This paper studies the evolution of the most important emerging economies between 2002 and 2017 by estimating their capacity to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. In the existing literature there are only a few studies aiming to estimate the capacity of emerging countries to implement the sustainable development goals and demonstrate how groups are performing in the achievement of these goals. Being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of such studies, the authors identified a group of nine countries by applying as the main criterion the size of the economy, reflected by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in current prices, taking into account the level registered in 2017. From a methodological point of view, the study was conducted through three stages: data collection and processing; empirical analysis and correlation testing; and cluster analysis using Statistica software (10.0, StatSoft, Tulsa OK, USA). The results of this investigation highlighted that all of the nine examined countries have the attributes needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, based on the qualitative and quantitative analysed indicators. Furthermore, the nine countries have already developed measures and adopted national strategies to implement the 2030 Agenda, with political will being also a relevant factor in this regard. This study provides a framework for theoretical and empirical analysis that could also be used in the future, whereby both the number of countries and the timeframe taken into account could be increased in order to identify new development trends for emerging economies.

This study explores the extent to which Romanian resorts of national interest can be considered "smart destinations" and examines the impact of smart technologies on key tourism indicators. The added value of this research lies in its comprehensive, destination-based analysis of the 54 officially designated resorts of national interest, providing a quantitative assessment of their digitalization and smart features, a topic of growing relevance for tourism competitiveness and sustainability. The research aims to assess the level of smartness across these resorts and to evaluate its influence on tourist arrivals, overnight stays, and average lengths of stay. A composite Smart Indicator was developed, comprising 39 components such as website presence, multilingual support, mobile applications, social media activity, digital services for tourists and residents, accessibility for people with disabilities, and smart mobility solutions. For each resort, the presence or absence of these features was systematically coded (1/0), based on official sources. Panel data covering the 2001-2023 timeframe were compiled for key tourism metrics. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS and XLSTAT, testing the hypotheses regarding the relationship between the Smart Indicator and tourism performance.

This study examines trade-offs between organizational culture, measured by the Competing Values Framework, and high financial compensation among Romanian Generation Z (n = 584). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design and scenario-based choice experiments, binary logistic regression models assessed how culture preferences and demographics predict employer choice. Results show that preferences for Clan culture most consistently increased the likelihood of selecting a culturally defined employer over high-salary alternatives (odds ratios 1.08–1.15), particularly through mentoring and employee development. Notably, Hierarchy culture preferences also significantly influenced decisions, indicating that this generation values both support and structured predictability. Employment status strongly moderated these trade-offs, with employed respondents significantly more likely to prioritize cultural attributes (odds ratios 2.07–2.47). Findings indicate that Generation Z makes nuanced, context-sensitive trade-offs, challenging one-dimensional assumptions about their motivations. These findings provide context-specific insights into Romanian Generation Z employer choice and offer practical implications for employer branding and talent attraction strategies.