Sustainability Reference Center

Family businesses are identified in many instances as small-scale entities. However, among family businesse, there are many huge corporations, and many of the world’s best-known brands are classified as being family orientated. They generate large revenues, which play a very important role in the global economy. In Poland, several examples of well-known brands belonging to families can be found, such as Mokate, Comarch and Farmacol. The aim of the article is to present selected large Polish family businesses against the background of some of the largest family businesses globally and to determine the difference between them. The research followed an empirical approach and is based on the analysis of secondary data sources, such as Ernst & Young Family Business Yearbook report series from 2015-2017, the Global Family Business Index ranking, and studies on Polish family businesses. The analyses confirmed that many of the global largest enterprises are indeed family businesses. The importance of family businesses in the economy is evident by the fact that in 2015, enterprises from the Global Family Business Index generated revenues higher than the GDP of most countries in the world. None of the large Polish family businesses have yet found their place in the analysed ranking, but also, in Poland, family businesses play a significant role, and some of them generate revenues of several billion dollars. Familism does not prevent enterprises from achieving a significant position in the market the largest family businesses in the world play such a strong role that their success or failure may affect the condition of the entire economy. Polish family businesses are not yet included in this group, but they are constantly growing. It can, therefore, be anticipated that in a few years, Polish family businesses will have a good representation in the Global Family Business Index and will help to ensure sustainable development of the Polish economy.

Due to a dynamic environment, human resource competency evaluation and factors influencing its outcome are in constant change. Evaluation of human resource competency and factors influencing its quality are widely discussed subjects in scientific literature with ample controversial viewpoints. Various definitions, points of view and models makes it difficult to choose the best option when evaluating human resource competency and may be the source of the following problem: how to know that the chosen competency evaluation method will convey reality and deliver objective results that could be used as a basis for human resource development related decision making in the future. This study analyses different scientific views on the human resource competency evaluation process. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model for competency evaluation of professional military service in the Lithuanian armed forces that would allow for human resource potential evaluation and form a basis in human resource development related decision making processes in organization. Multiple criteria assessment methods were used for identification and evaluation of factors influencing human resource competency. As a result of conducted research, authors developed the conceptual complex model for competency assessment of professional military service in the Lithuanian armed forces, which enables objective identification of human resource competency influencing factors and forms the foundation for decisions related with development of human resources in organization.

There is major concern with Lithuania’s industrial development because its manufacturing structure is increasingly dependent on the consumption of energy. In spite of the Lithuanian energy intensity decrease more than 35 percent in the last decade, the energy required to produce a unit of output in Lithuania twice exceeds the average of the European Union countries. This paper investigates the energy intensity from a production theoretic framework and uses annual data of 1998- 2011 to measure energy intensity in the Lithuanian manufacturing sector. The investigation compares energy intensity in manufacturing across different activities, based on several models. The results of the research show considerable variation in energy intensity across the activities. Based on energy intensity ratio, the Lithuanian manufacturing activities are classified into three categories, such as high energy- intensive, moderate energyintensive and low energy- intensive. The research reveals a strong and negative interrelationship between intensity of energy consumption and manufacturing production. Over a period of 1998-2011, the contribution of high energy-intensive industries to total manufacturing value added was increasing and amounted to 30 percent at the end of 2011. F inally, the research provides insights, that restructuring of the activities from energy intensive industries towards more technologically advanced ones might potentially lead to higher energy efficiency and it could be one of the most important routes to sustainable development.

The presented paper aims to discuss new Lithuania’s in role taking presidency of the EU and to evaluate Lithuania’s development process. State of Lithuanian economy is being presented; aims of further development are identified. The context of other European countries is being taken into account. Authors rely on critical analysis of contemporary scientific literature and comparative statistics. Among driving forces affecting process of economic development investments of foreign origin and increasing level of education are being distinguished.. Insights considering a role of the latter driving forces are being offered.

Globalization processes are widely discussed in scientific literature. In our research we adopt an approach, according which globalization; especially in form of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) is one of sources of innovative technologies and proxy of sustainable development of industries and countries’ economies. In order to design efficient government policies in the field of FDI attraction, such globalization drivers have to be revealed and their importance evaluated. In presented paper we raise and verify hypotheses about importance of the following globalization drivers: tax burden, institutional performance and market consumptive capacity. Regression analysis tool, we believe, allows revealing if those drivers are equally important for developed and less developed countries (LDC). Economic interpretation and generalization of obtain results, we believe, would allow indicating if consistent patterns can be traced. If so, more efficient government policies, allowing attract innovative technologies, especially to LDC can be suggested.

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.

This study consists of two research aspects. First of all, the author analyses the relationship of energy consumption and economic growth in the context of 13 selected countries in the period of year between 1990 and 2010. Secondly, using statistical techniques the paper takes into account cross-sectoral dependence when analyzing the relationship between energy consumption and economic structures of the same countries. Based on the energy consumption, the countries are divided into three groups: low energy consumption group, middle energy consumption group, and high energy consumption one. Statistical methods, including correlation analysis are employed for the estimation of the structural changes of economy and relationship between energy consumption and economic structure in each of the three groups. In general, the results of this study indicate that energy consumption is closely related to all economic activities for all groups of countries; however the case of Lithuania reveals the absence of relationship between energy consumption and industrial sector. Moreover, in the context of comparative analysis, China, as a high energy consumption country, has a completely different picture of economic structure as well as relation between energy consumption and structural changes. Economic sectors, such as industry, services and agriculture depend on energy resources, but in different degree in these three groups of countries.

This paper is devoted to tracing contemporary perceptions of energy security. Energy security, as a concept started its evolution from a point, where it was identified with secure oil provision for countries, which did not possess energetic resources and were increasingly dependent on oil imports. Gradually, the concept of energy security started to be repeatedly used in the scientific papers, popular press and media and even colloquial language. Energy security has become an argument in making political decisions. Nevertheless, despite the exaggerated attention to energy security, still there is no unanimous agreement on what the concept of energy security means, what facets it embraces and, consequently, how it could be measured and controlled. The paper aims to distinguish the main perceptions of energy security and foresee plausible implications of one or another approach adopted.

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).

The aim of this paper is to estimate and to compare sustainable development processes in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia focusing on institutional dimension of sustainable development. Attention has been focused on the selection of system of indicators with particular emphasis on institutional indicators. The authors employ the most popular two multicriteria methods: Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and multi-criteria complex proportional method (MCP). Data embracing 2004-2010 year period is being analyzed. In order to obtain a multi-faceted view, several variants of sustainable development estimations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are being performed. Each variant represents a different approach to development perception. The difference lies in emphasis, which is being put on the economic and institutional aspects of development. Hypothesis has been raised that the different methods employed may affect comparison results.