Regional Formation and Development Studies

The study analyzes the components of the image of telecommunications sector organizations and discusses theoretical aspects. The purpose of this study is to determine what image of the managers of Telia, Tele2 and Bitė is being created in the Lithuanian online media in 2020. The results obtained may be useful for the management of companies operating in the telecommunications sector and other researchers who may extend the research conducted. In order to implement the tasks set in the work, the article uses several methods: first, the method of analysis and synthesis of scientific literature is used, the concept and features of organizational image are presented. The variety of image concepts is revealed and the main differences are distinguished. The specifics of communication of telecommunications company managers are analyzed. The results of an empirical study aimed at investigating what image of the managers of telecommunications companies operating in Lithuania, Telia, Tele2 and Bitė, is being formed in the online media in 2020 are presented and analyzed. It was found that the CEO of Tele2, Petras Masiulis, communicates the most, and the CEO of Telia, Danas Strömberg, communicates the least. Of the CEOs of telecommunications companies, Telia, Tele2, and Bitė, the CEO of Tele2, P. Masiulis, has the best and most solid image in the Internet media: his image was most often seen, he is always depicted as a positive, self-confident, restrained, and solid leader. Analyzing the relationship between telecommunications companies’ investments in advertising and the image of company CEOs in the Internet media, it can be stated that companies’ investments in advertising are partially related to the frequency of communication of company CEOs and their positive positioning in the Internet media.

The article examines communication practices of e-leadership in the context of the digital transformation of project management. It is emphasised that effective electronic communication is a factor in the effectiveness of modern teams, as it ensures the transparency of management processes, the consistency of actions, trust, the motivation of participants, and timely decision making. It is shown that e-communication performs not only an operational but also a strategic function, transforming information flows into a resource for organisational development, knowledge exchange, and increasing innovative potential. The main levels of e-communication (technological, managerial and emotional-behavioural) are systematised, and it is determined that their interaction creates a synergistic effect that enhances productivity, involvement, creativity, and team cohesion. It is substantiated that the combination of the leader’s technological competence with an empathetic approach forms a new model of digital interaction based on openness, responsibility, psychological safety and orientation to common values. It is revealed that e-leadership emerges as an integrated management concept, within which communication is the central mechanism for building trust, partnership, emotional stability, and innovative thinking in digital teams. The results of the study prove that e-communication is a strategic management resource that determines the resilience of project organisations, ensures adaptability to changes in the external environment, and contributes to a sustainable increase in the effectiveness of project implementation in the digital era.

Straipsnyje analizuojamas sveikatos priežiūros specialistų požiūris į papildomosios ir alternatyviosios sveikatos priežiūros paslaugas. Nepaisant šių paslaugų teisinio reglamentavimo ir jų taikymo galimybių plėtros Lietuvoje, vis dar stokojama empirinių duomenų, kaip jas vertina patys specialistai. Šios problemos kontekste suformuluotas tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti papildomosios ir alternatyviosios sveikatos priežiūros paslaugas sveikatos priežiūros specialistų požiūriu, atsižvelgiant į jų žinias, asmeninę bei profesinę patirtį, rekomendavimo praktiką. Tyrimas atliktas taikant anketinę apklausą, kurioje dalyvavo 220 sveikatos priežiūros specialistų. Duomenys analizuoti taikant statistinės duomenų analizės metodus. Rezultatai atskleidė, kad specialistų požiūris į šias paslaugas iš esmės teigiamas, ypač vertinant jų taikymo galimybes šalia tradicinio medicininio gydymo. Kartu išryškėjo abejonės dėl paslaugų saugumo, jų prieinamumo ir informacijos pakankamumo. Didelė dalis respondentų pripažino jaučiantys papildomos informacijos poreikį, kad paslaugas galėtų rekomenduoti pacientams. Nustatyta, kad asmeninė paslaugų naudojimo patirtis ir aukštas pasitenkinimo jomis lygis susijęs su dažnesniu šių paslaugų rekomendavimu pacientams.

This literature review study investigates the digital transformation of the financial ecosystem in Serbia and Ukraine in the context of their integration pathway to the European Union. The methods employed in the research include literature analysis, systematic synthesis, thematic analysis, and a comparative case study approach. The study begins within a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the financial ecosystem and its components. Then there is an analysis of the digital transformation occurring in Ukraine’s financial ecosystem, while concurrently discussing and analysing the digital transformation of Serbia’s financial ecosystem. The analysis is followed by the comparative approach to shared opportunities and common challenges encountered by both countries in their digital transformation journey, showing the complexities of European integration for developing countries, and highlighting the long-term sustainable role of digitalising financial ecosystems. The study aims to pinpoint specific strategies, successes and obstacles encountered during this transformative process, offering insights into policy development and future integration efforts.

The contribution of global tourism to GDP increased to 10%, and significantly affected the actuality of transitioning the tourism sector from ‘take-make-dispose’ models to a circular economy. The study explores how artificial intelligence and blockchain are evolving beyond speculative trends into tangible macroeconomic drivers. Within a narrative literature review and conceptual analysis, it is examined how these technologies impact productivity, change labour market demands, and affect monetary frameworks. The paper addresses the scientific problem on how artificial intelligence and blockchain strengthen circularity in the development of sustainable tourism from a macroeconomic perspective. Consequently, the purpose of the study is to analyse the effects of digitalisation on economic productivity, labour market dynamics and monetary policy through the lens of the circular economy. Also, the study highlights the fact that interrelatedness between digitalisation and macroeconomic dynamics has the long-term sustainability potential of implementing digital technologies in sustainable tourism circularity.

Higher education plays a key role in preparing future professionals capable of responding to the challenges of sustainable development. This paper explores how innovative pedagogies can foster the development of human capital by facilitating transformative learning experiences. Drawing on research in education for sustainable development, sustainable competencies, and sustainable thinking, the paper presents the Method-Competence-Mindfulness (MCM) model as an integrative conceptual framework. The model explains how innovative learning methods stimulate the acquisition of competencies and support deep changes in values, attitudes and identities. The paper argues that management and related education should be seen not only as professional training, but also as a driver of social change. The MCM model provides recommendations for aligning pedagogical practice with broader sustainable development and regional development goals, positioning universities as drivers of transformation towards a responsible and sustainable future.

For minor health concerns, such as pain, diarrhoea, coughs and colds, people frequently engage in self-medication. The use of over-the-counter (OTC ) medications has grown in recent years; however, limited data exist regarding urban residents’ attitudes toward pharmaceutical advertising and its influence on consumer choices. This study examines the perceptions of residents of the city of Mažeikiai concerning OTC drug and pharmaceutical product advertising. A quantitative online survey was conducted with 208 participants. The findings reveal that advertising through television and the internet has the strongest impact on the selection of medications for pain, flu and cold symptoms. The respondents emphasised the importance of objective and accurate information that supports rational use of medication. Based on these results, it is recommended that advertising content be presented in a clear and reliable manner, promoting responsible self-medication practices. Television and online platforms are identified as the most effective channels for communicating such information.

This article elaborates on the valuable resources offered by the Bourdieu-inspired contemporary practice theory to broaden the scholarly understanding of European Union (EU) studies. The time-wise, geography-wise and responsibilities-wise contextualised selves of scholars retain a prominent role in the production of contemporary scholarship. It is their own authorship and understanding of the chosen setting that seeps so prominently through their academically rigorous accounts. Their specific selection of human informants and the acquisition of diverse empirical data from responsive individuals are subject to their own meanings attributed to specific institutional fields, evolving collegialities, and dynamic social relationalities. The individual lenses and their fleeting character have a prominent role in Bourdieu-inspired contemporary practice theory. The latest practice scholarship elucidates that authorship is comprehensively situated as well.