Browsing by Author "Pirciog, Speranta"

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Clusters as engines of sustainable employment growth in Romania1
(Sustainable Regional Development Scientific Journal, 2024) Lincaru, Cristina; Tudose, Gabriela; Cosnita, Daniel; Pirciog, Speranta; Grigorescu, Adriana; Ciuca, Vasilica
The imperative for sustainable growth has elevated clusters as pivotal tools for economic and social inclusion, fostering job creation, equitable income distribution, and regional competitiveness. A cluster comprises interrelated companies and institutionsin close geographical proximity, establishing expertise and a robust network of suppliers and skills. Clusters enhance productivity and catalyze development by concentrating enterprises and labor within a unified framework, surpassing isolated firms in regional impact. This study aims to examine whether clusters act as accelerators of employment growth over time and space. Using Simple Linear Regression (SLR) to analyze data from the Romanian Association of Clusters (CLUSTERO) and the National Institute of Statistics (Tempo INS) for 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022, we investigate the research question: Do firms within clusters, as defined by European Policy criteria, contribute to accelerating employment creation? Specifically, we assess whether the ratio of employment in clustered firms relative to total employment shows a positive trend over time. Findings reveal that clusters contribute significantly to employment growth, validating their function as a strategic asset in enhancing workforce specialization, economic development, and regional resilience. Policy recommendations underscore the need for inclusive growth strategies that incorporate sustainability to maximize cluster impact on social and economic objectives.
The Future of Higher Education, Readiness for the Open Innovation Paradigm
(2025-10-09) Grigorescu, Adriana; Pirciog, Speranta; Mochnacs, Amalia-Elena; Sigurjonsson, Throstur Olaf
The open innovation (OI) paradigm has significantly impacted higher education, especially within the context of the global networks of societies. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred innovation, creating online educational communities and transforming the academic approach. While OI, the movement towards online learning, and the industry-academia cooperation for a better grounding in labor market demands have been discussed in previous studies, this quantitative study furthers the understanding of the preparedness and efficiency of the education system for the new labor market. This study investigates the potential correlation between the education system and various socio-economic indicators, such as education expenditure, mobility opportunities, digital inclusion, employment, and urbanization. The regression analysis was conducted on the dataset obtained from the open-access EUROSTAT database.