New Challenges of Economic and Business Development-2016: Society, Innovations and Collaborative Economy
Riga, 12-14 May 2016
The 8th international scientific conference “New Challenges of Economic and Business Development – 2016” has a particular focus on society, innovations and collaborative economy. Nowadays we are experiencing rapid changes in economic, social, environmental, technological, demographic and other developments. Finite resources, climate change, pollution, growing world population, ageing of European population, raising demand, migrant crisis and need for resilience require new solutions. During the conference we will seek how we can create viable responses to the challenges we face. We invite researchers, practitioners, policy makers and other stakeholders to share their research results and best practices in using challenges as opportunities to create innovations, improve social wellbeing, and develop collaborative economy. The research displaying economic, governmental and socio-cultural perspectives of above mentioned issues is highly appreciated for the conference.
Conference will be organized in plenary session, several parallel sessions and networking session:
- International Economics and Globalization (Prof. Erika Sumilo, Asoc.prof. Janis Priede, prof. Elena Dubra)
- Conscience Economy and Societal Innovations (Asoc. Prof. Dzineta Dimante)
- Depopulation: Threats and Challenges (Prof. Juris Krumins)
- Intellectual Capital Management and Innovations (Prof. Andris Denins)
- Finance, Banking and Accounting (Asoc. Prof. Ramona Rupeika-Apoga, Prof. Trond Randoy)
- Human Development and Management Education (Prof. Inesa Voroncuka, Asoc. Prof. Uldis Rozevskis)
- Marketing (Prof. Biruta Sloka, Asoc. Prof. Anda Batraga, Prof. Daina Skiltere, Prof. Ligita Simanskiene)
- Modelling in Economics and Business (Prof. M. Hazans )
- Contemporary Management (Assistant Prof. Andrejs Cekuls, Assistant Prof. Karlis Purmalis)
- Regional Development and Cohesion (Prof. Tatjana Muravska)
Participants are encouraged to share with us their research proposals and welcome the peers from different countries to cooperate with them in future publications. Conference participants can offer research proposals for collaboration by contacting conference organizers at conference2016@lu.lv.
Dr. Peter Zettinig (University Research Fellow, Docent. Department of Marketing & International Business, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku)
Plenary session (on 13 May, 2016) The Duality of Stability and Change in Organizations – reflections on business opportunity and crisis 
Peter serves as Senior Research Fellow at the Turku School of Economics. As member of the International Business faculty he is deeply involved in the development of global innovation management and international business strategy on Masters and executive degree levels, besides supervising doctoral candidates. Peter is strongly engaged in different industrial projects, currently focused on global maritime multinationals on one and SME internationalization on the other side, which are funded by different agencies of the Finnish state.
His research interests spin around core topics related to strategy and international business, with a particular interest in organizational change on multiple levels. His research is published in international journals such as Thunderbird International Business Review, European Management Journal, Journal of Transnational Management, Foresight, Organizational Dynamics, Critical Perspectives on International Business, Journal of Teaching in International Business, European Journal of Innovation Management, European Business Review, Competitiveness Review, and International Journal of Cross Cultural Management – among others.
Professor Eleftherios (El) Thalassinos (University of Piraeus, Greece)
Plenary session (on 13 May, 2016) The European Sovereign Debt Crisis and the Role of Credit Swaps
El holds a Ph.D. in Quantitative Methods and International Economics from the University of Illinois Chicago, (Summa Cum Laude, 1983), an M.B.A. in International Business and Finance from De-Paul University of Chicago, (Summa Cum Laude, 1979) and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Athens (Summa Cum Laude, 1976). He has received a Doctor Honorius Causa Degree in Economics from Danube’s University of Galati, Romania in 2013 and from the University of Craiova, Romania in 2015. He is Professor of Economics at the University of Piraeus Greece since 1984 and Visiting Professor in several Universities in Europe and the USA. He holds a European Chair Jean Monnet (since 1997) and a European Module (in 1993).
El is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the European Research Studies Journal www.ersj.eu (since 1998) the International Journal of Economics and Business Administration www.ijeba.com and the International Journal in Maritime, Trade & Economic Issues www.ijmtei.com. He is also the Founder and the Scientific Chair of the International Conference on Applied Business and Economics, ICABE www.icabe.gr (since 2004) and of the International Strategic Management Association, ISMA www.isma-edu.eu (since 1993).
El is the author of more than 200 articles in Quantitative Methods, European Integration and Financial Economics published in several international journals. One of them titled “The European Sovereign Debt Crisis and the Role of Credit Swaps” has been included as a Chapter book in the WSPC Handbook of Futures Markets in memory of Late Milton Miller (Nobel in Economics 1990) edited by the World Scientific Handbook in Financial Economic Series, issue 5, 2015. He has an extensive record in European research projects (more than 50) as leader or member of research teams, currently the leader of a European Research Group of Experts consisting of 14 European Universities on the Political Economy of EMU www.jeanmonnet-emu.eu and of a Centre of Excellence in Shipping Trade and Transport www.jmce-piraeus.eu
Prof. Trond Randøy (University of Agder, Norway)
Doctoral seminar (on 12 May, 2016) How to get published internationally in Business Administration and Economics
Trond Randøy is Professor of International Business at the School of Business and Law, University of Agder, Norway. Professor Randøy has a PhD from the Norwegian School of Economics and a MBA from the University of Oregon, USA. His research focuses on international business, corporate governance, and entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Trond Randøy is currently serving on three boards and has co-founded businesses in Norway, USA and Africa.
Asoc. Prof. Rotem Shneor (University of Agder, Norway)
Doctoral seminar (on 12 May, 2016) How to get published internationally in Business Administration and Economics
Rotem Shneor is an associate professor at the University of Agder (UiA), the academic director of the university's Center of Entrepreneurship, and the head of the Nordic Crowdfunding Alliance. Thus far, he has been teaching a variety of courses in Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Consumer Behavior at bachelor, master and PhD levels. His research includes international and cross-cultural marketing, internet marketing, cognitive aspects of entrepreneurship, cultural aspects of entrepreneurship, and crowdfunding. He has contributed a number of chapters to research-focused edited books, as well as published in journals such as Cross Cultural Management, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Baltic Journal of Management and the Journal of Product & Brand Management.
Scientific Programme Committee
Inta Brūna, Dr.oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Jean D. Avenel, Dr., Professor, University Paris XII (France)
Ludmila Bandeviča, Dr. habil. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Anda Batraga, Dr. oec., Associate Professor, University of Latvia
Howard R. Balanoff, Dr., Professor, Texas State University (USA)
Andrejs Cekuls, Dr.oec., associate Professor, University of Latvia
Gaļina Černova, Dr. habil. oec., Professor, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia)
Rasa Daugėlienė, Dr., Associate Professor, Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania)
Andris Denins, Dr. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Džineta Dimante, Dr.oec., Associate Professor, University of Latvia
Elena Dubra, Dr.oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Simon Grima, Dr., Lecturer, University of Malta
Toomas Haldma, Dr., Professor, Tartu University (Estonia)
Arto Haveri, Dr., Professor, Tampere University (Finland)
Mihails Hazans, Dr., Professor, University of Latvia
Kari Hypponen, Dr., University of Turku, Finland Baltic Sea Region University Network (BSRUN)
Gundars Kaupins, Dr., Professor, Boise University (USA)
Juris Krūmiņš, Dr. habil. oec, Professor, University of Latvia
Natalija Kuzņecova, Dr. habil. oec., Professor, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia)
Karl-Heinz Leitner, Dr., AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (Germany)
Per Lind, Dr., Professor, Uppsala University (Sweden)
Tatjana Muravska, Dr.oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Shin’ya Nagasawa, Dr., Professor, Waseda University (Japan)
Josef Neuert, Dr., Professor, University of Applied Sciences Kufstein (Austria)
Tiiu Paas, Dr. habil. oec., Professor, Tartu University (Estonia)
Gunnar Prause, Dr., Professor, Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia)
Jānis Priede, Dr. oec., Associated Professor, University of Latvia
Māris Purgailis, Dr. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Kārlis Purmalis, Dr. oec., Assistant Professor, University of Latvia
Alari Purju, Dr., Professor, Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia)
Trond Randoy, Dr., Professor, University of Agder (Norway)
Inna Romānova, Dr. oec., Associate Professor, University of Latvia
Uldis Rozevskis, Dr. oec., Associated Professor, University of Latvia
Ramona Rupeika-Apoga, Dr.oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Eric Schoop, Dr., Professor, Dresden Technical University (Germany)
Bruno Sergi, Dr., Professor, Messina University (Italy)
Rasa Snapstiene, Dr., Associate Professor, Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania)
Biruta Sloka, Dr.oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Aija van der Steina, Dr. oec., Senior Researcher, University of Latvia
Arild Sæther, Professor, Agder University (Norway)
Baiba Šavriņa, Dr. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Ligita Šimanskienė, Dr., Professor, Klaipeda University (Lithuania)
Roberts Škapars, Dr .oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Daina Šķiltere, Dr. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Ērika Šumilo, Dr. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Maaja Vadi, Dr., Professor, Tartu University (Estonia)
Inesa Vorončuka, Dr. oec., Professor, University of Latvia
Organizing Committee
Džineta Dimante, University of Latvia (Coordination of Committees work)
Biruta Sloka, University of Latvia (Coordination of conference)
Aija van der Steina, University of Latvia (Coordination of conference)
Kaspars Čikste, University of Latvia (Finances, sponsoring)
Anda Batraga, University of Latvia (Social programme)
Kristīne Bērziņa, University of Latvia (Social programme)
Ella Jākobsone, University of Latvia (Correspondence, registration)
Mārtiņš Danusēvičs, University of Latvia (IT support, design)
Rita Žuka, University of Latvia (Conference webpage design and update)
Detailed Conference Programme - Conference full programme (.pdf)
Thursday, 12 May, 2016
15:00 – 16:00 Prof. Trond Randoy and Assoc. Prof. Rotem Shneor , University of Agder, Norway "How to get published internationally in Business Administration and Economics" (Faculty of Economics and Management, Aspazijas blvd. 5, Room 518)
16:30 – 19:30 Registration for the conference (University of Latvia main building lobby, Raina blvd. 19)
17:30 – 19:30 Welcome cocktail and participants networking hosted by Rector of University of Latvia Dr. habil., Prof. Indrikis Muiznieks (cafeteria in University of Latvia main building, Raina blvd. 19)
Friday, 13 May, 2016
8:30 – 9:30 Registration for conference (University of Latvia main building, Raina blvd. 19)
11:15–16:30 Registration for conference (Faculty of Economics and Management, Aspazijas blvd. 5)
9:30 – 11:00 Plenary session (Small Aula, University of Latvia main building, Raina blvd. 19)
Opening: Dr., Prof. Janis Ikstens, Vice-rector of University of Latvia and Acting dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management.
Keynote speeches: Dr., University Research Fellow, Docent Peter Zettinig, University of Turku, Finland, “The Duality of Stability and Change in Organizations – reflections on business opportunity and crisis”
Dr., Professor Eleftherios Thalassinos, University of Piraeus, Greece "The European Sovereign Debt Crisis and the Role of Credit Swaps"
Chairs: Dr., Assoc. Prof. Dzineta Dimante, Vice-dean for Research; Dr., Assoc. Prof. Janis Priede, Vice-dean for Academic Affairs
11:30 – 13:00 Parallel sessions – Part I (Faculty of Economics and Management, Aspazijas blvd. 5)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (cafeteria in Faculty of Economics and Management, Aspazijas blvd. 5)
14:15 – 16:00 Parallel sessions – Part II (Faculty of Economics and Management, Aspazijas blvd. 5)
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee break
16:30 – 17:45 Workshop „Research partner speed dating” in cooperation with Creativity Week radi!. Faculty of Economics and Management, Aspazijas blvd. 5, Room 518.
We seek partners for international cooperation in research. Participants of the conference are invited to prepare posters with their research proposals - aim of the study, methods used, initial results of the study, if any, and what would you expect from the research partners.
18:00 – 21:00 Reception of conference participants hosted by Dr. habil., Prof. Juris Krumins (cafeteria in University of Latvia main building, Raina blvd. 19)
Saturday, 14 May, 2016
9:30 brief walking excursion through Old Riga and common walk across the river Daugava to the new University of Latvia campus (Jelgavas Str. 1)
10:30 - 11:00 excursion around the Academic Center for Natural Sciences of the University of Latvia
11:00 - 12:30 Concluding session in cooperation with Creativity week radi! (Academic Center for Natural Sciences, Jelgavas Str. 1, Room 107).
Aija Freimane, Dr.art Assistant Professor at the Latvian Academy of Art will present a design thinking workshop entitled "Design footprints for Mining the Future". The workshop will include a presentation on the results of a study "Design footprints. Event and design interaction timeline".
In this workshop we will model possible scenarios of future national sustainable prosperity and population projections. Using design research and design thinking methods, representatives of various sectors will jointly develop a strategy to achieve a desired future model.
12:30-13:15 Conference closing in the inner yard of the Academic Center for Natural Sciences
13:30 - 14:30 excursion around National Library (Mukusalas Str. 3)