Business Review

In the era of YouTube home movies, an international festival is channeling filmmaking quality into a 60-second format designed to challenge filmmakers, writers, animators, artists, designers and creative producers to develop and submit the world's best one-minute films.

Simona Fodor

This year has been particularly trying for all sectors of the economy and the IT sector has not escaped. While players face a serious decline in consumption, whether it is due to low demand from the private or public sector, recruitment has been halted and the salaries of workers in IT companies have been frozen or even cut, in some cases. Business Review talked to some players – multinationals or smaller local businesses on this market – who seem to be the exception to the rule. What these players have in common is: they have not slashed salaries and they are still recruiting to be able to fuel their expansion with new impetus.

Otilia Haraga

After the long awaited launch of the iPhone 4 in the USA, Romanian techno-geeks were looking forward to the prospect of having the handset available in local stores as well. That time has come. Several online stores already boast the new iPhone among their wares, but the phone is not yet winning rave reviews. Pundits say that this may be due to the financial crisis coupled with the fact that this is a gadget not easily affordable to the average Joe. However, the last generation iPhone has been much improved compared to its predecessor.

Otilia Haraga

Globally regarded as the matchmakers of the labor market, the concept of an executive search agency has yet to be fully assimilated locally, Athena Tavoulari, regional manager of Stanton Chase International and managing director of its Bucharest office, told Business Review. Against this backdrop, local headhunters witnessed their business plunge by up to 70 percent last year.

Simona Bazavan

The Ministry of Communications has put together a draft government decision to ensure compensation in excess of EUR 25 million is paid to the National Company of Radio-communications SA (SNR) for the radio frequencies it freed up in 2008. These frequencies were to be put up for sale to provide internet services in rural areas. However, so far no one has shown interest in buying them. Moreover, the draft stipulates this sum should be paid from the budget of the National Authority for Administration and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM), which has rejected the bill.

Otilia Haraga

At the beginning of last year, Romania ranked last in the European Union regarding the implementation of electronic governance solutions. Since then, the Ministry of Communications says much has been done in terms of drafting a national strategy to bring the country’s state institutions into the 21st century, with the e-Romania project in the implementation stage at the time of writing. The only question is: are Romanians ready to join the information superhighway?

Otilia Haraga

How To Web, designed as the biggest web entrepreneurship and technology conference in Eastern Europe, will take place on November 3 and November 4 and has announced the presence of some of the best-known online entrepreneurs and investors worldwide.

Corina Dumitrescu

Saturated mature markets often force companies to woo their competition’s clients in an attempt to increase their customer base and improve financials. When on top of the already difficult environment, the respective markets come under pressure from external factors such as depressed consumer spending, increases in taxes and general insecurity, the fight over clients goes further, including deeper customer segmentation, price wars and cost reduction to the lower limit of securing business continuity.

Nicu Pana

Gadgety whim or turnaround technology that will alter the way we see images in the future? The launch of 3D technology has not failed to make an impact in Romania, in various fields. To name just a few, 3D has penetrated television, cinema, the music industry and the media. Some pundits in Romania see it as a turning point, others merely as a new technology which does not herald revolution.

Otilia Haraga

Since last year, local providers of television services have raced to include high-definition TV in their packages. Already, UPC, Romtelecom and RCS&RDS offer several HD channels each and demand for this technology, which promises a superior sound and image experience, is on the rise, boosted by the World Cup. Increasing sales of HD equipment have also encouraged the trend.

Otilia Haraga