The Impact of the Cross-Cultural Factors on Getting the Management Performances within AKER Multinational Company

Our paper approaches the aspects connected to the analysis of the values’ system specific to the AKER multinational group, world leader on the market targets represented by cruises and ferryboats, commercial ships and offshore platforms. The case study was developed at Aker Tulcea subsidiary, component of AKER multinational group. We proposed to identify the cultural profile of this firm, on the basis of the organizational cultures pattern elaborated by G. Hofstede. In this way, we conceived a questionnaire addressed to a number of 20 middle managers, in view to analyze the cross-cultural influence upon the performances of this organization. The results obtained during our research revealed that Aker Tulcea subsidiary assumed the values promoted by AKER multinational group, fact which led at the efficient management of the cultural differences and the creation of the premises in order to obtain organizational performances.cross-cultural; performance; cultural values; motivation; rewards, cultural differences.

The planning of a Customer Relationship Management project: requirements and opportunities

After a brief presentation of the aspects regarding the planning of a customer relationship management (CRM) project, we emphasize the factors that assure the success of such an approach. In order to obtain the attended results, an organization needs the best selection of the project manager and the most efficient teamwork, which implies employees from the company’s departments and also IT specialists. In the final part, we made appreciations concerning the efficiency of a CRM project and the opportunities created by its implementation.customer relationship management, business strategies

The Impact of the New Information and Communication Technologies on the Performance Control Indicators System

Our paper emphasizes the way in which the information and communication technologies offer a real support to the managers which have a global vision on the key factors that assure business performances. The simulation of a Total Performance Scorecard reveals the advantages and opportunities of the software - Balanced Scorecard Designer in the determination of the project efficiency, based on four integrated dimensions: financial perspective, customers’ perspective, internal business perspective and organizational learning.Balanced Scorecard, performance control, strategy, organizational learning

Performance Assessment of the Training Service Providers in Romania related to the Criteria of the Common Quality Assurance Framework

The paper presents the results of a questionnaire based survey, conducted at the level of training service providers in Romania, which are more and more interested to implement internationally recognized management system models. The objective of the research was to assess the degree of fulfilment by these organizations of the criteria defined by the Common Quality Assurance Framework CQAF, which was developed by the European Forum for Education and Training Quality. Taking into consideration the obtained results, the authors have established there is a correlation between the degree of fulfilment of the criteria regarding planning (leadership, objectives and values, strategies and planning, partnership and resources) and the degree of fulfilment of the criteria regarding the results obtained by these organizations in relation with the client and stakeholder needs fulfilment, personnel requirements fulfilment and the ones related to the profitability of the organization.quality assurance, training services, performance, quality management system, trening

Development and validation of Triticum phytobiological method as an alternative procedure for investigating in vivo acute toxicity on mice

The goal of this study was to validate an alternative method for determining in vivo acute toxicity using vegetal material instead of laboratory animals, starting from the phytobiological method known also as the Triticum technique. We set out to demonstrate that vegetal cells have similar sensitivity to some toxic agents as animal cells, in which case a statistical correlation could be established. A series of new compounds synthesized by the Romanian National Institute for Chemical Pharmaceutical Research and Development as potential β3 adrenergic receptors agonists were tested for their acute toxicity using classic animal exposure models, before investigating possible anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects. We then determined whether similar conclusions might be reached exposing vegetal material to the same agents. We successfully demonstrated that plants are affected in a very similar way as animals when exposed to some potentially toxic agents, providing new possibilities for ending unethical animal experiments

Breastfeeding - from myth to reality, current conceptions and trends

Spitalul Clinic de Urgenţă pentru Copii „Sf. Maria”, Iaşi, RomâniaAlăptarea a fost considerată întodeauna ca fi ind ceva natural, normal, de care să se bucure şi pe care să o preţuiască atât mama cât şi copilul. Recomandările marilor Organizaţii şi Societăţi Occidentale cu privire la timpul şi modul în care bebeluşii ar trebui alaptaţi sunt unanim acceptate, deşi potrivit UNICEF nicio ţară din lume nu îndeplineşte integral standardele recomandate privind hrănirea bebeluşilor la sân. La nivel international, locuri fruntaşe în ceea ce priveşte succesul alăptării sunt ocupate de ţări din sud-estul Asiei, Africa de Sud şi de Est cu o rată a alaptării de peste 60%, iar în Europa primele locuri sunt ocupate de ţări precum Norvegia, Suedia, Marea Britanie cu un procent de peste 80%, Replublica Moldova având o rata a alaptarii de 36%, iar în Romania aceasta este de 29,6% (potrivit studiului SAMAS efectuat în 2016). Numărul copiilor alăptaţi la sân s-a îmbunătăţit dacă comparăm cu studiul din anul 2011, în care rata alăptarii era doar 12,6 % (mult sub media europeană), la acest lucru contribuind educaţia perinatală (personal medical, consultanţi în alăptare, educatori perinatali) cu rol esential în creşterea ratei de alăptare exclusivă, în special dacă această consiliere este efectuata printr-un program dedicat de pregătire. În topul femeilor care îşi alăpteaza exclusiv copiii până la şase luni se afl a mamele cu vârsta cuprinsă între 35 şi 40 de ani, unele dintre ele afl ându-se la al doilea sau al treilea copil. Iar la polul opus se afl ă mamele foarte tinere, cu vârsta sub 19 ani, doar 9% dintre ele alăptându-şi copilul în primele şase luni de viaţă. De asemenea, două din zece femei afl ate la primul copil renunţă la alăptare în mai puţin de o lună. Un concept destul de nou şi care câstiga din ce în ce mai mult teren în ţările occidentale este conceptul de ”milksharing” si înfiinţarea de bănci de lapte matern. Programele de sănătate, educaţia perinatală au dus la creşterea ratei alăptării şi conştientizarea benefi ciilor acesteia atât pentru mamă cât şi pentru copil, dar uneori acest fenomen este dus la extrem şi vorbim aici de prelungirea alăptarii pâna la vârsta de 5-6 ani, precum şi alaptarea în tandem. Pentru îmbunătăţirea alăptării, Colectivul Mondial pentru Alăptare cere introducerea unor prevederi legale cu privire la concediul parental plătit şi politici privind alăptarea la locul de muncă, îmbunătăţirea accesului la servicii de consiliere calificată cu privire la alăptare, ca parte a unor pachete cuprinzătoare de politici şi programe în favoarea alăptării, aplicate în unităţile sanitare.Breastfeeding has always been considered to be something natural, normal, to be enjoyed, and to be cherished by both mother and child. The recommendations of large organizations and Western Societies regarding the time and the way babies should be breastfeed are universally accepted, although according to UNICEF, no country in the world complies fully with the recommended standards for feeding babies to the breast. At an international level, the leading positions in breastfeeding success are occupied by South-East Asian countries and South and East Africa with a breastfeeding rate of over 60%, and in Europe the top places are occupied by countries such as Norway, Sweden, Great Britain with over 80%, the Moldova Republic having a breastfeeding rate of 36%, and in Romania this is only 29.6% (according to the SAMAS survey carried out in 2016). The number of breastfed babies improved compared to the 2011 study, where the breastfeeding rate was only 12.6% (well below the European average), to this contributing to perinatal education (medical staff, breastfeeding consultants, perinatal educators) with an essential role in raising the exclusive breastfeeding rate, especially if this counseling is done through a dedicated training program. In the top of mothers who breastfeed exclusively babies up to six months, are mothers aged 35 to 40, some of whom are in the second or third child, at the opposed pole are the very young mothers,under19, only 9% of them breastfeeding their baby during the first six months of life. Also, two out of ten women in the first child give up breastfeeding in less than a month. A fairly new concept and gaining ever more ground in Western countries is the concept of “milk-sharing” and the breast milk banks. Health programs, perinatal education have led to a rise in breastfeeding rates and awareness of its benefits for both mother and child, but sometimes this phenomenon is taken to the extreme and we are talking here about prolonging breastfeeding to 5-6 years of age and breastfeeding in tandem. To improve breastfeeding, the World Breastfeeding Association calls for the introduction of legal provisions on paid parental leave and on breastfeeding policies at the workplace, to improve access to qualified breastfeeding counseling services as part of comprehensive policy packages and programs in favor of breastfeeding applied in sanitary units

The diagnostic algorithm in pre-invasive cervical lesions

The screening for pre-invasive cervical lesions has significantly decreased the incidence of cervical neoplasm. It is recommended to be performed starting with the age of 21 with a frequency of 3-5 years and it consists of pap smear testing and HPV genotyping, and, if required, it can be continued with colposcopy or biopsy followed by pathological assessment. The importance of the early diagnosis of pre-invasive cervical lesions has led to several studies on this topic. The paper analyzed the modern literature published on the PubMed and Scopus databases. Reference studies have found that most intraepithelial lesions are caused by the presence of HPV. Other commonly associated factors are immunosuppression, multiparity and other viral infections. HPV infection can be prevented by vaccination. It is recommended for people between 11 and 26 years old and also over 27 years old if they associate risk factors. A meta-analysis performed on patients diagnosed with CIN2 revealed a lower recurrence rate in vaccinated women than in unvaccinated women. Other studies have shown the transient nature of HPV infection and spontaneous regression of pre-invasive lesions. The early diagnosis of pre-invasive lesions is necessary for the initiation of therapeutic and follow-up behavior as soon as possible, with the aim of reducing the incidence of cervical cancer. This is possible and easy to access through national health programs

Caesarean section versus vaginal birth in the perception of woman who gave birth by both methods

The increase in the number of births by Caesarean section is a phenomenon whose global expansion is generated by numerous factors and especially by the contemporary perceptions of women regarding childbirth meeting the interests of the professionals in the field. However, the opinion of many women towards the benefits of Caesarean delivery is often not based on the experience or information from reliable sources. This study aimed at sharing the experience of women who gave birth both vaginally and by Caesarean section, focusing on their perception of these events. The study included 26 women and the conclusion of the vast majority (77%) was that natural birth is preferable and they would recommend it as the first option to future mothers. In addition, the analysis of the cases in which, on the contrary, they would recommend birth by Caesarean section (23%) revealed that they objectively had births that had not been optimally managed and hence, the recommendation for careful, professional evaluation of the conditions of birth for each case. Reaching an optimal rate of Caesarean sections is an objective that can be achieved through correct information, health education and the correct management of the cases

Mediterranean spotted fever in southeastern Romania.

Although cases of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) have been reported for decades in southeastern Romania, there are few published data. We retrospectively studied 339 patients, diagnosed with MSF at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals" between 2000 and 2011, in order to raise awareness about MSF in certain regions of Romania. According to the Raoult diagnostic criteria 171 (50.4%) had a score >25 points. Mean age was 52.5 years. One hundred and fifty-five (90.6%) patients were from Bucharest and the surrounding region. Almost all patients presented with fever (99.4%) and rash (98.2%), and 57.9% had evidence of a tick bite. There were no recorded deaths. Serologic diagnosis was made by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the 171 patients, serology results for R. conorii were available in 147. One hundred and twenty-three (83.7%) of them had a titer IgG ≥1:160 or a fourfold increase in titer in paired samples. MSF is endemic in southeastern Romania and should be considered in patients with fever and rash even in the absence of recognized tick exposure. Since the disease is prevalent in areas highly frequented by tourists, travel-associated MSF should be suspected in patients with characteristic symptoms returning from the endemic area

Clinical Study Mediterranean Spotted Fever in Southeastern Romania

Although cases of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) have been reported for decades in southeastern Romania, there are few published data. We retrospectively studied 339 patients, diagnosed with MSF at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals" between 2000 and 2011, in order to raise awareness about MSF in certain regions of Romania. According to the Raoult diagnostic criteria 171 (50.4%) had a score >25 points. Mean age was 52.5 years. One hundred and fifty-five (90.6%) patients were from Bucharest and the surrounding region. Almost all patients presented with fever (99.4%) and rash (98.2%), and 57.9% had evidence of a tick bite. There were no recorded deaths. Serologic diagnosis was made by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the 171 patients, serology results for R. conorii were available in 147. One hundred and twenty-three (83.7%) of them had a titer IgG ≥1 : 160 or a fourfold increase in titer in paired samples. MSF is endemic in southeastern Romania and should be considered in patients with fever and rash even in the absence of recognized tick exposure. Since the disease is prevalent in areas highly frequented by tourists, travel-associated MSF should be suspected in patients with characteristic symptoms returning from the endemic area