APPROACHES REGARDING QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES ON THE ROMANIAN BAKERY MARKET

Lately, consumers have become more critical and alert to the quality of products and the factors that influence the sustainability of the society in which they live. The Romanian bakery market is in a continuous development, with a wide range of products. In order to attract and satisfy customers, manufacturers apply various quality strategies and sustainability measures. The study analyzes the quality strategies and sustainability measures adopted in this market. In order to achieve the objective of the paper, a quantitative marketing research was carried out.

Consumer behavior in the digital environment under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic: the importance of the health factor and business transparency

Introduction. With the onset of quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in consumer behavior are evident, such as increased panic and more conscious behavior focusing on health and avoiding potential threats. Therefore, the study of consumer behavior in such conditions is an urgent and timely task.Purpose. The study aims to analyze changes in consumer behavior in the digital environment under the influence of events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Method (methodology). The theoretical and methodological basis of the study were general scientific methods of scientific knowledge: theoretical generalization, systematization, analysis and synthesis. The authors investigated trends in consumer behavior in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main stages of change in consumer behavior are analyzed. The steps of the transition of companies to communicate with consumers in the digital environment were singled out. Factors such as health care and openness (business transparency) have been identified as determinants of trust in businesses in times of crisis. Brief statistics on the global consumption of products in various fields are presented. In particular, the positive dynamics in the growth of Internet users’ search queries for the purchase of health products are revealed. A comparison of the number of search queries in the Google Trends service for thematic terms of the research: «product delivery» and «health» within the Ukrainian market and in the world. It is determined that a new direction of word-of-mouth marketing is gaining popularity, which is an effective tool for communication with consumers in the digital environment through social networks and various cyberspace sites. Results. The authors identify the main trends in Internet marketing in recent years and make recommendations on marketing tools for future strategies of companies in the digital environment. The findings can be helpful to experts in the field of product promotion on the Internet and practicing marketers in the area of innovative services, which are gaining popularity in the wake of global trends in consumer behavior.Perspectives. In further research, the authors should focus on quantitative marketing research of consumers’ attitudes to companies’ product offerings and their willingness to cooperate, supported by the developed marketing programs.

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR INFORMATION ON MENTAL HEALTH. DOES WHAT WE DO AFFECT THE WAY WE PERCEIVE THEM? A QUANTITATIVE STUDY AMONG THE ADULT POPULATION IN BRAȘOV, ROMANIA

This paper discusses whether and to what extent the occupational level of the adult population in Brasov County affects the perceptions regarding the digital tools’ importance for information on mental health disorders such as depression and how the population with different occupational levels perceives and assimilates the digital tools for mental health needs. A quantitative marketing research was conducted among 514 adults from Brasov County. The ANOVA test was applied to achieve the set goal. The outcomes are useful for academics and practitioners to design sustainable digital health policies and create efficient prevention campaigns for depression, by focusing on digital tools.

IoT Technologies as Instruments for SMEs’ Innovation and Sustainable Growth

This paper studies specific aspects related to the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and the impact they have on the sustainable growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Romanian IT industry. It was considered that digital marketing in general, and IoT in particular, have enormous potential for the aforementioned entities, and the acceptance and adoption of IoTs by companies in different sectors can significantly influence the way they operate, leading to sustainable growth. Primary data obtained from quantitative marketing research based on a questionnaire were analyzed. The results showed that although a large proportion of the Romanian IT industry SMEs use advanced marketing technologies, relatively few of those have integrated IoT solutions to date, mainly due to specific cost challenges. Nevertheless, the outcomes highlight that these companies are aware of the IoT’s benefits and place the adoption of such solutions among their priorities in order to achieve sustainable growth of their businesses. Based on the research results, the main proposal for the business environment is to design viable marketing programs for these companies, as well as to allocate resources for business development aimed at educating human resources to effectively address specific internal and external activities through IoT for sustainable development.

2020 Guest Editors, Guest Associate Editors, and Ad Hoc Reviewers

Marketing Science greatly benefited from the admirable and fastidious efforts of more than 300 different individuals who provided manuscript reviews last year. Beyond those individuals already recognized on the editorial board, the editor-in-chief and senior editors of Marketing Science are indebted to the many guest editors, guest associate editors, and ad hoc reviewers who provided expert counsel and guidance on a voluntary basis. The following list acknowledges the contribution of guest editors, guest associate editors, and ad hoc reviewers who served from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Finally, our sincere appreciation to the authors, whose outstanding submissions and careful revisions make the journal the go-to resource for leading-edge knowledge in quantitative marketing. K. Sudhir Yale University

Considerations regarding the purchase behaviour for clothes made from recycled textile waste in Turkey

Today, more than ever, the increasing levels of recycled textile waste ratios in Turkey make a significant contribution to the development of a sustainable future at global level. This research paper aims to present the attitudes, motives and experiences of the Turkish purchase intention related to textile products coming from the recycling of unused, old or faulty textile products. A quantitative marketing research was carried out on a sample of over 650 participants on the data provided by the questionnaire which focuses on studying the consumer behaviour of textile products coming from the recycling of unused, old or faulty textile products, influenced by endogenous (psychological) and exogenous (sociological) variables. A series of general hypotheses and statistical assumptions were made, the results of which were presented through testing using a series of econometric formulas. The results show important aspects regarding the purchase intention of the textile products coming from the recycling of unused, old or faulty textile products and they also describe the evolution of the market shares of green textile products, based on the perceptions of the Turkish population.

"QUALITY – A FACTOR FOR INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS ON THE ROMANIAN CAFE MARKET"

"In any market, quality is an important competitive advantage that contributes to attracting and retaining customers. The cafe market in Romania is dominated by several international names and a number of local entrepreneurial businesses. To attract and satisfy customers, cafes apply various quality strategies. The study analyses the quality strategies applied on the Romanian cafe market and how customers perceive the quality of products and services on this market. A quantitative marketing research was carried out in order to achieve the objective of the paper."

Social responsibility in the textile industry in Romania

In a sustainable society, the integration into the activity of entities of the actions from the sphere of social responsibility becomes more and more evident. The study analyzes the textile industry in Romania in terms of social responsibility, the involvement of companies in this industry in asserting the values of this level. Thus, a quantitative marketing research is carried out at the level of the population in Romania, a piece of research which is aimed at identifying the opinions and attitudes of the citizens regarding the social responsibility adopted by the Romanian companies, with emphasis on the companies in the textile industry. In this research, particular attention was given to the comprehension of the reality of the aspects in which consumers perceive the requirements of social responsibility and of the way in which they function in practice. The results of this research can be used by the companies in the textile industry as well as by all the companies interested in this aspect in order to improve the quality of the services and of their implications in the social life and in order to respond to the needs of the citizens as well as possible.

Assessing the Benefits of the Sustainability Reporting Practices in the Top Romanian Companies

The concept of sustainability reporting has been addressed by experts worldwide and is defined as the process of communicating the social and environmental effects of the economic actions of organizations to special interest groups within society in general. The main purpose of this research was to identify and analyze the opinions of the real benefits obtained by large companies in Romania following the elaboration of sustainability reports and their contribution to the development of a sustainable economy. A quantitative marketing research was carried out on the sample randomly extracted from a target community of the largest 5750 companies across 35 counties that were active in strategic priority areas of Romania. Both explicitly and implicitly, the research resulted in essential aspects related to the correlation of the sustainability strategy with sustainability reporting, how sustainable development goals contribute to improving all of the processes included in the integrated company management system, how the internal and external benefits can contribute to increasing economic, social, and environmental performance, and building sustainable relationships with shareholders, employees, and stakeholders. In addition, the findings show that aligning a sustainability strategy with a global business strategy and including sustainability reporting requirements (non-financial) are important concerns at the level of the top companies in Romania.