The relationships between forestry sector standardization, market evolution and sustainability approaches in the communist and post-communist economies: the case of Romania

This paper analyses how forestry standardization process interrelates with the national and sectoral economic characteristics and the evolution of sustainable forest management implementation in communist and post-communist Romania. The study used the database of Romanian Standardization Association for selecting forestry specific standards, which have been issued since 1949. The selected standards were grouped according to their scope, issuing period and international recognition, and the obtained distributions were analysed in the context of sectoral economic evolution. In the communist period, the long-term sectoral strategy, which was centred on sustainable forest management, added value products and export was accompanied by a sustained effort in standardizing the design and quality of forest products, as well as the needed processes. Based on standardization, the efficient and integrated forest industry acted in the framework of a prescriptively regulated sustainable forest management. Mandatory national standards from the communist period have been mostly replaced by post-communist consensual international standards. The opportunities of a market economy and EU trade supported a private forest industry that is increasingly efficient, productive and innovative. However, considering the high forestry sector environmental and social sustainability requirements, the state authorities must carefully address their mission of balancing different interests, for which standardization may provide very useful tools

Developments in the Romanian forestry and its linkages with other sectors

The evolution of the forestry sector in the last two decades in Romania has been significantly influenced by the post 1989 political and economic changes, forest restitution and the European Union accession process. Based on the analysis of forestry statistics, legislation and institutional changes this paper underlines the main developments in the forestry sector in the last twenty years and the linkages with other sectors that had an impact on its development. The significant change in forest ownership (based on which 45% of the Romanian forest is nowadays in non-state hands), the unprecedented re-organisation of the forest sector through the institutional separation of the regulatory, control and forest management functions, the changes in forest administration (including the establishment of more than 110 private forest districts) and the full privatisation of the wood harvesting and processing sector complemented by foreign investments have shaped the forest sector development in a context in which the forest resource remained almost unchanged. Major developments have been recorded in the establishment and management of large protected areas as National Forest Administration Romsilva is currently administrating 22 national and nature parks. Both positive and negative interactions of forestry with environmental protection, wood processing, agriculture, rural development, road infrastructure and tourism sectors have also impacted the evolution of the forest sector. Development policy options recommended by authors include among others the strengthening of the public authority responsible for forestry, reorganisation of the state forest administration and supporting the access of forest owners to the national and EU funding and compensation schemes for forestry

Labor Relations and Social Dialogue: Measurement and Diagnosis Instruments

Social dialogue and tripartism play an important role in promoting and strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work, promoting job creation and expanding social protection. In the context of the severe challenges of globalization, a growing number of developing countries are recognizing the need to faster dialogue, partnership and participatory approaches to decision-making. Thus, social dialogue becomes a prerequisite for efficient corporate governance and means to attain national economic and social objectives and to contribute to poverty reduction policies. We shall propose a diagnosis and analysis system in order to measure and monitor the evolution of the industrial relations and social dialogue

Labor Relations and Social Dialogue: Measurement and Diagnosis Instruments

Social dialogue and tripartism play an important role in promoting and strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work, promoting job creation and expanding social protection. In the context of the severe challenges of globalization, a growing number of developing countries are recognizing the need to faster dialogue, partnership and participatory approaches to decision-making. Thus, social dialogue becomes a prerequisite for efficient corporate governance and means to attain national economic and social objectives and to contribute to poverty reduction policies. We shall propose a diagnosis and analysis system in order to measure and monitor the evolution of the industrial relations and social dialogue

Method for Deep Drawing Process Control Using Segmented-Multiple Active Drawbeads

This paper presents a new method for deep drawing process control. The new method consists in: i) using of a segmented-multiple moving drawbeads; ii) imposing an optimal reference trajectory for drawbeads position; iii) in-process control where controlled variable is chosen the amplitude of deviation δ of the actual instant workpiece surface geometry with respect to the surface geometry during simulation and as manipulated variable is chosen the deviation ΔhDB of the actual drawbeads position with respect to the programmed one; iv) periodical validation, calibration and updatation both of the control model and reference trajectory of drawbeads position; v) using a reduced order model of the complex system design. An experimental device conception and testing is presented. The results obtained using this device confirms the validity of the new proposed method for deep drawing process control

Labor Relations and Social Dialogue: Measurement and Diagnosis Instruments

Social dialogue and tripartism play an important role in promoting and strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work, promoting job creation and expanding social protection. In the context of the severe challenges of globalization, a growing number of developing countries are recognizing the need to faster dialogue, partnership and participatory approaches to decision-making. Thus, social dialogue becomes a prerequisite for efficient corporate governance and means to attain national economic and social objectives and to contribute to poverty reduction policies. We shall propose a diagnosis and analysis system in order to measure and monitor the evolution of the industrial relations and social dialogue.industrial relations; social dialogue; social diagnosis; tripartism; social policies.

Sexual dimorphism of crania in a Romanian population: Discriminant function analysis approach for sex estimation

Abstract: Regarding sex estimation on human skeletal remains, the current trend in forensic anthropology is towards creating national standards, as population-specificity of discriminant functions is now a known fact. Also, over the last period of time, discriminant function analysis of osteometric data has become the method of choice in forensic anthropology, as it renders high accuracy results, superior to those obtained by visual shape assessment or direct metric comparison. We have conducted a study on 200 adult crania (100 males, 100 females) from a modern Romanian population sample (Rainer collection, Bucharest). Based on 11 cranial measurements, we have calculated population-specific discriminant functions for intact crania, cranial vault and facial region measurements, as well as single-variable DF. The results point to a pronounced craniometric sexual dimorphism in Romanian population, similar to other European populations: sexing accuracies of 88% on intact crania, 81% on cranial vault measurements and 83.5% on facial measurements respectively, with 83.5% correctly assigned by facial breadth alone discriminant function. Discussions on the results, as well as comparisons with similar studies are presented below. Key Words: sex estimation, discriminant function, romanian population, cranial measurements, fragmented crania. D iscriminant function analysis for sex estimation on human skeletal remains has become a method of choice over the last period of time, as many researchers have studied its usefulness all over the world 1) "Carol Considering the above, we have conducted a study on a series of Romanian skulls, in order to assess the sexual dimorphism of Romanian population, compared to other European and worldwide populations. In this article we present only the results for cranial measurements, as we have already communicated the results from the mandible measurements within the previous journal issu

Typology of Non-Wood Forest Products Based Enterprises in Serbia

In Serbia, as in other European countries, small and medium enterprises are recognized as a pillar of economic development. At the same time, a clear need for support to those enterprises and entrepreneurship, both in urban and rural areas, is emphasized in national strategic documents. In forestry, small and medium enterprises are of special importance for sector development. However, in Serbia, there is a lack of knowledge about them, and particularly about small and medium enterprises whose business is based on non-wood forest products. Bearing in mind the importance of these enterprises for development of private forestry sector and rural areas, research aiming to determine their characteristics and types is needed. Door-to-door survey was conducted with 91 representatives of non-wood forest products based small and medium enterprises in Central Serbia. Results of cluster analysis showed there were three types of non-wood forest products based small and medium enterprises, in regard to their characteristics. The same number of types was distinguished, in regard to business activities. Results of this research can be used for further detailed study on types of forest-based small and medium enterprises and as a basis for formulation of support measures and, thus, improvement of the entrepreneurship in non-wood forest products sector in Serbia

Total Economic Value of Natural Capital – A Case Study of Piatra Craiului National Park

In the last two decades different methodologies for assessing the economic implications of protected areas have been developed within the framework of “Total Economic Value”, taking into account not only goods and services that have a price and a market but also those not priced or marketed. The present paper, by using a number of recognized methodologies applied by environmental economists around the world, estimates the economic value of ecosystem services of Piatra Craiului National Park, in one of the first attempts to frame ecosystem services valuation in Romania. The approach and results include a benefit distribution analysis, for both the economic sectors and the groups of beneficiaries. Even if the data are not comprehensive and depend on several assumptions, the paper provides very important practical and policy-relevant information on the economic value of Piatra Craiului National Park, in an attempt to stimulate increasing of the budgetary allocation and economic policy priority for protected areas in Romania