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This study seeks to investigate competitiveness of foreign manufacturing companies in the Chinese market, developing full list of competitiveness impedimental factors of foreign manufacturing companies in the Chinese market, exploring the most significant competitiveness impedimental factors of Latvian manufacturing companies in the Chinese market and developing the conceptual model for reduction of competitiveness impedimental factors of Latvian manufacturing companies in the Chinese market. The main research methods employed in this study are literature review, expert method and surveys. The conceptual model for competitiveness improvement of manufacturing companies in the foreign market developed in the study shows that it is possible to improve companies' competitiveness in the foreign market by reducing impact of competitiveness impedimental factors for operation in the foreign market that leads to increased profit, turnover and export volume. The results of this study show that the most significant competitiveness impedimental factors of Latvian manufacturing companies in the Chinese market are as follows: logistics to China is expensive and time-consuming, lack of support from state government for exporting to China and inappropriate marketing to sell products in the Chinese market.

The results of the firms' performance are one of the key aspects in the research of competitiveness. The competitiveness of firms is a concept that involves many aspects of measurement. There are many models that can be used to assess the international competitiveness of firms, including the competitiveness of foreign firms in the Chinese market. The opportunities of Latvian firms to enter China market and the capabilities of Latvian firms to compete in China have not so far been sufficiently studied. In 2010 the export volume of Latvian firms to China was 25 million EUR and more than half of it was export of raw materials. The model of SME competitiveness is used to research the competitiveness of Latvian firms in Chinese market. This paper analyses the theoretic concepts for competitiveness of the firms in China and the competitiveness of Latvian firms in China.

Current paradigm of economic development is sustainable development. Sustainable development is the challenge for governments, companies and households because significant additional investments and innovations, changes in production and consumption habits are required. These changes have to be made because resources are limited and existence of our world is endangered – too much resources are used and too much waste is generated by people.  This problem is recognized by the United Nations that set 17 Goals of Sustainable Development in 2015. Review of scientific literature indicates that countries measure their sustainable development in different ways because countries have different development levels, as well as different social, economic and environmental problems. Thus the aim of this research is to identify Latvian approach measuring sustainable development and assess sustainable development in Latvia. Sustainable development in Latvia is measured by indicators defined in Sustainable Development Strategy in Latvia until 2030. The methods applied in this study are literature review and regression analysis. This study reveals Latvian progress in sustainable development and relationship among strategic indicators of sustainable development in Latvia.