The aim of the paper is to identify the differences in international students’ perception of sources of private wealth resulting from their country-specific experience. In particular, it was interesting to see whether there would be significant differences in the opinions of students representing well- established economies and those from post-socialist or transition economies. The results of this study are based on the qualitative directed content analysis of 106 essays titled What are the main private wealth drivers in your country? written by students from Poland, Austria, Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Ukraine. The most significant discrepancies referred to the role of inheritance and the importance of labour income in the process of private wealth accumulation. Inheritance was indicated as a strong wealth driver by all students from developed economies while being almost totally ignored by others. The significance of income from employment was also seen differently by the two groups. Country-specific opinions referred to private business areas and the way business should be conducted. Insightful impact was brought by numerous critical observations of local market dys- functions, expressed spontaneously by students from post-socialist countries.

Czynniki akumulacji prywatnego majątku w opinii studentów międzynarodowych

Celem tego artykułu jest identyfikacja różnic w postrzeganiu mechanizmów gromadzenia prywatnego bogactwa przez studentów z krajów rozwiniętych i krajów post-socjalistycznych. Wyniki zaprezentowano w oparciu o jakościową analizę treści 106 esejów napisanych przez studentów z Polski, Austrii, Rosji, Holandii, Niemiec, Szwecji i Ukrainy. Pod uwagę wzięto następujące czynniki: dziedziczenie, dochody z prywatnej przedsiębiorczości, dochody z pracy, dochody z kapitału finansowego i materialnego, inne Źródła dochodów. Najbardziej wyraŹne różnice ujawniły się w postrzeganiu rangi dwóch czynników: dziedziczenia oraz dochodów z pracy najemnej. Pierwszy czynnik, podkreślany jako kluczowy przez studentów z krajów rozwiniętych, był z reguły pomijany przez studentów z krajów post-socjalistycznych, którzy z kolei przykładali dużą wagę do stałych zarobków z pracy najemnej. Różnice wynikające z doświadczeń lokalnych dotyczyły również znajomości rynków finansowych oraz dziedzin, w których warto rozwijać własny biznes. Ważnym elementem poznawczym były spontaniczne komentarze krytyczne dotyczące dysfunkcji w mechanizmach bogacenia się w Polsce, Rosji i Ukrainie.

The aim of the paper is to identify the differences in international students’ perception of sources of private wealth resulting from their country-specific experience. In particular, it was interesting to see whether there would be significant differences in the opinions of students representing well- established economies and those from post-socialist or transition economies. The results of this study are based on the qualitative directed content analysis of 106 essays titled What are the main private wealth drivers in your country? written by students from Poland, Austria, Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Ukraine. The most significant discrepancies referred to the role of inheritance and the importance of labour income in the process of private wealth accumulation. Inheritance was indicated as a strong wealth driver by all students from developed economies while being almost totally ignored by others. The significance of income from employment was also seen differently by the two groups. Country-specific opinions referred to private business areas and the way business should be conducted. Insightful impact was brought by numerous critical observations of local market dys- functions, expressed spontaneously by students from post-socialist countries.