In today‘s context of social sciences and practical discussions teamwork, synergy and synergy effects are considered to be one of the most important research objects. Creativity leads any organizational structure to successful solution of a problem and promotes the achievement of not individual but synergy goals, which are the result of generated and practically applied social innovations. The potential of teamwork synergy is transmitted through team dynamics, team creative process, as well as team purpose. The aim of this research is to identify the indicators describing the potential of synergy regarding team creative process and to evaluate their importance in the team creative process while developing innovative solutions. A case analysis method is applied: two different teams, which performed creative tasks, were chosen and analysed. In order to estimate the potential of synergy of creativity, a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators was formed. Features describing each indicator were evaluated by using questionnaires filled by the teams participating in the research. In addition, the teams were observed, in order to estimate the team creative process. The results of the research are valuable for authorities of organizations, who aim at greater synergy results and social innovations encouraging the development of public, social and business interests and creating multiplying effects of ideas. The generalized findings of the research are presented in the article, as well as the applied methods of scientific literature analysis and synthesis, abstraction.

The paper provides the study of specific spatial conditions of rural development of Arctic zone regions in Russia during 2000 – 2015. The aim of the paper is to propose the methodology for rural development disparities study in the Russian Arctic. Spatial development of the Arctic is described by a system of indicators, reflecting the system of the resettlement, the level and quality of life: total population size, life expectancy at birth, housing stock etc. The extent and nature of disparities, particularly, social and economic disparities within the rural territories of the Arсtic are explained. The assessment has been based on min-max ratio, coefficient of variation as well as Gini index. Eliminating excessive spatial differences in the social development of urban and rural territories of Arctic regions, improving the demographic situation, raising the level and quality of life of the population should be seen as a priority of the state policy in the Arctic in order to make it attractive for living.

Public food procurement is a complex system with a large number of participants, and it is regulated by a number of laws and regulations on different sectors, and there is involved a number of controlling bodies. The research aim is to explore and analyze the laws and regulations governing public food procurement in Latvia and to identify the main obstacles to food purchases from local producers. By purchasing food, local governments or authorities have to fulfill the European Union (EU) and the Latvian statutory requirements for both the correct procurement procedures, both on food safety and hygiene norms throughout the whole food product life cycle. Purchasing food from local producers is a challenge, because on the one hand, the EC Treaty and a number of other documents request the free movement of goods and equal rights for all market participants, on the other – the local community and local government is interested in providing school students with high-quality, natural food and in promoting small local businesses. The solution is to use green public procurement (GPP) criteria in the public food procurement. However, in the implementation of the GPP there are several disadvantages for both the local government and local food producers. By studying Latvian and other EU countries’ experiences, it can be concluded that barriers to local food producers to participate in local government food procurement are related to both competitiveness and production storage and regular supply assurance.

Given the intensive competition in almost all the business sectors, customer loyalty research is gaining its popularity among marketers as well as among scholars. The aim of this research was to determine the differences in loyalty to grocery retailer between urban and rural consumers. In order to reveal the differences, questionnaire research was provided and differences between Lithuanian urban and rural customer loyalties were determined. The research results indicated the existence of statistically significant differences between the loyalties of Lithuanian urban and rural regarding their mostly visited grocery retailers in terms of their attitudes and repeat patronage behaviour. Moreover, based on the neo-behaviouristic approach, considering attitudinal and behavioural measures, all kinds of loyalties were observed stronger in the urban areas of Lithuania. The assumption was made that there might be an effect of limited-choice condition. Affected by the latter condition, rural citizens tend to seek for variety more than the urban ones. Consequently, considering the rural citizens’ evaluations, it can be stated that their loyalty is undermanaged, resulting in a very low amounts of truly loyal customers. Therefore, for the grocery retailers it was recommended to revise their customer loyalty schemes based on the point of residence of their consumers. In such a way the higher possibility of meeting consumer needs might be achieved.

In foreign studies Latvia is positioned as a ‘depressive’ region in the year 2030, which will have an insufficient population of young people. Thus, Latvia as a country with a business-friendly environment will not be able to be competitive relative to other European countries and the flow of investment will be at risk, as well as passed on other, more competitive and better developed regions in demographic terms (Grinevica et al ., 2016). It is one of the main reasons to deal with the youth unemployment problem and to realize the actuality and consequences. Also, one of the EU’s priorities of development is to reduce youth unemployment. National labour force surveys (Hoffman, 2011) show that since 2008 the youth unemployment rate has risen in all the EU countries (Hjūza & Borbējs-Pece, 2012). The current economic instability in the context of youth’s prospects and opportunities in the labour market is uncertain (Balan, 2014). Youth unemployment has also a negative effect on economic growth and productivity. The aim of the paper is to identify the importance of unemployed youths and draw the society’s attention to the consequences. The paper presents a brief analysis of importance of unemployment costs as well as the calculation of an economic loss from youth unemployment in Latvia. The result was calculated using Okun’s Law concept.

Non-bank crediting has become popular in Latvia as well as in other European countries due to various economic and social factors. Since the banks in recent years have introduced much stricter lending conditions, non-bank crediting sector has experienced a significant increase not only in Latvia but also in other European and world countries. Non-bank crediting market actively began to develop through a wide promotion of consumer credits in the major mass media; thus, creating human interest in the availability of fast and easy processable credits. Non-bank credit companies without customer deposits have transformed the present credit market, since a number of new players entered the market testing new business and crediting models and providing solutions to credit-challenged customers. The research aim is to study the non-bank consumer crediting trends in Latvia and it employs a monographic descriptive method as well as the methods of analysis and synthesis and graphics. The research results demonstrate that the popularity of non-bank credits is still growing among consumers, since the total amounts of non-bank credits disbursed for the first time have increased by EUR 116.61 million or 33.18% for the period 2012-2015 with distance credits being the most demanded credit type accounting for approximately 40% of all non-bank credits. Non-bank credit market is saturated and there is a fierce competition between non-bank crediting companies in terms of interest rates, crediting conditions and other factors.

Academic staff of higher education institutions has to extend students’ vision and promote their variability of views on competitiveness in order to promote prospective hospitality managers’ competitiveness. The aim and goal of academic activities of the university teaching staff is to search for appropriate or relevant means and provide the necessary conditions to foster the students’ thinking and understanding of the concept of ‘competitiveness’ according to a new paradigm of this notion. The pedagogical experiment was carried out at the Latvia University of Agriculture. The aim of the study was to promote the opinions’ change regarding the notion of prospective hospitality managers’ competitiveness; the developed competitiveness self-assessment method was used as a pedagogical tool. The results of the research (the concluding statistics of the Wilcoxon test and the Sign Test) show that the students’ opinions regarding the notion of prospective hospitality managers’ competitiveness have significantly changed before and after their competitiveness self-assessment. Thus the theoretically grounded method of competitiveness self-assessment approved by students and experts, including a questionnaire of the students’ survey, significantly extended the students’ vision as a pedagogical tool influencing the opinions regarding competitiveness notion among representatives of the prospective hospitality managers’ profession.

Private forestry and forest owners in Estonia have become more profound research subjects in the last decade. One of the most common research topics has been the identification of private forest owners’ (PFO) values and objectives. However, much of the existing studies rely on quantitative data which usually describes more active owners and owners whose forest property is larger than the average. Thus, the aim of the present study is to identify the management objectives and motives of non-industrial private forest owners using a qualitative approach – something that has been rarely used in forest owners’ research in Estonia. Eight forest owner interviews form the dataset, which is analysed in order to identify PFO forestry objectives and forest use. The results of our qualitative content analysis show, in principle, similar generalized forest owner types of motivations. However, the qualitative approach opens up these generalized types even more. Income motive goes beyond just continuous financial returns and means in many cases a sense of security. Forest ownership is closely linked with “home” interpretations. We conclude that qualitative methods in small-scale forestry research provide new insights to forest ownership and its meanings to private forest owners.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of models developed by Repola (2006) to estimate the vertical changes of the basic density of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst), and birch spp. (mainly Betula pendula Roth) stemwood in the forests of Latvia and to develop a model for the estimation of average knot-free stem density with bark (SD) using diameter at breast height as an independent variable. The study material comprised a total of 81 spruce, 102 pine, and 105 birch stems representing a wide range of tree growing conditions in Latvia and covering all age classes. The knot-free stemwood density (SWD) of pine and birch demonstrate strong vertical dependence along the stem, while for spruce the variation pattern was less pronounced and seemed to be nearly constant along the stem. The SWD estimated by Repola’s models was 4.3% lower for spruce, but 3.4% higher for pine and 2.2% for birch comparing to average values obtained in this study. Sigmoidal regression equations constructed in our study explained 67%, 27% and 54% of variations for predicting SD for pine, spruce and birch, respectively. Birch stemwood has a highest basic SWD – 470 kg mE-3, followed by pine – 397 kg mE-3 and spruce – 385 kg mE-3. According to our results, the birch bark turned to be denser than the birch stemwood, being vice versa for the studied coniferous species.

Yasso07 soil carbon model was used to estimate soil carbon balance in dry forest site types (6 site types in total) in Latvia and the results were compared with data from Biosoil2012 soil surveys. Litter input, chemical quality and climatic data are required to run the model. Three different scenarios were used for climate data input – steady climate, climate change + 0.025 °C annually and climate change + 0.05 °C annually. Forest mineral soil is a carbon sink for the whole modelled period - the years of 1990 – 2030. Under steady climate, the average carbon removal is 0.6 t CO2 haE-1 yrE-1, under climate change (+ 0.025 °C) scenario 0.4 t CO2 haE-1 yrE-1, but under climate change (+ 0.05 °C) scenario 0.3 t CO2 haE-1 yrE-1. CO2 removal at the beginning of the period (1990) was 0.35 – 0.38 t CO2 haE-1 yrE-1. Carbon stock modelled with Yasso07 is lower than estimated in Biosoil2012 soil surveys. Differences between modelled and Biosoil2012 results vary from 2 t C haE-1 in the poorest and 41 t CO2 haE-1 in the third poorest site type. Carbon stock modelled with Yasso07 increases from the poorest to the most fertile site type while Biosoil2012 shows an increase from the poorest to the third poorest, and a decrease from the third poorest to the most fertile site type. Underestimation and different trends between Yasso07 and measured carbon stock may be explained by inappropriate equations and models used to estimate non-woody biomass. It is necessary to improve accuracy of input data for non-woody biomass by elaborating national equations and models in order to include Yasso07 in the national GHG inventory.