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Research background: A commercial bank’s competitive ability is of great importance as it plays a vital role in ensuring a bank’s success; hence, it is necessary to identify the factors that contribute to the development of competitive advantage of commercial banks and to shift competitive ability to a higher level. The competiveness of banks is assessed from customers’ perspective, highlighting the main factors that influence them in choosing a particular bank. Purpose of the article: The paper aims to assess the determinants influencing bank’s competitive ability from customers’ perspective by indicating the level of their influence. The following objectives are set: to distinguish the determinants influencing commercial bank’s competitive ability, to prepare a methodology for the assessment of factors, to evaluate the importance of the factors using expert evaluation method based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. Methods: A questionnaire was prepared for the experts in order to collect the data; fuzzy analytic hierarchy process was implemented for processing the data. Findings & Value added: The research was conducted in Latvia and Lithuania at the be-ginning of 2017. The results showed that the most important factor for bank’s competitive ability in both — Lithuania and Latvia — is customers’ trust. Reliability of the bank (both in Latvia and Lithuania) and the privileges of loyal customers (only in Latvia) have gained experts’ attention as well. The proposed model of bank’s competitive ability allows to evaluate the level of bank’s competitiveness effectively, which would help the bank to plan its activities successfully and attract new customers in order to take the leading position in the market.

Trust in commercial banks is considered to be one of the vital factors affecting the success of commercial banks’ activities. However, the level of trust in banks has decreased during last years and is quite low at present. Therefore, it is necessary to change the confidence level to higher. This scientific paper focuses on the ways of managing and changing business process to increase trust in banks through change management. To distinguish the factors of trust formation the qualitative research has been conducted. After summarizing the results of the survey seven factors of trust building were identified. To determine the factors of change management influencing trust formation the expert evaluation method was used, six main factors were distinguished, and relations between key impact factors were defined. As a result, the model of change management factors influencing the trust formation in commercial banks has been created. In other words, the model shows how change management factors could influence the change in trust level from low to higher one and, hence, to increase bank’s competitiveness.

Abstract. Research described in this article provides analysis of potential improvements gained to management process of higher education institutions and strategic planning by applying EFQM model and European Standarts and Guidelines (ESG). This research indicates the most crucial process elements of strategic planning in higher education institutions. Authors have analyzed pilot project where the EFQM excellence model and ESG are applied to the process of the strategic planning. Based on Riga Technical University's pilot project this article describes the role of EQFM excellence model and its impact on reaching the strategic targets set by the higher education institution. Authors have analysed and within focus groups explored the EFQM excellence model and ESG, identifing most critical aspects and facotrs of application process to strategic planning and quality assurance. Based on lessons learned authors have suggested a set of activities Riga Technical University should introduce to improve the strategic planning, structure of internal processes and quality management.

This research consists of theoretical and empirical research in internationalization, change management and project management. From theoretical research questions are proposed regarding internationalization factors in Latvia. This empirical research confirms that currently internationalization in Latvian Higher Education institutions is mainly project based and brings change with it. As the result of (this) research the most important factors of internationalization in Latvia are determined. It was concluded that the process of internationalization in the Higher Education of Latvia is based on developmental change and it is a driving force for changes in the system.