<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The study attempts to examine the trade unfairness and transboundary bottlenecks between Bangladesh and India with a view to prosper a balanced trade and sustained water cooperation.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The study is based on secondary data and statistical information. Mixed research methods such as qualitative, quantitative and data visualization techniques are adopted in this study to assess the political economy of river basin management, loss and damage assessment and trade situation assessment.
<bold>Results:</bold> Due to upstream intervention, the North-Western region of Bangladesh has lost 4254218 metric tons of rice production during 2006-2014 cropping years which value is $1036 million. During the same period, the trade deficit of Bangladesh stood at $5.58 billion with India due to the diverse tariff and non-tariff barriers which triggers tension between this close neighbor.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The trade and water co-operation should be extended among the South Asian countries including India and Bangladesh without delay to obtain the maximum benefit and economic prosperity.
</abstract>

Regional Co-Operation and Economic Prosperity in South Asia: Challenges of Unfair Trade and Transboundary Deadlock

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The aim of the article is to assess the phenomena of sigma convergence of labour productivity in agriculture and other sectors of rural economy in Polish regions during 2003 – 2014 in the context of the amount of European funds designated for agriculture and rural areas. European supprt was compared to the Gross Added Value of agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishery.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The subject literature and statistical data received from the Agricultural Modernization Agency and the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office were used. The empirical data regarding the level of agriculture in regions as well as the data on the resources utilised from the European Union were examined in order to assess the correlation between them and the phenomenon of regional sigma-convergence.
<bold>Results:</bold> The study confirms the sigma convergence of the Gross Value Added per units of funding obtained from the European Union Budget and different level of sigma convergence of GVA / PE in regions.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Sigma convergence assessment of the Gross Value Added per person employed in regions shows that in the analyzed period three phases could be distinguished: convergence (2003 – 2008), divergence (2008 – 2010) and stagnation (2010 – 2014).
</abstract>

European Funds for Rural Areas and Regional Convergence of Agriculture in Poland

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The article presents research aimed at creating the ranking of provinces due to the degree of environmental pollution. The presentation of the spatial distribution of pollutants should result in taking appropriate pro-ecological actions in the provinces.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> Secondary material included in the research was the publication entitled “Environmental Protection – Environment 2017” by the Central Statistical Office. The method of ranking diagnostic variables was applied and then a synthetic variable determining the level of pollution in individual provinces was constructed, which made it possible to create their ranking. In the final stage, the author’s own method was implemented in order to divide the provinces into 3 groups.
<bold>Results:</bold> The provinces were ranked from a relatively little to very polluted ones. Three groups of provinces were distinguished according to the criterion discussed. It has been revealed that the third group with the highest degree of environmental contamination includes as many as 8 provinces, that is half of them.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The author believes that in order to prepare a more precise spatial diagnosis of the state of the natural environment in Poland, research has to be extended by including adequate information at the county level.
</abstract>

Degree of Environmental Pollution in Poland – Ranking of the Provinces in 2016

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The work concerns the reduction of greenhouse gas emission thanks to renewable energy sources (RES) utilized in selected municipalities of the Lubelskie Province. The aim of the study was to assess the consistency between the tasks provided in low-emission economy plans (LEEP) and the strategic documents on RES, especially biomass. The investment priorities of municipalities regarding RES and the impact of these investments on the emission of CO2 have been presented.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The analysis covered 8 LEEPs and programming documents: EU, national and regional ones concerning RES.
<bold>Results:</bold> EU and Polish policy contribute to the development of RES, including biomass, under the condition that their negative effect on the environment, resulting especially from biomass burning, is limited. Municipalities intend mainly to use solar energy, yet the technologies of biomass they suggest are not always in line with new trends.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Measures limiting the emission of greenhouse gases, including the use of RES, are provided in the analysed LEEPs. However, some municipalities intend to produce energy from biomass, mainly in the process of combustion. As this is not in line with the latest EU recommendations, such plans should then be verified.
</abstract>

Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Low-Emission Economy Plans of Selected Municipalities of the Lubelskie Province

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The aim of the research was to determine the diversity of social development of all communes in the Podkarpackie province in two research periods of 2003 and 2013.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> All functions such as LHDI were tested. The variant was used to group communes in the variant, comparing the Hellwig’s Taxonomic Development Meter based on the results analysis. Selection of own diagnostics was done in a natural way using TMR measures.
<bold>Results:</bold> There is a positive decline in the number of communes in the lowest class by two units. At the same time, the number of four of two socially most developed groups decreased, and the number of communes with an average development level for growth. Communes that have maintained the position of socially the strongest in the region for years are: Krosno and Boguchwała. The largest increase over the analyzed years was recorded in Rzeszów, Trzebownisko, Przemyśl and Ostrów communes.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The indicator analysis shows that the province is developing. This development is very diverse in a particular society in the Podkarpacie region, central and north-west.
</abstract>

Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics-National Research Institute

Diversification of the Social Development of Podkarpackie Province Communes

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The article presents the results of a study which aimed to elicit the opinions of the residents of Polish cities belonging to the Cittaslow Network.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The surveys were conducted among 100 residents from 10 Polish Cittaslow cities.
<bold>Results:</bold> Most of the respondents did not identify the city’s accession to the Cittaslow with the improvement of the quality of their lives. The residents’ opinions concerning the changes that occurred after joining the Network depended on their gender, age and education.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The survey results have revealed that the membership of the Cittaslow is strictly promotional. Its main objective is to raise funds from projects that promote the idea of Cittaslow as well as to get a promotion by participating in various international events. The opinions of the inhabitants of Cittaslow cities indicate the lack of significant effects established in relevant documents and strategies.
</abstract>

University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn

Benefits of Belonging to the Cittaslow Network in the Opinion of Residents of Member Cities

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The subject of the research were the profiles of links (internal and outbound ones) of websites of rural tourism facilities in Poland. The purpose of the study was to assess the scale of the link rot phenomenon and its impact on the quality of websites of rural tourism facilities in Poland.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The assessment of the link profile was conducted using the Broken Link Checker application. The websites’ quality assessment (the degree of their optimization for search engines) was conducted using three different applications which automate tests.
<bold>Results:</bold> A total of 919 websites were examined. Broken links were recorded on 464 sites, where approximately 65% of them had only a few broken links. Broken links that referred to the description of an offer or social media accounts were particularly unfavourable. No linear correlation was recorded between the number of broken links and the website’s optimization for search engines.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The research demonstrated that the scale of the link rot phenomenon was relatively small in the group of the examined sites. It seems, however, that this was not the result of conscious design measures or optimization.
</abstract>

The Link Rot Phenomenon and its Influence on the Quality of the Websites of Rural Tourism Facilities in Poland

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The aim of the research study is to identify objects which can potentially create the attractiveness of the region and to analyze the network of hypertext links between selected entities in the tourism industry.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The ethnographic approach was used in the article, and the main research method was content analysis and the analysis of hypertext links with the use of Semrush, PetScan and Similarweb internet tools.
<bold>Results:</bold> Over a dozen objects with a large potential for attracting tourists have been identified, that is castles, palaces and sacral objects, which differed in terms of marketing impact on the tourist market.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Although no coherent network of hypertext links has been found, visible efforts to create such a network for some municipalities were noticed. Local government authorities do not fully use Internet tools to promote the values of their own region.
</abstract>

Tourist Areas in the Cyberspace: Netnographic Research of the Northern Kraków-Częstochowa Upland

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The aim of the paper is to present and evaluate tourist products created in Perła - Browary Lubelskie S.A.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The research used the technique of a diagnostic survey based on a standardized direct interview. The interview was conducted among 311 tourists visiting Perła Brewery in 2017. The research was supplemented by the method of observation and a direct interview with the Perła Apartment manager.
<bold>Results:</bold> The activity of the Perła Cinema (80,26%) and the functioning of the underground tourist route (66,81%) were highly assessed. Tourists appreciate the atmosphere of sightseeing (75,66%) and professional guides (69,03%).
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Perła – Browary Lubelskie S.A. is an example of a company that can reconcile production functions with tourism and culture. By making an underground tour available to visitors and organizing a free outdoor cinema, it promotes its products and strengthens the brand awareness among customers.
</abstract>

Benefits of the Development of Tourist Products in Perła – Browary Lubelskie S.A.

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Subject and purpose of work:</bold> The article is devoted to the issue of martyrdom museums and relations they create. Its major aim is to identify and analyze relations between martyrdom museums and local communities. An attempt is made to determine how they can be managed so as to maintain their positive aspects or reorientate them into being more effective.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> The study methods used were literature review and data analysis. Statistics and data provided by selected institutions as well as information presented in the local media were analyzed.
<bold>Results:</bold> As a result, areas and ways of creating relationships were identified, as well as differences in initiating them. With regard to the different perspectives of residents and visitors, the necessity of cooperation and communication was emphasized.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The way of creating relations depends on the size and range of a museum. As these factors influence the intensity of discussion, smaller museums are not mentioned in the literature.
</abstract>

Relations Between Local Communities and Martyrdom Museums

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 17 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)

Volume 16 (2023): Issue 4 (December 2023)

Volume 16 (2023): Issue 3 (September 2023)

Volume 16 (2023): Issue 2 (June 2023)

Volume 16 (2023): Issue 1 (March 2023)

Volume 15 (2022): Issue 4 (December 2022)

Volume 15 (2022): Issue 3 (September 2022)

Volume 15 (2022): Issue 2 (June 2022)

Volume 15 (2022): Issue 1 (March 2022)

Volume 14 (2021): Issue 4 (December 2021)

Volume 14 (2021): Issue 3 (September 2021)

Volume 14 (2021): Issue 2 (June 2021)

Volume 14 (2021): Issue 1 (March 2021)

Volume 13 (2020): Issue 4 (December 2020)

Volume 13 (2020): Issue 3 (September 2020)

Volume 13 (2020): Issue 2 (June 2020)

Volume 13 (2020): Issue 1 (March 2020)

Volume 12 (2019): Issue 4 (December 2019)

Volume 12 (2019): Issue 3 (September 2019)

Volume 12 (2019): Issue 2 (June 2019)

Volume 12 (2019): Issue 1 (March 2019)

Volume 11 (2018): Issue 4 (December 2018)

Volume 11 (2018): Issue 3 (September 2018)

Volume 11 (2018): Issue 2 (June 2018)

Volume 11 (2018): Issue 1 (March 2018)

Volume 10 (2017): Issue 4 (December 2017)

Volume 10 (2017): Issue 3 (September 2017)

Volume 10 (2017): Issue 2 (June 2017)

Volume 10 (2017): Issue 1 (March 2017)

Economic and Regional Studies / Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne

Dear Authors and Readers,  Welcome to the website of the international, open access, bilingual scientific journal "Economic and Regional Studies / Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne", published by John Paul II University of Applied Sciences in Biala Podlaska (Poland).  Editor-in-ChiefMieczysław Adamowicz  Accessible also on platform: www.ers.edu.pl/en and in print.  FROM THE EDITOR / OD REDAKCJI  Dear Authors and Readers  "Economic and Regional Studies / Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne" is an international open access journal published in two languages: English and Polish since 2011. First two years it was published bi-annually, since 2013 as the quarterly. The journal is available in electronic and printed versions. We consider electronic English language version as a basic one, while the Polish language version provided greater access to the magazines content for national reader in Poland. Since the beginning the journal is available on the web platform www.ers.edu.pl/en of the publisher: John Paul II University of Applied Sciences in Biala Podlaska (Poland, Europe). Paper submission and peer review process are implemented through editorial system: www.editorialsystem.com/editor/ersen.  We accept original papers which have not been published elsewhere and have a clear scientific, cognitive and scholary value. Paper submited for publication undergo preliminary editorial review and are subject to blind review by two or more external experts. The periodical is available in English and Polish online and in print version.  The magazine has an open character and implements international publishing ethical and standards. The electronic version allows free access to all current and archived issues and articles. Actually, publishing articles in the journal is free from any payments.  Index Copernicus Journal Master List, ICV 2012: 5.62; ICV 2013: 6.48; ICV 2014: 70.81 (6.96); ICV 2015: 81,26; ICV 2016: 92.91; ICV 2017: 100,00; ICV 2018: 100,00  Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, 2011-2012: 2 points; 2013-2014: 4 points; 2015-2018: 9 points  Focus and Scope  "Economic and Regional Studies / Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne" is an international journal of multi and interdisciplinary research and policy analysis in broad regions at the world. The main mission of the magazine is to broaden theoretical knowledge, contribute to the policy debates and disseminate results of empirical research across a wide range of economic and social sciences, mainly as following:    Business, Economics and Finance,  Socio-economic Geography and Spatial Management,  Community, Rural/ Urban and Regional Development.   Journal provides information on general and sectoral economic problems, practices and policies, on contemporary and historical development in these disciplines from local, regional, national, European and global perspectives.  Journal is open for publishing original research results as well as for overview and review articles, reports an surveys, policy debates, announcements of research and conference results, case studies and other scientific publications.  Texts in Polish which are correctly translated into English are published free of charge. In case of sending a text in only one language version,either in Polish or in English,the authors will bear the costs of translating the article into the other missing language. The authors may be also asked to cover the costs of verification of the submitted texts in English. The translations are conducted by a Translation Office which currently cooperates with the Editors and the current cost per 1 translation page (that is, 1800 characters including spaces) amounts to 30 PLN gross.  An article is passed on for translation after obtaining a positive review of the submitted language version, after corrections if necessary and upon its approval for print by the Editor in Chief.  Digitalization of Economic and Regional Studies/ Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne – task financed from the resources of the Polish Minister of Science and Education for disseminating science under Agreement No. 819/P-DUN/2018  Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 