Suchergebnisse

An unconventional conference EFFICIENCY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: HOW MANAGERIAL THEORIES MAY HELP AND WHAT PRACTITIONERS MAY ADVISE took place at Mykolas Romeris University. This conference was unconventional because practical rather that scientific aspects were emphasized. Scientists from universities of Šiauliai, Kaunas, and Vilnius as well as other interested parties debated how the science and practice of management (administration) may be brought closer together.

We can draw the conclusion that in Lithuania, which parted with totalitarianism only two decades ago, the wish of the political elite to identify with democracy processes that take place in the old democratic countries is noticeable, therefore, talks about democracy are a prevalent, but not an instrumental approach, i.e., discussions about important actions that would lead to the increase of democracy. Consequently, the gap between ordinary citizen and political elite attitudes towards democracy is increasing. The research revealed that a considerable part of the heads of Lithuanian municipalities is not prone to verifying the functioning of instruments of democracy with the use of research. The answers of participants in the research Local Democracy 2009 demonstrate that they do not tend to idealize local democratic processes that take place in municipalities, and the fact that opinions of three expert groups on almost all main issues of local democracy functioning in municipalities are different shows a lack of systemic work in the development of local instruments of democracy in municipalities.

We can draw the conclusion that in Lithuania, which parted with totalitarianism only two decades ago, the wish of the political elite to identify with democracy processes that take place in the old democratic countries is noticeable, therefore, talks about democracy are a prevalent, but not an instrumental approach, i.e., discussions about important actions that would lead to the increase of democracy. Consequently, the gap between ordinary citizen and political elite attitudes towards democracy is increasing. The research revealed that a considerable part of the heads of Lithuanian municipalities is not prone to verifying the functioning of instruments of democracy with the use of research. The answers of participants in the research Local Democracy 2009 demonstrate that they do not tend to idealize local democratic processes that take place in municipalities, and the fact that opinions of three expert groups on almost all main issues of local democracy functioning in municipalities are different shows a lack of systemic work in the development of local instruments of democracy in municipalities.

The article discusses the fact that one of the most important problems in the contradictory democracy creation process is finding ways to reinforce the participation of society members in democratic processes that take place in municipalities. With the decrease of citizen participation in one of the main democracy consolidation measures— in elections—a serious problem arises not only in government legitimization, but also in democracy and citizenship of society itself. The use of other forms of citizen participation in municipalities can and must compensate the deficit of democracy in the country. The problem lies in the perception of democracy, and the perception will improve if we see democracy functioning in a specific sphere of public life or activity, in this case—in municipalities. The aim of the article is to assess how certain instruments function in Lithuanian municipalities based on the latest trends of democracy expression in democratic countries. The object is the local instruments of democracy in municipalities. For this aim and this object the following research methods were used: analysis of scientific literature and empiricalexperimental research. The article is relevant for scientists who will be able to discuss the proposed insights and for practitioners, first of all, municipality politicians, employees of administrations, and active citizens who will be able to develop local democracy more systematically based on given theoretical insights and data from the empirical research. The theoretical part of this article is based on the insights of British professor Colin Crouch. Crouch analyses data from research of Local Democracy 2009 performed by scientists from Mykolas Romeris University and Kaunas University of Technology that reveal certain trends of local democracy in Lithuanian municipalities. We can draw the conclusion that in Lithuania, which parted with totalitarianism only two decades ago, the wish of the political elite to identify with democracy processes that take place in the old democratic countries is noticeable, therefore, talks about democracy are a prevalent, but not an instrumental approach, i.e., discussions about important actions that would lead to the increase of democracy. Consequently, the gap between ordinary citizen and political elite attitudes towards democracy is increasing. The research revealed that a considerable part of the heads of Lithuanian municipalities is not prone to verifying the functioning of instruments of democracy with the use of research. The answers of participants in the research Local Democracy 2009 demonstrate that they do not tend to idealize local democratic processes that take place in municipalities, and the fact that opinions of three expert groups on almost all main issues of local democracy functioning in municipalities are different shows a lack of systemic work in the development of local instruments of democracy in municipalities. ; Šiuolaikinio pasaulio raida meta daug ir esminių iššūkių demokratiniam mąstymui. Rinkos ir demokratijos suaugimas nacionalinės valstybės mastu "išjudino" moderniosios demokratijos sampratų ir iš modelių turinio kylančias įtampas. Globalizacijos poveikis tolesnei demokratijos raidai kelia daug neatsakytų klausimų. Vieni mato išeitį demokratijos globalizacijos perspektyvoje, kiti ieško galimybių stiprinti nacionalinių valstybių demokratiją. Straipsnyje aptariama, kad prieštaringame demokratijos kūrimo procese viena svarbiausių problemų yra rasti būdų stiprinti visuomenės narių dalyvavimą demokratijos procesuose savivaldybėse. Mažėjant piliečių dalyvavimui vienoje iš pagrindinių demokratijos įtvirtinimo būdų – rinkimuose, iškyla labai rimta ne tik valdžios legitimacijos, bet ir pačios visuomenės demokratiškumo ir pilietiškumo problema. Kitų piliečių dalyvavimo formų naudojimas savivaldybėse gali ir privalo kompensuoti demokratijos deficitą valstybėje. Straipsnyje analizuojami tyrimo Vietos demokratija 2009 duomenys parodo tam tikras vietos demokratijos tendencijas, išryškėjančias Lietuvos savivaldybėse.

The article presents the conception of the process of public policy analysis of public policy scientists. The author has chosen the political process model of William N. Dunn, 2006, and, considering it as an ideal, analyses the public policy events in Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and on 11 March 1990 and proves that these events in Lithuania are an ideal example of the application of a policy formation model. The author applies the theoretical model of the public policy process to the case of Lithuania in 1990 by using the method of comparative analysis. The public policy formation model of Lithuania is analyzed based on authors, who are researchers of the public policy process—historians and contemporaries, participants of the declaration of the Act of Independence of 11 March 1990. This article seeks to present the Lithuanian discourse of the public policy analysis.The problem (the public policy process, going on in Lithuania and related to the restoration of independence in 1990) corresponds to the chosen theoretical model (that we consider to be ideal) of the political process analysis. The aim of this article is to add to the bibliography of scientific articles, which analyse the practical expression of theoretical models, and to show that public policy before the adoption of the Act of the Restoration of Independence of March 11 and during its adoption corresponded to the ideal model of the public policy process. Seeking to reach this aim we will solve the following tasks: we will discuss the conception of an ideal model of the public policy process; we will substantiate, why events of Lithuanian public policy, related to the Act of the Restoration of Independence of Lithuania of March 11, correspond to one of the ideal models of the public policy process, and we will reveal several methods of the political process analysis that were expressed during the restoration of independence in Lithuania on March 11. The article analyses how William N. Dunn's phases of public policy were expressed in the public policy of Lithuania before March 11, 1990, and after the declaration of independence. Dunn's phases of public policy are: agenda setting (selected and appointed officials formulate an agenda and add problems to it), policy formulation (an alternative problem solving policy is formulated), policy introduction (the necessary laws are being passed), policy implementation (administrative subdivisions mobilize resources and human resources), policy assessment (certain structures identify, whether the policy has reached the goals), policy correction (the necessary changes are executed), policy continuation (it is acknowledged that the policy has lost its topicality, and new goals are emerging), and policy termination (people, responsible for assessment and supervision, determine that the policy is not necessary anymore). The main conclusion is that having analysed the public policy process in Lithuania twenty years ago, we see that it corresponds to the ideal model of the public policy process; therefore it is a precedent that should be followed in Lithuanian public policy, making politics more professional and regarding theoretical models of the public policy process when making decisions. ; Straipsnyje pateikiama viešosios politikos mokslininkų viešosios politikos analizės proceso samprata. Autorius pasirinko W. Dunno (William N. Dunn, 2006) politinio proceso modelį, jį laiko idealiu ir nagrinėdamas Lietuvos viešosios politikos įvykius 1990 m. prieš kovo 11 d. ir kovo 11 d. įrodinėja, kad šie Lietuvoje vykę įvykiai yra idealus politikos formavimo modelio pritaikymo pavyzdys . Autorius viešosios politikos proceso teorinį modelį 1990 m. Lietuvos atvejui taiko lyginamosios analizės metodu. Lietuvos viešosios politikos formavimo modelis analizuojamas remiantis autoriais, kurie yra viešosios politikos proceso tyrinėtojai – istorikai ir amžininkai – kovo 11 d. Nepriklausomybės akto paskelbimo dalyviai. Šiuo straipsniu siekiama parodyti lietuvišką viešosios politikos analizės diskursą.

The system consists of the following components: employees of township involve people from local communities in the performance of their functions: proactiveness of the head of township when forming deliberative township councils: resources arc allotted in the municipal budget for local community projects; there is an employee in the administration of the municipality who coordinates community initiatives; township employees encourage local communities to prepare development plans for their localities: people of local communities systematically assess functions of township; coordinative meetings of the CC take place at the municipality; representatives (provided for in the Law on Self-Governance) of the populated locality have more rights: the elder is a member of the committee of local communities; participation of politicians from the municipality and administration executives in events of local communities and stimulation of their activities. Nevertheless, it appeared that most actions were not taken. Therefore, functionality of local communities at Lithuanian villages and towns is poor.

The system consists of the following components: employees of township involve people from local communities in the performance of their functions: proactiveness of the head of township when forming deliberative township councils: resources arc allotted in the municipal budget for local community projects; there is an employee in the administration of the municipality who coordinates community initiatives; township employees encourage local communities to prepare development plans for their localities: people of local communities systematically assess functions of township; coordinative meetings of the CC take place at the municipality; representatives (provided for in the Law on Self-Governance) of the populated locality have more rights: the elder is a member of the committee of local communities; participation of politicians from the municipality and administration executives in events of local communities and stimulation of their activities. Nevertheless, it appeared that most actions were not taken. Therefore, functionality of local communities at Lithuanian villages and towns is poor.

The dissertation was prepared in 2000–2004 at the Vilnius Pedagogical University and in 2004-2007 at Mykolas Romeris University, The dissertation is defend without PhD studies Scientific supervisor: Prof. Habil. Dr. Stasys Puškorius (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration, 03S). The doctoral dissertation will be defended at the Management and Administration Research Council of Mykolas Romeris University: Chairman of the Council: Prof. Habil. Dr. Adolfas Kaziliūnas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration, 03S) Members: Prof. Dr. Eugenijus Chlivickas (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration, 03S) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jolanta Palidauskaitė (Kaunass University of Technology, Social Science, Sociology 05S) Prof. Dr. Alvydas Pumputis (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Law 01S) Prof. Habil. Dr. Stasys Puškorius (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration 03S) Opponents: Prof. Habil. Dr. Borisas Melnikas (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration 03S) Prof. Habil. Dr. Vygantas K. Paulikas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration 03S) The public defence of the doctoral dissertation will take place at Management and Administration Research Council on 28th December, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the Senate Hall of Mykolas Romeris University (Room C-230). Address: Ateities str. 20, LT-08303 Vilnius, Lithuania The summary of the doctoral dissertation was sent out on 20th November, 2007. The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of the Mykolas Romeris University and Lithuanian National Library of Martynas Mazvydas (Gedimino Av. 51, Vilnius). Introduction In the modern world the mindset of people as well as self-organization factors of various social groups change. Traditional ideologies that used to reflect the thinking of the majority of people in the past are now losing their popularity, and new ideas appear as unlimited pluralism settles in. Sometimes these ideas are old ones that have come from the past. An example would be the idea of communitarianism – some followers claim that this idea should already be called an ideology. When analysing communitarian ideas, most of them may be found in the ideologies of conservatives, Christian democrats, and social utopians or even anarchists–communists." Therefore it is necessary for contemporary man to choose from many strong or weaker ideological attitudes and to solve the dual problem: to identify new values that are often related with one of the segments of the "new public management" – participation of citizens and communities. So one of the traditional values, closely related with the "new public management" when reforming the public sector (especially when talking about self-governance), is considered more often in the Western democratic states nowadays – this value is sociality. Sociality in the democratic world in the context of public administration was and still is considered to be a special value that defines the quality of social organizations, and therefore it is promoted in various ways in the context of creating civil society, and it is one of the factors of modernisation of the public sector. Analysis of local communities from the managerial point of view may be based on the term of subsidiarity (discretion, additionality) that states that what may be done better by a community should not be done by the state. But where the forces of one man or a community are not enough, society and the state should support their efforts according to means. According to the classical definition of subsidiarity, matters that can be handled by individuals on their own should not be taken from them and assigned to the society as in this way justice would be offended. Scientific novelty of the dissertation may be defined by the following statements: • There are no dissertations in the area of public administration that would analyse especially the functionality of local communities, so this attempt to define and analyse the functionality of non-formal local communities of villages and towns allows to expect polemic with works of other authors that analyse the problem of sociality on the whole; • Factors that influence the functionality of contemporary local community have not been grouped and analysed till now; • The definition of factors and actions of local community functionality will enable to expect a faster realisation and implementation of these principles in practice for Lithuania that is developing state and self-governance local administration based on the principles of de-centralisation and subsidiarity; • The problems and directions of creation, development and expansion of local community functionality were analysed thoroughly and systematically, and theoretical and practical recommendations for solving these problems were prepared for the first time in Lithuania; • The concept that defines a functional local community has not been formed. Practical advantage of the dissertation. The actions intended by the author if performed by institutions existing in local communities will enable politicians, public officials and active citizens to draw attention to certain factors that influence the functionality of local communities and to choose certain managerial actions when creating functional local communities. When defining functional local community the author based himself on theoretical material as well as on personal experience because, having worked as a mayor of a regional municipality for five years, he had set the stimulation of mustering people in local communities as one of his strategic goals. From this point of view the dissertation will be useful for praticians because, according to Richard Fenn, the analysis of all subjects, especially the phenomenon of society, requires the researcher to indulge into institutional details – to experience institutions' habits, day-to-day life, successes and misfortunes, as they are experienced by all who live [169, p. 31]. Scientific problem. Lately sociality has been discussed a lot, but there has been no discussion about what it is in local communities, and only one its active form is acknowledged – the existence of a formalised community centre (registered community centres are counted). No attempt is made for local communities in villages and towns to be functional (while that is the basis of self-governance), and no analysis is performed about what its functionality as well as the efficiency of self-governance depends on. The research emphasizes that: • As traditional values of public life are vanishing, the appearing niche is being filled by negative phenomena that make public life more problematic (empirical data collected on alcoholism, neglect of children, criminality); there is discussion about whether this may be resisted by organising citizens into self-organization groups (cultural, charity, youth groups were researched) thus making local communities functional so that they may contribute to the efficiency of public life; • The functionality of villages and towns (that we call local communities) of contemporary Lithuania has withered or manifests itself episodically, while the re-creation of functionality is one of the activity criteria of public institutions and dimensional expression of democratic (real self-governance) management; • It has been noticed that social capital in Western countries is constantly rebuilding itself thus strengthening administrative structures – local government (municipality, eldership) and local institutions (the church, school, cultural institutions, etc.), citizen initiatives, so it should be discussed if functional local community could be one of such links since full-fledged social capital is not functioning yet in our country? The aim of the dissertation is to indicate that systematic managerial actions performed in certain factors may create functional local communities in Lithuanian villages and towns. Goals of the dissertation: 1. to determine factors that influence local community; 2. to define functional local community; 3. to determine the possibilities of institutions existing in local communities to form a functional local community; 4. to plan specific actions and functions of institutions when creating functional local communities; 5. to prepare practical recommendations for interested government institutions, formal and non-formal citizen groups what priority actions should be performed when creating functional local communities. Research object is non-formal local communities of Lithuanian villages and towns, the institution system that creates functional communities. Research subject is functional local communities. Hypotheses: 1. It is presumable that certain factors have a bigger influence on the creation of functional local community. 2. It is presumable that functional local community will start appearing if a system of factors that influence sociality will be formed in institutions of local self-governance (eldership, school, cultural institutions), parishes, and when organising social and physical security in villages and towns. CONTENTS OF THE DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Introduction Chapter 1. Analysis of Functionality of Local Communities in the Works of Western and Lithuanian Scientists and in EU Documents. 1.1. Works of Western Scientists and EU Documents about Functionality of Local Communities. 1.2. Works of Lithuanian Scientists on the Functionality of Local Communities. 1.3. Concepts Related to Local Community. 1.4. Conclusions. Chapter 2. Development of Local Communities in Lithuania in the 20th Century. 2.1. Local Communities in Lithuania before World War II. 2.2. The Soviet Period – Interrupted Tradition of Sociality. 2.3. Local Community in Lithuania after the Restoration of Ind

The dissertation was prepared in 2000–2004 at the Vilnius Pedagogical University and in 2004-2007 at Mykolas Romeris University, The dissertation is defend without PhD studies Scientific supervisor: Prof. Habil. Dr. Stasys Puškorius (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration, 03S). The doctoral dissertation will be defended at the Management and Administration Research Council of Mykolas Romeris University: Chairman of the Council: Prof. Habil. Dr. Adolfas Kaziliūnas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration, 03S) Members: Prof. Dr. Eugenijus Chlivickas (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration, 03S) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jolanta Palidauskaitė (Kaunass University of Technology, Social Science, Sociology 05S) Prof. Dr. Alvydas Pumputis (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Law 01S) Prof. Habil. Dr. Stasys Puškorius (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration 03S) Opponents: Prof. Habil. Dr. Borisas Melnikas (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration 03S) Prof. Habil. Dr. Vygantas K. Paulikas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Management and Administration 03S) The public defence of the doctoral dissertation will take place at Management and Administration Research Council on 28th December, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the Senate Hall of Mykolas Romeris University (Room C-230). Address: Ateities str. 20, LT-08303 Vilnius, Lithuania The summary of the doctoral dissertation was sent out on 20th November, 2007. The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of the Mykolas Romeris University and Lithuanian National Library of Martynas Mazvydas (Gedimino Av. 51, Vilnius). Introduction In the modern world the mindset of people as well as self-organization factors of various social groups change. Traditional ideologies that used to reflect the thinking of the majority of people in the past are now losing their popularity, and new ideas appear as unlimited pluralism settles in. Sometimes these ideas are old ones that have come from the past. An example would be the idea of communitarianism – some followers claim that this idea should already be called an ideology. When analysing communitarian ideas, most of them may be found in the ideologies of conservatives, Christian democrats, and social utopians or even anarchists–communists." Therefore it is necessary for contemporary man to choose from many strong or weaker ideological attitudes and to solve the dual problem: to identify new values that are often related with one of the segments of the "new public management" – participation of citizens and communities. So one of the traditional values, closely related with the "new public management" when reforming the public sector (especially when talking about self-governance), is considered more often in the Western democratic states nowadays – this value is sociality. Sociality in the democratic world in the context of public administration was and still is considered to be a special value that defines the quality of social organizations, and therefore it is promoted in various ways in the context of creating civil society, and it is one of the factors of modernisation of the public sector. Analysis of local communities from the managerial point of view may be based on the term of subsidiarity (discretion, additionality) that states that what may be done better by a community should not be done by the state. But where the forces of one man or a community are not enough, society and the state should support their efforts according to means. According to the classical definition of subsidiarity, matters that can be handled by individuals on their own should not be taken from them and assigned to the society as in this way justice would be offended. Scientific novelty of the dissertation may be defined by the following statements: • There are no dissertations in the area of public administration that would analyse especially the functionality of local communities, so this attempt to define and analyse the functionality of non-formal local communities of villages and towns allows to expect polemic with works of other authors that analyse the problem of sociality on the whole; • Factors that influence the functionality of contemporary local community have not been grouped and analysed till now; • The definition of factors and actions of local community functionality will enable to expect a faster realisation and implementation of these principles in practice for Lithuania that is developing state and self-governance local administration based on the principles of de-centralisation and subsidiarity; • The problems and directions of creation, development and expansion of local community functionality were analysed thoroughly and systematically, and theoretical and practical recommendations for solving these problems were prepared for the first time in Lithuania; • The concept that defines a functional local community has not been formed. Practical advantage of the dissertation. The actions intended by the author if performed by institutions existing in local communities will enable politicians, public officials and active citizens to draw attention to certain factors that influence the functionality of local communities and to choose certain managerial actions when creating functional local communities. When defining functional local community the author based himself on theoretical material as well as on personal experience because, having worked as a mayor of a regional municipality for five years, he had set the stimulation of mustering people in local communities as one of his strategic goals. From this point of view the dissertation will be useful for praticians because, according to Richard Fenn, the analysis of all subjects, especially the phenomenon of society, requires the researcher to indulge into institutional details – to experience institutions' habits, day-to-day life, successes and misfortunes, as they are experienced by all who live [169, p. 31]. Scientific problem. Lately sociality has been discussed a lot, but there has been no discussion about what it is in local communities, and only one its active form is acknowledged – the existence of a formalised community centre (registered community centres are counted). No attempt is made for local communities in villages and towns to be functional (while that is the basis of self-governance), and no analysis is performed about what its functionality as well as the efficiency of self-governance depends on. The research emphasizes that: • As traditional values of public life are vanishing, the appearing niche is being filled by negative phenomena that make public life more problematic (empirical data collected on alcoholism, neglect of children, criminality); there is discussion about whether this may be resisted by organising citizens into self-organization groups (cultural, charity, youth groups were researched) thus making local communities functional so that they may contribute to the efficiency of public life; • The functionality of villages and towns (that we call local communities) of contemporary Lithuania has withered or manifests itself episodically, while the re-creation of functionality is one of the activity criteria of public institutions and dimensional expression of democratic (real self-governance) management; • It has been noticed that social capital in Western countries is constantly rebuilding itself thus strengthening administrative structures – local government (municipality, eldership) and local institutions (the church, school, cultural institutions, etc.), citizen initiatives, so it should be discussed if functional local community could be one of such links since full-fledged social capital is not functioning yet in our country? The aim of the dissertation is to indicate that systematic managerial actions performed in certain factors may create functional local communities in Lithuanian villages and towns. Goals of the dissertation: 1. to determine factors that influence local community; 2. to define functional local community; 3. to determine the possibilities of institutions existing in local communities to form a functional local community; 4. to plan specific actions and functions of institutions when creating functional local communities; 5. to prepare practical recommendations for interested government institutions, formal and non-formal citizen groups what priority actions should be performed when creating functional local communities. Research object is non-formal local communities of Lithuanian villages and towns, the institution system that creates functional communities. Research subject is functional local communities. Hypotheses: 1. It is presumable that certain factors have a bigger influence on the creation of functional local community. 2. It is presumable that functional local community will start appearing if a system of factors that influence sociality will be formed in institutions of local self-governance (eldership, school, cultural institutions), parishes, and when organising social and physical security in villages and towns. CONTENTS OF THE DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Introduction Chapter 1. Analysis of Functionality of Local Communities in the Works of Western and Lithuanian Scientists and in EU Documents. 1.1. Works of Western Scientists and EU Documents about Functionality of Local Communities. 1.2. Works of Lithuanian Scientists on the Functionality of Local Communities. 1.3. Concepts Related to Local Community. 1.4. Conclusions. Chapter 2. Development of Local Communities in Lithuania in the 20th Century. 2.1. Local Communities in Lithuania before World War II. 2.2. The Soviet Period – Interrupted Tradition of Sociality. 2.3. Local Community in Lithuania after the Restoration of Ind

A person's security is an extremely relevant topic in current society because it is a concept reflecting a democratic, modem society. The security of man demands special attention for its importance for a person's full-fledged life in the state, the city, and the local community. Security is not only the protection of the residents' social and physical safety interests, but also the preparation and ability of state institutions to create a system for implementing and defending these interests, to maintain the social stability of society, i.e. effective public administration. The attention of state institutions to the institutions ensuring personal security is constantly growing, but the question of the feeling of personal security still remains very relevant. In order to grasp the importance of safety and the opportunities to strengthen it, the article devotes attention to the local community because a person's life begins and develops in it. Moreover, a discussion about the quality of personal security in the state is impossible without a discussion about personal security in the local community, i.e. the idea let us think globally, but act locally is once again implemented.

A person's security is an extremely relevant topic in current society because it is a concept reflecting a democratic, modem society. The security of man demands special attention for its importance for a person's full-fledged life in the state, the city, and the local community. Security is not only the protection of the residents' social and physical safety interests, but also the preparation and ability of state institutions to create a system for implementing and defending these interests, to maintain the social stability of society, i.e. effective public administration. The attention of state institutions to the institutions ensuring personal security is constantly growing, but the question of the feeling of personal security still remains very relevant. In order to grasp the importance of safety and the opportunities to strengthen it, the article devotes attention to the local community because a person's life begins and develops in it. Moreover, a discussion about the quality of personal security in the state is impossible without a discussion about personal security in the local community, i.e. the idea let us think globally, but act locally is once again implemented.

The aim o f this paper is to analyze the theoretical foundations and practices of parliamentarians' qualification development for a successful functioning of the Parliament and to introduce the empirical research related to the attitudes the Lithuanian parliamentarians towards training and participation in educational programs. The empirical research showed that qualification development of the Lithuanian parliamentarians is not systematic and the attitudes of the Lithuanian parliamentarians towards qualification development are ambiguous: from considerations that such activities are a waste of tax payers' money to taking personal responsibility and active involvement in qualification development. The system of qualification development of the Lithuanian parliamentarians should be improved. Special attention should be paid to the parliamentarians' consciousness, ability to understand their own limitations and readiness to learn.

The aim o f this paper is to analyze the theoretical foundations and practices of parliamentarians' qualification development for a successful functioning of the Parliament and to introduce the empirical research related to the attitudes the Lithuanian parliamentarians towards training and participation in educational programs. The empirical research showed that qualification development of the Lithuanian parliamentarians is not systematic and the attitudes of the Lithuanian parliamentarians towards qualification development are ambiguous: from considerations that such activities are a waste of tax payers' money to taking personal responsibility and active involvement in qualification development. The system of qualification development of the Lithuanian parliamentarians should be improved. Special attention should be paid to the parliamentarians' consciousness, ability to understand their own limitations and readiness to learn.

This paper explores the relation between housing policy and a functional local community. Firstly it presents the housing policy concept itself (a functional local community is one of its components). Then the problem is posed: whether it's possible to carry out a high-quality housing policy without the functional local community. According to the discussed theoretical model, high-quality housing policy contains these criteria: performance objectives, forms of participation, and public and private partnership. The study of 28 in-depth interviews with Vilnius and Kaunas community leaders was carried out in order to find out if a functioning of local community organizations contribute to the quality of housing policy.