Commercial Facilities and Urban Regeneration

The paper deals with a model for assessing disparities in the development of commercial facilities. The term “commercial facilities” helps one perceive distribution not only as an economic activity in itself but also as an urban infrastructure and as a component of an urban area that forms a town, area which should be designed in accordance with the new concepts promoted by the European Union: integrated town planning, and urban regeneration. The paper consists of three parts: the first part briefly presents the importance of town development from the perspective of the theory of urban area modelling; the second part deals with the functional integration of commercial facilities into urban regeneration projects; the third part suggests a model for assessing regional disparities in the development of commercial facilities, which – using the “point method” – can be applied so that it meets the requirement of quantifying the equipment levels reached and make space comparisons. This model is based on ten indicators relevant to the studied field, as taken from Statistical Yearbook of Romania. For Romania, it is all the more necessary to define programmes for the territorial development of commercial facilities as, at present, major disparities have been caused by the disequilibrium resulted from the uncontrolled expansion of the great multinational distribution chains, which equally hindered the small independent trade and the network of shops specific to the main/historical centres of towns. The outcome of our research confirms the need that local communities should think and act consistently with the new policy of sustainable development of towns, promoted within the European Union, aimed at observing the basic principles of the territory planning policy: restructuring and strengthening the structurally deficient areas.integrated town planning, urban regeneration, commercial town planning, regional disparities, point method, sustainable development

Using diverse workforce in Romania, in the perspective of flexible working

In the knowledge economy, labor has become a complex process. Thus, flexibility came as a response to the traditional labor market rigidities in an attempt to control change and new possible risks, considering the relaxation of labor market regulation, the focusing on human factors, unlocking the potential of knowledge and creative learning as engine of the knowledge-based society. Meanwhile, in the current context of regionalization and globalization of labor markets, effective management of diverse workforce is essential in developing the knowledge economy. In Romania, labor market flexibility is limited, so that opportunities offered by flexible employment are less valued. Flexible forms of employment are insufficiently used in the labor market, considered more as a form of precarious, temporary employment in the absence of a job with a conventional program, more than as a real opportunity, indicating an inefficient management of the employment potential and an inappropriate correlation of labor supply with labor demand.diverse workforce, flexible working, part-time, temporary employment.

Commercial Facilities and Urban Regeneration

The paper deals with a model for assessing disparities in the development of commercial facilities. The term “commercial facilities” helps one perceive distribution not only as an economic activity in itself but also as an urban infrastructure and as a component of an urban area that forms a town, area which should be designed in accordance with the new concepts promoted by the European Union: integrated town planning, and urban regeneration. The paper consists of three parts: the first part briefly presents the importance of town development from the perspective of the theory of urban area modelling; the second part deals with the functional integration of commercial facilities into urban regeneration projects; the third part suggests a model for assessing regional disparities in the development of commercial facilities, which – using the “point method” – can be applied so that it meets the requirement of quantifying the equipment levels reached and make space comparisons. This model is based on ten indicators relevant to the studied field, as taken from Statistical Yearbook of Romania. For Romania, it is all the more necessary to define programmes for the territorial development of commercial facilities as, at present, major disparities have been caused by the disequilibrium resulted from the uncontrolled expansion of the great multinational distribution chains, which equally hindered the small independent trade and the network of shops specific to the main/historical centres of towns. The outcome of our research confirms the need that local communities should think and act consistently with the new policy of sustainable development of towns, promoted within the European Union, aimed at observing the basic principles of the territory planning policy: restructuring and strengthening the structurally deficient areas

Key skills development at firm level in regional perspective - case study for Romania

In view to define the need for change in the knowledge economy perspective an important place is occupied by the key competences development. In the new global context, with the digital and knowledge economy emergence"company expects current and prospective employees to bring this set of skills to the workplace".(a- Learning for the 21st century) . Some key competences are already recognized with transversal value by the employers - the ability to think creatively and logically in order to identify, formulate and solve problems, the ability to synthesize information, the ability to develop new skills, applying knowledge to the new situations, communicating, collaborating, making decisions and included into the "learning skills" literature etc. Based on the results of the Survey applied at national level, representatively at region NUTS 2 level, in Romania in 2008, we try to develop the firm perspective regarding the demand for the key skills development in regional perspective on medium term. (a)***, Learning for the 21first Century, A Report and Mile Guide for 21st Century Skills, pg.7, www.21scienturyskills.or