Dr. Alexandru Trifu
is
The Pride of Romania
Exclusive Interview
with
Dr. Alexandru Trifu
Question: What inspired you to enter into Economics?
Answer: I considered that everything that surrounds us is actually economic. The passion for study and research in this field was instilled in me over 40 years ago, from college period, by professor Jica (he received The Prize of the Romanian Academy in Economics), He said that a proposition, a phrase, a case, model, originally thought by you which appears in your work, it is an important step forward and a progress in science. This affirmation was done, taking into account the well-known fact that works, books are written from other papers or books. This idea was like a red thread throughout my career.
Answer: Including years in business (practice) about 30 years in this field, because even in the practical activity I looked for projects and solutions to make the activities more efficient. I admit that my scientific collaboration was linked almost exclusively with Bucharest. Yes, it is a minus in my activity to work directly in the fields and programs you mentioned.
But, the permanent activity with the students, participation to Conferences, writing papers and participation in collective scientific volumes, represented sources of enrichment of research and knowledge in the field.
Answer: My future plans are to continue my collaboration with organizations such as IFRD (conferences, journals, advisory board), with the Romanian Academy (Economic section) or other organizations providing research findings, organising conferences, journals publishing. Workshops/webinars in Entrepreneurship, new trends and ideas in Economics, plus collaboration for collective volumes on current issues in the economy represent other aspects of my activity. Furthermore, the activity as Editor, reviewer of some international journals, evaluator of Ph. D. Thesis, are very important in broadening the horizon of knowledge, research and international visibility.
Question: Please introduce yourself and How do you want to be remembered / known in world?
Answer: I am Professor of Economics at “Petre Andrei” University of Iasi, a private university from the Moldova Region in Romania.
Probably, I was fascinated by the world of Economics and I tried to emphasize economic aspects and valences of specific human activities.
A man of the diversity in Economics (as much as possible, because I have no expertise or sufficient expertise in different applied domains of Economics), doubled by the desire to present the economic aspects in a way that everyone can understand. This is the synthesis for my activity.
Question: What kind of businesses can be started in Economics? What minimum infrastructure would it need?
Answer: First of all, providing services, such as real estate, consultancy, food and beverage, IT activities, even intermediary in business.
The minimum endowment: a competitive computer, digital competences, knowledge, quality information, right connections, a HQ, and of course money and courage to take risks.
Question: What do you mean by Law of Marginal Diminishing Returns/Marginal Increasing Returns in the Pursuit of Happiness?
Answer: It's a title, like others of mine, which wants to encourage the reader, specialist or not, to discover this part of the vast field of Economics. I was referring to the to the consumption or purchase of extra units of a certain good and which above a certain limit, or below a certain limit, leads to negative effects for the person in question and to negative results in life and work. This aspect is important to be taking into account, if someone wants the life, but especially the work of a person to be efficient.
Question: What do you mean by Mind the Gap of Inequalities Between and Within Countries?
Answer: I’ve tried to introduce terms and expressions from other domains, or common language to emphasize the importance of the issue. In this case, I considered that the expression “Mind the gap” is more appropriate to draw attention to the development inequalities between countries, first of all, but also within states.
Question: What is Economics? What are the major branches in Economics?
Answer: Economics is a social science, involving in resources, labour, technologies in order to satisfy the expressed needs, through production of goods, providing services, for consumption and distribution/ or allocation.
Economics, as it is pronounced, but also in meaning, is similar to mechanics. That is a functional system, with people/labour force as a core, with relationships between the main activities of society/human life.
The two major branches of Economics:
Microeconomics- with components linked to the Theory of the Firm, Management and Entrepreneurship, Factors of production (especially the workforce or labour)
Macroeconomics-with components linked to different approaches based on the Schools of Economic Thought, unemployment, inflation, macro-indicators, economic infrastructure, even trade.
We are interested also in so-called niche disciplines as Financial Economics, Consumer Economics, Public Economics, or border disciplines as Psychological Economics, Geographic Economics, History Economics, Geo-Economics.
Question: How Inequalities, is major problem of today?
Answer: Inequalities, as a general definition in social life, represent the unequal or unjust distribution of wealth (resources and opportunities) among people or communities.
Important is to see and understand differences/discrepancies between rich people and poor people; between urban and rural; between regions of a country (see NUTS-Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics-used by Eurostat for European Community); between countries of the world.
In my opinion, the inequalities at the level of national economies are the accumulation of inequalities starting from the lowest levels.
I consider that the entire mechanism of Economics cannot work normally only with developed countries/regions. Therefore, it is needed that these countries to support, mainly from financial and commercial points of view the rest of countries, in such a way that we have a win-win global or regional economic game, in which all countries win, of course in different proportions.
A turning point could have been the G8 (at that time) Glasgow 2005 Summit, where the financial support of Third World countries was decided. I emphasized that political will was needed to practically achieve what was established (because since then too little has been achieved until today).
Answer: In fact, the equation of success in a business includes exactly the variables above-enumerated: the capital, the proper workforce (skills, knowledge, professionalism), properly motivated and a favourable environment to work, so that employees to be satisfied and the firm/company to make profit.
If the entrepreneur/CEO desires these goals and so that the business to work and to be stable, he has to allocate sufficient financial funds to maintain this favourable situation and the profitability of the firm/company.
Question: What are your views on workforce migration?
Answer: Over the years, the European Union, US as well, have been the preferred destination of millions of immigrants. The countries of destination were and remain the highly developed countries where these immigrants have social protection, tolerance from the authorities and relative understanding from the resident citizens. This is because legal immigrants are needed to fill certain gaps in the EU labor market, as the population of the member states is aging and the birth rate is falling.
The number of migrants working away from home has increased exponentially in the last 10 years, and the money they send to their countries of origin and which is capitalized at the level of the GDP of the respective developing countries, represents more than the value of direct investment and aid development for the respective countries.
Emigration is therefore a thought for many of us, even if we come from European Union countries, an intrinsic drive to find a higher standard of living and a satisfaction/even enjoyment of life.
And, we definitely consider, it is to take into account the steps of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which also show us the integration into a society, and show us the desire to be respected and appreciated (even if you don't know the language well, but your work you do it conscientiously and you are an example in society).
Question: What are your views on marginal utility?
Answer: The aspect reveals my liaison with psychological aspects in our life and work, referring to the relationship between a person's state of contentment, happiness and his activity in his job or even in his own household. Therefore, everything that is added or subtracted above or below a certain number of units consumed or procured from a certain good, can lead to a decrease in pleasure/happiness and have a negative effect on the activity of that person.
Answer: I think it is best to choose a specific aspect from an economic field, or what interferes with the Economics, from any country in the world, because such experiences are welcome to be known and to raise discussions at the economic scientific community and not only.
As well, I suggest the papers to be written maximum 15 pages, to be easier to understand and relate to other situations or aspects.
As a parenthesis, allow me to evoke the case of the famous economic thinker, Abba Ptachya Lerner, one of the few great authors and researchers who did not receive the Nobel Prize in Economics. In a revolutionary paper of only 14 pages, entitled "Functional Finance and Federal Debt" and appeared in "Social Research" no. 10, from February 1943, Abba Lerner introduces the doctrine or philosophy of functional finance. This starts from the main idea that the stimulation of aggregate demand under the conditions of maintaining a certain level of employment and the existence of a balanced budget, can be achieved by increasing public expenditures, decreasing the interest rate, or decreasing taxes.
Practical the paper in Economics is drawn based on the following scientific structure:
- Introduction in the issue and literature review (or, if it’s about a latest challenge or event, articles from media, or pertinent studies in the field);
- Methodology (it’s up to the author/researcher what method/ instrument or type of research to be used);
- The study-case, that is the development of the idea, model or what the author analyzes;
- The findings/results of the study and of the mathematical/statistical model used;
- The Conclusions and recommendations (if any).
As I already read in papers sent for evaluation, the authors analyze different aspect in Economics, linked to a specific region, country, or even regional system, with data covering periods since 2019. Of course, the economic common sense, doubled by the findings of the mathematical apparatus used, reveals the general nature of the relationships between variables, as in a normal economic situation.
The question is how the respective economy and the variables used were affected during the pandemic, and during the beginning of the economic crisis, the crisis and because of the war in Ukraine and climate changes.
Question: What are your recommendations to establish a world class research institute for Economics?
Answer: I agree for this project, in which students, MA, Ph. D. Candidates, researchers, academicians, practitioners, to take part in this world network of knowledge and performance. The universities or centres of performance have to be placed not only in the developed countries, but also in emerging or middle-income countries. Online, or in-person, it is an opportunity for us to know each other and to exchange ideas in a very short time, thus to a prompt answer to the challenges of today world.
Question: What are your recommendations to improve employment and scope in Economics?
Answer: Based on what is happening in the world of today, I recommend:
-Keep informed and current in your field and not only;
- The most complete matching of the job practiced or pursued with the necessary training;
-Improving skills, but mainly communication ones;
-Seriousness and performance in completing tasks.
Answer: They are not arranged in specified order, but I think they are very important today, based on what I have seen and evaluated in various specialized journals:
1. A Theory of the Firm. in accordance with the new realities of the existence and functioning of different types of economic entities;
2. Issues linked to the labour market, migration of workforce and HR function within firms/entities;
3. Financial domain in its complexity: institutions, policies, different instruments and models, because the finances represent the circulatory system/flow of any economy;
4. Climate challenge with the quick necessity to invest in alternative and green sources of energy for a better life and sustainability on Earth. But, we see that a sudden event as the war in Ukraine overturned what was established at Glasgow 2021, COP 26. That is, to return to classic fuels, such as coal, case in which countries, as Poland, making full use of the resources in this field;
5. Economic growth and income inequalities, but especially the consequences of the existence of these discrepancies and solutions to mitigate them.
Question: Which major challenges do you see to establish Romania as world leader in Economics?
Answer: Maybe it is a paradox here. You say that Romania is, at this moment a world leader in Economic. But, on the other hand, the European statistics show that we are on the last places in EU regarding the vast majority of economic and social indicators. Performance, meritocracy have to be really supported. We have people well-trained, with knowledge in their fields of activity, skilful researchers with no-plagiarized works.
The challenges: a higher percentage of GDP allocated to education/higher education domain and to theoretical and applied researches. These sudden changes, let’s say, must be countered by prompt measures, measures proposed and sustained by the specialists in the fields, well-prepared and motivated.
These achievements are possible by the activity of responsible policy-makers.
Question: Any other thing, you would like to share with World?
Answer: We cannot say in the current period "I know that I know nothing", according to Socrates' paradox. Of course we will never know them all, but let's at least understand as much as possible from life and from the field in which we work.
Dr. Alexandru Trifu is World Champion 2022 in Management (Diminishing Returns)
Introducing Dr. Alexandru Trifu World Champion 2022 in Management (Diminishing Returns)
Dr. Alexandru Trifu has deep interests in Academic expertise, teaching and research activity (including participation in grants and funded projects) in the field of General Economics (Micro and Macro economics, Development, Regionalization, Globalization), Theory of the Firm & Management, Insurances/Risks, Tourism Techniques, Macroeconomics Finance, World Economy.
Dr. Alexandru Trifu Oct. 2001 – present time (with a slight intermission between February 2009- September 2009 – position - University Scientific Secretary at ,,Gh. Zane” University of Iasi) ,,Petre Andrei” University of Iasi. 2007 – present time – Director of the „Petre Andrei” Research Institute
Occupation or position held
Lecturer and Associate Professor (since 2006);
2009 – 2012 - Dean of the Faculty of Economics, ,,Petre Andrei” University of Iasi.
2006 – 2014 - Associate Professor PhD
2014 – present Professor PhD
January-May 2016 Ad-interim Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Petre Andrei” University of Iasi
2016-present Director of the Department of Economic Studies, Petre Andrei” University of Iasi
Member of the Senate of „Petre Andrei” University-since 2007 and Honorary President of the Senate-from 2017
Member of the Economic Sciences Commission I of the Romanian Agency for the Quality in Higher Education (ARACIS)-since 2011
Main activities and responsibilities
Research and didactic activity within the Faculty of Economics, Economics and Finance Departament, course coordinator for the subjects Economic doctrines, Micro-Macroeconomics, Economic History, Insurances and seminar coordinator for the same disciplines.
Name and address of employer
Petre Andrei” University of Iaşi, str. Ghica Vodă, nr.13, 700469 Iaşi
Type of business or sector - Education
Dates February 1996 – September 2001
Occupation or position held
Auditor and economic revisor in control and auditing corpus (member and head of team)
Main activities and responsabilities
Checking of accounting work and the filling in of insurance procedures and the provision of compensations (in cases of damage) to ASIROM Insurance Branches across Romania
Name and address of employer S.C. ASIROM S.A. Iasi
Type of business or sector Insurance services
Dates November 1991 - March 1992 and
April 1992 - January 1996
Occupation or position held- Commercial Manager / Chief Accountant
Main activities and responsabilities
Co-ordinating the supply of auto spare parts and automobiles - Oltena (Oltcit) brand and the sales thereof; organising the accountability-financial department concerning the records of the materials sent by ARCOM (Romanian Erection and Construction Company for Abroad) mainly for the yards in the CIS area (the former Soviet Community of Independent States).
Name and address of employer - International Complex Service S A and ADES SA Iaşi Branch
Type of business or sector- Services for industries
Dates - October 1980 – October 1991
Occupation or position held- Co-ordinator of multi-modal bureau of transportation / Chief Accountant
Main activities and responsibilities
Tracking the performance of container transportation from the Far East (Japan, Korea, China) by Trans-Siberian Railway to Romania and other Central and Eastern European countries; chief of the Accounting and Financial Department with the main task of recording statements and data for the balance sheet and financial files regarding the economic activity.
Name and address of employer- ROMTRANS Agency Iasi
Type of business or sector - International shipping
Education and training
Period 2020-2022
Master in Public Administration Law
November 2002 - March 2006
Title of qualification awarded
PhD in Economics / PhD diploma
Principal subjects / occupational skills covered
Title of the thesis: The impact of globalization on the development theories and practice
Name and type of organisation providing education and training
Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi
Dates October 2006 – June 2007
Title of qualification awarded
Graduation Certificate of the Jean Monnet Module „European Economic Construction”
Principal subjects / occupational skills covered
European Economic Construction
Name and type of organisation providing education and training
„Petre Andrei” University of Iaşi and The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) within the European Communities Commission
Dates November 1980
Title of qualification awarded
Diploma
Dates
October 1976 - July 1980
Title of qualification awarded
Merit Diploma in Economics
Specialization: Economics of Industry, Construction and Transports
Name and type of organisation providing education and training
„Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Faculty of Economics
Dates
1968-1976
Title of qualification awarded
Baccalaureate diploma
Principal subjects / occupational skills covered
Romanian, Mathematics, Economics, Anatomy.
Name and type of organisation providing education and training
Gymnasium and High School ,,Alexandru Ioan Cuza” of Iasi
Dates
1964-1968
Title of qualification awarded
No
Principal subjects / occupational skills covered
Initiation in writing and reading in Romanian, Mathematics, Music, Drawing.
Name and type of organisation providing education and training
Primary School no. 12 of Iasi
Personal skills and competences
Mother tongue(s) - Romanian
Other language(s) - English, French
Self assessment
European level (*)
English
French
(*) Common European Framework of Reference (CEF) level
Social skills and competences
Good communication skills gained through work experience and practice in the field of economics during the period that I worked in production, but also through contacts with students / at conferences and scientific sessions that I attended In Romania and abroad.
Organizational skills and competences
Wide experience in communication, persuasion, lead by example, team spirit, capacity for sustained effort, mobility and flexibility. These competences and skills were developed since college and are now reinforced in productive activity and in teaching activities due to team work, driving performance and managing duties of local professional and working groups.
2006-2007
European module - Economic European Construction, supported by the European Union, part of the Erasmus Program.
2004
Postgraduate course: ”Innovation Strategies and the Business Risk Management” - Accademia Internazionale di Studi Comparati-Roma, Italia în collaboration with the ”Petre Andrei” University of Iaşi
1980-1981
Postgraduate course ”Management-Marketing with applications to Finance-Accountancy” University ”Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Iaşi
The list of books, articles, participation at International Scientific Conferences, awards, is detailed on the specific list on Internet profile.
Membership of AGER (General Romanian Economists Association) – vicepresident of the Iasi Branch, ISINI (International Society for Intercommunication of New Ideas); Member of the Senate of the University „Petre Andrei’ of Iasi; Member of the Romanian Management Scientific Society (SSMAR) and of the IFRD (International Foundation for Research & Development);
President of the Flat Owners Association - Bl. L1, 91 V. Lupu St.;
Trainer (COR code 242401);
International Reviewer
International consultant and evaluator Ph. D. Thesis;
Papers included in important international reference databases, such as RePEc, Google Scholar, ResearchGate.
Computer skills and competences
Good knowledge of Microsoft Office™ (Word™, PowerPoint™) acquired in professional context and during my spare time
Driving licence(s) - No
Additional information
References available upon request, especially the list of books, articles, scientific papers, awards, grants, participation at conferences and other manifestations (on a separate list).
Annexes
Additional information
Prepared in a separate file of records, papers and other outstanding contributions.
1982-1986
Courses at the Political and Leadership University Iaşi
2004
Postgraduate course - ”Innovative strategies and business risk management” Accademia Internazionale di Studi Comparati-Roma, Italia in collaboration with the ”Petre Andrei” Univesity of Iaşi
1980-1981
Postgraduate course ”Management-Marketing with finance and accounting applications” - the ”Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi
Selected realizations
1. Member of AGER (Romanian General Association of Economists), ISINI (International Society for Intercommunication of New Ideas), the Romanian Scientific Society of Management (SSMAR), IFRD (International Foundation for Research and Development).
2. Presedent of the Flat Owners Association Bl. L1, str V. Lupu 91 2003 - present day
3. Member of the Romanian Scientific Society of Management (SSMAR), Publications group 2.3.
4. Vicepresident of the Romanian General Association of Economists (AGER) - Iaşi Branch.
5. Member of the IEDRC (International Economics Development Research Center).
6. Member of the IFRD (International Foundation for Research and Development).
7. Member of the reviewers group of the Performantica Iaşi Publishing House (owned by the National Institute for Inventions). http://www.inventica.org.ro/edituraperformantica/referenti.html
Member of the editorial board of the Economic Themes Magazine, issued by the University of Nis (Serbia), ISSN 0353-8648, online 2217-3668.
Member of the Scientific Commitee şi Organization Commitee la 2nd and 3rd International Conference on Governance, Fraud, Ethics and Social Responsibility, Turcia, 2010, 2011, www.icongfesr2011gominisite.com/.
Member of the Organizing Commitee 2013 International Conference on Economics and Social Sciences (ICESS), Bangkok, Thailand, June 22-23 2013
Member of the Organizing Committee of the 3rd International Conference on Global Business Environment (ICGBE-2013):Role of Education and Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, June 22-23.
Member of the Editorial Board of the Economic Themes Magazine - 2010,2011,2012 - the Faculty of Economics, University of Nis.
Member of the Advisory Board of the Muhasebe ve Finans Tarihi Arastirmalari Dergisi Magazine (Accounting and Financial History Reserarch Journal), issue 2, 2012.
Member at the Conference Scientific Committee of III International Conference on Luca Pacioli in Accounting History and III Balkans and Middle East Countries Conference on Accounting and Accounting History, June 19-22, 2013, Istanbul, Turkey.
Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Education and Vocational Research.
Member of the editorial Board of the Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies.
Chairman of the Advisory Board International Foundation for Research and Development.
And other journals, scientific events, even chairman or member in the committees for Ph. D. Thesis, or contests for academic degrees (full profesorship, assoc. Professors...)
Other outstanding accomplishments
Contracts with the Romanian Academy
Grants / research contracts obtained through national or international competition
Trainer (cod COR 242401), graduate of the course organized by the Arbitration and Mediation Chamber Iaşi-2016
Lecturer of the Romanian Business Institute
International Reviewer
International consultant Ph. D. Thesis
Papers included in important international data bases, such as RePEc, Google Scholar, ResearchGate.
Graduate course "Digital Competences”-ACAFAR-CDS.
Representative for the Faculty of Economics-Univ. "Petre Andrei" of Iași.
International reviewer.
International consultant Ph. D. Thesis.
Editor and member of editorial boards of some representative journal across the world.
World Chamionship-2018 in Humanistic Sciences
World Championship-2018 in Business Management (Sales Forces)
Included in 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century
14. Details on www.fourclover.ro
1. Interventionism and financial performances at the microeconomic level (chapter ,, The application of appropriate structural policies to the new conditions created by the financial crisis ") - a member of the research program within the fundamental program of the Romanian Academy in 2009, the Institute for Economic Research, the ,,Victor Slăvescu Center for Financial and Monetary Research ".
The project was completed by the creation of a synthesis work - "Interventionism and financial performances at the microeconomic level", and the author's contribution was chapter 5 ,, The application of appropriate structural policies to the new conditions created by the financial crisis ", pp. 111-117, Performantica Publishing House, Iasi, ISBN 978-973-730-701-9.
2. Evaluation of the national economy (ESSENTIAL) 2010-2014 (Chapter ,,The assessment of the macroeconomic anti-crisis-type policies on the real economy") - a member of the research project within the fundamental program of the Romanian Academy 2010, the ,,Victor Slăvescu Center for Financial and Monetary Research".
The project was completed by the creation of a synthesis work - "The impact on the anti-crisis-type policies on the real economy" (eds. Researcher. Del. Gr. I dr. Mihai Dumitriu) and the author's contribution was Chapter 1 - ,, Identification of sustainable macroeconomic and anti-crisis type policies", pp. 11-45, Ed. PIM, Iasi, ISBN 978-606-13-0439-4
3. Tutor Ph. D. program “Excellentia”-grant of the Romanian Academy, POSDRU 2007-2013.
1. Member of the UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENT AT EUROPEAN STANDARDS contract no. 792 of 19 September 2013 between the Municipality of Radauti and the General Association of Economists in Romania / Moldova ASOEC, worth 15,000 euros, for the period 2013/2014.
2. Member of the SSMAR experiment, COMOR Project, "The cultural dimension of the distance towards power", County Iaşi, 2012 SSMAR-Craiova, coordinator - Mr. Constantin Rosca.
3. Member of the SSMAR experiment, COMOR Project, "The cultural dimension of the SHORT-TERM ORIENTATION", County Iaşi, 2012 SSMAR-Craiova, coordinator - Mr. Constantin Rosca.
4. Member of the CEEX project no. 106 - ,, The exploratory research on the creation and development of consumers - footwear products interface in order to rapidly achieve prototypes. Acronym: ExplorVIRT" within the Institute for Inventions of Iasi, in collaboration with the ,,Gh. Asachi "Technical University, 2006-2008, a project worth 156.350 lei.
1. Project Manager of the "Acquisition pf performance machines for the production / construction of wooden houses" project, implemented by SC PROMILEN SRL Focsani, within the Sectoral Operational Program for the Increase of Economic Competitiveness, Priority 1 project worth 365,577 euro.
2. Project Manager of the "Practice - a first step towards the active life", a practical training program proposed to young researchers for the training of specialists, focused on the human resources of the "Petre Andrei" University (an ineligible project because of financial difficulties).
Synthesis of the scientific activity:
2003-2022
27 books (from which, participation with 5 chapters in collective works)
2006-2022
90 papers in journals indexed ISI-Thomson Web of Knowledge or indexed in International Data Bases (almost the majority after 2007)
2003-2022
140 papers within international scientific conferences and events (almost the majority after 2007)
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