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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">RFDS</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Regional Formation and Development Studies</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="epub">2029-9370</issn>
      <issn pub-type="ppub">2029-9370</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>KU</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">1_ATKOCIUNIENE</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.15181/rfds.v15i2.1080</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Article</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>The Strengthening of Territorial Cohesion Through the Development of Rural Social Infrastructure</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="Author">
          <name>
            <surname>Atkočiūnienė</surname>
            <given-names>Vilma</given-names>
          </name>
          <email xlink:href="mailto:vilma.atkociuniene@gmail.com">vilma.atkociuniene@gmail.com</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_RFDS_aff_000"/>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_RFDS_aff_000">Aleksandras Stulginskis University</aff>
        <contrib contrib-type="Author">
          <name>
            <surname>Aleksandravičius</surname>
            <given-names>Alvydas</given-names>
          </name>
          <email xlink:href="mailto:aleksandravicius@gmail.com">aleksandravicius@gmail.com</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_RFDS_aff_001"/>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_RFDS_aff_001">Aleksandras Stulginskis University</aff>
        <contrib contrib-type="Author">
          <name>
            <surname>Grinberga-Zalite</surname>
            <given-names>Gunta</given-names>
          </name>
          <email xlink:href="mailto:gunta.grinberga@llu.lv">gunta.grinberga@llu.lv</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_RFDS_aff_002"/>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_RFDS_aff_002">Latvia University of Agriculture</aff>
      </contrib-group>
      <volume>16</volume>
      <issue>2</issue>
      <fpage>5</fpage>
      <lpage>15</lpage>
      <permissions>
        <ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/>
      </permissions>
      <abstract>
        <p>Economic and social indicators need to be given more importance in the management of results-oriented rural social infrastructure (RSI) in order to become an integral measure in the monitoring of country’s development. The research aim – to prepare and test a methodology for the assessment of RSI condition in order to ensure the territorial cohesion. The following objectives have been set out: 1) to summarize theoretical aspects of rural social infrastructure development in the context of social territorial cohesion; 2) to prepare a methodology for the assessment of RSI; 3) to reveal inequalities and critical areas of Lithuanian RSI development. The analysis of Lithuanian RSI data revealed differences in RSI development in different rural regions which negatively affect Lithuania’s competitiveness and social territorial cohesion. While the articles notes that there have been some positive changes in the use of investment projects over the last couple of years, it also indicates that management of RSI availability and accessibility with respect to locations and sectors is not optimal.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <label>Keywords</label>
        <kwd>rural social infrastructure</kwd>
        <kwd>rural areas</kwd>
        <kwd>territorial cohesion</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <kwd-group kwd-group-type="JEL CODES">
        <label>JEL CODES</label>
        <kwd>H410</kwd>
        <kwd>O330</kwd>
        <kwd>R530</kwd>
        <kwd>R590</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
