Spatial and sectoral analysis of productivity-wage dissimilarities in Romania

Labour productivity and wages are two major determinants of the economic activity and their connection is a constant concern for the economists, as well as for employers and policy-makers. This paper is aiming to measure to which extent is the variation of productivity consistent with the distribution of wages, employing two patterns of comparison: by region and by economic branch. For this purpose, we developed a revised form of the coefficient of structural changes, in order to determine the regional/ sectoral dissimilarities between productivity and wage.labour productivity, wage, disparities, Romania

Does religion matter? Exploring economic performance differences among Romanian emigrants

Although migration and religion have traditionally developed as two separate research topics, in the current context of globalization and trans-nationalism attention begins to focus on the way they interconnect. Religion received little attention in Romanian studies on migration undertaken so far. Using the results of our survey among Romanian international migrants of different religious faiths, this paper aims to raise interest in migration-religion relationship and, at the same time, to improve the understanding of the economic performance factors in a migration context by focusing on the distinctive characteristics of Romanian religious minorities. We address both the theoretical and the empirical dimension of this topic, making use of various statistical methods. Our main findings are consistent with the assumption that religious belief is reflecting upon the behavior and economic performance of Romanian migrants.religious minorities, international migration, economic performance, remittances, Romania

ENERGY EFFICIENCY. TRENDS AND INFLUENCE FACTORS

Energy efficiency is correlated with many factors of influence: Gross National Income per capita, energy imports (% of energy use), renewable combustible and waste (% of total), energy use per capita, services as % of GDP and others. In this paper we are testing a model of piecewise linear regression with breakpoint in order to measure the influence of these factors on the variation of GDP per unit of energy use in Europe in the year 2003.energy efficiency, GNI per capita, energy imports

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF ROMANIAN EMIGRANTS. AN EMPIRICAL APPROACH

Although migration and religion studies have traditionally developed as separate research topics, in the current context of globalization and transnationalism attention begins to focus on the way they may interconnect. Consequently, recent studies of migration raise the importance and role of religion in the international migration flows, distinguish between the socio-economic and religious inclusion of the immigrants in the host country or discuss the role that migration plays in the reconfiguration of religions in the contemporary world. Religion often inspires migration, as religious minority groups facing persecutions in the homeland may decide to move to more religious tolerant places. Conversely, migration almost always affects religion as the religion tradition and practice is usually modified following the resettlement and immigrants’ daily life routines irremediably alter. In Romania religion also received some attention in recent theoretical and empirical analyses of migration, but there are only a few studies undertaken so far. Using the results of our online survey conducted during August-December 2010 among Romanian international migrants of different religious faiths, this paper aims to raise interest in migration-religion relationship and, at the same time, to improve the understanding of the factors of economic performance in a migration context by focusing on the distinctive characteristics of Romanian religious minorities. We address both the theoretical and the empirical dimension of this topic, making use of various statistical methods. Our main findings are consistent with the assumption that religious belief is reflecting upon the behavior and economic performance of Romanian migrants.

Technical Change as Exogenous or Endogenous Factor in the Production Function Models. Empirical Evidence from Romania

As technical change is nowadays largely accepted to be an engine of economic growth, researchers have tried to include it explicitly in the economic growth models, either as an exogenous or endogenous factor of influence. Using the framework of the aggregate Cobb-Douglas production function in its classical form, as well as in several refined variants, we estimated the elasticities of production factors for Romania over the 1990-2007 period, finding that technical progress has had a small contribution to the economic growth.technical change, R&D, exogenous and endogenous factors, growth models, Cobb-Douglas production function

A DISCUSSION ON THE VULNERABILITY TO CRISIS OF THE ROMANIAN COUNTIES

This paper provides an overall image on the degree of vulnerability to crisis of the Romanian counties using a series of statistical measures such as location quotients, Herfindhal specialization index, composite territorial development index, the regional distribution of FDI in relation to the development level, etc.economic and financial crisis, vulnerability, Romanian counties

ICT and Romania's Development Towards the Knowledge Economy

The new stage of the market-based economy is more strongly and more directly rooted in the production, distribution and use of knowledge. Knowledge creation and knowledge diffusion are key driving forces in the economy and knowledge has become an economic resource in its own right (Fischer and Atalik, 2002). Accordingly, firms are more and more interested in absorbing the advances in technological and organizational knowledge and in applying it in the production process and organization of work. In this context, any discussion about knowledge invariably leads to the question of the relationship between information and knowledge. Thus, according to Fischer, the common understanding is that "information does not become knowledge unless its value is enhanced through interpretation, organization, filtration, selection or engineering" (Fischer, 2002, p. 18). Moreover, nowadays the ICT revolution and the knowledge-based economy are closely interrelated. The convergence of computing, information and telecommunication technologies has changed the conditions for the production and dissemination of knowledge and its connection with the production system as well. New flexible information and communication technologies such as internet, web, intranet, extranet, data warehousing and data mining, as well as collaborative groupware technologies are responsible for the major changes in current abilities to handle data and information, to codify knowledge and to transmit codified knowledge (Fischer, 2006).ICT, knowledges

Romania's Development towards the Knowledge Economy: the ICT Dimension

This paper attempts to contribute to the existing research by providing new data and information about Romania's advance towards the knowledge economy. In particular, two research questions will be envisaged. First, the role of information and communications technologies in economic development will be discussed in connection with its relevance for assessing the progress in knowledge economy. Second, Romania's position both in ITC and knowledge economy will be examined in a European and international context. With this aim in view a series of literature insights will be combined with a methodological framework and relevant statistical data analysis.Knowledge Economy Index, ICT Index, Romania's basic scorecard

THE BOLOGNA PROCESS AND THE DYNAMICS OF ACADEMIC MOBILITY: A COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO ROMANIA AND TURKEY

Recent changes that have occurred in the European higher education system are grounded on the options of continental countries, expressed in the Bologna Declaration, to achieve a single European space in this field by the year 2010. The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of student mobility in the process of internationalization of higher education in a South European context. The rationale of the study is that student mobility has long been the most important dimension of the process of internationalization of higher education. At the moment there is increasing demand for higher education, as a consequence of demographic trends and the need for new degrees and diploma programs. The article focuses on two countries from South-Eastern Europe, Romania and Turkey. Both countries have a very dynamic higher education system, in terms of number of students and stuff, integrating in Bologna process. They also are primarily perceived as sending students countries. The key findings are linked to obstacles and solutions to overcome this obstacle. It also stresses the necessity of the two higher education systems to be more involved in attracting European students.Bologna process, higher education, international student mobility, Romania, Turkey