The world today is vastly different than what it was even a few decades ago, as a result of advances in technology, globalization, and societal changes. Recently, a particular attention was given to sustainable development, raising the question of how to drive economic growth in a responsible manner by harnessing technology’s potential while accounting for diverse national perspectives. In 2015, the United Nations agreed upon 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed to transform our world by 2030. However, without the support of stakeholders from the government, business and civil societies, the SDGs are only aspirations.

In light of these developments, ICESS 2023 provides a space for all those interested in Economics and Social Sciences to discuss and exchange research ideas for increasing economic performance while improving our quality of life and meeting the needs of future generations. We welcome both empirical and theoretical work that is broadly consistent with the conference theme. Researchers, PhD students and practitioners are invited to explore the topic, especially from an Economics, Management or Finance perspective, and submit papers that will help organizations, economic sectors and countries develop in a sustainable way.

Sorin Vâlcea

is an Associate Professor in the Management and Labor Relations Department at Cleveland State University. He received his PhD in Management (with a focus on Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management) from the University of Oklahoma. His research interests include leadership development, extra-role employee behaviors, work in teams, and employment interviews. He has published research on leader and follower development, proactivity, and methodologies in OB/HRM. His work has appeared in journals such as Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Vocational Behavior, and the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.

He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in business administration from the FABIZ Faculty of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, which he graduated in 2004 and 2006, respectively.

Ionut Dumitru

is Professor of Finance at the Faculty of Finance, Insurance, Banking and Stock Exchange, Department of Money and Banking, within the Bucharest University of Economic Studies. He is former chairman of the Fiscal Council of Romania, and he is currently Chief-Economist at Raiffeisen Bank Romania.

Mr. Dumitru graduated the Faculty of Finance, Insurance, Banking and Stock Exchange, has a master’s degree in “Financial and Monetary Policies and Strategies” within the Doctoral School of Finance and Banking (DOFIN) and obtained his PhD degree in Finance at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies. He attended various training courses in macroeconomics and financial markets held by professors from DOFIN partner universities – Reading and ISMA Centre (UK), Erasmus (Netherlands), MIT, Columbia and New York University (US), as well as a several training programs on management and financial markets.