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The paper analyses the impact of regulatory policy on the development of sustainable flexible packaging in the food manufacturing industry. Although sustainable packaging is not new on the market, its development still poses various challenges for raw material producers, flexible packaging printers, food manufacturers, and other stakeholders. The study highlights the issues related to the development of sustainable flexible food packaging, the concept of sustainable packaging, and the regulatory policies of the European Union and Lithuania on sustainable flexible packaging. An empirical study was carried out to determine the impact of regulatory policy on the intention of food producers to develop and invest in sustainable flexible packaging. A qualitative research method - semi-structured interviews - was used. The results of the empirical study show that regulatory policy has an impact on the food industry's ambition to develop sustainable flexible packaging, although the effect can be twofold – it can either encourage compliance with the regulatory framework defined by the legislation or burden companies with excessive requirements. In this research, respondents also identified other components that affect the development of sustainable flexible packaging in the food manufacturing industry: consumers and other stakeholders, marketing. The level of environmental awareness was also highlighted as an important factor in the analysis of the empirical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive digitisation of written historical sources, optical character recognition (OCR) of texts, and their online availability in recent decades have created new opportunities and challenges for historical research. The digital humanities research model presented in this paper is based on the information organisation paradigm and the application of digital technology- based methods in studying ancient travels. The model has been developed and tested using the materials of the project "Homo Viator: Travel Space and Travellers' Experiences in Early Modern Lithuania". The main problem of the research is related to the fact that one of the essential sources of information about ancient travel are egodocuments (letters, diaries, memoirs, etc.) that contain journeys described alongside other important life events of a particular person. However, travel descriptions form only a small part of a text of a given egodocument and are unevenly distributed among different egodocuments. Therefore, given the size of the text of the egodocuments and their collections and the number of egodocuments published in different languages, researching them as sources in only one aspect (travel) requires a significant amount of human and time resources. A similar problematic situation exists with other sources of knowledge on ancient travel: a massive number of documents published in digital form (including OCR), their texts are voluminous, and the text fragments related to travel, country descriptions, ancient travel routes, travel and mobility infrastructure, and travellers' experiences are relatively small and scattered throughout the source text. The research model described in the paper is divided into two steps: (i) collection of the corpus of OCR source texts; (ii) collection of empirical data using a dictionary-based computer-aided [or assisted] qualitative text analysis method implemented with the MaxQDA software. The collection of the source text corpus is carried out by applying the general principles and methods of online search of scientific publications. The corpus comprises authentic, published sources relevant to the study (letters, diaries, memoirs, etc.) and scholarly publications about them, thus forming two blocks of text - sources and literature. The literature block is used as additional material for a more precise selection and interpretation of the source texts. A key element for applying a dictionary-based computer-aided [or assisted] qualitative text analysis method is a high-quality dictionary that accurately describes the concepts (categories) relevant to the research. Considering the specificity of the sources (the languages used in the sources and their translations), a multilingual dictionary (Lithuanian-Polish-English-Russian-German) was compiled. The structure of the dictionary consists of six concepts (categories) related to ancient travel: (i) journey (general description), (ii) road and its infrastructure (bridges, fords, etc.), (iii) means of transportation, (iv) resting and accommodation places (towns, villages, taverns, post of- fices, etc.), (v) people encountered on the way (inn-keepers, highwaymen, guides, etc.), and (vi) food of the journey. A set of keywords and phrases describes each concept. In the last stage of the study, the research model was tested. The testing showed that the model could solve the above problems that arose during the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper discusses the role of gender equality policy in the military. The aim is to find out, paying due attention to unconscious bias, whether or not soldiers enrolled in mandatory initial military service in Lithuania support any stereotypes regarding women, and if so, then what are the stereotypes they adhere to, and what are the stereotypes that women in mandatory initial military service are confronted with. The paper analyses gender equality issues in the following two important contexts: the democratic value of gender equality in military service, and the need and readiness of the military to accommodate different genders. The latter context forms a stark contrast with the former two, especially given the traditional point of view that military service is meant to ensure effective security and defence, rather than the effective implementation of gender equality. The paper analyses how stereotypical attitudes towards women as a gender support the above-mentioned tradition. Based on the results of empirical research, stereotypes have proven to be still maintained by soldiers in the target group. The dominant stereotypical attitude is that active military service may be putting women at greater risk of harassment and sexual abuse. Female soldiers in the target group are confronted with stereotypical attitudes. They link the reasons underlying the overall support of stereotypical thinking to the age of the individuals concerned, their inherited stereotypical attitudes, and their education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on soldiers enrolled in permanent compulsory initial military service in Lithuania and analyses their service motivation and attitudes to threats to national security. The article identifies the motives for joining permanent compulsory initial military service and highlights the fact that young people’s choice of permanent compulsory initial military service is most often driven by individual motives. In order to compare the results, representative surveys were conducted in 2018 and 2023. The empirical data suggest that the perception of the main threat to national security identified by troops as an economic threat remained unchanged between 2018 and 2023. However, in 2023, soldiers grew somewhat more aware of the threat of military aggression. In 2018, volunteers differed significantly from conscript forces in their determination to engage in national defense. The expected determination to engage in national defense at a time of an increased military threat did not significantly increase in 2023 compared to 2018; moreover, the attitudes of volunteers and conscripts failed to converge. However, 2023 saw a significant increase in conscripts’ service motivation and an improvement in their assessment of the National Defence Volunteer Forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is a considerable body of literature on various psychotherapeutic paradigms and their respective models of supervision, there are not many articles reviewing and comparing different supervisory traditions and supervisor–supervisee relationships. However, this comparison is important on both theoretical and practical levels: it is essential to identify features of supervision that are unique to each paradigm and to determine whether there are any universal or common supervision processes prevalent across a variety of paradigms. This literature review aims to provide a clearer understanding of both commonalities and distinctions among various theoretical paradigms (such as psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, cognitive, and existential/humanistic therapies) and their corresponding models of supervision. To accomplish this goal, the paper examines essential aspects of supervisory relationships within each paradigm, focusing on: a) the key features of the supervision process, b) the supervisor’s role and engagement in the supervision, and c) the primary interventions and factors contributing to the effectiveness of supervision. We identify features that are unique and specific to supervisory relationships in each of the paradigms, as well as features that are common to all three traditions. Considering the theoretical underpinnings of each tradition, the paper discusses epistemological assumptions that could determine the effectiveness of supervision in the context of each therapeutic paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific literature points to the impact of conference tourism on reducing seasonality and addressing seasonalityrelated problems. Purpose of paper is to analyse the possibilities of conference tourism development in order to reduce seasonality in Klaipėda City. This paper discusses the concept of conference tourism; examines the impact of conference tourism on the reduction of seasonality in the tourism sector; and reveals the opinion of conference tourism experts on the development of conference tourism in Klaipėda. It was found that Klaipėda city has prospects to become a centre of attraction for conference tourism. As an advantage of presenting Klaipėda as a conference tourism centre, the experts highlight the fact that Klaipėda has a wide range of accommodation and catering services focused in the city centre. The initial stage of Klaipėda's development as a conference tourism attraction is currently underway, a process that has been intensified and is gaining momentum with the inclusion of conference tourism development in the Klaipėda City Council's 2021-2030 Strategic Plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper offers a general overview of the Lithuanian art historical research published during the three decades of Independence (1990-2020). The paper discusses the changes in institutional and academic life, the spectrum of methodological approaches, as well as the key art theoretical publications and their authors. The overview aims to assess the current situation in the art historical discipline and fascilitate the debates around the question whether Lithuania has managed to develop its own school of art theory. The analysis of the publications (mostly monographs) by the Lithuanian art theorists has conclusively shown that such school does already exist. In terms of its organisation, Lithuanian art theoretical school matches all the academic criteria: education is provided at all levels, and the dissemination and continuity of research, both empirical and theoretical, are ensured. The school has already gone through two or even three phases of development. The first stage, spanning between 1990 and 1998/99, was rich with significant achievements in the sector of education: it saw the launch of the first art theory doctorate programme in Lithuania, as well as the establishment of the Institute of Art Research, and the Vilnius Academy of Arts Publishing House. During the period, Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University launched their art theory programme, while the Culture and Art Institute in Vilnius had acquired two art theory departments. The second stage (2000-2010/12) saw a rapid growth of the number of publications, widening of the art theoretical specialisation, and further development of research methodologies. Along with the formal analysis and methodologies of iconography and iconology, came the outlines of social art history. All the spheres of art history became equipped with various methods of source research and interpretation. Among the main fields of research were the history of ecclesiastic and devotional art (patronage and heritage of mansions and urbanite art). One of the leading research problems of the time - the relation of text and image. The third stage covers the period of 2010-2020, and instead of the focus on the oldest examples of art historical heritage to the art of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. In Lithuania, the methodological innovations started gradually taking root only after the year 2000, therefore there are still many possibile routes to explore. Most texts emoploy a combination of different methodologies, varying between iconology, phenomenology, and semiotics. This helps the research to better grasp the multiplicitous nature of the analysed phenomena, although this sometimes comes at the expense of the narrational coherence and constructiveness of conclusions. The Lithuanian school is predominantly national-based. This has many advantages, although sometimes this makes it difficult to distribute the research internationally. Despite all the developments within the Lithuanian art history as a discipline, international collaboration via conferences, projects, publishing, and media still leaves much to be desired. Due to the reliability of documented information, Lithuanian art historians are able to produce a particularly high level of in their work with sources. Rather than emerging as a circle of followers around a particular prominent individual, the Lithuanian art theoretical school is a result of a number of colleagues - art historians and critics - practicing mutual support and exchange of ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text analyses the specific forms and channels of artwork development, namely, it looks into the storytelling potential of the physical space (the closedness of interiors and openness of exteriors), the digital space, and the space of paper publication. While respecing the artistic freedom, the paper stresses the importance of the permanently changing context, although even the most recognised art professionals can forget that, which often produces a comical effect. The research involves some seemingly unrelated topics and a few concrete objects: 1. artwork distribution, 2. the entrenchment of architects in the fabric of exhibition, 3. unseen contexts, and 4. the analysis/slam of exhibition titles from a particular historical period. The paper uses the comparative method that is rich both with references and personal remarks, and its style is close to that of a writer-artist rather than an academic. It aims to show the artworld as being slightly rough-around-the-edges, governed by distinct sources of power, and rich with absurdity. The research also uses dedicated illustrations to comment on the topical issues and various tragicomical situations related to them. Along with its visual component, irony temporarily relieves us of tensions and enriches the text companion. The research method is based on the practice of observation of the art field, and the analysis of its exhibition spaces along with individual artists, publishing platforms, and their intersections in the art critical publications, conferences and the internet. The paper tries to study the role of the new participants, specifically exhibition architects, in the exhibition context, while subjectively highlighting both successful and unsuccessful examples. The third part presents the analysis as a clash between randomly picked material (e.g., exhibition titles) on the one hand, and the material of a distinctly different genre (e.g., slam comments) on the other, thus deliberately rejecting the entire sociology of art. Because, when preparing to their exhibitions, artists fall prey to various word games when coming up with their project titles, and end up being torn between family, friends, art theorists and art centre directors on the one hand, and their intimate desire to express themselves on the other. This is also why the third part comes without any conclusions. The author is happy to live in such a structurally obscure environment (what's the difference whether you're self-taught or you've got a degree in art management; after all, life is but collection of exceptions), as long as one has the power of an individual voice. The author is but a text, while the polyphony of other people, historical events and texts is but a context, and the latter is always bigger than the former. The voice, in which we tell our stories of art, will be most successful not only when it is unique, but also when it comes out as a scream. One is thus bound to scream loudly and end one's life with a book. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the interactions within an exhibition between its architecture and its curatorial program. Instead of being regarded as a dual system with a single goal, the interactions are seen as two separate systems that do not always ensure a coherent articulation of the content in the exhibition. An architectural program implies an existing exhibition space with new design solutions for a specific exhibition. An architectural program is an existing exhibition space with new design solutions for a specific exhibition. The curatorial program is called the logic of the arrangement of works - the principle according to which art objects are combined into a conceptual, visual or thematic picture. The study highlights that each of these programs has three types of expression that make up nine possible interactions between the exhibition architecture and its content. Of these, three interactions mark situations where the spatial layout and its content correspond to each other. However, the study focuses on the cases with particular discrepancies, as the practice shows that such exhibitions are most prevalent. This is thought to be due to the fact that the architectural structure of the exhibition halls is often unfriendly towards certain curatorial scenarios. Instead of regarding this as a problem, the paper considers this as an opportunity for the cases of conscious and productive solutions. The paper investigates one specific case: "Head With Many Thoughts", an exhibition at CAC. The exhibition is analysed both theoretically and practically with the help of the Space Syntax method, analytically assessing the behavioral patterns predicted in the exhibition, as well as practically checking how the audience groups respond to the exhibition. Rather than using a mere theoretical analysis, the paper proposes to consider the potential of these methods for further development and practical adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the aspects of anationhood in art theory and culture have already been thoroughly investigated, the relatively young discipline of cinema theory is only beginning to grapple with the notion of nationality in cinema. The earliest attempts to define 'national cinema' go back as far as the soviet and the early Independence periods, as seen in the works of Marijona Malcienė, Laimonas Tapinas, and Živilė Pipinytė. The paper aims to build on these early debates and develop a new interpretation of the notion of national cinema, offer its contemporary historiography with the pluralist understanding of the notion, and therefore ask the following series of questions: is it only the cultural texts about the host country that can be considered 'national'? does 'nationality' depend on the nationality of the artist? what criteria determine the value and significance of cinema? is it just the films with high artistic quality that are worthy of our attention? how about other factors that determine the culture of cinema (audience, distribution, screening)? how does the integration of these factors change our understanding of 'national cinema'? The paper addresses these questions in three parts. In the first one, I use key authors (Andrew Higson, John Hill, and Stephen Croft) to discuss the development of the notion of 'national cinema' while paying more attention to its modern interpretation due to its relevance to the contemporary cinema theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper overviews the history of the privately owned Kaunas Women's Arts and Crafts School (1927-1940), established by the craftswoman Stasė Gudonytė-Biziokienė (1896-1943). Her work is analysed in the context of the interwar arts and crafts education. The school was continuing the tradition of women's crafts education that formed in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Being part of the interwar elite, Gudonytė-Bizokienė, was considered one of the founders of Lithuanian high fashion. During the period of 1935-1936, the school introduced three additional courses: hat making, women's fashion, and children's clothing design and tailoring. The paper uses archival material and memories of family members to present the biography of Gudonytė-Bizokienė. The paper also describes the school with its educational aims, structure, institutional reforms of 1935, and its curriculum. The paper overviews the remaining samples of the students' work that reflect the interwar ideals of a cosy home space, and feature a mix of art deco and modernised folk style. The significance of the school is demonstrated by tracing the careers of its graduates in the general context of arts and crafts education of the time. Apart from Kaunas Art School and Dotnuva Academy of Agriculture (1924-1945), Kaunas Women's Arts and Crafts School was the only higher education establishment with speciality in arts. The school's aims matched the Lithuanian demands. Gudonytė-Bizokienė's tailoring courses were on par with the educational programs of the notable tailors of the interwar Kaunas. The paper concludes that it was the artistic crafts that Gudonytė-Bizokienė saw as her main goal, while the fashion salons were only an appendage to her educational work. Crafts education was credited with a higher status in the Lithuanian schools of vocational education. However small, the group of the school's graduates that the research was able to identify demonstrates excellent professional skills and readiness to work in the sphere of crafts education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is dedicated to the theoretical approaches and methodologies of artwork interpretation. By drawing from the contemporary materialist philosophy, primarily the theories of Bruno Latour and Donna J. Haraway, the paper aims to develop a version of contextual interpretation that is both terrestrial and spectulative. The paper discusses the conditions of discoursive emancipation, networked inclusivity and agency of artworks, namely: author's death, the importance of cognition, and Rancière's notion of aesthetic regime. Rancière talks about the emancipation of viewer as a result of the unpredictability of sensory cognition and the incongruity of the rules of poetics and aesthetics, which implies the activisation of artworks (images, texts, etc.). The paper argues that artworks (mediated images) have more agency than texts, which is confirmed by visual phenomenology, psychoanalysis of the gaze, the paradigm of effigies, etc. The artworks are thus the active and not-quite-dead participants of social interrelations because they keep generating unforeseen performative consequences and random meanings, as well as shaping the behaviour of the audiences that perceive them. Meanwhile authors and interpreters are not subjects but 'mere' actants - they are not-quite-alive as they rely on mediatised repositories of knowledge and forms. In terms of Latour's Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the perceiving audience (including art theorists themselves) are networked actants, and their interrelations involve many other actants, including originary imagery, (meta)stories, ideas, artists, thinkers, atmospheric phenomena, animals, and artefacts. Within Haraway's paradigm of situated knowledge, an artwork would be a sympoietic companion that joins us in thinking, makes us worry, assemble into the networks of partial, embodied, and site-specific knowledge, as well as mourn and facilitate our response-ability. If we are able to think together with various human and non-human entities, both alive and dead, this surely extends to artworks too. Haraway calls the paradigm of cohabitation of species and entities Chthulucene, and sometimes it is possible to apply it to the artworks that are not necessarily new. In the second part, I ignore the distinction between the art theoretical text and meta-text, and take up the case of Antanas Gudaitis (1904-1989). A master figure of Lithuanian modernism, Gudaitis studied in Paris (1929-1931), and his later period is marked by the plentitude of references to inter-species cohabitation. In his drawings from the 1970s, we see birds sitting at the table together with people, and his later work features 'double-portraits' that combined the heads of humans and various animals. Depicted in the distinctly expressionist style, objects and animate creatures are turned into equal actants. Gudaitis stresses the optical similarities between humans and non-humans, which gives his work the quality of the Freudian uncanny. In the conditions of an almost total cultural isolation during the soviet era, the art of Gudaitis, as well as that of the CoBrA collective, with their vision of an empathetic and slightly uncanny inter-species cohabitation (which today we would call post-anthropocentric), could have only emerged in the artistic soil already prepared by surrealism. The research of creative contexts, cultural environment and imagery is common in art history, and it is also one of the traits of the situative - terrestrial - interpretation, although the reformation of the art theoretical language through a meaningful developing of the speculative dimension is certainly not an easy task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to find out the rhetoric of Lithuanian presidential candidates during the 2009, 2014 and 2019 election campaigns with respect to Russia and its threat to Lithuania’s national security, as well as how candidates’ rhetoric changed when comparing these three election campaigns. The 2009, 2014 and 2019 elections as the research object were chosen because the 2009 and 2014 elections were held just a few months after the beginning of the Russo-Georgian War in 2008 and the annexation of Crimea and the beginning of the war in Donbas in 2014, while the 2019 Lithuanian presidential election took place amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In order to answer the research question, an analysis of candidates’ election programs and speeches during televised debates broadcasted by the Lithuanian National Broadcaster before all three elections, was performed. Comparative analysis of the election campaigns has shown that there was a significant shift in candidates’ rhetoric regarding Russia, Lithuania’s bilateral relations with Russia, and the assessment of the threat posed by Russia to Lithuania’s national security when comparing the 2009, 2014 and 2019 presidential elections. In 2014 and 2019, unlike in 2009, the majority of candidates began to refer to Russia as an aggressor country that posed a security threat to Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the history of the Dailė Cooperative, the need and circumstances of its founding, its structure and activities. The cooperative operated (1941–45) during a highly turbulent period in Lithuania, when one occupational regime followed another, and World War II took place. The activity of this cooperative was important in that it built a concentrated production base (workshops with equipment, materials, etc.), handled orders, and coordinated the purchase and sale of works of professional and folk art. The Dailė Cooperative was modelled after the Soviet Art Fund, which, by means of centralizing material support (materials, tools, distribution of orders, and remuneration for work) provided to artists, controlled the creation of artworks. It should be noted that the founding and activities of the Dailė Cooperative were closely related to the Marginiai company, which was established in the interwar period to support folk art and home industry. The Dailė Cooperative took over its infrastructure as regimes changed; the company’s facilities were used, and nationalised workshops were merged into it. The cooperative brought together artists and folk artists, handled the sales of their works, held workshops, provided financial support, and contributed to the organisation of exhibitions. The activities of the Dailė Cooperative partly reflect the structure of the art scene in the period of occupation, the mechanism of its functioning, and the nature of the need for art and its consumption. The Dailė Cooperative was established during the first Soviet occupation, and its activities were not suspended, restricted, or terminated during the Nazi occupation. This shows that the institution of this type and the principle of its operation (centralised management) were acceptable to both regimes. After the war, the Dailė Cooperative became the basis for the Dailė manufactories, which were founded in 1945 and operated throughout the period of the second Soviet occupation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-designed image of the transport repair and maintenance services company is a powerful marketing tool that enables a service company to gain a favourable market position, to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, and to increase its market share and improve its performance. This paper identifies the components and factors shaping the image of the transport repair and maintenance services company and and examines customer attitudes towards the image of transport repair and maintenance services company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-designed image of the transport repair and maintenance services company is a powerful marketing tool that enables a service company to gain a favourable market position, to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, and to increase its market share and improve its performance. This paper identifies the components and factors shaping the image of the transport repair and maintenance services company and and examines customer attitudes towards the image of transport repair and maintenance services company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the first to publish, translate to Lithuanian, and analyse the description of border between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Confederation of Livonia dated on January 12th, 1529. This paper establishes previously unknown locations of some of the toponyms mentioned. It also investigates the circumstances of creating and archiving this document. A hypothesis is raised that the document had been drafted by Alexander (Olechno) Krivec and was later transferred to chancellor Albertas Goštautas (pol. Olbracht Gasztołd; bel. Альбрэхт Гаштольд; rus. Ольбрахт (Альберт) Гаштольд)) for storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of business cycles on unemployment rates in EU countries. The relationship between changes in gross domestic product and changes in the unemployment rate is referred to in the academic literature as Okun’s law. This law is of particular importance and the relationship has been extensively investigated in the scientific literature, but there are not many studies that analyse the European Union countries. This paper examines the relationship between the unemployment rate and real GDP in the EU-27. The data used for the study cover the period 2007–2019. The results of a correlation regression analysis provide evidence of the inverse relationship between the unemployment rate and real GDP as established by theory. The results also show that the relationship between business cycles and unemployment varies from country to country: in Lithuania and the UK, there is a very strong inverse relationship between the unemployment rate and real GDP. In Lithuania, the coefficient was –0.9377, and a similar coefficient was found in the United Kingdom (-0.9337). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the book of poetry immersion (2017) by Lithuanian poet Gytis Norvilas, maps the strategies of its reading within the framework of the semiotic-pragmatic approach, and considers the theoretical issues of the mapping. Despite the book cannot be unambiguously defined as an example of patterned poetry, it is configured in a specific way which exposes the functionality of the structural visual layer in written / printed poetry. This feature of the text in question inspires to revise the interpretation of the issue of iconicity and the configuration of the model of reading literature, proposed by the semiotic-pragmatic approach. The semiotic-pragmatic modelling combines Peircean and Jakobsonian ideas with minor insertions of Lotmanian thought (i.e. Johansen 2002), thus it links the ideas from the conceptual systems, based on different epistemological grounds (Peircean vs Saussurean notion of sign). It creates theoretical tensions that force to raise the question of how the transference of notions from one system to another changes their meaning, and where one could find the basis for overcoming or bypassing the controversies. The first part of the paper explores the theoretical tensions between Peircean, Jakobsonian and Lotmanian approaches to the issues of iconicity and attempts at revealing the fields of theoretical reasoning that help to define the ground of contradictions and see the way of their bypassing. Besides, it relates the discussion of iconicity with a discussion of the semiotic-pragmatic model of reading as iconization, based on the Jakobsonian idea of intersemiotic translation, and revises the model concerning the printed poetic text. The second part of the paper exemplifies the theoretical issues in the analysis of the book of poetry immersion. It examines the process of diagrammatization - the reading strategy, which makes the syntax of the text and that of the book the meaning-making devices, shows how diagrammatization semantizes the structure of the book, transforms the process of imaginization, and helps to identify the role of the book's dialogue with hypotext to which both intertextual references and the structure of the text refer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of dyes used in the textile industry into the natural environment causes unwanted negative effects due to the carcinogenic, mutagenic or even teratogenic properties of the dyes. Based on their chemical composition, dyes are divided into anionic, cationic and non-ionic dyes. In this work, the physical method of wastewater treatment - adsorption - was studied. This is a method in which various natural substances called sorbents are used. Materials used in the adsorption process should be nontoxic, environmentally friendly, cheap, and their use should not cause secondary pollution. The idea of using sorbents made from waste in experimental studies, which can even be used several times in the adsorption process, promotes the sustainable use of resources. The study compared different sorbents: aerogel, devulcanized rubber granules and sewage sludge. It was found that the highest values of adsorption efficiency were characterized by sewage sludge granules that were pyrolyzed at 500 °C. Using 500 °C pyrolysis sewage sludge, the adsorption efficiency reached 28.14-53.73%. Granules made from devulcanized car tire rubber had the lowest adsorption efficiency values: the adsorption efficiency value reached 12.92%. The adsorption efficiency values of the aerogel synthesized from paper waste ranged from 28.21 to 38.07%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network intrusion detection is a relevant cybersecurity research field. The growing number of intrusions requires more sophisticated methods to protect computer networks. Various machine learning algorithms are used to detect network intrusions and anomalies, but their accuracy is limited. In this research, we address the problem of improving network-level intrusion detection by applying hybrid machine-learning algorithms. The paper proposes three new hybrid machine learning methods and investigates their accuracy using two publicly available datasets CSE-CIC-IDS2018 and NSW-NB-15. In order to increase the accuracy of the classification models, hyperparameter optimization was performed. The iteration method and the Chi-square χ² test were used to identify significant features of the data set. Analyzing the research results, it was found that the highest network anomaly recognition accuracy of 99.34% was achieved by applying a hybrid algorithm consisting of a decision tree, naive Bayesian, and multilayer perceptron algorithms. Achieved result is 3.13% higher than the best accuracy achieved by individual machine learning algorithms. In order to comprehensively evaluate the studied machine learning algorithms and their suitability for detecting intrusions in a computer network, the algorithms were ranked using the SCR, DR, FR ranking methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a method for automated Lithuanian hands gestures data collection and for Lithuanian hands gestures classification. The dataset of 1100 samples was collected for 10 different classes of Lithuanian hands gesture. The features of hands gestures were extracted with CNN network. The classification was made with LSTM network. The trained LSTM network classified the Lithuanian hands gestures with 85% accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more hotels are looking for opportunities to apply the latest technologies and innovations to their operations. Research purpose is to examine the attitudes of hotel staff and guests towards the implementation of self-service technologies into the hotel's customer service process. This paper provides a definition of selfservice technology and examines the impact of self-service technology on hotel operations; analyses the process of implementing self-service technology in the hotel; examines the attitudes of management towards the implementation of self-service technology in the hotel; and examines the attitudes of hotel guests towards the use of self-service technology in the hotel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies confirm that working in care for the elderly is seen as very unattractive, physically and psychologically demanding, badly paid, and lacking in career opportunities. As a result, few people choose to work in this field, and there is a growing shortage of labour in the provision of services for older people. Attracting young individuals to the field is an even greater challenge. The paper analyses the results of interviews with young people who provide care services directly for the elderly. The authors seek answers to the questions, what are the personal characteristics of young people who work with the elderly, what are they looking for, and what do they find in this work? The aim of the article is to highlight positive aspects of caring for the elderly. The results show that young people (the interviewees) construct a discourse of meaningful, inspiring and motivating activities when talking about their work. This image of care presented by young workers is different to the notion of ‘dirty’ work that is often reflected in the public discourse when describing work in care institutions for the elderly. The results of the study confirm that the research participants emphasise the congruence between their care work and their personal values and experiences, and strive for a positive career identity. The use of positive experience can serve to create a more positive image of care work for the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance and novelty of the paper is the fact that the study unveils the expression of positive emotionality in the work environment of health-care professionals, with a view to linking the phenomenon to other relevant social phenomena, such as job satisfaction and self-esteem. The article analyses the concept of positive emotionality, its significance, factors leading to the expression of positive emotionality, its relationship with activities performed with satisfaction, self-awareness and self-esteem, motivation, etc. The research shows that the expression of positive emotionality of health-care professionals increases their job satisfaction, as there is a direct correlation between the two. The expression of positive emotionality also has a beneficial impact on health-care professionals’ self-esteem. The research has verified that maturity, career success and self-esteem increase positive emotionality. Although job satisfaction among health-care professionals is moderate, the direct link between their job satisfaction and motivation shows that the more motivated the employees are, the more satisfied they are with their job, with the opportunity to work in their chosen profession, and with the performance of activities that reflect their abilities, skills and competences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the need for codification of the legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania regulating construction. It is noted that the current legislation does not ensure stability and efficiency of the construction process. The construction process is subject to excessive procedural and bureaucratic requirements, and contradictions between the norms of legal acts of different levels can be found. Therefore, the issue of legislative reform is increasingly being raised in the market. Construction law has not been extensively studied in the Lithuanian legal literature so far. Therefore, we consider it necessary to analyze the legal regulation of construction and to review the need for reform on the basis of the good practice of foreign countries. This article discusses the fundamental principles and values that the regulation of construction legal relations must ensure. It assesses how the current legislation ensures the implementation of these principles. The article sets out the challenges for codification, the implementation of which would help to make the legal framework more coherent and clearer, more responsive to developments and reduce financial, human and time costs. It also identifies and analyses the most common challenges to construction regulation in different regions of the European Union. After summarizing the main objectives of the legal framework, three codification alternatives are presented, with different scope and structure of the Code. The analysis presented in the paper is based on an assessment of the functioning of the current legal system and an analysis of best practices in foreign countries. The article is based on the positions of legal scholars and practitioners expressed during scientific and practical conferences (international and national). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is situated in the field of anthropological studies of technologies and infrastructures. It focuses on methodological challenges which anthropologists encounter while studying large-scale technological projects. In investigating the social effects of the data centre industry in northern Sweden, the paper describes the global Cloud’s local embededdness, and the local/ global relations which emerge in the course of this new industry’s implementation. It denaturalises imaginaries of scale, and analyses how scales are made and unmade in everyday practices, performed by different actors. The study contributes to our understanding of cross-border technological processes, by regarding scaling as political and governmental practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research paper is to examine the career prospects of female soldiers in the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The article tackles the concept of career and legal regulation of careers in the military. The empirical part of the paper is based on an original survey of female noncommissioned officers’ opinion, which was conducted at the end of 2019 at the command of the Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf". The opinion of female non-commissioned officers showed that the legal basis of career making for all soldiers in the Lithuanian Armed Forces is the same for both women and men, but some of the participants in the study pointed out that this is not sufficiently relevant to pregnant women and women on maternity leave, as, for example, women on maternity leave are often transferred to the personnel reserve, and their positions are filled by other soldiers, etc. The respondents’ opinion on women’s opportunities to pursue a career in the Lithuanian Armed Forces compared to men was divided, as some of the respondents believed that women and men have equal opportunities in all areas of their professional activities, while others stated that opportunities are equal only in administration, service and similar areas. It was found that some female NCOs find it difficult to pursue a vertical military career on equal terms with men, that few female soldiers are in senior positions in the army, in other words, women often face the phenomenon of the ‘glass ceiling’ when pursuing vertical careers. In contrast, there are better opportunities for women soldiers to pursue horizontal careers in the army. Factors that encourage women’s careers in the military include their personal motivation and financial, material and non-material incentives, while those that hinder them include the stereotypes that still exist in the military, the personalities of commanders, the exclusion of women from decision-making processes, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on terminological data identification, management, standardization and linguistic modeling techniques used in preparing a new model of the Lithuanian-English Dictionary of Librarianship, Information and Book Science at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania. This model is analysed from the point of view of current trends in terminology and standardization, and can expand knowledge exchange and help in its exchange accross these areas as well as improve the quality of professional content management in the future. Another aim of this paper was to update the importance of glossaries of technical terms for linguistic representation and global digital dissemination of scientific data in Lithuanian. This can help improve the quality of librarianship, information and communication knowledge, publicity, and wider use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many of the printing houses in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that operated during the 17th-18th centuries belonged to institutions the biggest part of which consisted of Catholic monk monasteries. Despite belonging to one group, the development path of each printing house and its contribution to book culture has unique features. Of the four institutional printing houses operating in the 18th century in Vilnius, the printing house of the Franciscan Conventuals Monastery was the first to be closed and its operations terminated. The purpose of the article is to identify the following causes behind the issues and eventual closure of this printing house. Based on the expenses and income book of this printing house for the period 1752-1769 (it is preserved at the Department of Manuscripts of Vilnius University Library,) this paper examines various aspects of the Vilnius Franciscan Conventuals monastery printing house: funds, sources of equipment and paper, building location, relations with employees and hired craftsmen, orders, sources of income, profitability. In order to better understand the specificity of the institutional press, an effort was made to establish a link between the research outcome and the wider context by addressing the question of the impact of both the society of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Franciscan Order itself on the destiny of the printing house. In addition, the book of expenses and income reveals new biographical data about Vilnius engraver Franciszek Balcewicz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was prepared for the conference „How to Tell About Art? Art History, Criticism, Texts and Narratives in Lithuania" which was organized by the Institute of Art Research. The conference description stated: "The aim of art history and criticism is to open the work of art to the imagination of the perceiver." What texts on art best reveal their artistic dimensions? All texts leave traces and affects perception, depending on the influence and symbolic value of the interpreter and the emancipation of the viewer or perceiver. How many and which perceptual references, what plug-ins/crutches does the viewer really need from an art critic? For Jacques Rancière, the emancipation of the viewer begins with the principle of equality. However, the art institution often insists on the 'correct' way to view the work, as well as what to buy, collect and watch, thus enforcing a linear understanding of cultural development. American antropologist Clifford Geertz argues that culture cannot be described by imposing ideas and advocates for the percetion-based, rather than evaluation-based understanding of culture.31 According to the modern paradigm of cultural relativism, it is important to learn the language of those we research, so that we could look over their shoulder, without succumbing to the Darwinian scientific racism. The latter violates the artist's autonomous representation of free thought, as well as the viewer's freedom to choose and interpret works of art according to their own experience. The artist's own 'study' of the authentic origins of an artwork can be considered as a unveiling of the unexposed part of the artwork in textual form. Artists own narrative frees them from the necessity to evaluate and provides material for studies of the peculiar systems of artistic thinking and creative genesis. Speaking about - or rather, with - art and artistic approach presuppose a respectful relationship with the art viewer and perceiver: instead of explaining what the particular experience should/could feel like, it provides more material for perception and further artistic interpretation. Could this help us "open the work of art to the imagination of the perceiver"? It is possible that, when written by a non-canonical artist, such a text with its ambiguous ties to the artwork would not only hamper the viewer's imagination, but also deconstruct any pre-existing fragmentary perception. The art history inventory finds complicated systems inconvenient. Therefore, by asking "Who Wants to Know where Artists live?", I not only emphasise the Who, which refers to the interested party, but also ask weather (who needs it) or why it could be interesting to know all that, and what to do with it. The article presents excerpts from a piece of author's artistic writing which was read as a conference paper. The reader is therefore invited to sample the experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the first Lithuanian art historical publication by proffessor and art historian Joseph Saunders, who read it in Vilnius University in November 1815. The article titled "Knowledge about Szymon Czechovicz's Life and Creations" is considered to be the beginning of historiographical research in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Similarly to the first art historian Giorgio Vasari and his "Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" (published in 1550), Saunders reminds his readers of a forgotten painter (who made multiple portraits and religious scenes), and underlines his accomplishments and talent. Following the Vasarian tradition, Saunders brings attention to Czechovicz's life, his character, and his approach to art. Much like Vasari, Saunders is interested in the artist's soul, virtues and morale, and is emphasizing their importance in his philosophic reflections about art and artists. By comparing Saunders' article with the scheme of the "Lives" by Vasari, the paper suggests that Vasari could have been a model art historian, and argues that his methods of analysis were applied by Saunders in the 19th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is based on a paper presented at the conference "How to Tell About Art?" (Vilnius Academy of Arts, 7-8 May 2021; curated by Lina Michelkevičė, Laura Petrauskaitė, and Aušra Trakšelytė). The topic of the presentation was suggested by the growing interest among the Lithuanian public in historical art exhibitions. Both the conference report and the article are based on the assumption that the increasing visibility of the historical art exhibitions in the Lithuanian cultural field and their growing popularity might have an impact that goes beyond the art historical reflections. Such exhibitions not only develop the audience's sensitivity to artefacts, but also stimulate and partially satisfy the desire to learn about the history of culture, society and politics. The immanent characteristic of art - the perpetual movement of a visual artwork from (total) invisibility to (partial) visibility - implies the significance of an art exhibition and its capacity to communicate the 'inconvenient', and therefore silenced and distorted, memory. A fragment of the past will remain irrelevant for as long as it is unrecognised. By bringing the viewer face to face with the artefacts of a forgotten reality, the exhibition brings the latter closer, sharpens its colours, and makes it vivid. By taking the series of exhibitions dedicated to Lithuanian art and artistic life during WWII as its case study, the article aims to at least partially answer the question: how relevant, influential, and meaningful is the communication of 'inconvenient' and therefore silenced historical topics, particularly in an art exhibition that uses catalogue as its integral part? The article explains the motives for organising these exhibitions, analyses their brief descriptions along with their narrative structure, and overviews the forms and methods of dissemination. In order to provide a broader context for the issues at stake, a juxtaposition is made with similarly themed exhibitions recently held in Germany and Italy. They became renowned for their local and international focus on art produced under the Fascist and National Socialist regimes, as well as under the conditions of WWII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-two EU member states, including Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, oblige some lay participation (lay judges/jury) in the administration of justice. However, the models of this institute differ among countries. Based on the analysis of lay participation models in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, this article aims to point out and describe their advantages and disadvantages. To achieve this aim, qualitative research was carried out. The methods employed for data collection included thematic analysis and document selection. Document content analysis (i.e., the analysis of research papers, scientific literature on the topic, the Constitutions of Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, and other international and national legislation) was applied for data processing, and the methods of a dogmatic and comparative analysis were employed for data analysis. The findings of the research disclose that lay judges and jurors are ordinary citizens who work together with legal judges to decide several different types of criminal cases in the Danish and Swedish district and regional courts. Meanwhile, Sweden also has this institute in civil and administrative cases. Finland has only lay judges in criminal cases. This article is divided into four sections: the first section discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the Danish model; the second outlines the Swedish model; and the third describes the Finnish model. The last section compares these models and provides a discussion on the issue. Finally, the article provides conclusions based on the analysis of scientific sources and documents, and the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first decades of the 21st century, the topic of the 'playing' person has become the core of interdisciplinary research on human activity. As museums have been adopting a new approach towards cultural dissemination and educational goals, the discourse of play is also becoming one of the current fields of research in museology. Although the cultural aspects of play and game have been discussed for a long time, the interpretation of the concept of play from the museological point of view is a relatively new field which requires the definition of the synonymously used terms and the respective concepts. The aim of this article is to highlight the concept and function of play in museology based on the analysis of museology theories, to identify the preconditions for the formation of play communication, and to identify the directions of the development of the concept of play in the contemporary museological research. The article is based on an integrated literature review of the analysis of the concept of play while focusing on theoretical texts and monographs of scholars studying the phenomenon of play, as well as on theoretical and empirical research articles analysing the expression of play in all types of museums. This paper also discusses the linguistic use of the terms play and game. In the Lithuanian language, we not only have to deal with the synonymous use of play (žaismas)/game (žaidimas) in the translation of spel, play, spielen, but also with the use of play in the translation of both play and game used in different contexts in the English-language literature. Since game is a structured form of play, and, in the museological research and practice, game is more commonly defined as the digital expression and referred to as gamification, it is suggested that play (as an action and a state of being) should be distinguished from game (as a structured form of action) by using two different terms in the Lithuanian language. The literature reviewed in this article has highlighted that the concept of play in the museum is linked to the development of new theories of museology, and it reveals itself as a creative construct that is shaped and sustained by the institution. Play is defined as the concept for communicating the theme of the museum, manifested through the act of play and the elements of game. This approach to the dissemination of content and the organisation of activities is expressed through the application of play and game methods which allow the audience to engage in a more intensive relationship with the museum's theme and exhibits. Play becomes a necessary medium for the museum's metagame which includes and expresses playfulness, play action, playful elements, real and digital games, whereas the audience is engaged by play to satisfy its educational and entertainment needs. To summarise on the interdisciplinary context of the phenomenon of play, in museology, it is most appropriate to associate play with an intellectual or conceptual state that involves exchange, change and playful action. The term game in the museological context is more commonly used to refer to a specific spatial, temporal or rule-based action which, in the museum practice, is more frequently associated with gamification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of the paper –the impact of a virtual dressing room on the shopping process in a shoe and clothing store. The research aims to assess the impact of virtual dressing rooms on the shopping process. Objectives of the research: to present the characteristics of virtual dressing rooms; to reveal the benefits of virtual dressing rooms for customers; to provide recommendations to the representatives of the fashion goods business. Object of research: application of virtual changing rooms in clothing stores in Lithuania. The quantitative research (questionnaires) aims to find out whether customers need a virtual dressing room in a shoe and clothing store. The results showed that customers would like to use a virtual dressing room application. The qualitative research (interviews) aims to find out the research expert's opinion about a shoe and clothing store company on the implementation of a virtual dressing room application in physical and online stores. Research conclusion: a virtual dressing room positively influences the ease of the shopping process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Circumplex perspective on (de)motivating teaching styles based on Self-determination theory is presented in this paper. Based on the findings of the research project “Towards the effective teaching: the evaluation of (de) motivating teaching strategies and their effects on students’ using Circumplex model” (funded by the Research Council of Lithuania under the National Research Programme Welfare Society, Grant No. S-GEV-21-2) recommendations on how to nourish students’ motivational resources and well-being are provided for professionals working in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konstantinas Regelis was a famous botanist working in Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas from 1922 to 1940. Following his scientific voyage to Türkiye in 1932, the next year he was planning his another scientific voyage to Türkiye which, eventually, did not take place due to professor’s illness. Based on the findings in the Turkish archives, 9 documents on the planned trip were translated from Turkish and French to Lithuanian containing two letters written by Konstantinas Regelis himself as well as internal communication documents between the Turkish Embassy in Germany, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye and the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye. The documents reveal various details about the planned trip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De-Stalinisation not only formed prerequisites for the liberalisation of social and political life but also encouraged tensions between the “periphery” (the elites of the Soviet republics) and the “centre” (Moscow). Conflicts between the leaderships of Soviet Latvia and Azerbaijan and Moscow are better known to historiography. However, practically at the same time, tensions arose between the first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party, A. Sniečkus, and the leaders of the USSR. The tensions were fueled by the reform of the education system initiated by N. Khrushchev, the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and a particularly new cadres policy (refusal of the principle of promoting national cadres to leadership positions in the republics.) The article discusses the course of conflicts and answers the question of how and why A. Sniečkus was successful in preventing tensions between the republic and the centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to defining the possible political contours of the restored Lithuanian state. They are drawn following the traces of the deliberations of the main organizations of the Lithuanian diaspora that existed in the West in the last century (1940– 1994). The author includes the Lithuanian Council of America, the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Freedom Committee, and the World Lithuanian Community as the main organizations of our diaspora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims at revealing the stance of the St. Joseph’s Lithuanian R.-C. Association of Labor (USA) towards the labour movement in 1915–1922. It explores 1) the attitudes towards the economy, workers’ conditions and solutions that were suggested in various publications of the organisation; 2) its strategies and examples of direct participation in the broader labour movement. Being critical towards the contemporary capitalist system in the USA, the organisation promoted the idea of “industrial democracy” that was based on the institution of justly distributed private property as an alternative. The organisation was seen by its leaders as a school to develop (in the light of Christian Democratic ideology) important habits of cooperation between workers. Prepared in this way, members of the association were supposed to join and did join broader movements and actions of American labourers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the concepts and practices of ecology in the construction of the contemporary individual house, which is considered to be one of the most polluting. The paper presents an emic perspective on the owners of houses and architects. This work continues the studies of environmental anthropologists in seeking solutions to environmental problems. An analysis of the emic and etic perspectives could contribute to broadening the concept of ecology and help to select more environmentally friendly practices in construction. The work also offers a hypothetical image of an individual house which corresponds with the holistic concept of ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural drainage and associated water management systems are designed to eliminate to an acceptable level the factors associated with excess water that limit crop growth. In order to eliminate excess water in cultivated areas, it is important to reduce the leaching of nitrogen compounds flowing together with drainage water, as well as to ensure the safe and sustainable use of plant protection products and fertilizers. One possible solution is to transform free drainage structures into controlled drainage systems. In such systems, it is possible to regulate the groundwater level according to the needs of the plants and reduce the leaching of nutrients with drainage water. This paper presents a comparative analysis of controlled and free drainage water pollution by nitrogen compounds. The research was carried out in Pasvalys district, where both types of drainage systems operate next to each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The printing industry today faces major challenges posed by increased competition, rapid technological development, shortage of specialists, declining product circulation, and more. An appropriate and effective business management system helps to reduce the risk of all these factors. This article presents a study aimed at investigating enterprise resource planning systems for printing industry and making suggestion for development opportunities. The object of research is the ERP system in printing industry. This paper presents an empirical study conducted using the survey method and uses two types of this method: a questionnaire survey and an interview. The research is summarized by qualitative and quantitative methods, based on the results of the research the ways of solving the problem are presented and the ERP improvement scheme is formed, the proposed knowledge management module is presented. These suggestions can help processes in companies and be more competitive in the market. This article highlights the importance of continuous improvement of business management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the possibilities of speculating in exchangetraded funds by using artificial intelligence. The main goal of the research is to create a support system for speculative decisionmaking for investors operating in exchange-traded funds market. The research will be based on the theoretical aspects of artificial intelligence and speculation of exchange-traded funds. The support system is developed on the basis of reinforcement learning, the methods of synthesis, concretization and generalization were used to create and detail the system, as well as the methods of mathematical-statistical analysis were used to process them. Successful application of the chosen methodology in the design of the support system has resulted in positive trade results. Successful research broadens the boundaries for usage of deep reinforcement learning, and provides a basis for further development of the support system for exchange-traded funds. The support system put in place will shorten the time between the occurrence of a trading signal and the decision of the investor, which will help to reduce the loss of potential profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, aviation industry companies are facing one of the biggest crisis during the last two decades. Due to that, affected aviation companies must adapt their business models and rearrange their business interactions. The article describes the impact of the crises on aviation companies and crises management to decrease damage to the business. The concept of the crises is discussed as well as its nature, typology, unique factors, and classification based on scientific literature. The article briefly covers the biggest crises the aviation industry suffered in the last decades. Business partnership management is discussed as one of the instruments to decrease the effect of the crisis, to manage and neutralize them. The paper provides insights into criteria for partner selection in the aviation industry and based on expert evaluationseeks to provide insights how aviation companies can choose and evaluate their business partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]