| Abstract [eng] |
The above final project analyses urban competitive abilities as well as factors that predetermine it, also significance and importance of highly – qualified professionals’ knowledge in the development of above abilities. The theoretical part makes attempts to disclose the conception of a modern town/city and the benefits of urban competitive advantages for its companies, population and visitors. Attempts are also made in this part to prove that the place remains to be competitive when its activities of its companies are stable and profitable, their infrastructure is developed, favourable and safe, the population orientated environment, providing with opportunities and possibilities for learning, leisure time and cultural events. It also concludes that highly – qualified professionals, employment of their knowledge and abilities in competition improving and predetermining factors, in introduction of new technologies, search for new ideas and inventive decisions are absolutely necessary for development and improvement of urban competitive abilities. On the basis of theoretical analysis and its results attempts are made to reveal links between competition influencing factors and local highly – qualified professionals. The methodological part of the work introduces to the research design, based on the strategy of mixed methods. It combines quantitative and qualitative data receiving access, employs the document analysis method, written questionnaires/inquiries and the discourse analysis method. An empiric research was made in Šiauliai. In close cooperation with researchers from Scientific Social Research Centre of Šiauliai University a questionnaire for managers of local companies was developed in the December of 2014. 352 respondents were involved in above inquiry and research. In 2014 – 2015 the analysis of headings and articles of local papers “Šiaulių kraštas“ and “Šiaulių Naujienos“ (133 items) on above competition as well as related internal and external factors was made. It was found that local mass media contributes properly to the formation of an approach to Šiauliai as a competitive place. In 2015 the analysis of an actual Šiauliai competiton related situation was made. In that stage data of above 2015 analysis in “Strategic Development Planning for the period of 2015 – 2024“ was employed. It was found that competitive abilities of Šiauliai could hardly be treated as promising. Conditions and environment for activities of highly – qualified professionals are not favourable: low salaries are dominant, whereas job related offers require no high qualification. The local infrastructure of tourism and business is poorly developed, the population misses leisure time and recreation zones. The mass media also forms the image of Šiauliai as a competition loosing place. Decisions of municipal authorities are continuously criticized. There is no information about cooperation of the population, business and local authorities on above issues. Instead, priority is given to negative evaluation of local perspectives. Local companies do believe in positive prospects of further development, however, the growth is planned without changing actual activities or offering new products and service to the market, which would efficiently strengthen competitive abilities of companies and the entire place. Respondents also point to the fact that highly – qualified professionals of these companies are not ready for self-dependent activities, they lack motivation, responsibility and practice for realization of given assignments, which is also a negative symptom of competitive abilities of the place. The final project also provides with recommendations for the municipal leadership, managers of companies and highly – qualified professionals. One of those meant for the last-mentioned is improvement of already available skills and abilities, applying elsewhere gained knowledge for strengthening of Šiauliai competitive abilities. The final project consists of introduction, theoretical, methodological and empiric parts, findings / conclusions and recommendations. Six annexes are also presented. 110 sources (including 75 in foreign languages) were employed in the work. |
