Klaipėdos universitetas

The article is devoted to the analysis of rational and irrational conceptions about the bread baking flour, its substitutes and admixtures, as a component of a daily nutrition culture of dwellers of South-Western Historic-Ethnographic Macro-region of Ukraine. The main attention was paid to the analysis of ritual orders which regulated bread baking flour dealing with.

The purpose of this article is to answer the questions raised in the course of the research on the development of textile pocket of the national costume of Lithuania Minor in relation to the motivation for production and wearing of pockets, the choice in decoration characteristics, the symbolism of ornamentation and colour combinations. The analysis of the accomplished field research reveals the manifestations of the expression of the ethnocultural identity through production and wearing of textile pockets. The analysis of the symbolic meanings traditionally attributed and newly assigned to the chosen decorative elements of pockets reveals the cases of the continuity and change of a symbol. The act of wearing a pocket not only with the national costume of Lithuania Minor demonstrates the expression of one’s identity through wearing the chosen parts of clothing. The growing demand stimulates the production of textile pockets. The research analyses the material collected from the well-informed presenters (makers and wearers of textile pockets) based on the questionnaires compiled by the author of the present article.

The ar­ti­cle ad­vo­cates the prin­ci­ples of So­cial Econ­omy (SE) as pos­si­bil­ity to de­velop in­no­va­tive so­cial tech­nolo­gies for the so­cial co­he­sion of so­ci­ety in situa­tion of eco­nomic break­down. The con­cept of So­cial Econ­omy can be con­sid­ered as Eu­ro­pean tra­di­tion and chal­l­enge for ap­ply­ing and find­ing sus­tain­able forms of so­cial in­clu­sion on na­tional level. The purpose and the ob­­ject of the study is to in­ves­ti­gate, which spheres and prin­ci­ples of SE are evi­dent in the ac­tivi­ties of com­mu­nity ini­tia­tives in Lat­via thus es­tab­lish­ing the rec­og­ni­tion level of con­cep­tual un­der­stand­ing and prac­tice of So­cial Econ­omy in na­tional con­text among the Third Sec­tor ac­tivi­ties in Lat­via and spe­ci­fi­cally non-profit move­ments. The overview of selected community initiatives showed there are initiatives that could be (1) placed in the sphere of productive economy on the scale of a community (2) by the very marginal people involved in initiatives, (3) administered as small businesses, (4) controlled by the people involved with democratic means of decision-making and (5) supported by social services and social workers, in order to overcome social exclusion.

This article presents the current situation of senior citizens in Lithuania, and ways to involve them in the development of society. About a fifth of European Union (EU) citizens are considered to be senior citizens (65 years or older). The growing number of older people presupposes micro and macro problems in society. The micro problems are the loneliness of the elderly and the lack of social participation. The macro problems include social security issues: pensions, health care and social services. All EU countries are facing the challenge of an ageing society and demographic change. The results of the study ‘Community Senior Citizens Involved International presented in Stripes revealed:

Straipsnyje nagrinėjama finansų krizių sąvoka, aptariami finansų krizių skirstymo teoriniai aspektai. Nustačius, kad finansų krizių klasifikavimas ir skirstymas pagal panašius požymius leistų jas geriau suprasti ir palengvintų jų poveikio ekonomikai analizę, sudaryta finansų krizių tipų klasifikacinė lentelė. Apibendrinamojoje finansų krizių tipų klasifikacinėje lentelėje pateikiami finansų krizių tipai, nurodomos pagrindinės jų kilimo priežastys, pristatyti pagrindiniai poveikio ekonomikai rodikliai bei išvardyti istoriniai šių finansų krizių tipų pavyzdžiai. Tyrimo metu nustatytos trys Lietuvos ekonomiką neigiamai paveikusios finansų krizės – „Bankų krizė“ (1995), „Rusijos finansų krizė“ (1998) ir „Globali finansų krizė“ (2008), apibrėžtos jų kilimo priežastys. Akcentuojant darnaus ekonominio vystymosi prielaidas Lietuvoje ir siekiant tyrimų pagrindu kurti regioninę politiką, šios finansų krizės suklasifikuotos pagal sudarytą tipologiją.

The aim of the article is the analysis of the innovative activity in the balanced development of regions and organizations in Poland and the EU. A state is responsible for the level of innovativeness transferring finances for the research and development as well as implementing proper financial and legal instruments stimulating innovative endeavours of enterprises according to the applied economy politics. An enterprise is the basic objective of the innovative politics in Poland and the EU as well as implementing innovativeness with the benefits for economy. Enterprises, especially the smaller and medium ones, try to cooperate within innovativeness with the companies from the same branches, other branches in the country and abroad, with universities, B+R institutions, including laboratories, intermediary companies in a transfer, financing innovativeness, with scientific and technical parks, local authorities representatives as well as other representatives of an innovative environment. Those include also advisor companies, organizers of fairs, exhibitions, conferences, seminars and trainings. In Poland, the finances of innovativeness is done mainly by the companies themselves and the development of intermediary companies within transferring the EU’s funds as well as the financial or credit ones that are the suppliers of the capital, e.g. venture capital.

Youth unemployment, especially long-term unemployment, is one of Europe’s most pressing problems to deal with. In the current economic and financial crisis, the lack of job opportunities has affected young people more than any other group in society. Consequently, young people are faced with social problems, they cannot successfully integrate into the labour market to ensure their future stability and build their life in the future. The paper deals with legal and institutional frameworks of youth unemployment and social integration as well as makes a discussion on the survey results regarding young people integration into the labour market. It is important to identify the key regulative framework of legislative and planning documents and to understand their importance with regard to youth unemployment regulation and a contribution to unemployment reduction.

Straipsnyje aptariami inovacijų diegimo žingsniai, kaip galima būtų tobulinti šį procesą. Inovacijų diegimo žingsnių tobulinimas – tai nuolatinis aktyvus procesas, keliant naujas idėjas, įvertinant jų veiksmingumą ir priimant sprendimus dėl jų diegimo bei kontroliuojant vykdymo eigą. Privačiose sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose inovacijų diegimo žingsniai nepakankamai tyrinėjami. Šiuo tyrimu siekiama, aprašius inovacijų diegimo žingsnius, išsiaiškinti sveikatos priežiūros įstaigos darbuotojų nuomonę apie inovacijų diegimo žingsnių tobulinimo poreikį. Kiekybiniame tyrime dalyvavo 152 respondentai: gydytojai, slaugytojai, laborantai. Pasirinktas netikimybinis tiriamų grupių parinkimo būdas – atsitiktinis. Tyrimo instrumentas – anoniminė (bevardė) anketa, kurioje pateiktais teiginiais siekiama nustatyti inovacijų diegimo padėtį ir proceso tobulinimo poreikį. Tyrimas atliktas privačioje sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoje Klaipėdos mieste. Nustatyta, kad tirtoje sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoje būtina tobulinti inovacijų diegimo (3-ias žingsnis) idėjų pateikimą ir įgyvendinimo kontrolę (8-as žingsnis). Įstaiga turėtų skatinti darbuotojų įsitraukimą į inovacijų diegimo procesą, didinti jų motyvaciją, tobulinti inovacijų diegimo kontrolės formą, tai drausmintų darbuotojų veiklą. Nuolat tobulinami inovacijų diegimo žingsniai suteikia daugiau galimybių įstaigai stebėti savo inovacinę veiklą, įvertinti pranašumus ir trūkumus, laiku atlikti koregavimo veiksmus. Tai lemia inovatyvią, efektyvią, kokybišką įstaigos veiklą.

This paper considers and analyses current trends of the global, European and Latvian insurance markets. Insurance constitutes the most important way to minimize and eliminate economic losses in a company resulting from unfavourable events. Insurance is one of the most efficient methods of enterprise risk management. The entrepreneur must be informed regarding the offered insurance services, the insurance market participants and the insurance market state for the insurance coverage implementation. This information will enable to provide reliable insurance coverage in order to ensure the enterprise’s financial stability. The authors analyse the financial activity index and conduct its comparative analysis, establish general trends and existing differences in the insurance market development in the world, the EU and in Latvia. The paper highlights the insurance market structure and differences in the scope of the life insurance sector existing in the EU and in Latvia. Moreover, description of insurance types, participants of the insurance market in Latvia and the insurance market’s state are also provided. The findings can be used by insurers and entrepreneurs for insurance coverage implementation in Latvia.

The 21st century is proclaimed to be the era of enhancement of quality of human life. Providing of social assistance plays an important role in the improvement of the quality of human life. In order to ensure the appropriate social assistance its providers have to be guided by ethical norms. Adherence to the principles of ethics is the basis of social assistance which makes it even more effective. The ability to behave ethically while providing social assistance is the main qualitative aspect of the service for its clients. This article highlights those ethical principles which are connected to respect, justice and protection.