Balkans Journal of Emerging Trends in Social Sciences

Changes in the Innovation Performance of the Visegrad Countries During Their EU Membership

Julianna Csugány — 2025-06-30

In 2024, the Visegrad countries – Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary – mark 20 years of EU membership. This paper analyses innovation performance trends from 2004 to 2023 using the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) framework. The research question investigates whether there is convergence or divergence in innovation performance within the Visegrad Group and between the group and the EU, and in which areas this occurs. The hypothesis assumes no convergence within the group, as strengths and weaknesses remain stable over time. However, EU support has fostered improved innovation performance, suggesting convergence toward the EU average. The practical significance lies in identifying innovation policy gaps and informing decision-makers on how to strengthen regional innovation ecosystems. The findings contribute to designing targeted, effective innovation strategies that can enhance economic performance and competitiveness in the Visegrad region.

Exploring Sustainable Agritourism and Emerging Technologies in Society 5.0

Elena Loredana Stancioiu — 2025-06-30

As society continues to evolve, so does our relationship with the environment, technology, and the way we engage with our surroundings. The concept of Society 5.0 envisions a harmonious fusion of technology and human-centric solutions to address societal challenges. This paper explores the transformative role of emerging technologies in sustainable agritourism. This exploration highlights the symbiotic relationship between technological innovation and sustainable agritourism, presenting a forward-looking view of how these intertwined elements can shape the future fabric of Society 5.0. The study presents a comprehensive overview of the transformative potential of sustainable agritourism in the context of Society 5.0, offering insights into the future of responsible and technology-driven rural tourism. The convergence of sustainable agritourism and emerging technologies within the context of Society 5.0 represents a promising path toward a more sustainable and technologically enriched future.

The Circular Economy and the Role of Stakeholders in the Sustainability of Tourism in Romania

Daniela Muscal Avasiloaei — 2025-06-30

The circular economy is considered one of the most pertinent solutions to major contemporary socioeconomic and environmental sustainability challenges. This paper seeks to highlight the roles that stakeholders play in sustainable tourism in the country, as well as identify some of the challenges in developing competitive advantage through the circular economy. The present research aims to evaluate the level of involvement of public and private sector organizations in circular economy practices and to characterize the current state of implementation of circular practices and strategies in private and public organizations. The conclusion of this study
is that the challenges in the tourism industry in Romania are many and the involvement of public and private sector organizations are essential to achieve a transition to the circular economy in the tourism sector.

Students’ Career in Tourism Industry in Northern Albania: A Comparative Analysis Between Vocational High School and University Diploma

Ardita Borici — 2025-06-30

First, this study seeks to examine the potential factors impacting a student’s career in the tourism industry; secondly, it explores whether there are any significant differences in students’ careers in the tourism industry based on demographic variables, such as education. Data was collected through questionnaires, distributed to the students in vocational high schools and universities in Northern Albania, in 2024. To find out the factors that impact student careers in the tourism industry, the factor and reliability analysis were used. The multiple regression analysis was performed, using the ‘student career in the tourism industry’ as the dependent variable and factors as: ‘Perspective and Confidence in the Tourism Industry’; ‘Personal and Professional Development’, ‘Values and Commitment in the Tourism Industry’, ‘Willingness to Adapt and Relocate’ and ‘Emotional Adaptation in the Tourism Industry’ as independent variables. Several factors were found to have a significant impact on students’ careers in the tourism industry. The results revealed that education has a significant impact on student careers in the tourism industry. University students expressed higher levels of students’ career compared with vocational high school students, and the difference was statistically significant. Moreover, the results of the t-test for each of the five potential factors showed that there was a significant difference based on education.

Regulation of Platform Work in the EU: A Comparative Analysis of the Draft Directive of 2021 and the Directive (EU) 2024/2831

Inva Kociaj — 2025-06-30

This article aims to analyse the normative evolution from the initial proposal of the European Commission in 2021 on the regulation of work on digital platforms to the adoption of Directive (EU) 2024/2831. The 2021 draft was perceived as a step towards formalising the status of platform workers and establishing a legal presumption of the existence of an employment relationship. However, the interinstitutional negotiation process lasted over two years and resulted in significant changes in content and the balance between worker protection and the flexibility required by platforms. The article examines the main differences between the Draft Directive of the EU and the Directive of the EU 2024/2831. These two legal acts focus on provisions related to legal presumption, algorithmic management, transparency, and collective participation. By analysing the reasons that led to the final modifications and their expected impact on labour law at the European level, the paper aims to contribute to the debates about fair and effective labour regulation in the digital economy.

A Comparative Analysis of Online Content Regulation in EU and UK

Jorgo Çipa — 2025-06-30

An important aspect of daily activity occurs in cyberspace, where individuals access numerous online platforms and benefit from the various services offered. The amount of online content is growing exponentially, and at the same time, it has increased the possibility that users face illegal and harmful content on different online platforms. Relevant organizations and governing bodies indicate that individual reports of illegal and harmful content have increased every year. This shows the inadequacy of actions by online platforms in tackling illegal and harmful online content and the need to change from a self-regulation approach to a more strict governmental
regulatory approach. This paper provides an overview of online content regulation applied within the European Union, Germany and the United Kingdom and through a comparative analysis of these acts, similarities and differences are identified.