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This paper asks how people made their livings in the former Soviet industrial city of Marijampolė during the crisis that was caused by the deindustrialization associated with the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. It analyses aspects that helped to develop and include people in means of livelihood; the ways in which work activities produce new workplaces and have an impact on the transformation of places in Marijampolė; and transformations of the concept of work. It shows that means of livelihood that are used during a work crisis tend to expand, involve others, and form structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important factor of efficient activity is a proper-based management of information and information processes, based on information technology (IT). The paper addresses the possibilities of public sector to use the relevant experience and research results acquired in business sector. It has been obvious that public sector trails behind business field in terms of efficiency, and could rely more on modern management techniques, including the use of IT. The activities of the two sectors, although based on different values and motivation, have much in common, including information activities, structure of user information needs and the role of IT. The article suggest using the results of author's previous research into information needs of business users, after evaluating their relevance to public sector users. In information activities, the two sectors have much in common -- efficient use of resources, flexible reactions to environment changes, needed for well-prepared decisions and so on. The directions of survey -- information needs for monitoring of environment, accumulation of experience and competence, and decision making -- are also important for the public sector, with possible differences of information needs in mind. The results have shown that user attitudes towards IT role in satisfying various information needs are not uniform. For the simple end of information needs spectrum, the programmed nature of IT provides efficient services with a high degree of automation. The potential of IT to support complex and specific needs has evoked varied responses. One of the possible ways to achieve better results is the use of 'more with less' IT solutions, providing a set of simple permanently available instruments who stimulate human analytical and problem-solving capabilities. Thus static and programmed nature of IT could be better matched to dynamic and discontinuous environment, and to the users' needs to gain sufficiently complete understanding of this environment. This conclusion has been supported by the earlier research regarding users' requirements for ideal decision environment. Further research is required to address the information needs of a specific user in public sector, where existing controversy could be reduced by IT-supported transparency and balance of public and administrative interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]