Implementing public policies linked to sustainable development is a global challenge for most countries that focused their efforts on identifying and improving the factors that led to environment degradation. The current paper analyzes the influence of primary indicators of public finances (public debt and budget deficit) on renewable-energy consumption (REN), for the emerging economies within the European Union. The main objective of this research is to understand the implications of fiscal measures on the sustainable development of a country and thus provide directions for stimulating renewable-energy consumption. The research starts with cross-sectional dependence analysis by using the Breusch–Pagan Lagrange multiplier (LM) test that is followed by cointegration relationships among variables by applying two appropriate panel-cointegration tests (Pedroni and Johansen). The research methodology is based on the fully modified ordinary-least-squares (FMOLS) method in order to test the long-run relationships, and on the pairwise Granger causality test in order to identify the direction of causality among variables. Results show unilateral influences from public debt and budget deficit on the analyzed variables, especially on renewable-energy consumption, and a bidirectional causality relationship between budget deficit and trade openness.

Generation Z spends much time on mobile Internet and less time accessing Internet services using desktop computers. These traits make them an important niche that can be targeted by retailers. The objective of the present study is to analyze the impact of online advertising, social influence, and usage motivation on the behavioral intention related to m-commerce use among Romanian young adults. The research methodology is based on applying partial least square equation modelling (PLS-SEM), using data collected through a questionnaire. The proposed structural model includes four constructs that are first order reflective. The results reveal that among the influencing factors that determine Generation Z to use m-commerce, the usage motivation factor is the most important one, followed by social influence and online advertising. The research is useful for marketing professionals and retailers in establishing marketing strategies in accordance with the factors that influence the buying decision of young adults, representing Generation Z.

The current research aims to identify the main directions to implement sustainability in education through curriculum; interdisciplinary/ transdiciplinary approach; business environment; entrepreneurship and innovation. In order to fulfil the objectives of the current study, a questionnairebased survey was sent by email to UNESCO Chairs from Balkan Region and the responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. According to the results, UNESCO chairs are working towards the main goals for higher education in the EU through some instruments: Establishing the main directions for a quality education; Establishing the relevant directions towards the implementation of sustainability in education through curriculum; Establishing the relevant directions towards the implementation of sustainability in education by an interdisciplinary/ transdisciplinary approach; Establishing the relevant directions towards the implementation of sustainability in education in collaboration with the business environment; Establishing the main directions in the field of education for entrepreneurship and innovation.

To make steps in society towards a more sustainable future, countries must meet the targets established by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Thus, factors that could impact the environmental indicators should be analysed. Therefore, this study aims to identify the correlations between financial development and environmental performance in Romania, during the period 1995–2018. Using composite indexes to assess financial development and the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) to express environmental performance, important results are obtained through the Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) method. The explanatory variables used in the study are specific to the evaluation of the financial development of a country: access, depth and efficiency. The results show that, in the case of financial institutions, the access index and the depth index have a negative influence on the environmental performance index, while in the case of financial markets, the negative impact of the access index of financial markets can be observed. The efficiency index, both in the case of financial institutions and financial markets, generates a positive influence on environmental performance in Romania. Financial markets also address positive influences on the evolution of the environmental performance index.

The aim of the present study is to find solutions for better management of online education, starting from students’ perspectives regarding the challenges they encountered in the last two years when online courses were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research methodology we used was partial least squares structural equation modelling based on data collected by applying a survey among students in Romanian universities. The novelty of our study consists in the proposed model, which has five variables: communication problems specific to online education, professors’ skill in conducting online classes, the quality of online education, the stress felt by students during online education, and the technical requirements of online education. The results revealed that despite challenges during online classes students benefited from a high-quality education because they had the support of their professors, all the educational resources that they needed, a device to connect from, and a very good internet connection. These findings are helpful for managers in the higher education system to create better educational strategies meant to satisfy the educational needs of students in the digital age.

To mitigate the negative effects of climate change on the environment, the Member States of the European Union implement fiscal measures and commit budgetary expenditures to ensure sustainable economic development. Romania, in line with the Union’s objectives, resorted to the application of a system of environmental taxes and provided in the budgetary policy government expenditures for environmental protection. The aim of the research is to highlight the effects of these measures on the environment by analysing the short-run and long-run causal relationships between greenhouse gas emissions, green taxes and government expenditures on environmental protection. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method and Granger causality tests were used to demonstrate the existence of these relationships and the intensity with which they manifest. Following the analysis, we identified a significant long-run influence of government spending on environmental protection on greenhouse gas emissions but also numerous short-run and long-run causal relationships between greenhouse gas emissions and green taxes, applied in Romania. The results of the research consider the impact of public expenses for environment protection, a variable not yet applied for Romania, on greenhouse gas emissions’ decrease, in correlation with environmental taxes per source of origin.