Indexes of Regional Economic Growth in Post-Accession Romania

The European Cohesion Policy is designed to yield concrete results, furthering economic and social cohesion and reducing gaps between development levels in the various regions. Considering the context of the early post-accession period, posing significant challenges to regional development in Romania, we have investigated, based on three indexes that we advance in the methodological section, the pace of development, comparatively, in the eight development regions of Romania. The results of the study, further presented, can serve as a basis for more detailed empirical investigation of the phenomena theoretically approached in this paper.cohesion, regional development, integration, intellectual capital

Credit analysis policies in construction project finance

This paper aims to illustrate a revolutionary approach to bank financing of extensive investment projects developed by major corporations. The new approach pertains to corporate banking and is applied to corporate projects developed by special purpose vehicles. The theoretical framework highlights general aspects of project finance and of construction projects management in general, with special focus on residential constructions. The second part adds to the theoretical structure the example of a project finance policy implemented by a Romanian subsidiary of a foreign bank and places the emphasis on the credit analysis in case of residential construction projects. The final objective of the paper is to bridge the corporate banking field with project finance, regarded as a banking field of its own, in line with the vision of the bank subject to this article.credit analysis, project finance, banking institutions.

Achievements and perspectives in designing a set of convergence indicators in European higher education

The paper is discussing the need for convergence in European higher education, as it was claimed and negotiated in the last decade, accompanied by the results and prospects of a research project advancing and testing a credible set of indicators of convergence in the European Higher Education Area. The main limitations and problems are addressed to, together with an overview of the indicators proposed, and of the ways of advancing the research in the field

Models Of The Intra-Regional Trade Influence On Economic Sustainable Development In Romania

This paper estimates the impact of trade between Romania and EU (export and imports) on sustainable development (defined through the following ratios: GDP growth and employment level) using dynamic forecasting and vector auto-regression (VAR) methods. Logistic regression forecasts the evolution of the GDP based on the evolution of exports and imports in the light of the Lisbon agenda, and the time horizon of 2010. Using data regarding intra-regional trade, the model may predict the GDP evolution, and, consequently, the economic sustainable development in Romania, as a new member of European Union.sustainable development intra-regional trade, economic integration, regression, model

Leadership Challenges In Today’s Academia

Starting from the anecdotic hypothesis that “leading academics is like trying to herd cats”, the paper reviews the main challenges and barriers to present academic leadership. The context is that of the on-going Bologna transformation of the university, and of the renewed quest for competitiveness. The method employed is that of the individual case-study, with a single-embedded design. The case study is exploratory, as we don’t know from sure which the effects of leadership in the university are, and to what degree are they alike, across sub-units of study. The case study is also intrinsic, as its main outcome is not theory-building, but understanding the particularities of a phenomenon strongly tied to its context. Our unit of study is the largest business university in the country, with its faculties and departments. The main data sources are short structured interviews with members of the academic staff. The analysis implies both explanation-building and cross-case synthesis. The results of the study give insights on the context of leadership, enablers and barriers, as well as on the content of leadership, in the particular setting of the academia. Conclusions connect our research with similar endeavours, outlining the particularities and patterns of educational transition in a transition country.academic leadership, structural equation model of academic leadership, Romanian academia

The Relationship Between University Research And The Marketability Of Universities

As universities are presently involved in a world-wide competition for students, and, implicitly, for markets in which to sell their services, the issue of the advantages research brings, transformed in market share increase, becomes an issue for university management. The paper examines, comparatively, the profitability of basic and applied research in terms of strengthening the market position of a university actively involved in one type of research or in both at a time. Well developed indicators to measure the relationship between research activity and prestige, on the one hand, social capital, on the other, and we will correlate these two research outcomes with the university market share and competitive advantage. The interest a university has to invest in its research activities has a market feedback, which provides a sense of involvement for practical reasons, and that goes beyond the bare purpose of reporting results .entrepreneurial university, performance ratios, basic and applied research

The Relationship Between University Research And The Marketability Of Universities

As universities are presently involved in a world-wide competition for students, and, implicitly, for markets in which to sell their services, the issue of the advantages research brings, transformed in market share increase, becomes an issue for university management. The paper examines, comparatively, the profitability of basic and applied research in terms of strengthening the market position of a university actively involved in one type of research or in both at a time. Well developed indicators to measure the relationship between research activity and prestige, on the one hand, social capital, on the other, and we will correlate these two research outcomes with the university market share and competitive advantage. The interest a university has to invest in its research activities has a market feedback, which provides a sense of involvement for practical reasons, and that goes beyond the bare purpose of reporting results

Neuroendocrine tumours of the ampulla of Vater: clinico-pathological features, surgical approach and assessment of prognosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Neuroendocrine tumours occur very rarely in the ampulla of Vater and their clinical behaviour is unknown. The aim of this study is to assess the clinico-pathological features, surgical approach and prognosis of these patients. METHODS: Six patients with neuroendocrine tumours of the ampulla of Vater treated with curative intent surgery at a single centre were retrospectively analysed. A univariate analysis of potential prognostic factors was also performed (data provided from the present study and literature review). RESULTS: Pancreaticoduodenectomy was curative in all the patients. Overall and disease-free survival rates were significantly better for G1/G2 tumours (p = 0.006 and p = 0.004, respectively). Although frequent, lymph node metastases did not influenced both overall (p = 0.760) and disease-free survival rates (p = 0.745). No significant differences of survival were observed in patients with ENETS stage I/II disease, as compared to ENETS stage III disease (p = 0.169 and p = 0.137, respectively). No differences were observed according to UICC staging system (p = 0.073 and p = 0.177, respectively). Tumours that are less than 2 cm or limited to the ampulla appear to have a better prognosis. CONCLUSION: The WHO 2010 classification appear to accurately predict patient prognosis, while the ENETS or UICC staging systems have a limited value (especially in regard to lymph node metastases). Radical surgery (i.e. pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymphadenectomy) should be the standard approach in most patients with NET of the ampulla of Vater because this procedure removes all the potential tumour-bearing tissue

‘Home is where the cat is’: The here-there of queer (un)belonging

This chapter builds on the diasporic status the authors acquired once relocated from Romania to Sweden. It marks the reference point and position for a self-reflective study constituted in the form of vignettes that stem from personal experiences on belonging and un-belonging in queer spaces, migration and community forming in a new space from a comparative perspective based on the authors’ experiences in both countries. This adds to the existing literature on gender, diasporas and migration. Furthermore, it offers an insight into the construction of certain elements with regard to a “queer Romanian diaspora” and how the transformations experienced in terms of losing certain aspects of an “activist self” become relevant within the transnational research frameworks. This contribution thus frames the authors’ de-construction and re-construction of activist and migrant identities by refusing and rethinking the usual binaries operating within the methodological nationalism predominant in migration studies and see “identities” more as “as a process of multiple relationalities”. Focusing on concepts such as “diaspora”, “solidarities”, “opting out” and “homonationalism”, the authors use queer retrosexuality to construct a fragmented critical story by using the mechanism of “looking back” to their shared past, finding connections within the present, often interrupted by small but meaningful glimpses of interactions in different life situations. One purpose is to understand the borders of queerness in the chosen contexts. The other is to explore and make sense of the different configurations the authors’ activist selves have taken over time.publishedVersio