Employee Performance as a Strategic Pillar of Competitive Advantage in Oil Companies in the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

Employee performance is a strategic research topic, intensively addressed in the international literature over the last decades. A bibliometric analysis of 2,672 relevant publications from the last 10 years reveals close links between this theme and several Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 09 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 03 (Health and well-being) and SDG 04 (Quality education). This multidimensional focus reflects the fact that employee performance is perceived not only as an operational component, but also as a driver of sustainability and competitive advantage. In the Republic of Moldova, the petroleum products market is dominated by a small number of companies operating in a highly regulated and volatile economic environment. In such a context, where price differentiation is limited, the ability to strategically capitalize on human resources becomes a key factor for resilience and competitiveness. Against this backdrop, this article explores how oil companies in the Republic of Moldova approach human resource performance as a strategic pillar of their market positioning by analyzing public documents available on institutional websites. UDC: [005.962.13:005.332.1]:665.6/.7(478); JEL: M12, L71, O15