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In today’s dynamic, technology-driven, and diverse world of knowledge society, transport organisations should purposefully analyse and assess their operations since they often have to face problems emerging from the lack of knowledge and competencies of logistics specialists. The engineering competencies of logistics specialists are highly appreciated in transport systems. However, the selection of assessment criteria and determination of its importance is a difficult task for managers in this sector. Thus, it is reasonable to apply the multi-criteria methodologies, such as SAW, AHP, MOORA, and VIKOR, whilst determining the importance of criteria describing the competencies of logistics specialists in a transport organisation. Applying the multi-criteria methods provides prerequisites for an objective, precise, and the least time-consuming way to evaluate the engineering competencies of logistics specialists. The analysis of the results enables the most suitable decisions to utilise the significant potential of logistics specialists. The article examines the problem areas for evaluating the competencies of logistics specialists. The current paper presents the evaluation of logistics specialists’ competencies based on the methodology used to determine the importance of criteria (SAW and AHP methods). Additionally, further recommendations are suggested to effectively manage certain corrections on competencies in transport organisations under investigation.

Distance education has influenced the organization of education at the level of systems and schools, the change in the specificity of teachers’ activities, the change in pupils’ learning, and, undoubtedly, the attainment of learning outcomes. The aim of this study is to determine what factors have affected pupils’ learning outcomes in the course of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspective of pupils, pupils’ parents, and teachers. A quantitative study was conducted in order to reveal the impact of distance learning. The positive and negative aspects of distance education became clear. As regards the negative consequences of distance teaching/learning, the results of the study showed that in the teachers’ opinion, the pupils’ learning outcomes generally deteriorated. The positive factors of distance learning influencing the learning process and thus learning outcomes were a comfortable environment, the possibility to use a variety of learning aids available at home, and the possibility to view the lesson records at a time convenient for pupils.

Distance education has gained great interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools all over the world faced the challenge of transferring the traditional education processes to digital platforms. In this context, school communities not only discovered the new opportunities, but also encountered a number of problems when trying to provide high quality distance education and minimise learning losses for students. The rapid transition to distance education has had a negative impact on the academic results and daily routines of the students from all social groups, especially socially vulnerable families. Thus, it has become relevant to research various aspects of students’ learning losses. The purpose of this article is to theoretically substantiate the algorithm intended for assessing the effects of distance education on students’ academic results. The research was based on the methods of scientific literature analysis, secondary data analysis, theoretical modelling, inductive content analysis, and expert evaluation. The algorithm is intended for general education institutions. Results: After conducting scientific literature and secondary data analysis, the theoretical model for assessing the effects of distance education on students’ academic results was developed and substantiated. The model consists of four structural parts, represented by 11 criteria, which reveal the effects of distance education in general education following the appropriate algorithm.

Governments of different countries and healthcare organisations working in various areas face enormous challenges when trying to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and protect employees, their families and communities. Workplaces can be high-risk environments in terms of the virus outbreak and transmission. This paper aims to disclose the ways for workplace safety improvement in dentistry in the context of COVID-19. The authors present the theoretical model of workplace safety improvement with regard to COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures. The expectations, fears and tasks of dental employees at their workplace in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic were investigated based on the systematic literature review and the qualitative empirical study conducted in Lithuania. The study disclosed that unmet employee expectations could lead to different kinds of fear; the most common sources of anxiety are linked to a higher risk of getting infected, a lack or misuse of protection measures and inadequately performed work. Occupational risks are closely related to the components of a workplace system. Therefore, it is important to apply a holistic approach to improve workplace safety, enhance work performance and minimise the negative effects on an employee, an organisation, a patient and a society.

This study analyzed the widespread distance teaching/learning impact in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and assessed distance teaching/learning’s effects on students’ intelligence. The distance teaching/learning impact results were evaluated based on the extensive sample tests conducted by applying the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) methodology. The tests conducted in January–September 2022 were compared with those conducted in the same age groups in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. The research data were processed in the following three stages: Stage I. Overview of the general situation of the research data concerning the variables. The descriptive statistics method was applied when calculating the percentages representing the students’ verbal, non-verbal, and general IQ. Stage II. Estimation of the statistically significant differences between the independent variables. Stage III. Review of the research data. The descriptive statistics method was applied, and the WASI methodology was used to assess the effects of distance teaching/learning on the IQ of 1–12-grade students in the 2017–2019 and 2021–2022 periods. The test sample size was over 2000 respondents who engaged in the study questionnaires and surveys. The effects of distance teaching/learning were assessed in many relevant aspects to identify which factors considerably impacted students’ intelligence during distance teaching/learning. Also, a more extensive analysis of these factors was performed to reveal which of them, during the period of distance teaching/learning, (1) greatly influenced students’ verbal IQ, (2) significantly impacted students’ non-verbal IQ, and (3) had a substantial impact on students’ general IQ. The results of the 2021 tests, conducted after the announcement of the official end of distance teaching/learning due to the pandemic, showed that distance teaching/learning affected students’ IQ positively. Such results can be associated with an increased number of self-study independent tasks, which in turn influenced the growth of creativity. The IQ tests of students born in 2009 revealed that the total IQ of test participants gradually decreased in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 respectively. These results might have been influenced by the then-prevalent education system, favoring educational programs that do not promote IQ development. It is believed that the parents of children born in Lithuania in 2009 were provided more favorable conditions for raising children than the EU standards. Notably, the IQ of students of aged 6–15 tended to grow from 2017 to 2021, but in 2022, a dramatic drop was observed. The restricted socialization and deficiency of live communication could pose one of the primary reasons for the drop in their IQ. The analysis also showed that distance teaching/learning negatively affected all student groups by age. Age groups differed to a positive and negative extent; e.g., during the research, the most considerable negative effect in the student group aged 6–10 years and the uniqueness of students born in 2009, i.e., the overall highest average IQ of students born that year (134 in 2018), were noticed. However, during the five years afterward, students’ IQs decreased (119 in 2022). The analysis of the socio-economic environment allowed for determining a positive trend that could have been influenced by the most favorable program for families established by the government at that time. Furthermore, the study concluded that distance learning had an apparent adverse effect on the IQ of individuals in the 6–19 age group.

This study aims to provide information on the relationship between the accessibility of healthcare and avoidable mortality. Many of the general indicators such as health care expenditures, mortality, life expectancy are insufficient in comparing the national healthcare systems, because they explain only a small amount of diversity caused by socio-economic factors. The study is based on the panel data analysis for the period from 1998 to 2015 in Slovak republic. As the indicator that takes into account socio-economic factors and represents the level of provided healthcare, the depended variable is avoidable mortality. Independent variables represent the availability of healthcare in regions. Models were estimated separately for women and men. The results demonstrate differences between sexes, lower amenable mortality in case of women, correlated to availability of practitioners, dentists, specialists, pharmacies and gynecologists. For men, there is evidence of a relation between amenable mortality and the accessibility of specialists, pediatricians, practitioners and pharmacies.

When evaluating the competitive environment in the context of the pandemic, the pandemic’s global scale must be considered, since all products related to COVID-19 management have no regional competition but rather immediately switch to global competition and compete with similar products or substitutes. It should be noted that no products intended for managing the pandemic were available before its outburst. Even with the onset of the pandemic, not many specialized products, except for some general protection measures, were developed. However, in the two years after the pandemic began, competitive products intended for managing COVID-19 emerged into the market. The global scale of the pandemic automatically created worldwide demand for such products, which leads to a global shift in competitiveness. As a result, the competitive environment for products intended to manage COVID-19 is changing. Research purpose: To evaluate the competitive products—modern and robotized indoor disinfection equipment—available in the market and those under development. Research objectives: To develop a methodology for evaluating the competitive products and to select evaluation criteria and methods; to evaluate the competitive products in terms of their functionality and technical characteristics; and to research the channels and methods employed to launch competitive products into the market and provide analysis of best practice.

The article provides a concept of age diversity management and describes the main differences between different age groups. As analysis shown, age diversity in organizations can be associated with such benefits as improved organization’s image, increased employee motivation and performance, economic returns and profitability and etc. To organizations which are seeking ways how effectively manage age diversity academics recommend pay attention into such areas like: working environment, learning system, knowledge transference and others. Paper analyzes not only the theoretical diversity management characteristics, but also provides number good practice examples. Results of this theoretical study shows that effective communication assurance, well being – health programs development, workplace environment improvement and other aspects are very important when organization think about productive age diversity management.

The research analysis shows that children in mainstream schools suffered from psychological deterioration (aggressive behaviour, depressive moods, despair about academic underachievement, etc.) when governments implemented measures to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, and children’s education took place remotely for a significant period. This was caused by the lack of social contact, which in turn contributed to the lack of knowledge in individual subjects, a deterioration in physical condition (spinal problems, visual impairment, insufficient muscle development), and the development of specific illnesses related to low physical activity. The research aims to identify the factors of distance learning that may affect student learning achievements. The research methods included an analysis of the scientific literature, and document and content analysis. A summary of the research findings found that the COVID-19 school quarantine had adverse effects on the students’ knowledge, social skills, socialisation, and psychological and physical health. It also caused macro- and micro-economic problems. In summary, the research demonstrated that distance education resulted in a decline in the students’ achievements and knowledge, miscommunication with their peers and conflict situations. Because of that, there are health-related concerns and additional financial challenges for parents and educational institutions organising distance education. Households also experienced additional expenditure on the infrastructure necessary for distance learning and tutoring services.