DETERMINANTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF ROMANIA

Continuous performance is the objective of any organization because only through performance, organizations are able to grow and progress. Knowing the determinants of organizational performance is important especially in the context of the current economic crises because it enables the identification of those factors that should be treated with an increased interest in order to improve the organizational performance. The most important objective of this paper is to create a model that will allow, based on multiple dimensions, to evaluate the Romanian manufacturing companies and to underline the relationship between the way they operate and their performance. The model used in this study was developed from the existing literature on organizational diagnostic models and from a broad literature review conducted to identify the factors influencing the performance of an organization. The results of this study also offer information on the relationship between the performance measurement process and the organizational performance. This article offers the base to identify measures that can lead to an improvement in organizational performance.diagnosis, leadership, organizational performance, performance measurement, quality, strategy.

Management Best Practices Used in Romanian Logistics Customer Service Planning

There are no standards which one could use for establishing approximately or precisely whether the management of an organization is good or bad. There is management best practices as alternative, sooner elaborated advices then rules imposed to a manager, which can improve management processes. This article contains management best practices used in logistics for customer service planning. The results are a part of the research undertaken inside the doctoral thesis by the first author of this article. Logistics is the group of activities of the firm which insure the flow of materials, parts and final products from firm’s suppliers to its customers, but also inside the firm. At firm’s level logistics is usually perceived as a cost. We believe it is necessary that firm’s management to observe that logistics insures goods transfer, at a certain costs level, but also at a certain customer service level. The interest of management should be though expanded from cost management at demand planning and customer service management. We exposed further best practices regarding customer service planning in logistics. The article has in the first part theoretical details regarding customer service, but also regarding management best practices, in the second the elements of customer service, in the third management best practices found at international level, while the fourth part contains the evaluation of best practices usage and knowledge by the Romanian managers. In conclusion, Romanian managers could be considered sooner reactive than proactive regarding logistics customer service planning. Regarding knowledge level, the exposed methods are scarcely known, while the usage level can be improved.management best practice, logistics, customer service, utility

A TALE OF A CITY, THROUGH ITS URBAN LANDSCAPE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE HEART OF EUROPE: THE CASE STUDY OF ORADEA CITY (ROMANIA)

The urban landscape of Oradea city is characterized by the presence of the Crişul Repede River and of the Renaissance Fortress. In the present study an interdisciplinary methodology for the diachronic study of the interrelationship between man and his landscape has been applied. The study of the paleorivers shows that the hydrographic network (the distinguishing and bonding element of the city) was subject to natural evolution and to human intervention. The knowledge of Oradea’s urban landscape represents a tool for rediscovering the geomorphological heritage, between use of resources and environmental conditioning. The relationship between fortress and rivers can be a chance for urban geotourism

Rural Romanian Housing Degradation – Effect of Land Restitution and Unemployment Rates

AbstractThis paper aims to present the alarming situation of a constantly decaying rural built environment as well as its landscape. Even if rural settlement were and still are being abandoned in the entire world it is worrying that depopulation combined with aged communities represents one of the main reasons for this situation to occur in the 21st century in Romania.We have identified some of the elements that compose the foundation for this continuous decline and we are presenting with the aid of this study the major ones. It is obvious that education, form all points of view is the most important pawn, its absence leading to lack of overall vision, bad management of estates and possessions, unemployment, poverty and consequently decay.It is important to put a stop to this situation otherwise the gap between urban and rural settlements will continue to enlarge in terms of quality of life and the village will lose its cultural identity and value and will become a refuge for poor and unadapted individuals if not a ghost village

Competing Physiological Demands During Incipient Colony Foundation in a Social Insect: Consequences of Pathogenic Stress

The social nature of termites has allowed them to become an ecologically dominant taxon. However, their nesting and foraging habits (decayed wood and/or soil), combined with frequent social interactions, enhances the risk of pathogen transmission. New dispersing kings and queens are especially vulnerable to pathogens due to the metabolic demands of nest construction, courtship, mating, oogenesis, and parental care, all while mounting an immune response to novel pathogens encountered upon leaving the natal nest. To quantify differential allocation of resources during colony establishment in response to disease exposure, Zootermopsis angusticollis kings and queens were paired after one or both individuals received an injection of saline, heat-killed Serratia marcescens (ecologically relevant, Gram-negative, soil bacterium), a sub-lethal dose of live S. marcescens, or were left untreated. We then quantified several indices of fitness, including the survival of the reproductive pair, onset and likelihood of oviposition, number of eggs produced, and egg quality as a function of parental immunological treatment. Our results uncovered complex and dynamic interactions between these fitness measures and pathogenic stress. Overall, pathogenic stress reduced the survival of kings and queens, the likelihood of oviposition and egg total, but not the onset of oviposition or egg quality, indicating that, in the face of disease, queens “opt” to maintain offspring quality over quantity. These impacts appear to be context-dependent—modulated by colony of origin, sex, mass, and the presence of a mate—rather than absolute. The acquisition of resources prior to colony foundation, combined with the effects of pathogenic exposure, can dramatically limit the success of termites. Based on these empirical data, we have developed a conceptual model of the first 30 days of colony life, involving two successive fitness checkpoints, survival and oviposition, followed by an initial growth phase in which the first egg cohort is produced. In summary, we identified not only the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence successful termite colony foundation, but also the maternal and paternal pathogen-induced effects. Such effects alter resource allocation decisions of parents toward their offspring, with cascading consequences on colony fitness

Összehasonlító tanulmány polietilén hulladékanyaggal, illetve cementtel megvalósított talajstabilizációról

Esetenként a szilárd hulladék termelése folyamatos és megállíthatatlan folyamatnak tűnik, különösen a műanyagszármazékok kapcsán. A műanyag hulladékok nyersanyaggá alakítási folyamatában, habár nagy mennyiségű energiát használ fel, a keletkezett termék felhasználható a geotechnika területén. Ezen dolgozat két talajjavító megoldás eredményeinek összehasonlításán alapszik. Az első megoldásnál a talaj-polietilén, míg a másodiknál talaj-cement együttest vizsgáltuk. Erős esőzésekkor felléphet a lejtők stabilizációjának problémája, ezért a közvetlen nyírási kísérleteket vízzel telített talajpróbákon végeztük. A kutatás során végzett kísérletek kimutatják a polietilén hulladékanyag és a cement hatását a talaj kohéziójára és belső súrlódási szögére

MODELAREA ŞI ADAPTAREA PROCESELOR METABOLICE PRIN INTERMEDIUL SUBSTANŢELOR BIOLOGIC ACTIVE

Prin calităţile terapeutice pe care le deţine, apipreparatul Diaproptin (tinctură de propolis) poate fi considerat în prezent de o valoare colosală în cercetările ştiinţifice. Datorită structurii chimice complexe de origine naturistă (diferiţi flavonoizi, aminoacizi, uleiuri eterice, substanţe tanante, vitamine, micro- şi macroelemente), acest preparat nu produce reacţii toxice, fiind deosebit de eficient în cadrul proceselor metabolice ale organismelor vii. În lucrarea de faţă este evidenţiat efectul bioreglator al apipreparatului Diaproptin asupra simptomelor clinice în perioada de debut al diabetului indus de alloxan. THE MODELLING AND THE ADJUSTMENT OF METABOLIC PROCESSES BY MEANS OF THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVE SUBSTANCESThanks to therapeutic qualities which the Diaproptin apipreparate (propolis tincture) holds, currently it can be consi­dered of a colossal value in scientific investigations. Due to the complex chemical structure of natural origin (different flavonoids, amino acids, etheric oils, tanning substances, vitamines, micro- and macroelements) this preparate does not create toxic reactions being especially efficient in the metabolic processes of living organisms. This article emphasizes the bioregulator effect of Diaproptin apipreparate on clinical simptoms in the debut period of alloxan induced diabetes. </p

Geomorphosites and geotourism in Bucharest city center (Romania)

The present paper aims at inventorying the geomophosites in Bucharest as well as introducing geotouristic itineraries that take into account the long-time developed high value cultural heritage of the area. The process included several stages: studying Bucharest’s relief and cultural- historical elements with tourist value from existing bibliography, cartographic methods (aerial photos and different editions of topographic maps), as well as the information gathered from field investigations; identifying and inventorying geomorphosites, assessing the population’s opinion about geoheritage (geomorphosites) and its capitalization in tourism activities, 100 questionnaires were applied; creating geotouristic itineraries and later promoting them. The most valuable and representative geomorphosites identified are: on Colentina Valley (the Plumbuita, Ostrov, Dobroeşti and Pantelimon hills) (aren’t located in the study area), on Dâmboviței Valley (Cotroceni, Șerban Vodă, Mitropoliei, Spirii, Filaret and Arsenal hills, Țăcăliei, Procopoaiei, University terraces, Dâmbovița Meadow). The authors suggest two geotouristic itineraries that emphasize the relationship between the scientific, cultural, and historic elements as well as the human-nature report within the urban area

Investigations concerning the influence of sports trainings carried out in a protected area (Natura 2000 site) on various physiological and biological parameters for athletes

The study propose a comparative analysis of biochemical and physiological parameters and their dynamics in athletes training in two different locations: the campus stadium in the Oradea University and a protected area- Valea Roşie Natura 2000 site. The research was conducted between 31st of May 2016 –9th of June 2016 on the players of a female volleyball team of Oradea’s University Sport Club, aged between 18 and 24. We used Polar RC3 heart rate monitor, monitoring: distance travelled in each exercise, duration, calories consumed, heart rate, minimum and maximum altitude. After the effort, biological samples were taken, analysing the following indices: Creatine kinase (CK), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Sideremia; the data interpretation and the results highlighted that organizing outdoor trainings in sites like Natura 2000 has a favourable influence on the biochemical parameters, had a contribution to "breaking" the routine and being a motivating factor for athletes in their activity