Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

Reforming higher education and science in the world is associated with the widespread introduction of the indicators aimed at promoting their sustainability, productivity, and efficiency. The introduction of new educational technologies and the development of networks in education allow us to speak about the effect of increasing returns and mostly positive feedback. The instability inherent in such processes is an important factor for institutional change. Higher education and the professions associated with it, become large-scaled, which determines the use of indicators in the management plan. Exogenously introduced target indicators of development negatively affect the existing academic freedom and values, as well as hinder their reproduction.

Given the global nature of cyber threats, assurance of a cyber security policy is very important not only at the local organisation level, but also at national and international level. Currently, cyber security as such is not suitably regulated internationally; therefore, the role of national cyber security strategies has become particularly significant. Lithuania is among the leaders in the EU and globally in the development of the optical fibre network. FTTP coverage has already reached 95%, the highest in the EU. Regardless of that, the cyber security programme effective in Lithuania does not provide conditions to ensure an appropriate level of cyber security and may not be regarded as a high-level contemporary strategic document in the area of cyber security. This article presents a study the main outcome of which are guidelines for a contemporary model of the Lithuanian national cyber security strategy. Based on comparative and historical studies as well as expert interviews conducted by authors and on the best practice of other countries, the article presents the elements of a model of the Lithuanian national cyber security strategy as well as guidelines on the content of these elements of the model. The article also reveals which elements of the model of the national cyber security strategy should most of all reflect the national situation and which elements may be unified and possibly also adapted in the cyber security strategies of other countries.

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.