Blog

The European Retail Academy (ERA) was founded in February 2005 at the exhibition EuroShop by Prof. Dr. Bernd Hallier and some of his academic friends to support the Bologna-process and the interaction between theory and application in the field. Today www.european-retail-academy.org has links to more than 225 research-institutes for trade/marketing/ tourism all over the world. The ERA Hall of Fame selects each year one professor who stands for outstanding contributions within the international interaction of research and applied sciences. Allow us to remember the distinguished personalities who have been honored by ERA in the last five years: John L. Stanton, Léon F. Wegnez, Romano Prodi, Klaus Toepfer, Robert Aumann.

It is our honor and pleasure to announce that at the beginning of this year ERA recommends the Romanian Distribution Committee Magazine as an opportunity for publishing major research.

     ARS DOCENDI publishing house, University of Bucharest, a publishing house with an academic and cultural profile, recently launched, during the  „GAUDEAMUS International Book Fair” , the book entitled “CHINA”, book coordinated by the married couple Alexandru-Mircea Nedelea și Marilena-Oana Nedelea, Professors at „Ștefan cel Mare“ University in Suceava. It’s a book that deserves to be read thoroughly, being written with soul, with wisdom and skillfully.

     “Preface” is signed (in September 2015) by His Excellency XU Feihong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China to Romania, wholeheartedly thanking those who have contributed to the writing this book and friends from various circles who have been concerned with China throughout the years, underlining the soul connection between the people of the two countries and the fact that the relations between our countries are perfectly illustrated by the proverb  ” A friend in need is a friend indeed”.  His Excellency considers that the connection between China and Romania  is worthy of being called a model relationship between the two countries. In the same time, His Excellency stated that this book entitled “China” describes in detail the image of this country from a political, economic, cultural, historical, diplomatic perspective etc. and helps the reader to understand modern China.

Here is the context in which we allow ourselves to invite to reading, arguing that beginning with the first chapter the reader is lured with a consistent ideatic structure reflecting substance and topicality: Memories marked by a smile, the shortest path between friends; Goodwill as a fundamental value and cultural renaissance in the 21st century articulated on rapid economic development. A new economic development model; The Chinese model, the first place in terms of ability to stimulate economy. China’s strategy to build a harmonious society internally and a harmonious world internationally; Towards a sustainable model that balances growth with social harmony and innovation with environmental protection. A more profound ontology of social entrepreneurship; Evolving economic profiles of Chinese consumers, the most important trend in the development of the Chinese  market. The revolution of sales of goods online; Forces which forge the future of China and building the necessary skills to move forward. Challenges for scientific researchers in the field of international and comparative political economy; Instead of conclusions, also a smile, thinking about the wisdom of promoting consensus for a harmonious world.

The Association of Faculties of Economics in Romania (AFER) and the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) organized on November 27, 2015, in the beautiful historical “Virgil Madgearu” Hall, a commemorative Round Table – from the “Our Professors” cycle – on the occasion of celebrating 75 years since the assassination of the great personalities Virgil Madgearu and Nicolae Iorga, Professors at the Academy of High Commercial and Industrial Studies (AISCI), today the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE). It is our duty to mention that (before the round table) ASE’s and AFER’s representatives laid wreaths at the burial places of the distinguished commemorated personalities.

The Round Table discussions (within the true focus event) were lively, exploring the life and legacy of the commemorated prominent personalities and allowing the clarification of questions and concerns. Let us mention some qualitative contributions of the participants in the Round Table debate: Constantin Rosca, Ion Vorovenci, Robert Sova, Razvan Zaharia, Dumitru Miron, Theodor Purcarea, Tudor Hobeanu, Gheorghe Lutac, Grigore Pirosca, Catalin Huidumac, Mihail Opritescu, Ioan Todea, Valerica Olteanu, Octavian Oprica. It is also worth mentioning that students felt also comfortable to ask questions and challenge issues, and that at the end of the meeting main points were drawn together.

European Retail Academy informed us that the bi-annual APRCE Congress and Exhibition was hosted in 2015 by the Phillippines. The opening ceremony in Manila was honored by a speech of H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Republic and by greetings of the FAPRA President Mehmet Nane/Turkey and the President of the Philippine Retail Association Lorenzo C. Formoso. On the occasion of the exhibition, Andrew Yeo, the founder of the “Retail Asia” magazine and Professor Bernd Hallier, President of the European Retail Academy, promoted together their books “True Grit” and “From Crisis to Competence” and “Food Waste Management”.

European Retail Academy also let us know that the “Retail Asia” magazine analyzed with its partners the statistics of the Top 500 retailers in 14 key markets. The Gold Awards for each country were given to:  Australia/Westfarmers, China/China Resource Enterprise, Hong Kong/AS Watson, India/Future Value Retail, Indonesia/Indomarco Prismatama, Japan/AEON, Malaysia/GCH Retail, New Zealand/Foodstuffs, Philippines/ SM Retail, Singapore/NTUC Fair Price, South Korea/Lotte, Taiwan/President Chain Store Corp., Thailand/CP-All and Vietnam/Saigon COOP. 26 of the top-players had accepted further questionnaires to analyze their business strategies, their IT or HR-Resources or their Corporate Social Responsibilty . An international Jury (including of course Prof. Dr. Bernd Hallier) voted for the Best-of-the Best: Gold – The Good Guys/Australia, Silver- China Resources Enterprise/China and Bronze – Mercury Drug Corp./Philippines. The Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner was held at the Solaire Resort & Casino in Manila/Philippines.

Friday, October 30, 2015, the historical Aula Magna of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) hosted the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Association of Faculties of Economics in Romania (AFER). After 10 years of active and responsible involvement, AFER – the architect of the dialogue about the continuous improvement of economic education – has proved true to its promise that it will always be devoted to a growing culture of assessment and measurement in education, research and innovation as we move to the next society, always with a new emphasis on the economic contribution of higher education to economic and social life and the need to work in a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way. AFER actions constantly expressed both responsibility for the assumed objectives and determination in addressing the quality and consistency of the values and expectations of being the heart of the community that serves the needs and aspirations of higher economic education in Romania.

From the very beginning, AFER has assumed the role of a true platform for debate – for the universities for economics as integrated organizational actors, goal oriented and competitive –  on the necessary evolution of economic higher education development in relation to key function: creation of knowledge through research; dissemination of knowledge through teaching and service; preservation of knowledge through libraries; bringing increasingly important contributions to the advancement of economic and social life of communities. Promoter and founder of AFER, Professor Ion Gh. Roşca, AFER President during 2005-2012 and Honorary President of AFER (2012-2013), led the quality of interaction at the level of the association, enhancing the intangible attributes of the interaction experience, motivated and inspired, introduced new directions, mobilized and revived, communicated differences, demonstrated value propositions and put them into practice, created resonance and connection, coordinating behaviors framing economic issues and appropriate lighting solutions in real time, created “rolling effect” of the auto-renewable wave of AFER.

Let us also remember that within the special context of this festive meeting celebrating the 10th anniversary of AFER, Distinctions of Honorary Membership and AFER Jubilee Distinctions and Diplomas were conferred to personalities of the Romanian Academy, business environment and AFER’s academic community.