Klaipėdos universitetas

The article builds on the authors’ research into the formation and activity of trans-border cooperation of Belarus as part of regional policy and part of cooperation with neighbouring EU countries, addressing questions that may also be relevant on a broader regional scale. Based on empirical findings, this article aims to discuss the effectiveness of trans-border cooperation in general and activities of the Euroregion in particular. How do national and local governments, the existing legal framework, the level of cohesion of Euroregions as an important organizational form of trans-border cooperation of the administrative-territorial units of the Republic of Belarus and neighbouring countries in sociocultural, economic, socio-political dimensions contribute to the capacity of those initiatives to be a part of foreign and domestic policies? We take five Euroregions “Dnepr” (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine), “Bug” (Poland, Ukraine, Belarus), “Belovezhskaya puscha” (Poland, Belarus), “Neman” (Kaliningrad region, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus) and “Ozerny krai” (Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus). The empirical data were collected through the analysis of current legal framework of trans-border cooperation in Belarus and through personal interviews with representatives of government, scientists involved in the Euroregion studies, as well as among representatives of public institutions and associations of the countries – participants of the Euroregions. We find that even though Belarus has a reduced level of relationship with the European Union a crucial feature for all Euroregions is the number of projects in framework of mainly the EU technical assistance programs. The paper, therefore, highlights that from one hand, the economic and social development in bordering regions could take place without Euroregions, from another – the prospective role of the Euroregions will be in development of “good neighbourhood belt” on the perimeter of external borders of Belarus in all its dimensions: military, political, cultural, informational, social and economic.

Recently, health-related quality of life has become one of the main underlying assumptions for public health practice, especially for gaining insights into highly complex health problems that are mainly determined by social factors. Children’s health is highly determined by social factors, especially those in the family environment. We follow a newly emerging trend to investigate health-related quality of life within a family-centered social system instead of individualistic approach; therefore, we chose KIDSCREEN52 questionnaire. We consider KIDSCREEN52 questionnaire significant for public health practice.

This article provides a synthesis of various scholarly opinions on how to improve organizational culture of the school. The qualitative research methodology was chosen for empirical research. The survey was conducted by interviewing respondents from an educational institution in Lithuania. The semi-structured interview method was applied to the study. The results showed that the factors having influence on the success and effectiveness of organizational culture and its improvement are: strong relationship between parents and the community, a student-centred learning environment, consistent institutional guidance systems, norms, values and working environment practices. In order to improve organizational culture of the educational institution, it is necessary to improve the communication and cooperation system, develop open management that would guide the community members to be responsible for their actions, to create the atmosphere involving all community members in self-learning providing feedback, promote leadership, initiate changes. The educational institution uses these determinants to create a learning organization.

Siekiama išanalizuoti kūrybingumo konstrukto apibrėžimo ir sampratos problemą užsienio šalių bei Lietuvos autorių mokslinėje literatūroje. Straipsnyje apžvelgiamas užsienio mokslinėje literatūroje pateikiamas kūrybingumo konstrukto apibrėžties diskursas socialinių mokslų kontekste, sisteminamos užsienio autorių atliktos kūrybingumo apibrėžimų metaanalizės, pateikiant galimas kūrybingumo konstrukto apibrėžties variacijas, aptariama konstrukto apibrėžimo ir sampratos problema Lietuvos autorių moksliniuose darbuose. Nustatyta, kad užsienio šalių mokslininkų darbuose vis dar nėra bendro sutarimo, koks turėtų būti visa apimantis, bendrai vartojamas kūrybingumo apibrėžimas. Lietuvos mokslininkų darbuose kyla diskusijų tiek dėl paties kūrybingumo termino, tiek dėl jo apibrėžimo ir sampratos. Be to, atskleista, kad Lietuvos mokslo darbuose nenusistovėjusios kūrybingumo ir kūrybiškumo terminų sampratos, tad šie terminai dažniausia vartojami kaip sinonimai, o reikšmės nėra aiškiai identifikuotos. Be to, aiškiai neapibrėžti kūrybingumo jungtiniai terminai, nemažai klausimų kyla dėl terminų vertimo, skolinių vartojimo socialinių mokslų kontekste.

In this article an emergency medical assistance and the inter hospital transfer problems are analysed in context of the restructurization of health care institutions and services, also of regionalization and centralization policy in Lithuania. Though the increased accessibility of health care services and improvement of the quality, also reduction of social exclusion and unevenness of provision of health care services are declared as the main objectives (purpose) of restructurization, however increased number of inter hospital transfers and crowding of the Emergency Departments indicate the possible negative tendencies. One of the substantial (fundamental) requirement of the inter hospital transfers is the continuous emergency care during transportation. The article provides a unified concept of second transportation between hospitals. The survey results contain the points of specialists and executives of emergency medical assistance on the current management situation of inter hospital patient flow and the ways how the management of patient flow can be improved. The study was made using questionnaire survey, the questions were divided into separate groups by the objectives of this study. Reasoned conclusions and the scheme of the emergency medical care patients flow are developed with reference to the results of this study.

Intellectual capital (IC) has evolved and excelled as an academic discipline since the early 1990s, and has reached the fourth stage of research. Research was promoted by analysts in companies to understand the value creation process and identify resources required. Investment and spending on IC and value creation analysis have changed a firm’s decisions and impact analysis.

Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) have played an important role in cushioning the downturn in cross border trade during the current economic and financial crisis. This article discusses the role of ECAs in facilitating cross border trade to emerging markets as well as the economic rationale for the existence of such agencies. It also demonstrates how selected risk mitigation instruments of ECAs, namely: (i) buyer credit guarantee, (ii) supplier credit guarantees and (iii) export loans have been applied in practice. Finally cases are presented that highlight how companies have used the service of ECAs, for example, to obtain better terms, including longer term loans and/or lower interest rates.

Achieving a higher level of sustainable development is an increasingly important issue. Developing environmental consciousness on individuals and organizations can be successful only on a stable methodological base. This task is feasible with the support of competence management. The paper summarizes a comprehensive model for evaluating environmental consciousness that provides the necessary frames and empiric results of analysing the environmental management tools and the organizational size. This research was carried out as part of the TAMOP-4.2.1.B-10/2/KONV-2010-0001 project with support by the European Union, co-financed by the European Social Fund.

Shared Service Centres (SSCs) may lead to job creation in the professional field in the less developed EU region. By 2015, in the CEE region, the number of employees in this sector exceeded 335 000 and the trend tends to be increasing heavily. Looking at the actual numbers of the sector, the author tries to define the main decision making factors for a SSC to settle down in the region. The paper focuses on the evaluation of possibilities, arguing if the development of the SSC sector can continue creating jobs in this region.

This study aims to reveal the evolution of the EU-Japan relations towards a comprehensive and fully formalized strategic partnership, the main determinants of that process, as well the importance of the political and economic alliance. In the evolution of the EU-Japan relations, there were identified four stages – 1960–1990, 1991–2000, 2001–2010, 2011–2018 – which had led up to a strategic partnership regulated under the framework of political and economic agreements. In future, the Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Economic Partnership Agreement might enhance the regional and global influence of the EU and Japan.