Issue 6, 2003

This paper presents the utilization of 31 indicators of the economic and social development of some 45 countries, taken from the World Bank yearly publication "World Development Indicators" (WDI'2002), to create the static econometric model EM'2000, featuring 10 equations, 10 endogenous as well as 21 exogenous variables. Based on the reduced form of the model (made using the SoritecWin software application), an assessment of the endogenous variables of 14 Central and Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, is made. Some conclusions are offered as to the effect of using the selected indicators, characterizing the countries' economic and social resources, including a comparative assessment of differences in the state of those countries.

This paper discusses the process of creating a regional market. Special emphasis is placed on the prerequisites and problems to implementing the idea of a Balkan Free Trade Area. The marketing environment factors on the Balkans, the possible variants of segmenting the emerging market and positioning the production of economic subjects are analyzed. A more detailed study of the specific marketing mix in view of the characteristic features of the Balkan region is given.

Some theoretical and practical approaches to setting consumer prices of natural gas in the European Union, the requirements for an effective tariff system and the state of tariffs in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are presented. The main conclusions are that there is no universal pricing methodology with respect to natural gas, rather, each country develops its own approach to pricing; in order for the pricing mechanism of the CEE to be successfully reformed, it is necessary to apply the economic efficiency criteria systematically and purposefully.

This paper offers an analysis of the service sectors - business services in particular - within the economies of France and Bulgaria, the emphasis being on structural change. Based on theoretical and empirical studies as well as on existing statistical data, the similarities and differences in the respective models of their development as regards the advanced market economy and the economy in transition are pointed out. The emergence of business services in the Bulgarian economy as well as their role in the transformation process is discussed. The emphasis is on services of high added-value that belong in the business services sector with respect to the concept of co-production in services and human resources qualification in that sector. The notion of 'business service' is also specified.