Rethink Romania: 36% of Romanians Would Recommend Romania to a Foreign Friend

Rethink Romania conducted online, between October and November 2021, its first nationally representative study, which aimed at several areas of interest for the think tank – individual and collective mentality, national pride, sense of belonging, quality of life, values, education, intention to emigrate and return to the country of emigrants, desire to have children or barriers perceived in this regard.

Rethink Romania defined the country’s promoters based on the data collected, applying an analysis established in marketing research in the last 20 years, which measures the degree of recommendation for a product/service used – Net Promoter Score. This approach is essential for Romania, as it is for a business.

Romania’s promoters can have a disproportionate impact on the economy due to the fact that they are active promoters of products and services manufactured in Romania. By improving the quality of life in Romania, we also increase the power of the economy, thus accelerating a virtuous circle

Dragoş Anastasiu, President of Rethink Romania.

The whole study wanted to understand better the perceptions and motivations behind the trends that fundamentally shape our society: mentality, education, demography, in turn, related to the quality of life and attractiveness of Romania. It was made in partnership with Aha Moments, the results being already communicated by Rethink Romania in monthly meetings.

This second part of the study, presented today, January 27, was conducted on 1017 Romanian citizens belonging to the segment of Romanians 16-65 years old, internet users.

If Romania were a service provider, the user experience would indicate a poor score, 36% being promoters and 40% reserved. Reservations do not necessarily proactively express their negative opinion to others, but if they are asked or included in a discussion about Romania, they can also express their dissatisfaction to others. Similarly, promoters do not speak proactively or recurrently about supporting Romania, but they can be a good source of promotion, if their voice is enhanced.

Manuela Mancaş, Rethink member and founder of AHA Moments

Among the main conclusions of the study are the following:

• The perceived quality of life is closely related to the degree of recommendation of Romania. 72% of Romanian promoters believe that they lead a good or very good life, compared to an average of 60% in the general population or compared to 46% among those reserved in generating Romania’s recommendation.
• Romania’s promoters are more satisfied with the coordinates of their current life, especially related to housing, personal relationships and the options to spend their free time in their locality, as well as the state of health they have.
• For the promoters, the level of safety and the good prospects for raising a child are the most solid pillars of Romania as a country in which to live. The neuralgic points remain the same: environment, education and opportunities in entrepreneurship.
• Promoters have stronger views on emigration than the general population, with 74% saying they do not want to emigrate. However, 6% of them say they could emigrate in 2022, noting that most (79%) of them want to return to the country after a study / work experience in another country.
• Products and services made in Romania enjoy a good Net Promoter Score of recommendation, higher than Romania as a country.

The problem we have to worry about is the mobilization of the critical mass of promoters. If it does not exist, it must be created, activated and transformed into a vector of change. Only then will we contribute to increasing social and individual well-being.

Sorin Cace, Deputy Director of the Quality of Life Research Institute:

About Rethink Romania

Rethink Romania is an initiative of some entrepreneurs who believe that, in the last 30 years, Romania has not reached its potential and have decided to change this model so that the next 30 years will be more productive and the future of children our healthier.

Rethink Romania brings together entrepreneurs, professionals, innovators, enthusiasts and winners in their fields of activity:

Andy Szekely (Bootcamp University), Avi Cicirean (BrandMinds), Bogdan Rădulescu (Untold Festival), Cristina Chiriac (National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship), Cristina Gheorghe (Institute of Personal Development), Călin Ile (Romanian Hotel Industry Federation), Daniela Nemoianu (Nemoianu Consulting), Dorin Bodea (Result Development), Dragoş Petrescu (City Grill), Elena Lotrean (Finnish School in Sibiu), Florin Jianu (CNIPMMR), Felix Tătaru (GMP Group), Felix Pătrăşcanu (FAN Courier), Marius Ghenea (Catalyst Romania), Ovidiu Şandor (Mulberry Development), Simona Baciu (Transylvania College), Virgil Stănescu (SportsHub), Mihai Bârsan (Pareto Report), Ciprian Stănescu (Social Innovation Solutions), George Leca (Association for Values ​​in Education), Cristi Nacu, Dragoş Anastasiu (Eurolines Group and President of ReThink Romania) and many others.

Reporting to Romania in 2050 is impossible without paying particular attention to young people. ReThink Romania Young is a community of young people with demonstrated potential for civic involvement, producing transformative ideas that can be translated into initiatives or strategic directions for Romania. The young members are mentored by the founding members and participate in the think tank working groups. Roxana Chiriţoiu coordinates the Young wing of the think tank.