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This paper redefines hydrogen colour codes based on carbon dioxide emissions. It highlights that there are several colour codes, which disregard the carbon dioxide emitted in the hydrogen production process (e.g., electrolysis with renewable energy, steam reforming of natural gas, coal gasification, etc.). Some colours are used interchangeably for different technologies, while many colour codes do not assign a colour for all possible production pathways. Therefore, the existent framework is misleading and lacks scientific underpinning of colour labelling (e.g., green, blue, grey, black, yellow, purple, turquoise, etc.). This paper builds upon the work of Nikolaidis and Poullikkas and provides a qualitative assessment of the colour codes used to label various technologies. Based on a comparative analysis of the latest research and analysing hydrogen colour codes, this paper inquires whether there is or not, a common understanding of the hydrogen production pathways that lie behind each hydrogen "colour". This paper finds that there are major inconsistencies regarding the colours used, especially for technologies using fossil fuels as an energy source, but nuclear energy has also been found to have discrepancies in labelling. At the same time, there is only one colour used to describe a wide range of technologies using renewable energy (i.e., green). However, if carbon dioxide emissions of the corresponding production technology were visually represented using a predefined colour-code, the hydrogen produced with fossil fuels would have a less diverse colour range, than current colour palettes would suggest. Rather than being "grey" and "blue", coal, oil and gasbased hydrogen appear to be different shades of "brown" and "black". This finding illustrates that these technologies emit more carbon dioxide emissions than an initial labelling would suggest, which raises the question whether any colours of hydrogen, other than its "green" versions, is compliant with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survey of the structure of farms is carried out by all the member states of the European Union, with agricultural holding as the statistical unit of measure. Thus, all the member states of the European Union are based on the definition of agricultural exploitation where it is mentioned that "agricultural exploitation means a single unit, both from a technical and economic point of view, with a single management, which carries out its agricultural activities on the economic territory of the EU, either as a primary activity or as a secondary activity". The purpose of the paper is to highlight the evolution and importance of studying agriculture, more specifically agricultural holdings, by performing a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the specialized literature. Thus, to achieve the proposed goal, the web of science database was accessed in order to perform a bibliometric analysis. Thus, following the application of the bibliometric analysis, it can be argued that this sector has been given considerable interest, as evidenced by the high number of articles published recently, regarding the analysis of agricultural holdings. By querying the mentioned database, 26,804 scientific articles were found after the phrase "agricultural farms". Most such papers were published by authors from the US (28.4% of the total number of papers) and China (18.7% of the total number of papers) in the Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (1.52%) and Acta horticulture (1.39%). Because this topic of agricultural holdings is vast and many countries are involved in approaching it in different ways, further studies are recommended on analyzing the evolution and importance of agricultural holdings in different countries and identifying the discrepancies between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the current development status of the Romanian capital market and the opportunities it offers for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to finance their growth strategies through the stock exchange. It is well known that SMEs represent a growth engine for any economy in terms of contribution to GDP, employment rate, and tax contribution to the state budget. Their primary role of supplying goods and services dynamises the market landscape and creates the proper context for competition, innovation, and research and development. However, in this context, they are the most affected by the economic crisis, inflationary pressures, post-Covid uncertainties, and the war in Ukraine. Thus, their access to finance is now more important than ever. The paper's focus is on SMEs from the Romanian information technology (IT) sector and how their growth since listing could be a driver for other Romanian IT companies to list on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The stock exchanges offer SMEs medium and long-term financing opportunities, regardless of market conditions. Therefore, the more successful the SMEs business, the more significant their role as an economic growth engine is. The research is based on a quantitative approach-content analysis provided by Bucharest Stock Exchange and local and international financial institutions. The SMEs' performance profile is determined by using trading evaluation indicators for IT SMEs listed on the Exchange. Results show that, by listing, companies benefit from contextual market conditions, highlighting the recommendation for other companies from the IT sector to list their business on the stock exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present a bibliometric analysis of the literature focusing on the role of the intellectual capital in the organizational agility and performance. The methodology used is based on a bibliometric analysis that was performed with the specialized software VOSviewer. The analysis graphically illustrates nine semantic clusters that are presenting the co-citation distances between various concepts that are related to the search expressions that were used, including "intellectual capital", "performance" and "agility". When it comes to the database, there were used the papers published in journals that were indexed in Scopus. The outcomes of this research paper are the graphical representation of the semantic clusters for the already mentioned searched expressions and a series of tables that include the content analysis of the nine clusters and other data of interest concerning the publications (such as the top 10 countries that published articles related to the topic of interest and the types of documents retrieved). The findings are demonstrating that there is a consistent link between innovation, intellectual capital, knowledge management, performance and agility. The contribution of this research comes from the fact that it is the first bibliometric analysis of the correlation between intellectual capital, performance and agility, as reflected in the papers retrieved from Scopus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, both researchers and management specialists along with human resources specialists have tried to explain, understand, measure and evaluate the consequences of the main organizational phenomena considered to be responsible for the employee performance, for their intention to stay within or to leave the organization, as well as for other phenomena with notable implications on the performance of organizations, such as absenteeism and scrap's reduction. Organizational commitment is one of the most important organizational behaviors that leads to a better employee performance and a decrease intention to leave the organization, to reduce absenteeism and to reduce the negative behaviors manifested by employees in relation to the organization. Also, the existence of a high organizational commitment leads to the creation of an innovative working environment. Currently, organizational commitment is one of the most important topics, analyzed both in the academic literature and among practitioners. This is the reason why, in this paper, we aimed to analyze the evolution and structure of the scientific papers that approached this subject, using the method of bibliometric analysis. The data needed in order to perform this analysis was extracted from both the Web of Science and Scopus. Based on the collected data, the evolution in time of the number of publications that approached this subject was analyzed, also the names of the authors who with the most contributions in approaching this subject, the countries where these publications were present, the countries of origin of the authors between which most collaboration relations were established. Also, the intensity of the links between the most used keywords in relation to the analyzed keyword was analyzed, as well as the intensity of the links between the main keywords related to the term organizational commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and Development investments are critical to fostering innovation, driving economic growth, and achieving sustainable development goals. Horizon 2020 is the largest European Union research and innovation program, which has funded numerous R&D projects across different countries. This paper presents a comparative study of R&D investments in Romania and the EU, based on insights from Horizon 2020 projects. Using a composite indicator approach, we assess Romania's performance in the R&D sector and compare it with other EU countries. The paper provides an overview of the number of projects and entities that participated in Horizon 2020, with a focus on the Romanian business sector. Our findings indicate that the success rate of Romanian projects is slightly higher than the EU average, and there is a significantly higher percentage of Romanian business sector entities that have participated in Horizon 2020 than in the EU. Moreover, some limitations of the Romanian R&D sector are highlighted, such as the low level of R&D expenditure, one of the lowest in the EU, and the low involvement of the business sector in funding R&D, despite being the primary sector under Horizon 2020. The comparative analysis sheds light on the opportunities and challenges for Romania in improving the performance of its R&D sector. By providing a comparative analysis of the performance of Romania and other EU countries in Horizon 2020 projects we can gain insights which can be useful for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in developing and implementing policies and strategies to improve R&D investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability, an increasingly addressed business principle, has begun to take place in modern business systems and become a focus for ways of assessing corporate performance in all three dimensions of the environmental, social, and economic spheres. Thus, the accounting profession and accountants have a key role in the core of active business for the achievement of sustainable development objectives. This aim at enabling financial and non-financial activities to be carried out in an honest way towards society the environment and according to universally valid principles that want to improve the quality of life and business. The literature frequently highlights the need to expand the evolution of sustainable development through various spheres of action. This paper intends to outline the current context on the contribution made by accounting professionals towards sustainable development and their efforts towards this direction. Using a qualitative research methodology, the initiatives organized by accounting regulatory bodies and representatives of the accounting profession will be analyzed. The aim of the current paper is to contribute to the literature in the field of finance and accounting by highlighting the role of accountants around sustainable development and presenting the various attempts, which have started from the accounting profession, to support the goals for sustainable development, presented in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - 2015 by UN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tourism industry is a leading sector interested in the 2030 Agenda and represents one of its primary constituencies. It is increasingly acknowledged as the driving economic force in several nations, there has arisen the need for a sustainable paradigm for this industry, being included in two of the 17 goals for sustainable development- 8.9 and 12.7b with the most relevance to the tourist industry. In this light, this study aims to investigate the research area of the most significant consequences of tourism in connection to the objectives of sustainable development by mapping the relevant literature based on an analysis of its content. To accomplish the goal of the study, 245 papers from the Google Academics database spanning the years 2015-2021 have been taken out. The empirical findings revealed that the body of the scientific articles contains the terms "tourist," "sustainable development," "environment," "SGDs," "culture," "local," "industry," and "community" most often. The empirical data stress the following word combinations as being the most encountered when looking at the most correlated words within the scientific content of the papers. These word combinations are as follows: sustainable-development-tourism, economic-goals, tourismsupport- impact-future, local-resources-management, sustainable-community, or study-related-sustainabilityenvironmental are some topics that might be discussed. In addition, the findings of the topic modeling showed the presence of four primary categories of subjects that are covered by this region, as follows: The first topic, "Topic 1," investigates the connection between tourism and the environment. In contrast, the second topic, "Topic 2," examines the implications of tourism regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Topic 3, "Topic 3," is about the connection between tourism and local economies, and the final topic is about the connection between tourism and cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analysis decision making support systems in the big crops farms and proposes a metaphoric model to illustrate the interdependence of resources usage. The proposed metaphoric model is drawn considering that six types of resources (time, financial, people, knowledge, technology, relational capital) are spent to achieve an objective and puts forward a graphical representation, a hexagonal pyramid to illustrate the interdependence among these six types of resources (the polygon of resources) and the quality of the financial outcome (the height of the pyramid). Examples of digital decision support systems used in big crop farms were used to explain the model's functioning. A particularity of the model consists in the adding of a second mirrored pyramid (resting on the same base) with its height representing the assessment of the environmental impact as a proxy for ESG results. Consequently, the evolved model proposed by the paper, dubbed as The Value Creation Diamond, provides a good springboard in visualizing and assessing the balance between the scaled heights of the two adjoined pyramids (Financial height vs ESG height). The model is deemed to be a useful tool for practitioners as well as educators in their quest to facilitate the wider use of balanced decision-making model considering the resources and outputs in the realm of sustainable development. Further research will be instrumental to validate the possibility to use this model for other types of farms, firms and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of Knowledge Management has evolved considerably over time and is increasingly becoming of interest to current companies and implicitly to small and medium-sized enterprises. The technological era and the constant challenges faced in the current context lead small and mediumsized enterprises to use new techniques to gain notoriety in the market and achieve new competitive advantages. The paper considers the detailed analysis of specialized works covering the field of Knowledge Management and highlights the most important theories from the point of view of Knowledge Management implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the concrete steps to be followed in the implementation of Knowledge Management and the theoretical delimitation of the concept to verify its understanding. Theories that define and analyze the field were analyzed and the substantial differences between data, information, and knowledge concepts were highlighted. This paper projects the Knowledge Management System from perspectives that include the representation of knowledge, its organization, implementation, and sharing, as well as ways to measure the performance of knowledge Management in the company. The focus is on conducting an in-depth theoretical review and analysis of Knowledge Management. The contributions of this paper will be useful for both academics and practitioners in the study of Knowledge Management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to perform a semantic analysis of wisdom management that constitutes the driving force for a wise company. That is a company whose goal goes beyond the economic paradigm based on profit maximization. It is a company where managers apply practical wisdom in their decision making processes. Aristotle used to call this practical wisdom phronesis and to consider a higher-order knowledge in his knowledge ontology. Although in the literature there are many papers and books focusing on phronesis, there is no critical analysis from a semantic point of view that is necessary to understand what it is and how it can be applied in wisdom management. Also, for a deeper investigation of the semantic clusters associated with wisdom management, we perform a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, a specialized software for such kinds of studies. Our findings show that wisdom management represents a kind of idealistic process because it is based on o set of values that are not converging toward profit maximization but toward a sustainable company focusing on the well-being of all employees and of the community where the company operates. Wisdom management deeds wise leaders and a wise education for them, which are still far from the present reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the worldwide digital currencies one can also pinpoint those of central banks being a part of the move towards a cashless society. Several worldwide central banks are already planning to issue them, while others are conducting studies on them. Literature of the topic is heavily increasing, including understanding central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), their risks, and central banks' future position towards them. This paper analyzes Twitter data tagged with the "cbdc" hashtag and posted between January 2021 and January 2023, with the aim of highlighting the change regarding citizens' perceptions towards central banks' digital currencies. The authors extracted 124,946 positive, negative and neutral tweets from Twitter which they further analyzed by using a Python script, in the end highlighting different views on the potential benefits and drawbacks of CBDCs. The results show a growing debate and discussion around the use of CBDCs, with citizens expressing concerns about their potential consequences on civil liberties and financial control, while others highlight the benefits of CBDCs such as financial inclusion and tackling money laundering and terrorism. The paper enriches literature related to the study of consumer sentiment towards digital currencies, highlighting the significance of social media platforms for sharing opinions on emerging financial technologies. Central banks can use social media tools to shift citizens' sentiments and perspectives, including on topics such as CBDCs, by publishing explainers, replying to comments on relevant topics, and increasing posts' numbers, as they analyze whether and how CBDCs will be implemented. Research on consumer sentiment on this topic is useful as it can help central banks in adapting their strategies accordingly so that they can better achieve their objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holding employees who are highly motivated and who illustrate fulfilment in respect to their work is a catalyst of positive change for nowadays organizations, who perform operations in quickly changing circumstances. Such individuals are known to engage more in organizational citizenship behaviour and steer away from deviant workplace behaviour. As employees display different personality traits and work-related motivation, only organizations which know how to properly engage their personnel, foster organizational citizenship actions and nurture ethical conduct within all organizational levels can attain a leading position on the market. The paper aims to examine the extent to which the socio-economic wellbeing influences 'good' or 'bad' behaviours at work and/or at school. The paper's objectives are twofolded: (1) to understand if there is a causal relationship between the socio-economic wellbeing of individuals and their behaviour at work or/and at school; (2) to determine the extent to which the socioeconomic wellbeing contributes to shaping a 'good' or a 'bad' behaviour at work or/and at school. Correlations and simple linear regression model were employed to understand the predictive power of the socio-economic wellbeing on behaviour once a causal relationship has been confirmed. Results show that the perceived ambition to obtain a high social status, accumulate wealth and become rich and powerful predicts positively a 'bad' behaviour and negatively a 'good' behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium enterprises are considered as one of the most important sectors in the development of the Palestinian economy. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether risk management and strategic planning have a significant positive influence and to assess the influence of their applications on the sustainable business performance of SMEs in Palestine. A combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted; secondary data were obtained by a theoretical presentation of previous literature, and primary data was collected by a specific questionnaire. This was done through a random sample of (fifty) questionnaires distributed to owners or managers of SMEs in Palestine. In order to answer the study question, the researcher followed the analytical descriptive approach using SPSS and tested three subquestions which were clarified in the study. This paper's results revealed that risk management and strategic planning have a significant positive influence on the sustainable business performance of SMEs in Palestine. Furthermore, not all Palestinian SMEs' managers use strategic planning and risk management steps since most of them have family businesses that are suffering from a lack of management steps and improper management styles, where most of them tend to use an autocratic management style. Therefore, the researcher recommended SMEs' managers should think and use strategy in their daily operations and use risk management practices to protect their financial resources so they can attain superior sustainable business performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the impacts of political exits on the dividend policy, taking the impact of the Brexit deal on UK's companies listed at FTSE 100 as a practical case. The paper analyzes the political risk and uncertainty of Brexit and links it directly to the dividend policy of UK companies during the period (2010-2021). Data were collected from the annual reports of the companies from the FTSE 100 data base. Moreover, dividend policies were studied through analyzing its determinants such as dividend payout ratio, leverage, profitability, tangibility, liquidity, size and political factor – Brexit. A regression analysis was adopted to analyse and interpret the variables for the UK companies and notice the impact of the Brexit deal on the dividend policies. Therefore, the results show that there is a direct relation between political exits and corporate financial policies, especially dividend policy. Also, the results show that the financial ratios differed between the two periods (before and after) Brexit, where it seems that the dividend policy variables were affected starting from mid of 2016 due to Brexit referendum and then the political negotiations between the two parties during the period (2016-2021). In addition, the correlation matrix shows that DPR has a negative linear correlation with profitability, liquidity and size where it seems that DPR has a positive linear correlation with leverage, tangibility, and political factors. Moreover, our results show that political uncertainty and instability were affecting the FTSE 100 performance starting from 2016 due to Brexit related events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper analyses the opportunities for the possible implementation of the latest technological innovations in the Romanian manufacturing industry. The latest trends in technology can be summed up by the term "Industry 4.0", or the "Fourth Industrial Revolution", which brings unprecedented levels of automation, thanks to recent breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), robotics and much more. However, manufacturing sectors are not created equally and some are more susceptible to implementing new technologies than others. The industrial situation in Eastern and Central Europe is highly debated and complex. During the Cold War, most of the Warsaw Pact and COMECON countries were characterized, economically speaking, by rapid industrialization, be it heavy or light industry. This is also the case in Romania, as it saw an increase in industrial output during the communist era. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the collectivist ideology, some manufacturing sectors collapsed, while new ones appeared, the case of deindustrialization in Central and Eastern Europe still being under scrutiny, as the industrial output has been more stable than we tend to believe. However, a shift did occur, especially in Romania. Following the transition to a market economy, industrial output suffered a metamorphosis, exchanging some sectors (such as the textile one) for new ones (such as the automotive one, following an increase in foreign direct investments from the West). These shifts in the manufacturing sector have an advantage in the unfolding context, as the new industries (such as auto-manufacturing) are more inclined to adopt Industry 4.0. These factors, in combination with the recent trend of reshoring, are prone to positively influence the future economic environment of Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 health crisis generated an economic crisis at global level and consequently determined numerous economic disturbances at different levels. The study of the economic impact of the health crisis at various levels became legitimate in order to identify the influences of the health crisis on the economic activity, among others. This paper concentrates on the study of the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis on international trade with the focus on two countries. The regression method was used to measure the impact of the COVID-19 burden (number of cases and number of deaths) on the international trade flows of two Central and Eastern European countries from European Union, namely Romania and Poland. The analysis includes the first two years of the pandemics, 2020-2021. The results of the analysis illustrate that the COVID-19 burden had an effect on international trade in the two countries. The import flows were more affected than export flows by COVID-19 in both countries in the analyzed period. However, the influences differed in the two countries, with international trade in Poland being more affected by COVID-19 than that in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out to investigate the impact of the VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) on the vulnerability and resilience of incoming migrants in Romania, as well as on their integration patterns. Vulnerability and resilience are conceptualized through the four elements of the VUCA world. Data was collected through 35 semi-structured, psycho-social interviews, and 4 focus groups carried out between January 2020 and November 2021 with young migrants (aged 18 to 29). Participants came from two ethnic backgrounds: young migrants of Arab and Moldovan origins. Results show that much of VUCA is generated by the lack of employment opportunities and by the bureaucratic public administration. At the same time, the challenges raised by the VUCA world for migrants can be reduced through the improvement of destination language skills and through the development of social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world where change and uncertainty prevail, one's ability to take full responsibility for the development of their own brain renders itself as a propensity to increase neuroplasticity by engaging in mentally challenging endeavors to be broader stimulated. Being an in-built human ability, which enables the brain to reorganize pathways and create new synapses at all times in people's lives by accumulating new information through experiences, neuroplasticity offers people the opportunity to rewire their behaviors by constantly learning to expose to new contexts and be creative in front of challenging and complex situations. Following an empirical analysis of the literature review covering neuroplasticity, growth mindset, lifelong learning and knowledge dynamics, the paper aims to revels the connection between these forces and understand the influence each other plays in stimulating the brain, increasing its capacity and ensuing an enhanced personal and professional development. The results showcase an organic connection between neuroplasticity, growth mindset, lifelong learning and knowledge dynamics which illustrated itself in the shape of a research diagram, emphasizing the interconnections and the prevalent role of knowledge transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees anticipate that their leaders will demonstrate greater empathy for the unexpected issues in the workplace. According to recent studies, the present and future require leadership to reimagine human resources leadership and the entire employee experience by focusing on people, cooperation, tight communication, and reestablishing connection and trust. In their 2021 report on the future of work after Covid-19, McKinsey Global Institute notes that hybrid remote work could continue to address the fact that 20 to 25 percent of workers in advanced economies and around 10 percent in emerging economies could work from home three to five days a week, primarily in computer-based office work, including offices of all sizes and corporate headquarters. In this light, the purpose of this research to provide an overview of the relationships between the leadership style, employee engagement, as well as their wellbeing versus burnout. The paper intends to propose a bibliographic analysis of the scientific articles simultaneously tackling the main envisaged constructs, respectively leadership, engagement, well-being and burnout. Given the fact that the inclusion of the Covid-19 pandemic would have narrowed down too much the analysis, the term was not considered in the searches. The bibliometric analysis was performed by means of VOSviewer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of 2020, a virus originating from Wuhan, China, spread throughout the world, which in March of the same year was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. According to scientific studies and specialized publications, the pandemic had positive effects on the pharmaceutical industry and e-commerce, which accelerated the digitization process. The negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic consisted in the reduction of companies' revenues, the reduction of the number of customers, the reduction of investments and the temporary suspension of production. The research of this paper is descriptive, based on statistics and data from the official reports of the National Trade Register Office. The methods used are observation, analysis, data processing and synthesis. The aim is to identify the number of new investment sectors, newly established enterprises, companies that suspended their activity and those that entered insolvency in the period 2020 and 2021, compared to 2019. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on entrepreneurship in Romania was not devastating, the entrepreneurs keeping their confidence in the stability of the market. Thus, in 2020, the company establishment rate was affected, because new entrepreneurs no longer had the courage to invest their money, but the companies already present on the market were not strongly impacted. The year 2021 is the surprise year, being the most favorable for entrepreneurship in the period 2019-2021. The most companies were established, and the rate of suspension and insolvency was the lowest. The contribution in this paper consists in the fact that it is demonstrated that the pandemic did not destroy the entrepreneurial activity in Romania. On the contrary, there was a sector, Information and communications, which experienced rapid development, thus developing the concept of "knowledge economy" in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific paper aims to present the performance evaluation methods in ports and port organizations and the contributions that an integrated quality management system can bring. Water transport is the most reliable mode of transport, both in terms of transport capacity and in terms of consumption and environmental aspects, compared to other modes of transport. But it cannot function at an optimal level without complex and permanent on-shore management. The port organizations have an important contribution in the global performance of the port and thus in the economy of a country that is open to the sea. By approaching an integrated quality management system, port organizations can achieve the expected performance in a planned and systemic way in terms of quality, environment, logistics supply chain security, etc. The paper analyzes the performance assess in ports and port organizations, the most common applied regulations and management systems in port organizations and the advantages an integrated quality management system brings in increasing organizational performance by preventing losses and improving processes using known methodologies globally promoted such as Lean. It also highlights the relationship of mutual dependence that the port performance and the port organizations performance have on each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present a literature review focusing the linkages between the knowledge strategies domain and intelligence structures area. Considering the fact that knowledge is one of the most important strategic resources of an organization and the fact that intelligence structures play a key role in the national security field, the possibility of implementing the knowledge strategies concepts in the intelligence field should be researched accordingly. The methodology used for this research is the bibliometric analysis conducted using the specialized software VOSViewer, based on the co-occurrence between certain words and expressions from article title, abstracts and keywords. The databases needed for this research were retrieved from Scopus core collection, using the following expressions: "knowledge strategies", "knowledge management – knowledge strategies", "intelligence organizations", "intelligence structures", "intelligence organizations – knowledge", "knowledge – intelligence structures", "knowledge strategies – intelligence", "knowledge management – knowledge strategies – intelligence" and "knowledge management – intelligence organizations". The result of these bibliometric analyses demonstrates that, based on the publications indexed in Scopus core collection, there is no research published regarding the opportunity and possibility of implementing knowledge strategies concepts in the intelligence structure vision. The contribution of this research constitutes the fact that this is the first bibliometric analysis of the literature concerning the possbile connections between knowledge strategies and intelligence structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge economy is present in all fields and occupations where human capital is needed. It consists of educating and informing staff, thus helping to improve work performance and create competitive advantage. Where we have human capital, there is also the possibility of retraining staff, also present in all fields and occupations. Retraining of staff may be unavoidable especially following major impact events such as the 2019 pandemic or the Russian-Ukrainian war. The literature provides us with many insights from the field of knowledge economy and shows us that it underpins the development of a company's staff, regardless of the field. And as staff is the key to a company's success, this research will be dedicated to staff who have gone through retraining. This paper explores the relationship between knowledge economy and stuff retraining. This paper will study the retraining of personnel in the case of Michelin, the well-known tire manufacturer. The pandemic, or simply the need for change and reinvention, has prompted employees to make a professional change from physical work in the factory to office work, or rather work from home. The study will show the retraining process that Michelin staff go through, we will see what are the differences between physical work for the actual production of tires versus online work. Through this process, we will see the need for the knowledge economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic Process Automation became an increasingly invasive technology in outsourcing, since both of these industries have been developed based on the same business desiderata, such as increased efficiency, cost savings and improved accuracy. However, there is a gap in the existing literature regarding the concrete use of this technology in business tasks. Therefore, we set out to investigate the implementation of RPA in the business services industry by conducting a literature review mining within the Web of Science database. Our study focused on three research questions: 1) Which are the leading developers of RPA tools? 2) What are the most automated business services tasks using RPA according to the scientific literature? 3) What are the process workflow and performance improvements generated by RPA-automated tasks in each type of outsourcing center? The contributions of our article consist of an overview of the main RPA developers in the market, a synopsis of the business services categories for which the literature indicates RPA solutions' implementations and an improved synthesis of business process workflows and performance recorded by integrating RPA tools in business services centers. The paper is broadening the understanding of the RPA-powered competitive advantages that could justify the redesign of business process mapping. Finally, our research highlights some milestones of the RPA-enhanced business services landscape and suggests future axes of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the capabilities of IT solutions for predictive analytics in supply chain management. The study uses a multi-method approach, including a literature review, case studies by applying a machine learning model to technology solutions currently available on the market. The study examines the various software and technology platforms available today and their key features and functionalities, focusing in particular on Scripting, Data Mining, Algorithms, Data Analysis, Modeling, Data Interaction, Data Visualization, Reporting and Data Unification. The study also assesses the potential benefits and challenges associated with implementing these solutions in supply chain management. The results of the study provide valuable information for supply chain professionals, IT managers and researchers interested in the application of predictive analytics in this field. In addition, the paper also discusses the current trend and future direction in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current concern for power is justifiable in light of both the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the world's concern over climate change and environmental conservation. The objective of this paper is to quantify changes in Romania's electricity productions and imports, moreover, to identify and classify the types of sponsorship activities of Romanian electricity companies. In this paper, based on data from Eurostat and BP we analyze the import of electricity in Romania between 2011 and 2020, but also the electricity generation from all sources between 1989 and 2021. We also did an analysis of contribution for improving the life of local communities, of few important Romanian companies from the electricity area: Hidroelectrica, Nuclearelectrica and Transelectrica based on their sustainability reports for the year 2021. During the communist period in Romania, between 1985 and 1989, there was an increase of electricity produced, but after the communism, more precisely after the year 1989 there was a huge decrease, more specifically from 1989 to 2021 decreased by 22%, while imports of electricity increased by 2.42 times from 2011 to 2020. From the sustainability reports of the companies analyzed results that the Romanian electricity companies offer a high support to the local communities especially for health area. This paper is unique because it's the first paper where the sponsorship of the Romanian electricity companies was analyzed from a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With technology being a part of our everyday lives, there has never been a more critical time to dive deeper and understand what drives us to choose specific products. The effectiveness with which technology companies use behavioral economics principles, such as choice architecture, in product development can drive better outcomes both for the organisation and the customer. The use of behavioral economics has become increasingly popular in. recent years. By leveraging insights from behavioral economics, technology companies can create products that better align with users' needs and preferences, and that are more likely to be adopted over time. This article critically reviews existing and emerging academic research, addressing three key areas: how behavioral economics appeared and its growth in the last five decades, behavioral economics in practice through the use of Choice Architecture, and how behavioral insights are currently applied in the design of technology products. In the present study, I have undertaken a review of existing literature and research studies by analysing and synthesising key points. The review was conducted by analysing and reading existing literature on the topic, including peer-reviewed journal articles, books and industry reports. Overall, this visionary paper provides a contribution to the field of technology product development, highlighting potential strategies of using behavioral economics to better design, build and scale products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical events of COVID-19 pandemic reshaped society forcing an advancement in digital transformation. All the domains had to change and introduce innovation to be able to continue activities in a social distancing context. This was also the case for education which proposed the movement to online education as a solution for reducing the spread of the virus. This paper seeks to present the journey of a school in a rural area of Romania through the pandemic period. The changes they had to make and the lessons they learned are also highlighted. In the end, a glimpse into how things are in the present and how the pieces of digital methods used in the pandemic period bleed through to the present day-to-day activities in a face-to-face context is shown to underline the advancement in digital transformation that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an analysis of the carbon reduction and energy transition targets set by all companies included in the STOXX All Europe 100 index. This is an emerging topic, and the scientific literature is scarce. We employ a quantitative research method, as we extract by hand the targets from various sources: corporate annual reports, Refinitiv Database, Science Based Targets etc. The research question is: Which are the directions of corporate European strategies regarding carbon emissions and reduction targets? The total number of emissions reduction targets in the sample is 427, while renewable energy targets are 89, efficiency targets are 33, and electric vehicle adoption targets are 29. The analysis reveals that most of the targets are set for a short or medium time frame. Also, most of them are expressed in absolute terms and some of them have already been achieved. The research has implications for policy setting, as we show that the regulations should be an incentive for companies to strive to achieve meaningful targets. Thus, the results show that longer term targets are more difficult to track, and progress is less disclosed in the annual reports. The countries in which the sample companies are headquartered are not yet on track to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, which means that environmental and disclosure policies need to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership for the digital and entrepreneurial society is a relatively new and emerging area of study, as the rapid pace of technological change has brought new challenges and opportunities for leaders. Forasmuch as digital society continues to evolve and grow, and as COVID-19 has had a significant impact on leadership practices and has brought about some notable changes in how leaders approach their roles, new leadership models are emerging to meet the unique provocations and chances of this context. The scientific literature on this specific topic is still emerging, but some key themes have already come up emphasizing the importance of agility and adaptability as organizations have to rapidly pivot their operations in response to the increasingly necessary digital expansion accelerated by the pandemic. As traditional business models are disrupted, leaders who are able to effectively leverage new technologies while thinking creatively and taking risks are more likely to succeed. Therefore, considering that the subject is still in its early stages, the research topic is to examine the leadership models that should be utilized in order to improve the digital and entrepreneurial context answering the main research questions related to the steps and leadership practices that will make a significant difference in both digital and entrepreneurial societies. The past literature on empirical and theoretical topics is compiled via a systematic review. An analysis of the content that is qualitative and descriptive was planned. Scopus, Web of Science or Google Scholar search results were of great help in carrying out the study and various leadership models were examined. The paper's theoretical contribution is the definition of a set of rules and criteria on where to focus on leadership. The collection of data for new performance, ownership, efficiency, and business value generation indicators is promoted at all levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste recycling is a priority area for political factors in Romania, who must identify possible solutions for the reuse of waste. Over time, many studies have been carried out to determine the economic-ecological aspects and the profitability of using waste as a substitute for raw materials. However, effective solutions in this field have not been identified in Romania, and this situation hindering the activities of specialists in the recycling sector. This paper aims to provide an overview, based on statistical data and research studies, of the environmental markets in Romania, focusing on the waste market. In order to study the key economic and ecological characteristics of the use of waste, the series of statistical data in the field - Sustainable Development - Targets for 2030, published by the National Institute of Statistics (tempo online) were processed and analyzed. Also, another purpose of the article is to highlight the positive and negative aspects in the field of waste recycling in Romania, to identify the flows that should be corrected, and opportunities that could contribute to the creation of this system to meet the European standards imposed by the European Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theme of the paper is the impact of the cosmetic industry on the economy. The reason for choosing this theme is the passion for cosmetics and personal care and belief in the importance of this aspect in people's lives. Although the subject is very broad, with many data and details that extend over the decades since the establishment of this industry, the paper tries to summarize this information. This topic is discussed from the perspective of several mini chapters such as the socio-economic contribution of the European cosmetics industry, the impact on people's lives, the past vs. the present cosmetics industry and the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. This article assesses the short- and medium-term impact of the beauty industry, based on multiple market reports, literature review and official statements by market leaders. When talking about the beauty industry, we consider the categories of makeup, perfume, personal hygiene and skin, hair, and body care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manager's role has become more complex along the decades due to social, economic and political changes that affected business worldwide. This paper is part of a larger project to highlight the importance of intercultural competence as a core management competence in an era of globalization, workforce cultural diversity, international business, worldwide connectivity. Based on a thorough bibliographic investigation including books, statistics, relevant business literature and journals, articles, research studies, meta-analysis, mega-trends analysis, we demonstrate the need to review the most important management trends and paradigms for a better understanding of a manager's role along the time and at present and we bring arguments to support a manager's core competence paradigm by integrating intercultural competence at its heart. By direct observation and informal interviews with managers working in multinationals exposed to a multicultural environment, we collected and presented several case studies in our paper to show that successful managers should possess intercultural competency in order to manage cross-culturally for their teams' wellbeing and efficiency and for company productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumers of the present, and especially those of the future, no longer expect products and services in themselves, but the maximization of the satisfaction they promise. In addition, today's consumer has a complex consumption behavior, is increasingly well informed, knows what he wants to receive and reacts quite firmly if his expectations are not considered by suppliers. For these reasons, at the level of specialized literature but also at the level of business practice, an innovative business philosophy, called the bullwhip effect, according to which demand variation or amplification, is progressive augmentation or diminishing of the demand, has become increasingly interesting to study. That is ascendingly propagating within the supply chain driving order variation to grow exponentially from the final consumer to the raw material supplier. The main thematic axes analyzed during this paper concerned: supply chains growing complexity both as an effect and a cause of the asymmetries that are observed at the level of demand-offer equilibrium; relevant correlations and causal relationships identifiable between the determinants of the general or specific environment in which a company is operating and the optimization together with the efficiency of the activities developed by it can be anticipated by adopting various business models; how distorted demand is propagating within the supply chain; the bullwhip effect as an amplification phenomenon inside the supply chain. The authors of this paper opted for a combination of positivist-type research, prioritizing the main causes of the bullwhip effect, and a phenomenological-type research, during which the most robust of the correlations supporting the starting hypotheses were highlighted. Therefore, we believe that increased attention to minimizing the bullwhip effect within organizations will lead to improved performance of supply chains and, implicitly, of the companies involved. This remains an area of significant interest in scientific research as well as in the practice of commercial entities focused on increasing profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sector occupies a central role in European policy regarding the sustainability and climate change ambitions. This economic sector gained even more importance in the context of a growing energy demand and the threat to energy security and stability in Eastern Europe. The administrative changes from the past years and the shift towards renewable energy sources created the momentum for a general transformation of the energy sector. The research in this field is much needed in order to find the best solutions to predict the energy demand and how to efficiently satisfy it. The purpose of this paper is to assess the economic impact of using artificial neural networks on a dataset that captures information from one building about the energy consumption. The network follows a Long – Short Term Memory architecture and it is characterized by a Root Mean Squared Propagation function for optimization. The analysis consists in the comparison of the performance of three activation functions: Rectified Linear Unit, Sigmoid and Tanh. The results complement the existing research in the field by focusing on the prediction of energy consumption at building level. The case study indicates that the Rectified Linear Unit and Tanh functions are more appropriate than Sigmoid to be used in an LSTM network applied on energy consumption data. The former performs better in terms of accuracy, measured by the Mean Absolute Value, and has similar computational costs to Tanh, with a slightly larger value for training time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the backdrop of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the use of new technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, big data and cloud computing, this research paper intends to analyze the many cybersecurity concerns encountered by the logistics industry. This paper will offer insights into the main cybersecurity concerns affecting the logistics industry and explain viable ways for reducing these risks through a thorough study of recent research. The Internet of Things (IoT) has made it possible to use smart devices that can gather and analyze massive volumes of data in real-time, giving logistical operations valuable information. But as IoT devices develop, the attack surface also grows, leaving logistical systems open to digital attacks. With the introduction of 5G networks, the connection is now quicker and more dependable, enabling real-time communication between IoT devices and making it easier to implement cutting-edge logistical systems. Real-time data analysis is made possible through the scalable and secure infrastructure provided by cloud computing, which also improves the security of logistics systems. Security measures for logistics systems will grow more and more dependent on cybersecurity, IoT, 5G, big data, and cloud computing as logistics organizations continue to adopt digital technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the moment the world is facing a global energy security problem. Most countries have been faced with difficult decisions to take about energy, what stocks they can make, when and how it is used, what is the maximum annual production they can achieve from both renewable and non-renewable sources, and what the future will look like with the transition to green energy. This transition has been intensely debated by all European countries, as well as by other countries outside the European Union. The European Union has set two deadlines (2030, 2050) to significantly reduce its carbon footprint. Looking at geopolitical factors from a not-so-optimistic perspective, the transition to green energy has been put under accelerated debate and decisions are starting to take shape. This can be on the one hand encouraging, on the other hand it challenges a number of vectors: political, mechanical, physical, legal. The synergy between all these factors is extremely important if the transition to green energy is to be successful. One of the options that could be exploited is the production of biogas and its use in extended areas, as the main resources for obtaining it are varied and inexhaustible, at least for the moment. An example of the efficient use of biogas is CrisTim, which has started to use this green energy to heat its production halls. Another example of this is Schwab Agro SRL, an agricultural and wine company that has incorporated biogas production into its business. The resulting biogas is used to heat the greenhouses it owns and in other production activities. This article aims to highlight the major importance that biogas could have, and the long-term sustainability it offers. The methodology of the paper is based on a comparative analysis of studies and indicators. The literature in this field is becoming more and more extensive, as interest in this direction has been growing recently. This paper aims to analyze whether this direction towards biogas can be the optimal option for most European countries and the key to a sustainable energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy has become one of the main sources of green energy having reached a peak of 220 GW installed wind capacity in 2020 in the European Union according to the TPA report (2021). With the expansion of wind energy installments, project management in the field also had numerous challenges in terms of estimating wind energy projects worth implementing in terms of capital and operating costs, as well as benefits. The present article presents the main method of evaluating wind energy projects, namely the net present value applied on specific costs and benefits of a wind energy installment in order to determine whether it is worth implementing or not. The paper contributes to the scientific literature by applying this method of analyzing wind energy projects before installment, a characteristic that is compulsory for project management in the field in order to adapt the project if needed in terms of costs or revenue streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most polluting industries is the fossil fuel energy industry. The production of energy from lignite has direct pollution (stack of thermal power plants emissions) or indirect pollution (caused by coal mining). The main pollutants are suspended particles, heavy metals, and other toxic substances. In areas where the limits of these pollutants are exceeded, there is a high risk of population-level health problems, such as circulatory, respiratory, nervous, and immune systems. In the current state of the scientific literature, there are studies that demonstrate the connection between the pollution caused by the coal energy industry and the negative health effects in people who have been exposed to increased amounts of these emissions. However, few studies address this topic in Gorj County. The research methodology used in this paper includes an initial presentation of the polluting substances found in the area, the possible diseases that result, and the correlation between them. The study identified the main diseases that can affect the population in areas where the pollution limits for certain substances are exceeded. It also features a graphic representation by means of a map of the areas with a higher risk of the occurrence of these diseases. This paper aimed to study the need to decarbonize the energy sector from the point of view of the impact on human health. The work has both a theoretical contribution by creating the literature that addressed this topic, and a practical one, representing an information resource for decision-makers in the development of health, environmental, economic, or energy policy. The results highlight the need for increased attention in protection, monitoring, staff allocation, treatment provision, and budget allocation to protect the health of the population in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current economic context, at the global level, the problem faced by organizations is determined by the means of environmental protection and the reduction of the negative effects of the ongoing activities, adopted at the organizational level. Thus, the objective of the research in this paper is to identify concepts such as sustainability/sustainable development within organizations and their financing mechanisms. The aim of the research is to contribute to increasing the knowledge of the tools for the sustainable development of companies, through the new sustainability approach that aims to re-educate both the business environment and the consumer, the ESG standard being a competitiveness trigger. The volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of the mechanisms developed and adopted at the level of organizations, being able to be reduced by adopting effective strategies based on ESG principles at the managerial level. The research methodology includes both secondary data collected from European Commission information sources, articles and existing specialist content in the direction of the development of ESG factors and the VUCA world, as well as the authors' interpretation based on the collected information. The existence of funding instruments such as the Horizon Europe, Life Programme, Innovation Fund (IF) programs granted through non-reimbursable development projects to encourage sustainability directions in terms of economic, social and governance factors within organizations is demonstrated. Also, the financing of sustainable development projects contributes to the consolidation of the VUCA phenomenon, namely the realization of complex projects in both the public and private sectors, in a volatile market with unpredictable factors as a result of the globalization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the actions taken by pharmaceutical companies to counter competition requires information on how the pharmaceutical sector is built. The pharmaceutical market, mentioned in this paper, contains all companies that produce or develop pharmaceuticals or compounds that are used to produce drugs and all other participants that interact with those companies for the purpose of selling or buying a drug. It is also necessary to understand market participants and the importance of an economy for maintaining this growing sector by supporting its production and development, in order to understand the anti-competitive actions taken by pharmaceutical innovators. This case study will provide an overview of the market defined below, applied strategies, and the elements constitutive of the pharmaceutical supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper's purpose is to define and explain the connection between the online/offline environments and the transition to e-commerce as a business sustainability process. The Internet has become a central focus for the global society in recent years, managing to successfully transfer elements of real life into the virtual environment. Beyond the social parts, the web has also become a foundation for the new economic era. By default, commerce has evolved in order to be able to assimilate all new items brought over the Internet, reaching the term of e-commerce (e-commerce or online commerce). While all the companies are pursuing economic growth, the connection between e-commerce and business sustainability shows a common path towards reducing the environmental impact while meeting the increasing customer expectations. The case study will follow the implementation of an online commerce platform for sports goods retailers, taking the example of Roumasport S.R.L., one of the most successful companies in its area of economic activity. The research follows the steps of analyzing the e-commerce opportunity for the company and its relevant steps in the field of business sustainability, justifying not only the implementation of this transition, but also the need of reallocating company funds towards a more circular economic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization, interconnectivity, and instant access to information have multiplied the complexity of the problems industries are facing. A new way of looking, feeling and thinking is necessary that will lead to richer strategies and new tools to create organizations that have a positive impact on their environment and culture. High performance teams driving innovation are built on goal-focused individuals, from cross-functional backgrounds. They are assembled to collaborate on solving particular challenges of achieving an objective. The current study aims to analyze the creative process within ad hoc mission driven teams and propose a design framework for organizational practices. Strategic design transforms complex problems into sustainable solutions, by focusing on systemic innovation. Unlike design thinking, which is a formal method used mainly in the consultant model, strategic design is a design practice applied on organizations culture, policy, governance, and strategy. Questions such as how to run mission-driven teams to function on their own and how to reduce micromanagement and oversight and focus on the production, testing and iteration of innovative solutions, will be addressed. The study is based on qualitative research, with the focus on exploring case-studies and conducting interviews. The paper helps organizational leaders and team managers to design solutions for cultural practices that are aligned with sustainable industry goals and business performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development and intensive use of digitalization support entrepreneur work but face possible more and complex cyber-attacks on companies and private companies. Besides a sustainable cybersecurity infrastructure, an increasing entrepreneurs/employees/employers training to avoid complex cyber-attacks are necessary. In this paper, some approaches about cybersecurity strategy in companies, the contribution of suitable methods for training of entrepreneurs and an example of a project with the work of the author are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the entire working world and has proven that people can generally perform their tasks from anywhere while still managing to achieve their professional goals. The evolution of employment involves more and more of its dimensions and ramifications. Among these developments, work flexibility is a concept that is gaining more and more territory and is most often associated with a flexible and modern form of work. This article aims to analyze how integrating new ways of working which include flexible work can influence individual and organizational knowledge, as well as personal life. For employees, flexible work offers the advantage of incorporating personal commitments, but at the expense of shared work experiences. For employers, flexible work can engage a better reputation when competing, with a highly motivated and productive workforce because employees feel valued. The paper examined the impact that teleworking had on 190 employees within the Romanian branches of three American consultancy corporations in terms of knowledge acquired, performance, and perspectives of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demographic trends play an important role in the development of workforce diversity. Population expansion and immigration are two examples of demographic changes that have created more diverse environments and made it crucial for organizations to be able to adapt and manage change. Organizations constantly need to reassess their methods and come up with new, original ideas for managing people as a result of demographic and global changes. Positive adjustments could boost an organization's performance in matters of innovation and strengthen its ties to its customers as well as to the entire community. The research purpose of our paper is to provide an analysis of various viewpoints on the perceived image of the organization while taking into account the influence of three aspects: workforce diversity, creativity and innovation capacity, and corporate social responsibility. The perception of these three important organizational aspects was examined among employees from organizations of all sizes and in a range of activities from Romania. A questionnaire was used as an information gathering tool. The study is based on the quantitative approach, which considers the statistical analysis of numerical data. Based on the study findings and due to the inductive reasoning, today's leaders are responsible both for managing employees, but also for meeting the needs of customers who are increasingly ethnically and culturally diverse. It is necessary to pay attention to aspects related to diversity. Whether the goal is to be a valued employer, to provide excellent products and services to customers, or to maintain a competitive advantage, diversity is recognized and used as an important organizational resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents research on precursors that can generate unique and attractive retail experiences when using artificial intelligence. Among them are safe technology, ethical aspects, and customer-friendly technology. The motivation for choosing this topic is that it gives a global, current perspective and arouses interest, curiosity, uncertainty, even fear. Quantitative research was implemented with the help of an online questionnaire. The conceptual model derived from the literature was then analysed through regression analysis. Data collected from 272 consumers allowed the research hypotheses to be validated. The results reveal that artificial intelligence applied in retail is the solution for achieving higher performance in the retail field, but without being used unethically. The results provide an overview of AI in retail today, with survey participants expressing confidence in AI's ability to improve their shopping experience. The originality of the research consists of approaching for the first time in the considered emerging market the perception of consumers toward the vectors that enhance their in-store shopping expectations. Considering the direction in which technology is evolving and based on the arguments of specialists, it can be stated that Artificial Intelligence will represent an element of distinction and competitive advantage. Companies in the retail sector that will invest in the development of Artificial Intelligence will benefit in the long term. Artificial intelligence should not be absent from the retail context, and further investment should be made in its development. The present study did not determine the actual purchase experience in virtual retail stores but was based on a hypothetical situation. Also, this study used a limited sample of respondents, with only Millennials participating. A future research perspective could be based on this study, but using a larger and more representative sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era when targeting younger generations becomes more and more challenging, and classic fashion is starting to be seen as being outdated, the Metaverse and online gaming has attracted fashion brands' interest. Increasingly more fashion brands, such as Nike, Vans, Gucci, Supreme, Forever 21, Ralph Lauren, and NASCAR, are being present in the Metaverse and online games. The purpose of the study will be to bring some light on how the Metaverse might revolutionize fashion marketing communication for the younger and future generations. The paper also explores the customer benefits that the brands offer through the Metaverse and why the younger public tends to find this marketing type so appealing. From a methodological point of view, two focus groups were organized, one for gamers and another for casual players. The research directions investigate the relationship between fashion, Metaverse, and gaming marketing communications. It follows the perception of the audience, as also the benefits for organizations and consumers of games that include fashion brands. The qualitative analysis results showed that the gap between gamers and nongamers is becoming more and more narrow, as both consume the same type of content, and the benefits for organizations are worth the investment. For consumers, on the other hand, both advantages and disadvantages were highlighted as concerns for future generations. The study acknowledges why the younger generations invest so much time and money in the digital fashion world. It clarifies aspects related to the Romanian market, giving useful insights for fashion brands and not only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperautomation is a business-driven approach, conceptualized in 2019 by Gartner Inc., that combines various technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and integrated platforms as a service (iPaas) with the aim of making business processes more efficient by substituting human intervention. Among these, implementations of AI within business services use technologies like Natural Language Processing, Voice and Image Recognition, Virtual Agents, Machine Learning or Deep Learning platforms. Acknowledging this reality, we are interested in developing answers to the following research questions: (1) What are the main categories of business services which integrate specific AI tools? (2) What are the transformed business processes and their operations provided by AI tools? (3) What are the benefits related to AI integrated tools? For this triadic purpose, a systematic literature review on the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the field of business services was carried out. Only works indexed in the Web of Science database, published in the last 5 years, were selected. Moreover, the websites of the main developers and client companies were investigated. Our findings include a selection of identified AI solutions, structured by main business services categories; we have also outlined the performed tasks and the resulting benefits of each listed AI tool. The synopsis of AI-powered tools presented in the paper could serve professionals, managers and researchers in designing future policies, operational procedures and research approaches to cope with new challenges of disruptive technologies from the AI spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]