Tiltai

Scientific journal TILTAI/BRIDGES/BRÜCKEN published by Klaipėda University (established in 1991) is devoted to the issues of social sciences. The publications attempts at analysing and solving actual problems of economy, management, demography, social geography, geopolitics, political sciences, history, education, religious, regional planning and land use, other social problems. Science hasn’t borders. Therefore scientific cooperation is one of the most important elements in the progress of world’s community. Scientists from different countries of the world are kindly invited to write for and contribute to the journal.TILTAI/BRIDGES is the scientifical periodical magazine, which publications, by the decision of Lithuanian Science Council, are recognized as convenient for doctoral dissertations and pedagogical scientific names.

Intellectual capital (IC), technology transfer and knowledge management gained a high topicality in knowledge-based economy. The aforementioned concepts emerged in a business world to show competitive advantage of enterprise in a knowledge-based economy. Identification of IC was oriented to demonstrate that enterprises are concerned with knowledge creation and not solely with financial accounting. On the contrary, IC is an organic entity of university life. However, in nowadays society universities should transform IC into competitive advantage; therefore, it is important to evaluate IC at universities using management categories. The article calls for scientific discussion that encourage understanding of IC as organization’s relationship with knowledge concept instead of fixed index. Moreover, IC concept is developed in a knowledge-based economy context, but now-days we need reconsider IC meaning in innovations context. The article aim to reveal the potential of IC to strengthen cooperation between science and business.

The author of the article, by way of applying theoretical analysis and using empirical evidence, as well as by analysing international documents ratified by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the laws in force, and the resolutions of the Government, argues that a prerequisite for the success in building a well fare state is sustainable development of society. The aspiration of sustainable development is a challenge not only to the interaction of the economic, ecological, and social systems, but also to the interaction of sub-systems within said systems. The deficit of sustainable development in the social system destroys the structure of the society, creates prerequisites for the discrimination of some social groups, for the marginalisation of social groups, and for the rise of social exclusion. The increasing level of social exclusion poses a threat to national stability and security, therefore, it is important to timely identify the causes of the rise of social exclusion and, by removing them, to eliminate the preconditions for the formation of crisis situations.

The social dimension is gaining an increasing importance in the fields of shaping our environment, such as territorial planning and architectural design. In order to create the living environment, which would be not only comfortable, but also aesthetic and psychologically acceptable, it is important to analyze the experience and possibilities of application of sociological research methods to physical and social environment of urbanized areas. In order to reach this aim, the article presents the review of experience of application of the sociological research methods to urban environment distinguishing the characteristic cases in this field and their analogies in Lithuanian practice and the distinguishing and classification of the types and aims of sociological research of urban environment based on the analysis of literature.

This article presents the analysis of the results of qualitative research about large families’ social, economical situation and possibilities of support in the community. There were 14 respondents of large family members. All families of respondents consist of both parents and three or more children. Respondents answered to open questions. This paper presents research participants’ opinion about the economic situation of large families, family members’ economic migration problems and opportunities of community support for these families. It was found that large family experience finances’ limits and it causes the migration. The activity in community enlarge and it enable support for large families.

The article adresses the problem of social work support to domestically violent males. The causes of violence and the process of help and resocialization are discussed. The research results reveal that domestically violent males receive informational, legal, psychological and social help, however, the component of social-psychological help is underdeveloped, lack of involvement of social workers is felt. Possibilities of social work support are underutilized, social workers rarely participate in the whole of support process. Usually the role of social worker is carried out by probation officers.

In the article was analysed service quality and its impact on firm’s profitability. The profitability factors in the economic activities were determined and the importance of profitability analysis was emphasized. Summarised profitability in telecommunications firms. In the article were listed analysed firms’ (for the analysis were selected services, which face high need from customers – services of Lithuania telecommunications firms LTD “Bitė Lietuva”, LTD “Omnitel”, LTD “Tele2”) service quality improvements as well as calculated profitability indexes. Statistical analysis and evaluation was made. The evaluation of the data shows, that LTD “Bitė Lietuva” indexes are correlated, but the correlation is not significant because of lack of data. Activity of LTD “Omnitel” shows, that improved service quality did not affect firm’s profitability. Improved service quality of LTD “Tele2” affected only part of analised profitability indexes. Inspite this the results show significant dependence.

The very first scientific data gathered in exploratory research of canine therapy in Lithuania is presented in the article. One case qualitative study is presented. Qualitative one case study was applied using different research methods: narrative and content analyses. Narrative analysis was used to analyze data gathered from educators, psychologist and mother of the child after each canine therapy session. Narrative interpretation was applied for canine therapy observation report, when each five minutes the changes of child were described. Report of canine therapy observation divulged that sessions were important for child’s greater social development, verbal expression and cognitive development. Scale of emotional evaluation showed that canine therapy sessions have great importance in developing positive emotions.

The first paragraph is dedicated to theoretical insights into the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in in the process of adult education. It analyzes the significance of ICT application in educational process, functional capabilities of the use of educational portals, educational programs, Google service system in educational process and presents the theoretical model of the realization of ICT in adult education. The second part of the paragraph is devoted to empirical research in order to present the approach of adult learners to the use of Google service system as the possibility of functional application of a separate ICT unit in adult education. The article conceptualizes the realization vista of ICT in adult education. The investigation reveals the aspects of services of Google system as ICT, its usage and realization.

Lithuania has been placed 35th out of 187 countries in the UNO Human Development Report 2014, which measures a Human Social Development Index. This is the best result in the history of the country. According to this indicator, since 2010, Lithuania has joined the club of 49 most developed countries in the planet. Despite the fact, poverty, which expresses the essential consequences of social differentiation, has deeply rooted in the social discourse of Lithuania. To understand the controversy of the official statistics and the reality of life, we can no longer think of poverty, deprivation and social exclusion stereotypically. These social phenomena are taking new shapes in the postmodern existence. Therefore, the article presents a philosophical explanation of the change in the perception of two social categories – time and work, which illustrate a dramatic shift of our social life towards the postmodern existence, based on the works of J. Habermas and Z. Bauman. Social categories of time and work are among the elements of social-existential change, which reflect clear differences of philosophical discourses and social consciousness of modernity and postmodernity from the earlier traditions of philosophical thought development. Today these categories acquire the power to reveal new forms of social inequality.