Browsing: M21

 Pages: 45-57Introduction. This paper examines the importance of risk management within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and investigates the specific…

Pages: 33-44 Introduction. This paper examines Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the dynamic context marked by the Fourth Industrial…

 Pages: 17-32Introduction. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (or the 4IR) emerged quite recently as a concept that describes the unprecedented transition…

Introduction. In an international landscape characterized by continuous structural changes and a growing competitive pressure, the role of SMEs is becoming increasingly important, in their capacity as providers of employment opportunities and key-players in the prosperity of local and regional communities.

Aim of the study. The paper highlights evolutionary benchmarks of the EU SMEs, with special reference to three indicators, namely the number of firms, number of employees and gross value added. The main EU documents relating to SMEs are briefly presented, specifically the “European Charter for Small Enterprises” and “Small Business Act” for Europe. In the final part of the paper we have analyzed the “skills and innovation” principle, which is of major importance in the context of the “A Union of Innovation” Initiative, included in the Europe 2020 Strategy.
Keywords: European Union, SMEs, Small Business Act, skills and innovation.
JEL Classification: L25, L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. On a long term Romania’s economic and social development potential looks quite promising thanks to the potential that SMEs pose and that must be encouraged and stimulated to capitalize current and potential business opportunities.

Aim of the study. The present paper gives an overview of Romanian SMEs within the European context, while analysing the number and proportion of firms and their employees, as well as the added value that the SMEs sector brings to economy. Similarly, the present paper analyses demographic evolution of SMEs and their density, regarded as a strategic indicator that reflects, from a quantitative perspective, the development stage of SMEs in Romania and in relation to the EU. The last section of the paper illustrates various aspects regarding the position that Romania occupies in the EC as to the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe.
Keywords: SMEs, number of employees, added value, demographic evolution, density of SMEs, SBA for Europe.
JEL Classification: L25, L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. Risk is one of the biggest and most fascinating challenges of all times for humanity, because of its presence in all fields. Risk management as a component of modern management, has become a main concern for the modern world and one of the “key mechanisms” of economic development, a complex process that includes a series of activities meant to alleviate the impact of risk over business and planed or foreseen results.

Aim of the study. This paper wants to bring to attention the importance of risks and their management in today’s economic crisis. The sector presented is the IT& C, especially software, because Romania had a growth in this area for a few years but beginning the crisis this segment in economy had known a serious decrease. This paper tries to connect risk management and risk psychology to Romanian economy, culture and mentality. The paper presents in short some of risk management characteristics, definitions and few opinions; why in Romania this subject is not treated with the appropriate attention. The paper at hand focuses on the psychology of risk and how it affects the life of individuals and the existence of companies, the importance it should have on day to day basis, especially in Romania.
Keywords: risk management, risk psychology, IT industry, SME’s (small and medium enterprises), emerging market, and global crisis.
JEL Classification: M16, M21, G32

Introduction. Currently, the small and medium enterprises sector is a factor of sustainable development, with a significant contribution to GDP creation and providing jobs in most economies. Economic strategies and policies in the European Union, USA and Japan lay major emphasis on encouraging entrepreneurship and the development of the small and medium enterprises sector as a balancing factor at micro- and macroeconomic level.

Aim of the study. The paper approaches important issues on the small and medium enterprises sector as a vector of economic development in the contemporary period. It presents the SMEs delimitation criteria in the microeconomic landscape used in the European Union, USA and Japan. It also highlights the preoccupations manifested at European and world level in terms of promoting entrepreneurship activities, materialized in organizing summits and major events dedicated to small and medium enterprises, as well as in the operationalization of funding programs for them. The last part of this paper reflects issues related to the support SMEs receive at institutional level, emphasizing areas of assistance, support programs and services that various institutions and bodies offer to develop the small and medium sector.
Keywords: SMEs, defining criteria, financial support, institutional support, programs, areas of assistance.
JEL Classification: L25, L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. The entrepreneur is one of the main pawns of a competitive market economy, as he creates and develops organizations, thereby contributing decisively to the strengthening of the small and medium enterprises sector in contemporary economies.

Aim of the study. This paper aims to addresses important issues regarding the economic dimension of the entrepreneurial phenomenon, showing that entrepreneurship also manifests itself in other spheres of human activity such as education, social interaction, culture, politics, etc. The paper summarizes the main coordinates that define the conceptual framework of the entrepreneur and, at the same time, it exposes and analyzes some of the most important qualities that an entrepreneur should have in order to cope with the current business environment successfully.
Keywords: entrepreneur, SMEs, entrepreneurial phenomenon, entrepreneurial environment.
JEL Classification: L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. Currently, the industry is a very important economic branch because the industrial products have a high share in the total final and intermediate consumption. Apart from the positive effects on the global consumption, the industrial activities have some negative economic and social effects and also on the environment. The sustainable management in industry should increase efficiency and reduce waste, should find new production methods so that the economic growth can be made with fewer natural resources, fewer materials – especially the rare ones, with less energy consumption from traditional resources and with more efficient technologies, with less negative effects on the human health and on the environment.

Aim of the study. The transition to a greener industry is an important issue for all the national economies and it is very important to adapt the legislation to the new trends and standards, to adopt new payment schemes, grants and green funds schemes, so as to encourage the industrial enterprises to increase the efficiency of the total resources consumption, to make the transition to greener activities, to use more green capital inputs, to produce more green products, to increase the collaboration with the public and the private sector.
Keywords: sustainable management, metallurgy, steel industry, industrial policies, energy consumption, greenhouse gases.
JEL Classification: A12, D24, D62, F18, L52, L61, L72, M21, O10, Q25, Q42, Q52, Q57

Introduction. The dynamics of the business environment has led to a growing competition. Everyone dreams of their own business. The question is: how do I create a business and how do I develop it? Do I have entrepreneurial skills? Given the decline in purchasing power, one of the most sensitive aspects of the economic system is also emphasized: the price. The difference between companies lies in the service provided for consumers as an additional element for purchasing the product.

Aim of the study. A new type of economic offer appears: the experience, which represents the quality of the time that the consumer spends with that company. What you sell is the very experience. Experiences are a new source of value and are events that involve people at a personal level. The new offer of experiences occurs whenever a company intentionally uses its services as a stage and its goods as stage props in order to involve a client.
Keywords: entrepreneur, innovation, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial skills.
JEL Classification: L25, M21, O16