This research aims to evaluate the individual and social implications of telework, along with the foreseeable permanent result that could be generated. Consistent with this objective, a survey has been carried out on a sample of 1180 Romanian employees, on which a model has been developed, based on structural equation modelling. The model includes five latent variables, on the one hand targeting telework features and on the other hand, its possible effects on individuals and society. At an individual level, the study results emphasize that telework could contribute to a better work–life balance and could also help teleworkers to develop specific teleworking abilities. At a social level, telework could generate sustainable effects targeting the long-term management of the work force and providing solutions to potential problems at local community levels. The managerial implications of this study are directed toward the need to implement a series of sustainable human resource management strategies and efficient employee training and development programs. Moreover, organizations need to be more proactive in assuming corporate social responsibilities.

This research aims at identifying the role of social media in evaluating the attractiveness of a tourism destination, with special emphasis on the health safety of the destination. Consistent with this objective, a survey has been carried out on a sample of 675 Romanian social media users. The research results led to the development of a model based on structural equation modeling. The model includes nine latent variables that were structured taking into account different behavioral aspects related to the role social media has in travel planning, as well as for evaluating the health safety of a tourism destination. The main findings suggest that the trust in social media for tourism information made people become more interested in communicating through this means and to consider it more useful throughout the travel planning process. When choosing a travel destination, the more involved a tourist is in the decision making process, the greater the attention they pay to social media. The perceived usefulness of social media in travel planning has a significant influence on intentions to choose a tourism destination. As the importance assigned to the health safety of tourism destination increases, social media plays a more active role in travel by creating trust in this means in order to obtain sanitary safety information. People that intend to use social media for finding information on the health safety of a tourism destination are more likely to choose that destination for their vacation. The managerial implications of this paper regard the communication strategies adopted by tourism services suppliers or by some public authorities aimed at stimulating an efficient usage of social media so as to increase the buying intentions for tourism destinations.

Price represents a source of information customers may rely on in the buying decision making process. The literature in this area shows that on the Internet, the process of searching for price information is more complex than on traditional stores, being influenced by various factors. This paper aims to identify and describe the relations between two categories of variables. On the one hand there are the variables related to the price searching behaviour on the online environment, and on the other hand there are the variables related to the buying process. This research is based on a survey, the sample consisting of 1112 online buyers. The relationships between these variables were represented through a conceptual model based on a structural equation modeling approach. The main findings of the research show that the more a customer searches for price information online, the more he/she acquires abilities to search, becoming more predisposed to perceive a better value from shopping online and intending more to purchase from the Internet. The managerial implications concern the communication strategies adopted by online stores, the information provided by them influencing the perceived value of doing online shopping and the buying intentions on the Internet.

City life has become the norm for most of the global population and building sustainable cities is a growing trend, together with an increased focus on healthier lifestyles in urban settings. Given this framework, the concept of ‘rurbanization’ is gaining momentum as more and more people are interested in bringing natural green spaces within the urban setting. For this purpose, a research (online survey on a sample of 500 respondents) was developed to discover youths’ perceptions on what a sustainable city means, their perspectives on the urbanization problems, and willingness to take action towards improving the green aspects of their urban life. Results revealed that sustainable life perception vary a lot across the young generation, but opinions on what are the city life issues tend to converge to similar points, such as air quality, disconnection with nature, greenhouse effect, urban heat islands, and water quality. When it comes to rurbanization solutions for a greener urban life, young people lean more towards individual solutions, be it an easy and short-term one, such as endowing their home with more green plants, or a more drastic one, such as moving altogether from the city area towards greener locations. Results were also used in designing a conceptual model for actions towards rurbanization.

This paper attempts to empirically investigate the main variables that might exert a significant influence over the green purchase decisions of a Romanian consumer. An online survey was conducted on a sample of 915 individuals. The objectives of the study aim to evaluate the influence of different types of variables (related to the person, the environment, the product and the reference group) on the decision to purchase green products. For data analysis, both descriptive statistics measurements and a logit regression model were used. One of the most important findings shows that there is a significant and positive relationship between environmental factors (e.g., pollution reduction, greenhouse effect reduction) and the decision to purchase organic products; furthermore, Romanian consumers are less willing to pay high prices for green products. By offering important information on new variables relevant for a deeper understanding of a consumer located in a green emerging market such as Romania, this study may be useful for both academics and companies that could be interested in entering new local markets.

The research focuses on the perception and implications of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic. The aim of the paper is to prove the validity of an existing theoretical model (presented in Romanian research before COVID-19) for the Czech situation during COVID-19 and draw managerial conclusions. Quantitative primary data were collected via questionnaires and analysed using structural equation modelling, evaluating cause-effect relationships between latent variables in two steps: a structural model (showing latent constructs and paths between them) and an outer model (displaying relationships between each latent construct and the indicators defining it). Ten latent variables were defined, and relationships among them were identified. Thirteen hypotheses were tested, of which seven were accepted. Concerning similarities with the previous study, the present study accepted two hypotheses identically to the previous one, while one hypothesis was accepted only in the Romanian research. Model relevancy was proved. The research contributed to extending current literature findings. Implications for Central European audience: Based on the hypotheses tested, autonomy and homonomy in telework should not be understood as contrary but complementary phenomena; managers should support both. Positive emotions about telework should be cultivated because they contribute to work-life balance and positively affect the intention to work from home. Work-life balance is positively related to the positive perception of the social implications of telework.