This article examines the convergence between active ageing, inclusive social innovation, and smart city development, proposing the concept of the Inclusive Urban Social Innovation Ecosystem (IUSIE) as a systemic framework for enhancing the quality of life for older adults in urban environments. The study explores how urban governance, digital transformation, and community-based collaboration can collectively support health, autonomy, and participation among ageing populations. Using a literature-based review combined with comparative analysis of recent international policy and innovation practices, the paper develops and validates three interconnected research hypotheses. These hypotheses address the role of IUSIE as a complex adaptive system for active ageing, the function of inclusive social innovation as a bridge between ageing processes and artificial intelligence, and the expression of smart city adaptability through urban inclusiveness. Case studies from Europe, Asia, and North America illustrate how age-friendly urban innovation is being pursued through participatory methods, technology-enabled services, and ecosystemic policy integration. The findings confirm that addressing active ageing in smart cities requires interdisciplinary, inclusive, and context-sensitive strategies. The IUSIE model offers an integrative perspective for designing urban environments that are not only technologically advanced but also socially responsive and longevity-ready.

The aim of this paper is to synthesize and analyze existing evidence on interconnected sensor networks and digital urban governance in data-driven smart sustainable cities. The research topic of this systematic review is whether and to what extent smart city governance can effectively integrate the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), intelligent decision algorithms based on big data technologies, and cloud computing. This is relevant since smart cities place special emphasis on the involvement of citizens in decision-making processes and sustainable urban development. To investigate the work to date, search outcome management and systematic review screening procedures were handled by PRISMA and Shiny app flow design. A quantitative literature review was carried out in June 2024 for published original and review research between 2018 and 2024. For qualitative and quantitative data management and analysis in the research review process, data extraction tools, study screening, reference management software, evidence map visualization, machine learning classifiers, and reference management software were harnessed. Dimensions and VOSviewer were deployed to explore and visualize the bibliometric data.

In this article, we analyze the perspectives of professional training for public administration workers, starting from the insights gained from online courses run during the past two years in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In order to understand the nature, type, and magnitude of the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of continuous professional training for public administration, we carried out a systematic bibliographic analysis, as well as questionnaire-based empirical research conducted among public institution employees in Romania. This article was conducted based on the hypothesis that the professional training activities over the past two years have been organized predominantly online, and we aim to analyze the sustainability of these new teaching systems/methods. The limitations of the study are due to the fact that each administrative system has structural particularities and its own legal framework regarding the professional training of public administration workers; for this reason, the proposed model may not be successfully applied in all countries. We provide a model of online professional training for public administration workers that includes sustainability criteria and is based on experience accumulated over the past two years.

The open method of coordination (OMC)—a tool which was formalized in the early 2000s—has generated the interest of both the researchers and practitioners in the context of the new EU governance. This article is examining the literature of both network governance and OMC, with the focus particularly on one main question: is OMC a useful instrument in health policies in order to achieve concrete results by outlining norms and legislation where EU exercise limited power? Analyzing a field in which the EU competence is limited—given the budgetary implications of medicines reimbursement—from the results of the existing collaboration within EUnetHTA, we will observe the added value in this particular case of the OMC application, and the possible consequences in shaping the supranational competences. Given that the EU, with some exceptions provided by the Treaties, may only exercise actions to support, coordinate or complement the action of the Member States in the health policy, the OMC proves to be a useful tool, both from the perspective of the Member States but especially of the supranational level.

This chapter discusses a case that presents and analyses a cause-related marketing campaign on the fight against breast cancer in Romania, campaign of AVON Beauty Company. The products of the company devoted especially to the cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign represent solidarity products with a distinct symbol, known for the cause supported, more precisely with a pink bow (brooches, pens, notebooks, necklaces, scarves, wallets, etc.). In Romania, this type of campaigns related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is approached as a CSR programme where companies are committed to donate an amount (to an NGO, other partner with legitimacy for the cause and with capacity to manage the financial resources) in favour of a cause depending on the sales of certain solidarity products, designated especially to this campaign.

Jobs around the world are affected by the current health crisis. European Commission, governments are concerned with finding measures to ensure the protection of employees. As such, on October 21, 2020 the European Commission issued an inaugural set of obligations with a social impact under the EU SURE Instrument of the European Union. Amounting to EUR 17 billion, instrument intended to help protect jobs and keep up employment. Under this framework, this chapter analyzes public employment services in four European countries to identify the extent to which they have adapted to the global pandemic situation. Measures to protect jobs and support workers in identifying new jobs are a permanent concern for most countries. Additionally, we are witnessing an accelerated digitalization of overall public services, public employment services too. The way in which employment services are organized, the degree of digitalization does not necessarily infer the conclusion that workers’ protection is ensured but only that the premises for the health crisis mitigation effects are provided.

Subsidiarity constitutes a guiding principle of the EU exercising power and the idea of involving national parliaments in the EU legislative procedure was seen as the best solution to increase democracy and transparency of the EU decision-making process at the European Convention established in 2001. Such a mechanism enables national parliaments to ensure the correct application of the principle of subsidiarity by the institutions taking part in the legislative process. This article examines how this principle is implemented by the national parliaments and EU responsible institutions. What is the novelty derived from the Treaty of Lisbon? Do national parliaments participate actively in the implementation of subsidiarity? If yes, what are the tools at their disposal? To answer all of these questions we try to shape a framework for understanding the phenomenon.

The genuine and actual conditions of operation of public institutions in Romania should determine the creation of behaviors oriented on development of organizational learning culture. The objectives of the chapter are focused on identifying the use of knowledge management concept in local public institutions in Romania, as well as its importance and impact in transforming them into innovative learning organizations. The theoretical part of the chapter comprises the analysis of the field literature, presentation of the definitions and characteristics of the notions of knowledge management, learning organization, the concept of innovation, presentation of the importance of developing interrelations triggering efficient and effective organizations. Concerning the case study, the chapter aims to identify the extent to which the knowledge management concept exists in three local public institutions in Romania, how knowledge is managed, if there is organizational learning, if they are learning and innovative organizations, as well as the interdependencies.

In the aftermath of the 2019 European elections, the article tries to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the European Parliament within the framework of the ordinary legislative procedure (co-decision). After defining and formulating the main indicators, the paper analyses the micro- and macro-performance of the European Parliament within the decision-making process from a quantitative-qualitative and a qualitative-quantitative perspective; highlighting the relativizing factors and the responsiveness of the European decision-making process to the Europeans’ needs.

The chapter objectives focus on mapping the sector of social economy in some states from South-Eastern Europe, presenting their role and impact due to the activities achieved in society. The theoretical part of the chapter comprises the evolution of social economy in Europe, in general, and in South-Eastern Europe, in particular, the identification of the types of organizations in this area. The case study identifies and presents the stages of development of the social enterprises in countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Republic of Moldova, and explores, by comparative analysis the institutional frameworks, the regulations of social enterprises, the eligible judicial forms, presenting similarities and differences, as well as the contribution to social inclusion and impact on community in general. The chapter identifies and explains the influence of the European actors and presents the factors specific to each country which have influenced and supported the emergence of social enterprises as well as the challenges faced.

Integration of public and nonprofit marketing issues into the current public administration research agenda is the result of the continued expansion in the last decades of spheres and content of the mentioned domains. Public and nonprofit marketing become an instrument for discovering, adapting and applying the techniques and principles of marketing to public organizations and process, which requires the development of a specific and distinctive body of knowledge. Re-evaluating and detailing the marketing objectives applicable to the public and nonprofit sectors have been the rationale and support of the establishment and existence of a permanent study group (PSG) of EGPA. This chapter brings the necessary arguments for further research in the field of public and nonprofit marketing and makes an evaluation of the activity up to the present moment, within the PSG XVI we mentioned.

Romanian education system faces structural failures due to increased labour market instability and the proliferation of austere economic policies in adjusting the value of GDP. Open competition on the labour market, both in the EU and countries outside the European Union also stresses the need to adapt the education system to meet current and future needs of society by contributing to the development of information technology research and eco-awareness. The education system in Romania will have to take into account the need to give people the skills and abilities needed to adapt quickly to a changing labour market. Keywords: High education system, study programs, macro economical indicators, linear trend, labour market.

The intrinsic link between public procurement and social innovation is moreover present both in the field literature and policies, documents of the European Union or other international organizations or institutions. The priority topics refer both to public procurement as driver of innovation in the public sector and to the “smart guide” on innovation for services. The ‘smart’ feature reflects ICT role and importance as support of innovation in the public services and in general, in social innovation. In Europe, as in other states/regions of the world, the actual trends describe a systemic behaviour of social innovation, stimulated by substantial measures and tools for its promotion through continuous improvement of its informational and technological support. The paper aims to substantiate and describe the ecosystem of ICT based innovation in the public sector.

Numerous studies and publications pay attention to the evolution of human capital and the direction of their connection with development and democracy. Although from a conceptual point of view, human capital does not have sufficient explanatory power, the assumption that the performance of economic and social development depends heavily on human capital is almost unanimously accepted. From here, also arise the relevant concerns of the academic, business and public business community for assessing human capital and its impact on development. In this context, besides research on the nature of human capital, interdependencies and organizational responsibility and the incorporation of human capital into the economy of the future, other two theoretical and empirical directions, promoted on the one hand by the World Economic Forum or another part of the European Commission through the Structural Funds. The concerns of the two institutions become convergent on programs for human capital. If ` a new benchmark for leaders to build the workforces of the future', the Structural Funds provide concrete instruments for investing in human capital. The present paper aims to substantiate and exemplify a new framework for assessing human capital and the contribution of structural funds to its evolution.