Encouraging of competitive relations and strengthening of competitive position of domestic producers on both national and EU common market of products and services become one of the main priorities of national economic policy. Latvian national interests are closely related to the maintenance of the competitive environment as an important factor for increase of competitiveness of separate commodity, enterprise or industry, which is able to provide economic growth in the circumstances of declining the business activity and strong competition on internal and external markets. However, fair market competition takes place only on the markets where there are no any essential obstacles and barriers for potential entry of new market actors. That is why the present article is prepared on the basis of case study carried out for Latvian grain processing sector with the purpose to describe and qualitatively assess the effects of various entry barriers, which really exist on the domestic market.

The aim of the research is to prepare proposals for assurance of the business clusters formation regarding the regional development potential upon study of the clusterization of Lithuanian regional companies. After extensive analysis of scientific literature, the qualification of the cluster, their structure, main features, goals and benefits to its members, region, and sector where cluster is based, are observed. From analysis of relevant secondary data the main problems that hinder the development of clusters in distinct regions of Lithuania are distinguished. It is revealed that clusterization in Lithuanian regions lags far behind big cities, it is much more passive and clusters there often reach only the level of a micro-cluster. Clusters are most developed in the tourism and food industries, using traditional means instead of high-techs, failing to benefit from EU support for clustering development. In order to improve the clusterization situation in Lithuania and its development in the regions, more attention and investment are to be allocated for promoting cooperation between the companies and the business and science, research sectors, and joining the international cluster. The state support should be prioritized in the rural regions locating less clusters, forming a reliable means and communication network for these clusters’ development.

West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, Poland Business managers report the need for modern methods to improve the implementation of organizational strategies. Translating the strategy into activities and monitoring its implementation poses a serious challenge for the management of modern enterprises. The article aims to present proposals for multidimensional performance measurement with the help of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) for selected Polish listed companies in the confectionery industry. The authors’ original solution within the framework of the BSC construction is extending the range of perspectives for assessing performance compared to the card proposed by Kaplan and Norton by the perspective of suppliers and CSR, and the appropriate selection of measures for this assessment. The article is based on literature studies and analysis of information included in business strategies, financial statements and reports on the operations of selected confectionery companies. Research on the use of multidimensional performance measurement using BSC, taking into account the additional perspectives of suppliers and CSR, help to better understand the relationship between economic, social, and environmental aspects of a company’s operations.

Perfect packaging exists in nature – examples include banana peel (Musa sapientum fixa cortices L.) and eggshell (Ovi testa L.), together with the many smart materials and systems that control plant and biological functions. Smart packaging is a type of packaging, which in addition to performing the four basic functions of packaging such as protection, communication, convenience and containment, also offers several additional functionalities depending on the type of product. Changes in consumer preference for safe food have led to innovation in packaging technology. The market for smart packaging systems has a promising future by integrating them into packaging materials. For food retailers, smart packaging is a huge development in helping to reduce food waste. The aim of this study was to assess the awareness and attitudes of food manufacturers and retailers to the introduction of smart packaging systems into the Latvian market. A survey reflected knowledge about active and intelligent packaging and its possible introduction into the Latvian market. Ten manufacturers and ten food retailers from different regions in Latvia answered 16 questions, including how well they were informed about smart packaging and how much consumers would be willing to pay for it. In addition, the food manufacturer and food retailer confidence in the impact of smart packaging on a product storage quality was analysed. The results revealed that manufacturers and retailers in Latvia have a poor understanding of the new opportunities which could be offered by using technologies of smart packaging.

Lactobionic acid is a high value added compound industrially produced through energy intensive chemical synthesis, which uses costly metal catalysts, like gold and platinum. In the next years, biotechnological production of lactobionic acid can be supposed to take the full transition to the manufacturing stage. Productivity of lactobionic acid by microbial production can be affected by various factors – choice of microorganism and its concentration, supply of oxygen, temperature, substrate, cultivation method, pH and aeration rate. The aim was to review research findings for lactobionic acid production as well innovative and efficient technology solutions for self-costs reducing. Whey was recommended as a cheap and suitable substrate for the lactobionic acid production. Whey processing has been advised with Pseudonomas teatrolens in 28 °C and in pH 6 to 7 for yielding the highest productivity. The increasing commercial importance urges the progression of schemes for lactobionic acid biotechnological manufacturing.