MARKETING FACULTY OF BUCHAREST ECONOMIC STUDIES UNIVERSITY: HISTORIC LANDMARKS, PRESENT AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

Abstract

This paper aims to present the main events that left their mark on the history and evolution of the Marketing Faculty of Bucharest Economic Studies University, an academic body that will mark its 10th anniversary this fall. As the only school dedicated exclusively to the study of marketing in Romania, as well as one of the few exclusively marketing schools in Europe, the history of the Marketing Department and, subsequently, of the Marketing Faculty overlaps in the last four decades with that of Romanian marketing higher education, as well as with the graduate transformation of Romania's economy to a post-industrial, information-based and customer centric economy. Marketing as a strategic and operational area, captures the interest of Romanian managers and specialists of international organizations, being a source of competitive advantage and positioning of the company and its portfolio brands, in the mind and soul of current and potential customers.

Headnote

Abstract

This paper aims to present the main events that left their mark on the history and evolution of the Marketing Faculty of Bucharest Economic Studies University, an academic body that this will mark its 10th anniversary this fall. As the only school dedicated exclusively to the study of marketing in Romania, as well as one of the few exclusively marketing schools in Europe, the history of the Marketing Department and, subsequently, of the Marketing Faculty overlaps in the last four decades with that of Romanian marketing higher education, as well as with the graduate transformation of Romania's economy to a post-industrial, information-based and customer centric economy. Part of Economic Sciences domain, marketing contains a set of concepts, tools, methods and techniques through which the organization, irrespective of its profile, analyzes the environment where it lives (marketing research), sets goals and strategies to be achieved (strategic marketing planning), design and execute operational activities (marketing programs) in order to maximize profits and to satisfy customer's and society's needs at the required level. Marketing as a strategic and operational area, captures the interest of Romanian managers and specialists of international organizations, being a source of competitive advantage and positioning of the company and its portfolio brands, in the mind and soul of current and potential customers.

Keywords: Marketing, History. Evolution. Romanian Economy. Higher Education.

JEL Classification: M31

The Marketing Faculty, one of the youngest of Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies and the only one with this profile in the country, began its 10 years of existence on the 1st October 2012. In the current context of a dynamic society and a society based on knowledge, Marketing Faculty took on the responsibility to provide competitive training programs, of high quality and professionalism in the marketing field, certified at the level of the Romanian educational market - the marketing field of studies is classified as the first category, in the hierarchy of the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sport (2011), on all three cycles of university studies - bachelor, master and doctorate. Through the academic disciplines included in the educational programs, organized and exposed according to national and international standards, students acquire skills and abilities that will offer to the students, at the end of studies, the status of marketing specialist and the access to a profession as beautiful, challenging and full of expectations, as indispensable and determinative for a productive economic activity and high performances for any company (Veghe?, Anghel, Popescu, Orzan ?i Dumitru, 2013).

Bringing attention to the people, facts and events that have marked the evolution of marketing, both in Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) and in Romania's economic education, in the last 42 years, we awaken memories to have a better future and to have the guide lines that we desperately need in our daily lives, as the famous Roman philosopher and politician Cicero used to say. Even if time passes, continued and unstoppable, and swallows everything that was created and wraps them in obscurity, the simply registration in history of the people, facts and events prevent to slip into obliviousness, as noted Anna Comnena in his memorable "Alexiada" (1976).

The history of the Marketing Faculty is strongly linked with the marketing's induction into the disciplines of the Romanian economic academic education, now more than 40 years ago and starts with wonderful people and their books dedicated to marketing, with the creation of the Marketing Science Department (created in 1971) and the teaching, for the first time in Central and Eastern Europe, of the first university courses of "Marketing" and "Marketing - The situation and prospect of the international goods market" (C?toiu and Veghe?, 2002).

Seen from the inside, it can be stated that even from the previous decade many signals were generated that foreshadowed the appearance of a new scientific domain on our country. Even though, during 1961-1966, the graduate students of Commerce University didn't know the word "marketing", it can't be denied that in these years, especially after 1964, the Romanian educational system had tried to have a new face and a new orientation from the local realities by abandoning Russian influences of the 50's. Romania`s attitude, the only country from the pro-soviet area that was against of the brutal intervention from Czechoslovakia, in the spring of 1968, had a significant contribution to the enhancement of our country's image among the developed countries from the West, encouraging new links to the education and culture in Romania (C?toiu and Veghe?, 2002).

In such environment, less hostile to promote new ideas in economic thought and practice, in the last years of the seventh decade, it can be observed an enhancement of the means and concerns in market research. The year of 1967 represented an important moment for change in this field. In this year were published two reference books written by Romanian authors: C. Florescu and Oscar Snak who published the book "The general market demand of the population" to "Editura ?tiin?ific?" publishing house and Mihai C. Demetrescu who published the book "The elasticity of people demand" at the Academy. At the end of this decade, within ASE, there were already taught courses like "Study of the internal market", "The situation and the research of the international market of goods", and, in 1969, Mihai C. Demetrescu published the book "Marketing - market research" for "Editura Politic?" publishing .

Within the climate characterized by these coordinates, the numerous signals transmitted over several plans led to the acknowledgement of marketing as a formal domain in different ways. Starting with the year 1971, within the Faculty of Commerce of the Academy of Economic Studies, the Marketing Department is established and a university course called "Marketing", as well as the course "Marketing - situation and prospect for international commodity market" are taught for the first time in a Central and Eastern Europe country.

The efforts of a group of enthusiasts of the economic practice, of scientific research and of higher education lead to the establishment of the Romanian Association for Marketing (AROMAR) in the same year, which will become one of the marketing's core promotion, both from theoretical and practical point of view.

The two magazines published by AROMAR - "Bulletin of Marketing" and "Marketing Design", as well as other materials published under the auspices of the Association, have contributed to the wide dissemination of concepts, principles, methods and marketing techniques among Romanian Economy's professionals. Moreover, in 1971, two handouts are lithographed in the Academy of Economic Studies: C. Buchanan, "Introduction to Marketing" and Alexandru Zamfir, "Marketing - context and prospect of international commodity market" (Balaure, 2000).

The 8th decade, especially in the first part, was a period of development, both extensive and intensive of Romanian marketing, but at the same time, it should be noted that the gap between theory and practice has grown increasingly. The ASE produces in 1973 a lithography of "A Marketing Course" and two years later, the same group - C. Florescu (coordinator), Dumitru Patriche, Emilian Radu, Victor Danciu, Nicolae Al. Pop, Virgil Ad?sc?li?ei, Gheorghe Dumitru and Mihai Isp??escu) publishes the first academic textbook entitled "Marketing", published by the "Editura Didactic? ?i Pedagogic?" Publishing House, in which they were addressed many aspects of the general theory of modern marketing. The book "Marketing - market research" is reissued in the same year and C. Florescu and Dumitru Patriche signs the book "Market research" published by "Editura ?tiin?ific?" Publishing House.

During 1976, we should mention the appearance of the first Romanian collection entitled "Marketing Cases", written by Iacob C?toiu and Nicolae Al. Pop, as part of the ASE's lithography, as well as a collection entitled "Domestic Marketing and International Marketing", published by "Editura Politic?" Publishing House, under the coordination of Mihai C. Demetrescu, for the creation of which Romanian and foreign specialists participated (Balaure ?i Zaharia, 2006).

The increasingly unfavorable political and economic climate raised more and more barriers to promotion marketing after 1980. At the university level, the disciplines of marketing continue to be present practically only within the Faculty of Commerce's curriculum. In 1980, a team of the Marketing Department composed of C. Florescu (coordinator), Alexandru Zamfir, Dumitru Patriche, Virgil Balaure, Iacob C?toiu, Victor Danciu, Emilian Radu, Nicolae Al. Pop, Valeric? Olteanu and Gabriela St?nciulescu edit within ASE's lithography a "Marketing Course", and in the following year, the same group of authors sign the book "Marketing", published by "Editura Didactic? ?i Pedagogic?" Publishing House. ASE's lithography from 1980 allows the group composed of C. Florescu (coordinator), Dumitru Patriche, Virgil Balaure, ?tefan Boboc, Iacob C?toiu, Radu Emilian, Valeric? Olteanu and Nicolae Al. Pop the realization of another "Marketing Course".

In order to support the practical part of it, in 1981, 1982 and 1987, the ASE's lithography published a "Collection of issues and case studies for marketing" primarily intended for students and those who attended the postgraduate classes, written by C. Florescu (coordinator), Dumitru Patriche, Virgil Balaure, Stefan Boboc, Iacob C?toiu, Radu Emilian Valeric? Olteanu, Nicolae Al. Pop and Gabriela St?nciulescu, Iuliana Cetina and George Orzan adding their support for the last edition. The students enrolled for the specialization Economy of Public Food Services and of Tourism within the Faculty of Commerce received a lithographed handout in 1984, "Marketing for Catering and Tourism", having as authors: Virgil Balaure (coordinator), C. Florescu, Dumitru Patriche, Iacob C?toiu, Radu Emilian and Valeric? Olteanu.

In 1983, at the Annual Conference of the American Marketing Association, held in Dearborn (Michigan, USA), takes place for the first time participation of Romania. In this conference is presented by Iacob C?toiu a scientific communication entitled "Marketing in Romania - Theory and Practice" ("Marketing in Romania - Teorie ?i Practic?"), signed by C. Florescu and Iacob C?toiu.

The second half of the '80s was virtually devoid of notable events in the academic, scientific and publishing field: marketing academic subjects continued to work within the Faculty of Commerce, the literature has not been enriched with other works dedicated to marketing, and almost all scientific activity resumed to the publication of journal articles and collection of scientific work.

The increasingly unfavorable climate of the 80s could not stop marketing development and revolution of December 1989 would radically change the economic and social context, through the restoration of the market and of the consumer at the forefront of the organization and of the economy's and society's functioning. Starting by the academic year 1990-1991, marketing was recognized as an academic specialization. The history of the undergraduate program in marketing begins on the 1st of October, 1990, with the onset of the educational activities of students studying at the Faculty of Commerce, for the Marketing specialization.

The establishment of the program was the natural consequence of the work, effort and merit all the teachers and researchers of previous decades, who, by teaching, research and publication contributed to the creation, development and consolidation of marketing's position in all academic economic disciplines. Marketing disciplines represented just over 10% in total of not less than 68 subjects studied in the program, which are: Fundamentals of Marketing, Consumer Behavior Research, Marketing Research, Promotional Techniques, International Marketing, Marketing and Management Information Systems, Marketing Services and Industrial Marketing.

The first 161 economists who became marketing specialists, were graduates of the Faculty of Commerce, Marketing Specialization, and made entry on the Romanian labor in the summer of 1995 (C?toiu and Veghe?, 2002).

One year later, the number of economists specialized in marketing, graduates of the Faculty of Commerce, was a quantum leap: the 181 graduates of day classes were added to the first 40 graduates of night classes, respectively the first 45 of extramural classes. Preparing marketing specialists in night classes and extramural classes began in 1991 and continued until 2001 and 2002, the Romanian economy benefiting from 845 graduates, out of which 382 for the night classes and 472 for the extramural classes. Distance education would replace, as from the 1st of October 1998, the two forms of prior learning (C?toiu and Veghe?, 2002).

The confirmation of marketing status as an academic specialization has allowed the establishment of the specialized program in "marketing systems" - the cornerstone of future development of programs for master's specialization in Marketing, and later for the Faculty of Marketing. The curriculum of the program was launched on the 1st of October 1995; it was held during an academic year (two semesters), and it included the following subjects (all provided by the Department of Marketing): Marketing Communication, Logistics of Goods, Strategic Marketing, Comparative Methods in Marketing, Marketing Models, and Expert Systems in Marketing. Completion of the studies was achieved through the draft and the public presentation of a dissertation. During 1995-2004, the specialized program in "Marketing Systems" was completed by 206 students. Superior preparation in marketing was driven by amplification of the training of doctoral studies' system, reorganization of postgraduate marketing courses, establishment of courses for experts, development of specialized consulting activities and organization of scientific meetings.

The establishment of further studies program was eased by the experience gained by the members of the Marketing Department during the training programs of short or long period concerning this domain. Post graduate Marketing course proved to be a very efficient training school, especially for graduates from non-economic fields of study. Experienced teachers as well as teachers at the beginning of their academic career have been involved in the postgraduate training program.

Equally, this training program allowed the Marketing Department to have a closer contact with the Romanian enterprises and observe their challenging and dynamic development, especially in the years following the Revolution of December 1989. Among all these, this training program has been an excellent manner of promoting marketing within the Romanian enterprises. Hundreds of its graduates were among the first professionals in this field who had the opportunity to not only be excellently schooled but also to have been given the decision-making power and the means to put into practice the knowledge and skills gained (C?toiu and Olteanu, 2006).

Specialization education plans, following Marketing Faculty, have known successive restructuring (1998, 2005 and 2012) which led to an increase of students' specialization degree: specialty discipline balance has increased from 10% (1995), at over 40%. Promotion Graduates 2012-2015 will have in their portfolio 26 similar disciplines: Marketing, Consumers Behavior, Marketing Information Systems, Marketing Communications, Logistics, Public Relations Information Analysis with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Specialized Practical Business, Service Marketing, International Marketing, Direct Marketing, Sales Techniques, Marketing Projects, Assurance Marketing, Entrepreneurship Marketing, Events Marketing, Social-Politic Marketing, Business-to-Business Marketing, Advanced techniques for Marketing Research, Tourism Marketing, Cyber marketing, Sports Marketing, Bank-Financial Marketing, Cultural Marketing and Food Marketing.

A milestone for the development of marketing specialization within the Faculty of Commerce was the beginning of learning activities of the Masters in Marketing and Business Communication on the 1st of October, 2000. The first graduating class, consisting of 65 students, who will have been completed their studies in March 2002. The number of graduates of this program will increase in the coming years, to 193(2003) and 207 (2004). Starting on1st October 2003 the program included among its students a delocalized students groups, set in Bacau, this being possible through cooperation between the Academy of Economic Studies, Faculty of Economics and the University "Vasile Alecsandri" set in Bacau. These have been a unique case and the 31 graduates completed their studies in March 2005.

The Marketing and Business Communication Master program has been and remains the "flagship" of Master programs of the Faculty of Marketing and provides highly professional qualification to the ones who want to develop their skills and strengthen their career in business, by creating a learning and research environment conducive to improving marketing knowledge and communication where each teacher involved in the development program assumes trainer vocation seriously at the highest academic and professional standards. The program provides to organizations valuable specialists from the Romanian market and aims to maintain the status of workforce for market leaders. The purpose of the program was and remains to help develop the business, providing highly qualified professionals in the field of marketing and marketing communication. The eleven classes of the program totaled 2139 graduates. Another 82 students are expected to complete their studies in June 2013.

An overview of the Marketing Department of the Faculty of Commerce, between 1990 and 2004 can be summarized as follows:

* 2765 graduates as economists, marketing specialists. The marketing bachelor program included 1672 graduates of the campus-based program (fig. no.l), 472 graduates of the "part-time" program, 382 in the form of education "evening" and 239 to form of "distance learning";

* 206 graduates of the "Marketing System" post-graduate program;

* 465 graduates of the MA program "Marketing and Business Communication".

A number of new opportunities that came along in the past years have nourished an increase of the publishing activity. Out of all the materials published by the members in the Marketing Department the most outstanding are: "Marketing", the famous "blue book" developed by a team of authors including C.Florescu, Iacob Cätoiu, Virgil Balaure, Çtefan Boboc, Valericä Olteanu and Nicolae Al Pop, published by the "Marketed' publishing house, Bucharest, in 1992. It has been awarded with the "Virgil Madgearu" Award from Romanian Academy and proved to be extremely useful as being the main reference book for the first generation of Romanian marketers. "Promoting Techniques" written by Virgil Balaure, Ioana Cecilia Popescu and Daniel Çerbânicâ published by Metropol, Bucharest, 1994. "Marketing of services" by Valericä Olteanu and Iuliana Cetinä coedion Marketer & Expert, Bucharest, 1994. "Industrial Marketing" by Dumitru Patriche, published by Marketer-Expert Publishing, Bucharest, 1994, "Marketing- exercises, cases, tests" by Laurentiu-Dan Anghel, C. Florescu and Razvan Zaharia, published by Marketer, Bucharest in the successive editions. "Marketing: Case Studies", also one of the books used by the first marketing students in Romania. "Marketing Programming" by Dumitru Patriche, Expert publishing house, Bucharest, 1995.

The second "blue book" also named "Marketing", written by a team led by Virgil Balaure, along with Virgil Adäscälitei, Carmen Bälan, Çtefan Boboc, Iacob Cätoiu, Valericä Olteanu, Nicolae Al. Pop and Nicolae Teodorescu, published by Uranus publishing house, Bucharest, 2002 was another milestone in the editorial. Other important publications are: "Marketing Applications" by Laurentiu-Dan Anghel, C. Florescu and Razvan Zaharia, published by Expert, Bucharest 1999, "Methods and techniques used in marketing researches. Applications" by Iacob Catoiu (coordinator), Carmen Bälan, Bogdan Onete, Ioana Cecilia Popescu and Câlin Vcghcs. Uranus publishing, Bucharest, 1999, "Promoting Techniques-problems, analysis and studies" By Virgil Balaur (coordinator), and Calin Veghes, Uranus publishing, Bucharest, 1999.

The year 2001 also meant the launch of the marketing book collection "Marketing Library/ Biblioteca de Marketing" that include important works from the domain, written by members of the Marketing faculty board and by the other teachers and professors associated with it, published by Uranus publishing house. The collection was inaugurated by the paper "Informational systems of marketing / Sisteme informatice de marketing" written by Gheorghe Orzan. Virgil Balaure's and other authors' "Marketing - Tests / Marketing-teste grila" (printed in four editions, the first two were published in 1999 and 2000, the other two were published in 2001 and 2003) followed second in the collection. The collection continued with Ioana Cecilia Popescu, "Communication in marketing / Comunicarea in marketing" (in two editions, 2001 and 2003), Carmen Bälan, "Logistic / Logistica" (in two editions, 2001 and 2006), Nicolae Al. Pop and Ionei Dumitru, "International Marketing / Marketing international" (2001), Laurentiu-Dan Anghel and Eva-Cristina Petrescu, "Business to Business Marketing" (in two editions, 2001 and 2002), Valericä Olteanu, "Marketing services. Theory and practice / Marketingul serviciilor. Teorie si practicä" (2001), Räzvan Zaharia, " Social-politic marketing / Marketing social-politic" (2001), Räzvan Zaharia and Anca Crucera, "Sales force management / Gestiunea fortelor de vânzare" (2002), Mihai Diaconescu, "Marketing agroalimentar" (in two editions, 2002 and 2003), Iacob Cätoiu and Nicolae Teodorescu, "Consumer behavior / Comportamentul consumatoralui" (in two editions, 2003 and 2004). "Marketing" coordonated by Virgil Balaure and cowritten by Virgil Adäscälitei, Carmen Bälan, Çtefan Boboc, Iacob Cätoiu, Valericä Olteanu, Nicolae Al. Pop and Nicolae Teodorescu and "Marketing research / Cercetäri de marketing", co-written by Iacob Cätoiu (coordinator), Carmen Bälan, Gheorghe Orzan, Ioana Cecilia Popescu, Câlin Vcghcs. Diana Vrânceanu and Tiberiu Dänetiu are two remarkable collective works published in 2002, that are important for the collection but also for the local marketing scientific literature.

The Marketing student club-"Marketer" came into being in 1997 within the Commerce Faculty. It held and organized numerous extracurricular activities and edited the journal "Marketer Club". Two of the members of the club, Mihai loan Rosea and Alin Stancu continued to promote the club spirit with its traditions and activities starting the non- governmental organization Marketer Association.

Also in 2001 CEMARK - The Excellence Marketing Centre / Central de Excelentä in Marketing was launched being located at first near the Marketing section of the Commerce Faculty. CEMARK was created as research group in ASE. Their activity is mostly focused and directed to companies with activity on the local and international market, to specialists in the marketing of the public and private companies and institutions, to small and medium companies, to non-governmental organizations, to political organizations and parties, and to all of those who present interest in marketing.

The development of the Marketing branch of the Commerce Faculty was favored by the economic context and by the extremely favorable social context. This meant the next leap into the evolution of the academic marketing, meaning the founding of the first faculty of marketing in the Romanian academic educational system (Balaure si Zaharia, 2006).

The Marketing Faculty was founded within the ASE on the 1st of October 2003 which coincided with the separation of this branch from the Commerce Faculty. This transition from a section of the Commerce faculty to a separate faculty was made naturally within the norms of the original faculty and of the new directory board.

The activity of the Marketing Faculty in the period 2005-2012 can be synthesized in the following way (Vcghcs et al., 2013):

* 4883 marketing graduates, with the Bachelor degree in "Marketing"-from which 3450 graduates from the daily program and 1443 graduates from the reduced frequency program (from which 357 graduates of the IDD Brada Territorial Centre);

* 4711 graduates with a Master degree, of which 1674 in "Marketing and Business Communication" program, 623 in "Public Relations in Marketing", 622 in "Strategic Marketing", 611 in "Online Marketing", 511 in " Management of Marketing", 463 in "International Marketing", 179 in " Marketing Research" and 28 in "Customer Services Management".

* 111 graduates with a Doctor's degree in Marketing.

The diversification of the education offer in master programs was a challenge rationally and none the less courageously dealt by the young faculty due to the development of marketing as an object of interest within the academic world, the development of ASE and not less importantly due to the evolutions of the Romanian work force. In the autumn of 2004 these programs diversified through the addition of the educational offer of the Mater programs in Strategic Marketing, Marketing and European Integration and Public Relations in Marketing. The length of the three new programs was one year and a half, three semesters that would end in a graduation after the elaboration and presentation of a graduation thesis.

The Strategic Marketing Master was included in the educational offer of the Marketing Faculty with the mission of forming professionals in the marketing domain in Romania that could help to attain the competitive advantage on the market, for the organizations in which they would work as managers and specialists. The purpose of this program is to help promote marketing in Romania, alike other universities, representatives of the business environment and other parties involved so as to magnify the capacity of the organizations to capitalize on the business opportunities, and fulfill both their own agenda and the expectations of the clients of the respective markets. Until now, the seven classes of this program finalized with 622 graduates, other 75 students that are expected to finish their studies in June 2013.

The International Marketing program was launched under the name of "Marketing and European Integration", taken the first mentioned name one year later. The program has the aim of train high class professionals in the domain of international marketing in the context of the integration of the Romanian economy in the European and global economy. The purpose of this program is to add to the training of the marketing students a complete perspective into the international marketing and international economic relations. Until now, the six classes of this program finalized with 463 graduates, other 75 students that are expected to finish their studies in June 2013.

The beginning of the academic year 2005-2006 brought a new development of the educational offer of the Marketing Faculty through the addition of the Online Marketing Master Program. The mission of this program refers to the connection of the marketing activities with the online environment, to the realities of the modem informational society. Marketing in the digital era is strongly relational, interactive, dialog oriented, centered on the individualization of the potential clients on a virtual global market. Online marketing implies new approaches of the marketing policies, strategies, models and instruments, and also new strategies specific to the new informational technology in communication. Online marketing addresses the global, virtual market in a fast, rich, interactive communication environment. Until now, the six classes of this program finalized with 611 graduates, other 55 students that are expected to finish their studies in June 2013.

The year 2005 brought a truly remarkable change in the development of the Bachelor programs in marketing, within the university studies and also of the young Marketing Faculty that was in the third year of existence. During this year, marketing was included as a specialized domain of bachelor and master studies and the subject of Marketing became fundamental, mandatory for all the economic domains in the ASE at the level of bachelor studies. The students of the faculty that began their studies on October 1st 2005 and graduated in the summer of 2008, at the same time with their colleagues that completed the 4 year program, initiated the new Bologna educational system.

The year 2005 was also marked by reorganization of doctoral studies in marketing. Until this year, the candidates for this certificate "Doctor in economics", Marketing specialization, followed a training system, with daily frequency or with a lower frequency rate, who presented concepts about integrated marketing and business administration based on commercialization and distribution. Each individual preparation plan of the post- graduates included exams (usually three) and projects (also three), followed by the completion and oral presentation of the thesis, in order to obtain the diploma. Also, doctoral training supposes the participation to scientific researches, elaboration and publication of articles, essays and scientific projects in the field of study.

The beginning of the 2008-2009 academic year represented a new expansion of the education offer of Marketing University at master level, by introducing two new programs of master research, "Marketing Management" and "Marketing Research". Existing programs - Marketing and business communication, Strategic marketing, International marketing, Public relations in marketing and Marketing Online - have been reorganized to become complementary masters (Vcghcs et al., 2013).

Marketing management program addresses economists who already have some knowledge in marketing, those who are working in marketing or want a successful career in this field. This program offers you the possibility to deepen the strategic decision making process, needed to conduct the marketing activity, and to develop the skills to use analytical tools in order to make the right decisions according to the conditions of the market economy. The main goal of the program is represented by the implementation, development and evaluation of the marketing activity in various areas and in complex situations that characterized the current business environment. The first three graduations of the program counted 511 students with diplomas (149 in 2010, 194 in 2011 and 168 in 2012), another 50 students expecting to complete their studies in June 2013.

Marketing research program intends to improve and to prepare highly skilled and qualified staff in marketing research, to promote the spirit of free thinking, critical vision, new information in economics, marketing and marketing research, to contribute to the development of research science in marketing and marketing research, together with similar institutions from Romania and abroad and, to assure permanent link with specialized organization in Romanian marketing research. The main purpose of this master program is to implement, develop and evaluate marketing research in various fields and complex situations that characterize the current business environment. The first thee graduations count 179 students with diplomas (69 in 2010, 58 in 2011 and 52 in 2012), another 50 students expecting to complete their studies in June 2013.

The beginning of 2009-2010 marked the addition of a new master program in marketing - Customer care management of EUCOREM - in the educational program of Marketing Faculty. This program is an original academic project, organized for the first time in European Union by an association formed at European level, including Université de Haute-Alsace (France), Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach (Poland) and Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (Romania). The program was initiated, sustained and monitorized by the European Commission. The mission of DG SANCO was to train specialists at European standards, with skills and abilities in consumer protection field and customers' relationships. The first two graduations of the program count 120 students with diplomas (60 in 2011 and 60 in 2012), of which 28 were Romanian students (10 in 2011 and 18 in 2012).

Marketing Faculty is the only organization of academic research in Romania, in the field of marketing, who achieved category A (the highest grade) in classification by the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports and Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI) in 2012. More than 40 projects, grants and contracts in the research field were obtained in competitions held at the national level that have facilitated the publication of more than 60 articles in journals indexed by ISI Thomson Reuters, 73 international scientific conferences indexed by ISI Proceedings, more than 400 national communication conferences, 240 articles in journals indexed in international databases, 127 articles in specialized journals from Romania, recognized by CNCS and over 80 books (Vcghcs et al., 2013).

The ascending evolution of Marketing University was the result of the hard work of teachers, based on reliable activities, teachers that held classes and organized research programs in the marketing department, since its foundation. An undeniable merit in getting all the academic achievements, like volumes and published thesis, study programs for Bachelor and Master's degree, doctoral research guided and finished with success, is conferred to whom with competences and perseverance, led over these years the Marketing Department: Prof. dr. C. Florescu (1971-1983 and 1990-1995), prof. dr. Virgil Balaure (1995-2004), prof. dr. Räzvan Zaharia (2004-2008) and prof. dr. Laurentiu-Dan Anghel (from 2008). Today, the Marketing Department includes 37 teaching staff: 11 professors, 6 associate professors, 16 lecturers and 4 university assistants.

Prof. dr. Constantin Florescu was the first leader of the Marketing Department from ASE. Considered the founder of Romanian Marketing Academy, Professor C. Florescu began his university career as associate professor once he obtained a doctor diploma in Economic Sciences (1953). In 1966, he was the president of Commerce Faculty, in ASE, and in 1971 he became university professor and chief of Marketing Department (founded in the same year). C. Florescu has introduced for the first time in Romania the "Marketing" discipline in the educational programs of Commerce Faculty, discipline that is essential for the entire Romanian educational system. Professor C. Florescu was the leader of the Marketing Department between 1971-1983 and 1990-1995, being a decisive person in creating Marketing specialization in ASE (Pop, 2011).

After university's elections from 1995, the leader of the Marketing Department became Prof. dr. Virgil Balaure. Starting with 1970 he became doctor in economics studies. The professor Balaure had a great contribution in developing the academic system, by encouraging the modernization of educational programs with new disciplines, from marketing field, initiating a specialized book collection "Marketing Library / Biblioteca de Marketing" and creating the first master program of Marketing, "Marketing and business communication / Marketing si comunicare in afaceri", which director was between 2000-2004.

After university's elections from autumn 2003, the leader of Marketing Department between 2004-2008 was Prof. dr. Ràzvan Zaharia. Starting with 1996, he was doctor in economic studies, specialized in marketing. Until 2008-2012 was the Chancellor of ASE and now is the President of the ASE Senate. Under his mandate, the Marketing Department attracted new young people and graduates in Marketing with great perspectives, and thus diversified the educational portfolio for master programs and gave a significant attention in marketing research.

Also, after university's elections from spring 2008, the chairman of the Marketing Department became Prof. dr. Laurentiu-Dan Anghel. In 1998, professor Anghel became doctor in economic studies, marketing specialization. Leaded by prof. Anghel, the Marketing Department developed the competences of the entire academic board, extended the educational portfolio for master programs and maintained the scientific research in all activities.

Without a doubt, the history of the Marketing Faculty could not have been written without the devotion of the professors that with passion and professionalism cemented its management (Vcghcs et al., 2013).

The first dean of Marketing Faculty was Prof. dr. Iacob Cfitoiu, emeritus professor (2011), Doctor Honoris Causa, Doctor of Business Administration, marketing specialization, presenting his thesis, "Modeling the demand for consumer durables in Romania", in 1975, at the Indiana University (SUA). When the Marketing Faculty was instituted, Professor Iacob Cätoiu left his mark on the evolution of the Commerce Faculty; in that period he was the dean of it. He contributed to marketing development as science in Romania, being author and co-author of many books, textbooks and university courses for the academic education in Economics, of a high number of national and international conferences. His impressive professional activity was acknowledged in time, activity that was awarded with many titles and distinctions.

In 1984, Prof. dr. Valeric;! Olteanu obtained his doctor diploma in economic studies, in the Economy of Commerce and Services. He had an essential contribution to the foundation, evolution and development of Marketing University - the first one with this type of profile in Romania. Also, he contributed to the establishment of marketing field specialization in "economic sciences" domain and to the structuring of the bachelor, master and doctorate studies. Prof. Dr. Valericä Olteanu had an important contribution to the development of the Romanian School of Marketing, initiating and committing new ideas, in the Romanian Association of Economic Universities, together with deans from Romanian Economic Universities.

Conf. dr. Câlin Vegheç, the present dean of the Marketing Faculty, graduated the Commerce Faculty from ASE in 1995, with the first generation of marketing specialized economists in Romania. In 2003 he successfully defended his PhD Thesis in Direct Marketing. Among his most important contributions to the development of the marketing academic studies there can be mentioned the introduction of new specialized disciplines in educational programs for Bachelor studies (Direct Marketing, Marketing Information Analysis), master studies (Direct Marketing Strategies, Marketing Environment Analysis), the organization and administration of the first marketing master degree program: "Marketing and Business Communication" as assistant-director, the coordination of the first specialized students journal - Marketer Club - and the activities from Marketing Club organized by the Commerce Faculty students (ASE).

In the next years, the development initiatives of the Marketing Faculty will be considerable marked by the evolutions more or less anticipated from its external environment. The challenges lay, on one hand, on the necessity to adapt to a potentially changing public's attitude and on the other hand, on the rigorous and strict international competitions. To that, one can add the changes in the demographic, economic, technologic, cultural, politic and natural environment.

In a context characterized by high uncertainty, which does not allows us yet to have a clear answer to the question "when will we overcome the economic crisis?", by accelerated and important developments in the field of the technological information and communication, and globalization, the Marketing Faculty suggests to follow a way that focuses on strategic directions as (Vcghcs et al., 2013):

* The continuous adjustment of educational offer of the labor market needs and of the expectations of employees with a 100% employability rate between graduates from all the educational programs: Bachelor, Master and Doctorate. In the second half of the year educational programs were reorganized, in order to prepare particularized skills that are required and appreciated on the work market. These competences offer a basic knowledge and, at the same time, the prospects for a successful career in marketing, in industries and in other domains of activity that make easier the research or, the materialization of a business initiative. Also, the réévaluation of educational programs will represent a constant element of the years to come, if we want to attain a better version compatible with the requirements, demands of the work environment.

* The scientific research is necessary for the development in marketing and in other economic sciences, in equal proportion, but also in communities' service to which we belong. Our faculty should participate more, by the results of its research activities, to the "life of the citadel", through individual effort or within research teams of Marketing Department, using the support provided by the Center for Fundamental and Applicative Researches in Marketing and Center of Interdisciplinary Advanced Researches, created at university level and, also, through scientific research projects from organized competitions, held by institutions in the country or abroad. The solid contribution of the university's students, postgraduates or doctors and the raising of funds from the stakeholders of socio- economic environment are key factors of scientific research.

* The responsible education for supporting the long term development of communities. We strongly believe that our graduates must be more than capable economists, involved in the daily routine of analysis, planning, implementation and control of marketing activities of the companies where they work. We want to form well-trained economists in the spirit of marketing 3.0, being attentive to maximize the economic performances of the organizations where they work, and also prioritizing satisfaction needs, fulfillment demands and the expectations of actual and potential customers of the company. A good example is represented by the partnership concluded in 2009 between Marketing Faculty and Mihai Eminescu Tmst Foundation from Sighisoara, patronized by his Royal Highness Prince Charles, which aims to the promotion of the cultural, natural Romanian heritage regarding values and education in the authentic spirit so as to maintain the sustainable development of local communities.

* The opened and constructive partnership between the social and the economic environment, with private and public, big or small, institutions that are present in the Romanian social and work scene. This needs to follow completely the marketing perspective of the faculty that connects and adapts it to the ever changing social context. In December 2012, the Consultative Committee of the Marketing Faculty was created - M: B&A (Marketing: Business & Academics). This was the starting point in the construction, development and institutionalization of a partnership between the social and the economic environment.

References

References

Balaure, V. (coord.), 2000. Marketing, Bucurcsti: Uranus.

Balaure, V. and Zaharia, R., 2006. Cátedra de Marketing din cadml Academiei de Studii Economice din Bucurcsti - izvorul marketingului románese. Conference Proceedings on Marketing and Development: 35 Years of Marketing in Romania. Bucurcsti: Editara ASE.

Cätoiu, I. and Olteanu, V., 2006. The Bucharest School Contribution to the Promotion and Development of Marketing in Romania. In: Conference Proceedings on Marketing and Development: 35 Years of Marketing in Romania. Bucurcsti: Editara ASE.

Cätoiu, I. and Vcghcs. C., 2002. Contribuai la o istorie a marketingului románese. In Balaure, V., Vcghcs. C., Rosca. M. I., ed., 2002. Marketingul in procesul dezvoltärii economice §i sociale: 1971-2001 - 30 de ani de marketing în România. Bucurcsti: Editara ASE, Vol. l,pp. 25-31.

Comnena, A., 1976.. llexiada. Bucurcsti: Uranus.

Pop, N. Al., 2011. Professor C. Florescu - Founder of the Marketing School from Bucharest, Amfiteatru Economic, XIII (29), pp. 322-330.

Vcghcs. C., Anghel, L.-D., Popescu, I. C., Orzan, M., Dumitru, I., 2013. Facultatea de Marketing. In: Nästase. P., Rosca. I. Gh., 2013. Academia de Studii Economice din Bucure§ti: un secol de existentd, Bucurcsti: Editara ASE, Capitolul 12, pp. 463-510.

The authors are members of the management of the Marketing Faculty at the Academy of Economic Studies of the 2012-2016 mandate. Prof. Calin Retried Veghe§ is dean and professors lonel Dumitru, loana Cecilia Popescu and Mihai Cristian Orzan are vice-deans.