Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

One of the most important strategic goals in Lithuania is implementation of sustainable development provisions. Taking into consideration closure of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant implementation of this aim depends very much on development of the Lithuanian energy sector. This paper presents some findings from the analysis of the Lithuanian energy policy and the energy sector development, in particular taking into consideration the role of energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and nuclear energy. The paper focuses on changes in primary energy balance and in deployment of renewable energy sources over the period 2010–2020. The paper also presents analysis of changes in electricity generation taking focus on factors stimulating construction of new regional nuclear power plant in Lithuania and factors limiting its attractiveness.

Presented paper aims to indicate what types of interrelationships between energy usage patterns prevailing in particular country, economic growth and finally, sustainable development could be distinguished. The topic of paper, or, rather research area, is neither new nor original. Nevertheless, an array of approaches towards character of considered interrelationships can be encountered. Complicity of chosen issue, we reckon, lies in differences of perception of the following questions. Our findings consequently would depend on, at first, how we measure economic growth in short and long terms, the second, how we measure energy security, and, the third, how we benchmark progress towards sustainable development. Methods, which we consider as being applicable for measuring of selected interrelationships, comprise a separate part of scientific elaboration. Therefore we formulate a task to overview the most contemporary measurable perceptions of economic growth, perceptions of energy security facets affecting economic growth and consequent reaction of sustainable development to various scenarios of energy consumption and economic growth. Resulting conclusions about measurement of indicated phenomena and argumentations of their plausible interrelation would lead us to choice of methodological approaches of described interrelations’ analysis.

The article presents the chosen results of studies carried out in eleven Polish municipalities located in a different part of country where military units are stationed. Analysis refers to category of local development. Simulations reflecting the way the liquidation of military units could potentially impact socio-economic development of the municipalities have been carried out. This scientific work was financed by the resources for education in 2010-2013 as a research project of Ministry of Science and Higher Education No O N115 311238, Local and regional conditions for the functioning of military units situated within the territory of the country.

The objective of this article is to explore how roles the perceived value of the cultural activities in the evaluation of the consumers’ quality of life. First, we study the perceived value comparing two main approaches to the conceptualization of the perceived value. Next, we look over the quality of life studies in the cultural industry. We carried out a qualitative study among adult consumers in a Hungarian Region. Based on our results we explored the main components of the quality of life by subjective evaluation. We found that functional expression appears clearly against the emotional ones in the evaluation of the perceived value related to the cultural activities.

This paper is an attempt to review the European debate between proponents of the voluntary and the obligatory case for CSR in the middle of the economic crisis that we are living. Starting by the analysis of the current European government-led initiatives to foster CSR among companies we move to the analysis of two specific national government-led initiatives in the EU area, Spain and Poland. Finally, the paper focuses on the comparison of both cases, as an example of the disparities between national policies in Europe. The lack of a regulatory European framework for CSR could explain the misbalance between country initiatives.

Economic growth and income differentiation problems are the most actual problems of modern research. The research is attributed to sustainable development research area. In a case of Latvian economy these problems have a huge actuality because of lack of researching works, where these parts of science are completely opened. Special interest causes question about the trajectory of economic growth and and uneven income. If GDP growth is connected with increasing income differentiation of population, then increasing income differentiation absorbs part of the effect on the growth of aggregate income. If GDP growth is on the background of lower income differentiation, the increase in total income is supplemented by regularity of revenue growth. Thus the social effect of economic growth increases significantly. What trends are taking place in income differentiation by regions and economic development of the regions in Latvia after the EU accession? What trends are taking place in interregional differentiation in income per household member, and in GDP? Is there a relationship between trajectories of economic growth and income differentiation in the regions of Latvia?

The article highlights the importance of the development of the society, as well as the measurement of this development, in the context of security, sustainability and competitiveness and goes much further by guiding to further research focus on the introduced new conception of “Secure and sustainable competitiveness” in the context of globalisation. The definition of “Sustainable competitiveness” was broadened by including new aspect of security. The development of the society was introduced as common output of the globalization which goes hand-in-hand with competitiveness, sustainability and security. The interrelation of certain facets between security, competitiveness and sustainability lead to the proposal to create the new index of “Secure and sustainable competitiveness” with possibility to evaluate the progress by looking back and provide prospects by looking forward. The research findings are in line with policy context and the development of the new index of “Secure and sustainable competitiveness” could be an important research contribution to the European Union Strategy Europe 2020 for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (2010).

Security and sustainability conception analysis is being provided in the paper. The conceptions of security and sustainability have been selected due to their significance for contemporary globalized world’s issues. Initially, the perceptions encompassing even ancient times are being elaborated. Onward, with an intention to get a more sophisticated view of above mentioned expressions, relevant scientific literature has been critically reviewed accentuating to the dimensions of those two phenomena. The following common dimensions could be proposed: social, economic, environmental. The implication could be stated - security conception provides not only those three dimensions some other important dimensions could be distinguished as well. One more important finding composes the perception of dimensions interactions to analyzed conceptions. Some important implications are being provided in the paper, which elevate the significance of security to sustainability for today’s globalized society - security can be proposed as expression with ponderable value, while sustainability gains this power only with “sustainable development” phenomenon.

The article analyses the realization of the support from the EU structural funds in the regions of Lithuania. It has been investigated, in which areas and regions the funds have been most and least successfully assimilated. Socio-economic development of the Lithuanian regions has been analysed in the period of 2008-2011 and the influence of the assimilated EU support. Similarly, debatable questions of the region, its development and conception of regional politics have been studied.Statistical data from Eurostat, the Department of Statistics of Lithuania under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania have been used in the research.

Sustainability and security assessment currently arises as comprehensive and integrated approach. Sustainable development is a fundamental and overarching objective of the European Union (EU) countries. It aims to improve the quality of life of citizens through sustainable communities that manage and use resources, by linking economic development and security, protection of the environment and social justice. Measuring progress towards sustainable development is an integral part of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), that defines objectives and targets intended to put the European Union on a path towards sustainable development. The issue of economic security and sustainability has been analyzed in theory from different perspectives. In many studies the macroeconomic indicator Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the best-recognized measure of economic performance in the world. However, GDP may measure economic growth but does not involve all aspects of sustainable growth or development. In order to effectively measure progress and wealth, clear indicators are needed that incorporate social and environmental costs and benefits. There is no shortage of research on indicators complementary to GDP, but this remains a subject for academic discussions. In order to manage security and sustainability, society has to formulate clear and measurable goals of sustainability. The level, at which these goals are achieved, might be measured using sustainable development indicators. The paper aims to reveal prevailing conceptual approaches of sustainability from the macroeconomic as well as corporation perspectives, to summarize and compare the key factors describing sustainable development. The method of the research is based on logic abstraction that encompasses generalizations and examinations on theoretical approaches and academics’ surveys.