E-commerce has gained momentum with the rapid development of technology, and nowadays, we are permanently connected, with constant access to information and a wide range of products. Not only does a desktop computer offer us this possibility, but the latest-generation tablets and mobile phones create a broad framework. This paper investigates Romanian consumers’ attitudes towards adopting mobile technology for commerce (m-commerce), taking into account its development in the last few years, especially among younger generations. The main objectives of the research are to identify the preference for m-commerce use among Generation Z, establish the ways and the devices used by Gen Z individuals to inform about the products and services and order them, and analyze the factors influencing the use of m-commerce applications. The research methodology consists of conducting an empirical analysis using a distributed survey among youngsters from Generation Z in Romania. We used descriptive statistics, such as the analysis of frequency and the mean of variables, artificial neural network analysis (ANN), and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), to validate the hypotheses. The research results indicate a solid inclination for m-commerce among Generation Z. The results are helpful for companies that can shape their marketing strategies to boost their sales using m-commerce channels among the younger population.
In today’s context, marked by globalization and a growing recognition of interdependencies, there is a permanent change in the world’s economic big picture. In this ever-changing environment, competitiveness is the key factor when it comes to passing the test of requirements on all levels. Obviously, competitiveness, in turn, is conditioned by several elements, one of which being the quality of the workforce. The current situation, strongly influenced by the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, imposes new rules of conduct, and organizations must be inventive if they wish to survive in this period. As a basic pillar of competitiveness, education cannot and should not lag behind, as the transfer of knowledge must continue with or without COVID-19. The questions arise: Can online education train the younger generations and provide them with the skills they need in order to adapt to the labor market? Will 2020 be a reference year for a paradigm shift in education? In order to answer these questions, the present paper includes an extensive survey conducted in Romania among two samples of respondents, one made of 173 university professors and the other consisting of 732 students. The results presented in the paper indicate a high level of adaptation to the new teaching methods, among professors (84.4%) as well as among students (58.7%), with a high number of professors (51.4%) considering that online education can become an important factor in the development of society and in the enhancement of economic competitiveness (60.7%).
The issue of business resilience is a topical one, in the context of which a large number of the companies on the market have faced many challenges in the last two years, raising the issue of market survival. But was the Romanian business environment ready to face the COVID-19 crisis? How prepared is it to continue to face the obstacles posed by the pandemic? The purpose of this paper is to identify the main effects that the pandemic has generated on Romanian SMEs, while presenting the results of a study on this topic. We proceeded to determine the level of familiarity of respondents on the evolution of SMEs during the pandemic and the study of their level of interest, on the effects generated by the current epidemiological context, and on the evolution of the business environment, while analysing the level of optimism/pessimism of the respondents, regarding the general evolution of the Romanian business environment. Although some companies are open to implementing change, there is also a significant percentage of firms that, for various reasons, do not consider making major changes in the near future, either because they are not aware of the need for change or out of fear.
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