 30 percent from 2005 to 2017 with a decreasing trend.

Accurate determination of the probability structure of the multistate model is significant from the valuation and profitability assessment of insurance contracts standpoint. This article aims to analyse the effect of spouses' future lifetime dependence on premiums and prospective reserves for marriage insurance contracts. As a result, under the assumptions that the evolution of the insured risk is described by a nonhomogeneous Markov chain and the dependence between spouses' future lifetime is modelled by the copula, we derive formulas for the elements of the transition matrices. Based on actual data, we conduct a comparative analysis of actuarial values for three scenarios related to future lifetimes of husband and wife. We test the robustness of premium value to the changing degree of dependency between spouses' future lifetimes.

This article analyzes the growth impact of state ownership in enterprises by introducing state-owned enterprises (SOEs) into the endogenous, Romer-type economic growth model. We build on the empirical firm-level analysis showing that SOEs underperform their privately owned counterparts and consider SOEs' inefficiency and related subsidization in the growth model. Our model predicts that the growth rate is decreasing in the SOE inefficiency and SOE shares in final goods production and R&D sectors. The model helps to shed light on the mechanisms behind empirical facts observed in European economies in the 21st century - lower growth and innovation rates in countries with larger SOE shares.

Various theories have been put forward on the demographic and health effects and consequences of socioeconomic development. In this study, we used the theoretical findings of the epidemiologic transition as a starting point to examine the 2020 values of the three main cancer indicators (incidence, mortality, prevalence). These values were compared with socioeconomic development variables for 170 countries. The countries were grouped using hierarchical clustering, and linear discriminant analysis was used to evaluate how appropriate the clustering was. Principal component analysis was used to examine, by group, which parameters are significant in each principal component and what background factors underlie the data. The results seem to confirm the association between cancer and socioeconomic background.

Healthcare services differ from other public goods due to the characteristics of their demand and supply. As a public good, its provision might allow for a free rider effect. This study aimed at checking whether a patient's overall tendency to free ride impacts the Willingness to Pay for public healthcare access. The study demonstrates that besides the experience level with the valued good, free riding tendency also influenced the valuation. The results indicate that not only past decisions about free riding but also readiness to free ride in the future might change the willingness to pay for the public good.

This theoretical work studies a dynamic general equilibrium model with the financial sector in which aggregate activity depends on the conditions of intermediaries' balance sheets. This environment is used to demonstrate the business cycle consequences of changes in competition in the financial industry. On the one hand, a more competitive banking sector is associated with a higher average level of aggregate output. On the other hand, however, a less competitive financial industry increases financial and macroeconomic stability. This trade-off is present both in the short run and in the long run.

We study the evolution of income and wealth inequality in an economy undergoing endogenous structural change with imperfect labor mobility. Our economy features two sectors: services and manufacturing. With faster TFP growth in manufacturing, labor reallocates from manufacturing to services. This reallocation is slower due to labor mobility frictions, which in turn, raises relative wages in services. As a result, income inequality is higher. Moreover, we study the impact of structural change on wealth inequality. Its economic intuition is more ambiguous. On the one hand, increased income dispersion implies increased dispersion in the ability to accumulate wealth across individuals. On the other hand, younger workers who hold the least assets are the most mobile across sectors. Their incomes are improved, which boosts their savings, which works towards equalizing wealth distribution. The consequence of these changes can only be verified with a computational model. To this end, we construct an overlapping generations model with two sectors: manufacturing and services. Our model also features heterogeneous individuals. With our model, we are able to show how the structural change affected the evolution of income and wealth inequality in Poland as of 1990.

In the management of human resources, the absences are monitored with Bradford Factor (BF) using the number and length of sick leaves. The sick leaves are also measured in health technology to assess the impact of health technologies on product loss, aka indirect cost (IC). Linking the BF and IC might promote BF as an outcome measure and facilitate the estimation of IC. We simulate a single company operation in several scenarios describing the firm's functioning and adjustments to workers' absence. We measure the BF and the IC due to absence and relate them with econometric modelling. Results show that BF and IC are associated in a non-linear way; hence, IC cannot be calculated from BF in a simple manner. The association is strongest for possibility to adjust to worker's absence, and a high elasticity of substitution between workers. Therefore, the possibility to proxy IC by BF is rather limited.

Due to the spike in inflation, the implementation of easy monetary and fiscal policies since the pandemic appears to be coming to an end. The shift towards tighter policies raises concerns about debt sustainability in developing countries, particularly due to the challenge of the "original sin" problem. Given these premises, to analyze debt sustainability for emerging countries, this study focuses on foreign exchange revenue capability and employs external debt-creating (imports, reserves and interest payments) and reducing variables (exports, reserve return and net transfers) for 1995-2020. The results of this panel cointegration estimation for 15 EMDE countries are 0.74 and 0.70 for CCEMG and AMG estimators respectively which indicates moderate sustainability as whole sample countries. However, the individual estimators vary widely for each individual country from weak to strong sustainability.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are significant pollutants found in petroleum products. There is ample literature on the biodegradation of PAHs containing less than five rings, but little has been done on those with more than five rings. Coronene (CRN), a seven-ring-containing PAH, has only been shown to be degraded by one bacterial strain. In this study, a bacterial strain 10SCRN4D was isolated through enrichment in the presence of CRN and 10% NaCl (w/v). Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene identified the strain as Halomonas caseinilytica. The strain was able to degrade CRN in media containing 16.5–165 μM CRN with a doubling time of 9–16 hours and grew in a wide range of salinity (0.5–10%, w/v) and temperature (30–50°C) with optimum conditions of pH 7, salinity 0.5%–10% (w/v), and temperature 37°C. Over 20 days, almost 35% of 16.5 μM CRN was degraded, reaching 76% degradation after 80 days as measured by gas chromatography. The strain was also able to degrade smaller molecular weight PAHs such as benzo[a]pyrene, pyrene, and phenanthrene. This is the first report of Halomonas caseinilytica degrading CRN as the sole carbon source in high salinity, and thus highlights the potential of this strain in bioremediation.

In a national economy, are individual subnational regions business cycle takers or setters? We address this important regional policy question by investigating regional business cycles at NUTS-3 granularity in Poland (N = 73), using two metrics in parallel: GDP dynamics and unemployment. To extract the business cycle, we use a spatial Markov switching model that features both idiosyncratic business cycle fluctuations across regions (as a 2-state chain), as well as spatial interactions with other regions (as spatial autoregression). The posterior distribution of the parameters is simulated with a Metropolis-withinGibbs procedure. We find a clear division into business cycle setters and takers, the latter being largely (but not only) non-metropolitan regions.

Arrow and Debreu proved that, if in the mathematical model of the economy that they defined some conditions are satisfied, then there is a price system under which there is Walras equilibrium in this economy. We examine a procedure, defined on the basis of a continuous mapping, of transformation of production sets of the Arrow-Debreu economies in which at least one of the assumptions concerning the production sets is not satisfied. Finally, we get a class of ArrowDebreu economies in which, after modification, there is Walras equilibrium. The research methods are based on the analysis of the linear mappings in real vector space of finite dimension, and the results have the form of mathematical theorems.

This paper attempts to find out what is the role of competitive environment in shaping the sensitivity of growth in banking to the business cycle. To answer this question, we apply a large set of individual bank level data including over 8000 banks operating in more than 100 countries. This study uses the growth of assets, loans, deposits and leverage as proxies of bank growth and Lerner index as a proxy for the competitive environment. The analysis shows that decreased competition is associated with increased procyclicality of bank growth. However, in a perfectly competitive environment the growth turns out to be countercyclical. This effect differs between high- and lowincome countries. A perfectly competitive environment is associated with countercyclical growth in high-income countries. The opposite result is found for low-income countries. Our results for Central Eastern European countries show that increased competition is associated with enhanced procyclicality of growth.

This article systematizes the experience of conducting energy audits of production facilities and municipal establishments in the form of recommendations. The purpose of the analysis is to substantiate the criteria for an effective energy audit for thermal power stations. The object of the study is the formal and regulatory content of such criteria. The subject of the analysis (a prerequisite for objectification) is the systemic relationship of formal criteria with production efficiency. Based on the experience of energetic examinations, the general requirements for the subjects of the energy audit of thermal power stations are highlighted and the general approaches and the sequence of the analytical audit are recommended. It is generalized that the restoration and improvement of thermal power stations as elements of the Ukrainian energy system are cost-effectively provided that the relations between the customer and the energy auditor are transparent and open. From the perspective of energy management, the external on-site energy examination assesses the technical and economic performance of thermal power stations in a broad, comprehensive manner, identifying shortcomings and reserves, providing forecasting and determining the main areas of a thermal power station’s operation, and improving the plant’s reputation.

The relevance of this study is explained by the growing interest in increasing heat transfer by the development of high-performance thermal systems. Increasing the thermal characteristics of heat-exchanger systems is necessary for the efficient use of an energy source. The purpose of this study is to review the existing methods of heat-transfer intensification and examine the mathematical model of such an increase in efficiency when using petal turbulators. This study is based on a high-quality, reliable combination of proven theoretical methods (analysis, synthesis, concretization, generalization, modelling), and empirical methods. It is the introduction of turbulators into the flow channel that is one of the best methods of increasing passive heat exchange through such advantages as ease of manufacture and operation in combination with low operating and production costs. This study contains both passive and active methods of heat-exchange intensification that have been extensively investigated over the past decade. For this purpose, the newest studies of mainly authors from other countries were used, their detailed analysis was conducted and the results were summed up. In addition, a mathematical model of increasing the thermal efficiency of convective heating surfaces in a bundle of smooth pipes using petal turbulators was investigated, the results of which were tested on an experimental installation. The paper may interest a circle of readers interested in the problem of improving the thermal characteristics of heat exchangers, including researchers, teachers and students of higher educational institutions in the field of heat-power engineering.

The specificities of the sowing and harvesting campaign of 2022–2023 in Ukraine and its impact on the world energy and food market in the conditions of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation are analyzed in this paper. The purpose of the study is to determine the role of Ukraine in ensuring energy and global food security, to analyse the situation regarding the possibility of conducting a sowing and harvesting campaign in Ukraine in the conditions of hostilities and to provide recommendations on preserving the potential of Ukraine in meeting the energy and food needs of Ukraine and other countries. The provided analysis of data of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the State Customs Service and the State Statistics Service of Ukraine has confirmed the role of Ukraine in ensuring energy and food safety of many countries in the Middle East and North Africa, which are the main importers of agricultural products from Ukraine. It has been found that the 2022–2023 sowing and harvesting campaign in Ukraine is facing a number of problems, including: military operations over a large area, which makes it impossible to conduct agrotechnical activities in a timely manner; a lack of seed material due to its systematic destruction by the Russian military; problems with the supply of fuel and lubricants (systematic shelling and destruction of oil bases throughout Ukraine); problems with the supply of fertilizers; bombing wheat fields and food warehouses; blocking Ukrainian sea ports; mobilization of a significant part of the population in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; logistics problems. The study proposes recommendations to preserve the potential for meeting energy and food needs in Ukraine and for countries importing agricultural products from Ukraine.

As a result of the development of industrial organic synthesis, the output of secondary processes in oil processing is becoming increasingly diverse. Production volume is a nodal indicator that is limited by the available production capacity, equipment configuration and the monetary equivalent of energy costs. In order to determine the technological potential and cost of produced petroleum products, it is necessary to create a complex that includes all stages of production. The most important criterion for evaluating the energy efficiency of an oil refinery is the relative energy consumption, which depends on its complexity. This criterion can be presented as a set of the different types of energy resources used in the course of production and applied to the total production. For this purpose, the energy resources invested in the given technology should be referred to a finished product or raw material. The peculiarity of oil refineries is that, due to the variety of oil derivatives, energy consumption, as a set of different installations, is much more appropriate to relate not to individual target products but to the amount of processed oil. In practice, all types of energy carriers must be converted to an equivalent value. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the energy costs of oil refineries. The collection of energy flows of different types and dimensions is the subject of the present study. Based on this, a method is presented that allows a comparison of the energy efficiency of refineries with different capacity and configuration of crude oil processing stages based on the energy index and the equivalent distillation performance.

This paper investigates the relationship between energy use and economic development in five South-Asian countries using national-level panel data from 1990 to 2014. Although many studies have already addressed the nexus between energy consumption and economic growth, there is a mixed finding. According to many researchers, South Asian countries have expanded energy consumption since the 1990s. Therefore, energy consumption as a variable for a specific period is considered for the countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Furthermore, foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade (IT) are also considered to be related variables in this study. Pooled ordinary least squares, random effects, and fixed effects estimation techniques are used to provide a reliable estimation, offsetting the country fixed effects. The fixed effect model is the most effective model that reveals the association between electricity usage and growth factors, as per the specification test and Hausman test. A statistically significant correlation was found between international trade, FDI, economic growth, and power usage. FDI has the highest impact on the rising power demand, followed by global commerce and per capita GDP (gross domestic product). More specifically, the study findings reveal that increased power consumption causes more investment, which results in increased economic growth in South Asian countries. The findings of the study further show that FDI significantly impacted upon power consumption and the area of SAARC’s energy demand, resulting in the entry of new technology and an increase in both economic growth and energy consumption. Future policies may focus on investment in the energy sector to promote economic development.

The discovery story of photovoltaic cells is entirely typical. Chance played a role in it, and before it went to the average user, it first served the army. In addition, as with the discovery of electricity, there are many scientists and more than 100 years of technological development behind how modern photovoltaic cells and solar panels work. The first photovoltaic panels were able to power, at most, a radio. Today their power allows for the production of energy for the entire household. Technology is continuously developing, and the hence achieved efficiency keeps growing. Modern silicon solar cells of large photovoltaic farms power thousands of buildings, and this installation can be seen more and more often. This article describes the development of the use of solar energy since ancient times and the comprehensive history of the invention of the photovoltaic cell, starting with the discovery of the photoelectric effect by Edmond Becquerel in 1839 to the achievement of nearly 50% efficiency under laboratory conditions. The advances in photovoltaic cell efficiency and the price of energy production per watt over the years are also shown. Examples of the first applications of photovoltaics are given, and profiles of figures who contributed to the development of solar technology are introduced. The considerable influence of Polish scientists on the development of the photovoltaic cell is also highlighted. Without them, this method of obtaining energy would perhaps not be at high levelh level today.

The relevance of this study is due to the fact that the presented object of scientific work, namely 6–10 kV overhead lines, plays an important role in the process of providing electrical energy to consumers of the oil industry. The aim of the work is a detailed analysis of the reliability of overhead lines which are exploited in the difficult natural and climatic conditions of the Caspian region and Mangyshlak and the introduction of effective modeling tools for overhead lines. The methods used include the analytical method, theoretical method, logical analysis method, functional method, statistical method, synthesis method and others. In the course of the study, the natural and climatic conditions of the Atyrau region and their differences were noted and the reliability of the power supply systems was also analyzed. The most damaged elements of industrial power supply systems and their part of failures were identified in comparison with other elements of the power supply system. It was determined that the electrical power sector plays a crucial role in the oil and gas sector by determining the solution of the production tasks of all departments which have a significant impact on the formation of economic indicators. The practical value of the revealed results is that they will help to highlight the problems of operational reliability of the 6–10 kV overhead lines, considering the various natural and climatic factors, which in turn will help to change the power supply scheme and increase the resistance to external influences.

Current practice of waste generation and management in Ukraine has led to an increase in the area of landfills and a loss of the beneficial potential of waste. Today, territorial communities in Ukraine have received enormous new powers within the framework of decentralization, in particular, waste management is now under their jurisdiction. In order to implement the National Waste Management Strategy in Ukraine 2030 and the National Waste Management Plan 2030, communities need to activate the areas of effective disposal of household solid waste (HSW), and for this purpose it is necessary to take into account European norms and standards in this area, as well as share successful Ukrainian and foreign experience. The aim of the study is to analyze a successful case of waste management of a separate community in Ukraine (Illintsi United Territorial Community) as an example for other communities, as well as to develop guidelines for bioenergy recycling of waste in the community under the study with the production of RDF fuel and biogas in order to provide energy resources and improve the condition of the environment. To achieve this goal, there were used the following methods: monographic, deductive, inductive, analysis and synthesis, economic analysis, graphic and tabular, statistical, as well as the case-study method. The conducted research confirmed the growth of waste generation volumes in Ukraine and their limited beneficial use. The developed recommendations on the improvement of the household solid waste management based on the successful case of Illintsi Territorial Community and proposals for organizing the production of RDF fuel and biogas can become a strong basis for the development of communities on the basis of sustainability.

Accelerating the transition of the energy sector to ecologically clean energetics using renewable energy technologies will ensure the security of the energy sector of the European Union based on highly energy-efficient and cost-effective technologies for generating heat and electricity. The aim of the study is to assess the economic and ecological aspects of the implementation of renewable energy technologies in Ukraine based on the analysis of trends in the transformation of both the global and the European energy sector. The approach proposed in this article makes it possible to reasonably determine the prospects for the use of environmentally safe energy-saving technologies using renewable energy sources. The analysis of the economic and environmental aspects of energy production based on renewable energy technologies, the condition of development and directions of transformation of the European energy sector is illustrated on the basis of a comprehensive assessment of the efficiency of the use of energy- and resource-saving, environmentally safe and cost-effective innovative technologies of non-traditional and renewable energy sources. This is achieved through the use of a comprehensive generalized dimensionless criterion of energy- ecological-economic efficiency of innovative technologies with the aim of increasing the level of energy-economic efficiency and environmental safety of the energy sector. According to this approach, it is determined that the effective integration of a certain energy- and resource-saving, environmentally safe and economically efficient innovative technology using renewable sources in Ukraine is possible.

In these times of the climate crisis surrounding us, the improvement of technologies responsible for the emission of the largest amounts of greenhouse gases is necessary and increasingly required by top-down regulations. As the sector responsible to a large extent for global logistics and supply chains, the fuel sector is one of the most studied in terms of reducing its harmful impact. The development of the next generations of fuels and biofuels, produced by companies using increasingly modern, cleaner and sustainable technologies, is able to significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. In this case, the most effective solution seems to be the use of closed loops. Due to their low, often zero emission balance and the possibility of using waste to produce materials that can be reused, a circular economy is used in many sectors of the economy, while ensuring the emission purity of technological processes. One of the innovative solutions proposed in recent years is the installation created as part of the BioRen project, implemented under the Horizon 2020 program. The cooperation of European institutes with companies from the SME sector has resulted in the creation of an experimental cycle of modern technologies for the production of second-generation biofuels. The project involves the processing of municipal solid waste into second-generation drop-in biofuels. The entire process scheme assumes, in addition to the production of biofuels, the processing of inorganic fractions, the production of carbon material for the production of thermal energy, and the simultaneous treatment of wastewater.