Regional Formation and Development Studies

Knowledge about consumer needs, factors and motives affecting behavior is one of the ways of ensuring entrepreneurship competitiveness. Authors present the results of the study on the A. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs within the context of consumer behavior components affecting consumer behavior from a perspective of entrepreneurial decision making. Authors employ well known methods of research – statistical analysis, grouping, evaluation, predicting etc. In the course of the present research by synthesis of theoretical developments and practical experience decision making model is made. A. Maslow’s theory serves as the basis for developing a range of theories dealing with consumer behavior, therefore, when developing the consumer behavior model in Latvia, the author decided to integrate the better known theories. The use of models prepared by the authors in sales, entrepreneurship, and other sectors of economy provide an opportunity to reasonably plan investments for the relevant time period, to avoid mistakes, and to improve the overall economic effectiveness of the company’s operations and usefulness of resource utilization.

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.

Regional policy is a very dynamic and broad concept. As we can see from Lithuanian regional policy, regions can be formed very flexibly, using different spatial areas (counties as well as municipalities). This is justified by the main purpose of regional policy – dealing with social and economic inequality. The aim of the Government is, therefore, to identify the remote territories and to divert certain assistance in time. The Government, however, uses short-handed instruments, namely economic indicators, for the revealing of problem areas in Lithuania. The article argues that this is not enough: peripherality and accessibility indicators could be calculated for Lithuanian regions. Calculations of data using the formulas presented quite clear picture and tendencies of territorial development. They proved the existence of poor development axes and good development nucleus. The trend towards institutional development of 6 potential regions in Lithuania could be envisaged.

The problem of financial stability of a modern enterprise predestines a long-term development of state. The long-term development strategy-making concepts, binding to each member state, have been legislated in the European Union. A sustainable development is a balanced and socially responsible economic development subject to preservation of the environment and resources for the benefit of future generations. A national sustainable development plan prior to 2020 is required for each EU country. Under the development priorities situation typical to Baltic States, featuring a relative deficiency of mineral resources with some possibilities of development of high-end technologies, transit industry may be deemed the main priority. The enterprise financial stability concept is the main objective, regarded as a mandatory condition for ensuring a long-term and sustainable development as exemplified by the two renowned air carriers. The methods of scientific research most frequently applied in economics domain have been used: monographic, comparative, hierarchical and quantitative methods of financial ratios.

The landscape of any country is the reflection of territorial expression of its socio-economical and ecological processes. Several problems regarding Lithuania’s landscape could be distinguished: a) problems of land parcels; b) problems of forests; c) problems of protected territories and natural frameworks; d) problems of Curonian spit; e) problems of coastal sands. Self contained renaturalization of Lithuanian landscape, implementation of programs from the strategic documents of the government and active participation of local communities, could lead to at least partial restoration of the impoverished Lithuanian landscape and increase of its stability.

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.

Sustainable development has become one of the most discussed issues on national, regional and international levels. Together with policy development, the need to assess the current situation and the achieved progress in sustainability has arisen. In Lithuania integrated evaluations of sustainability are rather rare, therefore this paper aims to apply composite index for Lithuanian regions – counties. Research focuses on four regions of Lithuania: ones with the highest and with the lowest GDP values over the period of 2000–2010. The analysed indicators were normalized calculating T values and recalculating some of indicators to have them in the same direction and applying equal weight basis approach. The results reveal rather different development of selected regions. In all areas analysed (economy, environment, health and social issues) Vilnius County has improved most. Meanwhile situation in Tauragė region has only worsened. Though not only economic issues are important then assessing the development course, regions with higher economic development favour in general and their development is more stable and sustainable.

In the paper market situation of domestic steelworks during restructuring process was characterized. In the analysis the key elements of enterprises competitiveness were presented. Moreover the organizational changes in the steelworks plants and their influence on the sustainability were presented too. In the paper two kinds of restructuring were described: repair and development.

The world wide experience of communication and cooperation of diasporas and origin countries shows various ways and forms how diasporas can contribute towards sustainable development of origin country. Lithuania also has relatively huge diaspora and faces increasing emigration every year. However, it still neglects the potential of it’s diaspora involvement in contributing to well-being of the country. In order to reveal the potential of Lithuanian diaspora the qualitative research was conducted. It used expert interview method with 12 leaders of foreign Lithuanian communities and organizations. The research revealed that Lithuanian diaspora is willing and could contribute significantly to the country’s sustainable development in various areas: scientific, business, cultural and social ones. In order to facilitate this cooperation, Lithuanian government should decrease barriers for cooperation and implement measures that would take into account the diversity of diaspora groups interests and possibilities, provide relevant information about means of engagement and support already existing and new diaspora networks and their initiatives.