Stitches of Ethics: An Art-Based Analysis of the Romanian Blouse as a Transgenerational Code

[PRE-RELEASED VERSION]

Alexandra-Codruta Bizoi, Cristian-Gabriel Bizoi

Alexandra-Codruta Bizoi is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, West  University of Timișoara (Romania). Her research focuses on business ethics, ethical governance, supply chain sustainability, behavioral tax compliance, digital transformation, and arts-based ethical pedagogy.
Cristian-Gabriel Bizoi is an Associate Professor at the same faculty, coordinating lifelong and distance learning. His research addresses supply chain and risk management, business ethics, innovation, digital governance, and ethical challenges in global logistics and technology-mediated organizations.

ABSTRACT
Cultural symbols circulate through museum exhibitions, festivals, creative commissions, and brand collaborations, raising governance questions about appropriation, stewardship, and legitimacy. This conceptual article synthesizes Art-Based Inquiry (ABI) and Critical Management Studies (CMS) to derive a Four-Pillar Ethical Heritage Governance Framework for responsible heritage mobilization. The framework is then illustrated through a curated corpus centered on the Romanian blouse (Romanian term: ie), spanning artworks, fashion episodes, and community-led accountability initiatives. The illustrations show how provenance protocols, participatory co-creation arrangements, verifiable interpretive narratives, and continuity-oriented reinvestment can convert “inspired by” into “created with.” The study offers decision support for cultural institutions and brand partners designing acquisition/interpretation standards, partnership terms, and public-private heritage collaborations, contributing to debates on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

KEYWORDS
Heritage governance; arts management; cultural stewardship; intangible heritage; art-based inquiry; critical management studies; heritage-based branding