Economic sciences/10. Economy of enterprise

 

O. S. Shtan'ko

         Vinnytsya national technical university, Ukraine

Contract approach to the regulation of energysaving in the enterprises

 

         While formation prognoses and models of the power development of AIC enterprises of the Ukraine should assume that the main tendency hereafter stay amplification of the influence of the market relation factor. Such integration of the  priorities – ensuring saving usage of  scarce resources in condition achievement of market substantiated industry efficiency – needs new problems set-up, conception and methods for overcoming of the complex pf the problems. Due to the variety of scientific approaches to the solution of energysaving problems, it becomes more  importance research into the role of the contracts and contract regulation.  Correspondingly, the task is consists of substantiate of the possibility of contract approach to minimize  transaction costs of economic relation participant in the regulatory scheme as a prerequisite to maximizing the total cost and energy saving effect.

The study of the contract approach in the management theory accomplished such foreign scientist as George Akerlof, Ar. Alchian, O. Williamson, J-J. Lafon, P. Milgrom, J. Roberts, M. Spence, J. Stiglitz, M.Harris, O.Hart, B.Holmstrom and others; adaptation of such experience in the post-Soviet space, incl. Ukraine accomplished V. Semzov, G. Zhuravl’ov, B.Korneychuk, V. Luz’, M. Odinzova, A. Oliiynyk, V. Tambovzev, M. Yudkevich and others.  Namely by these authors fundametal principles of the contracts theory were formulated. However, known research by these direction need applied adaptation.

Rapid growth of  the attention to the role of contracting factor is explained by certain exhaustion  of the possibilities of already  known approaches to the explanation of the essence of social and economic problems. In this relation the contract approach is considered  first of all as the tool, used for efficiency 

  increase of  functioning of economic entities activity by means of interests regulation of parties to the agreement, which  are connected  with  the rational use of resources.

Problems of contracting of economic relations are connected   with the factors of information asymmetry. This requires the elaboration of the efficient benefit mechanism in order to avoid opportunism from the agents side, as well as provides  the existence of limited rationality of contract relations participants, that, in its turn, stipulates for - as the main task of contracts - minimization  of transaction expenses between the participants of contractual relations.  

The main task of the contract should be considered regulation of the interests of participants of contract relations. Namely contracts may  be used as the tool  of providing interests   balance between the state and market agents  (enterprises), as well as within an separate organization, for example, for clear definition of the relationships between staff and management, middle and top management, etc. Perfect contracts of such kind are  referred to the s. c. "relational." Herewith, the obligatory condition of this agreement is the  existence of the possibility of permanent coordination  of sides interests for the duration of the agreement by means of usage of noncodified mechanisms. Such mechanisms, as a rule, do not concern  the change of general provisions of the Contract (main goal, objectives, mechanisms for solution of the conflict). The effect of  optimization of the relations between the parties based on this type of contract is due not only for  resources savings, but also promoting the creation of synergy effect (maximizing of  efficiency or total value).

The study of the problem of low energy efficiency in agricultural enterprises activity testified that there is existence of the disbalance between realization of the separate functions of energy management. Thus, functions of the control and the planning in the sphere of energysaving is more developed, than functions of organization and motivation. Such disbalance can be explained, that in the activity of the majority enterprises with imperfect energy management, sides of the contract are interested in economic (final)  result, stipulated for planning and control of production efficiency, but not the mechanism of its achievement, submitted in the first turn by functions of motivation and organization. 

Characteristics of typical relational contract in the sphere of energy-saving, on the level of  typical production enterprise, can be described in such a way:

-  distinct identification of goal and objectives without  detailing of the employees function;

-  certain freedom in making more effective decisions;

-  the possibilities to the creation a favorable moral and psychological climate in the organization;

-  realization of contract relations is concentrated on horizontal level (between  the specialists)

-  creation the condition for taking into account the opinions  and suggestions from  all groups  of agents; involved in the project

-  The availability of the potential and reserves for additional incentive of contract relationship participants on  condition of effect achievement, as well as availability and general acceptance of clear criteria of  such effect;

-  The availability  of mechanisms, aimed at  prevention  of manifestations of rent-oriented behaviour of main group of agents - parties  of  contract relations

To provide stable social and economic development of agricultural sector modern contracting must include a set of obligatory principles, directed to providing compromises of interests between parties of the contract relations, in particular, the principle of adequate information and statistic reflection, correspondence of the principle “effect-reward”, stimulation and partner responsibility and others.

Thus, elaboration and introduction in practice relation promotional contracts as the tool of optimal concentration can be considered as efficient element of modern management of agricultural enterprises in the sphere of energy-saving.