Lately, the global banking services industry has faced numerous challenges: the digitalization, increased competition, the instability of monetary and foreign exchange markets, and the volatility of exchange rates. However, at present, banks are facing the greatest challenge of all that is, placing the customers at the centre of business and the systematic follow-up of customer satisfaction. The present paper aims at assessing the influence of a series of determinants and socio-demographic factors on customer satisfaction with banking services in Romania, using the probit and logit models. The research focused on the Romanian banking market due to its distinctiveness within the European context – performance indicators above the European average during the past five years and a concentration level that discloses a significant growth potential. The results of the two models employed revealed similar results, with the most influential variables on customer satisfaction being convenience, e-banking, quality, and revenues. First published online 14 March 2022 Keyword : customer satisfaction, banking industry development, banking services, satisfaction determinants, socio-demographic factors, probit and logit models

Understanding entrepreneurial intention among female students has become increasingly important for addressing gender disparities in business creation and fostering economic development. Pursuing to promote inclusive entrepreneurship and reduce gender gaps in business creation aligns with Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 (gender equality). This study examines how demographic and social variables influence entrepreneurial intentions, with perceived gender discrimination as a potential mediating factor. Data were collected through an online survey employing a structured questionnaire and analyzed using logistic regression models incorporating mediation analysis. The sample consisted of 360 female students from a university in the South–East region of Romania. Among the six socio-demographic variables examined, marital status and income satisfaction emerge as significant predictors. The results indicated that married students expressed higher entrepreneurial intentions, while the participants with higher income satisfaction reported lower entrepreneurial intentions. Perceived gender discrimination was not a significant mediator in the tested model, and all calculated indirect effects were statistically non-significant. The findings of the study offer valuable insights for the design and implementation of local entrepreneurship policies as well as for university strategies and curricula adjustments to better support young women in their entrepreneurship endeavors.

The digital transformation of financial services has changed how customers interact with banks through electronic channels, yet the factors influencing channel choice between branch-based and digital banking are not entirely understood, especially in emerging European markets. This study investigates banking channel preferences over three consecutive years (2023–2025) in Constanta County, Romania, quantifying how perceived bank technologization and sociodemographic characteristics are associated with the likelihood of digital banking adoption in the e-commerce context. Using repeated cross-sectional survey data from 785 respondents, we applied pooled and year-specific logistic regression models to evaluate temporal effects and estimate the predictive contribution of a composite perception measure (TechScore). Results show that although digital banking usage increased from 87.7% to 92.4%, time alone did not significantly predict adoption. Technologization perceptions consistently increased the odds of digital banking use, with stronger effects in 2025. Age and living environment were significant determinants, while gender and relationship length were not. As digital financial services mature, perceived bank technologization becomes increasingly influential in channel-use decisions. The study contributes to the electronic commerce and technology acceptance literature by demonstrating the importance of perception-based predictors in digital banking contexts and highlights how perception-based evaluation shapes channel choice in digital service platforms, offering insights applicable to electronic commerce contexts where providers compete across physical and digital channels.

This paper examines Romania’s progress in adopting the EU Circular Economy Monitoring Framework, assessing key performance indicators and identifying challenges in its transition towards a sustainable economic model. By analyzing data on the five main areas of the Monitoring Framework, the study highlights Romania’s strengths and areas for improvement compared to the EU averages. The findings indicate an improvement in almost all categories of indicators but also underline the need for enhanced efforts.