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Our multidisciplinary review paper aims to explore the research paradigms of unethical behavior from different academic perspectives. By doing this, our paper contributes to a better understanding of unethical behavior by drawing knowledge from alternative understandings of such behavior. More specifically, our multidisciplinary inquiry aims to summarize the main findings documented by scholars from different disciplines that conducted independent research on the topic using unique perspectives and ideas associated with the field. As such, in order to gain a better understanding of how unethical behavior is examined through a range of different disciplines and areas of research we assessed the highly cited papers found at the intersection of various categories and research areas such as management, business economics, and psychology, ethics, engineering, and environmental sciences and ecology, public environmental occupational health. Having the goal to offer the most representative research on the topic, we based our review on the highly cited papers examining unethical behavior from the Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science (WoS), the world`s leading scientific citation search and analytical information platform. The results show that the highly cited papers analyzed cluster around two major research themes as antecedents and factors increasing/enabling unethical behavior (e.g. propensity of moral disengagement, psychological entitlement, self-serving justifications, job insecurity, air pollution, polluted social contexts, creativity, favorable attitudes of upper-class toward greed, etc.) and factors deterring or limiting it (e.g. religion, ethical leadership). Given our multidisciplinary review, our study helps provide alternative understandings and important insights on the research of unethical behavior to serve for novel investigations in both practice and theory.

This paper explores the multifaceted nature of digital entrepreneurship, tracing its evolution alongside the digital transformation of the broader economy. Entrepreneurship research has expanded to encompass a wide range of theoretical perspectives. It outlines the evolution of theoretical perspectives in entrepreneurship studies, shifting from a focus on individual characteristics to a broader emphasis on environmental, social, and institutional factors. The paper highlights the diversity of methodological approaches utilized in entrepreneurship research, ranging quantitative, qualitative, and computational techniques. The advent of the internet opened the door for e-commerce in the 1990s, followed by the rise of Web 2.0 social platforms in the 2000s, further empowering entrepreneurs through user-generated content and the power of networks. The current phase of digital entrepreneurship is characterized by data-driven platforms, sophisticated algorithms, and the blurring of physical and digital boundaries. Theoretical frameworks, including innovation theory, resource-based views, lean startup methodologies, and institutional perspectives, aid in understanding the opportunities and challenges within this dynamic field. Digital entrepreneurship is presented as a dynamic force reshaping the modern economy. The paper traces the evolution of digital entrepreneurship through three key phases: the emergence of e-commerce in the 1990s, the rise of Web 2.0 social platforms in the 2000s, and the current dominance of data-driven platforms. The ongoing digital revolution has profoundly altered the entrepreneurial landscape, demanding new skills, strategies, and models for success. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated digital adoption across businesses and society. The paper underscores the significance of digital entrepreneurship within the context of technological advancement, institutional shifts, and evolving market dynamics.

This paper examines the current approaches to economic science, particularly on collaborative and circular economies. Economic science is closely related to the concept of limited resources. This is because economics is concerned with managing limited resources to satisfy unlimited human needs and wants. The idea of limited resources is central to economic science because it influences every aspect of how people make economic decisions and manage economic activities. Effective management of these resources is essential to achieving long-term economic and social goals. The collaborative economy and the circular economy are two key economic concepts that address how resources are used and distributed sustainably and efficiently in society. Both concepts are frameworks that aim to address the challenges of sustainability and resource efficiency, albeit in different ways. The collaborative economy is characterised by individuals and organisations sharing resources through digital platforms, such as goods, services, or information. This model promotes resource optimisation, cost-sharing, and social cohesion. On the other hand, the circular economy is an economic model that seeks to systematically reduce waste and maximise resource efficiency by designing products, services, and systems that prioritise the longevity and recyclability of materials. The paper explores collaborative and circular economies’ theoretical foundations and practical applications. Although they have some overlap, these two concepts have different perspectives and approaches regarding resource management and sustainable economic growth. While the collaborative economy focuses on sharing and exchanging existing resources, the circular economy focuses on reshaping systems and products to reduce waste and sustainably optimise resource use. The study findings are based on a comprehensive literature review and empirical research on collaborative and circular economies. The analysis reveals that collaborative and circular economies have unique strengths and limitations. However, they also share common objectives, such as promoting sustainability, resource efficiency, and social inclusivity. These concepts have the potential to complement each other and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient economy.

he rising income inequality around the world and its persistence represent a social phenomenon raising concerns at all levels (global, regional and country) for governments and pose huge challenges to master it and to identify effective solutions. The aim of the paper is to provide a comparative insight at the European Union (EU) level involving 25 Member States regarding the interplay between income inequality, economic growth, and institutional quality. Gini Index sourced from World Income Inequality Database, GDP per capita series extracted from the World Bank database, and institutional indicators collected from the World Governance Indicators database represent the examined variables over the period 1990-2022. Their dynamic is comparatively analysed and discussed. The clustering method is applied to identify similarities and differences between European Union countries in terms of the interplay between income inequality, economic growth and institutional factors and to draw relevant conclusions for future effective policy measures meant to reduce inequality and to boost economic growth. The clustering analysis based on the average growth rate of income inequality and per capita GDP revealed that European Union countries are differently facing the challenge of income inequality rising. Six groups of countries with similar paths regarding the income inequality and economic growth were identified. High-income countries face low levels of income inequality but with an upward trend. Economic growth is accompanied with high levels and increasing levels of income inequality. The institutional quality level may strength the capacity of a country to address the problem of rising income inequality, but it remains unclear the interplay of institutional quality dynamic in reducing income inequality. The implications of the paper’s findings are framed in the context of the European policies.

This study explores the evolving role of universities in the modern economy, focusing on their transformation from traditional centers of education and research to dynamic hubs of entrepreneurship and technology transfer. Drawing from Schumpeter’s theory of entrepreneurship, which emphasizes the critical role of innovation and the entrepreneur in catalysing economic change, this paper argues that contemporary universities have adopted a third mission of economic development, complementing their foundational roles in teaching and research. The paper introduces the concept of the entrepreneurial university, a term that captures the institution’s enhanced involvement in technological innovation and its contribution to economic growth through the commercialization of research. The research discusses various models of innovation that have shaped our understanding of the knowledge transfer process, including the linear model of innovation, the triple helix model, and the open innovation model. These models provide a theoretical framework for analysing the mechanisms through which universities contribute to the economy, highlighting the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government. The paper pays particular attention to the role of Technology Transfer Entities (TTEs) within universities, which are instrumental in managing intellectual property, licensing inventions, and fostering partnerships with external stakeholders. Through a comprehensive analysis, the paper reveals that while the financial benefits of knowledge transfer from universities are increasingly recognized, there remains a significant research gap in understanding how university knowledge can be effectively transformed into economic benefits. This gap is particularly pronounced in the context of transition economies, where data on knowledge transfer mechanisms and their impact on innovation and economic growth is scarce. The study emphasizes the need for a multidimensional approach to assess the effectiveness of university TTEs, considering individual, organizational, and ecosystem-level characteristics.

This paper examines the relationship between property tax systems and housing affordability in European countries. The research contains not only theoretical section, but also empirical analysis. The statistical data used in research was extracted from Eurostat, OECD, and Tax Foundation. As housing affordability increasingly becomes a pressing issue in many European cities, understanding the role of property taxation in shaping affordability dynamics is crucial for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders. Addressing housing affordability challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing housing costs, with property tax systems playing a pivotal role in shaping housing market dynamics. Through a comprehensive literature review, the paper explores existing research findings on the correlation between property taxation and housing affordability. Utilizing data from the Eurostat database, I conduct a comparative analysis of property tax collection statistics across Europe. It focuses on property tax revenues as percentage of total private stock. In assessing housing affordability, two key indicators were extracted from the Eurostat database: the housing cost overburden rate and housing costs as a proportion of disposable income. Housing costs encompass various expenses associated with dwelling occupancy, including utilities, maintenance, taxes, and insurance. The housing cost overburden rate measures the percentage of households where housing expenses exceed 40% of disposable income, providing insight into the burden of housing costs relative to income. Additionally, paper analyses the proportion of disposable income allocated to housing-related expenses, offering further insight into affordability trends. The findings contribute to understanding the impact of property tax systems on housing affordability in European countries. By evaluating the relationship between property taxation and housing costs, the strategies can be developed to mitigate housing affordability challenges and promote sustainable housing markets.

The armed conflict that erupted in Ukraine has had profound economic ramifications, not only for the country itself but also for the wider region. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine, exploring its impact on various sectors and long-term development prospects. Drawing upon a range of primary and secondary data sources, the study presents a multifaceted assessment of the economic effects, considering both immediate and long-term implications. The paper examines the direct costs of the conflict, including the destruction of infrastructure, loss of human capital, and disruption of production and trade. It investigates the impact on key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and finance, highlighting the challenges faced by businesses and the labor market. It examines the role of external financial assistance and the effectiveness of economic policies implemented during the crisis. Finally, the study concludes by synthesizing the key findings on the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine. These recommendations encompass both short-term measures to address immediate challenges and long-term strategies to foster sustainable economic development and reconciliation. This comprehensive analysis of the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine contributes to the existing literature by providing a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted impacts of the conflict. It offers valuable insights for policymakers, international organizations, and researchers seeking to comprehend and address the economic challenges arising from war-affected regions.

The paper aims to provide an image of the future of teaching and learning in the context of artificial intelligence transforming various industries, including sports, education, and construction. Its place in education is a frequently discussed topic. While some argue that artificial intelligence will revolutionize education, others worry that it will take over to the harm of educators and students. Though robotics in the classroom is still a ways off, artificial intelligence is finding its way into the classroom. AI has the power to improve teaching and learning methods, solve some of the largest issues facing education today, and hasten the achievement of inclusive and equitable quality education. In addition to delivering artificial intelligence courses, EdTech businesses are increasingly using eLearning solutions to personalize learning experiences, pinpoint knowledge gaps, and give focused feedback. Also, AI-driven education is upending conventional teaching methods and influencing how this field will use technology in the future. With the use of complex algorithms and massive data sets, artificial intelligence solutions for education may provide a lot of advantages, yet as with the use of artificial intelligence in any context, there are significant ethical considerations which are a hot topic of discussion in the technology world and beyond, and the majority of university degree programs are including courses on AI ethics in their curricula. Therefore, the paper presents the benefits of AI in the classroom, such as engagement and assistance for students, assessment and evaluation, and individualized learning but also about the difficulties and worries associated with AI in education, including prejudice and privacy issues, as well as the moral issues raised by AI-powered learning. It also discusses the possible effects on the educational system and how students are trained for the workforce of the future as potential applications of AI in education are explored.

Digital transformation is anticipated to be the fourth industrial revolution. Considering this phenomenon, some economic entities tend to group and collaborate using digital technologies, thus forming economic ecosystems. The notion of ecosystem is a relatively recent concept used in economic language, coming from biology. Because of this, the ecosystem and the specific types of ecosystems, such as business and digital, are not consistently defined in the literature. There are multiple conceptualizations of these concepts, which in practice leads to confusion and even misuse of the terminology. The main purpose of the paper is to revise the concepts related to the ecosystem construct, but also the most important types of ecosystems for the world economy, namely the business and digital ecosystems. The methodology used is the analysis of the main sources dealing with ecosystems, particularly digital and business. We have reviewed papers from the following journals: Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Journal of Business Research, Technovation, Digital Business, International Journal of Information Management, and Technology Innovation Management Review. It is important to note that the analysis of the articles was carried out from a managerial point of view, without adopting a technical perspective. Following this analysis, we made a comparison between the two types of ecosystems, highlighting their common features.

Project management maturity models (PMMMs) have evolved significantly over the years, eliciting both enthusiasm and critique from professionals in the field. The former reflects the promising prospects for enhancing organizational value through the adoption of refined practices, while the latter underscores concern regarding the associated costs, applicability challenges, and the resilience of these models. This paper embarks on a comprehensive exploration, surveying the landscape of established models while pinpointing the principal obstacles linked with their implementation. Acknowledging both the significance and the shortfall of current models, there is a growing consensus within the literature regarding the imperative for further advancements in project management practices. Criticisms directed towards existing models often revolve around economic feasibility hurdles, inflexibility, scalability issues, and overly prescriptive frameworks. This paper undertakes a critical examination, contemplating the integration of digital capabilities as a means to mitigate these drawbacks and refine project management maturity models. Central to our paper is the notion of leveraging digital affordances to enhance the efficacy of PMMMs. By amalgamating technological innovations with established methodologies, we endeavor to address prevalent criticisms and propel the evolution of project management frameworks. Our approach is multifaceted, encompassing a thorough exploration of the technological substrates underpinning PMMMs. In delineating the technological landscape, we identify three primary layers of technology integration in PMMM development: Microsoft Excel, Online Questionnaires, and Advanced Platformization Initiatives. Each layer presents distinct opportunities and challenges, underscoring the complexity inherent in modernizing PMMMs. Proposing a forward-looking strategy, we advocate for the development of PMMMs that capitalize on the latest digital affordances. By prioritizing user-friendly interfaces and streamlining the completion process, we aim to foster greater engagement and uptake among stakeholders. This approach promises to transcend the limitations of traditional models, catalyzing a paradigm shift towards more dynamic and responsive project management practices.

n the ever-evolving world of digital technologies, bookstagram is taking over the literature landscape, with the phenomenon of digital book lovers sparking a variety of research. Thus, the online space created specifically for readers around the world starts from its emergence as a hashtag and is shaped by the evolution of social media applications and, by extension, consumer demands. In such manner, keywords and themes relevant to a better understanding of the Instagram trend are established in articles from online databases that this study aims to examine. In other words, the research investigates the nature of bookstagram present in the literature through a quantitative analysis of bookstagram articles from their first appearance to the present, starting with 90 and narrowing our study to 15. Thus, the VOSviewer software is chosen as a tool, which provides a bibliometric map of all implemented papers from the Web of Science database interpreting data about the aforementioned trend. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to better understand the #bookstagram phenomenon since its first appearances in the literature, laying the foundations of relevant concepts and ideas to characterize it. So, bookstagram is relatively new in the Internet ecosystem, but it is strengthening every day the interest of digital users to discuss and learn about books, regardless of the social media platform used. There is also a growing interest in the impact the trend is having on modern literary culture. Moreover, the research will be an important pawn in the growing value of information encompassing the modern phenomenon of reading lovers on the social media platform Instagram.

Today’s business world is highly dynamic, volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). It is driven by ever faster, more efficient, and more numerous technological advances. Digital technologies have a huge impact not only on how an organization works but also on its business model. This has led to fundamental changes in the nature of leadership as well, from the underlying traditional forms of leadership to modern forms of leadership. In this context, the ability to successfully navigate these new technological waves has become an essential challenge for leaders. The digital transformation of organizations in the digital era marks the need for a holistic and integrative approach to the concepts of digital leadership and e-leadership, which are becoming a priority for organizations in their desire to remain competitive and successful as long as possible. The leadership process itself is a predictor of how change is perceived, managed, and integrated within an organization, not just at the surface level but also deep into its structure. This paper explores in detail the concepts of digital leadership and e-leadership, examining their importance and how they act to ensure that organizations are effectively guided through the digital transformation process, advancing with digital technologies. The research method is bibliometric analysis to mark the synapses between the two concepts and their network with other key notions. The main conclusion of the paper is that digital leadership and e-leadership are integral and complementary; they act together, without putting a sign of equality between them, to ensure the success of organizations in addressing the new technological requirements and disruptions encountered in their business environment.

he paper discusses the issue of operational excellence in automotive companies active in Romania. Operational excellence is the strategy for organizations striving to deliver a combination of quality, price and ease of purchase, and service, that no other organization in their market, or industry, can match. The paper discusses the degree of application in companies from automotive industry of the main seven principles of operational excellence and the main features of the process aimed to achieve operational excellence. Another topic discussed refers to key performance indicators (KPIs) of operational excellence that are used by companies. The research method is qualitative and uses the interview as instrument. The findings indicate that automotive companies in Romania are applying most of the seven principles, and that some just started the process of achieving operational excellence and therefore are applied only to some extent. The main tool for achieving operational excellence is Continuous Improvement used on all levels of the company. We found that companies use a KPI system with several layers of KPI’s, such as cost improvement savings (increased efficiency, reduces waste,…), cost improvement savings on material (WIP reduction), GPPH (good pieces/hour/operator), IPPH (indirect labor overhead hours/ production volume, and others. Conclusions and recommendations are formulated.

In the first decades of the 21st century, in a period characterized by turbulent, liberalized economic environment, in a world marked by a strong demographic growth, depletion of natural resources, climate change and destruction of ecosystems, we are more concerned than ever about the issues related to economic growth and development. In the first part of the paper, we presented the result of an overview study, based on which we synthesized the dynamics of the determinants of economic growth, after which we carried out a comparative study of economic growth and development. The second part of this paper presents a review of those economic indicators that are considered to be the most relevant in measuring economic development. The conclusions of the paper converge on the idea that, despite controversies regarding the importance of GDP as an indicator of economic development, it continues to remain the most present and important reference indicator in economic statistics. However, in order to obtain an accurate and more complex image of the economic and social performance, it is recommended to use several indicators in combination with GDP.

The present article investigates the impact of social networks in the tourism industry, highlighting their transition from simple social platforms to marketing tools. The paper focuses on analyzing the impact of digitalization on consumer behavior in tourism, proposing strategies for optimizing tourism marketing in the current digital context. Moreover, the article is part of a broader research that primarily employs literature review as its research method. At the same time, it paves the way for further in-depth analyses. The introduction emphasizes the changes that digitalization has brought to tourism with a focus on social networks. It discusses the importance of two-way communication as well as the influence of user-generated content and the role of emerging technologies. The chronological analysis of social networks from Myspace to Instagram and TikTok highlights the fact that academic literature was examined to illustrate how technology adaptation has improved over time and can be enhanced. The section on budget allocation and performance evaluation details the importance of adaptable strategies for maximizing ROI and underscores the importance of a complex approach based on quantitative and qualitative metrics. As part of extensive research, the paper contributes by encouraging the development of new strategies for digital tourism promotion adapted to the rapidity of changes.

Globalisation, digitisation and technological advances describe the present and future of accounting. In order for accounting professionals to remain always connected to the present and prepared for the future, they constantly need to update their knowledge and skills acquired to date and not hinder their continuous learning process. The focus of this paper is on the digital skills of accounting professionals, which are an imperative in a digital economy. This paper is based on the analysis over time, using mathematical calculation methods, of 5 indicators, which describe the level of information and communication technology skills of the European population. The aim of this analysis is to determine the level of digital skills of the Romanian population in comparison with other EU member countries. Romania, in terms of the 5 indicators, ranks lower in the European ranking. This analysis shows that Romanians, compared to other European populations, use basic digital technologies, are more adaptable in their use, but do not use technologies in a competitive way and do not use them in a more efficient way. For Romania's population to achieve an advanced level of digitisation, they need to develop digital and information skills, digital problem-solving skills, digital communication skills and cybercrime safety skills. These skills must be mandatory in the knowledge portfolio of accounting professionals. These are the most current requirements of financial jobs. Accounting professionals must comply with the new requirements of the digital economy which is extending to all fields of activity, such as social relations, health, public administration.

The goal of this paper is to better comprehend the importance of digitalisation related to Romanian accounting profession. In this regard we started by reviewing the scientific papers approaching the digitalisation and artificial intelligence topic in accounting field. Then we conducted an empirical study that analyses students’ behavior when dealing with digitalisation in accounting field, having as main objective to illustrate both the positive and negative aspects perceived by students regarding the digitalisation of the financial-accounting field, especially the accounting profession. The empirical research was carried out between April 2023 and May 2023, and the research method used was the survey, the instrument used being the questionnaire. This has been fulfilled by 118 at the bachelor level students in the accounting field from the Faculties of Economics, within the University of Oradea. This paper is going to validate the different importance given to digitalisation, by accounting professionals in Romania. The research questions that this study aims to answer are: How necessary do they consider specialized courses in digitalizing accounting to prepare them for the changes brought about by this process? What are their preferences regarding teaching methods in accounting digitalisation courses: online, onsite, or in a hybrid format? A significant part of those surveyed considers that the positive effects of digitalisation in accounting include reducing waiting times, increasing work efficiency, facilitating access to information, and reducing paper consumption. However, there are also negative aspects, such as the risk of data loss due to technical issues or security breaches. To maximize the benefits and minimize the risks, it is essential for accountants to understand and apply accounting principles and standards correctly. Digitalisation should complement, not replace, professional judgment.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the physical, economical, and strategic evolution of the Romanian railway infrastructure based on data extracted from EUROSTAT. The timeframe chosen for this study is between years 1990 and 2019, from the fall of the communist regime, through 2007 when Romania became a member of the European Union, until the beginning of the Covid - 19 pandemic. The Romanian railway infrastructure is analysed and compared with those from other European countries. One of the first observations is that the Romanian railway has one of the largest networks in Europe, being placed 2nd in terms of length in year 1990, after Poland. Unfortunately, in contrast to having one of the largest networks, economically it situated at the end of the hierarchy, being one of the most inefficient. Having constant decreasing amounts of transported goods over time, the sector doesn’t have enough cash flow to secure the necessary funds for maintenance and mandatory technological upgrades. The sector is badly managed and cannot sustain itself anymore. The high number of victims each year makes it one of Europe’s most unsafe railway networks and this hinders the level of trust and willingness for collaboration from private entrepreneurs. The private sector should be encouraged to increase the volume of goods transported as well as participate in investments. The Government could even consider a Public Private Partnership strategy to attract a cash infusion into the sector. There is great potential for a positive impact on the country’s economy if the Authorities would implement a strategic investment and development master plan to bring the railway infrastructure to a level of reliability that would attract businesses and stimulate the movement of goods. The geographical location of Romania could accelerate such development since it could be an important logistics hub linking the Black Sea to the Central European market. Empirical results show that the length of railway network is negatively correlated with income and negatively associated with the volume of transported goods in Romania over the period of 2004-2019. It is apparent that for this sector the size of the current network should be sufficient, but quality should be improved, since this is the element that enhances operation safety and operation characteristics such as speed and volumes of goods transported. The paper includes recommendations for public policies regarding the transport infrastructure sector.

This paper intends to analyze how the crisis produced by the Covid-19 infection has influenced the employees, respectively the employers. Thus, we try to see if they still approach the workplace, working hours, etc. in the same way or if their perception has been decisively influenced by this crisis. Certainly, there is an impact on the business environment around the world, respectively in Romania. Thus, employers and employees, like the whole world, had to adapt and reorganize in the given conditions. Some views support the theory that, for employers and employees respectively, nothing will be the same, and the approach and expectations of both parties will be different. Other views argue that this crisis will not cause major changes in perception on the subject. Be that as it may, through this paper we try to analyze in what way and above all, what changes this crisis has produced on the employees, respectively the employers. For the most part, for the employee, the workplace is the place from where he procures an important part or even all of his financial resources. Besides, the workplace is also the place where he can prove his skills acquired in school, the place where he socialises, the place where he develops professionally and not only that. The employer, in general, wants a competent and efficient employee. Both regarding employees and employers, the crisis caused by the Covid-19 infection has produced important changes that we will study in the analysis below. The business environment around the world has seen changes with the situation caused by this crisis that has faced all of humanity. Also, before analyzing, in broad terms, the impact on the business environment, we must observe how people saw the involvement, from a diplomatic point of view, in Romania’s economic development. Economic development must also be supported at the diplomatic level, not only through the other available levers.

Inflationary pressures, but also the uncertainty regarding the duration and severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, have significantly increased in the last year. Moreover, the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, further called into question the upward trend in the inflation rate. In this sense, the sudden and continuous increase in energy, fuel, and food prices constitute new challenges for decision-makers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of inflation in Romania from the period 1990-2022 because this constitutes a topical macroeconomic challenge. Compared to the way of presenting the information from the bibliography used and found at the end of the paper, in this paper only the essential aspects, the particularities of the chosen research topic, which finally provide an overview, can be found.

Transition from the linear to the circular economy is not only a desideratum of all developed economies; it ultimately represents the chance for the world we all live in will to continue to exist. If in the first part of our paper we analysed the main characteristics of both the linear economy and the circular economy, in the light of an extensive literature, while focusing on the mechanisms that would allow a transition as smoothly as possible; in the second part of the paper, we aimed to analyse the state of play in the city of Oradea in terms of intelligent, selective waste management. Our analysis focused on two main strands: the selective collection of waste and the implementation of a recycling program for biodegradable waste. If in the first part of the analysis we came to the conclusion that it is necessary to involve all stakeholders, including public authorities, the private sector and civil society, in the second part we needed a statistical data analysis in order to be able to deeply understand the economic mechanisms behind the population’ and businesses’ behaviour. In that regard, we ran a statistical analysis of the amount of waste collected in the city of Oradea using the dedicated software SPSS 24 (Armonk); all outcomes were considered significant at a significance level of 0.05, while the connection between the variables was linear and of medium intensity. The conclusion we reach is that a positive evolution can be observed in the waste management following the implementation of the management system.

In this paper we investigate a modern topic in the regional economics literature, namely the concept of microeconomic competitiveness. Particularly, we investigate the influence of the collaborative activities of the large and medium firms, as a regional prerequisite for cluster formation and development, and the relationship with various regional level performances. For years already, scholars debated within the economics literature if the regional clusters drive the regional performance. Therefore, we contribute to this stream of research through investigating if the specific conditions in the regional context, in our case the collaborative aspects of the companies operating in the region, influence the regional performance. Through a statistical analysis of the data provided by 40 best performers medium and large companies, operating in three regions for economic development in Romania, we found significant associations between the proposed variables. Specifically, we found that the regions in which the companies reported higher scores for proactivity regarding collaboration identification and formation, higher commitment for collaboration participation, respectively higher scores for their collaborative competences and abilities are the regions which also reported higher regional level performances. The results from our study are valuable for the regional economics literature since underline the fact that in order to build regional competitiveness, respectively to accelerate the economic growth and development, the existent companies operating in the regions also need to take some specific actions. The companies and firms play an important and active role in the regional economic development. In contrast to a ‘orthodox’ top-down approach for economic development, the paper brings support to the stream of research on regional economics which militates for collaboration between the public and private sector, and for regional development through microeconomics competitiveness building, local and regional.

Combating poverty represents one of the challenges of the modern economy and Europe's geopolitical situation contributes to worsening this problem. Economic growth and employment rate are determinants of the level of poverty in a society. Unemployment and its consequences are widely approached both in economic literature and in sociology and psychology. In the first part of the paper, we carried out a conceptual presentation of the economic and social consequences of unemployment at the national, individual, and family level. In the second part, starting from Okun's law, we made an analysis of the relationship between the gross domestic product and unemployment rate for the period from 2005-2022 in Romania. In order to carry out the research, we used a series of statistical data regarding the unemployment rate available in the Monthly Bulletins of the National Bank of Romania (NBR) and data on GDP available on the website of the National Institute of Statistics of Romania (NIS). We worked with data regarding the situation in Romania from the first quarter of 2005 – fourth quarter of 2022. The conclusions of the paper converge towards the idea that unemployment is, nowadays, an increasingly complex phenomenon, being generated by a multitude of factors and which, in turn, determine multilevel direct and indirect consequences.

Unpredictable events, such as: international market prices evolution of construction materials, fuel and energy, changing rules regarding labour, wages and mobility of goods may lead to cost escalation during works contracts implementation. A proper value adjustment formula may contribute on managing emerging financial risk. Generally, those formulas are subject to national rules, but only for public investments, of great value and long duration, the rest remaining to the contracting authorities’ decisions. Looking for the right formula in those cases of non-regulated situations induces stress for personnel, and also the risk of affecting investments performance through wrong decision. The paper’s objectives are both qualitative and quantitative, searching, through a relevant Romanian legal frame content analysis for answers at two research questions: how a works contract value could be adjusted, and how can be choose the most appropriate one among different value adjustment formulas? A selection of contemporary relevant national rules and regulations on value adjustment formulas was studied to answer at these questions, revealing specific approaches on treating adjustments. Results of this content analysis refers to the presenting and discussing various models of value adjustment approach in Romanian works contracts. Paper’s conclusions could be used by researchers in further investigation of relationship between various value adjustment formulas and investment's performance. Conclusions could be also useful for practitioners, in selecting the appropriate value adjustment formula in case of non-regulated such as relatively small value and short duration works contracts. As a personal contribution, a model on selecting a value adjustment formula is here presented.

Despite all controversies, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues its course in becoming more and more present in our world, with a huge perspective on modelling it. Using its capacity to assist various processes, it becomes a strong support of increased productivity being also perceived as a threat for jobs, professions and society as well. The aim of this qualitative research is to explore the how AI is perceived as impacting on jobs, and about future jobs' prospects in accounting, and financial auditing. We conducted a summary recent literature review regarding AI increasing use in audit and accounting. As existing hundreds of published papers on AI robots and human labour interaction, in the purpose of selecting relevant literature and for reaching to the mainstream consensual conclusions, input from three AI bots was used, as paper further describes. This paper is structured so readers may follow and further debate this issue around three research questions: are accounting, and financial auditing suited to be assisted by AI, what about existing jobs in this phase of AI usage, and what should happen next with professional’s jobs as long as AI keeps spreading and developing? Conclusions of this explanatory – predictive research are aimed to support future accounting and financial auditing related educational initiatives in the context of AI development and pervasion, but also future research on more detailed aspects of interrelations with human increasingly adapted work.

This study paper looks at the possibility of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as the next step in the evolution of money, and as they have gotten lately a lot of attention from lawmakers, researchers, and financial institutions. This is because technology is changing quickly and financial systems are becoming more and more digital. The goal of this study is to look into the advantages and disadvantages of CBDCs, as well as their ability to change and impact financial systems. The first part of the study gives a broad review of CBDCs, explaining what their main features are and why they were created. Using current case studies, and the views of experts, the paper gives a critical evaluation of the benefits of CBDCs. It looks at how giving unbanked and under banked people access to digital payments and banking services could improve financial inclusion. Also, it looks at whether the use of CBDCs could make banking deals faster, cheaper, and more open. But the paper also talks about the problems and risks that come with putting CBDCs into place, about things like privacy, data protection, the effects on monetary policy, and how the current financial environment could be changed. In order to make a fair analysis, the study takes into account the views of central banks, financial companies, regulatory bodies, and customers, among others. In the end, the goal of this paper is to add to the current discussion about CBDCs by giving a thorough look at how they could be the next step in the evolution of money. It talks about the ways in which CBDCs can change things, as well as the issues and factors that need to be dealt with for them to work. This study paper aims to help lawmakers and other interested parties figure out how to deal with the changing environment of digital currencies and monetary systems by putting light on the possible benefits, challenges, and effects of CBDCs.

Since the first initiatives of integration on the European continent, promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion has remained one of the key principles of the European Union. Over the past decades, the stability and prosperity of the European continent was threatened by diverse and turbulent events, ranging from economic and financial turmoil to sanitary and social crises, which have emphasized the need to strengthen the cohesion between Members. The aim of this paper is to study the economic landscape of the European Union by looking at the evolution of the GDP per capita between 2000 and 2022. Using β- and σ-convergence, we have tried to answer the question if the European Union has come closer to the objective of cohesion in the last two decades. By applying cross-sectional regressions in order to estimate β-convergence, we have identified a convergence speed of 2% for European Union between 2000 and 2022, with higher growth rates experienced by the new member states from Central and Eastern Europe. Complementary, σ-convergence illustrates that income divergences generally decreased both at the aggregate level and in the case of the new member states. However, the progress achieved in terms of cohesion was reversed by Covid-19 pandemic, the gaps significantly increasing mainly in the case of the old members. Considering the divergences that still persist in the European Union, being emphasized by the recent crises, this paper suggests that political decision-makers should strengthen the measures oriented towards promoting cohesion, with the purpose to avoid the division on the continent.

Since it is one of the most fundamental elements of establishing a relationship, effective communication is necessary in almost all professions. Business thrives on communication since it depends so heavily on relationships between diverse people. Any type of communication is always important to business. It increases a company's efficacy and efficiency and keeps the appropriate ratio of different strategies for projecting the ideal image. The two types of communication in business are internal and external. Communication between two organizations, as well as between a company and its clients, is referred to as external communication. Information exchange within a company is referred to as internal communication. It happens amongst co-workers as well as between employers and employees. Internal communication is therefore essential for connecting with employees, running the business, and improving the company's reputation. No matter how big or how profitable a business is, internal communication is crucial. It significantly affects an organisation's success, since effectively articulated strategies help enhance employee productivity, employee engagement and team collaboration. The open and transparent environment created by the communication process helps employees comprehend the company's objective and their individual role in achieving it. It guarantees excellent employee cooperation in achieving the shared objective. Good internal communication promotes exceptional staff engagement, which in turn increases corporate performance and ensures high levels of customer satisfaction. Internal corporate communication is essential for impacting daily operations, fostering cross-departmental relationships, and, most significantly, dismantling organizational silos. It aids in creating a united culture throughout the company to enable all employees to make the best judgments. Consequently, internal communication has an impact on a company's productivity, profitability, and overall brand image. It also influences both bosses and employees' morale. Thus, one must create a successful internal company communication plan to engage the workforce for greater production and pay attention to their worries and anxieties over their jobs. Therefore, the paper's main goal is to analyze internal communication tasks while concentrating on how they affect various areas of business performance. The paper is based on a critical analysis of the relevant literature, taking into account works that address the problem's practical aspect.

Modal verbs are an important chapter in learning German. The paper presents how the modal verbs are thought to the economics students in our university, emphasizing the common mistakes of the students and possible measures the teacher should take in order to diminish the number of learning mistakes. The first part of the paper deals with the theoretical background, thus being such a difficult subject for the Romanian student, the paper brings up even the conjunction differences on this subject, dealing with different verbal tenses in the German grammar. The second part of this paper presents a text full of modal verbs, in different tenses, the students are asked to recognize them. In the paper I will show the mistakes the students usually make and the proportion of the right answers at this task. The following part deals with different exercises, in order to conclude the mistakes and the proportion of the right answers at this challenge. The final part shows the conclusions of this study that reflects on the results of the conducted measurements. The modal verbs play an important role in facilitating an efficient and understandable communication pattern in the society and therefore, they form significant aspect in the human language. Modal verbs add to the text precision and clearance in its meaning.

Currently, there are many discussions about the impact of digital transformation on company management, with success primarily reliant on firms’ ability to adapt to new market demands. Consequently, to maintain their positions or to evolve, companies across all industries need to regularly update their structures and ideals in line with digital transformation. Although the precise definition of digital transformation is still unclear, as evidenced by inconsistencies in the literature, it is already influencing management practices carried out by companies. The goal of this paper is to analyze the impact of digital transformation, with its highly dynamic characteristics, on strategic management. In this sense, we perform a literature review of the papers which describe how the two topics are related. We discover that strategic management has evolved in response to digital transformation as conventional managerial practices nowadays would no longer work at maximum efficiency. Strategic management has changed, adopting new features, most notably faster decision-making and less arduous tasks for top managers, allowing them to focus exclusively on performing tasks that match their specific competencies. These results are useful for both practitioners and researchers in performing their daily strategic management activities, and research efforts, respectively.

The paper discusses the characteristics of the management of medical military supply chain in the state of Israel, based on a mixed research method, quantitative and qualitative. The medical military supply chain has the mission to ensure the combat effectiveness and readiness of the military in times of peace and war. The paper approaches the management the supply chain of medical equipment for military hospitals using the modern management approach based on various multiple stakeholders goals and interests, such as the accuracy of inventory management and its influence on the end-user units of the field and operational competence of the operational units, how it can be used in the supply and centres and in the unit. The researchers formulate several recommendations about various ways how to cope with urgent and operational requests and to improve the management of the medical military supply chain.

The current research reports on a pilot study that was conducted to test the feasibility of a larger study exploring a leadership development program at a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in the ICT (Infocommunications) sector in Hungary. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to data collection, which included literature review, document analysis, and structured interviews with various participants involved in the leadership development program. The literature review focused on the history, current state, existing gaps and limitations, and theoretical frameworks and concepts related to the research topic. The document analysis aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the research topic and complement the findings from the literature review. The structured interviews were designed to be consistent and standardized, with a pre-determined set of questions asked to each participant. The interviews were conducted with a diverse group of participants, including the CEO, People Development Manager, Hiring managers, Domain Engineering Leads, the Human Resources team, and participants of the leadership development program. The current research is a smaller-scale version of a full-scale study (also called a “feasibility” study), as well as the pre-testing of a particular research instrument, in our case, document analysis and interview schedule. Pilot researches are a crucial element of a good study design, as it does not guarantee success in the main study, but it does increase the likelihood of success. (Polit et al., 2001, Teijlingen et al., 2001) The paper also discusses the importance of leadership in the ICT sector, citing a survey of Society for Information Management members that identified leadership as the most important soft skill for employees in the sector. The article notes that understanding the preferences of different generations at the workplace is essential to create an effective leadership development program. Out of the total number of employees, 52 currently work in the company’s software development division, and the preferences and motivations of these employees will be a critical factor in designing a successful program. The paper concludes by stressing the importance of pilot studies in research and how they increase the likelihood of success in the main study. The study’s authors hope that the results of this pilot study will provide insight into the characteristics of a leadership development program and assist in developing a more extensive study on the topic.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the levels regarding the digitalisation and e-commerce footprint of enterprises in accommodation and food service activities for Romania and the European Union (EU). The goal of this research relating to the status of digitalisation and electronic commerce in accommodation and food service activities, is to better understand the magnitude (in Romania and EU) of the aforementioned from the viewpoint of specific indicators. And through those indicators to retrieve some answers regarding to: the degree of digitalisation, the level of enterprises where persons employed have access to the internet and also that have access to the internet for business purposes, the use of social media, the degree of enterprises with a website, the extent of difficulties for web sales of enterprises, what is the situation regarding the enterprises with e-commerce sales and enterprises total turnover from e-commerce sales. The research methodology included collecting information from recognized data bases (Google Scholar for theoretical part and Eurostat for the empirical approach).

The paper delves into the development and intricacies of international legal frameworks for intellectual property (IP) rights protection and commercialization, focusing on agreements like the Paris and Berne Conventions. It outlines the evolution from initial measures safeguarding industrial property to broader copyright and trademark protections, facilitated by entities such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is highlighted for establishing minimum standards for IP protection and enforcement, integrating provisions for dispute resolution, and managing the balance between IP holders’ interests and the public good. TRIPS’ role in addressing challenges posed by differing national norms and its efforts to mitigate IP rights abuse through limitations and exceptions, known as the Three-Step Test, are emphasized. This analysis underscores the importance of a fair and balanced IP system that promotes global innovation and creativity, acknowledging the need for a harmonious integration of varied national laws within the global trade and IP protection landscape.

The digital age offers new opportunities for innovation and growth. From a fiscal point of view, it creates opportunities for tax administrations to reduce tax evasion. On the other hand, as business models change, there is international pressure on the tax system. The current rules were developed at the beginning of the 20th century for traditional companies that relied on the principle of corporate taxation where value was created. In the case of digital activities, physical presence is no longer a condition for the provision of services. There are two major questions: Where do we tax? In the case of a company with a low or even non-existent physical presence and what do we tax? in the context of a digital business plan based on knowledge, data and intangible assets. The digital economy is a challenge for all tax regimes, as its rapid development has led to the conclusion that international tax rules are not properly adapted. One objective currently pursued at EU level is to adapt Member States’ tax systems to optimize them to meet the challenges of the digital era. The aim of this paper is to identify the model and the most effective instruments for charging the digital economy at the level of the European community, as well as the way in which the directives issued by the European Union manage to harmonize the fiscal policies of each member state for charging and regulating the digital economy. In order to achieve that, we performed a bibliometric analysis on the database Web of Science Core Collection, regarding our study research. This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement.

Social economy has a core importance in creating jobs and delivering goods and services for the disadvantages groups members. Even if no searching for profit, the Social Economy Entities (SEEs) have to maintain a financial stability allowing the continuously fulfilling their social mission. Sustainability is crucial in delivering to the disadvantaged. Romania financed during the years 2020 and 2021 around 2800 SEEs, but not very much is widely presented about their activity. Financial information is still publicly available, so the SEEs economic behaviour may be monitor and even predicted as a trend, using forensic accounting techniques: reviewing the existing public information on public and private sites, analysing the summary of financial statements, as it may be found on the Ministry of Finance online database, and interpreting the evidence so gathered. Within this paper, the sustainability of a sample consisting on 172 SEEs incorporated in Maramureș County, Romania is analysed using publicly available data, including by the use of the indicator of financial distress (Z- Altman score). It reveals that in actual conditions, about 80% of the sample population are in high risk of bankruptcy, only 6% of them being financial sustainable. This research may be useful for national deciders and local social economy facilitators in focusing the aid and support actions, and also for the SEEs initiators, in preparing the best ways of managing the assumed risks.

In today’s highly competitive world, one of the most important business objectives for owners is to generate shareholder value and wealth. In order for an investor to know how to effectively deliver wealth growth, it is important to know the value creators of the business. A number of studies have been published in the management literature to identify the value creators of ownership. This article draws an essence from the literature reviewed, which are identified as key drivers of value creation, which are presented in the first half of the study. In the second logical part of the paper, the characteristics, causes and major crisis episodes of the 2007-2008 global financial crisis and the COVID-19 crisis are presented. In the methodological part, the panel regression model is used to analyse the 702 firms in the database. The main objective of the study is to answer the following questions: which are the most important value drivers and how the influence of these value drivers changes in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.

inancing is an asset or obstacle to the entity’s activity, be it economic or not-for-profit. The impact that funding has on non-profit organizations is closely linked to the specificities arising from service and non-commercial status in society. The main objective of this paper is to present and appreciate diversity in funding non-profit organizations in Romania and the European Union during 2018-2022. In this regard, we are looking at the possibility of funding for NGOs from the European Union. The databases studied are Web of Science – for specialized articles – and Eurostat – for economic data and statistics. For database processing, VOSviewer – for bibliometric analysis – and Excel – for graphs and statistics were used. Making an inventory of the main categories of financial resources available today for Romanian NGOs leads us to conclude that NGOs have access to many funding opportunities. However, specific funding sources are available only to this type of organization.

The present paper aims to determine the success factors and obstacles in implementing intercommunity development projects through associations of public authorities. Intercommunity cooperation institutionalizes the cooperation between two or more local public authorities, allowing them to jointly administer certain important services, and in recent years this type of cooperation has been on an upward trend in Europe as well as in Romania. The study is empirical and the research is quantitative, the results reflecting the responses to a questionnaire applied to public authorities members of an intercommunity development association. The first part of the study focuses on literature review, most relevant researches in the field being presented as well as the differences between the existing studies and the present one. The study continues with the analysis of the main success factors and barriers in implementing intercommunity development projects based on the results obtained from the questionnaire applied. The results of the questionnaire were interpreted using the Excel analysis tool. In the end, the main conclusions are drawn, as well as possible future research directions that can complement the present study. The results of the research are useful for improving intercommunity development projects on all levels: preparation, management, communication, implementation, results and final beneficiaries, and to overcome obstacles that have been identified.

The methods that a country’s central bank uses to control the total amount of money in circulation and affect trade, consumption, and economic growth are collectively referred to as monetary policy. A monetary expansionary policy entails a reduction in interest rates. As borrowing costs decrease, customers are encouraged to borrow more money and spend more, which boosts consumer spending and promotes economic growth. On the other hand, when interest rates rise during contractionary monetary policy, saving becomes more appealing while borrowing becomes more expensive. As a result, consumers may cut down on spending, which has an impact on aggregate consumption. Businesses are encouraged to invest by lower interest rates brought on by expansionary policies. They may borrow money more cheaply, which boosts imports, company expansion, and capital expenditures. Trade can increase if expansionary measures cause the home currency to weaken and become more appealing to export. In contrast, exports can be hampered by a rising currency. In conclusion, trade dynamics, corporate investment, and consumption patterns should be all greatly impacted by monetary policy measures. In order to find out some evidence about the monetary policy and its impact on consumption and trade in Romania, the paper uses statistical information from the National Bank of Romania between 2003 and 2023 for the monetary policy interest rate. This is going to be assessed base on its impact upon: Final consumption expenditure of general government; Final consumption expenditure of households; Gross capital formation; Exports of goods and services; Imports of goods and services; all of this taken from Eurostat. The results should point out if an increase or decrease of monetary policy interest rate is going to produce an impact upon consumption and trade, or the contrary is going to take place.

In the context of the changes caused by scientific and technical progress, taking into account the demands of speed, promptness, immediate response, attention to details, efficiency, creativity and performance that international business entails, the health crisis of 2020 but also the possible occurrences of other crises of any kind, in recent years there have been changes in the organization and running of the gainful activity and professional travel, which has led to the evolution of the tourist discourse and its themes, to technological and linguistic innovations. In terms of business travel, new internet-connected workspaces have emerged that allow today’s business people to track business, intervene in real-time and continuously participate in transactions from the very first moment of the trip. Also, organizing and planning a trip involves accessing online booking platforms and selecting an extensive range of suitable accommodations or restaurants. In this paper, we will show that, in foreign language courses for business, the use of authentic print and online media documents that present the new realities, in addition to the units dedicated to business trips in textbooks published in the last 20 years, can contribute to updating and expanding the horizons and skills of the students from the Faculty of Economic Sciences, diversifying the contents, means and methods of learning, enriching the vocabulary, to a better understanding of the current economic context.

This paper presents an analysis of a sizable collection of American bank slogans in light of Dahlsrud’s five dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), aiming to assess the degree to which these slogans align with the CSR model. The study is motivated by the observation that while banks frequently emphasize their CSR initiatives on their websites, many customers’ interactions with financial institutions are confined to basic transactions, often leaving them unaware of these corporate responsibilities. Given that slogans serve as a primary means of communication between banks and the public, conveying positive messages about their operations, we investigate their potential to reflect CSR dimensions. The focus of this analysis is on the United States of America, leveraging an online index encompassing nearly five thousand banks, from which a database of about sixteen hundred slogans was compiled. The methodology, detailed in the initial section of the study, employs empirical research and content analysis. The findings indicate that the nature of banks’ core activities, which primarily occur behind the scenes, restricts the portrayal of CSR dimensions in slogans to primarily economic, social, and stakeholder concerns. Conversely, environmental and voluntariness dimensions are notably underrepresented in these communications.

The concept of network based economy refers to the interconnectivity of the current business environment, in the context of the global economy, where the main way of progress is given by the participation in a network. On the other hand, the network orientation of a business organization has as a priority its integration within physical or virtual networks, in order to increase its efficiency, acquire new information and finally achieve competitiveness. This paper carries out an extensive literature review, and it will explain different characteristics related to the two concepts, as well as their components. Thus, the present research is of a theoretical nature, carried out in a qualitative manner, because a series of articles from the scientific literature have been analyzed. Also, this study will identify the benefits of an organization orientation towards business networks in order to facilitate incremental and radical product, service and process innovation, as a result of the fact that innovation has a high importance for a company in order to ensure its competitiveness in a sustainable manner in the turbulent economic environment in which it operates. Moreover, the benefits of focusing on business networks are also propagated on the processes of ensuring efficient human resources at company level, as a result of the fact that the dynamic economic environment brings with it a need to correlate employees’ skills with the new needs existing in the business environment. Thus, business organizations must be constantly on the lookout for best practices in human resources, which is made easier by their participation in networks. Finally, the main benefit of this research is the providing a new perspective on a company’s business network orientation.

This paper presents a case study for a company with food warehouse, for which it is very important to know the traceability of products and at the same time to use a process as efficient as possible. Because we talk about food, each product have a lot number and an expiration date which is very important to be recorded in the information systems. When products are delivered to customers it is needed to provide a declaration of conformity with quantity, lot number, expiration date for each products.

The paper discusses the issues related to the connection between the family values and the family firm goals in Romanian family businesses. The values of the family are the foundation of the values of the family firm and they represent the core of the firm’s culture according to the 7S model of McKinsey. The goals of the firm are an important component of its strategy and are influenced by the values. The family business goals are structured as a multidimensional concept combining two scales: economic versus non-economic orientation and family versus business orientation. The research method is qualitative, using the interview instrument. The analysis of the interviews indicate that the family values are characteristic to traditional family aspects and that the firm’s values are reflecting important ethical values such as trust, respect, responsibility, hard work, openness to communicate, fairness, mutual understanding, and mutual support. They also reflect business values such as efficiency, effectiveness, focus on client, quality, innovation, cooperation, accountability, and professionalism. Several conclusions and recommendation for future quantitative research were formulated.

Universities’ role in promoting sustainability and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is increasingly highlighted in the recent years. The high number of academic papers published in this field stands as proof of the attention received by these subjects. The integration of sustainability in education implies the transmission of principles, values and practices in teaching-learning activities, research and in institutional operations. While studies focus on the type of educational and extracurricular actions that universities may promote in order to develop more sustainability aware students, less attention is devoted to the actual impact of these practices. The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) approach starts with the assessment of the current state: what is being done in universities and what is the level of sustainability awareness among the main actors, mainly students. Having a concrete picture regarding the students’ level of sustainability literacy, we can identify opportunities to develop new implementation practices that address the sustainability issue within higher education. Currently, there is no consensus over a tool to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes as well as behaviors of students regarding sustainability and the SDGs. Nevertheless, efforts were made in this line of research. Our study focuses on the methodologies to assess these aspects. Based on previously used tools, we developed and tested a questionnaire on Romanian student population. The tested scales for sustainability knowledge, attitudes and behaviors highlight the different pillars of sustainable development, namely: social, economic and environmental, revealing that more focus is given to the latter.

This paper analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digitization process of the opera sector under the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis. Surviving in a time of humanitarian disaster was a great challenge for opera houses, which faced new challenges. Most of the world’s opera houses survived this crisis, but in different ways. The authors identify three different categories of approach of digital technologies in response to the hostility of the environment, depending on the status and brand power of each opera house, the sustainable validity of competitive advantages, and the loyalty of audiences. Evidence collected from personal observations are presented. A comparative analysis of the management of opera houses in different areas of the globe was conducted to examine how they have embraced digitization to stay in touch with audiences during the pandemic. We have identified solutions like online concerts, broadcasting shows and concerts on radio and TV, using shows from the archives, and organising online museum tours. These provided joy in hard times to the public, hope and motivation, to escape the dark and sad reality. The results are discussed with reference to two ideal types of pandemic-induced pathways: back to the old normal vs. forward to the new normal. The influences that determine the differences in strategies are also considered: tradition, national context, leadership, knowledge, digital capability of the staff, etc. From an academic perspective, this article enriches the current understanding of the adaptation of the management model of opera houses in a hostile environment and provides managers with concrete guidelines on the systematic adaptation of their business models in hostile situations.

Our study is a thematic analysis of the literature on working capital, aiming to present the latest research and interpretations on working capital management. In the second part of the paper, we present an assessment of capital adequacy and working capital efficiency and their results, based on our own data collection and compared with the findings of the literature. There is a substantial international literature on the impact of working capital, which examines the returns and the impact on profitability of the stock of inventories, the turnover of various current assets and the cycle days associated with working capital management. In our study, we used these aspects to select asset endowment and turnover-income profitability indicators from the EMIS database for Hungarian arable crop farms, searching for correlations by regression analysis for three years 2018, 2020 and 2022. Our results show that working capital endowment specifically showed significant correlations with operating revenue in all three years, while the other explanatory variables mostly gave significant correlations only for the year 2022. The size of the Hungarian agricultural economy is specifically characterised by micro and small enterprises, therefore we categorised the enterprises into micro, small, medium and large enterprises based on the value of their assets and their revenue. The number of enterprises specifically engaged in cereal and oilseed production by size category thus differed significantly, and multivariate regression was no longer possible for the two larger categories. In these cases, correlation analysis preceded regression analysis. Examining working capital efficiency by firm size, small farms showed significant correlations with profitability, but they also tended to do so only for the year 2022.

The circular economy is, from 2015, the European Union’s answer to today’s sustainability issues. This paper highlights some of these issues and summarizes what circular economy means and some of the barriers facing its implementation, based on a classical literature review. Then, the monitoring framework of The European Union is presented, with the most important regulation mentioned. Starting from the famous 3R, the research was narrowed to recycling. An analysis was carried out concerning waste production and waste management based on Eurostat’s official European statistics. A descriptive comparison was made between Romania’s situation and the European Union average to establish the evolution of indicators like waste generation, municipal waste generation, and recycling rates since this country joined The European Union in 2007. Overall, it can be said that Romania has made steady progress in managing waste more responsibly, but there are still quite large differences from the EU average for the majority of the indicators analyzed. Also noteworthy is the fact that the European Union, as a whole, evolves with small, but steady steps, increasing the waste management indicators towards a circular economy.

This paper analyzes taxation and its elements and aspects of Romania’s evolution. Direct and indirect taxes are fundamental elements of the Romanian tax system and own resources that the state can obtain. The article also delves into the future perspectives of taxation and their potential impact on Romania, providing a comprehensive understanding of this evolving landscape.Taxation represents a central aspect of economic policy, having a crucial role in financing public expenditures and influencing economic agents economic behavior. The main elements of taxation include taxes, duties, and social contributions. Taxation is an essential tool of economic policy, financing public expenditure and influencing economic behavior. Through its various elements and effects, taxation contributes to the achievement of the economic and social objectives of a state.