This research emphasizes the analysis and assessment of the environmental impact in the construction sector. It aims to propose a model for analyzing the management of environmental resources in the building process. This specific sector presents a significant potential risk of negatively affecting the environment, through pollution, energy consumption, and waste generation. Environmental responsibility involves analyzing the environmental impact and implementing effective solutions for an adequate governance of the environmental resources. Various life cycle assessment methods are employed to design a new model of management of environmental resources, starting from the factors impacting the environment. The resulting model takes these factors into account and carries several advantages from an organizational point of view. One novel result is that the model can be applied at a microeconomic level as well as at a macroeconomic level. By implementing this model, the preconditions for reconfiguring operational conditions and processes with significant impact on resource consumption within construction projects can be created at a company level. As such, the objective for the construction sector is to manage the use of resources efficiently and, at the same time, to restore the areas possibly affected by the specific operations.

No abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of policy changes on the Romanian renewable energy producers. Attracted by a generous subsidy scheme, foreign and domestic investors flocked to the market. Consequently, the sector witnessed remarkable progress, especially in the wind power category. Romania fast approached the national target set by the European Union concerning the share of the country’s energy consumption from renewable sources. However, frequent changes in the support scheme and in the regulations issued by public authorities led to chaos. The aim of the paper was to emphasize the evolution of renewable energy policy in Romania, to investigate the incentives and their effects, and to critically assess the impact of the changes on renewable energy producers. It highlights, by means of an exploratory study and several interviews with executives of renewable energy companies, the challenges and shortcomings of policymaking. The main finding was that the revision of the subsidy scheme and the changes in energy policy that followed are the major determinants for the declining financial performance of renewable energy producers. Subsequently, some recommendations for improved policymaking are suggested, so as to re-establish the trust of investors and to promote the sustainable development of the sector.

The aim of this paper is to emphasize the role of the internet and especially of modern online instruments for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in tourism. First, the literature review reveals the most important trends concerning the implications generated by the rise of the internet as a business tool for tourism SMEs. SMEs in the tourism market confront themselves with fierce competition from large companies. However, the advent of online marketing generates important opportunities to be seized by SMEs and often a level-playing field. The material is developed around the adoption and usage of the internet and ICT by tourism SMEs. The up-to-date online instruments available to tourism SMEs are explored and investigated in detail, revealing thus interesting findings about the benefits SMEs can reap when they approach the online environment. The paper ends with some conclusions concerning the possibilities opened up by online instruments for tourism SMEs. Finally, a specific set of measures is suggested for improving the online presence of SMEs. JEL Classification: L83

The article analyzes the characteristics and performance of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Romania since the 1990s. We provide evidence for some of the commonly advanced propositions about FDI in transition economies, namely the selection of entry and firms' performance over time and across economic sectors. Contrary to the FDI literature, multinational enterprises in Romania favored greenfield FDI over acquisitions, although this does not apply to oligopolistic and technology intensive industries. Specific relationships between the nationality of the investor, the location and the entry modes decisions are also analyzed. We observed that acquisitions exhibited higher profit margin and turnover compared to greenfield FDI.