De Gruyter

The consideration of the multidimensionality and multidirectionality of management science within the research process is currently a very important challenge. The search for dependencies and connections between leadership and customer orientation falls fully into the desired research trend. Both leadership and customer orientation are widely described within management science; however, the connections and dependencies which occur between them still require further, in-depth exploration and knowledge concerning leadership and customer orientation needs to be systematised. This article aims to identify further directions of study into leadership and customer orientation in an innovative company. Additional goals include the systematisation of knowledge regarding customer-oriented leadership and the formulation of research hypotheses which will become the starting point for future studies. The conclusions are supported by the results of a quantitative study which applied the CAWI method to a group of 204 business leaders from North-East Poland. The article presents the results of the preliminary research realized as part of a research grant from the National Science Centre entitled “Leadership and customer orientation in an innovative enterprise”. The results of the conducted research show that customer orientation among business leaders is not uniform and depends on the size of their company, the style of management and the type of innovation implemented by their enterprise.

In this article the strength analyses of weights boxes are presented. Boxes are designed as a welded steel structure at which weights with total mass almost ten tons are stored in them. These boxes are an integral part of a mechanism intended for calibration of the mass measurement device. The article contains on one hand the basic scope of the theory of elasticity and strength analysis and on the other hand the numerical computations of the structure by using the Finite Element Method. Based on results the structure of weights boxes was modified in order to satisfy the defined safety factor.

The article is made to present a research made about social responsibility of consumer using cycling service example. There is analyzed the tourism sector determining a relation between the socially responsible behavior of an organization and the behavior of the consumer.

EU’s goal is to develop transport system which meets the economic, social and environmental requirements of society. Since first White paper on Transport in 1992 there was evolution of perception of quality and attributes of quality. The basic set of quality requirement is based on frequency, price, safety and security were dominating in 1992-2006, however since 2006 new attributes such as environment impact, and energy efficiency comes into force in European documents. However research case in Siauliai town show that it delays in user perception of quality.

Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission members seeking to implement MARPOL 73/78 Annex IV amendments which recognize the Baltic Sea as special are, in which discharge of uncommitted sewage from passenger ships is forbidden, must ensure that ports are equipped with adequate reception facilities. To ensure implementation of amendments of Annex IV in port of Klaipeda, the analysis framework model was defined by authors. The model evaluates the readiness of the port to changes brought by the amendments of MARPOL Annex IV. The scientific problem comes with perception of adequacy. Resolution MEPC.200(62) amending MARPOL 73/78 Annex IV states, that port reception facilities must be adequate to the needs of passenger ships using them without causing undue delay. Concept of adequacy is not defined, therefore other guidelines explaining adequacy were used: EU directive 2000/59/EC and IMO resolution MEPC.83(44) Guidelines for ensuring adequacy of port reception facilities. Based on these sources, criteria that must be met to ensure adequacy were identified and tested in article: 1) reception facilities meet needs of ships normally using them; 2) discharge of sewage does to cause undue delay; 3) reception facilities does not provide disincentive to use them; 4) facilities are accessible; 5) facilities contribute to the improvement of the marine environment.

Langevin-type piezoelectric transducers are widely used for different industrial applications such as high-accuracy positioning, ultrasonic welding, bonding, drilling, etc. Usually Langevin-type transducers operate at longitudinal mode by employing d33 vibrations of piezoceramic elements. A novel design of piezoelectric actuator based on two bending-type Langevin transducers is introduced. Two half-wavelength transducers are connected by a special aluminum plate. Piezoceramic rings with two-directional polarizations are used for bending oscillation excitation. An input voltage with phase shifted by π/2 on different transducers is applied. The forward and backward elliptical motion of the contact tip is controlled by changing phases of electric signals on different transducers. A numerical simulation was carried out to investigate the trajectories of contact point motion and to validate the operating principle of the actuator. Experimental prototype of the piezoelectric actuator was fabricated, and the measurements of driven tip movements and mechanical output were performed. The results of numerical and experimental analysis are discussed.

Despite the economic growth and favourable situation in national labour market in 2004-2008 in Lithuania several groups of population still had restricted access to employment. The period of economic recession has revealed sore problems of vulnerable groups in the labor market. Based on statistical data and the research the dynamics of the situation of disabled, youth and older people situation in the labor market are examined in this article as well as the main obstacles to their participation. The increased number of the research aimed to analyse the situation of vulnerable groups in Lithuania and still persisting severe problems in national labour market stimulated to inventory recently cumulated knowledge about the groups that are at the high risk for unemployment. The research review covers studies conducted in the period between 2004 and 2010. It includes surveys carried out by competent researchers by the request of public authorities or other concerned authorities as well as doctoral dissertations. The groups of socially vulnerable people most often analysed in the labour market in Lithuania include the following: disabled, youth, and older people. The review showed that special research on labour market risk groups is the valuable search of information, whereas the shortage of statistical information has been noticed in the country. Further examination of the issues of the mechanisms to integrate and reintegrate the vulnerable groups into labour market is purposeful. The article was prepared under the research project “The impact of labour market policies into employment situation during the different economic cycles“ (No. Sin-04/2010) that is implemented within the frame of national science program “The social challenges to national security” which is carried out by the Research Council of Lithuania.