National School of Political Science and Public Administration

More than 16 years after its accession to the EU, Romania is still regarded by EU drafted studies as one of the most pro-European Member States. A relevant aspect as one of the EU’s newest member states gradually shifts from a ‘peripheric to a ‘semi-peripheric’ position amid security threats, socio-economic perturbances and amplifying political divisions inside the Union. As numerous studies focus on the general perception of EU in times of peace or crisis, little attention is given to the way in which the EU projects its image among future generations of citizens (and voters). While membership has granted access to more rights, opportunities and chances for their personal and professional development, it is still unclear how young people define the EU’s identity and legitimise it. This particularity raises questions on the way perceptions on EU in relation to Romania are projected to and internalised by young people, especially in times of crisis. The aim of this chapter is to contextualise perceptions regarding Romania’s role in two of the most recent crises, visible among the organisation’s younger generations—the war in Ukraine (and its subsequent humanitarian and economic crisis) and Romania’s bid to enter Schengen, as well as its relation with the EU. In order to examine how the EU’s crisis-based transformation process is perceived and experienced by younger generations of Romanians and the factors that contribute to EU’s legitimacy, we operate using a mixed approach: by analysing a variety of statistical indicators, we focus on Romanian youth’s perception regarding the country’s relation with the EU between 2022–2023; furthermore, applying a set of 2 focus groups on young people (students in social sciences), our goal is to clarify the current perception regarding Romania-EU relations, while integrating the role of recent crises in defining EU’s identity and the sources of its legitimacy. In light of this analysis we argue that nuanced opinions, combined with statistical findings facilitate a better understanding of the current form and level of trust in the European project, as experienced by one particular demographic category (the youth), while offering a clear profile of the EU’s future electoral engaged citizens.

Smartphones have become daily companions and store many personal information, including contact lists, photos, and videos. Even though users download smartphone apps for various purposes, they are also data collection instruments. Within the Protection Motivation Theory research streamline, the present research focuses from a comparative perspective on young adults’ concerns and engagement with privacy protection behaviors while setting up smartphone apps. Aiming to assess how threat and coping appraisals relate to privacy protection behavior from a comparative perspective, we conducted an online survey ( N = 931) in Germany ( n = 479) and Romania ( n = 452) with young adults (age 18–26 years). Findings showed differences between the two countries in the sense that individuals’ overarching privacy attitudes transfer to and manifest in the context-specific behavior of setting up apps. For German young adults, susceptibility and severity of the data collection by companies are positively related to privacy protection behavior while setting up apps. Romanians are confident that they can protect their data by setting up apps. For German and Romanian young adults, self-efficacy in online communication was related to response efficacy of privacy protection while configuring apps.

This article explores the intersection of structural and actor-oriented explanations of populism through a territorial perspective, focusing on populist Euroscepticism. It builds on findings from the ‘Local Mobilisation Against the EU. Territorial Dimensions of Populist Euroscepticism’ (EULOC) project, which examined local drivers and manifestations of populism and Euroscepticism across Europe. The article highlights the importance of analysing both the supply and demand sides of populist Euroscepticism, emphasising the role of geographic inequalities, local socio-economic trajectories and collective identities. By integrating national, regional and local case studies, the article aims to bridge the divide between structural and actor-oriented approaches, offering a more comprehensive understanding of populist Euroscepticism. This approach seeks to prevent reductionist arguments and contributes to broader discussions on political participation, representation and the dynamics of populist movements in Europe. The article underscores the need for nuanced, multi-layered research that considers the unique socio-political dynamics of different regions and the impact of local contexts on the development of Eurosceptic sentiments.

The Ukrainian reconstruction project is a complex and ongoing endeavor, requiring a thorough evaluation of the initial stages of the process. The first stage involves assessing the war scenarios while addressing the societal harm done while fighting to counter Russia’s aggression. The definition and implementation of victory will establish the primary goals for rebuilding Ukraine’s socioeconomic and political future. This study employs theoretical frameworks for international conflict management to give an early knowledge of the present conflict, state players’ goals, and methods of defining victory. The research identifies two crucial components that the West and Russia share in defining victory: (1) the avoidance of direct conflict between NATO and Russia’s military force, and (2) the post-war reconstruction process, which includes not just Ukraine but also Russia. Using the geoeconomic framework to address the Ukraine reconstruction project, the research aims to establish the main layers of the peacebuilding process on both warring sides, which include economic (short and long term) support, financial infrastructure maintenance, and infrastructure investment. Finally, the paper discusses the difficult decisions and sacrifices that must be taken to assist Ukraine’s reconstruction process, resulting in efficient and robust infrastructure that can adapt to changing conditions.

Online lending is a product of digital transformation, which has had a profound impact on the traditional money market. This paper discusses the impact of peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending on the effectiveness of monetary policy. Through the bootstrap sub-sample rolling-window Granger causality tests show that P2P has both positive and negative impacts on the money supply (M2). The positive impact of P2P on M2 indicates that online loans increase the amount of money supply. The negative impact of P2P on M2 shows that it may cut the money supply, thus weakening the monetary policy effectiveness. The general equilibrium model is inconsistent with these results, which underlines a positive effect from P2P to M2. In turn, the negative impact points out that the adjustment of monetary policy will hinder the development of P2P. The negative impact of M2 on P2P indicates that through the regulation of money supply, the online lending market can be correctly guided to prevent financial market from getting out of control. Through the supervision of online lending industry, we can accurately grasp the development of the internet financial industry and reduce its impact on monetary policy.

Artificial intelligence systems can expand the capabilities and enhance the efficiency of law enforcement agencies preventing, investigating, detecting, and prosecuting criminal offences in the European Union. At the same time, the deployment of artificial intelligence in the security domain often raises numerous legal and ethical concerns. The ALIGNER Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment is an operational tool, rooted in fundamental rights and in the principles of AI ethics, ready to be integrated in the AI governance measures of European law enforcement agencies to inform their decision-making processes and ensure compliance with the recently adopted Artificial Intelligence Act. This paper first introduces the main tensions between law enforcement AI and fundamental rights, as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; then, it gives an overview of the main developments and best practices in AI governance and their relationship with fundamental rights as well as AI ethics; and finally, it describes the structure of the ALIGNER Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment.

The year 2024 and the knowledge management risks associated with organizational knowledge management still require further and deeper analysis. Despite numerous studies in the field of knowledge risk management, this area remains challenging and dynamic, particularly in the current era of transition and unpredictable times. This paper seeks to analyze the academic research over the past four and a half years (2020-2024), highlighting the knowledge risks analyzed in this period the relevant connections between terms like knowledge management, knowledge risks, and knowledge dynamics. The primary purpose is to identify what knowledge risks caught researchers' attention during these times of transition and ongoing change when uncertainties are more common than they first appear, making it harder to calculate and not mention analyzing knowledge risks. The academic literature agrees on the importance of knowledge risk management in the knowledge management domain, where risks take on greater significance and the fact that they are crucial to any organization's management. In current times of transition and continuous change, when knowledge risks are increasingly prevalent and crises are occurring more frequently than predicted, we question how difficult it will be in the following years for a knowledge management system, particularly when it comes to managing knowledge risks from new areas such as 'Artificial Intelligence'. ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Management KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT RISKS. A CLUSTER ANALYSIS DURING COVID-19 AND AFTER.

The study encompasses a bibliometric analysis of the classical cultural organizations (museums, libraries and theaters), considering the mainstream academic research documenting the relationships between these organizations and their communities. The first part discusses how these organizations’ focus and commitments have shifted from passive cultural aims, observing a social and educational turn towards communities. We observe a redefinition of their core purposes, becoming dynamic community and social spaces that promote sustainable development, social enrichment and wellbeing. They are no longer temples of culture, but complex hubs, spaces for engagement. Mainstream academic research gives more attention to the transformations in the library sector. Nevertheless, overall, it captures the transformations in all cultural organizations investigated, highlighting the importance of technology, community engagement and interdisciplinary approaches, as well as their growing significance in community development and wellbeing.

We look in this paper at how library publics and the subsequent delivered services have evolved from the perspective of the theory of attribution and the theory of planned behavior. We then introduce a measurement scale for evaluating the service delivery quality of public libraries (SERVQUAL) and apply it in empirical research. Results show that the activities of public libraries which cater to all age groups and the diversity of resources they offer to the public, significantly predict (approximately 60%) users' perceptions of the quality of library services. Digital literacy activities provided by libraries to the public significantly predict (approximately 30%) users' perceptions of the quality of library services. The more active libraries are within the community, the more favorable the perception of the services they offer. A positive perception of the library is influenced by the librarian, especially when their name is known within the community. There are significant differences between rural and urban libraries regarding Seriousness, Responsiveness, and Empathy in service delivery, with these services being more favorably evaluated in urban areas. Women rate library services more favorably than men in terms of Safety and Empathy.

The Romanian migration of the last decades has generated in the world, but especially in Europe, a significant population of Romanian origin, but far from the cultural sources in Romania. The appearance of activities that would bring together the Romanian community appeared inevitable; among them, the initiatives of some Romanian libraries were born naturally, in various forms, sometimes structured on local public libraries or just as personal initiatives. The present article maps and evaluates several European cases of Romanian libraries: three in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and one in Prague, which already has countless branches, especially in the European Union. The investigation shows a strong connection between the Romanian libraries and their communities, especially with the parents of minor children, and a strong appreciation of these libraries' educational and social impact.

Platformization is a phenomenon arising from the process of digitalization and affects businesses of all types throughout the world. While platformization closely relates to digital business models, it also influences the traditional models to some extent, concerning the marketing and distribution functions. This paper focuses on the implications of the new media on the generation, dissemination, and reception of content in publishing. Specifically, the study examines the effects and implications of the platformization processes, and the role played by digital ecosystems in the value chain of the publishing business and the structures of the book market. For the current study, the research carries out a network analysis of scholarly literature on the integration of digital platforms in publishing using VOSviewer. It declared to provide an understanding of the field’s conceptual directions, determine key articles, and depict the developmental process of this phenomenon. The paper contributes to the understanding of the primary discourses; the literature review reveals the research gaps and potential development. The contribution of this research shall be useful for both theorists and practitioners in the field. It can help practitioners analyze the current processes in the publishing industry’s transition to digital formats and inform policy decisions. It can also help small and medium companies within creative industries that possess characteristics that are akin to publishing and other businesses clustered within the book market niche category. Given that current trends and potential directions for development and innovation in today’s rapidly developing digital environment are traced and practical recommendations and further research questions are outlined in this study, it helps to get a detailed understanding of how platformization in the context of the publishing industry is addressed in the academic literature.

Purpose The study seeks to address the influence of different facets of business-to-business (B2B) relationship marketing on internationalization effectiveness, by taking into account the turbulent environment generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus falls on the factors that generate, frame, catalyze, sustain and strengthen international business relationships between managers from organizations with converging interests. Methodology B2B relationship marketing in the international arena is analyzed by means of various angles such as business convergence, business context, interpersonal compatibility, business credibility and network interconnections as availed by the “new normal” triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire-based survey with 158 business owners and managers from European industrial companies was carried out during November 2023 to investigate the configuration and dynamics of B2B relationship marketing in the unprecedented and systemic COVID-19 crisis. Data was analyzed via structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 4. Findings The findings showed that while business convergence remains a strong influencer of all the other relational dimensions, the restrictions and limitations engendered by the pandemic have also altered international B2B relationship marketing to such an extent that the only significant factor for internationalization effectiveness relies on business networking. Research and practical implications The study has both theoretical and practical implications, bringing forward a topical perspective on international B2B relationships during COVID-19 disruptions and their impact on the effectiveness of international operations. Originality The study advances a phenomenological view of the unprecedented changes and their influences on the overseas operations of SMEs in a particular field. It complements and adds to the literature by stressing a more articulated relationship-centric architecture, which probed relevance during the pandemic.

This study examines the direct influence of participatory leadership (PL) and supportive organ-isational culture (SOC) on employee job satisfaction (JC). Additionally, the research delves intothe mediating role of work-life balance in the relationship between PL, SOC, and job satisfaction.Data was collected using 450 questionnaires through random sampling from hotels managingfood security in Saudi Arabia. These findings indicate a direct correlation between participatoryleadership, supportive organisational culture, and job satisfaction. Furthermore, work-life bal-ance was found to mediate the relationship between PL, SOC, and job satisfaction. Given theimportance of a supportive organisational culture for robustness, this study suggests that hotels,particularly those managing food security in Saudi Arabia, should prioritise fostering a supportiveculture. They should also encourage democratic leadership and formulate strategies to helpemployees achieve work-life balance (WLB), leading to enhanced job satisfaction.