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This study aims to highlight the role of access to finance as one of the determinants on the decision to enter into entrepreneurship of students regarded as potential entrepreneurs. For achieving our main objective, we created a questionnaire. As a method of analysis, we run the least square logistic regression, with entrepreneurial intentions as a dependent variable and knowledge, education and availability of financial resources as predictors. We also included gender, university and locality as control variables. The sample is formed of 181 students from two universities from the North-Eastern region of Romania. The results reveal that access to finance is a significant determinant of the decision to enter into entreprenenruship for young people. Moreover, we show that the relation between access to finance and entrepreneurial intentions changes according to gender, university and locality of origin. Female students’ entrepreneurial intentions are influenced by the availability of bank loans and personal savings, while in case of male students - only by the availability of funds coming from family and friends. The funds coming from family and friends also determine students' entrepreneurial intentions coming from rural or urban areas. Entrepreneurial intentions are negatively related to education for male students and those coming from an economic profile university, and positively related to business knowledge only for students from rural areas. The results obtained could be important for financial resources providers (because they offer insight into how easy access to finance stimulates the entrepreneurial intentions of youth), for education providers (who can adapt their training programs and extracurricular activities to strengthen entrepreneurial intentions), and for decision makers (which may adopt appropriate policies to stimulate the economic development of an area).

Some of the constructs in the field of performance management are intuitive or not empirically validated. This study provides a data-driven framework for measuring and improving the performance through synchronized strategies. The ultimate goal was to provide support for increasing business performance. Empirical research materializes in an exploratory case study and a statistical analysis with econometric models. The case study revealed that a company can improve its performance, even in periods of growth, being characterized by consistent investments. The statistical analysis, performed on a restricted sample of companies, confirmed the results that were provided by the case study. The measurement of performance was made by capitalizing on financial and non-financial data precisely to intensify the interest for corporate sustainability. The obtained results, contrary to previous research that showed that economic value added (EVA) is negatively influenced by the increase in invested capital, open up new research perspectives to find out whether, at the industry level, performance appraisal that is based on EVA stimulates the development of a business’s economic capital. The research has a double utility: scientific (by providing an overview of the state of the art in the field of performance management) and practical (by providing a reference model for measuring and monitoring performance).

Purpose – the study has a dual purpose. First, to assess the impact of the most important determinants of financial performance, which have been measured through four generations of indicators. In addition, the study provides the first quantification of interdependencies between different financial performance measures: profit margin (PM), profit growth rate (PGR), return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and economic value added (EVA). Research methodology – the primary data was collected from the AMADEUS database. Empirical research was conducted on a relatively homogeneous sample from the automotive industry, using the panel data method for the period 2010–2019. Two models were tested. The first model highlights the relationships between performance measures and selected determinants. The second model highlights the relationship between the different performance measures and the determinants used in the first model. Findings – the determinants analysed have different influences on the selected performance measures. For example, in the first model, the results statistically significant indicated the following. The current ratio has a positive influence on ROA, but a negative one on ROE and EVA. Gearing has a negative influence on PM and ROA, but a positive one on EVA. The growth rate of sales has a positive influence on PM, but a negative one on ROA and EVA. The size of the company has a positive influence on three performance measures (PM, ROA, and EVA). Regarding the relationships between the different performance measures (second model), the research indicates that EVA is negatively influenced by PGR and ROA. In this model, the determinants analysed maintain their meaning and intensity of influences. Research limitations – the article has several limitations. The representativeness of the results is valuable only at the level of the researched industry. In addition, it should be noted that the analyses are focused only on financial performance, assessed by accounting measures. The authors are considering conducting comparative analyses at the level of fields/branches of activity to capture not only the impact of determinants on financial performance but also to assess organizational resilience. Practical implications – The research provides clues to managers and financial decision-makers to increase the financial performance of the companies they lead. Originality/value – the originality of the study lies in the presented methodological approach. Unlike previous research, which usually evaluated performance on only one indicator, this paper aims to assess the impact of the most important determinants on five performance measures. In addition, the analysis of the interdependencies between the different performance measures is another novelty of this research.

Against the backdrop of concerns for diminishing the vulnerabilities of the economies of the Member States, the EU has adopted measures to strengthen budgetary discipline and control of the public deficit. In this context, the responsibility of government institutions has increased, not only in ensuring the sustainability of public finances but also in direct or indirect cooperation for good economic governance. From this perspective, this study aims to assess the impact of macroeconomic variables and those associated with supreme audit institutions on the sustainability of public finances measured by the size and dynamics of government deficit and gross public debt. Additionally, the impact of the same variables on governmental effectiveness and control of corruption has also been assessed. The data collected from secondary sources and panel data models were used to conduct an empirical study of the EU Member States which covered the 2002–2019 period and the sub-periods, divided as follows: pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis. The results of the study show that supreme audit institutions, through their organizational structure, the nature of their activities, and professionalism, may contribute to the reduction of public deficit and gross public debt and, implicitly, to higher efficiency and control of corruption. The results of analyses for the sub-periods show that ISAs played a more important role in reducing government deficit during crisis and post-crisis periods. By confirming or rejecting the results of the few studies that have been conducted so far, this study provides additional evidence that fills the gaps in the literature.