The objective of this research was to design an economically efficient logistics management model for fuel retail enterprises to improve their competitiveness. In the current global market situation, fuel retail enterprises face various challenges, such as sharp increase in raw material price, intense market competition, high price sensitivity, low profitability, and significant logistics costs. By combining theoretical and practical insights, an improved logistics management model was designed, which provides significant competitive advantage for fuel retail enterprises. The designed model incorporates and integrates three distinct logistics arrangements, resulting in considerable advantages for fuel retail enterprises. These advantages include a reduction in logistics costs and increased independency from the fluctuating logistics service expenses. To determine the economic efficiency of the designed logistics management model, it was validated by using data obtained from a fuel retail enterprise based in Sweden. Results of the research indicated that the fuel retail enterprise can anticipate an annual reduction in logistics costs ranging from 2.91% to 3.32% from the implementation of the improved logistics management model. On top of that, the developed logistics management model is projected to be economically viable until 2027, assuming the continuation of the current market trends and conditions. The findings of the research suggest that other fuel retail enterprises may also benefit from implementation of the designed model in the current market conditions.

Developed transport and storage sector has up-most importance for production capacities in regions, especially in rural areas, ensuring supplies and deliveries, including well-developed and maintained infrastructure, transport vehicles, IT systems and human capital. Till 2040 demand for highly-educated and qualified logistics specialists will increase in Latvia due to growing labour costs, introduction of new technologies and digital solutions. The aim of the study is to identify the recent trends that give valuable findings for education and regional development policy elaboration and implementation in order to achieve balanced regional development promoting also rural development. The findings reveal that the higher the share of population with higher education the higher the wages. The regions with the larger share of population with higher education are mainly urban and pre-dominantly urban regions. However, transport and logistics sector is in all regions as well as demand for logistics specialists. Balanced regional development is crucial for sustainable development in national and the European Union level.

Innovations are very important condition and tool for competitive entrepreneurship. To obtain more effective approaches, researchers are devoting deepened analysis for many factors influencing innovations and innovative activities indicating that there is an important influence on different sources of information on innovations — own company, co-operation with universities and business incubators, with research organisations. Empirical research results were based on survey results of entrepreneurs and on analysis of obtained survey results by use of descriptive statistics indicators confirmed that entrepreneurs in Kurzeme region biggest inspiration get in their own company as well as from suppliers of equipment, programs and materials but they have less influence on information about innovations from universities and other higher education institutions as well as private organisations, also research organisations.

A regional analysis of performance indicators for Latvian business incubators provides a valuable insight into the performance of the business incubator ecosystem in various regions and helps to make future policy decisions on providing funding for the incubators that aim to support the growth and success of start-ups. The present research performed a regional analysis of operational programmes for two periods from 2007 to 2021. The strengths and weaknesses of Latvian business incubators across various regions of Latvia could be identified based on the analysis. This can help to make policy decisions and guide resource allocation to contribute to the development of the business incubator ecosystem in the future.

The topic of this article is relevant because in Lithuania the assessment of the area occupied by plantations and green spaces has shown that the area standards do not meet the requirements and recommendations of the World Health Organization. Green spaces are regulated differently in different countries of the European Union. Lithuania has also developed a legal framework for the protection, management and establishment of new plantations and green spaces. However, this legal framework is improving and new laws are being added to it. Comparative, analytical, as well as statistical, and logical analysis methods were used for the investigation. The data of the Land Fund of the Republic of Lithuania for 2002–2022 were used for comparative investigation. The aim of this article is to perform an analysis of the change in the trees and shrubs greenery area of Lithuania in 2002–2022. In Lithuania, for example, trees and shrubs occupied 84,687.48 ha in 2002. In 2022, the plantation area amounted to 208,609.48 ha. From 2002 to 2022 the area of tree and shrub plantations in Lithuania increased by 123,922.00 ha or 146.33%. The analysis shows that in the period between the years 2002 and 2022 the biggest increase in the area of shrubs and plantations took place in Utena County (32,715.83 ha or 395.27%), but the smallest increase in Tauragė County (2,642.93 ha or 37.69%) and Marijampolė County (4,581.39 ha or 72.25%). The development of plantation areas has been positively influenced by the creation of an appropriate legislative framework and the implementation of plantation programs in counties and municipalities.

Tourists’ environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB) in response to climate change is a topic that is becoming increasingly important during the Covid-19 pandemic as people’s values change. Tourism is facing an economic downturn and now is the time to prepare for a new upswing. Meanwhile, a new narrative is needed in response to climate change, as tourism is a net polluter of the environment. That is why tourist ERB studies are becoming more and more relevant in the world, including Latvia, too. The objective of this paper is to determine the ERB of tourists in response to climate change. The questionnaire included 30 research questions and generated 383 answers from respondents from the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Several research methods were used in the study: descriptive and correlation method, KMO and BARLETT’S, Cohen’s Kappa and Cronbach’s alpha tests, Exploratory factor analysis and Principal Components Analysis. The study found that the factors attitude, behaviour, awareness, control, environmental knowledge, experience and values influence tourists’ ERB; however, environmental knowledge and experience show a slight advantage. To direct the continuation of the research towards the creation of the tourism ERB model in Latvia.

Lowering emissions expelled from internal combustion engines has been the focus of researchers worldwide. Adding hydroxy gas to current internal combustion engines can be an effective way of lowering CO2, CO, HC and particle emissions, as well as improve combustion. Because of this, a review of previously conducted research on the addition of hydroxy gas to different internal combustion engines has been produced. During this review, it was concluded that addition of hydroxy gas can be an effective way of lowering fuel consumption and CO, CO2 and HC emissions in petrol engines, as well as fuel consumption and CO and HC emissions in diesel engines.

Universities play an important role in providing a wide range of services and connecting all stakeholders, such as employers, alumni, and other community members to prepare students for future employment, establish networking with labour market representatives, assist them in integrating into the labour market, and develop students’ as potential specialists’ employability skills, thereby fostering their career development in the university educational environment. The aim of this study is to analyse the career related theories and propose a career development model for economics and business-focused universities. The following research methods were used: desk study, analysis and evaluation of scientific literature (theoretical research method); reflection of personal experience (empirical research method). The theoretical research emphasised modern career-related theories and resulted in a proposal for a career development model for a university. A mandatory course that formally prepares students as prospective specialists for employment and internship, exposure to the labour market via internship, networking events, and mental support provided by qualified psychologists, university teachers as part of an academic advising programme and alumni organized in the form of an alumni mentorship programme, are the main pillars of the proposed career development model.

Not only does construction activity in the regions play a crucial role in the regional development, as it not only provides employment opportunities and thus contributes to the well-being of the population, but also creates favourable conditions for access to modern housing and requires the mobility of human resources to the regions. At the same time, construction in regions and rural areas often implies more difficult conditions than in urban environments, which are associated with both funding opportunities and working conditions. The availability of financial investments to the private sector is limited for the construction of housing outside Riga and Pierīga region, which significantly reduces construction opportunities in the regions of Latvia. The study evaluates the possibilities of obtaining new housing in the regions of Latvia, analyses the trends in construction volume and costs from 2015, modelling forecasts until 2026. The study looks at various economic instruments that could contribute to the development of construction and new housing in the regions. The study uses surveys of municipalities, entrepreneurs and experts in the field of construction, in-depth interviews, focus groups and statistical data processing methods. It has been concluded that Latvian entrepreneurs tend to postpone investments or invest only in the economically strongest moments, which further aggravates the gap between urban and rural areas. The trends identified in the study indicate a possible further direction of stagnation or recession in the construction sector of new housing in the regions of Latvia, which will directly affect regional development in the next five years. The study highlights the necessary interventions for more productive regional housing stock cohesion.

Social benefits are essential in providing support to families with children, especially in the first years of the child’s life as well as to families at risk of poverty (large families, parents raising a child alone). Social insurance benefits ensure parents with income while taking care of a child. Latvia’s strategic planning documents have defined social protection for families with children as one of the priority areas for several planning periods simultaneously emphasising the need to increase social security and promote the birth rate in the country. The research aim is to assess the social benefits system for families with children in Latvia. The research results allow concluding that the expenditure for social support for families with children as percentage of GDP in Latvia is lower than the average EU Member States indicator as well as it is the lowest one among the Baltic States. Support for families with children in Latvia is gradually growing; however, it is necessary to regularly increase the childbirth allowance taking into account inflation in order not to worsen the financial situation of these families as well as to allocate a larger proportion of GDP to support families with children in Latvia.