Wood construction waste circularity presents enormous potential to significantly de-crease total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the European Union (EU). Latvia could become a frontrunner due to its historic relationship with forestry, wood construction practises and unused potential of the innovative application of wood. This research examines what the potential of “circular wood” in Latvia is, how ready the Latvian wood house construction sector is to engage in a circular economy and wood waste circularity and whether the legal framework is ready to support wood waste management in the country. This study presents a combined approach for systematic wood construction product circularity assessment that includes a review of existing EU and Latvian frameworks for construction and demolition waste (CDW) management and wood construction, a general analysis of wood waste recycling systems and technologies, a quantitative data analysis of construction waste management in Latvia and qualitative data analysis of the Latvian wood house construction sector, and interviews with a focus group of Latvian wood industry representatives. The Latvian scope has allowed us to clarify the pattern methodology and impact points to be replicated, tested and measured further on a broader scale, in other countries, or throughout the whole EU. The main findings reveal a potential life cycle assessment (LCA) verifying the circularity of wood and limitations of wood construction waste circularity in Latvia in terms of wood house construction industry readiness and a legal framework as well as overall social prejudices for circular construction. Findings indicate an overall awareness and level of willingness to participate and engage in the circular construction models among Latvians; however, proactiveness and support (legal and financial) is expected from the government and municipalities. The recommendations point towards improvements in wood waste data management, the wood construction sector and the overall impact on sustainable development goals.

In the contemporary global context, waste management and the judicious utilization of resources have emerged as pressing concerns. Consequently, the concept of a circular business model has gained prominence as a viable solution. This innovative model reframes waste not as a disposable byproduct but as an opportunity to generate new value, setting it apart from the conventional linear business model, particularly in financial, economic, and operational dimensions. Numerous industries grapple with the issue of excessive waste generation, among them the wine industry, notable for its substantial water and grape waste outputs. This predicament holds significant ramifications both on a global scale and within the specific context of Georgia. Yet, it also presents an innovative avenue for waste recycling. This study draws upon a comprehensive review of internationally recognized literature, noted for their scholarly significance and citation prevalence. In its practical segment, two distinct investment projects have been meticulously developed which seek to evaluate the financial viability of the circular business model in contrast to the conventional linear business model. The investment projects considered are as follows: 1. Under the framework of a linear business model, the company exclusively engages in the production and sale of wine. 2. Within the circular business model paradigm, the company not only produces wine but also harnesses waste processing to yield grape seed oil, which is subsequently marketed alongside wine bottles. Both models undergo rigorous scrutiny, employing a comprehensive analysis of key financial indicators essential for assessing project profitability and efficiency. The outcomes of this investigation reveal that, under identical capital investment conditions, the circular business model surpasses the linear model in terms of profitability. This underscores the potential for sustainable practices within the wine industry and the broader business landscape.

The phenomenon of globalization and its impact on various areas of life are common subjects of scientific debate. In assessments of globalisation often carried out at an abstract theoretical level, there is little empirical data. The level of globalization in separate economic sectors and of impact of globalization on the development of industries are a new and under-studied phenomenon. All systematic studies of globalization evaluation are characterized by the use of different assessment components and factors are chosen using subjective criteria. Analysis, evaluation and application of research carried out and methodologies developed by foreign researchers, allow for an assessment the scope and perspectives of the globalization process in separate industries in the Baltic states. Studied in the paper is the globalization level of separate industries of the Baltic countries during the period from 1996 to 2010 by using the globalization index proposed by S.J. Kobrin. Calculations of globalization indices of the surveyed industries in the Baltic countries showed that, during the studied time period, the level and the pace of globalization of the separate industries were different. However, comparing the trends in the globalization process of the surveyed industries, it appears that the economies of all three Baltic states are integrated into the global world economic system at a fairly high level and growth tendencies of the globalization level still remain in many industries.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.17.2.2180

The main features of the current period of globalization are the formation of integrated markets on the regional and global level, the dissemination of information due to the development of information technology, technology diffusion on a global level, intense development of multinational firms in different countries and decreasing barriers for movement of goods, services, capital and people. Due to the influence of these processes, global trade is growing faster than global output and the flow of foreign direct investment is growing even faster than international trade.The Lithuanian economy, influenced by the globalization process, is becoming increasingly integrated into the global economy. The structure of the Lithuanian economy has undergone drastic changes over the past two decades, and manufacturing is becoming more and more important. Assessing the impact of the manufacturing sector on the country’s economy in terms of generated value added or employment in the sector is under-estimated. Many other sectors are closely related to the manufacturing sector – many are involved in international integration processes of manufacturing indirectly but through an interface with the products of manufacturing.Globalization processes of the manufacturing industry directly and indirectly influence the country's economic development and globalizing trends. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the peculiarities of the development of Lithuanian manufacturing in a context of the modern global economy.In order to evaluate the development of Lithuanian manufacturing and to highlight its features, the analysis of economic indicators reflecting the sectors development - added value, gross output, number of employees, labour productivity, foreign direct investment and international trade indicators, is presented in this article.The analysis of economic indicators has presented the trends in the globalization process in Lithuanian manufacturing, which manifests itself differently in different sectors of manufacturing. Lithuanian manufacturing was the most important factor in the country's economic recovery and growth after the global financial crisis, which had shocked the Lithuanian economy and caused a massive decline in production. The impact of different sectors of manufacturing on the country's economic development is varied, but it can be stated that such a large part of the gross output of manufacturing has never been exported, in other words, international trade has never made up such a large portion of total manufacturing output.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.18.4.5846