Economics and Management 4 (1) 2012

In the article mutual relations between Belarus and the European Union as well as the Russian Federation are analyzed. The author shows that the unwillingness of Belarusian ruling elite to form a civil society makes the relations with the western neighbouring state worse. And Russian imperial ambitions don't promote the strengthening of the east integration vector. In modern conditions Belarus has a self-isolation policy from the neighbouring states that is objectively directed against national interests of the Belarusian society.

Keywords:
geopolitics  Belarus  European Union  Russia 

The paper presents a short historical background concerning the development of nanotechnological science and its current application in various fields of science. Attention was paid mainly to the use of nanomaterials in agriculture and medicine, and to a lesser extent – in environmental protection, food production and cosmetology.

Keywords:
nanomaterials  agriculture  medicine 

The article presents the issues connected with the creation of civil society. The author discusses the role of the state in the support of the development of civil society on the example of Poland. He also presents the evaluation of civil society in Poland on the example of the development of non-governmental organisations.

Keywords:
civil society  democracy  non-governmental organisations 

The article offers brief history of the development of rural tourism in Belarus and identifies the main problems in this sphere. It also shows the results of a sociological study investigating the attitude of residents living in the border regions toward agricultural and ecological tourism. The priorities and the level of attractiveness are also analyzed. The article provides recommendations aimed at optimizing the activity of the actors in the sphere of rural tourism.

Keywords:
Belarus  rural tourism 

The conceptual model of a destination region is presented in this paper, with distinguishing a single node destination region, a multiple node destination region and a chained destination region. The model is developed from Dredge's conception (1999) and is based: (1) on the concept of whole tourism system (Leiper 1979); (2) on Christaller's central place theory; (3) on the concept of tourism area life cycle (Butler 1980); (4) on the concept of tourist attraction system (Leiper 1990); (5) on the concept of community attraction complex (Gunn 1972); (6) on the concept of circulation corridors which are relevant to patterns of pleasure trips (Lue et al. 1993). In this model, the tourism space is developed on the basis of the clusters of attraction complexes which are integrated by recreation routes. In the development process, the tourism space is filled in the tourism nodes formula and further – in the tourism districts formula. The presented model of a destination region may be used as a serviceable framework for the planning process, especially in the case of the fringe area in early phases of life cycle of tourism region.

Keywords:
destination region  tourist generating markets  tourism space  regional boundary  access from markets  internal circulation corridor  community attraction complexes  non-attraction hinterland 

The paper contains the evaluation of functionality of agritourism farm websites from the eastern part of Poland. The content analysis of 300 websites reveals the domination of information, advertising/marketing and contact functions. The personalization ability was occasionally found. The presence of on-line payment ability was not stated in any of the analyzed websites. The obtained results suggest that agritourism farm websites from Eastern Poland acquired only basic functions.

Keywords:
website  agritourism  information  marketing on-line 

The aim this research was to analyze the ways of integration of management systems in food sector. The study involved the policy phase described in the specification PAS 99, which is one of common elements of integrated management systems. Four organizations were selected for the study. The organizations had introduced and certified at least two standardized management systems. It was assumed that the investigated organizations should have implemented the HACCP system. Studies were conducted as a case study. The employees responsible for the functioning of management systems were interviewed in all four organizations. The study was conducted in the form of in-depth interviews based on pre-prepared script. The scenario was developed based on the PAS 99 guideline. The process of integration of management systems implemented in the studied companies reveals the full compliance of an integrated management system with PASS 99 in the policy area. All organizations have a policy document setting out the requirements for management systems, which takes into account the implemented systems in organizations. Each organization has a single policy document setting out the requirements of all implemented management systems. Integration of the management policy takes place in a natural way in organizations and is one of the easiest areas in the process of management systems integration.

Keywords:
PAS 99  ISO 9001  management system integration  policy  ISO 22000 

Applying the latest technologies to run a business influences not only the creation of new distribution channels for products and services, but also all of the other aspects of business activities. New business environment, new conditions for functioning and competing between companies are created. Simultaneously with new opportunities some barriers appear that companies have to overcome to survive and succeed on the new market. One of most important barriers that hinder electronic trade development is clients’ distrust of such kind transactions. This paper includes, apart from theoretical discussion on confidence and trust with special attention given to the area of electronic trade, the presentation of research results regarding the influence of psychological barriers on e-companies’ development.

Keywords:
confidence  electronic trade  development barriers 

The paper presents the potential benefits of modification of the control system of wastewater treatment in the "Swarzewo" Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant. Currently, process control is based on the determined filling level of the reactor and wastewater aeration time, regardless the concentration of pollutants in the inflow. It results in insufficient degree of removal of nitrogen compounds from wastewater aeration and unnecessary aeration of wastewater already treated. It generates additional costs because of exceeded energy consumption and environmental fees as well. The plant energy balance can be improved by supporting the existing technology by analysis of key parameters of wastewater treatment. Due to the fact that the oxidation of nitrogen compounds is the longest process of sewage mineralization, that parameter can be used as an indicator of the necessary treatment time determination. The treatment plant control system based on the content of ammonium and nitrate allows to reduce 13,3% of the blower’s energy consumption and to achieve stabilization of the outflow parameters of the treatment plant.

Keywords:
wastewater treatment  efficient process control  nitrogen removal