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This research is devoted to the problem of mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector of Ukraine during the period 2014-2017 and its influence on the concentration and competitiveness of its banking system. We have found that the number of bank institutions decreased from 180 banks to 82 banks. According to our research, we could not find any significant difference between liquidated banks and the banks that stayed on the market. Based on the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) and other internationally recognized indicators, we conclude that despite the slight increase of the concentration of the banking system of Ukraine, the overall concentration is not significant.

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This thesis has analysed the impact of terrorism on the tourist industry of Brussels. A detailed literature review about terrorism and more deeply about the one actually active in Belgium, as well as an overview of tourism in Brussels are used to frame the research. This mixed method research is developed around the analysis of the tourism economy in Brussels and the effects terrorist acts have on it. Findings show that the Brussels industry was already largely impacted by the terrorist acts of the 13th of November 2015 in Paris, so the economic flow was already low, and the Nice 2016 attacks slowed its recovery. Consequently, the research took into account those major terrorist acts occurring in France, along with those occurring in Belgium in March 2016. Further, qualitative analyses along with in-depth interviews were conducted to give explanations to the direction the economy of Brussels has followed. Contrary to the general economy of the capital, tourism took longer to pick itself up. Even if certain figures (e.g. hotel occupancy) returned to the levels of 2014 and the beginning of 2015 in 2018, other sectors seem to have had greater difficulty to attract tourists again (tourist attractions). The measures taken by the government, the tourist agencies as well as the companies themselves seem to explain how things returned to normal.

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The objective of this thesis is to provide a window into the complex and for many still unfamiliar world of cryptocurrencies. In mapping the market, the goal is to illustrate how many cryptocurrencies have been created, explore the reasons why there are so many variations, describe the market environment including production, cost and legal factors and define the purpose that different cryptocurrencies serve as well as the added value the leading cryptocurrencies provide in today’s world. To date more than 2,000 cryptocurrencies have been created, made possible through technological breakthroughs such as blockchain. The added value of cryptocurrencies lies in its capability to facilitate transactions between peers and store value without the need of a third party. Cryptocurrencies facilitate agreements and tie in current payments. Market demand is driven by needs for better solutions offered by new functionalities, as well as speculation, media hype and beliefs in potential broader acceptance. The market continues to stimulate and reward suppliers to supply new technologies and different functional solutions to better solve operational and usage constraints. The cryptocurrency market and the various functionalities will likely continue to expand before a more mature and consolidating market can be seen, following traditional product life cycle patterns. How and when this consolidation will happen is still uncertain today. The methodology used for this thesis consists of an extensive review and analysis of academic publications, supplemented by an analysis of various statistical data, used to document the total number of cryptocurrencies, transaction volumes and values. Further, a representative sample from the pool of more than 2,000 cryptocurrencies was selected for an in-depth review of functionalities. Once reviewed, a comparison of these cryptocurrencies’ functionalities and their purposes and served market needs was conducted. Using this baseline, the reader should be able to better understand why there are so many cryptocurrencies, comprehend their value and differentiate the main cryptocurrencies’ functionalities, applications and usefulness in the market.

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In a world that is confronted with major social inequalities, plastic intoxication, species endangerment, and increasingly extreme weather events, the need for sustainable development has never been greater. This has manifested itself under the guise of the Sustainable Development Goals as part of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda. A great deal of stakeholders has expressed their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and the European Union, as a major organization, is no exception. Holding sustainability in high regard, the European Union has set up its very own data collection system. The aim of this research paper is to assess the performance over time of the European Union on the Sustainable Development Goals – and their sub-indicators – by means of a Benefit-of-the-Doubt analysis. Limits to data availability have made it challenging to paint a picture that is both complete and entirely accurate. To mitigate this limitation, two extensions were introduced to the Benefit-of-the-Doubt model, in the form of weight restrictions and robustification. Results show that progress varies within regions and, to some extent, between regions. Trends not only fluctuate per country but also per Sustainable Development Goal, as some goals generally see more (or less) progress than others. Altogether, according to the results presented by the Benefit-of-the-Doubt method, the EU seems to have progressed towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

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The fashion retail industry is in the midst of a transition from retailers dictating the relevance of styles and trends, as well as their durations, to consumers gaining an increasing amount of power in determining the direction and pace of change. This transition presents brands with the difficult challenge of keeping up with the ever-changing demand of the consumer. The objective of this research has been to analyse the effect of today’s consumer behaviour on product life cycles, product lead times, and vertical integration in the fashion retail industry, as well as propose vertical integration as a possible solution to the difficult challenge of keeping up with consumer demand. This is done through an extensive review of literature pertaining to the fashion retail supply chain, industry trends, consumer behaviour, product life cycles, product lead times, vertical integration, and a case study of global fashion industry giant, Zara. In addition, an extensive interview was conducted with industry professionals to bring an updated perspective on the current state of the fashion retail industry as well as dig deeper into certain topics related to supply chain management. The results of this study lead to the confirmation that there is indeed a shift of power in the industry that is balancing the scales of influence between the retailers and the consumers. In addition, the research finds that today’s consumer behaviour has a significant impact on both product life cycles and product lead times. This means that many retailers must find a way to utilize their supply chains in an effort to keep up with their fast moving consumers or risk losing them to quicker completion in the ever-changing industry of fashion retail.