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Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play a vital role in extending financial services to marginalized and underprivileged populations worldwide. While the focus of MFIs has traditionally been on providing financial products, recent research highlights the importance of intangible factors in shaping their success and sustainability. This research examines the influence of factors such as trust, empathy, organizational culture, and reputation on MFI performance. A structured questionnaire was developed, and data were collected from 110 clients. Statistical analysis, including Cronbach alpha, composite reliability, and exploratory factor analysis, was employed to assess the reliability, validity, and dimensionality of the collected data. Three dimensions of service quality were identified: empathy and assurance, trust, and intangibles. While gender differences in perception were observed, they were not statistically significant. However, significant differences were noted across age groups, educational levels, and types of businesses. Understanding and addressing factors related to trust, intangibles, and specific aspects of service satisfaction are crucial for enhancing client engagement and long-term success. By continuously striving to improve service quality, microfinance companies can strengthen client relationships and position themselves in such a way as to achieve sustainable impact and success in the microfinance landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the impact of educational attainment on psychological traits such as self-efficacy, introversion, and agreeableness. The primary goal of this study is to see whether there are significant variations in these traits according to the educational level of the participants and to identify relationships between educational level and psychological traits. A number of hypotheses were formulated, anticipating that self-efficacy would be higher in participants with higher levels of education, while introversion would be lower. Agreeableness was also hypothesized to be influenced by level of education, with higher means in those with higher levels of education. To test these hypotheses, a questionnaire was completed by a sample of 238 respondents, who were grouped according to their level of education. Data analysis revealed significant differences between education groups on self-efficacy, introversion, and agreeableness. The findings were explored in light of current ideas, with a focus on their theoretical and practical consequences. Finally, the study underlines the role of education in forming personality characteristics and the necessity for more research in this area. The study's limitations were also acknowledged, and future research objectives were offered to help us better grasp this complicated link. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent global events, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine leaded to unprecedented challenges for companies worldwide. This study examines the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on small companies in agriculture, animal breeding, and the services sector in Romania. A survey was conducted among 110 beneficiaries of a microfinance company. The respondents evaluated the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on income, expenses, and the economic situation using a set of 8 items, evaluated on a 5 points Likert scale type. The results revealed that the analyzed companies were most affected by the increase in fuel price and electricity price. Despite a moderate impact on income decrease, there were significant differences regarding the effect of the increase of interest rates, savings reduction, and liquidity reduction among different types of companies. Limited Liability Companies (L.L.C.s) were the most affected. Most companies are seeking solutions to reduce energy costs. These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of crises situations on small companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union introduced Regulation No. 1151/2012 to delineate the optional quality term "mountain product," aiming to preserve and promote the originality and authenticity of mountain foodstuffs. This research endeavors to delve into the comprehension and perception of the mountain label, considering awareness of the label and willingness to pay. With the remarkable increase in the adoption of the mountain label among producers in the mountain regions of Romania, this study seeks to investigate whether consumers purchasing the product in the market are cognizant of the provisions outlined by the National regulatory bodies and authorities for the mountain label. A general consumer survey with questionnaires was planned, organised, and implemented within Brașov city to elicit necessary findings. Although, the consumer was aware regarding the benefits associated with products with mountain label and also the places to easily find the mountain label, the consumers (50.77%) perceived mountain labelled product to be expensive. Similarly, only 47% of the respondents were interested in paying more for the products with mountain labels and 50% were completely unsure about their purchasing decisions, which indicates a clear unsurety in the mind of the consumers. The consumers (70%) seemed unaware about the mountain label although they had general idea regarding mountain products and the categories of products that are made available in the market verified by the agencies. The findings of this research can be beneficial to initiate different promotional campaigns launched at consumers to better educate them regarding mountain labels and to avoid misleading the consumer with any use of terms related with mountains and assist in overall mountain sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain products have been introduced in the EU supplemented with governing regulations to mainstream the products originating from mountain areas with adequate market facilities and use as a differentiating tool compared with conventional products. Since its formalisation and adoption of relevant laws in the national context in Romania, the adoption of the optional quality term Mountain Label among the producers has been astonishing. Considering the good market in Romania for quality and locally sourced products, mountain labels and their use among the producers were regarded as having a better impact on the economic and market status. The research intended to pursue an answer in the same direction to see if producers were able to fully exploit the EU optional quality term Mountain Label scheme at the national level in Romania or if there was dissatisfaction among the producers with the rules of utilizing the label. A general producer survey with questionnaires was planned, organized, and implemented on the three mountain massifs surrounding Brașov city to elicit the necessary findings. Due to continuous support from the relevant authorities in the registration of the label, the producers were interested in enlisting themselves in the quality scheme; however, poor marketing and promotional assistance were some of the problems identified as general problems that caused the producers to be disappointed in the labelling scheme. Although most of the producers had a good idea of the benefits associated with the label, only 50% of them were engaged in some way in highlighting the mountain label in their promotional activities. Different statistical tests like the U-test, correlation analysis, and chi-square tests were used in conjunction with the different findings visualisations to derive insightful findings. The findings of the research can be beneficial to comprehend existing scenarios of mountain labels and producers' perceptions of mountain labels post-registration, propose different systematic reformations for better efficiency of operations of mountain labels, and realize its initial objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition towards the circular economy (CE) is one of the major priorities of the European Union (EU). By observing its benefits through the prism of sustainable development, this study aims to reveal the intricate relationships between the CE and the economy–society–environment nexus across 27 EU countries during the period from 2012 to 2020. Utilizing an extensive dataset comprising 243 observations drawn from the EUROSTAT database, we employed a panel data analysis. In this research, we quantified the impact of CE indicators on key dependent variables: GDP per capita (economic dimension), mortality, morbidity, and the welfare cost associated with exposure to environment-related risks (social dimension) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the environmental realm. The findings of our study illuminate the multifaceted connections between circular economy practices and the broader goals of sustainable development within the EU-27 context. The CE indicators aggregated at the EU level not only have a beneficial impact on the economy but also on society and the environment. The analysis reveals that each of the six explanatory variables incorporated into the models exhibits the anticipated relationship with at least one of the outcome variables. This research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, public authorities, and other stakeholders seeking to enhance the circular economy landscape in respective countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uncovers relationships between the wine export and production in Armenia. Wine industry is a strategically important economic sector in Armenian. The importance of its development is strongly supported by the fact that alcoholic beverages from grape processing are products with high customs value exported from Armenia (in 2020 the share of alcoholic beverages in the entire export structure was about 8.4%). Within the framework of this study, a detailed analysis of the wine production was performed. By applying econometric analysis, we assessed the impact that the increase of wine export has on wine production. Also, the empirical analysis of the impact of USD and RUB exchange rates on wine industry was performed. Overall, the econometric analysis indicated that export volumes and USD exchange rate significantly affect Armenian wine industry. This study provides enough evidence for us to conclude that the export of Armenian wine must be heavily promoted by Government policies and the same time the export directions must be diversified. The results of this study can be basis for scientific substantiation of sectorial strategies developed by the Government of Armenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entrepreneurial behavior of individuals is a result of a complex assembly of factors, and education is one of them. The article is aiming to address the scientific gap in the relation between education and the intention and attitudes in entrepreneurship by focusing on the analysis of the economic and entrepreneurial background as a determinant factor. Besides that, the study looked for the factors that influence entrepreneurial intention and intended to find out if there are significant differences between economic and non-economic backgrounds and entrepreneurial intentions of individuals. A survey with 582 validated respondents was employed in the north-west and the west part of Romania to determine the entrepreneurial intention of the residents. For investigating the results, descriptive statistics were used to analyze the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, and principal component analysis with varimax rotation was conducted to reduce the number of items used to analyze the entrepreneurial intention of the respondents. The study demonstrated the significance of entrepreneurial education for entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process: the higher variance is given by entrepreneurial intention (58.75%) for those with economic studies and by entrepreneurial capacity (58.39%) for those without economic studies. It concludes that entrepreneurial education policies should concentrate on the increase of opportunities for entrepreneurs and on creating a culture of entrepreneurship. Regression analysis revealed that entrepreneurial capacity, personal attraction, social valuation, and entrepreneurial education/economic background significantly predict entrepreneurial intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent pandemic, as well as sustainability issues have led to changing trends when it comes food purchasing and consumption. Thus, more and more consumers tend to pay more attention to how the food is produced, processed, handled and marketed. Over the past few years, the organic food market has experienced a notable surge in popularity. This study seeks to examine the factors and obstacles shaping the consumption of organic products. Additionally, it aims to explore the socio-demographic traits of consumers in this category and identify the primary types of preferred organic products. The study's convenience sample of 214 customers from Romania's Bihor County served as the basis for data collection, which was done online. The results of our study show that the confidence that a product is organic ranked first among all factors on the consumer's list, followed by a price similar to normal food products and certification by a control body. Organic vegetables, fruits, and eggs were among the most preferred products by the consumers, while processed and canned goods ranked lower on the preferences list for the respondents. Concerning obstacles to organic food consumption, the main concern is related to the additional cost that consumers have to cover relative to other food items. Additionally, half of the respondents who abstain from organic product consumption expressed a lack of belief in organic certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multifaceted and flexible partnership established to support the growth of the agro-industrial sector has produced the Value Chain of AgroTransilvania Cluster. Its goal is to aid in the growth of the association's and each member's competitiveness on both domestic and foreign markets. The aim of the article is to propose and set up an adequate strategy for assuring the common development of the AgroTransilvania Cluster. The analysis of internal and external ecosystem of the value chain of the AgroTransilvania Cluster -- the material studied - was scrutinized using SWOT Analysis, used, aftercall, as groundwork for TOWS Matrix, completed by PESTEL analysis. The needs of the members of the cluster were identified using Delphi method, through questionnaires. The final result consists in a strategic planning document, so its implementation was assumed by the cluster's members, assuring their involvement in joint, multi- and trans-disciplinary research, development, innovation, technology transfer, service provision, production, increasing visibility and not. The final aim of the strategy is to successfully generate the transition from an emerging cluster to an innovative one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terms rural tourism and agritourism can be considered synonymous, but there are differences even though they share certain identifying elements. Agritourism appeared as a solution to in-crease the income of rural households, by capitalizing on their economic potential, however the main activity remained agriculture. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate the situation of agritourism in Romania approached from different perspectives such as: rural development, traditional products, and landscape integrations. The methodology used in this study is a systematic literature review where the search process was carried out using keywords such as: "Agritourism in Romania" or "Rural development in Romania" or "Integration of the rural landscape in Romania". The research was conducted and filtered through the Prisma guidelines in 30 papers that were highlighted in the Results section. In concluding this research paper, we would like to say that there are many factors that should be considered to find a viable solution to help develop rural communities and simultaneously safeguarding the environment and using natural resources responsibly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing literature related to the cluster concept has been based on solid research from A. Marshall's theory of industrial districts to M. Porter's cluster concept, with location being the main factor on which the two built their premises. Considering that the cluster model has evolved over time, this paper aims to study the dynamism of this model, taking into account geographic concentration as an essential element influencing the emergence of clusters. Then it moves on to novel aspects, such as the role of clusters in promoting new technologies or innovations and the cluster's contribution to increasing the competitiveness of companies or even regional competitiveness. The methodological approach of this research consists in systematically reviewing the literature on clusters, the evolution of the model, the importance of geographical proximity and clusters' impact on growth, the elevation of innovation processes and competitiveness of companies and regions, but also the involvement of clusters in the implementation of policies. The paper provides a general picture of the dynamics of the concept by summarizing and integrating several concepts treated by other researchers in an in-depth manner. Our findings reveal the importance of the proximity factor for industries that are part of clusters, along with the fact that over time, globalization has imposed a trend towards an approach that crosses regional and national borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the huge economic and social disparities between urban and rural areas of Romania, it is important to investigate the local community perception on the perceived impact of the rural development strategies, provided that local strategies should be developed based on citizens’ needs. The study represents a first step towards a more complex research to evaluate the degree of satisfaction and wellbeing of the rural communities from Cluj County, following the implementation of the rural development programs. The research was conducted on the basis of primary data obtained from citizens of Cuzdrioara, a commune from Cluj County which represents a particular case, as its position allows the direct connection to national roads. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were performed for comparisons of proportions, while Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal Wallis test were used for the comparisons of scale scores between respondents. Through the objectives of the Local Development Strategy, Cuzdrioara commune aims to improve the way of life of the inhabitants by achieving the objectives proposed in the strategy. Many projects have been completed, being positively assessed by the citizens. The public administration fulfilled the objectives established in the Local Development Strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic food consumption has increased during the last years as a consequence of its direct impact on consumer health, life style, and social convenience as well as on the environment and sustainable development. Compared to the European level, the consumption of organic food products is quite low in Romania. This paper investigates the perception and attitudes of the organic food consumers from the North-West Development Region of Romania. Consumers’ perception towards organic food products was measured using 30 items. The data were collected from 568 respondents and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A factor-cluster approach was used to identify consumer groups. The findings indicated that health concerns, sensory appeal, sustainable consumption and weight concerns are the main reasons for consuming organic food products. Three main groups of organic food consumers were identified: “gourmand”, “environmentally concerned” and “health concerned”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is a multi-faced activity that links the economic, social and environmental components of sustainability. This research analyzes rural residents' perceptions of the impact of tourism development and examines the factors that influence the support for sustainable tourism development in the region of Nord-Vest in Romania. Residents' perceptions towards tourism development were measured using 22 items, while their support for tourism development was determined using 8 items. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Principal component analysis grouped the first 22 variables into 4 factors, and the following 8 variables into 2 factors (sustainable development, destination development). Findings indicate that residents see tourism as a development factor. The natural, economic, and social-cultural environment as well as infrastructure, age, gender and education are factors that influence the sustainable development of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree-growing sector is considered to be an important supplier of food and raw material for industry worldwide. Increasingly competitive decisions regarding international investment in orchards depend on business analysis. This study compares three apple orchards situated in Cluj-Napoca, on the Eastern limits of the Transylvanian Plain, Romania. While the climatic and soil conditions are relatively consistent among the three orchards, the technical and economic results (expressed in hectares) vary due to the use of three different technological systems of apple production: extensive, intensive, and super-intensive. The study compares the life cycle, starting with age of fructification, production level (quantity and quality), costs (investment and production costs-divided into material costs, mechanical costs, human costs, and overhead costs), income, profit (including rate of profit), and investment efficiency: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback Period (PP). It was observed that the most economically efficient technological system in terms of investments is the super-intensive one, with a higher production level, a higher share of Extra Class apples, and a younger age of initial fructification. However certain inconveniences of this system-such as a more expensive investment, a higher cost of running the business throughout the year, and a reduced life cycle-cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water availability has become a problem in many countries of the world. Water scarcity can be economic or physical. Agricultural water use accounts for about three quarters of total global consumption; in many developing countries, irrigation represents over 90% of the water used. The purpose of this paper is to explore the willingness to pay for irrigation water among the farmers from the boundaries governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). During the field study, 236 farmers from KRG were interviewed. The collected data were analyzed for each of the precipitation zones of the area (secured (A) and non-secured rainfed (B)). The contingent valuation method was used to determine the willingness to pay for irrigation water. The following possible independent variables influencing farmers' decisions were considered: the bid amounts; evaluation scale of the water deficit; source of water for irrigation; cultivated area; education and age of respondents; main agricultural activity. In Zone A, the median willingness to pay of the farmers that used ground water for irrigation is 20.28 USD/10 m3, and for the farmers that use other sources of water, the willingness to pay is 11.49 USD/10 m3. The median willingness to pay in Zone B is 18.56/10 m3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays the training courses represent a real problem, and more and more people are interested in improving or developing new skills in order to improve their professional status. This article examines the factors that influence the quality of the training courses held by FAER organization. The training courses are addressed to the future entrepreneurs. The courses were related to various fields: management, marketing, finance and other economic subjects. Due to the basic characteristics of the services it is difficult to evaluate the quality of this kind of activity. To achieve the purpose of the paper a survey was conducted using the SERVQUAL method. The total number of respondents that participated in this survey was 194. The results reveal the fact that the training courses did not achieve the expectations of the participants and the main problems which were indicated are related to the schedule and the ability of the professors to communicate and make the participants feel comfortable during the classes. To increase the quality of these courses it is recomanded to pay attention also to the relation between the lectures and the praticipants, not only to the quantity and the quality of the provided material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to success in any business an important factor is considered to be the quality of the services delivered to customers. The paper presents the tourists' satisfaction with respect to the services offered by the rural guesthouses. Lodging represents an important part of the holiday. According to the available legislation of Romania there are more than 10 different types of accommodation facilities which can be certificated to assure the tourists' services. Hitherto in Romania the certification of accommodation facilities is due only based on the technical characteristics. For the main objective of the paper a survey was conducted in 2 flowers and 3 flowers rural guesthouses. The respondents were asked to evaluate the quality of the services by using the SERVQUAL model. The quality of the services offered by the rural guesthouses did not meet the tourists' expectations for none of the comfort categories. For future research it is recommended to conduct a similar study at the nation level to determine if only the technical characteristics are enough or not to certificate an accommodation unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the particularities of the supply and demand in Vatra Dornei SPA resort, which is located in the North-East part of Romania, in Suceava County. In order to face the new challenges of the market the supply needs to adapt to the new trend. This is not possible without knowing the tourists profile. In the first part of the paper is presented the literature review about the importance and the trends regarding the deveplemnt of the health and wellness tourism. The paper continues with the description of the analyzed area and the research methods used. The research method used was the survey and the main indicators used to analyze the demand and supply were: number of tourists, overnights stay, average length of stay, number of accommodation facilities and the occupancy rate. In order to achieve the purpose of the present paper a study was conducted in Vatra Dornei in the period July-August 2011. The statistical data about the supply were analyzed and debated and a survey was conducted on 150 tourists. The results show that the supply still needs to be adapted to the tourists profile and to the national thermal tourism development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the steps of estimating the recreation value of a national park by combining two non-market valuation methods: the Travel Cost Method and the Contingent Valuation Method. The questionnaire was designed according to both methods by formulating specific questions. The survey was implemented in Piatra Craiului National Park during the summer of 2011, one of the most visited national parks from Romania. The recreation value in terms of consumer surplus per trip is derived from the Poisson model and in terms of willingness to pay per trip from the random effects probit model. It was found that tourists gain significant benefits from recreating in the park. The estimated recreation values are expressed in monetary units and provide justification for attracting funds for developing tourism opportunities in a sustainable way. Moreover, the findings show that tourists are aware of the value of the park and do appreciate the opportunities offered by the park administrations. However, the process of revealing the benefits people gain after visiting the park should receive more attention from the decision makers when developing the management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has as the main objective the comparative analysis of production costs in fruits trees ecological agriculture as well as for conventional agriculture. Sequentially, it was determinated the expenses changes that occur on similar farms in the two analyzed farming systems: ecological and conventional, using a survey instrument, a questionnaire which, provided data necessary to analyze differences in costs for different agricultural production. Based on the results of the comparative study, it can be observed that there are significant differences in the variable production costs and gross margin of each culture, the lowest gross margin are recorded, mainly, for the farms on the conversion period, proving the necessity for supporting the ecological agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the particularities of participants' profile to trainings. The research was conducted in April 2012 in four counties of Romania: Arges, Bistrita-Nasaud, Mures and Suceava. The research method was de survey based on questionnaire. The sample size was of 194 respondents. The study revealed that the participants in training are mainly female, with high education level and low income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a research conducted in four counties of Romania regarding the real situation of the entrepreneurship. The population investigated is represented by the participants to training programs organized by FAER. The random sample method was used to establish the size of the sample. The data were analyzed by using the Chi-Square test. The results revealed the fact that the gender of the respondents and the monthly income influence their perception regarding the quality, content, utility of the curricula on these courses on one hand, and the perception of the professionalism of the lectures on the other hand. Having all these information future efforts need to be done in order to adapt the content and the teaching methods to the target group in order to improve the quality of the delivered service [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social and economic realities require effort and flexibility form entrepreneurs and managers. To deal with the new request of the labor and the challenges for starting up a business more and more are those that participate to professional training programs. This paper presents the results of a research that was done in 4 counties of Romania. The objective of the research was to determine the effects of trainings regarding entrepreneurship. The research method was the survey based on questionnaire. The results revealed the fact that the participants appreciated positively the benefits of trainings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practice has proved that efficient management actions occur only where decisions are taken based on relevant and reliable information about the respective protected area and the potential user groups. The last refers to the visitors of the protected areas, which express an increased interest in spending the leisure time in such areas and practicing different recreation activities. Thus, the profile of tourists is one of the main key elements in the decision processes regarding the management of tourism in the national and natural parks. This information is valuable for at least two reasons. First, this type of information should be considered when developing recreation facilities or maintaining attractive services for tourists because it may respond to their needs. Second, it is important for imposing use restrictions where necessary and if uncontrolled behavior is noticed. Data were collected during the summer of 2011 using an in-person questionnaire. Tourists were approached while they were recreating in the Romanian national and natural parks. The descriptive statistics analysis was conducted to create the profile of tourists. The trip characteristics were analyzed along with the socio-demographic characteristics, thus offering a detailed understanding of tourists' behavior during the recreation trips. Overall, results indicate that some characteristics differ among the groups of visitors. It remains the park managers' task to find solutions on how to adapt the recreation facilities and services to tourists' needs, definitely by imposing some restrictions that assure the preservation of the natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a research conducted in the Tarnava Mare Region by setting up an original tool based on QUALITEST and SERVQUAL methods, having as main objective to determine the quality of the region as a tourist destination. The working method used was a social survey based on questionnaire. Research carried out revealed that tourist services in general and of the tourist guesthouses, in particular, are difficult to quantify in terms of quality, being based mainly on emotional impressions. Because of that, a continuous adaptation of research instruments is needed in order to determine the most valuable future directions for the development of the region in terms of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is a first step for estimating the main characteristics of the visitors from the Tarnava Mare Region. For assuring and for offering a high quality level of tourist services, as a competitive advantage for investors (in term of increasing the number of tourists and, implicitly, the turnover and profit), the profile of the visitors must be was studied using a direct survey by implementing a questionnaire using QUALITEST and SERVQUAL instruments, for observing the expected qualitative level of tourist destination. The research offers valuable information for determining relevant conclusions that can be used a fundament for diversifying and adapting the tourist offers as an important element for increasing the attractiveness of tourist destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic farming has become an important alternative to conventional farming, mostly because of environmental sustainability issues, and has long-term positive benefits over soil, water, air and climate change, biodiversity, prohibiting the use of genetically modified organisms, and encouraging the development of ecological services. In Romania, the organic food market follows a positive trend, although the consumption rate is still very low compared to the European Union; therefore, it is necessary to identify the main barriers in consumption but also the factors influencing the increase in demand for this category of food products. In order to accomplish these objectives, a survey based on a questionnaire was conducted in the North-West Development Region of Romania, the second most important Romanian region from an economic development perspective. Five hundred and sixty-eight questionnaires were distributed in 2016. The collected data were danalyzed using descriptive statistics and principal component analysis. The results indicated that the most important barrier in consumption was price, followed by perishability and availability. High prices, mistrust, and lack of proper promotion for organic food are the influencing factors for organic food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last years, tourism has undergone significant development worldwide, especially in developing countries. Tourism is a multi-faced activity with positive and negative impacts on the destinations, linking the economic, social, and environmental components of sustainable development. The attitude of the host community is an important factor for future tourism planning, management, and development of a tourism destination. As such, the paper analyzes the attitudes and perceptions of the local residents from the Kurdistan Regional Government, located in the northern part of the Republic of Iraq. To achieve the purpose of the research, a survey based on a questionnaire was conducted in Sulaimani and Halabja Governorates. A number of 320 questionnaires were applied in 2016. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and principal component analysis. The results indicate that tourism is seen as a development sector during the last years. Its positive impacts are better perceived than the negative ones, mainly because it offers more recreational opportunities due to the development of new recreational parks. Tourism increases pollution, this being the most negative aspect mentioned by the respondents, but regardless, they are proud of the progress overthe last years and they support future actions for tourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]