Europe in the New World Economy: Opportunities and Challenges

The paper focuses on the history of the economic research organization and development in Romania during the last century, in three distinct periods: interwar (1918–1947), socialist (1948–1989) and post-communist (1990-present). Each period is analysed taking into account its particularities, being presented the economic research interest areas and topics under the circumstances of institutional research network changes, highlighting the contribution of the main promoters and scientists, and the most representative works and publications in economics. The paper is presenting the research organizations outstanding scientific achievements, including those related to the complex theoretical and practical issues of Romania’s transition to the market economy and European integration with a special focus on the National Institute for Economic Research “Costin C. Kirițescu” of the Romanian Academy as well as the research institutes and centres of its network.

The intervention outlines, through a critical and punctual analysis, a perspective on how the leadership of contemporary Romanian society relates to scientific research in general, and to basic scientific research in particular. The Romanian Academy, the epicenter of basic scientific research in our country, reserves the right, the authors claim, to produce its own assessments in the spirit of society’s requirements, in keeping with its commitment to having served the nation for over 100 years. Considering the status of the Romanian Academy, the current relevance of “the highest national forum of scientific and cultural consecration” is all the greater since, at present, there is an obvious tendency to generalize the “commensuration” of research results by industrial/economic means/methods, a way that is totally and utterly inappropriate for basic scientific research.

One of the major problems reported worldwide is the recent inflation dynamics, reflected by its sharp increase since 2021 and the persistence of high levels in the following years. Starting from some specific features of the recent inflationary episode, the research focuses on analysing the dynamics of inflation in the European Union countries compared to how consumers perceive inflation. Using recent data provided by Eurostat, the ECB Survey of Professional Forecasters, and data provided by the European Commission business and consumer surveys for the European Union countries, the results show the maintenance of large gaps between the perception of inflation and its actual level. In response to the increase in inflationary pressure, central banks changed their monetary policy conduct from easing to restrictive, reflected by successive increases in policy interest rates. Although the inflationary pressure has eased, the forecasts show that it will remain above the predetermined target level in the coming years, bearing the risk of impairing inflationary expectations. In a pessimistic scenario, the persistence of above-target inflation can maintain a certain sentiment of uncertainty among consumers and implicitly fuel the negative perception regarding the evolution of inflation. Therefore, one of the major challenges facing central banks is to find a way to improve their communication strategy with the public by integrating the objective aimed at improving consumers’ economic and financial education.

Fiscal consolidation episodes can be implemented either through increases in government revenues or reduction in public expenditure. Fiscal consolidation has an important role in macroeconomic stabilization as it can reduce budgetary pressures and improve fiscal sustainability. We will study in this paper several fiscal consolidation episodes in EZ countries, implemented as a reaction to a severe economic contraction which resulted in important increases of public debts and deficits. Our results confirm the existence of significant differences between core and periphery EZ member states regarding fiscal adjustments. Fiscal space represents an important tool to cope with negative output shocks, which can produce significant increases in debt and deficits and reduce the scope for expansionary fiscal policies implemented in order to restore economic growth.

The present paper has as key objectives the investigation of the BRICS+ institutional architecture and its support for a NIEO, the analysis of the BRICS countries in terms of economic power and influence, as well as the interpretation of the enlargement process considering specific motivations for each new participant. The key novelty of this research resides in the classification of potential and current partners worldwide in five main categories, according to their position towards BRICS. Motivations of economic, geopolitical and ideological origin are analysed, based on official declarations and literature review. Among the new member states, the United Arab Emirates is interested in BRICS from the perspective of increasing its bargaining power and role on the international stage. For Egypt and Ethiopia, BRICS membership is mainly relevant from an economic standpoint. For Iran, the accession is impelled by economic and geopolitical determinants. Argentina’s position change is of ideological origin. The paper also fills the gap in the literature regarding the current NIEO, which is different not only from those between 1970s and 1989, but also from that reflecting the “unipolar moment”. The expectations of developing countries in relationship with BRICS are high, being related to the NIEO, inclusive multilateralism and reform of multilateral organizations.

In a period marked by globalization, social, and military events with profound national and international implications, Romania must aim for sustainable economic development. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can be used to measure a country’s level of economic development. Considering that the engine of growth is the private sector, this paper aims to analyse the influence the private sector’s level of lending has on the GDP. For this purpose, a linear regression was created to analyse the dependence of GDP on credit granted to the private sector. The model shows the positive impact that domestic credit granted to the private sector has on economic development, i.e. increases in domestic credit granted to the private sector result in increases in GDP.

The synergy between Open Banking and Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a key initiative in recent years that hit the banking industry at a global level. Open Banking, which is led by technological innovation and strict legal norms, started new times for data accessibility by allowing third parties to access and utilize the financial data of the clients of the banks. This information is accessed of course, with the consent of the bank’s customers. In the same time, AI technologies evolved and offer very useful tools for data analysis and automation. The base principles regarding data sharing of Open Banking, the client’s competencies and increased competition in the financial system created new ways of application of AI. This article explores the convergence between open banking and AI, investigating how this interaction is reshaping the financial services industry. Through a literature review, the study examines the current state of open banking and of Artificial Intelligence technologies, and how their merger is fostering innovation, upgrades customer experiences, and ensures greater financial inclusivity in banking system. The search reveals that the synergy of open banking and Artificial Intelligence imply substantial opportunities; it also presents challenges related to data privacy and security. It also provides practical implications for banks and Fintech companies targeting to navigate the evolving landscape of digital finance.

This study presents a comparative analysis of human trading and algorithmic trading, focusing on the methodology employed and the resulting performance metrics. Methodologically, an algorithmic trading bot was developed using Pine Script 5, leveraging the Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) algorithm model. The bot operated autonomously, executing predefined trading strategies without human intervention. In contrast, human trading involved manual decision-making within defined working hours. Key performance indicators such as net profit, total closed trades, win rate, and profit factor were analysed to assess the efficacy of each approach. The results revealed that while algorithmic trading offered benefits in terms of automation and efficiency, human trading demonstrated instances of superior profitability and adaptability, particularly during working hours. This study underscores the importance of integrating the strengths of both approaches to develop robust trading strategies that are adaptive and effective in navigating dynamic market conditions.

Climate change and environmental degradation influence the sustainable economy, producing effects at both the macroeconomic and microeconomic levels. The links between economic growth and environmental pollution and energy consumption have been studied extensively in recent years. The state of environmental quality is influenced by the level of income per capita, a phenomenon that generates changes in environmental policies. With increasing per capita income, people tend to consume more goods and services, which leads to more intensive use of natural resources and more waste production. High economic development is usually accompanied by accelerated industrialization and urbanization; these processes can produce negative effects on the environment, such as air and water pollution and deforestation for the expansion of urban areas. Economic growth also brings benefits such as increased availability of financial resources. These resources can be directed towards investments in renewable energies, climate-resilient infrastructure and environmental conservation programs. Economic growth also stimulates technological innovation, investment in research and development, including the development of sustainable technologies and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with additional revenues helping to finance measures needed to address climate change and challenges. The purpose of this study is to analyse the existence of a dynamic dependency relationship between the evolution of the GDP indicator and the evolution of the indicators: CO2 emissions and the number of inhabitants, in the last 19 years, in Romania.

The population is a strategic resource for any economy, and analysing its medium- and long-term evolution allows for estimating the potential human capital available to the national labor market. Therefore, examining the population’s dynamics and structure—based on census surveys and the identification of sustainability attributes and factors—is crucial for the business environment, the education system, and political decision-makers responsible for public policies that ensure the intelligent use of national resources. Through the comparative analysis of the characteristics of the population from the last four censuses, the paper aims to identify, on the one hand, to what extent this survey allows us to identify and measure the characteristics of the population that have an impact on the supply of human resources for the labor market and, on the other hand part, the main indicators that adjust the provision of labor market needs. Overall, the statistical analysis of socio-economic indicators demonstrates how demographic factors, educational attainment, and economic sectors interplay to shape the dynamics of the labor force. At the same time, demographic aging and increased intergenerational dependence underscore the need for integrated policies to support a demographic model that sustains present and future labor resources. This should be associated with policies that encourage the prolonged presence of the elderly in the labor market and a human development model that will retain young people in Romania.

This study assesses the influence of artificial surfaces and demographic changes on landscape dynamics within and around Romania’s protected areas since 2000. Utilizing Corine Land Cover data, we analyzed land use and land cover changes in 13 natural parks and two geoparks, excluding Vacaresti Natural Park due to its distinct characteristics that made it irrelevant for such an analysis. Our findings reveal a general trend of decreasing population within these areas, with significant variations in the expansion of artificial surfaces. Specifically, while most areas witnessed a reduction in artificial surfaces and demographic figures, notable exceptions were observed. The protective status of these parks has contributed to mitigating unrestricted urban expansion, preserving natural landscapes and biodiversity. However, economic growth, demographic shifts, and land-use modifications pose ongoing challenges to the balance between conservation efforts and developmental pressures. Our study underscores the importance of adaptive management practices, integrating socioeconomic development with environmental conservation to ensure the sustainability of these natural reserves. The results highlight the crucial role of protected areas in balancing ecological preservation with human activity, calling for continuous refinement of conservation strategies amid evolving socioeconomic landscapes.

Mathematical modeling of demographic dynamics and the transition to Zero Energy Building (ZEB) standards is a complex and interdisciplinary endeavor. It requires expertise in mathematics, statistics, economics, and a deep understanding of the factors at play. It can be a valuable tool for policymakers, urban planners, and industry stakeholders seeking to navigate the challenges of sustainable building transitions in a dynamic socioeconomic landscape. Research in these areas can help identify key drivers and milestones in the relationship between demographic cycles and the transition to the ZEB standard, contributing to a better understanding of this complex and dynamic intersection. Starting from the definition of variables and looking for parameter and time dependence through simulations and data collection through sensitivity analysis and scenarios, optimization techniques are considered to find the best strategies to achieve the ZEB adoption objectives, considering demographic and economic constraints.

The digital transformation has brought fundamental changes to the content of work and the structure of jobs, from easing work tasks to replacing human work and creating new jobs. Currently, the question is to what extent the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the business environment will determine a new employment shift, to what extent it will definitively replace the workforce. In the present study, on the one hand, the current offers for the use of AI in productive processes are analyzed, whether it is the creation of products, the optimization of some services, and, on the other hand, the opportunities for the efficiency of managerial activity increase. The bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer is used and it is completed with a qualitative analysis, based on a focus group and the application of an in-depth questionnaire, which aims to identify the extent to which AI can and will replace human activity. The quantitative results of the exploratory research show us the limits, at least in the current phase of AI development, of human substitution in the production processes of goods/services or in managerial activities. The conclusions identify the role of AI as a tool to optimize work tasks for decision-making processes and facilitator of updating work content and the limits of total human replacement. We are facing with a new employment shift, different from others because it will impact the work content as such of the most jobs and, at least in this development stage of the generative AI, will assist, without final decision in processing activities or in services providing.

Technologies have developed enormously in recent years, and the involvement of artificial intelligence (AI) in processes from different fields is becoming more and more common these days. The integration of AI technologies into human resources (HR) has garnered significant attention and transformed how organizations manage their workforce. This chapter discusses the ethical difficulties raised by the increasing use of AI in HR procedures. It explores artificial intelligence’s possible benefits and downsides, with a special emphasis on justice, prejudice, privacy, and transparency. The chapter also emphasizes the significance of ensuring that AI-driven HR procedures adhere to ethical values and regulatory laws, hence creating a more inclusive and equal workplace. AI is playing a significant pivotal role in HR decision-making; understanding and addressing these ethical concerns is crucial to maintaining the balance between innovation and ethics in the realm of HR management. The chapter concludes by highlighting the need for guidelines and best practices to navigate the evolving landscape of AI in HR, ultimately fostering a more responsible and ethical integration of AI technologies in the workplace.

Currently, there are three generations on the labour market—X, Y and Z—working together, with different values and attitudes to working life. The objective of this chapter is to assess the behaviour of Generation Z in the labour market, in particular the weaknesses observed from employers. Under the current conditions, Generation Z differs from other generations in the labour market, having different values in their work. At the same time, there are also certain problems or weaknesses related to the workplace, observed in Generation Z. In order to achieve the research objective, an eight-item questionnaire was developed to reflect the problems or weaknesses of Generation Z youth who have recently been employed in organizations. The sample included 288 organizations, and respondents (company managers or HR managers) had to identify which of the eight items (problems/weaknesses) characterize this generation in the professional environment. In order to have a more comprehensive analysis, the assessment of Generation Z was carried out on four categories of employees: auxiliary personnel, workers, specialists and managers. SPSS was used for data processing and Chi-Square test of association and correspondence analysis were applied. The results show that the weaknesses recorded in Generation Z differ from one category of employees to another. Urban organizations also highlighted some weaknesses of Generation Z, while rural ones—others.

Youth unemployment in the European Union countries has been a problem for many years, and an evident increase occurred during 2020 under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the OECD report (The Missing Entrepreneurs, 2021), many young people had problems finding adequate employment in that period. In 2020, unemployment among young people up to the age of 25 in the countries of the European Union increased by 2.8% compared to the previous year; at the same time, the unemployment rate of young people aged up to 29 increased by 1.4%. High youth unemployment rates reflect the challenges they face when looking for a job. The most common problem is a lack of experience because employers seek experienced and qualified workers. According to Eurostat data (2023), from 2002 to 2022, the highest unemployment rates were from 2012 to 2014. A decrease in the unemployment rate followed it and lasted until the second quarter of 2020, when a significant increase occurred under the influence of the pandemic. Between 2014 and 2020, the European Union worked intensively on youth support programmes to reduce unemployment. In order to analyse the trends in youth unemployment between the ages of 15 and 29 and to make predictions about future trends, the chapter will examine the unemployment rate in the period from 2002 to 2022 with a parallel analysis of the European Union measures developed and implemented to create opportunities for easier and faster job finding.

Starting from the definition of value in our work, namely the fact that they are the benchmark in the socialization criteria of the individual and a direct reference for the sustainable development of society. We can say that the value defines our and society’s system of options and determines our orientation or the collectivity of which we are a part in the evolved society subject to multiple challenges. Moreover, the individual and implicitly society relates, or should relate, to the main moral values, namely: kindness, courage, altruism, perseverance, empathy. Based on existing empirical research, the results of our work will highlight the fact that through value, the individual plans his personal value involvements or looks for certain attitudes and qualities of the people he interacts with. Value helps us formulate our goals and define our perspectives. The value also defines the character and direction of personal relationships, the preference of choosing or rejecting partners in a collective participation. In the conclusions of the chapter, we will highlight the fact that values have a determining and fundamental role in all creative, cooperative or conflicting human actions. Moreover, through them we can each of us participate in the societal balance and a sustainable development of the current society, in the context of the multiple crises in which we find ourselves.

Rediscovering the role of motivation within public services helps employees to behave as people at work who follow an ethical view to action for common good within public administration and contribute to public value creation. Ethics is embedded within the behaviours of people at work who feel highly motivated to public service. The study relies on understanding the relationships between public service motivation and ethics within public organizations. As a driver of ethical behaviours, public service motivation helps drive cultural change and orient wealthy administrative actions for community development. Rediscovering the issues of employee motivation enables the managerial dimension of public organizations and supports ethics-driven innovation and changes that help drive interaction and cooperative processes between communities and public organizations. Public service motivation helps drive responsive public organizations that contribute to driving social innovation-led processes within society. The role of public organizations is to develop managerial capabilities in order to foster motivational and ethical dimensions, supporting people at work who behave as the employees of a community in order to contribute to addressing public values, while performing their tasks and improving the organizational effectiveness of public administration.

In the labour market, there are several categories of labour force, considered disadvantaged, who have more difficulties in finding a job. As a result, many of these people are unemployed for a long time. In this chapter we aimed to assess the willingness of companies to employ disadvantaged people as a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) action. In order to achieve the objective, we developed a questionnaire in which we asked the respondent organisations to assess their level of satisfaction with disadvantaged people working in the organisation, as well as their willingness to hire new disadvantaged people in the future. The survey covered 188 enterprises, including 83 large enterprises and 105 medium-sized enterprises. Likert scales from ‘1’ to ‘5’ were used to assess the level of satisfaction of organisations with the work done by disadvantaged people and their willingness to hire new disadvantaged people. Data processing was carried out in SPSS and several statistical methods were applied: Student’s test (both for independent and paired samples) and correlation analysis (Pearson correlation coefficient). The results show that organisations rate the level of satisfaction with disadvantaged people working in them more or less highly. Also, the intention of organisations to employ disadvantaged people is assessed differently from one category to another.

The initial data of the current research are taken from a Eurobarometer completed in May 2020. Twenty-one countries of the European Union are analyzed comparatively, neglecting seven very small European states. The 21,804 European citizens who were interviewed in May 2020 answered the questions OwnH and FamH. These questions refer to the concern produced by the action of the Covid-19 pandemic on one’s own health, as well as the health of family and friends. There is a very strong linear relationship between the trends of the ordinal categorical variables OwnH and FamH. Compared to own health (OwnH), citizens of the 21 European countries studied are more concerned about the health of family and friends (FamH). The chapter proposed a classification as well as a ranking of the European Union countries according to the answers given to the OwnH and FamH questions. The statistical approaches used refer to the application of statistical tests in order to verify the homogeneity of the opinions of various European populations, the use of the partial stochastic dominance relationship between two distributions, and the introduction of a trend indicator specific to categorical ordinal type variables, applying suggestive graphic representations as well.

Educational performance can be defined as a priority and desired at the international level, considering the fundamental impact it generates in the socioeconomic development of a state. Therefore, the objective of the current work is to develop the radiography of the educational system in Romania and to profile the decisive factors that contribute to improved educational performance. Thus, we will focus on two of them, namely, educational infrastructure and the level of government spending. Furthermore, regarding performance, we define it from two perspectives: qualitative, through the results recorded in the PISA assessments, and quantitative, through the average number of years spent in school. Regarding the further methodology, a set of three hypotheses are built, which will define the educational model and answer several research questions: the existence of a level of homogeneity of the didactic infrastructure, the impact of government spending, and the characterization of the Romanian education system as a competitive and performant one, compared to other states. In studying the hypotheses, we used descriptive and statistical analysis, as well as regression and cluster models, through the affinity propagation algorithm. The results profile an ineffective educational model from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective, inhomogeneous in terms of infrastructure and underfunded. Lastly, we have identified a shortage of studies in the related literature, focused on the performance of the pre-university education system in Romania, so the current work meets this absence.

This paper studies as first objective the correlation between investments and gross domestic product thereby showing the procyclical behaviour of investments’ flows during the second transition of Romania to market economy (1990–2004). Next, the investigation is further extended by applying Lewis duality concept in a transformational context. The authors identify the time interval in which the respective duality was effective and the year when the private initiative became dominant in the field of investments. A special attention is paid, hence, to the identification of the modelling factors of the public, private, and total investments dynamics. In this way, it is possible to emphasize the inertia of the private and public investments, respectively, when the substitution between the public and the private investments took place in the Romanian economy. In the same time, the analysis reveals that the total investments’ dynamics was significantly influenced by the near-past private investments’ behaviour and the current economic situation.

The manufacturing industry has played a pivotal role in driving economic development, closely intertwined with the growth of the gross domestic product. The inflationary shock stemming from the economic and geopolitical repercussions of the war in Ukraine has disrupted the cost structure of the industry, impacting its competitiveness. Additionally, the strategic priorities outlined in the European Ecological Pact by the European Union have added further pressure on the industry. In Romania, the manufacturing industry stands as one of the largest consumers of energy, accounting for 27.1% of final energy consumption in 2021. The surge in energy prices during the Ukraine war had adverse effects on industry production, resulting in a contraction of 0.4% in 2022, despite a 4.6% increase in the gross domestic product during the same period. In this context, the paper identifies the activities within the manufacturing industry that are most vulnerable to the impacts of the Ukraine war. Moreover, the study delves into the relationship between investment intensity and energy intensity across the main activities of the manufacturing industry. It underscores that activities with higher energy intensity also exhibit lower investment intensities. The paper also estimates two autoregressive vector models, enabling an econometric analysis of the impact of the substantial increase in industrial production prices on the manufacturing industry’s production. The findings indicate that activities characterized by higher energy intensity have borne the brunt of these effects.

The pandemic has left many new and existing entrepreneurs in the clothing manufacturing industry at a “blind alley.” On the other end, there are many left over offcuts and swatches disposed of by manufacturing units and retailers that could be otherwise given a meaningful purpose to contribute towards minimizing waste and supporting the circular economy. This will prevent environmental pollution in many ways and contribute towards a sustainable world. While web-based interventions have been the highlight for many years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought of bringing this into the world of the less privileged where survivalist entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and the unemployed can benefit. South Africa is currently facing high rate of unemployment; therefore, this effort is to slightly minimize this and contribute towards employment and skill building. We through our final year diploma students at the Department of Clothing and Textile Technology at Cape Peninsula University of Technology presented the concept of an entrepreneurial hub. The project involved creating waste minimizing creative artefacts in various forms. There were multilingual digital storytelling videos on the most spoken regional language of South Africa. The videos were compressed, and images were sourced for low-tech accessibility. They were made available via YouTube and WhatsApp keeping the data constraint and ease of access in mind. The project currently has no cost involved to any party, yet earn new skill sets and provide a source of income during these difficult times. The goal is to transform the primary idea that people have and unidimensional understanding of what sustainability comprises of and not how it could have a multidimensional impact to the society and environment and improve the quality of life. There has been a lot of interest from the community and retail clothing industry offering support. The approach to the impact has been multimodal with pre and post surveys and focus group interviews with entrepreneurs and small businesses. Feedback has been positive with people highlighting the need for such a change in South Africa and the culmination of such a platform where unemployment could be minimized. A qualitative study with key role players indicated the need for a formal free and open access platform that needs to be made available, and we are in discussion at the institutional level. Further research will include establishing an entrepreneurial hub to ensure access to stakeholders with lab equipment funded by the department and the technology station.

As you can see, the COVID-19 crisis has had a strong impact on many countries around the world. As a result, the use and penetration of digital platforms have increased significantly during the COVID-19 crisis. The new situation has brought many challenges to businesses and entrepreneurs around the world, among which the hottest topic is digitalization, where technology is developing rapidly and changing every aspect of our existence. The same applies to the labor market: the introduction of various technologies affects most occupations in all walks of life and the new business development model—digitalization is of great importance for the development of the economy and society. More and more businesses are following this trend and are successfully achieving digital transformation with emerging technologies. With the continuous progress of digitalization, the digital transformation of traditional industries is also advancing, and the digital economy is showing a vigorous development trend. The evolution of digitalization will be a response to the changes in the business environment. This article aims to analyze the key market and consumer trends and their impact on the business. These trends and their implications are observed in studies conducted by many international and national organizations, universities, and scientists and in the practice of global consultancies and companies. Look at key ways in which digital transformation enables businesses to innovate and grow to reduce costs, increase revenues, and drive innovation by applying digital technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness in the market. However, in the long term, the expected benefits are increased business volume, customer portfolio, improved customer experience, increased innovation, and business expansion. Some of the key challenges of digitization are identifying the right areas for digitization and implementing them to achieve all possible benefits, presenting new technologies, and making efficient use of information and communication technologies.

Translating the vision promoted by the Green Deal into practice will encourage the transition to sustainable small-scale business models and bioindustries development strategies. The challenges faced by the economy during the pandemic and the recovery period reveal to specialists a new dimension of regional resilience. Some authors focused on highly complex situations, in which some areas show their resilience, by the fact that the local authorities apply measures to prevent external shocks and mitigate them, managing to recover later (Dabson et al., Regional Resilience. Research and Policy Brief. U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), Agreement No. 08-79-04379, University of Missouri, Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) – Rural Futures Lab, Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs. Retrieved August 20, 2022, from https://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/RUPRI-Regional-Resilience-Research-Policy-Brief.pdf , 2012, p. 6). In this context, our paper presents the reaction of regional economies to the occurrence of shocks – of the nature of economic, ecological, technological, or pandemic crises, from the perspective of several methods of analysis. The conclusions will result from the comparison of the information gained during the use of methods as follows: the analysis of emerging literature on resilience in the field of sustainable transition, which can contribute to the emergence of interconnections between ecosystems, society, and economic activities; testing by means of econometric models the hypothesis that certain territorial structures of the gross added value by activities and groups of activities have benefited or disadvantaged the process of regional resilience in Romania, from the perspective of the response to the shock induced by the economic crisis; and the use of the principal components analysis method applied to a series of indicators selected in correlation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the end, however, it is important to consider the specificities of each region and develop personalized strategies to increase economic resilience. An integrated approach, covering both economic, social, and environmental aspects, can help build a solid foundation for the sustainable development of regions and create a proper environment for business and innovation.

The collaborative economy, shaped by enduring factors from internal and external sources, including the economic, sociocultural, technological, and natural environments, establishes itself not only as an economic model but also as a significant force steering contemporary societal development. The impact of the technological and digital eras on business models, particularly the collaborative and innovative economy, is evident. The twenty-first century witnesses the rapid evolution of the shared economy through various platforms, highlighting the swift progression of the digital revolution across diverse sectors. Resilience, inclusion, and sustainability emerge as pivotal aspects in this dynamic landscape, leading to the proposition that this technology-driven economic model is sustainable for future generations. We are currently witnessing the development of online platforms (almost in all fields), from platforms for the distribution of applications, services, and goods to social media platforms and even online learning, communication, and meeting platforms. All these services and goods are accessed with a click. The main objective of our study is to elucidate the specificities of the collaborative economy model. An innovative aspect involves associating the identified and developed innovations in the digital services sector (platforms) with the collaborative economy model. Furthermore, we posit that these innovations can also act as a multiplier effect on the outcomes of our study, aligning with the specific models of national economies within the digital age context.In recent years, the sharing economy has significantly spurred innovation. Facilitated by online platforms and direct user-to-user exchanges, this trend has engendered fresh opportunities and given rise to inventive services. The sharing economy advocates for enhanced resource efficiency by enabling communal sharing, with ongoing innovations emerging as individuals uncover novel ways to collaborate, thereby fostering mutual benefits.

Project management is a highly relevant research field due to the significant influence projects have on contemporary society and national economies. However, predominant concerns primarily focus on aspects related to time, costs, and quality management, often overlooking ethical considerations, long-term impact, and the social implications of projects. The paper aims to identify ethical leadership strategies and characteristics that influence decision-making and project outcomes. The research literature extensively addresses various critical factors that bring project success, and as a result, the ethical dimension must be more represented. This research gap poses a significant challenge for project managers, limiting their ability to effectively apply ethical principles in their practice. Through the systematic identification, critical evaluation, and synthesis of existing studies and publications from public databases, this work contributes to the research field by providing a holistic perspective on ethical principles in project management, thereby opening new perspectives for its development. The research findings reveal that integrating ethical principles into project management leads to the success of implemented projects and ensures their sustainability. Furthermore, our results show that the ethical characteristics of the manager (such as fairness, honesty, responsibility, and integrity) contribute to gaining team support, a vital factor in achieving project sustainability and success.

The management of sports organizations is becoming an area that increasingly captures the attention of specialists and business community members. The particularities of sports activities marked by the need to promote ethical principles also leave their mark on the management of organizations by exercising various functions, from planning to the administration of sports events. The idea of our research is based on two controversial events held in international tennis in 2023, namely, the dilemma regarding how Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open for the tenth time and the punishment received by Simona Halep in the doping case detected on August 29, 2022 at the US Open. Using the Administrative Ethical Behavior Scale (AEBS), we analyzed how 235 athletes perceive and integrate ethical principles in their sporting activity. The research results demonstrate that good human relations and humanism are strongly influenced by the way athletes perceive their rights and freedoms but are not influenced by justice and equality. The respondents consider ethical principles a primary element of their sports activity. At the same time, good human relations and humanism, along with rights and freedoms, are particularities of ethics dictated by athletes’ subjective nature and not by external rules. The originality of our research consists in evaluating the ethical behavior of athletes both through a subjective approach and through a pragmatic approach by analogy with events that have raised ethical dilemmas in the sports world.

For a resilient and sustainable world, economic theories must be accompanied by strategies and practices for the decision-maker to consider. Moreover, practices must use measurement tools so that the decision-maker can always know the degree reached and intervene with appropriate decisions in a timely manner and without significant deviations to maintain the desired development direction. The utility and terminology of these specific measurement tools has been internally debated by specific bodies, building a series of benchmarks for sustainability reporting. Thus, starting from 1960 and up to the present, sustainability reporting has made significant progress, creating more and more elaborate measurement tools. In the context described above, the present study carries out a brief evaluation of the developments made in terms of sustainability reporting, in order to place the implementations that Romania has managed to complete in this regard on this framework. The aim is to make an x-ray of Romanian sustainability reporting and the extent to which our country can keep pace with these developments in order to achieve the proposed sustainable development objectives, using the phrase that “you don’t know how much you have achieved, if you don’t have the tools with which to measure.”

The digital age has ushered in a wave of technological advancements, raising both excitement and apprehension about its impact on sustainability. Digitalization, driven by technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing, has transformed the way we live and work. However, concerns about its environmental footprint, especially in terms of energy consumption by data centers, have emerged. This article delves into the evolving relationship between digitalization and sustainability, highlighting the challenges and opportunities this synergy presents. While digitalization has raised environmental concerns, it also offers solutions to promote sustainability. Sustainable data centers, telecommuting, smart cities, and enhanced environmental monitoring are just a few ways in which digitalization can have a positive impact. To ensure a sustainable digital future, the transition to renewable energy, responsible technology development, digital literacy, and regulation are key factors that need attention. In the end, the balance between embracing digitalization and safeguarding sustainability relies on our collective efforts to wield technology for the greater good, minimizing its environmental impact.

This study investigates the impact of corporate governance practices on the corporate sustainability performance of listed companies in Sri Lanka. Most extant studies also rely on standalone corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures rather than more robust measures representing sustainability commitments across multiple aspects like the environment and society. This research aims to address these gaps by analyzing proprietary panel data from sustainability-reporting listed firms in Sri Lanka over 4 years (2018–2021). It employs comprehensive metrics gauging corporate board diversity, ownership patterns, transparency levels, audit quality, and control variables as potential drivers of multidimensional sustainability scores along economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Random effects panel data regression analysis shreds of evidence that governance attributes enhancing transparency, accountability, board independence, and diversity are associated positively with sustainability performance. The presence of an audit committee, larger board size, or foreign experts correlates strongly with higher sustainability scores, highlighting their role in enabling stakeholder-inclusive decisions and credible disclosures. However, factors like concentrated family ownership and CEO duality display negative effects. Findings provide timely empirical guidance to harness governance policy and structures towards advancing corporate sustainability agendas, supporting stakeholders rather than only shareholder primacy. Regulators must prioritize mandating governance transparency, diverse board representation, and linking executive incentives to sustainability.

In this research, the authors considered the situation of total energy sources and how it is consumed. Thus, the main objective of this research was the concern of the authors to carry out this study to highlight the particularly alarming perspective of the energy crisis, which is in full swing. We note that nonrenewable energy sources are limited, which is why research and development at the overall level and of the EU Member States must focus on renewable energy. Also, energy consumption from renewable sources must replace nonrenewable energy as quickly as possible. Following the investigations, it was emphasized that at the level of the European Union, energy consumption is slightly decreasing. Energy consumption and resources were analyzed in close interdependence based on the surveyed indicators to conclude how these resources are used. From the study undertaken, the conclusion emerges that at the level of each country, the research-development activity must be intensified to ensure the increase in energy production from renewable sources and to ensure an efficient energy transition. Methodologically, we used series of data and indicators that we processed and compared in order to highlight the dynamic evolution. Of course, logical and interpretive analysis is at the fore in the analysis performed in this article.

This research article thoroughly examines the intersection between European integration, globalization, and the energy sector, addressing pressing concerns related to climate change and energy security. Employing advanced bibliometric analysis, the study systematically explores vital trends, emerging themes, and influential works in this critical field, encompassing academic articles, conference papers, and other scholarly sources. The research unveils central driving forces, challenges, and opportunities shaping the European energy landscape. The investigation delves into intricate relationships among policy decisions, technological advancements, and market dynamics, offering insights into their collective impact on energy integration and sustainability within the forces of globalization. Additionally, the bibliometric analysis identifies knowledge gaps and areas for future research, crucial for shaping the future of the European energy sector. This article significantly contributes to understanding the complex dynamics characterizing European energy integration and globalization. A valuable resource for academics, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, it illuminates new challenges and opportunities, stimulating essential discussions in the energy field within the context of European integration and globalization.

The energy crisis has been one of the most impactful events of the last decade, being generated by a multitude of factors such as the pandemic context, the subsequent economic recovery, the Russian aggression in Ukraine, or the general scarcity and dependence on certain energy resources. As a consequence, all energy and adjacent prices have skyrocketed, with an astringent need to understand each one specificity. Thus, in the current paper, we aim to showcase the evolution of energy and electricity prices, as well as the ones for petrol, gas, and solid fuels, using HICP monthly data starting in October 2019 until September 2023. Our regional focus will be set on the European Union, having in mind the importance put by all its institutions on optimizing the energy sector. In terms of methodology, we will use time-series clustering, based on the dynamic time-warping distance, the hierarchical algorithm, and the silhouette coefficients, all computed using R programming language. We will apply the method for each of the five indicators, in an endeavor to illustrate the similarity between different periods, as well as individual patterns. By using this algorithm, we ensure the newness in the approach, contributing to the policy energy field, as well as the related literature. In terms of general conclusions, although the EU energy crisis seems now to be diminished, the future lies in reducing the dependence on certain resources and exploring the potential of green, sustainable energy. In this sense, the proposed future research directions will also imply understanding the volatility of several green technologies’ prices, in comparison to the ones currently presented.

The study aims to highlight a series of vulnerabilities of the energy system in Romania, the problems generated by the lack of an integrated vision of the optimal structure of the energy mix, and the economic-financial mechanisms to support it. The chapter highlights the vulnerability of the energy system in Romania expressed through a series of indicators, namely, the structure of the electricity-generation capacities (energy mix), the availability of power units, the electricity consumption, and the share of the population that registers utility arrears, exports and imports, and electricity prices. The chapter emphasizes the importance of the cyclic component of electricity prices from a double perspective, namely, the comparability of the data series, respectively, and the weekly variability of the energy demand, viewed as a vulnerability. Compared to the classical method, in the model we propose, the values of the differences in electricity prices from the period 2020 to 2022 compared to the year 2019 for each day of the week are considered a time series for the entire analyzed period.

In the current context of technological development, the quantity, but especially the quality of food depends on the environmental conditions in which the primary production processes take place. Natural resources are limited and under increasing pressure, the main cause of which is the increasing demand for food from a growing population. On the other hand, the overexploitation of natural resources and anthropogenic pollution accelerate the negative effects that climate change produces on the natural capacity of environmental factors to support life. The EU ranks fourth in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, after China, the United States and India, which led to the setting of the EU’s goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. In this context, the food system can play an important role, both in ensuring its own climate neutrality and in neutralising the effects produced by other systems, with a negative impact on the environment. A decisive role in the green transition is played by the openness to innovation of the agribusiness sector and the large-scale adoption of innovative techniques and technologies supported by a human capital open to novelty and capable of adopting new business models and using modern technologies. This chapter presents an analysis of the ecological trajectories of the food system and the agricultural knowledge and innovation system in Romania as a foundation for the green transition.

The European Green Deal, by its commitment toward greenhouse gas net-zero emissions by 2050 by reducing pollution and restoring biodiversity, transforms climate and environmental challenges into opportunities to change the current unsustainable context in the long term. In this respect, Romania has entered a path of replacing classic fuels with clean energy, which is very efficient and as safe as the one people are used to, and this is the main objective of this chapter. In achieving this objective, in the first part of the chapter, the main advantages that Romania has in this transition are identified (its own offshore gas reserves; its own national network of natural gas transport that is well interconnected with the systems of neighboring countries, and through them to the European ones; a fuel with the lowest CO2 emissions of all fossil fuels; and a fuel that ensures constancy and security of the energy system, at affordable costs for the population). The second part of the chapter focuses on identifying and presenting the main projects that make natural gas a reliable partner for renewable resources; thus, a case study is presented regarding a joint business for producing hydrogen by a wind farm in the Dobrogea area that could become the “Hydrogen Valley,” initiated by Romgaz and OMV Petrom. Finally, the chapter concludes that for the energy sector, not only natural gas represents the optimal solution in this process, with Romania being in the privileged position of owning its gas resources, while the versatility of natural gas can ensure a just energy transition.

Transport accounts for about a fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions. Transport also accounts for about 29% of global energy demand and about 61.5% of annual oil consumption. With a fleet of around 1.5 million vehicles, road transport is the sector’s most significant pollutant and among the largest of all economic sectors. Therefore, urgent action needs to be taken to stop pollution caused mainly by land transport and obviously by motors using hydrocarbons. In this context, the chapter aims to establish a set of measures to support the rapid reconversion of polluting transports. To achieve this objective, the analysis of the impact of energy consumption in transport on the level of greenhouse gas pollution, the possibilities for reducing/replacement of the polluting vehicle fleet, and ways of encouraging clean transport shall be considered. The research is based on statistical analyses, from European and Romanian databases, studies from the analyzed fields, and making forecasts on the possibilities of achieving the proposed EU-wide target of achieving zero pollution levels in 2050. Among the most important conclusions of the work is the need to reduce the demand for mobility, especially for nonessential travel, and the fact that, in the case of Romania, the replacement of the current car fleet with one composed exclusively of electric vehicles is financially unfeasible.

On a global scale, resource restrictions are obvious, which makes recycling a necessity. Considering this, it is necessary to approach the connection between economic growth and resource consumption, the approach to such a complex issue highlights the importance of the recovery and reintroduction of resources into the economic circuit. Therefore, the activity of their recovery and valorisation are of particular importance, given the increasing dependence of economic growth on the import of raw materials. Economic growth and technological progress are the main factors that lead to resource consumption.High use of resources creates pressures like the depletion of non-renewable resources and the strong use of renewable ones, transport and activities that include mining which cause important emissions to soil, air and water.

The actual tendency of environmental protection policy has evolved from worldwide concerns about adapting sustainable economic development to climate change. This movement includes establishing the price of water and applying other measures to manage and conserve water resources sustainably. Two decades ago, the European Commission advocated for the implementation of economic instruments including water levies as a means to accomplish sustainability objectives, as outlined in the Water Framework Directive (CE/60/2000). Hence, the operational principles of the water tariff have been formulated to consider key variables crucial for promoting sustainable consumption and safeguarding of water resources. The chapter aims to examine and evaluate the attributes, economic mechanisms, and effectiveness of environmental economic instruments in the water sector, namely, in Romania, with regard to the quantitative and qualitative management of water resources. The research conducted a dynamic analysis of various factors related to water pricing and taxation in Romania. It examined how these economic tools influenced the quantity and quality of water gathered and utilized. The methodology employed comprises a literature study, utilization of prior research findings, gathering and processing of collected data, and dynamic and comparative analysis of pertinent variables. A forecast of the water quantity and demand trends in Romania by 2030 is also provided. The results emphasized that in Romania the use of economic mechanisms for the purpose of managing water resources in terms of quantity and quality had notable positive impacts on both the environment and the economy.

The purpose of aid in agriculture was initially thought to help farmers, but over time these aid proved to be harmful. Aid appeared after the Second World War and was initially thought to help former colonies in Africa and Asia. In time, subsidies were granted in agriculture to help small farmers to continue their activity, to farmers who presented competitive disadvantages compared to big farmers (advanced from a technological and know-how point of view). A brief history of the aid in agriculture and the mechanisms through which they were granted is presented in the chapter. Now, it is concluded that these aids are more harmful because they distance the farmers from the market, from the real conditions and widen the gap between advanced farmers and those who receive aid, leading to involution in agriculture.

Starting from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and inserting particularities of sustainable development, our research aims to analyze managers of agricultural organizations’ acceptance behavior of digitalizing their activities. Using a quantitative research approach and a sample of 326 managers of agricultural organizations, we demonstrate that knowledge about digitalization (KD) and intention to implement digital tools (ID) mediates the relationship between environmental concerns (EC) and managers’ digital behavior (DB). This study contributes to the development of specialized literature in the field of digitalization of agricultural processes because our PLS-SEM theoretical model contains the mediating variables (i.e., first, knowledge about digitalization mediates the relationship between environmental concern and intention to implement digital tools; second, intention to implement digital tools mediates the relationship between knowledge about digitalization and managers digital behavior). The practical implications of our study consist of the perspectives offered to the managers of agricultural organizations to evaluate, on the one hand, the importance of knowing the competitive advantages offered by digital tools and, on the other hand, to be aware that digital tools contribute to the promotion of sustainable development and the implementation of concrete actions regarding their environmental concern. Finally, the originality of our research consists of identifying environmental concerns as a triggering factor of managers’ desire to acquire more knowledge about how to implement digital tools in their activity so that their digitization behavior is effective.

The purpose of this chapter was to analyze the evolution of the vegetable sector, for some vegetable species found in the most vulnerable positions in terms of productivity, imports, and exports in the last years. Based on the evolution of these indicators, the paper tries to calculate some prognosis regarding the self-sufficiency in the short and long term for tomatoes, various vegetables, and vegetables in total. The Covid-19 pandemic and the recent energy crisis have further eroded the sector’s ability to recover against the background of chronic structural vulnerabilities, which mainly consist in the low degree of organization of the supply chain (only 1% of producers are organized in producer groups and organizations, while the EU average is 45%) and the low degree of production contracting. This is the reason why the prognosis remains pessimistic in the sense that Romania will not be able to attain self-sufficiency in the short and long term, unless the sector is prioritized for important investments in processing and sector organization.

Waste management raises many environmental problems, and for this reason, researchers are looking for solutions for the subsequent recovery of waste in order to achieve the concept of circular economy. The purpose of the research carried out by the authors is represented by the use of waste, such as that from agriculture and from some industrial activities in order to obtain construction materials (bricks). Agricultural waste has become increasingly used in construction due to the improved characteristics of the material obtained, mainly in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation, lower costs, and environmental protection by reducing the use of conventional raw materials. The use in the composition of construction materials of plant waste, such as cereal straws, sunflower stems, represents a solution to reduce pollution similar as industrial wastes were used the industrial wastewater treatment sludge and fiber glass. The authors, as part of a research project, designed and tested new recipes for making bricks, starting from a series of existing waste materials in significant quantities.

From the regional growth perspective (and classic economics, too), the exports represent the exogenous factor with a different impact in time and space. This factor was important, in particular, during the beginning of the growth regional process, its effects being relatively difficult to manage. Additionally, foreign direct investments (FDIs) are seen as a driver for territorial cohesion and convergence, particularly for developing regions, and play a significant role in the growth of national and regional economies. Also, foreign direct investment (FDI) is a crucial instrument for local and regional economic growth and sustainable development. Local businesses can benefit from the new technologies, expertise, and managerial abilities that international corporations bring to the table. Thus, the presence of foreign companies can increase a region’s competitiveness. However, concerns might also be expressed that foreign competitors may force local companies out of the market, so it is important to remember that a net positive impact on the regional economy cannot be taken completely for granted. Because they are especially focused on market globalization, policymakers and investors are interested in the recognition of the FDI determinant variables for the development regions. This paper presents the evolution of the export and import sector, also of the FDI, in North-East region of Romania (NUTS 2) by identifying the main fields of specialization, the opportunities for foreign investors, and the territorial financial support for this important economic sector.

Studies on biodiversity topics have increased significantly during the past few decades. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the trends and growth of publications in Romania’s biodiversity research field using bibliometric techniques to assess the publications in this area. This type of study’s basis is the identification of the corpus of literature—that is, publications in a broad sense—in a certain field. Therefore, the term “biodiversity” was searched in keywords, title, and abstract in the Scopus database. The results retrieved a total number of 1.228 papers, published in the Scopus database, mentioning Romania that were processed using VOSviewer 1.6.19 software. This emerged in 5 thematic clusters revolving around: ecology, forests, sustainability, marine ecosystems, and genetics. The first article mentioning Romania to be included in the Scopus database was released in 1997. Top three words in term of occurrences were “biodiversity,” “Romania,” and “environmental protection.” Most of the papers were part of agriculture, environment, and Earth and planetary science subject areas. The findings also revealed a rising tendency in biodiversity research from 1997 to 2023, moving away from ecological, Black Sea, Danube Delta, and Carpathian Mountains matters and toward more emerging ones such as sustainability, species richness, and conservation management.

Our research paper starts from the rural-urban partnership approach in the current context of multi-crises, which aims to collaborate between rural and urban communities to address common challenges and opportunities. This form of collaboration recognizes the interconnection between rural and urban environments and aims to create synergies for sustainable development, especially in mountain communities with their related specificities. Using research tools adapted to the topic, such as bibliometric analysis based on artificial intelligence tools, we will investigate the specialized scientific literature from international bases, selecting those elements of specificity for the rural-urban partnership. In a rural-urban partnership, communities from both environments can work together to develop innovative solutions to common problems, generating integrated projects, and creating the fundamental basis of access to resources, infrastructure, education, health, and economic development of mountain communities. For example, a collaboration between a city and its surrounding villages could address issues related to food supply, water resource management, or infrastructure connectivity. Moreover, in the context of the digital age and the green age, activities are rediscovered and reinvented, connected with current realities through integrated support projects for local communities. In conclusion, we will highlight that the rural-urban partnership will be beneficial to both parties, bringing diverse resources, knowledge, and experiences in a joint effort to improve the quality of life across the spectrum of the community. In addition, this partnership will promote a holistic approach to sustainable development, recognizing that problems and solutions do not stop at the geographical boundaries of a specific environment.

The general term “European funds” refers to the non-refundable financing instruments allocated to the Member States of the European Union. As far as Romania is concerned, the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) constitute the main source of financing for the Operational Programs. The most important beneficiaries of these funds are SMEs, which constitute the backbone of the economy. This chapter analyzes the impact of the attraction of non-reimbursable financing by SMEs in the North-West Region of Romania on its economic evolution, analyzing a series of macroeconomic indicators regarding the financing attracted in the period 2014–2020, through the prism of macroeconomic indicators, such as gross domestic product, gross domestic product per capita at standard purchasing power parity (PPS/capita), gross value added (GVA), number of active local units, SME density, and labor productivity in SMEs; identifying the existence of a significant correlation between the amount of non-reimbursable financing attracted by SMEs and the variation of macroeconomic indicators. The volume of non-refundable funds attracted and the impact on the level of economic development of the region are assessed by using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results present an uneven picture from the use of the two billion lei attracted from the various financing programs, but the correlation emphasizes the fact that the funds have directly influenced the upward evolution of the counties’ GDP, as well as the labor productivity.

Territorial planning aims to study and regulate the management processes of a territory and also to evaluate the evolutionary dynamics. It is considered a functional tool for analyzing and evaluating the effects that the specific actions of the different factors involved can have on the territory. SWOT analysis at the territorial level is a strategic planning technique that, on the one hand, evaluates internal and external factors, current and future potential, and, on the other hand, identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (the acronym SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). This is very important in the formulation and selection of the territorial development strategy, being considered a powerful tool, a guide, with the help of which the decision-making factors and actors involved in local development (authorities, population, universities, research and development companies, innovative clusters, NGOs, etc.). The present chapter aims to present a theoretical and methodological framework for the SWOT analysis and a practical application aimed at the local economic aspects of the Dornelor Basin. The subject of the analysis is the Dornelor Basin, located in the west and south-west of Suceava County, overlapping the intramountain depression of Dornelor (located in the northern area of the Eastern Carpathians) and the upper valley of Bistrița upstream from the town of Broșteni. The administrative territory also includes the mountain tops of Mestecănişul Municipality, Suhard, Giumalău, Rarău, Călimani, Bistriței, and Bârgău Mountains.

Dark tourism has received growing interest from both practitioners and scientists in the last decades. Romania has a rich tourism potential in this area. Therefore, this chapter aims to map the dark tourism destinations in the country and to analyze the role of storytelling in promoting dark tourism. In the framework of the chapter, we used the analytical–synthetic method in order to identify dark tourism destinations in Romania. Also, qualitative research was conducted using four open-ended questions to the representatives of the identified dark sites to analyze the strategy for promoting dark tourism destinations in Romania. The results showed that although a dark tourism offer exists, this type of tourism is not encouraged at a national level, and it is regarded with caution mainly due to the lack of understanding of the concept. These findings may be useful to tourism policymakers from Romania in order to increase the visibility of dark tourism destinations and to keep up with the current trends emerging on the global tourism scene.

The study deals with the impact of climate change on the sustainable development process specific to mountain areas, introducing the mountain convergence principle (MCP) as a benchmark and reference element for a more accurate understanding of the bioharmonized reality of this area. The chapter describes the “principle” by highlighting the direct relationship between specific resources and mountain functions. As a pragmatic aspect, the MCP can become the ideational link between interdisciplinary concerns and emerging and resilient approaches on this topic. In this sense, the paper highlights some of the directions in which the application of the principle becomes necessary from the perspective of the societal evolution of mountain areas. The study contributes to the concrete implementation of sustainable development in fragile areas, under the current conditions of climate change combined with a foreseeable food crisis in this context, by structuring the necessary framework for the development of strategies and public policies applied to the specific space and society of Romanian mountain areas.

Increasingly well known in Romania in recent years, the “short supply chain” concept is gaining popularity in the mountain communities. The importance of this concept has an economic as well as a social and cultural impact, contributing to the preservation of local gastronomic traditions, the authenticity of the products produced, attracting tourists to the area, and providing basic products for businesses that operate in tourist activities. Customers of these local outlets are generally looking for authentic, high-quality products and are more interested in the freshness of the products rather than their price. The Dorna Country is an area with great potential when it comes to gastronomic authenticity and taste in products made from local raw materials. The multitude of economic operators carrying out activities for tourism purposes, as well as tourists and inhabitants of the area, could enjoy the necessary quality products, clearly superior to those offered by large-scale distributors.

Through Law 139/2014, a specialized public structure for the mountain area was re-established: the Mountain Area Agency—thus creating the specific institutional framework for this area, which covers an area of 91,336.94 km2 and represents 38.31% of Romania’s territory. Four years later, the Agency established territorial structures at the regional level, namely mountain development offices and mountain development centers, thus creating a direct link with mountain communities to identify their needs and local specifics and contribute to their development. Also, the central institution was reorganized in the National Agency of the Mountain Area (NAMA), and two departments were created: a direction for professional training and innovation and one to coordinate the activity of the structures in the territory. Among the main activities of the institution, we can mention the elaboration of specific legislation, delimitation of the mountain area, management of the “mountain product” quality scheme, organization of informational, professional training, and specialization courses, counseling, evaluation, and implementation of projects with national funding, and provision of secretariat services for the Mountain Massif Committees.

The tenth edition of the Conference, ESPERA 2023, had the theme: “Europe in the new world economy. Emerging research topics, methodologies and techniques in approaching future economic challenges” and was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the National Institute for Economic Research “Costin C. Kirițescu” of the Romanian Academy. The participants were encouraged to present papers of scientific research regarding, as much as possible, the emerging research topics under the circumstances of a changing world economy, with a particular focus on new methodologies and techniques providing valuable inputs for the design of adequate strategies and policies, aimed to address the future challenges and to capitalise on emerged opportunities. The Conference agenda included in the plenary session, as guests of honour, scientific personalities from the Romanian Academy and prestigious international and European institutions and on the 15 parallel sessions, 204 papers, with more than 450 authors, from nine countries.