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The importance of electronic government (e-Government) research increases altogether with the perception of e-Government as one of the most important means to accomplish the strategic goals of the state oriented towards better governance. The interdisciplinary nature of e-Government raises new requirements for the planning, carrying out and successful implementation of e-Government research and its results. The main objective of the paper is to survey some of the global tendencies in e-Government research and review its state-of-play in Lithuania. The policies of the European Union (EU) and the USA are described in the article as well as the most developed research themes and the existing gaps in the current e-Government research. In the second part of the paper the present situation of e-Government research in Lithuania along with some launched e-Government projects are analysed. Finally, the article summarizes the results of the future foresight projects in e-Government, co-funded by the EU, in some of which Mykolas Romeris University has participated, and provides recommendations for the future development of research into e-Government in Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As virtual discussion about passive versus active investment heats up, ETF instruments being second biggest investment vehicle (after mutual funds) in United States receive more and more attention. In this paper we perform a cross section, type and style analysis of total expense ratios (TER) of exchange traded funds. Using Database of 1020 ETFs, we find capitalization weighted average for total expense ratios of simple (non-inverse and not leveraged) ETFs are equal to 0.32 proc. Analysis shows that inverse and leveraged ETFs on average are about 3 times more expensive than simple ETFs. These numbers of total expense ratios of simple ETFs are significantly lower than in average mutual funds. This leads us to the conclusion that especially for passive investment management where cost effectiveness is critically important, ETFs are much more attractive than regular mutual funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until World War II, there were few Lithuanians in Australia. Their numbers were boosted when 10,000 Lithuanian refugees arrived in this country in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Many congregated in the larger cities and established the structures necessary for the preservation of their national identity. These structures included Lithuanian newspapers and books, weekend schools, choirs and folk-dancing groups, Lithuanian libraries, credit unions, etc. All these initiatives were aimed at preserving the Lithuanian heritage, the "lietuvybė", and were addressed at the Lithuanian-speaking newcomers. These former refugees were still passionately hoping for an early liberation of their homeland, especially in their early years in Australia. At the same time, prompt assimilation of the European immigrants was in the forefront of the Australian Government's policy. Most Lithuanians managed to meet the Government's requirement without losing their "lietuvybė" -- an interesting phenomenon that has been studied in its own right and needs further in-depth discussion. In spite of the significant input by 10,000 Lithuanian migrants, however, the Australian population at large knew very little, or nothing at all, about Lithuania and its people. The Australian Lithuanians, aided by their Baltic colleagues, belatedly realised that it was not enough to document the Lithuanian identity and heritage just in Lithuanian. All about the Lithuanians, and the other Balts, had to be made known to Australians, in English. As a short-term measure, new newspapers, bulletins, leaflets and media releases were produced in English, featuring the facts of the foreign rule in the Baltics. Books started appearing on similar topics. In Australia today, some of the Lithuanian heritage continues to be recorded and published, in English. However, this work is carried out piecemeal and under difficul conditions. There is only one English-language Lithuanian journal in Australasia and in the whole Southern Hemisphere (Lithuanian Papers). Over 30 English-language books published in Australia during the past 50 years describe Lithuania and its people. Some are devoted entirely to this topic. Others have merely a chapter or two on Lithuania. Whether lengthy or brief, a number of these volumes are of a high standard; but several others are erroneous and misleading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author of the article investigates trade activities of Lithuanian businessmen in the USA in 1930-1940; this was the period when these people had scanty possibilities to accumulate initial capital for larger orders of Lithuanian goods. Therefore, Lithuanian representatives in the USA, first of all Consul General and, later Ambassador Povilas Žadeikis tried to coordinate and centralise business activities and relations with Lithuanian producers in 1930s through the established American-Lithuanian Trade Centre. The Lithuanian government showed its deep interest in the activities of the Lithuanian businessmen in the USA during the period of the world economic crisis. Its disastrous consequences created positive conditions for prospective economic cooperation between Lithuanian businessmen in emigration and Lithuanian producers. The fact that profits worth millions settled in the hands of mediators dealing in trade relations between the Lithuanian producers and the USA consumers was of crucial importance is well. Thus, Lithuanian businessmen in emigration were encouraged to take over this function. Some political considerations were significant as well, i.e. the wish of the Lithuanian government to distance the emigration from Lithuania's politics and its criticism by involving them in economic relations. On the other hand, the enthusiasm to develop trade relations between Lithuanian businessmen residing in the USA and Lithuanian producers was undermined by the producers' diminishing interest in the USA market as well as the failure of Lithuanian goods to meet the criteria of the USA market, i.e. certain standards, packing or sanitary requirements. Meat produce from Lithuania yielded in quality to that imported into the USA from other countries; this, consequently, reduced both prices and profits. The officious USA Customs officers and long transportation distances also added to a low level of trade relations between Lithuania and America. In addition, businessmen in emigration were not happy about high prices of Lithuanian production. In 1935 Lithuanian food exports to the USA increased, and this caused the establishment of some small import organisations such as J. Rakštys' company Baltic Import Co. in Chicago and Amlit, Co. in New York. However, they did not meet the requirements of recognised mediators; therefore, Lithuanian producers did not consider them as important partners. Lithuanian businessmen in America, on the other hand, were not ready for direct trade transactions with Lithuania; they also expressed a wish that Lithuanian producers provided them with their production directly, without any mediators. In 1938, Litamcorp, a Lithuanian producers' company, was established in New York which claimed the responsibility of mediators, thus limiting the mediating activities of the Lithuanian businessmen in the USA. The above mentioned allows to state that in 1930-1940 the foundations for the future economic relations between businessmen in emigration and those in Lithuania were laid down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]