archive

Volume 23/2014: Issue 1

Academic performance: Measurement methods used in socio-economic sciences

Author: Ioana Alexandra HORODNIC

Abstract: Evaluation of scientific research is crucial, however, although numerous studies have been conducted in this area, it is not easy to measure academic productivity/ performance. The most important perspective in measuring the productivity/ performance comes from the economic field, where it is the ratio between outputs and inputs for a particular product. This article aims to address the most important elements to be considered in the measurement of scientific research: types of indicators, qualitative/ quantitative respectively simple/ composite, level of measurement, micro, respectively macro indicators and the limits of those indicators. Also, this paper presents evidences regarding academic performance for Romanian university professors in economics and business administration from North-East Romania.

Keywords: ranking; measurement method; academic performance; biliometrics; peer review

Pages: 5-17 | Full text (PDF)

Quantifing the moral development of public procurement experts

Author: Andrei TABARCEA

Abstract: The process of awarding public contracts is one of the most important stages of obtaining a sustainable development for the member states of the European Union. At the same time, public procurement experts are under constant moral pressure generated by their difficult assignments. This paper is aimed at identifying the most important ethical risks that these professionals are exposed to. In this context it offers a tested and validated instrument that can quantify the moral development of public procurement experts.

Keywords: moral development; public procurement expert; ethical principle; deontology

Pages: 19-26 | Full text (PDF)

High frequency trading, a revolutionary concept on financial markets

Author: Simona ADĂSCĂLIȚEI

Abstract: High Frequency Trading has a revolutionary impact on financial markets, by introducing many innovative changes – from the new algorithmic systems (robots) and network connections to the new possible risks and new regulations. This paper explains the concept of High Frequency Trading (HFT), analyzes its origins and evolution, highlights the main drivers of its development and discusses its impact on the financial markets.

Keywords: financial market; algorithmic system; high frequency trading

Pages: 27-34 | Full text (PDF)

Exploring the mediating role of perceived quality between online flow and customer’s online purchase intention on a restaurant e-commerce website

Author: Daniel Rareș OBADĂ

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between online flow, also called optimal experience, perceived quality of a restaurant e-commerce website, and customer’s purchase intention. First, we reviewed flow, perceived quality, and purchase intention studies in the literature, and proposed a conceptual model of the hypothesized relationships between our variables. Afterwards, we identified in the literature measuring methods and scales for online flow, perceived quality and customer’s purchase intention, and ran a reliability analysis. In order to study the relationship between the variables from our conceptual model, we used a qvasi-experimental design. The first phase of our study consisted in selecting a restaurant e commerce website: www.pizzeriaalila.ro, and establishing a task scenario. Second phase involved data collection. We sent 3200 emails containing an invitation to participate to study, through an email marketing platform. The sample used was nonprobabilistic. The opening rate of emails containing the invitation was 28.5%, with 8% click rate on the link to participate to our study. At the end of this second phase, July 15, 2014, we received 210 answers, thereof 132 were valid. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess each component of the proposed mediation model. Results of the mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of the perceived quality of an e-commerce website in the relation between online flow and online purchase intention. Finally, we discuss conclusions and limitations of our study.

Keywords: online flow; perceived quality; e-commerce website; purchase intention; online customer; mediation

Pages: 35-44 | Full text (PDF)

Historical retrospection and statistical introspection into Romania’s convergence to the European (monetary) Union and the seasonal mountain tourism’s impact

Authors: Gheorghe SĂVOIU, Constantin MANEA, Ion IORGA ȘIMĂN, Marian ȚAICU

Abstract: This article provides a retrospective and a summary of the convergence of Romanian economy to the model of the European economy, from the transition to a stable market economy, through the pre-accession period, and also the post-accession to the European Union since 1 January 2007, with the declared intention of eventually joining the euro space or area. The retrospective is accompanied by an instrumental-statistical or reasoned introspection based on key indicators. Tourism, and especially its seasonality, is analyzed from the angle of their present and future impact on the national economy. The conclusions highlight the need for programs and policies meant to promote tourism development and diminish the seasonal character of tourist activities, with a higher contribution of mountain and rural tourism.

Keywords: convergence; convergence criterion; convergence indicator; seasonality; statistical instrument; Eurozone

Pages: 45-53 | Full text (PDF)

The structure of the traditional components of the new rural tourism products: Their impact on the tourists’ behavior

Authors: Alexandru TOFAN, Costică MIHAI

Abstract: Rural tourism is presented to us as an economic activity with important particular characteristics in terms of the tourism services offers. It can be said, without fail very much, the fact that, in this area, a real competition does not exist almost at all. The provider of such services is not able to offer services that meet the quantitative, qualitative or structural level of the services offered by other tourism services operators in the region or outside it. The source of these differences is represented by the set of individual, local or organizational particularities. In this diversified structure of tourism products, an important share is held by the traditionalist component that is often the element of differentiation and attractiveness on the specific market. However, some contemporary tourists, although they state that they prefer these services with a high degree of originality and local specificity, they have the tendency to choose those tourist establishments that offer modern accommodation conditions, a well-known gourmet menu and modern entertainment and leisure services. In this study, we aim to identify the extent to which traditional rural tourism products may or may not be preferred by those that include an important component of modern tourism services. We also want to highlight those specific traditional components that have a major impact on the behavior of tourists.

Keywords: rural tourism; structure of tourist services; tourist behavior

Pages: 55-62 | Full text (PDF)

Research on the technical, economic and environmental impact of energy management systems upon integrated waste

Author: Iulian CUCOȘ

Abstract: The scientific study aims to analyze the technical and economic processes, management methods specific knowledge society manifested in the integrated systems for energy management of waste, determine the environmental impact of waste energy recovery activities and propose some innovative technical solutions minimize this impact. Another objective of this paper is to establish regularities and economic implications of energy management for achieving waste electrical and thermal energy from renewable cheap thereby reducing the final cost price of energy and changing technologies that exploit renewable superior.

Keywords: waste; energy; management; pyrolysis; plasma processing; knowledge society

Pages: 63-72 | Full text (PDF)

Customer-based brand equity: An innovative approach

Author: Adrian BRUNELLO

Abstract: Brands are an integral part of today’s marketplace. The area of brand equity has received significant research attention in recent years. The fields of brand and innovation management are strongly interrelated. Innovation plays a significant role in establishing brand equity. Strong brands are triggered by innovation, and they also represent a significant source of innovation. The purpose of this article is to summarize the existing literature on brand equity, customer-based brand equity, the relationship between brand equity and innovation and the influence that brand equity has on the purchase decision.

Keywords: brand equity; innovation; marketing perspective; accounting perspective; purchase decision

Pages: 73-81 | Full text (PDF)

Elements of organizational logic in Romanian public administration

Author: Dorina ȚICU

Abstract: The present analysis aims to identify the features that the study on management administrative organizations develops in a context of the knowledge-based society. From this point of view, the present article aims to identify the elements of the organizational logic at this level, variabiles that, in our opinion, can be found at the confluence of the concept of management, in general, with the term of management of administrative organizations (with specific models enabled with the study variabiles: decision making process and decision, typology and construction of the organization, management of the financial, human, information resources, etc.) and with the type of decisional models (which enables new variables such as: rational actor model, incremental model or bureaucratic organization model), all of this variables applied in the counties of North-East Region Region (Iaşi, Bacău, Botoşani, Vaslui, Focşani, Galaţi, Piatra Neamţ, Suceava City Halls).

Keywords: organization management; administrative organization; organizational culture; belief; value

Pages: 83-89 | Full text (PDF)

Fair-value accounting: Between innovation and need

Author: Inesa IACOB TOFĂNICĂ

Abstract: This article deals with the changes that occurred in accounting in the recent period. Although the transformation has taken place in a slow pace, it is still evident. One of the main factors that contributed to it is the globalisation. Mainly, capital markets have an increasing importance nowadays, because companies tend to reach funds from investors all over the world. Starting from ideal models of accounting systems proposed by Müller (2013), defining features of each system are described. As we are talking about an ideal system, it is obvious that deviations from it are allowed, and this could be subject for further research. Taking the described classification, one could notice the preference of the accounting regulators for the fair-value accounting, which is also accused for exacerbating the downturn of capital markets in the recent global financial crisis.

Keywords: accounting system; fair-value accounting; innovation; performance

Pages: 91-98 | Full text (PDF)

Corporate reputation’s place in measuring business performance

Author: Ioana IRINA

Abstract: The growing research interest into corporate reputation is explained by its potential to create, maintain and increase financial performance. Favorable corporate reputations are intangible assets that offer a strategic competitive advantage to firms, explaining the relationship between reputation and profits. A new paradigm appeared while considering this dependence: does corporate reputation lead to value creation or does profit come first? Researchers investigated if profit is a cause or an effect of a good reputation, but opinions are different. This paper illustrates how a good reputation can increase a company’s performance by offering an overview of existing studies in the field.

Keywords: corporate reputation; business performance; intangible asset; business strategy

Pages: 99-104 | Full text (PDF)

Development of quality assessment models using trapezoidal fuzzy numbers with associated indicators

Author: Ciprian Ionel ALECU

Abstract: Developing evaluation methods for the service quality has become a priority in the society based on knowledge. In this article we will focus on the assessment process of service quality. Both declaratively (political assumptions, image promotion, etc.) and in an assumed manner (by laws, methodological rules, quality standards etc.), the quality of social services is a constant concern for the managers of the knowledge-based organization, and it directly concerns all the service providers and the beneficiaries of these activities. There is a debate within the knowledge-based society, concerning the fragile limit between what can be standardized and regulated. From this point of view, the link between the need for nuancing in the assessment process and the degree of perishability of the quality features is straightforward and intuitive. By using the fuzzy numbers, we attempt to enrich the portfolio of instruments which can be used in the evaluation process of the services quality.

Keywords: service quality; assessment; fuzzy number

Pages: 105-113 | Full text (PDF)