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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">0_PREFACE_21</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Introduction</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Preface / Pratarmė</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="Author">
          <name>
            <surname>Šimanskienė</surname>
            <given-names>Ligita</given-names>
          </name>
          <email xlink:href="mailto:ligita.simanskiene@gmail.com">ligita.simanskiene@gmail.com</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_RFDS_aff_000"/>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_RFDS_aff_000">Klaipėda University</aff>
      </contrib-group>
      <volume>21</volume>
      <issue>1</issue>
      <fpage>3</fpage>
      <lpage>4</lpage>
      <permissions>
        <ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/>
      </permissions>
      <abstract>
        <p>This current issue offers you different approaches to important regional problems. All the papers can be conditionally attributed to: ecology, public administration, business, and competencies of managers. E. Cepuritis, J. Ulme, S. Graudina-Bombiza present their research results on beach litter monitoring on the Latvian coastline. Another paper by E. Lagzina, I. Kudrenickis, R. Ernsteins, and J. Kaulins  analyses coastal governance methodology. Yet slightly different approach to ecology can be found in the article about media ecology presented by R. Vaičiulė. T. Gogol analyses public administration problems in the development areas of Ukraine, whereas A. Baia and H. Viveiros highlight youth unemployment in depressed areas of Portugal. Two articles are devoted a to consumer behaviour  issues: one by D. Kiyak, L. Pranckevičiūtė, and I. Volskytė analyses consumer behaviour choosing dental services, while the other present insight on the museum services modernization process (L. Šimanskienė, R. Valiušienė, B. Sloka). Hilmar Þór Hilmarsson analyses the main question for Iceland: Is it worth for it to become a member of the EU or join the Euro zone? Furthermore, A. Fominienė and V. Grigaitinė discuss the feasibility to improve business incubation processes. A. Petrulis introduces readers with managerial styles that are most preferable for employees, and, finally, R. Paulienė draws attention on managerial competencies in business organizations. Thus the current issue of the journal offers you analyses ofdifferent regional problems as well as their solutions presented by scientists from Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, and Iceland.</p>
      </abstract>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
