COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH GROUP

The Competitiveness and Sustainability Research Group of Óbuda University, abbreviated as OE VeFeK, was established on 21st June 2021 at the Keleti Károly Faculty of Business and Management of Óbuda University, where it continues to operate.

Competitiveness and sustainability are two of the most important and increasingly widespread concepts of our rapidly changing world. Remaining competitive is essential, however, competitiveness in the long-term can only be achieved if growth and transformation are sustainable both in the short and long term. Growth has become an expected value in today’s world—people aspire to achieve more and better results. An economy without growth remains merely a utopia. As Serge Latouche, who envisioned a society without growth, stated: “Anyone who believes that infinite growth is possible in a finite world is mad or an economist.”

Mission of the Research Group

The primary goal of the Group is to operate a widely recognised academic research hub devoted to competitiveness, which—through its scientific and professional achievements—aims to become a keyparticipant in the fields of competitiveness research and sustainability.

Main Activities of the Research Group

1. Conducting research and project implementation
2. Building local and international partnerships
3. Knowledge transfer (with a primary focus on competitiveness and sustainability)
4. Organising conferences and other academic events
5. Promoting topics related to competitiveness and sustainability
6. Engaging young researchers in competitiveness and sustainability research
7. Publishing studies and academic papers
8. Scientific knowledge sharing, education, and training
9. Other activities related to the Group’s professional profile

Location of activities:
1084 Budapest, Tavaszmező utca 17.

The Research Group operates within the Keleti Károly Faculty of Business and Management of Óbuda University.

Members of the Research Group

1. Dr. habil. János Varga, PhD, Vice-Dean for Education, Head of the Research Group
2. Prof. Dr. Mónika Garai-Fodor, PhD, Dean
3. Prof. Dr. Ágnes Csiszárik-Kocsir, PhD, Vice-Dean for Research
4. Dr. habil. Zsuzsanna Deák, Associate Professor
5. Dr. habil. Gábor Gyarmati, Associate Professor
6. Dr. Valéria Szekeres, Associate Professor
7. Anita Plötz, PhD student
8. Attila Balogh, PhD student
9. Szilárd Szélpál, PhD student
10. Richárd Veres, PhD student
11. Orsolya Kinga Vigh, Student Member

External (Invited) Members

• Prof. Dr. Magdolna Csath, DSc, Professor Emeritus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• Dr. Enikő Kahler Korcsmáros, PhD, Associate Professor, Vice-Dean for Education, J. Selye University
• Dr. Bíborka Eszter Bíró, Assistant Professor, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania
• Dr. Boróka Júlia Bíró, Assistant Professor, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania
• Levente József Tánczos, Assistant Lecturer, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania
• Dr. Izabella Krajnik, Assistant Professor, Babeș–Bolyai University

The Research Group performing its scientific and professional according to the regulations and evaluation system of Obuda University. Research and project coordination are primarily the responsibility of senior researchers, while the administrative and infrastructural background is provided by the Faculty.

Why is the coordinated research of competitiveness and sustainability relevant today?

1. There is no agreement neither regarding how competitiveness should be precisely defined, nor regarding what clearly contributes to creating a competitive country or enterprise. Competitiveness and the requirements of it means different things to different stakeholders. The key question is whether universally applicable success factors are existing and under what conditions they can be effectively applied.
2. During times of crisis, the importance of competitiveness is increasing even further, raising the question of how competitiveness can be strengthened during unfavourable periods (such as during the COVID‑19 crisis).
3. Hungary is not among the most competitive countries globally or within Europe.
4. The question of reducing competitiveness disparities among EU member states is crucial for the future of the European Union. As long as such gaps persist among the EU member states, achieving EU‑level success and long-term economic convergence is significantly hindered. Developmental and income disparities do not support the Union’s long-term progress.
5. There is no universally accepted method for measuring competitiveness. Some approaches rely on GDP as the primary indicator, while others use multidimensional analytical techniques. The former is highly limited, while the latter often requires methodological refinement. The question arises: whether there are improvable methodologies, or is there a need to develop entirely new frameworks?
6. A new dimension of competitiveness has emerged: environmental sustainability and the protection of natural resources. Competitiveness is no longer limited to material assets or production factors. Human capital and environmental values are becoming increasingly important. Resilience, crisis resistance, and adaptability have also come to the forefront.
7. The European Union has committed to ambitious climate targets by 2050, closely linked to the green transition, climate‑neutral economy, and sustainable resource management. These will fundamentally transform industries, investments, and corporate strategies. Competitiveness must therefore be interpreted in new dimensions, with emerging directions such as Green Competitiveness and Greenovation.
8. Another new dimension of competitiveness is “resilience”. Crisis resistance is not only an economic or environmental issue but also a social and human one. New crises—health-related, environmental, or social—are expected in the future. Strengthening sustainability and resilience is therefore essential, which also implies the need to analyse new, often qualitative (“soft”) indicators. In the future, the most competitive countries may be those ones which are capable of building the most sustainable and resilient socio‑economic and institutional systems.

These developments clearly demonstrate the necessity and relevance of establishing research and cooperation initiatives focused on competitiveness and sustainability within the Faculty.

Contact for OE VeFeK:
varga.janos@kgk.uni-obuda.hu