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Increasing impact of global market economy today accelerates changes in people's living and working conditions, increases migration and significantly exacerbates social problems. The purpose of this study is to disclose the relationship between social justice and social sustainability, assess the set of social justice-forming factors and evaluate the assumptions and opportunities of implementation of the social justice principles in the spatial planning. The database of the international population survey was employed for the purpose of connecting perceived justice to macro socioeconomic factors. This connection provided insights into the perception of justice and its relationship with social sustainability indicators and revealed the problems and tendencies related to the implementation of the socioeconomic development models of the society. The methods of comparative analysis of scientific literature, statistical descriptive and correlation-regression analyses methods were applied for the investigation. The findings showed that despite similar economic development and the same socioeconomic development models, there were significant differences in the assessment of social justice of a country by its population, and countries with higher ratings of confidence after a while tended to have a more cohesive society with lower levels of migration and social exclusion. The investigation also confirmed occurrences of conflict at the micro level and the macro level in spatial planning procedures. Application of principles and methods of collaborative public management could be considered as the possible solutions for emerging issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the restoration of independence (1990), the political and social economic life of the country has markedly changed. The reformation of economy according to the principles of free market has left many people without occupation; unemployment and emigration rose to unprecedented high. Emigration has transformed Lithuania's population: the number of towns and urban population has decreased. The article deals with the dynamics of Lithuanian towns and urban population in the 21 years of independence. The main causes of transformations are pointed out, the specific transformation patterns of groups of towns and territorial differences are analysed. Two groups of towns are distinguished: the towns most severely depopulated in terms of absolute indices and towns where the relative population dynamics was most noticeable. Also the influence of emigration on the age structure of the population and economic development of the country is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discripes an influence of railway transport in to the economic and social live. The main advantages of railway transport in the frame of evironmentally friendly transport mode concept are presented and because of that, added value achieved. Also available disadvantages of railway transport discribing existinting bottlenacks in there, searching for the solutions thanks to implementation of internalisation processes. Taking in to account the impact of internalisation policy there are succesful observations towards improvement of fair competition between different transport modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new theoretical approach towards the societal transformations and the processes related to creating a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy, as well as sustainable development processes are described in the article. The main idea is that the societal transformations, as well as creation and development processes of a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy may be attributed to the category of global transformation and sustainable development processes; therefore, all general phenomena and characteristics of global transformations and sustainable development in general are absolutely typical of creation and development of a knowledge- based society and knowledge economy. The processes of the societal transformations and creating of a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy as well as moderniaation are analysed in the general context of transformation and sustainable development processes. Creating and modernisation of a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy are very complicated processes, oriented to the formation of a new quality of the society and a qualitatively new lifestyle. These processes may be described as "twice" as complicated, because they win distinction by orientations to the pursuit of new quality in two aspects: * a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy, compared to the "traditional" society and economy, are in all cases described as qualitatively new; * creating and development of a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy takes place under the conditions of global changes, which means that qualitative changes take place in the entire global space; the essence of those changes is the creation and spread of a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy. Special attention is given to the conclusion stating that in the environment of the knowledge based society creation and generating knowledge economy and development, provisions for sustainable development should be attained. The following general conclusions are made: * the processes of creating a knowledge-based society and generating knowledge economy and their further development should be understood as an undivided unity; * the processes of creating a knowledge-based society and generating knowledge economy and their further development should be perceived as relevant to all spheres of life meaning social, economic and political life, culture, advancement of science and technologies, interaction with nature in general and environment in particular; * the processes of creating a knowledge-based society and generating knowledge economy and their further development should be comprehended as factors providing economic preconditions for modernisation of the society and refinement of its life in accordance with the standards, norms and values of a knowledge-based society; * the processes of creating a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy and related further development should be interpreted as a multi- dimensional, extremely complex and uninterrupted process, which manifests itself in cyclical changes and leaps towards higher-quality standards; * the complex approach towards the knowledge based society and knowledge economy creation and related further development should be implemented in all stages of scientific research, studies and practical activities, including prioritising of various programmes on multi- and cross-disciplinary research and studies, as well as strategic solutions having a complex character in various stages of regional development, planning and designing of economic and technological leaps. The societal transformations and the processes of creating a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy and related further development should be analysed and assessed in the context of sustainable development priorities. By way of knowledge-based society and knowledge economy creation and further development, harmonisation should be sought in the following areas: * in the fields of various social, economic, political development, culture, advancement in science and technologies, interplay with nature and other fields; * in the environment of changes in various countries, regions or otherwise geographically or regionally defined systems; * in changes occurring in various layers in society. The societal transformations and the processes of creating a knowledge-based society and knowledge economy as well as related further development should be analysed and assessed in the context of globalisation and internationalisation processes, as well as processes of global transformations. The perspective theoretical concept intended for scientific cognition of sustainable development and the knowledge-based society and knowledge economy creation processes phenomena is analysed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the essential factors of country's industrial export competitiveness and theoretical and methodological aspects of evaluation of competitiveness. According to the performed experimental evaluation the factors of competitiveness of Lithuanian industrial export were identified, the model of competitiveness factors of Lithuanian industrial export was formed. Evaluation of factors of competitiveness of Lithuanian export indicated that the model formed is an acceptable tool for country's economic-social analysis, strategic planning and information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kaleidoscope of events in the European Union over the last few years has forced such rapid change that even a neophyte in this game requires a lot of knowledge, skill and effort. Our objective is to examine to what extent the internationalization of the cultural sector will aid or hinder the development and/or assimilation of Lithuanian culture at large, and the reasons why, in Lithuanian culture, there remains a certain lack of self-awareness. For Lithuanian culture policy makers, a surprisingly successful pattern of cultural co-operation is the phenomenon of the South Eastern European cultural networks. A series of completed research has provided evidence of the importance of horizontal cultural co-operation, giving vivid examples of existing culture networks all over Europe. The methodology for this paper is based on the results of the surveys completed through the joint efforts of the Department of International Economics and Management at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania, and Lithuanian Centre for the Perfection of Cultural Administrators. In the first round of surveys, done in September 2005, among the operators of the country's cultural institutions, 125 public servants of the culture departments in city and county municipalities, museums and libraries, gave their opinions on the opportunities and threats internationalization may pose to the cultural sector in Lithuania. In the following years, more respondents - artists, lecturers, students - took part in the survey, totalling 331. The results of the survey are discussed in the paper in more detail. The main finding: Along with some other important findings, our research suggests that there are certain political, economic, social and technological issues to be considered when establishing international contacts in Lithuania. The existing competences of cultural operators do not always take these environments into consideration, and life-long training becomes critical for the further internationalization of the country's sector of culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, there is carried out an analysis on how to improve national co-operation on the example of foreign countries and to use long-year experience of some countries. Co-operation movement deserved a lot improving production and financial potential of countries, increasing employment and meeting social interests. In a lot of world countries it is the main force providing with means of subsistence millions of people and creating for larger number of people to receive goods and services at reasonable price. Co-operatives are not successfully representing interests of their members, it also meet requirements of broad society, helping to provide themselves and seeking for social rightness. In the most of national constitutions co-operatives are specified between main economic and social development means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The part of heritage created during construction processes is analysed in the paper. In foreign countries the term "built heritage" is used to define the entire legacy of construction activities which is in the disposition of contemporary society. The term "built heritage" is not used in the Lithuanian heritage preservation law. In this paper the aspects concerning the meaning of the term "built heritage" are not discussed, attention is concentrated on the analysis of miscellaneous social and economic significance of this product of construction activities as a cultural good. Challenges concerning preservation of cultural goods provided by construction activities and development prospects of these activities are revealed. A chronological table of heritage preservation objectives and means in the context of the Lithuanian construction vision is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the importance of the issue of urban competitiveness in the context of global processes of power rescaling. Different interpretations of the concept of urban competitiveness, its key aspects as well as the importance of raising the competitiveness of cities for the socio-economical development of the city of a country are discussed in the article as well. In order to increase the competitiveness of a city, it is crucial to correctly identify the markets of the competition as well as key factors influencing the competitiveness. Different authors identify different factors and there is no universally accepted classification of the factors: it ranges from "internal" and "external", "economic" and "strategic", "static" and "dynamic" to "given" and "acquired". Therefore the article pays a strong attention to the analysis of levels and markets for urban competition and the factors determining urban competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of human resources potential is analysed under conditions of the European Union expansion as a preparation for implementation of the EU directives. It is stated that these directives regulate social economic development and technological progress in all the spheres of life. Therefore, human resources have also to be developed adequately. The scientific problem, which requires solutions applying means of researches for management and administration, is analysed. It can be determined in the following way: theoretical models applied for management of human resources in public sector under EU expansion have to be adequate to the new challenges and requirements that are conditioned by formation of common social and economic space, priorities for establishment of knowledge society and knowledge economy and demand for state administration skills essential to public sector development. It is pointed out that there exist several different methodologies of establishment and implementation of human resources systems; however, no generally agreed opinion exists regarding establishment of such system in public sector of Eastern and Central Europe countries. The author's methodology for improvement of human resources management in public administration through application of theories and methodologies of strategic management conditioned by needs for radical changes and orientation to long-term perspective is presented. The system of human resources in public administration is investigated and results of its researches in management of potential are presented, the idea of establishing such management system is presented and monitoring of the present human resources system as well as principles and priorities of development and implementation of strategy for such system are described. The study reveals regularities in development of human resources potential applying methods of strategic government; it suggests perspective theoretical models that are adequate to needs arising in the EU space and are designated to development of human resources potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems and possibilities of the creation of the knowledge based society and knowledge economy in the European Union are described and analysed. Possibilities for the development of new forms of economic, social and technological headway designed to create and further improve economies based on knowledge are analyzed here. The main emphasis is put on national and regional economic specialization and creation of the networks of clusters in the situation of the development of the European Union. Clusterization oriented towards the increase of efficiency of various national and regional economies is a critical precondition successful creation of modern economy based on knowledge, both in the whole space of the European Union and in particular countries. Another idea - a concept of creation of regional and cross-regional clusters and their networks also known as „economic oazes" - is suggested here. It is explained in the paper that the economies based on knowledge, development of clusters and their networks will soon become one of the core forms of economic and technological advancement. Further on, the variety of clusters and their networks is defined, and the idea of clusterization generally oriented towards creation and promotion of high technologies is given. In addition, some typical factors of the economic and social development of the European Union are being described here, and it is subsequently proved that these factors reflect the common context of creation of the knowledge based economies. Understanding of these factors allows us to consequently implement strategies of two types that could create the economies based on knowledge: first, these are the strategies oriented towards integration of the processes of economic and social development, along with the strategies oriented towards the syntesis of the results of the economic endeavours and technology advancement of different origins. The need for implementation of these strategies of two types mean that new types of management will have to be developed in the situation of knowledge based economies: these patterns will be built on the ideas of integration (the patterns of this kind are designed to create new formations), along with the patterns based on the ideas of synthesis these patterns are designed to create quantitatively new quality systems). The use of the both patterns in the future will be critical within both the processes of clusterization and creation of other economies based on knowledge. The promotion of the patterns based on the ideas of integration and synthesis is a core prerequisite for encouragement of innovations and improvement of technology transmition systems. The new challenges and possibilities of the modernization of public management in the conditions of the creation of knowledge based society and knowledge economy are described. The new principles of public management are formulated the principles of the humanistic priorities, of the harmonization, of the complex ecologization, of the innovation activities and tolerance for innovations). Further research dedicated to the patterns mentioned above, a promising trend of the science of management and administration directly connected to the needs for creation knowledge based societies and knowledge economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to show political, economic and social development of Lithuania in the 20th century. At the beginning of this century, Lithuania was an agricultural country where technical progress was felt only in large farms and estates while small farmers used primitive tools and their productivity was low. The construction of railway lines from Petersburg to Warsaw via Vilnius and from Vilnius to Prussia via Kaunas stimulated smaller and bigger businesses which processed local and imported raw material, thus providing a wide Russian market with their production. The consequences of the First World War were disastrous for Lithuania's economy: its industry and agriculture were almost destroyed. When independence was restored in 1918, agriculture became a priority branch in Lithuania, thus stimulating the development of only this economic sector which was connected with processing of agricultural materials. Lithuania successfully established itself in foreign markets with its meat and milk produce as well as timber. No less disastrous was the Second World War when, again, all branches of industry were destroyed, and thousands of innocent Lithuanians were killed. After this war Lithuania's economy became an integral part of the Soviet Union's economy. Consequently, in the agricultural sector, private lands became a common property, a collective-farm system was established, and many stronger farmers were exiled to Siberia. More attention was paid to the development of energetic, metal processing, and chemical industries. Despite certain conspicuous achievements in these spheres, the Soviet economy was not effective because of a wide disproportion between production and market demands. Shortage of goods encouraged corruption and thefts in production, supply and trade sectors. After the restoration of independence in 1990, Lithuania's economy started functioning on the basis of principles of free market; consequently, some changes in the country's economy became noticeable, the major being the emphasis on the service sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]