The public sector presents important steps for digital transformation. Digital transformation uses a series of tools and methods to improve the relationship with citizens and improve benefits. This paper explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in governance processes and provides public institutions with insight regarding the impact of integrating chatbot communication tools when interacting with citizens. The present research provides an analysis of the socio-economic factors that determine the use of artificial intelligence tools, i.e., the propensity to interact more with the public administration as a result of improved communication through virtual assistants, and highlights the implications of AI in improving services towards civil society by determining the degree of satisfaction on aspects such as reduced waiting times in queues, access to information regardless of the traditional working hours of civil servants, quicker execution of operations, et al. The results, derived from an analysis of 507 sets of responses obtained from an online questionnaire, indicate that a number of variables, such as residential environment, employment status, household income and education level, significantly impact the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in mediating citizen communication with government.

The beetroot peels can be a sustainable source of betalains that can dye the wool materials through green processes based on low water and energy consumption. Green chemistry in the extraction of betalains from colored food waste/peels from red beetroot involved the use of water as a solvent, without other additives. In order for the extract obtained to be able to dye the wool, it was necessary to functionalize betalains or even the wool. Three types of sustainable functionalizations were performed, with (1) acetic acid; (2) ethanol; and (3) arginine. For each functionalization, the mechanism that can justify dyeing the wool in intense colors was elucidated. The characterization of the extract was performed with the data provided by UV-VIS and HPLC-MS analyses. The characterization of the wool dyed with the extract obtained from the red beetroot peels was possible due to the information resulting from the FTIR and CIELab analyses. The functionalizations of betalains and wool in acid environments lead to the most intense red colors. The color varies depending on the pH and the concentration of betalains.

Companies constantly thrive to enhance their performance in order to achieve their environmental, social, and economic goals. One way to achieve these goals is to integrate some effective management tools, such as an environmental management system (EMS), that can support sustainable development and value creation. Based on the literature, in this study some EMS integration dimensions were identified that can be used to assess its influence on business performance. The study was conducted on SMEs listed on the AeRO-Bucharest Stock Exchange that voluntary apply the ISO 14001 EMS, using a quantitative approach. To assess the EMS integration score, principal component analysis was used. Using logistic regression analysis, business performance probability (quantified by return on assets) was estimated for each company included in the final sample. Fuzzy logic was further used for modelling the influence of EMS integration on business performance probability. The research results showed that EMS integration has different effects on business performance probability, considering the influence of activity field and environmental management experience. This research assertion could be extended for all the listed Romanian companies or for major companies at the EU level.