Tourism represents a viable alternative for economic activities in rural areas, and improves the living standards of the communities. The aim of the paper is to assess residents’ perceptions towards tourism destination quality in the North-West Development Region of Romania using the following items: natural attractions: cultural and social attractions; accommodation; food; availability of transportation to destination area; quality of information and communication; hospitality of host community; feeling of security and safety. A survey was conducted to collect the data and a total of 433 questionnaires were validated and analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Principal component analysis, ANOVA, Scheffe multiple range test) were used to analyze the data. Results show that there are statistically significant differences in residents’ perceptions between counties. Two of the components of destination quality (general infrastructure and tourism potential) are affected by the gender of residents, while the level of education has no significant effect. A weak and indirect correlation was found between the age of residents and their perception towards a quality destination. This study makes two contributions to the existing literature. First, a questionnaire was developed based on the QUALITEST tool adapted to the realities of the research area. Second, we analyzed the perception of residents towards a quality destination in relation to their socio-demographic characteristics and county of residence. Understanding the implications of tourism development from the residents’ point of view helps to increase knowledge about the factors affecting the long-term, sustainable success of tourism destinations.

In the last decades, the issue of the behavior geared towards society and the environment of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has created a new niche for economic researches. Most studies point out that entities operating in the forestry sector, despite having difficulties in applying valid corporate social responsibility (CSR) instruments, are concerned about the role they play in society. Therefore, they tend to develop their business by giving importance to the principles of sustainable development. The aim of the paper was to propose an econometric model to report the sustainability of non-financial performance for the companies operating in the forestry field. The main objectives of the study focused on defining and analyzing the studied problem through the specialized literature, defining and conceptualizing the statistical model in order to identify the risk factors and vulnerability, influencing the forestry sector in Romania. In this context, based on a sample of 248 Romanian active companies in the forestry sector in four distinct sectors, we calculated a number of indicators specific to the forestry sector in order to identify the risks and vulnerabilities and analyze the entities associated with this sector. Our research led us to the conclusion that, as far as the forestry sector is concerned, the companies that operate in Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE) 240 and NACE 210 have registered superior results compared to the average in regards to the vulnerability of the sector, while those that operate in NACE 220 and NACE 230 focus mostly on those vulnerabilities regarding the risk zone of their sustainable development. The study could be useful both to stakeholders by giving them the possibility to identify those entities, classified according to the NACE code, taking into account the sector vulnerabilities and the risks associated with the profile market, as well as to the state that could influence through economic policies the sectors in which vulnerabilities are manifested.

The transition towards the circular economy (CE) is one of the major priorities of the European Union (EU). By observing its benefits through the prism of sustainable development, this study aims to reveal the intricate relationships between the CE and the economy–society–environment nexus across 27 EU countries during the period from 2012 to 2020. Utilizing an extensive dataset comprising 243 observations drawn from the EUROSTAT database, we employed a panel data analysis. In this research, we quantified the impact of CE indicators on key dependent variables: GDP per capita (economic dimension), mortality, morbidity, and the welfare cost associated with exposure to environment-related risks (social dimension) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the environmental realm. The findings of our study illuminate the multifaceted connections between circular economy practices and the broader goals of sustainable development within the EU-27 context. The CE indicators aggregated at the EU level not only have a beneficial impact on the economy but also on society and the environment. The analysis reveals that each of the six explanatory variables incorporated into the models exhibits the anticipated relationship with at least one of the outcome variables. This research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, public authorities, and other stakeholders seeking to enhance the circular economy landscape in respective countries.

Tourism development involves both positive and negative impacts on economic, social and natural environments, which represent essential pillars for sustainable development. It is in this context that the present research was conducted in the Adjara Mountain area of Georgia aiming to identify residents’ perception towards tourism development. An online survey was conducted among 620 residents. The data collected were analyzed by descriptive statistics and principal component analysis. As such, the results of the principal component analysis led to a two-factor solution: “positive effects” and “negative effects”. Older and more educated respondents perceived the impacts of tourism development more positively compared to the younger group and to the less educated one. A statistically significant difference was found between females and males regarding their perception of the positive impacts of tourism development. The study represents a first step in investigating the residents’ perception towards tourism development in the Adjara Mountain region, and the results could constitute a starting point for future tourism strategies in the area.

The entrepreneurial behavior of individuals is a result of a complex assembly of factors, and education is one of them. The article is aiming to address the scientific gap in the relation between education and the intention and attitudes in entrepreneurship by focusing on the analysis of the economic and entrepreneurial background as a determinant factor. Besides that, the study looked for the factors that influence entrepreneurial intention and intended to find out if there are significant differences between economic and non-economic backgrounds and entrepreneurial intentions of individuals. A survey with 582 validated respondents was employed in the north-west and the west part of Romania to determine the entrepreneurial intention of the residents. For investigating the results, descriptive statistics were used to analyze the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, and principal component analysis with varimax rotation was conducted to reduce the number of items used to analyze the entrepreneurial intention of the respondents. The study demonstrated the significance of entrepreneurial education for entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process: the higher variance is given by entrepreneurial intention (58.75%) for those with economic studies and by entrepreneurial capacity (58.39%) for those without economic studies. It concludes that entrepreneurial education policies should concentrate on the increase of opportunities for entrepreneurs and on creating a culture of entrepreneurship. Regression analysis revealed that entrepreneurial capacity, personal attraction, social valuation, and entrepreneurial education/economic background significantly predict entrepreneurial intention.

Geographical indications (GI) are designated by a member’s region or regions within a designated area when the particular quality, reputation, or other characteristics of a product are related solely to its geographical origin and manufacturing process. Manufacturing methods are carried out according to an established Code of Good Practices. The aim of the study was to offer an overview of the current status of the literature related to geographical indications in Romania. A comprehensive and systematic literature review was conducted, and the search process was carried out using keywords such as ‘Romanian geographical indications’ and ‘Romanian food labels.’ These specific words must be found in the title, in the abstract of the papers, and also in the keywords section. Agricultural and food products with geographical indications (including wine and spirits) are included in the research. Products and food not related to the agricultural environment, along with services, were not included. It was discovered that, in order to improve the situation concerning geographical indications in Romania and raise consumers awareness, it would be necessary to introduce new national certification that could be more accessible to both producers and consumers, and that would promote regional taste and encourage the preservation of culinary traditions.