Transformations  in
Business & Economics

• Microeconomics Department, University of Szczecin (Poland);
• Kaunas Faculty of Humanities Vilnius University (Lithuania).

1. Human capital as economic growth factor;
2. Education as measure taken to improve the quality of human capital;
3. Human capital as a priority in the state education policy;
4. Concepts of education in the knowledge-based economy;
5. Education indicators in the EU and third countries- comparative analysis;
6. Lifelong learning as an instrument for growth in labour productivity (competitiveness of enterprises, states).

• Department of Business Economics and Management and Department of Finance and Accounting, Kaunas Faculty of Humanities, Vilnius University, Lithuania
• INYRSS network, http://inyrss.vukhf.lt

The aim of the conference is to improve knowledge of International Business and Economic Transformation among researchers, business community and policy makers interested in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The organisers of the Conference believe that through open and reflective dialogue, this international forum can make a positive contribution to the sustainable economic development and growth of the companies operating in the rapidly changing CEE countries.

The major topics of the conference are:

• Sustainable development: economic, social and ecological aspects.
• Humanization processes of economics and management.
• Financial decisions in business environment.
• Development of commerce in global economy.

• AiP (Albertina icome Praha s.r.o.) (Czech Republic);
• The University of Economics, Prague (Czech Republic).

I. Information – Information Sources – Information Management – Competitive Intelligence (or look closer at the competitors) – Knowledge Management:

• Do we need information sources and even information?;
• the overview of the market of information services in the Czech Republic;
• the market of information services from the EU’s point of view;
• relation between knowledge management and information management;
• sources for Competitive Intelligence:
  • Techniques, processes and software for Competitive Intelligence.

II. Information for Business, Management and Marketing:

• Company and financial information:
  • Domestic and international company and product directories;
  • credit reports (company’s credibility, solvency etc.)
  • risk analysis;
  • registers produced by state and local authorities and their possible usage in the commercial sector (the current state, developments, the BRITE programme).
• Information necessary for strategical decisions in companies:
  • Country, region and market risk reports.
• Marketing reports:
  • Sources of domestic and foreign marketing reports;
  • marketing research techniques.
• Macroeconomic and macroeconomic statistics data:
  • Statistics data;
  • Export and import trade data.
• Information of financial markets.

III. Internet as a Source of Relevant High-quality Information:

• Trustworthiness of information and information resources;
• Licenced and free information sources on the Internet (weak and strong features);
• Monitoring of domestic and foreign media - Evaluation of information relevancy.

IV. Information Being a Base of a New Piece of Information:

• External value-added information sources (using different technologies, ways of distribution and search interface etc.);
• Using Public Sector Information (Re-use of Public Sector Information).

In a dramatically changing world characterized by rapid globalization, unprecedented technological progress, and structural, institutional, demographic, sociological and psychological shifts, Europe is facing new challenges and searching for adequate responses and trying to achieve the ideal of building and sustaining global competitiveness while maintaining social harmony. It requires huge economic restructuring and equally dramatic social transformation. The issue of operational excellence, standardization, and unification versus creativity and innovation, entrepreneurialism, and respect for culture and values is becoming increasingly important at the individual, organizational/institutional, and social levels as well.

Theme of 2008 Conference is “Managing Diversity: European Destiny and Hope”. It gives the opportunity to discuss the many aspects of key issues for future competitiveness.

• John Shutt, ERBEDU, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, Tel: +44 (0)113 283 7533, E-mail:

• Lisa de Propris, University of Birmingham, UK, Tel: +44 (0)121 414 6258, E-mail:
• Ron Boschma, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 30 253 2896, E-mail:

• Serge Coulombe, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, Canada, Tel: +1 613 562 5800 ext 1689, Email:
• Michel Beine, University of Luxembourg, Tel: +352 4666 446 752, E-mail:

• Martin Pelucha, University of Economics in Prague, Faculty of Economics and Public Administration, nam. W. Churchilla 4, Prague 3, 130 67, Tel: +420 222 230 259, E-mail:
• Zuzana Bednarikova, Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Tel: +420 222 000 507, E-mail:

• Tassilo Herrschel, University of Westminster, London, UK, Tel: +44 (0)207 911 5000, E-mail:
• Iwona Sagan, University of Gdansk, Poland, Tel: +48 58 523 6612 E-mail:
• Martin Ourednicek, Charles University, Czech Republic, Tel: +420 221 951 378, E-mail:

• Gordon Dabinett, University of Sheffield, UK, Tel: + 44 (0)114 222 6197, Email:
• Stefanie Dühr, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 (0)24-361 30 51, Email:

• Arnoud Lagendijk, University Radboud Nijmegen, Nijmegen School of Management, Spatial Planning, Thomas van Aquinostraat, PO Box 9108, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 24 361 1925, E-mail:
• Zuzana Trhlinova Khendriche, Dept of Regional Studies, Economics and Public Administration, University of Economics Prague, Czech Republic, Tel: +42 022 409 5546, E-mail:

• Henrik Halkier, University of Aalborg, Denmark, Tel: +45 96 359 138, E-mail
• Marek Kozak, University of Warsaw, Poland, Tel: +48 (0)22 826 1654, E-mail:

• Brian Graham, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK, Tel +44(0)2870 323399, E-mail:
• Pavel Chromy, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, Tel: +420 221 995 515, E-mail:

• Paul Benneworth, University of Newcastle, UK, Tel: +44 (0)191 222 8015, E-mail:
• Gert-Jan Hospers, University of Twente, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 (0) 453 894 554, E-mail:

• Colin Lindsay, Napier University, Edinburgh, UK, Tel: +44 131 455 4315, E-mail:
• Lionel Guillemot, University of Angers, Angers, France, Tel: +33 (0)241 226 353, E-mail:

• Andy Pike, University of Newcastle, UK, Tel: +44 (0)191 222 8011, Email:
• Mário Vale, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, Tel: +35 121 7940218, Email:

• Oto Potluka, IREAS, Institute for Structural Policy, Stepanska 45, Prague 1, 110 00, the Czech Republic, Tel: +420 222 230 259, Email:

• Gerd Lintz, Institute of Ecological and Regional Development, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0)351 4679-234, Email:
• Peter Wirth, Institute of Ecological and Regional Development, Dresden, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0)351 4679-232, Email: