The study identified four aspects of efficiency in case of municipalities: representation of interests, smart utilization of resources, securing public services, and finally, ensuring the future of the settlements. The research explains the present situation and potential problems focusing on these four approaches. It lists some good practices, both domestic and foreign, and formulates policy recommendations aiming at increasing efficiency. Results show that further steps are needed to achieve self-sustaining development and to provide high quality public services. Beyond these factors, communal solidarity and cohesion are also indispensable for viable, developed villages. It is very important to enhance dialogue and institutionalize communication among central, county and local decision-makers to facilitate the realization of grass-root initiatives.

The study is contributes to the results of a project submitted in the framework of Hungarian – Norwegian Municipality Partnership (MANORKA).

HETFA – Compleo (2011): Who likes venture capital? Whom does venture capital like? ISSN 2062-3798

In this study, we are seeking to answer two questions. First, among Hungarian micro and small entreprises, which ones are able to attract the attention of venture capital; second, what type of owners and companies are willing to accept the idea of being financed by venture capital. On the one hand, companies either with multiple owners, a younger owner or entreprises of the manufacturing (non-service and non-agriculture) sector meet the investment criteria examined by this study. On the other hand, larger and faster-growing companies, start-ups and mature enterprises and the ones with a higher educated owner, are more prone to accept venture capital.

Available in Hungarian including a short English abstract

Rita Radnai (2012): Reducing Administrative Burdens of Citizens: Experiences of National Programmes. ISSN 2062-3798

This paper reviews methodologies of national surveys examining the extent of administrative burdens for citizens. First, the methodologies used by different countries are presented, while the second part focusses on the differences between definitions, the costs included and the calculation methods.

Available in Hungarian including a brief English abstract

HETFA (2011): Response of Entrepreneurs to the New Széchenyi Plan

ISBN 978-963-89112-3-0; ISSN 2062-3798

Our questionnaire, circulated in May 2011, targeted companies employing 5 to 49 employees being one of the target groups of development policy. The outcomes suggest that pre-2010 development policy was deemed in a negative way by them; whereas their expectations regarding the New Széchenyi Plan are positive both in relative and absolute terms. This is supposed to be the result of the fact that entrepreneurs agree on giving priority to job creation and economic development, as they are defined by development policy. Our research results highlight that the government paid attention to the needs indicated by entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organizations during the articulation of the targets and measures of development policy. However, a number of enterprises are still convinced that they are not able to meet the requirements of the tendering system or their chances to win are quite low. Nevertheless, the main obstacle of the success of the New Széchenyi Plan is supposed to be market instability which might become the main restraining factor from tendering.

The study is available in Hungarian

HETFA (2011): Doing Business in the Balkans

ISBN 978-963-89112-1-6, ISSN 2062-3798

The aim of this study is to explore the opportunities of doing business in the Balkans. Assessing some of the well known international competitiveness indexes and surveys, we introduce how easy it is to do business in Albania, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Bulgaria, in Croatia, in Macedonia, in Romania and in Serbia. The study displays the changes of the economical environment in these countries during the last few years, and summarizes the main tendencies in the examined region. In our analysis we used the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) edited by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Doing Business Index (DBI), the dataset of the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) and the BEEPS, all of which were established by The World Bank. We also used the Economic Freedom Index published by the Heritage Foundation, the World Competitiveness Yearbook issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), and the surveys of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).

Available in English

HETFA (2010): International Routines to Smaller Bureaucracy. ISSN 2062-3798

The aim of this paper is to review foreign experience of good practices with reference to the relieving of administrative burdens. In this study we introduce the recommendations of OECD, EU and World Bank, the simplification strategies referring to small and middle enterprises, the factors, putting back the lowering of the burdens, and the forms of cooperation between state institutes and civil society.

Available in Hungarian including a short English abstract

HETFA (2010): Administrative Burdens in Hungary. ISSN 2062-3798

In this paper we would like to give an overall picture of the administrative burdens, which make the work of Hungarian businesses difficult. We summarized the achievements of the main researches conducted so far and reviewed the experts’ recommendations, with an emphasis on relieving these burdens.

Available in Hungarian including a brief English abstract

HETFA (2010): International Surveys on Administrative Burdens. ISSN 2062-3798

The purpose of this paper is to present Hungary’s competitiveness and the degree of administrative burdens, which make the work of Hungarian businesses troublesome. In our analysis we compare international competitiveness indexes, including the data of the Doing Business Index (set up by the World Bank), the Global Competitiveness Index (prepared by the World Economic forum), the World Competitiveness Yearbook (established by the Swiss IMD institute) and the Economic Freedom Index (produced by the Heritage Foundation). We display the data collection and ranking process of these indexes, and report the changes of the past few years.

Available in Hungarian including a brief English abstract

HETFA (2010): Definitions and Measurement Methods of Administrative Burdens. ISSN 2062-3798

HETFA Research Institute has started a research program about costs that are connected to observing laws and make the work of Hungarian businesses more difficult. In this part of our Background Papers we define the concepts of administrative burdens, present the problems about them, and display why the simplification and the qualitative improvement of the regulatory environment could become a part of the recommendations of international organizations.

Available only in Hungarian including a short English abstract

HETFA (2010): Bank Tax: Pros and Cons

HETFA Research Institute organized an expert discussion about the bank tax in Hungary. The discussion was held on the 16th of August 2010, its aim was to complement the debates in the topic, considering its topicality and importance.

Available in Hungarian