Marioara Iordan

The Sectoral Structures in Romania, its Regions and the EU Countries – Key Features of Economic and Social Cohesion☆

Abstract The economic structure by sectors plays a very important part in the dynamics of development gaps at sub-national level, because it influences the income level and distribution in the regions/sub-regions of a country, as many empirical studies showed. In the perspective of increasing globalization, difficult recovery from economic crises, and persistent inter-country, inter-regions and intra-regional development gaps, the goals of cohesion policy in the EU member states in the future programming period, 2014- 2020, envisage, among others, the best use of regional/local human, natural and capital resources in order to increase the living standard of all citizens and diminish the development imbalances. The paper presents an analysis of the sectoral gross value added dynamics in Romania, its regions and other EU countries with the help of various structural coefficients, in the attempt to identify patterns of sectoral convergence or divergence, structural resilience or fragility and the likely impact of economic crises.

Regional Resilience in Romania – Between Realism and Aspirations

Abstract The resilience of regions/locations as a possible response to the uncertainty and various rapid and volatile changes in the social and economic environment began to capture the attention of both researchers and policy makers. Based on the concept of regional resilience and selected indicators, the paper analyzes the development of the Romanian regions and their counties over a longer temporal interval, characterized by both growth and crisis and recession. The results indicate different development and adjustment patterns among the regions and among the counties within a region, but also some common trends of economic fragility, continuous restructuring and attempts at adapting to the ever changing socio-economic environment.