Transformations  in
Business & Economics

On Transformational Environment of Romanian Market Competitiveness and Application of Marketing Techniques

JEL classification: Y20.

National economies should follow the suit of competing in the globalised world, while experiencing an economic downturn these days. This is not an easy challenge, especially for small developing economies of new member-states of the European Union. The global economic crisis proved that each market economy should apply tools and techniques, which work for their markets to ensure economic stability or at least to achieve status quo and apply measures preventing a further downfall.

Since 2004, it has been evidenced that essential changes and transformations are taking place in the new member-states of the European Union, the EU-25. Since Romania and Bulgaria, have joined the complex EU market in 2007; the market, which strives for market performance efficiency and integrated approach of business environment development.

This special issue of Transformations in Business & Economics hosts articles written by researchers from a variety of Romanian universities. The Supplement is also dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989. It is a minimal lag of time for a nation that emerged from a difficult totalitarian period to re-learn the rules of democracy and market economy. We also have a minimum space in developing and transforming higher education in business and economics, focused on the synergy of teaching and research-based education. In Romania, this process is still an ongoing challenge. It is hoped that the results of academic research, disseminated in the international scientific world, can contribute, even with a single brick, to the knowledge edifice.

Articles, which are presented here for the readership, are based on a series of direct marketing research, conducted by professors and researchers from some of the most important universities in Romania, with a growing tradition in studying marketing. It is important to recall that in the academic field, marketing has a history in Romania not only for two decades (as it might be considered by those who link it strictly to the development of market economy), but twice as long. The first use of the term “marketing” dates back in Romania to the late 60’s. The first marketing course at a Romanian university was taught at the Faculty of Commerce of the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, in the academic year of 1971-1972, by Professor Constantin Florescu (1929-2004). Even if centralized communist economy leaves no space for marketing intervention, marketing as a discipline was used in training specialists in trade, particularly in foreign trade. After 1990, with the transition to the market economy, marketing has become one of the most demanded business specializations in Romania, both in terms of academic and – especially – of business practice.

During the two decades, the Romanian economy has evolved a lot. Periods of economic growth and recession have succeeded. There were major changes in ownership structure, the share of different economic sectors, customer needs’ satisfaction and consumer behaviour, the diversity of products and services offered on the Romanian market. Under these circumstances, the role and significance of marketing and marketing research could only increase.

Due to the efforts of Romanian scientists, a national project in Romania was initiated. The special Supplement to Transformations in Business & Economics, Vol. 8, No 3(18), Supplement A, 2009, is dedicated to the research findings, obtained under the Romanian Grant 91-066 “Research regarding the development of an integrated, complex and interactive information system to assist the marketing decisions of the Romanian companies in order to raise the level of the competitiveness”, financed by National Center for Programs Management, Romania (CNMP) and developed since 2007 in the frame of INFOMARK Project. The INFOMARK Project aims at achieving a portal to host the results of academic research conducted by the marketing departments of five partner universities. It also presents the access of tools and techniques in conducting marketing research on various subjects, which could be of definite interest to Romanian business companies and non-profit organizations.

Partner universities are the most important cradles of scientific activities – not only in the field of business and economics – but in all regions of Romania. This partnership covers Wallachia (Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies), Banat (West University of Timişoara), Transylvania (“Babes-Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca), Moldavia (“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi) and Dobrujea (“Ovidius” University in Constanţa). For those less familiar with the higher education system in Romania, we would to emphasise that the first four above-mentioned universities are, together with the University of Bucharest, the members of the “Universitaria” Consortium, which groups the five major universities in Romania.

With the topic of this project in mind, the following structure of the submitted papers was offered:

1. Competitive Challenges for Business Market Development in Romania.
2. Transformational Challenges for Stakeholders’ Role in CEEC Business.
3. Transforming Educational Markets in Romania.
4. Implications for Marketing Innovations in Romanian Industrial Sectors.

The Romanian authors have performed a multi-facet and interdisciplinary research on theoretical and empirical tasks, covering a wide range of factors, influencing the efficiency and competitiveness of the national market in respect of business development, stakeholders’ role in the business performance, educational market issues and marketing innovations in tourism, political, relationship and sustainable marketing with further development in marketing communications.

Finally, we wish to thank the National Centre for Programs Management from Romania (CNMP), for funding the research on which these articles are based. Also the young researchers Mihai Ioan Rosca, Alin Stancu, Florin Ionescu and Andreea Barbu, from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, deserve thanks and appreciation, as they had an essential contribution in writing the project application that led to winning the grant. On behalf of the Romanian contributors and project organisers, we would like to express special thanks to Vilnius University and the Publishing House of Vilnius University in assisting and recognizing the Romanian scientific contribution to the CEEC knowledge dissemination.