Eastern Europe Journal

Trends in Health and Wellness in Europe

2010-07-25T19:53:32Z

The European medical industry is evolving to meet new challenges. Growing deficits and debt crises across Europe are placing increased strains on shrinking healthcare budgets. European populations are getting older requiring more costly health services and benefits. Meanwhile, obesity is on the rise in some European countries, and governments are proposing new regulations to encourage or enforce healthy living habits.

Companies are seeking to meet challenges in European medicine. Modern spas are now promoting services such as fitness, alternative medicine, anti-ageing remedies and preventative nutrition. Non-conventional medical therapies integrated such as acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy, shiatsu and reflexology are gaining popularity.

Organic grocery stores have grown rapidly in Western European markets. Private insurance companies are gearing up to provide confidence to consumers with additional healthcare coverage. European companies are encouraging new forms of wellness services, such as massages and coaching.

The German government proposed in 2010 to levy a tax on the obese to reduce strain on health infrastructure, encourage preventative health measures among consumers and improve fiscal budgets. This has sparked controversy in a country debating how best to encourage healthy habits in an ageing nation.

Health claims are being treated with more scrutiny as European regulatory bodies seeks to increase confidence in claims of food functionality. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has publicly complained in June 2010 about the weakness in the food industry’s claims about their products, and has signaled that it will take a louder stance on claims of food functionality.

SIS International Market Research

Research on Russian Consumers' Recession Attitudes

2009-02-13T21:48:03Z

Russian media points out how the economy is worsening, and how Russian domestic manufacturers can attract back consumers that voraciously consumed foreign goods over the past few years. Below is actual Market Research on-the-ground which shows the Russian consumer to be in far worse shape than Russia media reports.

Russia: How to get maximum results from marketing research?

2009-02-11T22:52:19Z

It is no secret what market research is conducted for. It is a universal tool to study market situation and consumer behavior, which is necessary for companies to efficiently develop and react to changing market conditions.

What is the best way to make research results reliable and effective for solving your company's strategic objectives?

Russia: Projective methods in marketing research

2009-02-11T21:38:35Z

Photo taken by SIS International
Dmitry Shimanov, General Director of MAR Consult Research Agency

Projective methods are becoming increasingly popular in the market research sphere. They provide ample opportunities to study individual specifics of people, their deep motives and subconscious behavior, i.e. mechanisms influencing such actions as choosing this or that particular product among several similar ones. Projective methods are generally based on defining projections and interpreting them. Projection as a research method was introduced by Lawrence K. Frank. Projective methods include: associative, interpretative, expressive, competitive, unfinished tasks, ranging, etc.

Regional Unrest from Economic Downturn

2009-02-07T01:01:15Z

Perspectives on Economic Crisis in the Region

According to Michelle Walker, executive director of world policy insitute, many of the countries in Eastern Europe are vulnerable to unrest given the halt in high growth in these countries over the past few years. These have resulted in short-sighted solutions to the problem. Walker cites the example of Russia implementing high tariffs on imported used cars. Yet, these "temporary solutions" may place European countries in a worse position in the long run. They have the ability to halt growth, make the crisis worse, diplomatic and trading ties between countries. Walker also alludes to the possibility of there being many more individual protests in many different countries within the region at once.

Poland and Climate Change

2009-02-07T00:42:27Z

Coal provides 95% of Poland's energy needs, and has increasingly made up Poland's energy mix.

While Poland's Environment Minister noted that Poland has reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30%, its national product has risen more than 100% in that same time.

But Poland is one of the top 10 producers of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and 7000 tons of coal are mined daily according to Al Jazeera. This has pitted environmentalists like Greenpeace against the coal industry. Greenpeace demands 15% from renewables in 2020. The benefits, they reason, are to to show the possibility for Emerging markets like Poland to set examples for China and India.

Another potential benefit is to allow Poland to be less resistant on heavy emitting forms of energy and to diversify away from Russian energy supplies, a hot topic in national security circles.

Interestingly, the video points out that the last time a major effort was launched to threaten the oil industry, the Pope John Paul intervened.

Civil Unrest in both Bulgaria, Lithuania & Latvia

2009-02-02T04:22:00Z

Unrest in Bulgaria

Violence erupted in Sofia due to dissatisfaction with the government, new policies designed to counteract the recession and the worsening economic situation.

Unrest in Latvia

This video shows recent unrest in Latvia because of anti-government sentiment and the economy.

Unrest in Lithuania

Lithuania has had to implement tax raises for the population and salary cuts on government workers due to the economic recession.

Russia: Reputation in terms of science - What helps and impedes brand management

2009-01-15T22:58:00Z

Companies, which build their reputation "by intuition" and perceive it as a by-product of advertising efforts, not only miss all the opportunities provided by a well-established image, but sometimes jeopardize their brand.

It is no secret that under current market conditions reputation is one of a company's key competitive advantages. Companies should make effort to build their reputation, otherwise, it will be formed naturally, and it is not clear, what results public perception of such an uncontrolled image may bring.

Russia: What language does advertising speak?

2009-01-06T23:12:00Z

Dmitry Shimanov, General Director of MAR Consult Research Agency

Every day we watch ads on TV, so sometimes you cannot help thinking that language has become one of the key elements of advertising. Advertising gives great impetus to development of speech, because the younger generation spends less time reading and prefers to watch TV, including ads. And it is no secret that TV ads draw more attention than just a movie or TV program. But in what direction does the language develop?

Hungary in Troubled Economic Times

2009-01-01T02:04:00Z

Bloomberg indicates troubled times in Hungary due to

the global economic recession and the lack of reform from communism over the past two decades.
Hungary's main trading partner is the European Union which is in recession.
Veritas has cut shops
Audi has closed its plant
Rising unemployment, with predicitions of a rise to 8-10% unemployment
Violent protests due to an unpopular president
Bloomberg has indicated that analysts put the economic decline at about 2% next year.
the IMF helped thwart a major default by the country by bailing the country out
inflexible labor market and tax structure
Opportunities may arise for Hungary to attract businesses seeking to lower costs.

Action taken

$6.5 billion stimulus targeting small and medium businesses

Opportunities

attracting foreign businesses and investment by improving its tax structure, labor market and incentives