INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION IN SUPPORT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA

Globalization, migration trends, information’s, changes in rural policies and theemergence of important non-farm niche markets put rural regions in direct competitionconfronting them with threats and opportunities that require new policy approaches at thenational and sub-national level. Against this fast changing scenario, policy makers need tore-think their priorities for rural investments. These research’s paper try to answer to keyquestions: 1) What sectors hold potential for rural development? 2) What kind of investmentsand policies can help release such potential? Evidence from across the OECD shows that thecapacity of regions, whether urban or rural, to support processes of learning and innovationis a key source of competitive advantage. Innovation in rural areas can be about ââ¬Ëdoingtraditional activities in a new way’, about starting up new businesses or about changing theway government interacts with citizens. In all these cases innovation is strongly linked withsocial processes such as the creation of networks, the strengthening of local identities, andthe creation and dissemination of knowledge.innovation, support of development, technology platforms

THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITIES IN A REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM – A COMPARATIVE A’WOT - ANALYSIS

Universities have an important role in regional innovation systems. In this study, we evaluate and compare two different case regional innovation systems (RIS), one located in the north of Romania, in Bucovina area and the other in Ylä-Savo region, in the middle of Finland. Main focus is on how university is contributing to competences of a RIS. We use the A’WOT analysis, which is a hybrid method connecting Multiple Criteria Decision Support (MCDS) methods to SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. The method yields analytical priorities for the factors included in SWOT analysis and makes them commensurable. The research work done was based on experts and actors interviews, which were structured according to principles of the steps of the A’WOT analysis. SMART technique was applied in the A’WOT framework. Both case RIS are described and analysed. The main goal is to improve the theoretical and effective knowledge in the innovations and sustainable development field from a country with tradition: how management models are applied in countries with competitive industry; which are the costs of the marketing and management strategy implementation in companies; which are the obstacles for the entrepreneurs’ development. The study will conclude by recommendations how to develop RIS competences, and especially the role of universities in this aspect.innovation system, multiple criteria decision support, regional planning, strategic planning, SWOT

CONSIDERATIONS ON THE PROSPECTS OF THE INTEGRATION OF THE EUROPEAN FINANCIAL MARKETS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GLOBAL CRISIS

In recent years, as the efforts linked to the elimination of the capital movements control between countries have intensified, the preoccupations concerning the explanation of the financial integration concept have multiplied, in their turn. An integrated financial market is necessary particularly to the distribution of liquidity between the institutions in the euro zone, and, implicitly, for the enforcement of a common monetary policy. Thus, the problem of the integration of the financial market, respectively of the monetary one, appears as a premise for a homogenous transmission of the financial policy impulses all throughout the euro zone. The financial integration is defined in conformity with the law of a single price. According to this definition, in case the markets are integrated, the financial assets bearing identical characteristics should have the same price, regardless of their geographic origin.: financial market, financial stability, euro zone, single currency

SOCIAL INNOVATION - MODERN INSTRUMENT FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF LOCAL COMUNITIES

In present there is a certain perception along free time of the young. Messenger, internet and television are the new recreation and amusement ways that favourises sedentary life, in the detriment of tourism and fresh air walks. The counteract of the phenomenon can be materialized through social innovation principles, concepts that suppose a new vision upon sustainable development of local communities. The elaboration of Suceava city development strategy has to take into account the potential problems of the community. The green spaces that are insufficient and the complete detach of the young from nature can be the strategic points of the new strategy. This work wants to offer possible solutions regarding sedentary life problems of the "Messenger Generation" and the lack of green entertainment areas.social innovation, development strategies, local authorities, Messenger Generation, Active Park

The tourism’s measurement in the view of lasting development

The process of globalization and of lasting tourism’s development aims at the touristic activities placed under the influence of ecology and of reasonable use of resources.To measure the lasting tourism’s development represents a necessity in the conditions of a deep interaction among the natural resources protection, the economic development and the compliance with the needs of the clients-customers. The need to coordinate the efforts, both on a regional and at a national scale, for the achievement of great projects, is related with the measurement process concerning the activities involved in tourism. The tourism’s measurement, implicitly of the one belonging to the social-economic process, in consideration of the lasting development, supposes the approach and application of principles and methods which constitute the formation and using base of an almost complete set of indicators. The system of indicators that must converge in an almost complete set has been analyzed by the OCDE forum which considers that their efficiency is higher if the information source is wider and diversified.globalization, tourism, instruments of measurement

The importance of stakeholders and policy influence enhancing the innovation in nature based tourism services Greece, Austria, Finland and Romania case studies

This paper aims to illustrate in the context of the challenges of the Europeanization process what kind of co-operation models there exist between nature-based tourism companies and the critical stakeholder groups effecting the business activities and social sustainability of the companies. The following topics are part of our current research: which are the cooperation strategy; which are the management models applied in countries with competitive market and strong innovation policy; which are the costs of implementing innovation policies for co-operation strategies enhancing the innovation in nature based tourism services; which barriers avoid the entrepreneurship development and how innovative can be the firm management. We intend to analyze the importance of stakeholders and policy influence enhancing the innovation in nature based tourism service, in Greece, Austria, Finland and Romania case studies. The research will continue with a comparison between these cases, including the perspective of supporting entrepreneurship and regional competitiveness in Romania.peer-reviewe

NEW APPROACHES TO VALUE CREATION IN THE TOURISM SECTOR - THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The circular economy is an alternative economic model to the current linear economy. The main feature of the circular economy is to preserve the value of resources. The circular economy generates indisputable environmental benefits, social benefits and added value for companies, aspects necessary to guarantee resource sustainability and ecological diversity in a globalized, complex and often unpredictable global context. Despite the fact that tourism plays an important role in the economic development of tourist regions and in the integration of these economies in the process of globalization, it puts great pressure on natural resources and the environment. Tourism activity generates environmental impacts and economic impacts. The aim of this paper is to analyze the future tendencies of tourism, how the circular economy can create value for the tourism sector and the steps to be followed to create a sustainable model. The society we live in has exhausted the resources needed to meet the future needs of an increasingly affected planet. Tourism is a sector sensitive environmentally, because while exploiting resources for its economic development, compromising their future growth. For this reason, it is very important to adopt tourism practices that promote respect for the planet - Earth, because we destroy our home and today we are already living the consequences and the circular economy is born of the real need to save the planet we live on. Change is the key to a sustainable model. Today there are endless opportunities, we need to rethink our current system and open up to new perspectives through innovation and creativity. JEL classification: Z32, L83, Q01, Q5

Municipal waste management in Romania in the context of the EU. A stakeholders’ perspective

The European waste policy is focused on reducing the negative impact of waste, eliminating the unhealthy use of resources, and on better waste management. The aim of this paper is to analyse Romania’s waste management practices in the EU context. The research methodology is based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis. The descriptive data analysis reveals significant differences among EU countries in terms of the municipal waste generated and the recycling rate. The municipal waste generated registers decrease, whereas there are significant increases in terms of the recycling rates in the EU countries. The qualitative research is based on the analysis of structured interviews among stakeholders, relevant for the waste management in Romania. The information obtained based on interviews was processed using NVivo and the main findings are focused on recommendations for improving the waste management system. We have identified a lack of adequate public support in the waste field due to insufficient awareness programs, lack of operator’s obligation for separate waste sanitation, people's discouragement to separate their household waste, and lack of bins to separate collection. The correction of identified weaknesses could lead to an improved waste management system, feasible only through an active involvement of stakeholders

Eco-Innovation – Pioneer of the Green Economy in the Development of the Entrepreneurial Environment. Study Case: Eco-Innovation Performance across Post-Socialist Countries in Europe

Innovation has the potential to increase the competitiveness and efficiency of economies. Environmental innovation helps companies improve the use of valuable resources and generate sustainable solutions that reduce the negative impact of the economy on the environment. In this paper, we provide a background on eco-innovation and methods to measure it. The purpose of this study is to underline the importance of eco-innovation for business reputation and to identify the main discrepancies between the post-socialist countries in terms of eco-innovation. Despite significant differences between countries and economic sectors, there are not enough companies implementing eco-innovation on the scale that is needed. Of all the post-socialist countries, the Czech Republic is the best practical example for eco-innovation activities. Despite the opportunities that environmental innovation presents to companies, more efforts are required to close the implementation ga

Cerebral oxygenation during the period of transition to extrauterine life after natural versus cesarean birth

Objective. We aim to evaluate the implications of cesarean delivery compared to natural birth by analyzing newborns’ systemic and cerebral oxygenation levels during the first 10 minutes of life. Design. This paper presents a 4-year prospective cohort study. Setting. Polizu Maternity, "Alessandrescu-Rusescu" National Institute for Mother and Child's Protection, Bucharest, Romania. Patients. Randomly selected pregnant women and their fetuses. Interventions. During the 10 min following umbilical cord clamping, regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rcSO2) was measured using the INVOS 5100 device and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) was determined using the Masimo SET pulse oximeter in neonates from cesarean and natural deliveries. Main outcome measures. The cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE) in the first 10 minutes of life was calculated based on these values. Results. Newborns delivered vaginally showed higher rcSO2 levels at 1 minute of life than those born via C-section (40.5 ± 16.5% vs 33.7 ± 14.8%, AUC = 0.625; IC 95%: 0.506 - 0.743; p = 0.043). Neonatal cFTOE at 1 minute of life was significantly higher in caesarean-delivered newborns versus naturally born neonates (0.40 ± 0.25 vs 0.50 ± 0.19, p = 0.03; AUC = 0.638; IC 95%: 0.517-0.758; p = 0.023). Conclusions. Prelabor cesarean delivery seemingly plays a significant role in the process of fetal and neonatal cerebral oxygenation immediately postnatally, which is highlighted by lower rcSO2 and higher cFTOE values. Cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring in the delivery room allows the optimization of oxygen therapy in order to prevent the consequences of hypoxia or hyperoxia