Corporate governance is currently described as a multidimensional field central to corporate accountability, strategic direction, and long-term value creation. This article examines the concept of corporate governance through a review of institutional and academic definitions, to identify the evolution and principal convergences. Across both institutional and scholarly perspectives, recurring themes include board oversight, shareholder rights, strategic alignment, and, more recently, sustainability and stakeholder inclusion. At the same time, there is an important focus on formal structures, the predominance of board-centered and shareholder-oriented perspectives, the underrepresentation of non-financial stakeholders, and limited applicability to small and medium-sized enterprises. The study concludes that corporate governance should be understood as a dynamic and evolving system that balances financial and non-financial objectives while responding to organizational, societal, and environmental expectations. By synthesizing institutional and theoretical perspectives, the article contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of corporate governance from different yet complementary perspectives.

This paper examines how internal control mechanisms serve as the backbone of governance within public cultural institutions, specifically targeting the South Muntenia Region. This tool is considered essential to maintain efficiency and clarity in the face of current challenges. The empirical foundation used a exploratory quantitative survey of 100 mainly accounting and internal audit specialists, managers, directors, administrative staff with relevant responsibilities in internal control, as well as members of control committees or boards of directors from museums, public libraries, cultural canters, public theatres and other cultural institutions subordinated to public authorities in the Southern Muntenia Region, applied between July and September 2025. The survey collected information on the degree of implementation of internal control systems, problems encountered and solutions for improving procedures. The data analysis found a big difference between how theory is supposed to work and how they actually do work in practice, not just how well people follow them. It identified that internal control must adapt to legislative, technological and social changes and that employees must be continuously trained. The study gives cultural managers a useful guide that changes the focus from passive auditing to active governance, a practical insight into how public cultural institutions can use appropriate internal control to increase efficiency, transparency and managerial accountability.

This paper examines the strategic integration of recommender systems within organizational decision-making architectures, with a focus on managerial implications in the e-commerce sector. Anchored in strategic management theory, the study conceptualizes recommender systems as components of organizational intelligence that shape managerial cognition, resource allocation, and long-term competitive positioning. Drawing on established analytical frameworks—including SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and the Resource-Based View (RBV)—the paper identifies the strategic determinants that condition the adoption and optimization of recommender systems. The analysis develops an integrative conceptual framework linking algorithmic capabilities to strategic choices, competitive dynamics, and value creation. Emphasis is placed on governance mechanisms, ethical alignment, and data-driven leadership as prerequisites for sustainable competitive advantage. By repositioning recommender systems from operational tools to strategic infrastructures, the study contributes to strategic management research on digital transformation and algorithmic decision support.

This paper investigates the role of digital transformation in accelerating the European Union’s transition toward a circular economy, specifically focusing on municipal waste management. The research design employs a descriptive and comparative analytical approach using EU-27 data from 2000–2023. While recycling rates have doubled, current trajectories remain below the 2030–2035 targets. The original contribution of this study lies in providing a structured roadmap for digital integration, identifying how technologies like IoT and AI can bridge the performance gap. The findings highlight that digital solutions are essential drivers for environmental efficiency and governance transparency.

The paper examines the transfer of European best practices in human resource management within the public sector of the Republic of Moldova, in the context of European integration and the modernization of public administration. The research has a theoretical–analytical character and is based on a comparative analysis of relevant European models, including Romania’s experience in the professionalization and evaluation of civil servants, Poland’s model built on competency frameworks and performance-based promotion, as well as the practices of the Baltic states oriented toward the digitalization of human resource management and the use of data-driven management tools. The findings highlight the interdependence between the professionalization of human resources and job satisfaction, factors that directly influence institutional performance. Based on the analysis, several policy directions are proposed: the institutionalization of a central HR governance structure, the implementation of a unified digital HR management system, the adoption of a national competency framework for the civil service, the integration of job satisfaction indicators into institutional evaluation, and the development of continuous training programs focused on digital competencies. The contribution of the study lies in the operationalization of an adaptive transfer framework that connects European HR standards with operational instruments applicable to public administration in the Republic of Moldova.

The study investigates how organizational policies and practices support both career management and work-life balance in relation to organizational performance. The theoretical foundation of the research is the protean career concept, which emphasizes self-direction and a personal values orientation. In this context, organizational policies are becoming increasingly important, shaped by uncertainty and increasing pressures on managers in both leadership and operational roles. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, with a dominant qualitative component based on semi-structured interviews and an integrated quantitative component measured on a 1-5 Likert scale; the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential methods to compare the public and private sectors. Data were collected from 67 senior and operational managers. The interviews were structured around four main themes: autonomy in decision-making, career management, work-life balance, and role conflict and career sustainability. The findings highlight how organizations’ policies on career management and work-life balance influence performance through employee retention and customer satisfaction. In addition, the study shows that autonomy and role clarity are important for the sustainability of managerial careers. The research contributes to the application of the protean career concept within organizations and highlights the close links among career management, work-life balance, and organizational performance.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in global corporations has evolved from an optional technological upgrade into a strategic necessity driven by accelerated digital transformation, heightened competitive pressure, and expanding regulatory requirements. This paper examines how AI influences innovation management, with particular attention to its role in due diligence processes where speed, accuracy, transparency, and risk identification are critical for corporate decision-making. Building on the premise that AI is not merely an automation tool but a capability that changes how organizations generate knowledge and coordinate action, the study evaluates both measurable performance effects and organizational implications.
The research objective is to assess the adoption of AI in multinational corporations and to determine its impact on (i) innovation efficiency and outcomes, and (ii) due diligence performance and risk management. A mixed-methods design was applied. Quantitative analysis draws on operational indicators from 25 multinational corporations (technology, finance, manufacturing), including processing time for due diligence reports, frequency of human errors in compliance procedures, R&D productivity expressed through prototype development, and financial indicators linked to AI-enabled innovation projects. Qualitative insights were collected through 30 semi-structured interviews with managers and employees involved in innovation management, compliance, and digital transformation initiatives.
Findings indicate that AI adoption is associated with substantial reductions in processing time and error rates, supporting more reliable and faster decisions in compliance and due diligence activities. Simultaneously, AI contributes to innovation management by enabling advanced analytics, shortening development cycles, and supporting cross-border collaboration through shared data and project platforms. However, the study also identifies persistent barriers that shape implementation outcomes: ethical concerns related to privacy and bias, integration constraints with legacy systems, and ongoing demands for training and reskilling.
The paper concludes that the strategic value of AI depends on governance choices and organizational readiness. Corporations that combine technological investment with human capital development and clear ethical frameworks are more likely to realise AI’s benefits while limiting risks. The contribution of the study lies in consolidating evidence on AI’s dual role—enhancing innovation performance and strengthening due diligence—while highlighting the organizational conditions that enable sustainable, trustworthy, and scalable adoption.

Monetising emission reductions from Romania’s European-funded green transportation projects remains narrowly quantified, while systemic barriers inhibit broader monetization potential. Evidence from the literature reviewed indicates that, while a range of green transportation interventions have been piloted or supported by European and national programmes, consistent methodologies for valuing their environmental benefits are either lacking or remain limited, fragmented, or highly project specific. The research addresses that gap by applying a harmonised methodology drawing on the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) Project Carbon Footprint Methodology, the European Commission’s Handbook on the External Costs of Transport (2019), and JASPERS’ Economic Appraisal Vademecum in order to quantify and monetise greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions achieved through Modernisation Fund investments. The analysis relies on verified data from all Romanian transport projects confirmed by the EIB and published on modernisationfund.eu. Results show that analysed investments deliver substantial climate benefits which can be monetised, with rail and metro investments providing the highest abatement potential per euro spent, while electrification projects offering the most cost-efficient decarbonisation path. The findings support the need for a standardised monetisation approach and highlight that, even under conservative assumptions, Romania’s transport Modernisation Fund projects generate quantifiable and monetisable environmental benefits.

The role of digitalization in contemporary organizations is a current and highly relevant topic, which is why the specialized literature requires frequent revision and updating of the theoretical framework. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a recent contribution to this framework, enabling a better conceptualization of digitalization in relation to the most important organizational process, more exactly, decision-making. In this regard, the main objective of the study is to determine the role that digitalization plays in contemporary organizations, particularly in relation to decision-making. The research employs a systematic literature review methodology, relying exclusively on sources indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. Furthermore, the research findings answer its central question, providing a current, rigorous and coherent perspective on the subject under analysis. Additionally, the study concludes by highlighting the role and importance of digitalization in the organizational environment.

In the context of the energy transition, increasing ESG pressures, and the intensification of global risks, the oil industry faces profound structural challenges related to workforce stability and the preservation of key competencies. Within this environment, the retention of critical human capital emerges as a strategic determinant of organizational performance and sustainable competitive advantage. This study aims to develop an integrative conceptual framework that explains the mechanisms through which performance management influences the retention of critical human capital in oil companies undergoing energy transition. Based on a critical synthesis of the recent literature, the study highlights the strategic role of performance management, reinforced by professional development and talent management practices, as well as the mediating role of psychological empowerment in the relationship between performance and retention. The theoretical findings support a direct link between critical human capital retention and the strengthening of sustainable competitive advantage. The main contribution of this study lies in reconceptualizing performance management as a strategic governance instrument for critical human capital, offering a relevant conceptual foundation for future research and for managerial decision-making in the transitioning energy sector.