This systematic review presents the most important characteristics and trends of research in circular supply chain management (CSCM), taking into account the impact of COVID. In addition, the similarities and differences between the basic concepts often used as synonyms for sustainability are also presented. First, the sample database (39,000 records) was based on a search containing publications’ titles regarding supply chain management (SCM). After narrowing the topic from SCM towards CSCM, the considered paper characteristics were expanded, including abstract and author keywords, to get a manageable number of samples for the systematic analysis (6095 documents) and the most accurate results possible. The analysis’ base sample was divided into two periods (before and after 2012) due to a significant increase and change in the number of publications, their subject, characteristic journals and geographical location. Sustainability has emerged since 2012, while a circular approach emerged after 2017 with a significant share of research, mainly thanks to relevant EU policies. Although the role of the US has been decisive in the field, the European research bases of previous years have increasingly been replaced by Far Eastern dominance. Currently, CSCM’s most important journal is the International Journal of Supply Chain Management (Elsevier), but most articles on the impact of COVID have been published in Sustainability (MDPI). More effective policy implementation and the fight against COVID in the development of supply chains are also likely to spread the circular economic model in the future.

The energy sector is undergoing radical changes, and this transition is expected to accelerate all over the world over the coming years. In our recent research, we conducted a questionnaire survey at different levels and asked the experts in the area, the businesses involved in the issue, the operators and maintainers of existing systems, as well as the potential consumers and end users, about their knowledge and intentions related to renewable energy sources. Our empirical research can be divided into three parts. Our exploratory research was based on expert interviews, which show that the growing importance of localization is unquestionable, but the economic, social, and existing infrastructures impose significant barriers to the widespread adoption of certain technologies. Regarding the population survey, we see that the skepticism experienced in previous years has been replaced by a kind of expectation reflecting openness. In addition, it can be stated that in many cases technological development is faster than the possibility of its adaptation. Our gender tests significantly support men’s better knowledge of the subject and the fact that biomass (despite its major importance) is not one of the most known renewable energy sources.

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In our comparative analyses we tried to identify those factors that can affect the success of the projects implemented at the border region. We involved three cross-border programs into our analyses and studied the project of the Austria-Hungary, Slovenia-Hungary and Hungary-Croatia Cross-border Co-operation Programmes. In this article we have undertaken to compare the results of these analyses and find out the similarities in the factors determining the project success. We assumed that there are no significant differences among the project success influencing factors in the studied programs, and the same or at least very similar affecting factors can determine the success. Our primary research proved this hypothesis, so thanks to it we can state that the projects implemented in the analysed cross-border cooperation programs are influenced by some organizational and individual factors: the time factor of the project success can be high if the project manager has direct management and monitoring rights and his or her authority does not depend on others; furthermore if the personality and the methodological competencies of the project manager are given. The project management success can be reached if the project manager has some managerial competencies, as well.

Globalisation “takes” its victims, which the authors believe means that the future of small- and medium-sized towns has become uncertain in Europe. The role of centres is continuously increasing, and most researchers prefer to analyse the competitiveness and innovativeness of metropolitan areas. In this study, we characterise the small- and medium-sized towns in the central–eastern European region as well as explore their possible development path. The authors are convinced that one way for these towns to survive is through strengthening of innovation abilities, which means increasing the innovation performances of economic stakeholders and new forms of interaction among other institutions in order to handle social problems. The theoretical starting point is the interpretation and presentation of the micropolitan (without big towns) regions as well as understanding the concept of technological and social innovation. As the result of the research, the innovation measurements carried out in some of the settlements will be represented. These experiences can help the small- and medium-sized towns keep up with global competition and cancel migration and erosion of intellectual potential.