This paper addresses the degree of readiness of manufacturing companies in the well-defined area of Transylvania, Romania for tackling the challenges of the low-carbon economy (LCE) in view of the ambitious goals of the European Union. The presented survey aims to provide a better understanding about the management and reduction in the carbon footprint among production companies in Romania, as this sector is not usually included official strategies or studies. One hundred and three companies, selected based on voluntary sampling responses, were investigated using a 40-item questionnaire. The survey was applied to the manufacturing sector, including automotive, furniture production, and metal processing domains, which are locally representative and a good approximation of what small- and medium-sized firms look like across the EU, thus furnishing a good view of what takes place in other countries as well. The results obtained were analyzed using univariate descriptive statistics, multi-variate item analysis, and hypothesis testing to arrive at conclusions with a high degree of applicability. The purpose was to obtain an accurate overview about the actual situation and help companies find solutions in order to reduce the carbon footprint in the production field and achieve sustainable manufacturing. We arrive at the conclusion that manufacturing firms have a high degree of interest in decarbonization, but understand the efforts required to the same degree they understand the opportunities it brings. For example, 55% of respondents are interested in the benefits of LCE, while 90% of them observe at least one environmental standard, and ca. 70% implement at least common decarbonization measures, such as electricity savings or process optimization. While raising awareness and improving technological processes are accepted and embraced, other issues (i.e., involvement in RDI and CSR, change management, as well as financing investment efforts) should be addressed by proper policies.

Addressing the global threat of climate change is one of the present priorities of both companies and their customers. Societal trends demand a significant change in consumer behavior in the foreseeable future to contribute to the reduction in carbon emissions reaching the atmosphere, and national and international governments are committing their resources and efforts to this complex endeavor. The current paper addresses the other side of this conundrum, which is how firms can propose carbon-smart alternatives for their products on the market, in order to match the growing interest and the changing behaviors of the consumers. For this purpose, a research and innovation methodology is proposed to expand the design for concept X, namely, the design for sustainability set of guidelines in the area of developing products with a reduced carbon footprint under conditions of timeliness and economic viability. The research is based on refining practical experience and the use of consecrated management techniques and is validated through the employment of a Delphi-based forecasting process. The authors conclude that the large-scale adoption of such recommendations for the various domains of the manufacturing sector has the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation significantly.

The article explores the current state of circular economy adoption in Romanian small and medium-sized companies and their conceptualization regarding organizational excellence through the lens of environmental concerns. A survey of 52 companies from diverse sectors is conducted by means of a questionnaire and the results obtained are analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (correlation analysis, ANOVA, and variance testing). The results obtained indicate a growing body of knowledge and best practices that at company level are starting to evolve past the material and pro-cess efficiency preoccupations and towards an incipient understanding of environ-mental excellence, with positive interest ranging between 40% and 86%. Also, re-spondents recognize strong complementarities between circularity, sustainability, and organizational excellence. The need for an advanced systemic strategy, support policies, resource management, and stakeholder engagement is highlighted as the path towards achieving sustainability goals in conjunction with market success and not in spite of it.

The article proposes an exploratory approach that combines literature-based analysis of digital transformation and competitiveness in battery manufacturing ecosystems with survey evidence collected from Romanian companies operating in technology-related sectors. The empirical approach described provides indirect ecosystem-level evidence from Romanian firms potentially relevant to future battery value chains, as full-fledged manufacturers only now entering the strategic horizon. The study is founded on the need for companies to achieve a consistent and committed transformation that goes beyond adopting and integrating various digital technologies, reaching aspects related to production facilities, human–machine integration, and smart governance approaches. The objective of the research is to study the mutual impacts between facilities and processes on one hand, and technology on the other hand, in achieving competitiveness and sustainability for battery manufacturing ecosystems. In this regard, the paper investigates organizational capabilities, workforce adaptability, and digital technology deployment as enabling factors for a successful digital transformation. The results point to an improvement potential that may contribute to the resilience of the emerging battery industry under challenging conditions, while preparing for sector expansion brought about by developing electromobility and renewable energy options. The framework developed customizes general digital transformation capabilities into battery-manufacturing-specific requirements such as traceability, circularity, regulatory readiness, user safety, and ecosystem interconnectivity.

This paper explores the transformations necessary in the field of social responsibility and social accountability employed by manufacturing companies as they transition to a model of smart and sustainable production. A focus group of managers in prod...