Mihai Caramihai

By Irina Severin, Maria Cristina Dijmarescu and Mihai Caramihai

The chapter presents an overview of management models starting with self-assessment (ISO 9004) and continuing with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model. Stakeholders’ analysis and their needs and expectations diagnostic are the baseline for building sustainable businesses. Sustainability and excellence are connected, and particular details of these approaches’ implementation are presented. Partnership development appears a key principle in the EFQM model. Based on companies’ strategies analysis, a simplified model may be proposed in order to support business survival in changing environments. Some guidelines to allow assessment of excellence fundamentals implementation are given. Based on experience and without seeing as exhaustive, a summary sheet of possible approaches and deployments is given. This may be used as a practical tool to connect actions implemented in organizations with the excellence model enablers, so as to facilitate assessment to explore the performance maturity level. The same sequence of Plan-Do-Check-Act relates approaches stated by ISO 26000 and sustainability initiatives. Embedding excellence and sustainability into business strategic objectives allows the management to define the framework for competitive continuous improvement.

Part of the book: Globalization and Sustainability

By Cristina-Maria Vipie, Alexandra-Diana Afumatu and Mihai Caramihai

The development of science and technology is very fast and even increases year by year, especially in the education system. However, in practice, a lot of learning systems continue to employ traditional methods and thus, learning becomes a less active process. Thanks to the technological improvements that have taken place over time, the concept of Blockchain could be integrated in the educational sector. Although mainly used for digital currencies, it seems that it could significantly impact healthcare, pharmaceutical industry/drug supply chain management, and now, the educational sector. Hence, Blockchain is used by the majority of current systems as a secure mechanism for confirming and transferring student data, academic credentials, and databases of educational organizations. Thanks to Blockchain, which gives students a powerful tool to manage and share their learning success, employers can rely on trustworthy, realistic representations of students’ potential based on academic achievement (trusted verification). This chapter aims to define the concept of Blockchain, both in general terms and within the educational system. It also aims to carry out a case study among students and establish correlations between their answers.

Part of the book: Information Systems Management

By Daniel Chiș and Mihai Caramihai

College fraud, driven by the demand for diplomas in the labor market, has become a pervasive global phenomenon. This multi-billion-dollar industry poses a significant challenge, as almost every employer is susceptible to encountering fraudulent diplomas. The lack of transparency in the accreditation process and university data systems necessitates trust in intermediaries, including students, faculty, and university officials, to verify the legitimacy of credentials. However, this trust-based system leaves room for errors and fraudulent activities, leading to the proliferation of fake diplomas. Blockchain technology emerges as a potential solution, promising trustless and transparent systems that eliminate the need for intermediaries or central authorities in transactions between strangers. By leveraging blockchain, a distributed digital platform can be developed, fostering integrity and trust among participants from different industries. Within the context of certificate systems, blockchain offers the means to establish a secure and tamper-proof record of credentials. Each certificate or diploma can be digitally signed and stored on the blockchain, ensuring its authenticity and preventing unauthorized modifications or forgery. This enables direct access and verification of credentials by employers, bypassing the reliance on potentially untrustworthy intermediaries.

Part of the book: Reimagining Education