<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/">
<rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/718">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[The Fulfillment of the Maastricht criteria by Macedonia and Albania: a Challenging Journey towards the EU]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[The integration process of Macedonia and Albania in the European Union continues to be a strategic priority of the country&#039;s political and economic goals, around which there is full unity of political, economic and civil aspects in the countries that are the subject of this analysis. This process in the current period of economic and political transition in countries analyzed has gone through asymmetric trends recognized as a result of many factors which partially addressed these national economic policy-making and asymmetric economic shocks and political of internal and external factors.    The Maastricht Treaty on EU integration defined five basic criteria that countries must meet in the claiming process of full integration into the EU. From the requirements there are three criteria focus on monetary convergence and are associated with price stability, exchange rate stability and convergence of long-term interest rate. The other two criteria address the real convergence and fiscal deficit and public debt in relation to GDP.  The paper aims to provide answers to the question on which level are met the integration criteria in monetary and fiscal sphere of the aspirant countries Macedonia and Albania.    Keywords: European Union, Macedonia and Albania – candidate countries, Maastricht criteria, economic integration, monetary and fiscal convergence]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2448]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/717">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Tourism and GDP Growth Linkage: Evidence from Developed and Developing Countries]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[Tourism is still the world’s huge industry and one of the fastest growing sectors. The importance of the contribution of tourism to an economy is a vital subject for policy makers. According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), international tourism receipts generate approximately 6-7% of worldwide exports. Also it cannot be calculated true that the social benefits of tourism. For developed and developing countries Tourism is an important industry in terms of export earnings and employment. International tourism movements hold its righteous place in that they fix balance of payments, provide the necessary financial tools for the technological equipment used in the manufacturing process, increasing the employment and leading to economic growth (Arslanturk and Atan, 2012).    International tourism receipts are major source of foreign exchange, especially for less-developed countries confronted by foreign exchange constraints. Therefore, promoting tourism industry in those countries has become a primary development strategy because tourism receipts together with export revenues that well ameliorate current account deficits (Oh, 2005 and Savas et al, 2010). It is possible that the increase (decrease) in tourism may or may not increase (decrease) the economic growth. Following the literature, three hypotheses can be categorized: first reciprocal causal hypothesis means that there is bidirectional causality between economic growth and tourism relationship. Second tourism-led economic growth hypothesis supported a unidirectional causality from tourism to economic growth. And the last economic-driven tourism growth hypothesis accepted if there is a unidirectional causal relationship from economic growth to tourism (Oh, 2005). Also it can be found that there is no causality between tourism and economic growth. In this paper we aim to investigate the nexus between tourism expenditure and real gross domestic product on developing and developed countries as a panel.  Keywords: Tourism, GDP, economy, developed countries.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2553]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/716">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Study of Consumers View on the Appearance of Packaging by Producers: Meggle, Milkos and Zim Using Descriptive Analysis and Student’s T-Distribution]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[The paper is aimed at analyzing the design of long-life milk packaging in order to learn how packaging affects the market share. The marketing aspect analysis will be conducted on the product packaging design on the example of three dairies doing business in the BH market. It will attempt to answer the questions as to which packaging elements consumers focus on, which parts of packaging they consider to be important. In this context, the paper tests the hypothesis that product packaging significantly affects the market share.   The analysis will deal with the functional aspect of packaging, its operational aspect, durability, reliability, aesthetic appearance and product attractiveness.     Primary data were collected using survey questionnaires filled in by consumers of the actual products that were the objects of research. The questionnaires will be sent to consumers via e-mail. The survey questionnaire includes six criteria, and the obtained data will be analyzed using statistical methods (descriptive analysis, correlation, paired sample t-test). Besides the described primary data, the analysis will use secondary data of international and local organizations involved in market analysis. The primary research will provide an insight into what influences consumers, and how packaging affects the market share.    Keywords: packaging, consumers’ views, services, differentiation strategy, marketing.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2511]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/715">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Foreign Direct Investment as a Factor of Economic Empowerment of the European Union]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[At the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century, the role of the European Union in foreign direct investment flows has increased, but also the growing role of transnational companies from EU countries in the world economy is noticeable. Cross-border corporate takeover has become the dominant form of movements in foreign direct investments. The main role in this process had the European Union countries, such as suppliers, as well as recipients of foreign direct investment. Excluding flows within the European Union, this regional integration refers to approximately 40 % of all outbound foreign direct investment in the last decade.    The undisputable fact is also, that the global financial crisis has affected, among other things, reduction of foreign direct investment in the European Union, but also increase of regional disparities, at the global and lowers regional level.  This fact committed authors of this paper to ask a question – is there any inconsistency or gap in the distribution (or allocation) of foreign direct investment in EU countries, taking into consideration that there is a significant gap in the inflows and outflows of foreign investment between industrialized countries and developing countries?    In order to answer the question, the paper provides an overview of trends in foreign direct investment in the European Union, stating data and rating in terms of impact of FDI on the economic growth in general, and in the countries of the European Union in particular.    Keywords: Foreign direct investment (FDI), inflows, outflows, EU.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2482]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/714">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Progress of the Transition in the Southeast European Countries]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[The aim of the paper is the analysis of the progress of the transition in nine Southeast European countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and Romania) in the years 1998-2012.  The Wroclaw taxonomy method is used to establish similarities and differences in the evaluation of the progress of the transition achieved by the examined countries. The study is based on six indexes used by EBRD (large scale privatization, small scale privatization, governance and enterprise restructuring, price liberalization, trade and Forex system and competitionpolicy).     Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced the greatest progress in the evaluation of the transition in the years 1998-2012. The following pairs of countries: Slovenia-Croatia, Bulgaria-Romania and Albania-FYR Macedonia showed the smallest differences in the evaluation of the transition. In the case of such countries as: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, patterns of the evaluation displayed similarities to the different countries in the different years of the analyzed period.    Keywords: transition, Wroclaw taxonomy method, EBRD, Balkan region.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2471]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/713">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[The Impact of Import and Export on Total Factor Productivity in Albania]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[The import, according to the board of Albania, isn’t high but also the trade out of country is increasing day by day so both these kind of trade have a large effect on economy of Albania. Total factor of productivity which is one of most effecting elements in GDP, is shown by the technology, capital and labor, or all of the other factors that have large impact on the total factor productivity which is directly related to the situation of the overall economy in Albania taking in consideration years after ‘90s when the transition ended. This paper examines the impact of international trade on the total factor productivity in Albania. According to the results found by the analysis,it is shown that the trade is important for the improvements of economy. Trade must be followed by politics that support the balance of imports and exports. In the case of Albania, trade is becoming main component for the welfare of the economy. Also, it observes how trade in Albania effects the economic growth, focusing on the relation of the exports and productivity and also on the relation between imports and productivity. To conclude, the impact on total factor of production is positive which supports more the exports as an important factor in the increasing of the productivity and the imports that help increasing the innovation and improve the technology, effecting the economic growth also.    Keywords: Import, Export, Productivity, Economic Growth, Trade.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2548]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/712">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[The Role of Consumer Trust in Internet Shopping: A Comparative Study in Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[Customer trust is becoming more important in today’s business environments especially in electronic commerce. However, the role of customer trust in internet shopping is not very well known in different marketing environments. The purpose of this study is to compare Bosnian and Turkish customers on factors related to customer trust in electronic commerce such as e-commerce knowledge, perceived reputation, perceived risk, perceived ease of use, loyalty and switching behavior. The study will analyze the role of customer trust in two economies, one of which, Turkey, as a fast growing market whereas  the other one, Bosnia and Herzegovina as a volatile transition market. The results of the study will provide implications for those companies that do e-business in markets like Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.     Keywords:electronic commerce, online purchases, e-business, internet shopping, customer trust, switching behavior, loyalty, perceived reputation, perceived risk, perceived ease of use, risk perception.  ]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2562]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/711">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[The Role of Local Authority in Tourism Development in Vlora]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[Economic and social opening of Albania after 1991, gave a new momentum to the country&#039;s tourism development particularly the one to the coastal areas, using individual private investment, which structured small-scale tourism, coupled with cleavage to extreme local landscape. Governments after 1991, rightly considered tourism development as a big opportunity on developing the country in a short term.Local authorities have many direct and indirect mechanisms at their responsibility and disposal to influence the development of tourism as they are providers of public goods and services, supervisory bodies of economic activities, builders of public infrastructure, responsible for economic development and accountable for the natural environment. The local authorities have focused on the distinctive challenges of governance for sustainable developments.    This article discusses the development of the tourism industry in Albania and Vlora. It calls for both local and national agencies, and respective stakeholders to support the idea where tourism is an important sector in the process of economic development. The study is based on a structured survey which was developed in Vlora. The questionnaires were structured in such a way that it contains the information needed to answer a hypothesis: “The Local Authority play an important part on tourism development in Vlora”.For processing questionnaires, SPSS software (descriptive Statistics, Frequencies, Compare Means, and Independent Samples T-test) and Mega Stat (Hypothesis Test, Compare Two independents Groups) were used.In Vlora, tourism is one of the many driving forces promoting the directions and opportunities for local developments. The research question of this article is whether tourism can be sustainable. The true proof of “sustainable tourism” will be the sustainable development of local communities which are tourist destinations as the time is right for more focus on this challenge.    Keywords:Vlora, Albania, tourism, sustainable tourism, local authorities, local developments, policy making.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2508]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/710">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[The Role of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises for Regional Development: the Case of Gaziantep]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[All of the countries whether developed or developing have the problem of regional imbalance. Landforms and distribution of national resources vary in terms of regions. Establishing infrastructures which provide an assessment of industrial potential is difficult in the regions where geographical conditions are not appropriate. Thus, investments head towards areas where infrastructures are ready. Therefore, the inter-regional imbalances arise.    One of the most important functions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is its contribution to regional development. Unlike large-scale enterprises which are usually located around major cities, these businesses are located in all geographical areas of a country. Therefore, they contribute to a balanced allocation of economic activities between the country&#039;s regions. On the other hand, due to their labor-intensive structure, they provide increasing regional employment.    In this study, we aimed to introduce the role of SMEs for regional development by using secondary data. First of all we will explain the definition and importance of regional development on the one hand, and the definition and importance of SMEs on the other hand. After that, we determine the situation and importance of Gaziantep in Turkey’s economy, the course of SMEs in Gaziantep, the development of SMEs’ export in Gaziantep and the contribution of SMEs to employment in Gaziantep. We will use tables to reveal them. Afterward, we will try to demonstrate the role of SMEs for regional development.    Keywords: Development, Regional Development, Gaziantep, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2517]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://omeka.ibu.edu.ba/items/show/709">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[International Trade and Foreign Direct Investments: Albanian Case]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:abstract><![CDATA[This paper observes the effects of international trade in Albania and related with it focuses more on the explanation of foreign direct investments and creation of outsources and franchises in Albania. Many theories have been adopted to explain the reasons why some countries agree to invest abroad and others to receive FDIs like; law of perfect markets, law of imperfect markets and other theories. According to INSTAT Albania started to recover with money transfers coming from immigrants which grew from US$324 million in 1999 to US$531 million in 2000. Investments in physical capital such as in ports, roads, transportation infrastructure have effected in Albanian International trade. Also investments in banking sector have affected economy in latest years. Portfolio investment and bank relationships between countries can increase the bilateral trade. Examples in Albania are Raiffeisen Bank that makes the relations between the German states and Albania which holds 19 “NOSTRO” accounts with 15 banks in all the world and helps in “creation of money”. Also NBG bank holds 8 “NOSTRO” accounts with all countries and makes most of the transactions between Greece and Albania. Also National Commercial Bank makes mostly the relations in transactions with Turkey, which is in Balkan region and nearest partner treading with Albania.     Government intervention has also effected in attracting FDI with its decisions in economical and political aspects which are: Albania ”1 Euro” which can attract new investments since low prices occur; Low on concession and public procurement; “Law of foreign investments” ; Reduction of Corporate tax from 20 percentage (%) to 10 percentage (%). Some analyzes are done to determine the rate of effectiveness in international trade and licensing of foreign enterprises and businesses that operate in Albania. Negative and positive effects of foreign investments, according to trade balance, are mentioned to end up in a conclusion. Most of the dates are taken from Bank of Albania and INSTAT for 2000-2013 period and other reliable sources.    Keywords: International trade, FDI, markets, businesses, tax.]]></dcterms:abstract>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[International Burch University]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2014-04-24]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:extent><![CDATA[2512]]></dcterms:extent>
    <dcterms:identifier><![CDATA[ISSN 2303-4564     ]]></dcterms:identifier>
</rdf:Description></rdf:RDF>