Background: Information and communication technologies significantly influence tourists’ behaviour. They create the independence of consumers through facilitation of dynamic access to information and saving it, as well as sharing it via social media and other on-line channels. More and more new ICT tools including mobile technologies are being used by tourists. The problem has not been empirically investigated in Poland yet, and this was a reason to conduct research to fill this gap.

Research aims: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the role of selected mobile technologies in tourism in Poland.

Methodology: The questionnaire survey was conducted in the summer of 2016 among Polish tourists in the city of Krakow. The selection of the sample was of a purposive-quota character. The adopted control variables were respondents’ gender and age (the general population was defined as the number of tourists reported during the previous year). The size of the sample was N=1,175 of correctly completed questionnaires.

Key findings: The results of research confirm that IT solutions are growing in popularity and slowly becoming considered as standard tools. Three main aspects were considered: the use of QR code, virtual trips and geotagging by tourists. The most popular were virtual trips to venues and/or places (78% of respondents in Krakow), then using QR code readers in smartphones (45%) and the least popular – geotagging during the journey (36%).

Background. Managing organisations in turbulent environments requires high quality competencies. In the knowledge economy, of all managerial skills, the role of human resources risk management skills is clearly growing. The reason is that each stage of human resource management pursued by managers may serve as a potential source of risk related to the need to take personnel-related decisions. Human resources risk is an inherent part of company operations, whereas the social sub-system is an indispensable, key factor for the smooth running of business entities. Therefore, HR risk should be managed, as any other risk type.

Research aims. The objective of this research was to carry out a diagnosis of manager competencies in the area of human resources risk management.

Methodology. The article was based on the analysis of literature and a diagnostic survey using a questionnaire survey.

Key findings. On the basis of the research conducted with the application of a diagnostic  survey, it was concluded that although managers had a significant potential for the management of this specific risk type, it was not used to a full extent in all of the analysed organisations. Furthermore, the analysis showed that a barrier limiting effective human resources risk management oriented at generating an added value was created by negative attitudes, such as perceiving human resources risk mainly as a threat and striving to avoid it.

Background. Non-ethical business behaviour and the causes of the hidden economy are examined extensively through multiple research methods. The aim of the research is to expand the classical economics’ statements to the fullest extent of the phenomenon, according to which tax avoidance depends on the number of checks, degree of punishment, income level of the individuals, and the extent of the tax rates – which are within the fields of sociology and behavioural science.

Research aims. The purpose of the study is to summarise the results of earlier research related to the possible behavioural patterns and forms of behaviours behind the hidden economy.

Methodology. The main direction of the study is to evaluate the change in the classical economics model – maximising the expected usefulness – along with the field of behavioural economics. The present study examines the possibility of application of the Rosenberg self-esteem scale – which is widespread and utilised for the measurement of self-esteem in the international pieces of research – concerning whether the extent of the self-esteem of the individual may affect the engagement with the hidden economy. After the evaluation of the questionnaire surveys, naturally we expect the suggested research assumptions to be confirmed.

Key findings. Also, both the cultural environment and the demographic factors may have an impact on tax morals, and national pride, also the higher levels of trust among citizens in the government, tax authorities and other legal institutions may also have a beneficial effect. In addition, friendly and respectful treatment of taxpayers, handling them as partners can also improve the willingness to pay taxes, the direct political participation of citizens, and involvement in political decisions, and democracy can have a significant impact on tax morals as well.

Background. Coaching is a popular training method known especially for a specific, non-directive communication style. The non-directive character of communication techniques has a clear target – it unblocks, brings out and maximises a coachee’s potential without giving ready solutions. Coaching constitutes a frequent subject of research, both theoretical and empirical. It proves its effectiveness in various branches and areas. The coaching process is analysed less frequently, and the analysis of implemented non-directive communication techniques is quite a novelty.

Research aims. The main research aim is to analyse the frequency of the non-directive communication techniques used by coaches in the coaching process.

Methodology. The research was conducted on the basis of the survey method with the use of the questionnaire technique on a group of 100 respondents who took part in the coaching process with at least three sessions and when the coaching process had already been finished.

Key findings. The most frequently used non-directive communication technique in the coaching process is coaching tasks, and the shadow procedure is the least frequent one. The choice of a coach (external coach, internal coach or direct supervisor as a coach) has an influence on the frequency of using particular non-directive communication techniques.

Background: In local communities in Poland, introduction of innovative social work solutions which are directed towards solving particular problem cases and move  beyond the current standard of social work in welfare centres, is a complex process fraught with many obstacles. It is only rarely a part of social issues management in local communities. This paper is concerned with qualitative research focused on the factors contributing to the effectiveness of initiatives utilizing the OLC (Organizing Local Community, Organizowanie Społeczności Lokalnej) method, which commenced in 2010–2014, under point 5.4 of the systemic project Human Capital Operational Program (Program Operacyjny Kapitał Ludzki) named “Creating and developing the standards of social help and integration – Standards in help” (Tworzenie i rozwijanie standardów pomocy i integracji społecznej – Standardy w pomocy).

Research aims: The aim of this paper is to identify and determine factors that influence, whether positively or negatively, the spread and establishment of innovative methods of working with communities experiencing social problems in social welfare centres. It focuses on factors associated both with internal social welfare centre management, with social issues management, and with the bodies created to solve them within a given local community

Methodology: The research was conducted using the case study method in three localities and was supposed to appraise the subsequent fates of three social welfare centres in which new activities have been initiated under the systemic project, as well as the fates of social workers employed in them for organising local communities.

Key findings: Thanks to the research conducted and data gathered, we managed to highlight a number of contexts and circumstances which exert heavy influence over the functioning of social welfare centres as well as over the effectiveness of methods of working with communities experiencing social issues. Such contexts have both internal (e.g. the attitude of a centre’s employees towards a given issue and their work) and external (e.g. the attitude of local government or other institutions towards a given social problem) character.

Background. Hospitality jobs are characterised by long, unsocial working hours, irregular and inflexible work schedules, limited time off, shift work, etc. All these aspects, including changes in customers’ needs, create a stressful workplace, where increased demands require more time and energy from employees that “must be” devoted to work related activities instead of family life. Thus, unsurprisingly, hotel employees who try to deliver excellent service and meet high quality standards may be particularly prone to experience work-family conflict, which in turn may lead to very adverse effect for customer service and, as a result, many negative outcomes.

Research aims. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between work-family conflict and its critical consequences for customer service. The research problem is to find an answer to the questions: 1. is there a relationship between work-family conflict and employees’ depersonalisation, which is displayed by treating others (hotel guests) as objects rather that people, through cynical and uncaring attitudes, and 2. may employees’ depersonalisation significantly decrease employees’ customer orientation and the extra-role customer service.

Methodology. The survey instrument was used to collect information from eight hotels in the Pomerania Province (Northern Poland). A total of 130 hotel employees agreed to participate in the study.

Key findings. The study results showed that employees who experience high work-family conflict are also more likely to be detached and emotionally callous towards hotel guests, as a result demonstrating lower customer orientation and decreased extra-role service.

Background. Cooperation with suppliers has an important bearing on the organisation’s ability to achieve its objectives. The supplier selection processes include various criteria which increasingly have also other than purely economic interest. Supplier code of conduct is one of tools for shaping relations between  rganisations and their suppliers which, applied mostly on international markets, expand dimensions of requirements suppliers should meet. The article analyses degree and scope of presence of supplier code of conduct in reviewed scientific publications.

Research aims. Aim of the research is to identify presence of the issue of supplier code of conduct in reviewed scientific journals. The following research questions have been raised: 1. is there a research gap in the field of supplier code of conduct?; 2. which scientific journals publish articles on supplier code of conduct?; 3. which research areas undertake the subject of supplier code of conduct?

Methodology. Systematic literature review was the fundamental research method. Papers subject to analysis were selected based on EBSCO and ProQuest.

Key findings. Bibliometric and contextual analysis have led to the formulation of the following conclusions: 1. the issue of supplier code of conduct is present in  reviewed scientific publications only to a very limited degree, 2. scientific journals publishing articles of supplier code of conduct have diversified profiles, 3. supplier code of conduct is a research subject in numerous research areas. Consequently to the systematic literature review proposals for future research directions have been drawn up.

Background. The article addresses the problem of the influence of dominant discourses in the public sphere on school educational leaders and school reality. The authors focus on two factors of the school environment – political and marketing, which can have a significant impact on creating their development strategies.

Research aims. The main purpose of the article is to show the mechanisms of discourses which are significantly important in functioning of schools as public organizations, depending on policies.

Methodology. The authors use the analysis of selected theories, including M. Foucault, S. Deetz, E. Noelle-Neumann and review the most important reforms of education after 1989, emphasizing the importance of politics for decisions on the shape of contemporary education.

Key findings. Analysing the current situation of Polish education, which is currently mostly influenced by the right-wing and conservative circles, the Authors point out  that there is the possibility of using the national Catholic ideology by schools for marketing purposes, dictated solely by the market interests of schools.

Background. The implementation of the marketing concept to company activities lead to adopting a marketing orientation which enables achieving a long-term competitive advantage. Taking into consideration the position of tour operators in the tourism market structure, that is between partial tourism service providers and sales agents and final consumers, and simultaneously this highly competitive market in the global conditions, it is deemed that tour operators are characterised by a high level of marketing orientation.

Research aims. The objective of this study is to present the concept of the marketing orientation of tour operators as well as indicate elements determining the level of market orientation which stem from relationships of a tour operator with other participants of this market. In addition, the results of research on the level of marketing orientation of tour operators operating in Poland and in selected European Union countries were presented, bearing in mind the level of economic freedom in the analysed countries.

Methodology. Such research methods were applied as a critical analysis of literature on the subject, logical operations, and statistical methods.

Key findings. The conducted research shows that marketing orientation and factors determining it can be subject to assessment by means of measurable quantitative  criteria. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the level of marketing orientation and establish it according to a scale. Regardless of the marketing orientation of tour operators addressed to final consumers of services (tourists), it should be noted that there is a necessity to build a proper level of marketing orientation of tour operators with regard to partial service providers and travel agencies.

Background: Knowledge transfer between the HQ and subsidiary has recently been targets of increasing research interest. However, the role of expatriate managers and local staff perspective on this process has not been examined enough.

Research aims: This paper has two main objectives: first to develop a conceptual framework (model) of knowledge transfer between the headquarters and local subsidiary, and second to empirically evaluate this process in five foreign subsidiaries based in Poland from a knowledge-based perspective.

Methodology: Our study relied on qualitative case study methods. The authors report the empirical findings from five multinational subsidiaries (two German, two American and one Indian) located in Poland. 68 semi-structured interviews were conducted among HR specialists and managers.

Key findings: The transfer of knowledge has always been in one direction, that is from the headquarters to its foreign subsidiary in Poland. Both the headquarters (as a sender) and the subsidiary (as a receiver) have been prepared in terms of tools and institutions to accumulate the knowledge. A key link in the knowledge transfer has included expatriates – their skills and abilities such as openness, willingness to learn and motivation for learning, ability to transfer their knowledge and experience to others, and ability to build positive interpersonal relations.

Background. Personnel controlling is focused on the efficiency of managing resources (human resources), it has motivating functions and creates transparent rules and procedures for planning, monitoring, control, and refers to the possibilities of using existing problems in the organisation or protection against their adverse effects.

Research aims. The objective of this article is to present the results of personnel controlling research through the valuation of human capital in an energy company listed on the stock exchange (The Warsaw Stock Exchange).

Methodology. The applied research procedure combines the analysis of the literature with empirical research and is based upon searching for the answer to the questions how important controlling information is for human resource management in the selected listed company belonging to WIG 20 index.

Key findings. The research has shown that despite the lack of existence of regulated and formalised methods of human capital valuation, the company intuitively makes indirect valuations, however only using the qualitative approach and only when making strategic decisions.