Management Education Reforms in the Baltic States

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Some Aspects of Economic Reform in the Baltic States

No abstract available for this article.     

Exploring the Business Development Process of Swedish Firms in the Baltic States and Poland

On the basis of internationalization theory, a model is developed to study the business development process of Swedish firms in the Baltic States and Poland. The model focuses on two aspects of behavior: the pre-entry and positioning of the firms. The results, based on an investigation of 40 firms, indicate differences in the pre-entry behavior between large and small firms. Strategic considerations were the most important factors that influenced the large firms' decision process while personal motives were more often the main motive among small firms. The subsequent positioning behavior, in terms of knowledge development and commitments,was influenced by the network of large firms while small firms had to gain knowledge by utilizing external factors or finding information on their own.     

Injury mortality in local communities in Sweden and in the three Baltic States: implications for prevention

This study provides a comparative time-trend evaluation of injury mortality in local communities in Sweden and the three Baltic States, considering their national socio-political and economic situations and with analysis of local injury prevention structures and activities. Data for the period from 1990 to 2002 were gathered from national statistical offices for the cities of Bor?s, Tartu, Jelgava and Kaunas and from WHO databases for national level analyses. The death rates for Bor?s remained relatively stable over the time period, while the Baltic communities had increasing rates until 1994 and seemed to stabilize after 1997. The differences in injury mortality in the studied communities were highest for the 0 - 19 year age group and especially in the 20 - 64 year age group, but not for the 65+ year age group. Local communities in the Baltic States should consider coordinated safety promotion and injury prevention programmes as a complement to national safety promotion framework.     

Action,regulation, and response: The tobacco industry in the United States and Canada

One of the discoveries of the New World was tobacco. It was brought to Spain by Columbus and other explorers and used for a multitude of medicinal purposes, but not until Sir Walter Raleigh brought tobacco to the English throne, explaining that the native peoples smoked this leaf, and started using a clay pipe in 1586, did smoking tobacco become known and accepted in Europe. From these beginnings in what would become Virginia, the United States tobacco industry of today grew. Today, tobacco generates some $45 billion profits for the publicly held companies in the United States, while in Canada in 1983, the sale of cigarettes alone generated Canadian $62.7 billion.     

Baltic monetary regimes in the XXIst century

The accession of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to the European Union would mean that they would join the Economic and Monetary Union in the status of “countries with a derogation”. They would remain committed to adopting the euro eventually and to this end to joining ERM II. The following article examines the present monetary regimes of the three countries and the progress made so far in their preparation for EMU.     

Liquefied Natural Gas in the Baltic Sea Region

This study analyzes the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal plans and their impact on gas supply in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Although the realized capacity of the planned terminals will be smaller than the planned one, these LNG terminals are strategic investments, as they will introduce competition that has a lowering impact on the price, and moreover, the terminals will improve the security of gas supply, though the BSR cannot build its gas supply on the LNG deliveries alone. In other words, the terminals will not replace Russia's deliveries but rather allow the countries in the eastern BSR to diversify a proportion of their gas supply.     

Group actions and the law: A case study of Social Action Litigation and consumer protection in India

Social Action Litigation (SAL)¹ as an instrument for securing socioeconomic justice for the underprivileged has been one of the outstanding developments in the contemporary Indian legal world. Though the origin is American,² since its inception in the late 1970s SAL has undergone significant developments and has now acquired legitimacy in India. It has certainly revolutionised modern Indian public law and has more recently played an important role in environmental⁴ and consumer protection. The object of the present paper is to discuss the role of Social Action Litigation and to highlight new developments in the context of the newly emerging consumer protection jurisprudence in India.

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Verbandsklagen und Rechtsdurchsetzung: eine Fallstudie zu Klagen im öffentlichen Interesse und Verbraucherschutz in Indien

Zusammenfassung Klagen im öffentlichen Interesse als ein Instrument zur Sicherung sozioökonomischer Gerechtigkeit für interprivilegierte Bevölkerungsschichten sind eine der herausragenden Entwicklungen im zeitgenössischen Recht. Ursprünglich in Amerika entwickelt, sind Klagen im öffentlichen Intresse seit ihrer Einführung in Indien in den spÄten 70er Jahren wesentlichen Entwicklungen unterworfen gewesen und haben inzwischen LegitimitÄt erreicht. Sie haben sicherlich das moderne indische öffentliche Recht revolutioniert und haben in der jüngsten Vergangenheit eine wichtige Rolle beim Umweltschutz und beim Verbraucherschutz gespielt. Der Beitrag diskutiert die Rolle der Klagen im öffentlichen Interesse und hebt neuere Entwicklungen im Zusammenhang mit dem neu entstehenden Verbraucherrecht in Indien hervor.

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The author wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Werner F. Menski, Senior Lecturer in Laws, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, for his valuable comments on an earlier draft of this paper.     

Austerity in the Baltic states during the global financial crisis

The Baltic states were arguably the countries most severely affected by the global financial crisis. This article discusses the boom preceding the crisis, the ensuing austerity policies and the economic effects of these policies. All three countries maintained fixed exchange rates, but the degree of fiscal austerity varied across the countries, with Estonia undertaking the strongest fiscal consolidation in 2009. The downturn was so swift and deep that expansionary policies were unlikely to affect short-term outcomes. Growth returned towards the end of 2009, largely driven by exports. The export performance cannot be directly linked to the austerity policies. The main lesson from the Baltics is that increased macroeconomic stability must be attained by avoiding overheating and unsustainable financial exposure. The challenge for the future is to ensure that austerity policies are implemented during economic booms.     

Migration in the Baltic Sea Region in the Context of Demographic Change

Due to increasing life expectancies and low birth rates, the population will shrink, and its average age will increase in most of the regions in the Baltic Sea area during the next decades. Especially in the Baltic states, population decline is intensified by emigration of people. There are plenty of factors stimulating emigration from the eastern part of the Baltic Sea Region to Western countries, especially wage disparities and differing opportunities for finding a job in knowledge-intensive sectors. However, it can be expected that in the course of economic convergence, wage gaps and structural disparities will shrink in the Baltic Sea area. Nevertheless, this will take a longer time, making it necessary for countries to think about policy options suitable for reducing emigration. Among these, reinforcing structural change and improving overall living conditions are at the top of the agenda.     

The Relation Between Ethical Behaviour and Workstress Amongst a Group of Managers Working in Affirmative Action Positions

Unethical acts and reported cases of corruption and commercial crimes in South African business are increasing. Literature studies showed that risk groups (for instance South African managers in affirmative action positions) are functioning in a stressful environment which can give rise to unethical acts. Results pointed out that high stress correlates substantially with: to claim credit for a subordinate's work; to fail to report a co-worker's violation of company policy, to offer potential clients fully paid holidays; and to purchase shares upon hearing privileged company information. In the light of this a number of recommendations were made.     

The East Asian model and the Baltic states

The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had higher national incomes than most of the other states of the USSR. The “Southeast Asian miracle” economies often did not reach comparable levels until the 1980s. Now that the Baltic states have regained independence, are there any lessons to be drawn from the experience of the “tigers”?     

Transport and Logistics Developments in the Baltic Sea Region until 2025

The aim of this article is to chart likely futures of transport and logistics in the Baltic Sea Region in 2025. The research draws on a Delphi study data collection process, which included an international panel of experts. Several sector-related factors are identified that affect competitiveness of the region by 2025 from transport and logistics perspective: fuel and operational efficiencies, technology diffusion, labor productivity, low-cost country subcontracting, under-capacity in road and rail infrastructure, blue-collar labor scarcity, and sector regulation. Competitiveness oriented policy recommendations are presented accordingly.     

The Effects of Conflict Types, Dimensions, and Emergent States on Group Outcomes

In this study, we examine three types of conflict (task, relationship, and process) and four dimensions of conflict (emotions, norms, resolution efficacy, and importance) in decision making groups. We also investigate emergent states (e.g., trust, respect, cohesiveness; Marks et al. 2001; Acad Manag Rev 26: 530–547) as mediating the effects of the conflict types and dimensions on group outcomes (productivity and viability). All three types of conflict decreased positive emergent states in groups and this led to a decrease in group viability (the ability of a team to retain its members through their satisfaction and willingness to continue working together; Balkundi and Harrison 2006; Acad Manag J 49: 49–68). This effect was alleviated by resolution efficacy (the belief that the conflict can be easily resolved) regarding process conflict, but could be exacerbated by any negative emotion associated with relationship conflict. Norms that encouraged task conflict also increased positive emergent states within groups, which marginally and positively influenced group performance.     

EU Enlargement,Institutional Governance and Innovation Environment in the Baltic Countries

Abstract

This paper presents institutional framework to implement innovative and co-operative procedures of industrial reorganization and economic growth in the Baltic countries. By using the recent features of organization mode theories and institutional economics, we apply how institutional development helps the Baltic firms to survive in the integration of EU25 markets. We present this framework as a dynamic process in three stages. The first stage identifies the main foundations from the transition period: macroeconomic stabilization, privatization, and financial governance. The second stage considers how to build up the institutional structure of the governance in production. The third stage points out those topics that enhance innovation environment and benchmarks the Baltic countries to EU innovation capacity. These progressive stages in financial, production, and innovation systems of governance can be overlapped or happen in sequential order but the final purpose of these improvements is to enhance the managerial incentives for higher innovative activity in the EU-Baltic industrial integration. It is found that the Baltic innovation input capacity is competitive compared with the EU25 average but a gap in innovation output is still essential.     

Innovations in the Baltic Rim Region until 2025: Challenges and Prospects

This article examines the role of different actors (European Union [EU] structures, governmental institutions of the member-states, and regional companies with global outreach) in development of the innovation strategy in the Baltic Sea Rim. We identify three sub-regions, which are now in the stage of gradual convergence (“old” and “new” member-states of the EU as well as Russia), and focus on the main challenge to the region today, which is the ability of its countries to secure and strengthen the liberal nature of their socioeconomic systems. This research is based on the findings of the studies undertaken by authors as well as on our personal experience in the development of the Russian innovative ecosystem. It concludes that to avoid technological lagging behind other regions, governments of the Baltic Sea countries should complement the EU policies by implementing a set of proactive measures aimed at promotion of national innovations and intraregional cooperation.     

Trends,economic policies and systemic changes in the three Baltic states

The almost total collapse of the old trade relationships with the other republics of the former Soviet Union has meant serious problems for the breakaway Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. What progress have these countries been able to make so far on their way towards a market economy? Are the problems likely to get worse before they get better?