Dalia Streimikiene

The EU sustainable energy policy indicators framework.

The article deals with indicators framework to monitor implementation of the main EU (European Union) directives and other policy documents targeting sustainable energy development. The main EU directives which have impact on sustainable energy development are directives promoting energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, directives implementing greenhouse gas mitigation and atmospheric pollution reduction policies and other policy documents and strategies targeting energy sector. Promotion of use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements are among priorities of EU energy policy because the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements has positive impact on energy security and climate change mitigation. The framework of indicators can be developed to establish the main targets set by EU energy and environmental policies allowing to connect indicators via chain of mutual impacts and to define policies and measures necessary to achieve established targets based on assessment of their impact on the targeted indicators representing sustainable energy development aims. The article discusses the application of indicators framework for EU sustainable energy policy analysis and presents the case study of this policy tool application for Baltic States. The article also discusses the use of biomass in Baltic States and future considerations in this field.

Ethical values and sustainable development: Lithuanian experience in the context of globalisation

Abstract The article overviews the ethical aspects of sustainable development in Lithuania under the conditions of globalisation. With reference to the accumulated theoretical and practical material, evaluating the principles of a sustainable development implementation and the systems of ethical behaviour, further development perspectives of sustainable development on the ethical plane in Lithuania are analysed. Spirituality plays a very important role because unique values and value orientations existing in every culture influence the worldview and life perception of members of the culture. The modern, dynamic lifetime determines rapid cultural changes and many‐sided influence of one culture on another and has significant impact on implementation of sustainable development principles in Lithuania.

Application of logistic models for stock market bubbles analysis

The article deals with economic bubbles and analyses their possible causes and tools for the prediction of such bubbles development. An economic bubble is the commonly used term for an economic cycle that is characterized by a rapid expansion followed by a dramatic crash. While some bubbles happen naturally as a part of the economic cycle, some also occur as a result of investor exuberance and serve as correctives. These typically happen in securities, stock markets, real estate and various other business sectors because of certain changes in the way key players conduct business. The well‐known and widely discussed bubbles in asset markets were analysed and compared trying to define the main features, causes and signals of such bubbles creation: Dotcom, Telecom, Health South Corporation, NASDAQ, etc. These bubbles were analysed in the article by applying the logistic growth model allowing to predict the bubbles creation as a result of growth satiation in the conditions of limited resources.

EU pollution reduction strategies and their impact on atmospheric emissions in Lithuania

Abstract This paper analyses the role of EU pollution strategies in reducing SO2 and NOX emissions in the EU. The environmental policies impact on the slope of Kuznets environmental curve is discussed. The use of economic mechanisms for SO2, NOX and other pollutants emission reduction is analysed based on experience of EU member states. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the impact of EU pollution reduction strategies on atmospheric emissions in Lithuania and to define the role of EU emission reduction policies on shifting environmental Kuznets curves of EU member states and Lithuania.

Comparative Assessment of Environmental Indicators of Quality of Life in Romania and Lithuania

The paper presents a comparative study to assess quality of life in terms of environment in Lithuania and Romania. It introduces a system of indicators for assessing environmental issues of quality of life in these two countries. The environmental dimension is one of the major issues affecting quality of life as the environment, first and foremost, provides for healthy living conditions. The environmental indicators being assessed can be organized into 3 major groups of environmental indicators: environmental quality, environmentally responsible behaviour, and consumption of environmental services. These groups of indicators are closely interrelated as environmentally responsible behaviour has positive impact on environmental quality, and improved environmental quality provides for higher consumption of services provided by the environment. The dynamics of these integrated environmental indicators relevant to quality of life were investigated and compared in Lithuania and Romania, and policy recommendations were developed.

The use of the environmental Kuznets curve : environmental and economic implications

The environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis postulates an inverted-U-shaped relationship between different pollutants and per capita income, i.e., environmental pressure increases up to a certain level as income grows and then it decreases. This paper reviews some theoretical developments and empirical studies dealing with this phenomenon. In particular, it is argued that the optimistic implications of this literature on the sustainability management are not grounded. However, the analysis allows clarification of a few basic conditions for managing sustainable development, including the sustainability of globalisation. These conditions can be met by implementing a consistent policy aimed at shifting Kuznets relations, when downward.

Multiple Criteria Group Decision-Making Considering Symmetry with Regards to the Positive and Negative Ideal Solutions via the Pythagorean Normal Cloud Model for Application to Economic Decisions

Pythagorean fuzzy sets are highly appealing in dealing with uncertainty as they allow for greater flexibility in regards to the membership and non-membership degrees by extending the set of possible values. In this paper, we propose a multi-criteria group decision-making approach based on the Pythagorean normal cloud. Some cloud aggregation operators are presented in this paper to facilitate the appraisal of the underlying utilities of the alternatives under consideration. The concept and properties of the Pythagorean normal cloud and its backward generation algorithm, aggregation operators and distance measurement are outlined. The proposed approach resembles the TOPSIS technique, which, indeed, considers the symmetry of the distances to the positive and negative ideal solutions. Furthermore, an example from e-commerce is presented to demonstrate and validate the proposed decision-making approach. Finally, the comparative analysis is implemented to check the robustness of the results when the aggregation rules are changed.

Impact of hotel service quality on the loyalty of customers

Abstract The hotel business is rapidly developing due to growing demand for such services as well as the growing opportunities for travel. As a result, hotels face demanding customers, since the requirements for quality grow with an increased use of hotels’ services, in order to increase the competitive ability of a hotel, the issue of customer loyalty is also important. The aim of this article is to assess the impact of the quality of hotel services on the loyalty of customers. In the article the original created methodology SERQUALOYL is presented, where two methodologies were adapted: SERQUAL methodology used in the research of service quality, and the methodology for the determination of customer’s loyalty level stage, applied in loyalty research. The results of research have revealed that the conformity of expected quality with the quality experienced has a significant influence on the customer’s loyalty. The hotels, in order to increase the competitive ability and to obtain a higher number of loyal customers, should firstly make the expectations of customers coincide with the offered service quality.

The questionnaire for diagnosing mobbing in employees’ relationships

The purpose of this article is to form the original questionnaire to identify intensity of the expression of mobbing in employees’ relationships. Mobbing in the context of the paper is the bullying of an individual by a group at the work place. The article presents only the statistical analysis of psychometric features of the formed questionnaire without elaborating on the results of the empirical research on the intensity of mobbing expression in employees’ relationships in Lithuanian organisations. The advantage of the questionnaire is that it is relatively short; however, it covers all features which are characteristic of the mobbing phenomenon and provides the opportunity to analyse the attack that does not fall under the definition of mobbing. It can be used both for mass and local research at the level of single organisations. Economic losses are also revealed by the questionnaire through the assessment of damage experienced by employees, generated expenses and lost revenues.

Promotion of use of renewable energy sources in Lithuania

Santrauka Straipsnyje apibrežti rinkos barjerai ir ydos, stabdantys atsinaujinanciu energijos istekliu (AEI) naudojima, bei pagrista paramos siems istekliams būtinybe. Straipsnyje apžvelgta atsinaujinanciu energijos istekliu naudojimo Lietuvoje situacija ir ivertintos pletros perspektyvos. Taip pat straipsnyje pateikta detali siuo metu Lietuvoje taikomu atsinaujinanciu energijos istekliu naudojimo skatinimo priemoniu apžvalga, jos susistemintos bei palygintos su kitose Baltijos salyse taikomomis atsinaujinanciu energijos istekliu skatinimo priemonemis. Pagrindinis straipsnio tikslas ‐isnagrineti AEI naudojimo situacija bei AEI skatinti taikomas priemones Lietuvoje bei palyginti su kitose salyse taikomomis priemonemis. Siekiant sio tikslo būtina atlikti siuos konkrecius uždavinius: isnagrineti AEI naudojimo Lietuvoje situacija ir isipareigojimus; ivertinti teisinius AEI skatinimo aspektus ES ir Lietuvoje; isanalizuoti Lietuvoje taikomas fiskalines, finansines ir lankscias rinka imituojancias aplinkosaugos ...