The article aims to identify destabilizing factors of economic security and to elaborate recommendations aimed to improve the efficiency of the development of Kazakh enterprises. The authors have used methods of theoretical research, analysis and synthesis, as well as methods of concretization and analogy and an expert survey conducted with their direct participation.Results of the conducted research show that there is a relatively favorable economic environment in industrial production in the Republic of Kazakhstan. However, according to the expert survey, business activity, liquidity and profitability have been falling at many industrial concerns. Among destabilization factors restricting the operation of industrial enterprises, the following dominate: insufficient demand for manufactured products, deficit of own financial resources, tougher market competition and macroeconomic uncertainty. Even though this study mainly covers a range of issues related to Kazakhstan, its conclusions are of interest for the development of an economic strategy at enterprises that operate in other emerging economies.
The relevance of this article is based on the aim to fulfill the lack of understanding of public perception on energy security. Despite the fact that energy security problems in Lithuania are analyzed on a regular basis, however, there is no comprehensive research on the very issue of the public perception of energy security. The results of the empirical survey (public poll carried out in 2013) are used to explain the public perception of energy security and its main aspects, and to show the existing difference of society opinion between different social groups in regard to gender, age, education, occupation, income and living area. The research showed that variety of different aspects are taken into account in public perception on energy security. The dominance of “The prices of energy resources” (mean – 4.35) and “Reliability of energy supply services” (mean – 4.25) was fixated throughout different social groups. The three most ambivalently ranked aspects were “Development of oil extraction” (mean – 3.50), “Development of nuclear energy” (mean – 3.30) and “Development of shale gas extraction” (mean – 3.08).
The banking and finance sector is one of the most dynamic sectors that is continuously experiencing most of structural changes. Fast consolidation and concentration of banks globally has evoked active discussions on behalf of scientists and practitioners on the effect gained from concentrating on the efficiency and competitiveness of the banking system, financial and microeconomic stability of countries and economic development. Mergers and acquisitions of the banking sector are mostly encouraged by the target to get more authority in the international banking environment, to eliminate competitors from profitable activity and to strive for additional financial benefit for shareholders, to increase the range of the services provided, to use the resources efficiently, i. e. to create the value for shareholders and to contribute to the development of the financial sector. Therefore, the article analyses the bank mergers and acquisitions of the Lithuanian banking sector; it is assessed whether the bank mergers have created the value for shareholders and (or) the financial system. The research that has been carried out shows that mergers and acquisitions of the banking sector are take placing in order to increase the benefit for shareholders and to strive for the economy; the aspect of financial stability of such transactions appears in a short term and is most commonly inspired by the government. Modern Lithuanian banking sector has been formed by means of mergers and acquisitions; strategic investors helped transitive economy countries to guarantee the stability of the banking sector and to achieve the benefit of the economy of scale. Restructuring of the banking activities, i. e. the performance distribution can be a useful measure in ensuring stable activities of both the financial system and the accepting bank – to acquire a market share and to optimise its performance.
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 aim of the present article is to investigate the role of sustainable innovation strategies on competitive advantages of Lithuanian biotechnology companies. The entire Lithuanian biotechnology market is targeted via the conduction of semi-structured qualitative interviews, consecutively carried out in 2011 and 2012. The methodological solution to introduce the time perspective in the research elucidates the importance of the sustainability in innovation processes as there could be the progress and the continuity in the implementation of innovation strategies observed among sample companies. There is the increasing number of discussions about innovations and the performance of organizations. The success of an innovative activity depends on the complex of human and financial resources, organizational, managerial, technical and other factors. Though competitive advantages cover a vast spectrum of aspects, they all are inter-related and dependent on a great number of factors and measures. The innovation strategy could help to reach target results and to provide a synergy effect. Main reasons for the creation and deployment of innovations should also be the increasing competition, rapidly evolving technology and changing consumers’ expectations. Such factors as the human capital emerges as the key driver of high-tech industries because people involved in innovative activities are characterized by their competencies, motivation and willingness to act in different circumstances. It should not be forgotten the importance of the continuity of innovation processes and long-term strategic directions. The research question: are sustainable innovation strategies necessary for competitive advantages of Lithuanian biotechnology companies? Firstly, there is the concept and classification of innovations presented; it is continued by the revelation of main features of innovation management and success factors of the commercialization of innovations. These chapters are followed by the identification of companies’ competitive advantages and the analysis of sustainable strategic human resource management. Finally, there are main characteristics of the biotechnology sector underlined and the research (2011 and 2012) results on a sustainable development of competitive advantages via the innovation strategy presented.
The aim of the present article is to examine parameters of product innovations that could lead to a successful expansion of international companies to the innovation-driven market. The case of the European mobile technology company in the Korean market is analyzed by introducing a market research method and demonstrating what sort of mobile phone could be designed for the South Korean youth. Companies often declare focusing on stronger marketing and sales efforts in one particular business area or geographical region via creating, testing and introducing a new product. The reasons for failures in foreign markets in many cases are related to the lack of knowledge of this region, wrong choice of the product as well as the incapability to choose a right innovation and expansion strategy. It should not be forgotten that a technological product innovation is more readily adopted by the firms that have a market penetration strategy and hope to gain a direct advantage over the competition. The level of technological intensity, user-friendliness, style, cultural aspects, loyalty to native products as well as the level of integration of customers and clients in innovation or marketing processes are important factors while expanding to foreign markets.
The research question: are product innovations necessary for international companies in expansion to innovation-driven markets? Firstly, there is the country profile presented in the context of transformation to the knowledge-based economy; it is continued by classifications of innovations and product design. These chapters are followed by the presentation of the European mobile company ‘X’, which is a good sample of companies that could find results of the present market research of significant interest. Finally, there are main preferences regarding mobile phones, collected by the online survey, where Korean citizens from 15 to 40 years old were interrogated, revealed; the answer to the research question is provided and a new product for the European mobile technology companies designed.