Solidarity as a polysemous (ambiguous) concept is a multicultural or supra-cultural value rooted in ethics all over the world. It refers primarily to human community life and the universal tendency to support each other in dangerous situations, a tendency that is written in our genes. This concept is currently experiencing a renaissance, appearing in new areas of human life, e.g. in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, climate disasters, the war in Ukraine; in scientific research; in new technologies (artificial intelligence); or in microbiology – where it is solidarity discovered in the natural world (e.g. the world of fungi), and thus also an introduction to the synonyms of solidarity and the concept of symbiosis. The concept of solidarity includes the obligation to care for those in need and the responsibility to continue living in the „global village“ as an expression of solidarity with future generations.

The main objective of the present study is to learn about the understanding of civil society among the students of Kraków’s econdary schools. A school is an institution that, apart from teaching and creating space for students’ learning, performs other social functions, including socialisation and development of subjectivity. School is the first community in one’s social life that can be a space for the development of social, democratic and civic competences. The starting point is learning about students’ mental models regarding the construct of civil society. Qualitative research was conducted among 308 secondary school students from the city and Commune of Kraków. The young generation understands civil society as con-sisting of active citizens who create an engaged, independent, goal-oriented community. However, our research shows that this concept is understood differently and that this understanding needs to be debated and constructively discussed among young citizens. The authors also set a practical goal of developing recommendations for schools on how to support students’ civic articipation.

In the Italian Republic, the management of the educational system has been divided between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Science, and its delegations in twenty Italian regions, as well as – in partial addition to that – the authorities of the regions comprising 94 provinces and municipalities (with highly diverse demographic and economic potential). The Article 34 of the 1947 Constitution of the Italian Republic obliges the state as well as regional and local authorities (in provinces and municipalities) to ensure equal access to education. Italian law establishes compulsory schooling of at least eight years of instruction. In doing so, it guarantees free primary and secondary education. At the same time, it mandates the removal of discriminatory practices. Able-bodied youth are guaranteed by law financial and material support in accessing educational institutions up to and including the university level. This guarantee is implemented through a system of scholarships and allowances, in which regions and local communities (and authorities) can also participate.

As of 2019, the civic education program conducted for at least 33 hours per school year has been mandated by law as an element of compulsory teaching in Italian schools after years of previously variable practice. The program of this separate subject includes four main thematic segments: a) knowledge of the rights and duties of a human being and citizen, b) knowledge of the institutions of public power at the state, regional, and local levels, c) knowledge of the environment and instruments for its protection, d) knowledge of the institutions of the European Union and the entitlements of single European citizenship. The civic education should be taught not only in all public schools but also in both types of the non-public (with some autonomy as to the methods of teaching and the sequence of its content) schools in Italy as an independent subject that is to be assessed in the context of its educational effects.

The worsening mental health of children and adolescents is a growing issue, both globally and – with some delay – in Poland. This is primarily due to the ever-increasing challenges in this area. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these problems, as psychological and psychiatric care receded into the background during a situation of the pandemic threat caused by the Sars-CoV-2 virus. At the same time, the level of fear, anxiety and stress associated with the real threat to health and life, as well as the forced social isolation increased, which only compounded with the pre-existing problems. Children and adolescents have been deprived of real contact with their peers, which is particularly problematic from the perspective of their proper psycho-social development and overall well-being. Moreover, in the initial stages of the pandemic, some were confined to their dysfunctional homes, cut off from the external environment (school, teachers, psychologists, friends), and therefore without support in this highly difficult situation. Now – thanks to widespread immunization – the pandemic situation is slowly stabilizing, so schools are returning to on-site education, but the emphasis is primarily on catching up with the material, and not necessarily on rebuilding the social ties. So are school principals in Poland aware of their students’ mental health issues? Are they aware of the new mental health challenges faced by children and adolescents? Do they have a plan to support the mental health of students in their charge? In the context of the aforementioned issues, the purpose of this article is to increase the awareness of the problem and to develop possible support plans for the mental health of students in the face of the existing health and social crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that could be implemented by the school administrators in Poland. To research this notion, an online survey was conducted among school headmasters in Poland. The survey results and its conclusions may prove interesting – in particular – for the headmasters of educational institutions, school psychologists as well as educators, teachers, parents and anyone interested in education management and mental health of children and adolescents.

The article refers to marketing tools used in the practice of medical care providers as the common tools in medical services market. It presents the characteristics of management aspects – which may not only constitute opportunities for these facilities but also pose a threat to patients treated as consumers of services – as it also showcases legal provisions that guarantee the protection of the patient’s status on this market. The issue is presented from a practical perspective – based on observations of the medical services market, as well as on the authors’ own conclusions resulting from the analysis of scientific works in the field of management (subject literature) and generally applicable (selected) legal provisions. The argument presented in the present article identifies the desired attitudes in respect to the people providing health services (medical professionals) and entities performing medical activities (medical care providers).

The article deals with the cooperation undertaken by enterprises on building their competitive advantages within all three sectors of the economy, i.e., the public, private and non-governmental sectors. The article aims to identify and assess the impact of cooperation undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises with entities from the three main sectors of the economy on achieving competitive market advantages. Thus, the author attempts to answer whether the cooperation undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises with entities from the public, private and non-governmental sectors has a tangible impact on the qualitative and price-wise competitive advantages they achieve on the market. The implementation of the assumed goal was based on the results of a survey conducted using the CAPI technique among 1286 enterprises of the SME sector in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Region. The empirical and analytical results do not indicate any relationship between cooperation with any entities belonging to the three sectors of the economy and obtaining qualitative and price-wise competitive advantages on the market.

The “Natura(lnie) in Zabrze” – an environmental project – is a response to the deepening climate crisis and still developing environmental education at schools. Led by four teachers from Zabrze, the project blends interdisciplinary and inclusive education, shapes active pro-social attitudes and gives participants a sense of empowerment. The project initiatives include cooperation between schools as well as city institutions and scientific centers, thanks to which the project is gaining more and more publicity. The activities undertaken make it possible to expand knowledge of ecological and climate problems and develop pro-environmental habits. The article presents practical methodological and didactic solutions, which the organisers use within the framework of the project “Natura(lnie) in Zabrze”.

The problems with mental health among children and adolescents continues to grow. This is indicated by the increasing number of suicide attempts among minors. The purpose of this study was to draw attention to the problem of mental health of students and to create proposals for systemic solutions to support their mental well-being. Based on an online survey conducted on 313 people aged 14–25, (of which 29% were students and 71% were high school students), it was shown that at least 20% of students negatively assess their mental health as well as their self-esteem. Less than 25% of students receive help from a school psychologist, regardless of their mental health status. Additionally, respondents consider the school environment to be very stressful for them. Therefore, it is suggested to introduce systemic solutions to support students’ mental health based on reliable information and access to qualified professionals.

The aim of the article is to present the most important facts about teenagers’ addiction to mobile phones on the basis of chosen subject literature. The article also presents and describes the research data. The aim of the research was the attempt to describe the chosen aspects of the phenomenon that is the use of mobile phones by teenagers. The research was carried out from May 9 to May 13, 2022 on a group of 80 students. All of the students were from a secondary school. For the purposes of the research, the diagnostic survey method was used and the tool was an original questionnaire. In the light of the obtained results, today’s youth use mobile phones in an irresponsible way and they are unaware of threat arising from abusing the mobile phones. Following the results obtained from the research, introducing the media literacy in schools should be conceptualized.

The aim of this article was to show the impact of the principle of equal opportunities for women and men on the perception of the role of women in management. Investigating the impact on the development of a gender equality situation shaped the scope of the subject matter of the qualitative and quantitative analysis carried out from the perspective of equalization of opportunities for women and men in the management environment. Another aim of the article was to ascertain whether there occurs a dynamic equalization of barriers between men and women over time. The analysis of the material collected allowed for some conclusions and their interpretation gave rise to some assumptions about the future development of the phenomenon. As a result, it was concluded that social and legal education of women is a key demand, and that all actions stemming from the principle of equal opportunities for women and men, combined with social sensitivity in the broadest sense, can contribute to minimizing inequality in the future.

The main aim of the article is to compare the implementation of the green city concept in capital cities above 1 million population in Central Europe, i.e. Warsaw, Prague and Budapest in order to evaluate the degree to which each of these cities implement the assumptions of the abovementioned concept to achieve urban sustainability. An analysis of strategic documents on urban planning as well as data bases of the three cities was carried out. The results allowed for measuring the progress and effectiveness of the environmental policies of these cities and determining their achievements and shortcomings when it comes to realizing the green city model. Additionally, for the purpose of this research, an attempt at elaborating the definition of a ‘green city,’through determining four phases of its development, was made. Thus, the article is solution-specific, in that it points at possibilities of the development of Central European cities as regards the implementation of the green city concept.

The article presents an analysis of the relation between the scale of Polish government investments into renewable energy sources and the price of EUA Futures contracts and funds obtained by Poland from their sale in the years 2013–2020. The goal of the analysis was to check if there is any relationship between the funds obtained from the sale of EUA contracts and Polish government investments in renewable sources of energy. The theoretical section contains a partial research of sources, whereas the analytical part uses the comparative, descriptive and graphic methods, as well as Pearson correlation coefficient. The results of the study indicate a lack of relationship between the EUA prices and Polish government investments in renewable energy sources in 2013-2020. The study shows that, at that time, about 75% of investments expenditure for renewable energy sources in Poland came from private institutions and business entities and only 7% of the financial outlays came from state-owned energy companies.

The demographic and managerial circumstances allow one to expect that Polish organisations, both business and nonprofit, will be facing organisational succession in the near future. The independent Polish state will be witnessing these processes for the first time since over 200 years. The presented paper addresses a research gap referring to succession in Polish nonprofit organisations. The design of the study was based on the theory and experience gained from family business literature and research. The aim of the study was to describe and analyse formal succession solutions included in the statutes of Polish foundations and to put the results into perspective, building on a theoretical family business background. The study was based on a qualitative analysis of documents from ten purposefully selected foundations operating in Poland. The study indicates that the documents of the analyzed foundations contained no formal solutions regarding succession. Other records referring to power transfer concerned emergency situations. The findings were correlated with the demographic and managerial circumstances facing the foundations. Possible directions for future research were indicated.

Museums are more often analyzed from diverse perspectives, which include the multiplicity of their functions performed. The biggest interest regards cultural, social, or tourism activities. Nevertheless, educational activities, addressing especially the school youngsters, are of importance as well. Among the multifunctionality and diversity of functions performed, less is explored about the cooperation within the framework of scientific projects, which is closely connected to the basic museum duties: collecting and researching. The main aim of the article is to recognize the importance of cooperation initiated by museums within the area of scientific activity. It was specified by two research questions: 1. What entities are engaged in scientific-based cooperation? 2. In which ways effects of such activity are co-created? Within the qualitative research approach applied, the multiple case study method was selected. During the research, the semi-structured interviews were applied, as also observations and content analysis from social media sites. Although the focus on the scientific activities depends on the specific institution, yet is important while looking at the basic activities performed by museums. Scientific cooperation very often connects similar organizations, but also opens for new relations. Despite strict scientific dimensions, the benefits may also affect less involved entities. Field research and conferences, especially visible parts of scientific activities, have an aspect of co-creation as well.

Researchers have been looking at the issue of psychological need satisfaction in the workplace since the 1930s. Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a concept that emerged in the 1980s, stands out from other theories by uniquely capturing basic psychological needs as (1) innate and (2) promoting psychological growth, internalization, and well-being. Allowing basic psychological needs to be met at work is essential for autonomous work motivation, positive attitudes, good behaviors, and employee well-being, while frustration of basic psychological needs at work is associated with higher levels of job insecurity, engaging in unproductive behavior at work, and higher stress related to work, which in turn predicts higher levels of somatic symptoms, emotional exhaustion, and absenteeism from work due to illness. Therefore, it is crucial to measure basic need satisfaction and frustration at work and adjust management to improve on these dimensions. The purpose of the research is to review the research tools used to measure the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs at work within the SDT framework. To achieve the research objective, the review of scientific literature available in the EBSCOhost database: APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles on the keyword “basic psychological needs” AND “self-determination theory” AND “scale” was done along with reviewing the research tools available on the Center for Self-Determination Theory website. The collection obtained was completed using the snowball technique. A comprehensive and up-to-date review of tools used to measure satisfaction (and frustration) of basic psychological needs in the workplace was established within the framework of Deci and Ryan’s SDT.

Anti-science attitudes and movements have been attracting more, and more attention of researchers in the past years, especially during the pandemic. Anti-science attitudes can be defined as a dismissal of established, and empirically confirmed scientific facts for reasons that are not scientifically grounded. Previous research in social psychology has consecutively shown that this phenomenon can be predicted much better by ideological, and worldview variables than by education level. The aim of this research was to examine the role of religiosity, political orientation (conservatism), and individual value preferences in predicting four attitudes towards science, i.e.: climate change denialism, vaccination skepticism, anti-evolutionism, and general positive belief in science. The study was carried out according to the quantitative research paradigm. Hierarchical regression analysis was applied to test the predictive power of each independent variable. For each dependent variable a 3-step regression analysis was carried out, with age as control variable added in step 1, religiosity, and conservatism added in step 2, and 12 values preferences in step 3. The highest correlation could be observed between religiosity, political conservatism, anti-evolutionism, and Tradition value preference. The strongest negative correlations appeared between Universalism, and Power preference, as well as between belief in science, and anti-evolutionism. Conservatism was a positive predictor of climate change denialism, and Universalism preference predicted it negatively. Vaccine skepticism regression analysis did not bring any significant results. Anti-evolutionism was influenced by religiosity, and conservatism, as well as a lower preference of Security, Conformity, and Universalism values. Belief in science was positively predicted by Security preference, and negatively predicted by religiosity, and Tradition preference.

The aim of the article is to understand the situation in terms of access to education and its course in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative study including 3,701 questionnaires was conducted among students at the end of 2020. Concomitantly, three in-depth interviews were included in a qualitative survey conducted among teachers. The following problems were identified: problem with access to adequate high-speed Internet connection, too much material to be absorbed by students, and too much homework. Some reservations were also expressed about the way of conducting online classes. As a consequence, the following actions were recommended:
developing an aid program aimed at providing equipment and Internet connections for students and teachers, giving teachers more freedom in deciding on the amount of material taught and the form of its enforcement, and preparing a special training course on the use of hardware and software.

The aim of the article is to present the possibilities of using the form of a capital company to implement social entrepreneurship. The subject of the analysis are non profit companies that use operating mechanisms typical of the private sector and corporate social responsibility. These entities replace the efforts to maximize the profit of shareholders and employees with taking actions aimed at creating social value. Their emergence should be associated with the phenomenon of organizational isomorphism and the economization of the third sector. The analysis of the literature on the subject is supplemented with a review of the ministerial list of Polish social enterprises. It has been demonstrated that a non profit company can meet the criteria of a social enterprise and is an effective means of implementing social entrepreneurship. Every fourth social enterprise in Poland with the status of a social enterprise is run in the form of a non profit company. The social capital company, therefore, plays a significant role in the implementation of social entrepreneurship in Poland.

This article aims to present the instruments for programming of the urban dimension of the Cohesion Policy as well as the principles and conditions for their implementation in Poland within the EU financial perspective for 2021–2027. This applies in particular to integrated territorial investments and the so-called other territorial tools. In the author’s opinion, the instruments prepared at the EU and national (Poland) level in connection with the next EU financial perspective will contribute to the territorialisation of the Cohesion Policy, including by strengthening its urban dimension. Using the desk research method, the author analysed European, national and regional strategic and program documents and acts of generally applicable law constituting the formal basis for EU support for sustainable urban development in the programming period for 2021–2027.

The study calculated an index of hourly absenteeism, average time spent absent from work, the Bradford index, and costs of lost productivity associated with absenteeism. The analysis was carried out on the basis of selected division criteria, which included: the patient’s age and gender, the province in which the patient lives, and the disease unit on the basis of which the e-ZLA form was issued. The research was conducted for the year 2020, due to the fact that it was a full pandemic year and because the identification and analysis of sickness absenteeism in unusual, uncertain, and unpredictable situations is extremely important for maintaining and developing the competitive position of companies and for maintaining a sustainable policy in the sphere of health and social insurance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a negative effect on the mental and physical wellbeing of almost every individual on the globe. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population of students studying in Krakow, Poland. This paper presents a meta-analysis of the impact of the epidemic on the lives of students around the world. The aftermath of the pandemic is discussed ranging from obligatory educational changes, sudden  transformations in the job market, to the psychosocial consequences of the new circumstances that came with the spread of the virus. An analysis of a study conducted on students from Krakow is presented; it indicates that professors’ preparation for online classes is for the most part unsatisfactory. Interestingly, however, many students are satisfied with the fact that their education is conducted remotely. Compared to the data from currently available studies, the level of pandemic stress is slowly decreasing over time. Although people’s psychological wellbeing is improving, it has not returned to its pre-pandemic state.

The aim of the study is to gain knowledge about the perception of the situation of LGBT students in schools. The analysis was broadened by incorporating the research question of whether there is a significant relationship between demographic variables and the beliefs and attitudes about the situation of LGBT students in schools. The study highlights the low level of common education in the field of anti-discrimination policy. An analysis of an online survey was carried out, the data were analyzed through chi-square test of independence, allowing to determine the connection of the variables. The results show a clear association between sexual orientation, belief systems, and the perception of the situation of LGBT students in the school environment. It was concluded that in order to improve the situation of LGBT students it is necessary to instruct the teaching staff in the methods of engaging in conversation with students about sexual orientation, as well as in ways of recognizing and reacting to manifestations of school homophobia.

The paper reports on a study investigating the efficacy of policy and legal framework for coop­erative governance and LED to facilitate and coordinate responses to socio-economic concerns in the selected small towns in South Africa. The policy and legal framework place the onus for development on the local municipalities and urge the municipalities to partner with other stakeholders such as the business and the civil society to manage and respond to socio-economic concerns within the municipalities. The purpose of this paper is to review the ‘efficacy of the policy and legal framework’ to facilitate ‘cooperative governance’ and ‘LED’, specifically in six municipalities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Data were collected from government officials, private and civil sector through three data collection instruments, namely, document review, interviews and focus group discussions. The key findings from the study are mixed. The policy design and implementation were established problematic in multifarious ways. However, the findings also provide a glimpse of hopes in matters of public accountability by providing policy guidelines aimed at promoting accountability amongst government role-players. Given the backdrop, some recommendations are provided in this paper. This paper provides feedbacks for policy makers and implementers on the performance of policy and legal framework that informs the cooperative governance of local economies, specifically in small towns, to establish as to what is effective to replicate in form of good practice and what is under-performing for possible review. This assist in improving the understanding of the context that may inhibit or enable stakeholders in taking full advantage of collaborative-led developmental interventions to further peoples’ lives and to enhance their opportunities to partake in matters of development in their municipalities. 

NGOs are an important part of the economy. The purpose of this article is an attempt to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-profit organizations incomes from 1% of personal income tax. A possible scenario is presented along with suggestions to counteract negative tendencies.

In this article I analyze the housing situation in selected European countries and in the USA. The article is divided into several parts in which I describe causes and effects of the mortgage crisis in the United States, homelessness of Silicon Valley workers, the Spanish real estate bubble “burst”, housing problems in the British Isles (vacancies in London and the rental crisis in Ireland), the tenant revolt in Berlin and housing poverty in Poland. In the introduction I justify why housing should be seen as a human right and not as a commodity. I note that since the 1980s governments of developed countries have withdrawn from housing management, allowing it to be regulated by market mechanisms. In each of the countries under review, this has led to a significant increase in property and rental prices as well as an inflow of venture capital. As an opposite example, I mention Vienna, where the real estate market is still regulated by the city, thus it managed to avoid this scenario.

Internal control operates in cultural institutions under the Public Finance Act of 27 August 2019. In the text the question was raised: whether it supports management of cultural institution, improves procedures and processes, whether its role has been limited to reporting obligation. Based on the analysis of conclusions from the functioning of internal control in several Warsaw institutions, it can be proved that an efficiently conducted internal control is a very good tool for verifying problem in all aspects of the activities of cultural institution.

Precautionary principle (PP) is commonly understood as a criterion that should be used in decision-making under risk and/or uncertainty. Yet, long before the approval of PP in the literature – a set of concrete, formal criterions existed in the field of decision theory. Therefore the main goal of this paper is to compare these classical decision – rules with PP. This very comparison will bring us to answer the question: if PP may be reduced to any of the classical criterions? It will tur out that such a reduction cannot be done. Therefore PP has got its own specificity. 

This paper presents a legal regulation regarding the institution of unlawful building work legalisation in Poland combining its historical review and evaluation. The paper shows the complexity of the problem and the difficulty of providing a legal regulation of the matter. The updated regulations on the procedure of unlawful building work legalisation came into force in Poland on 19 September 2020. After changing the legal regulations, the final decision on the legalisation of unlawful building work still remains in the hands of construction supervision authorities. However, in contrast to the previous legal status, a legalisation procedure can be initiated only upon developer’s request. In addition, the lawmaker has introduced an option to legalise unlawful building work completed over 20 years ago in a simplified legalisation procedure. The final part of the paper presents all procedures for unlawful building work legalisation effective from 19 September 2020 as well as general conclusions regarding the institution under scrutiny.

The main purpose of this article is to characterize specifics form of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) functioning as a bond issuer. Moreover, the specific purpose is to determine whether Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego is financed by bonds in greater extent than the commercial banks. To achieve the above purposes, the author used the literature review and legal acts review supplemented by analyses of the BGK and commercial banks information documents, as well as desk research including the analysis of data from the financial statements of the BGK and aggregated data of the commercial banks sector in Poland.

The aim of the work is to identify the main problems appearing on the public procurement market from the perspective of procuring entities. In the survey conducted in the second half of 2017, 31 entities awarding public contracts from the Opolskie Voivodeship were included. The following problems were identified: excessive bureaucratic procedures, unstable legal system, too few employees, insufficient training and a high degree of complexity in the procurement process itself. As a consequence, the following activities were recommended: reducing administrative burdens and complicating procedures, normalizing the status of contracts completely excluded from the statutory regime, increasing the number and frequency of training, popularizing the use of experts and appraisers, and improving communication channels between procurers and state administration authorities.

This paper presents the findings of a research study targeted at verification whether the disbursement of funds at the disposal of the State Forests National Forest Holding (hereinafter: the State Forests) corresponded to the tasks in the field of forest management imposed on the institution in question under the provisions of applicable law and whether it was justifiable in the context of the principle of rational management of public funds. The research was based on the analysis of the secondary data collected by the Directorate General of the State Forests, official statistical data, post-audit information of the Supreme Audit Office and literature covering the research area. The results of research carried out on the basis of data from 2011–2016 showed that the general property and financial situation of the State Forests in the analysed period was favourable due to the fact that each year the aforementioned institution recorded a significant net profit. The activities implemented by the State Forests were in principle compatible with a model of sustainable forest management specified in the Forest Act, however in case of incurring investment outlays of fixed assets not directly related to forest management, the principle of rational management of public funds was not always fully applied. Therefore, the conscious economic calculation should constitute the basis for conducting investment activities by the State Forests.

The role of values in the organizations has been the subject of an increasing amount of scientific attention. This paper describes values of collaborative spaces members intermediating in social exchange. The main research objective was to explore the organizational goals of these organizations and to reconstruct on this basis their aspirations and values to describe them as a community of purpose. Research method used is content analysis, which has been based on legal documents –statutes of non-governmental organizations working as collaborative spaces –Makerspaces, Hackerspaces and Fab Labs operating in Poland most often in the form of legal associations and foundations. The foundings provide a basis for further exploration of organizational phenomena occurring in cooperative organizations.

The article presents a green and turquoise style of management, which is presented against the background of reflections on organizational culture. The issue of management styles is important for business practice. Management styles can be characterized by the colours and metaphors of the organization. Different management styles relate to the evolution of the perception of an organization in management sciences. Green and turquoise organizations have complementary formal and informal relationships, which increases employee engagement and flexibility. The article is descriptive and is the starting point for further relationships analyses between green and turquoise organizations.

The theory of reliability is an important inspiration of social science in operational risk management and public crisis management. The article provides a new approach to public crisis management, used in national methodologies: risk assessment in the protection of critical infrastructure of the state as well as civil and rescue planning.

The article discusses the issue of the development of medical tourism in Poland, in particular, the factors determining this development. It is a form of tourism that is becoming more and more popular not only in Poland but also in other countries around the world. The article is an analysis of the perspectives for the development of medical organizations offering medical treatment in Poland. The article assumes that the development of this selected branch of tourism entails investments and innovations also in the area of medical services and medicine. The method adopted in the article is the analysis of the results of research and existing data regarding the prices of medical operations and procedures in Poland, Germany, the USA, and the United Kingdom. The article aims to present the development factors of Polish medical tourism.

The article characterizes the essence of university social responsibility (USR). Various approaches to SRU strategy implementation are presented. The methods and scope of the USR strategy were discussed. The role of stakeholders and the entity responsible for the strategy were indicated.

The aim of this article is to assess the importance of user charges as a source of revenues in state and local government and factors that impact a volume of these revenues. In order to carry out the research it has been assumed that volume of revenues from fees and user charges are dependent on fiscal decentralization, are positively affected public expenditure and depend on the wealth of a society. Two models—for the whole public sector and for state and local government has been designed. Using a panel of 26 selected OECD countries in period 1995–2016 it has been proved that decentralization is a significant factor only in case of fees and user charges in whole public sector but not significant in decentralized model. As expected fees and user charges positively depend on volume of expenditures in both models and additionally negatively depends on tax burden. 

Organisations which receive external funding have been strongly infl uenced by the call to increase accountability, from one hand, and desire to enhance organisational learning on the other. It has been traditionally argued that tensions and trade-offs between these two are inevitable. However, this article demonstrates that it should not necessarily be the case. By reviewing how accountability and organisational learning is defined, and taking account of the recent advancements in evaluation theory and practice, the article explores the ways in which accountability and learning purposes can be reconciled in one evaluation endeavour. It links different types of accountability with different types (loops) of learning. The main argument put forward is that in today’s complex and dynamic environment with many unexpected twists of events being caused by multiple variables a broader view of accountability coupled with higher level of organisational learning is needed. This is especially true in reference to innovative public interventions aimed at multidimensional social problems such as sustainable development or poverty alleviation. 

The aim of the article is the analysis of invalid votes in elections to regional assemblies in 2014, done on the basis of the studies of voting papers at the National Archives in Kielce. The studies were undertaken within the research project called ‘Your voice, your choice’, conducted by the Stefan Batory Foundation in collaboration with the National Electoral Office, National Electoral Commission and the Head Office of National Archives. The analysis encompassed 29 electoral districts that included: 10 electoral districts from the Lesser-Poland Voivodeship, 7 from the Lublin Voivodeship and 6 from the świetokrzyskie Voivodeship. Apart from indicating the reason for the occurrence of invalid votes in elections to regional assemblies, a detailed classification of the abovementioned votes was provided, that included the division into votes with an extra ‘x’ signs, null votes, votes with signs different than ‘x’, votes with multiple ‘x’ signs and strikethroughs, protest votes and the so- called distinct votes. On this basis a characteristic of territorial variation of these votes was provided. 

Organization and management of special culture funds – an analysis of Polish and Dutch experiences in financing cultural activities

This article is a reflection on a project related to changes in the special financing of cultural activities in Poland. In the first part, the author refers to the native tradition of the application of special funds and on the examples of The Cultural Development Fund, The Creativity Promotion Fund and The Culture Promotion Fund, makes a critical analysis of their organization and management. Finally, to crystallize the set of good practices, Polish solutions have been confronted with the widely developed Dutch model of special founds dedicated to the culture.

In this work we describe a model of holistic approach to risk management in public organizations. The proposed model incorporates all types of risk, including information security risk. The core of the model is defined by risk identification, its quantitative estimation and management. This paper presents risk management as an integral part of management control.

This article is based on the programme and project documentation of the Human Capital Operational Programme and the Knowledge-Education-Development Programme. It considers projects aiming to support family business owners (especially in the area of family enterprise succession planning) and run between 2012 and 2019. Projects specified in the article were focusing mainly on training and consulting, and by the end of 2016 these forms of support for entrepreneurs were available occasionally only in selected regions in Poland. Only after new financial perspective was introduced, they were available in the whole country. Training and consulting offered within projects proved to be useful for beneficiaries through engagement of different parties responsible for the process of enterprise succession management.

The paper presents a concept of intelligent hybrid public transport for small satellite towns of larger agglomerations functioning in Polish reality. In Poland, there is observed a phenomenon of everyday commuting to work and schools from towns and cities distant up to several dozen kilometers from the metropolitan city. Often, inflexible and relatively expensive public transport causes, that own car is often used. This translates into increased traffic in the central city. An additional problem is in many cases the lack of adequate parking at the local railway station, allowing for leaving own car. The proposed solution to improve the flexibility of suburban  public transport is to use autonomous vehicles in the near future, but locally in areas surrounding railway stations. Such vehicles would not require parking, while being a mean of transport “on demand”, just like own car. An exemplary analysis for Polish communes is shown based on the Voronoi diagram, illustrating the extent of the areas from which the inhabitants commute to the local railway station.

This paper highlights the interrelated challenges of utilising the concept of public participation ladder in post-disaster planning process. The research was based on the case study of the city of Christchurch in New Zealand, which experienced a tremendous damage after series of earthquakes and aftershocks, that have been occurring since September 2010. Methodology adopted in this paper includes literature review. The true spirit of citizenship which appeared among activists of Christchurch was an expression of their deep relation with the place. The major finding of the paper is that the local, bottom-up initiatives, based on creativity and improvisation may be driving forces of city revival. This paper is raising the importance of delegating power to citizens to find the genius loci, create local identity and a sense of belonging. This symbolic value helps to achieve a resilient city after disaster.

In the Pomeranian Voivodeship there are 27 small and medium-sized towns with preserved material heritage of medieval architecture and urban planning, entered into the register of historical monuments. The aim of this paper is to analyse the state of preservation of the resources in selected towns in terms of its development potential. The author’s attention was directed towards the problems of adaptation, management, development and access to heritage.

We are living in the area of cities and mayors. Local authorities are more and more effective, sometimes it looks like they even take over the role of state governments. But it is about cities. Is there a place for towns and their residents in processes of global urbanization and public participation? The article is focused on participatory process in medium-sized cities and towns in Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is based on own research (interviews with local authorities and non-governmental organizations), analysis of websites of town halls and city offices, acts of local law, reports on public consultation. The research indicates shortcomings in the implementation of residents’ rights to take part in public participation processes. They are visible at the lowest level of the process, i.e. access to information. In the small and medium-sized cities of the Pomeranian Voivodship, social consultations are conducted, however, it is still far from public participation.

The article covers the topic of implementing Cittaslow ideas into a territorial branding strategy. The study is based on a Kalety case study, the town located in a postindustrial Silesian area. The author presents main theoretical issues of place branding along with those connected with functioning of a Cittaslow network.

The premise for the development of sustainable forms of road infrastructure in small towns is the appropriate plan at an early stage or modification in the case of existing spaces. A multidirectional approach is extremely important, which takes into account the specificity of the regional (country) road system, availability, and capacity of traffic network, but also social and environmental factors. Efficient management of transit space in small cities through the implementation of the concept of managing green areas in traffic zones allows improving safety and quality of residents life. Therefore it is important to develop comprehensive projects covering  not only the project itself but also its implementation through the proper control of movement of vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, using e.g. traffic calming elements. The aim of this study is to enhance the design of traffi c calming measures by using principles of zoning, public space design and planting strategies. Examples of development of traffic calming measures in small towns and suburban zones in the regions of Europe and MENA are presented and recommendations regarding the planning of roadside space and the introduction of plants to the traffic calming measures are formulated.

The aim of the presented research was to determine the size, structure and level of diversification of the economic base, as well as their changes in 2008–2015, in relation to small towns of the Warmia-Masuria and Podlaskie Voivodeships. The obtained results allow to conclude that the important factors limiting the development of these cities are the small size and uncompetitive structure of the economic base.

Stable and permanent work is the fundament in the functioning of every person in the entire period of his adult life. Proper professional qualifications reinforce the area of employment, but their absence can contribute to the emergence of serious problems in finding a job. Career planning plays an important role in the period of school and university education. The article presents the results of surveys of students of pedagogical studies at the Faculty of Pedagogy of the University of Rzeszów on their professional plans, activities in the field of acquiring new qualifications and competencies, as well as perceiving the possibility of setting up a business or getting promotion during employment.

The article reviews the research on Polish higher education conducted means of various quantitative methods. Next, the proposed further research directions of the education system are presented in line with global trends. The review shows that research into Polish higher education using various quantitative methods is very little diversified in relation to foreign analyses, both in terms of the methods used and the complexity of the research process.

Small and medium-sized towns play an essential role in local development and they are a vital element of the settlement network. They are service centers and places where local economic activity concentrates. In order to strengthen the potential, counteract negative social-economic phenomena,  increase economic activity and achieve common goals, the towns form associations and start co-operation. Cittaslow is one of the examples of such activities. It is an international network that implements the idea of Slow City which concentrates on the improvement in the quality of life, economic development, particular care of the environment and promotion of local products. It operates according to the sustainable development rules. The aim of the research is to classify towns which are members of Polish Cittaslow Network according to their level of development and indicate potential and barriers in the development of the selected settlement units. In the research, a range of factors such as demographic, socio-economic and spatial-functional factors were considered. The diversity research was conducted with the use of mathematical-statistical method and the taxonomy method. As a result, Cittaslow towns were classified into typological groups of various level of development. Moreover, the role of the Cittaslow network in local and regional development was discussed and barriers and potential in the development of towns which especially stand out among Polish Cittaslow Network were indicated. The results showed that Cittaslow towns are marked with a considerable diversification in the level of development and potentials and barriers to development. 

The structures emergent in the suburbanization process are the new form of urbanized landscape. They, however, require innovative planning tools, the so-called inter-cities (German: die Zwischenstadt). It involves innovative spatial concepts creating an alternative to the global trends that are homogenizing the social life in suburban areas. Inspired by the slow-hood model, the Author’s concept of a slow-suburb uses the exeperince of the Cittaslow network. Elements of urban and agricultural programs are integrated through a strategy for improvement of the quality of life on the outskirts of a metropolis. The remnants of traditional suburbs and rural systems within urban peripheries form a potential for creation of metropolitan enclaves of highquality slow-life. The article is illustrated with research case studies carried out in Gdansk, Poland, with reference to current international research.

The issue of revitalization of public space in cities appeared in the countries of Western Europe in the early 1960s. Much later, the issue of renewal was introduced in countries such as Slovakia and Poland. The beginnings of the revitalization programs date back to the period of political transformation, and in particular concern the accession of these countries to the EU. Since then, the revitalization has become a very important issue for the policy of developing small towns. The space suitable for revitalization is presented as neglected, left without use or not used properly. Areas which undergoing by revitalization are most often described as post-industrial, industrial, and large-scale urban areas. However, the concept of revitalization has evolved especially in the recent years towards the renewal of the city centers and satellite districts in which public spaces are important. Currently, many programs, projects, and activities refer to the concept of revitalization. Revitalization is an interdisciplinary process that combines issues of urban development with architectural planning, economics, sociology, psychology, and others. The work presents the problems of changes in public space related to the implementation of revitalization programs. Reference has been made to changes in the structure of public spaces, as well as areas and facilities of particular importance for residents of small towns in Slovakia and Poland. Finally, the examples of revitalization in both countries are presented. The aim of the research was to analyze the process of revitalization of public spaces on the example of small towns in Poland and Slovakia. The main task was to refer to the issues of changes in space in the context of social and cultural and spatial changes. For this purpose, authors analyzed projects and realizations involving the revitalization of small towns belonging to the Cittaslow Association in Poland and the small cities of the selected Košice, Prešov and Nitra region in Slovakia. 

A research on the Poles’ attitude towards heritage has shown their perception of its role in life. Do they accept public financing of the heritage? Do they recognize its development potential? Ca. 45% of small town residents believe that heritage can improve the quality of life. Almost 69% understand its economic dimension. The analysis shows areas where development measures should focus.

The main purpose of the article is to analyse the role that urban green areas can play in the sustainable urban development. The article describes urban green areas in Nowa Huta, their system and functions, which allowed for the diagnosis of the role they fulfil today and which they can potentially fulfil. In addition, thanks to the analysis of aspects connected with urban green areas in the Study of the Conditions and Directions of the Spatial Management and Local Spatial Management Plans, it was possible to present how spatial planning, as one of the tools of urban development management, can influence the role of urban green areas.

The aim of the article is the operationalization of the concept of urban movements, taking into account the specificity of Polish conditions, a country with a relatively young and unstable democracy. Publication is a voice in the discussion on the directions of research in contemporary social movements, and also draws attention to the strong diversification of Polish grassroots initiatives operating under the common name of “urban movements”.  

On 1 October 2018, the Act: Law on Higher Education and Science, commonly referred to as the Constitution for Science, became the binding legal act. The Law integrates existing laws and regulations for science and higher education. The article analyzes selected problems of the new law, making one of the scientific disciplines, i.e. security studies, a reference point. The research area for this analysis was the University of Social Sciences in Łódź and its branch in Warsaw. 

The publication concerns the specifics of work in a virtual system and knowledge management at selected Higher Universities in Poland. This way of performing duties is becoming more and more popular and even required by cooperators from the near and distant environment. Universities should demonstrate flexibility in this area by adapting their work system to current trends and standards. The aim of the article is to describe some aspects related to the virtual work of academic teachers and the need to apply knowledge management in the long-term functional organization. The adopted hypothesis assumes that there will be intensification of processes related to virtualization of work at universities. The qualitative method was used to collect empirical data in the form of casual interviews. Up to now, interviews with academics have been conducted with three selected Polish universities (Academy of Social Sciences, University of Lodz, School of Finance and Management), overall thirty-seven workers took part in the research. A secondary analysis method was also used, consisting of a review of literature on the subject of national and international scope. The results of the publication are pilot studies, which are a prelude to further research covering both teachers and people managing science and didactic facilities in major voivodship cities in Poland.

The article presents the issue of register of literary scientific achievements of research workers with particular focus on the activities of selected technical university libraries. The article has been divided into two parts – theoretical and empirical. In the first part, sources of scientific information like: a bibliography of university staff publications, institutional repository, Poland Scientific Bibliography, has been presented. The second part presents the results of research on the procedure for registration of scientific achievements of alma mater employees in the bibliography of university staff publications and institutional repository. These studies were based on review of internal rector ordinances, other university legal acts and information about resources documentation in the above sources, which are available on the websites of selected technical university libraries. In addition, rector ordinances relating to the facilitation of the preparation of citations have also been taken into account. An overview of websites was made in July, 2016.

This article is intended (1) to provide an analysis spanning over two periods 2005–2009 and 2010–2014 of the publishing activity of academics and researchers from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, based on the data available from the Clarivate Analytics database, previously Thomas Reuters Web of Science^TM Core Collection, (2) capturing certain trends within these periods (increase/decrease), concerning the participation of academics and researchers from the three countries in global science, and (3) presenting the level of their presence on the global stage. Results of the study introduces the theses that the scientific policy originated Poland and Slovakia in the period under review is bringing slow results. An increase in participants has taken place in the mentioned countries from 2010–2014 in the world of science and the presence of representatives from these countries have become more and more significant in the world scientific landscape. In addition to this their local scientific activity changes into a more open and international form. The Hungary situation in this area is not as clear. On the one hand the citation of work with Hungarian affiliation has increased, and on the other hand the scientific productivity of the representatives of the country has decreased.

The general objective of the work is to identify the axiological assumptions of the concept of innovation. The study shows their presence in the arguments justifying the claim that something is or is not an innovation. The literature and logical analyses shall achieve this goal. They should also indicate essential differences between innovation and pseudo-innovation. The practical goal is to show the role that these assumptions play in decision-making and planning innovation strategies.

The main purpose of the article is presenting the chosen areas of the human resources management in the armed forces as well as identification of humanistic determinants affected performance in the respondents’ opinion. Research results indicate particular importance of trust in the interpersonal relations, that influences the army performance.

The goal of this article is to point out a dependence between the market driven financing model of the public media in Poland and its progressive degradation. Those who manage the television try to solve its financial problems by the massive staff dismissals and a decrease of the cultural standards, which broadens the target and brings more benefits from the commercials. In this way the public television loses on reliability and misses its social vocation. The economic aspects turn out more important that human. The need to be competitive on the market leads to the gradual deterioration of the journalism. Sadly, the public television seem to be on the skids and no one knows how to stop it.

The paper aims to describe how the amount of retail customers’ bank deposits has changed as a result of launching the financial transaction tax in Hungary. The liquidity premium related to all bank deposits offered by Hungarian banks will be analysed and its amount will be calculated from the transfer costs on the supply side. The objective of the research is to measure liquidity premium at sector level. When analysing the liquidity premium, both the size of the invested amount and duration of the deposit are tackled. Since the size of liquidity premium may considerably affect competition on the market, the paper tries to model this relationship and estimate the value of the corresponding parameters.

The paper presentsthe role of the power in the network organization. This role is reflected in the analysis of free exchange and the voluntary sharing of power and knowledge in the network structure.Most often, the problem of the functioning of a network structure is described by depicting it in opposition to a hierarchical structure, indicating that the network is a structure without a single decision center and no fixed relations. According to the authors of the study, the network logic that replaces the hierarchy does not mean the complete disappearance of the centers of power. They remain, but in organizations with varied technical knowledge, competencies and experience. In a hierarchical structure, power is the means and purpose of acquiring and managing knowledge. On the other hand, network logic from knowledge makes the tool of gaining power. In the opinion of authors the network organization is not an alternative form for managing contemporary organizations. It is just a modernized management form using communication and information technologies and cooperation between organizations in the network.

Technological progress and the development of the Internet network have changed the way and type of work. Not only the form of the work performed changed, but also its scope and role. The Internet has become a place of professional work of modern man. In the context of these changes, we must answer of two important questions. First: in what area of the Internet human work is of the greatest importance? Second: what benefits and losses brings work done on the Internet? The whole article is of an illustrative nature and constitutes an introduction to further considerations on the impact of professional work on the Internet network.

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It is more and more expected of public organisations that they will be open to their surroundings and innovative. This imposes on them the need for changes, which makes them reach more and more for solutions reserved so far only for commercial organisations. In the article an attempt was made to answer the following question: what is the level of strategic orientation on open innovations of local government units? In order to realise the goal set in this way literature studies and empirical research were conducted in purposefully chosen local government units. The results of the conducted research indicate a mediocre level of orientation.
 

The strategy of local development as a planning document is aimed at pointing developmental directions, which result in the improvement of inhabitants’ life quality. Its success depends not only on the elaboration of a development concept but also on its effective implementation and updating. Unfortunately, it happens that developmental strategies are not properly implement­ed, or its execution is abandoned. The main reason are barriers, which can appear and disenable or hinder strategy implementation.
The authors discuss the results of undertaken questionnaire surveys in the range of developmental strategy implementation in cities with county rights in Poland. The barriers of strategy implementation and also the premises of strategy updating are presented.
 

The article describes the impact of the implementation of projects in the units of local self-gov­ernment on efficiency in the development of the city in accordance with the planned strategic goals. Considerations also include the impact of experience of local authorities in Poland on the management of projects in the units of local self-government in Ukraine. This paper presents the views of the residents of the city of Lutsk in Ukraine to assess the effectiveness of project activities of the municipal administration.
 

Estimating the financial implications of territorial development plans is a complex task. That complexity is a derivative of: detailed planning decisions, planning a time horizon, and the multidimensional category of territorial development. Referring to the above operationalization of methods of projections, the rapidly increasing difficulties in the conceptualization of analytical methods is visible as well as the availability of the necessary informative material. For these reasons, the development strategies of many units have no estimates giving answers to basic ques­tions of: how much the implementation of a strategy will cost? what financial potential of sources is, what can make it possible to involve the strategy implementation? These are the issues and questions targeted in the article. The empirical exemplification of the results is the project, currently being updated – The Cracow Development Strategy 2030. The article consists of three chapters and conclusions. These chapters substantively develop: (–) the issue of the financial implications of planning decisions, (–) a proposal for a methodology for estimating financial resources for the strategy implementation and estimating the financial potential of its implementation, (–) realization of the proposed methodology for the project of SRK 2030. Among the results of the research it can be pointed out, that the expenditures for the implementation of CDS will reach 11 billion PLN, while the financial potential fluctuates around 16 billion PLN.
 

This article aims to analyse and evaluate the implementation of the strategic policy intelligent tools to determine the vision of the spatial development of the territory. Based on a review of sixteen regional spatial development plans proposed strategic policy intelligent tools at various stages of adoption planning studies.


 

The author presents issues of proinnovative industrial policy in Poland and China. He de­scribes the reasons for this policy in current conditions of the economies of the aforementioned countries. The author analyses certain former circumstances regarding the systems of the states and national economies in Poland and China. He presents the valid contents of proinnovative industrial policy in the aforementioned states. The author recognises strict connections between important challenges ahead of both countries and contents of their proinnovative industrial policies.
 

Governance today requires the activity of local government units in the building of functional communication with the environment of municipalities. The standard is the creation by local authorities websites and the use of information technology. The article presents the results of research on the use and functionality of some online tools used by commons of the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship. Compared the results of two periods – 2010 and 2015.
 

The article discusses how to turn the bureaucratic offices of public institutions in the comfortable service centers, that will be able quickly, efficiently and competently to provide administrative services to citizens. It is proved that the strategy development for service centers providing administrative services to citizens in the public institutions should be based on the basis of continuous monitoring of citizens’ requests, learning difficulties, which arise at the stage of management and administration of individual services, and building a clear strategic plan for the prioritization of certain services. There should be some opportunities to motivate managers that provide direct administrative services. We propose the mechanism of strategic planning for service centers in state institutions that is based on innovation, and provides abilities to implement innovative procedure for public servicing to enhance the quality of administrative services and the level of customer satisfaction. It is found that such client oriented approach possible to achieve by reducing the time phases for administrative services, by optimization of the number of institutions that coordinate the implementation of administrative services, by motivating the high competence of perpetrators, and by the optimization of services documentary turnover.
 

The concept, specifics and methodology of foresight are defined in the article; also the necessity of applying foresight investigations for the strategic planning in public organizations devel­opment is outlined. Benchmarking analysis of such investigation results based on the human capital development scenarios in Ukraine and Poland is carried out, in particular for the higher education development perspective in both countries.
 

The aim of the article is to present the essence of risk, its types and areas characteristic of universities. The author draws attention to the fact that developed a risk management system for this type of organization should be adapted to their specific, to actually serve to increase operational efficiency, and not just completing statutory requirements. The added value of the study is to assess the implementation of risk management systems in selected universities made on the basis of a comparative analysis of published statements on the state of management control.
 

The article presents the relationship between corporate social responsibility, corporate image, and leadership in the context of globalization. It has been proven that market leadership has different sources of the formation. The internal manifestation is formed due to the orientation of social responsibility on the employees of the company, while the external manifestation is created because of the focus on business partners, customers, and society. The features of social responsibility within the business strategy are presented. The system of advantages for socially responsible companies has analyzed in the short- and longterm. Attention is paid to the factors that limit the social activity of companies. The author proved the need to expand the information space with the intention of publishing trends and results of companies’ social activity. The stages of developing and disseminating social reports of companies were proposed. It justified the benefits that the company receives through the use of social reporting.
 

In this article the author has tried to propose a new approach to cultural heritage from the perspective of ecological concepts. The author, based on a rich literature and conclusions of her previous research, is trying to understand the phenomenon of heritage anew. In a special way within the text were exposed these aspects of heritage and its environment, which according to the author constitute the uniqueness of this resource for building a sustainable local development.

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the scope and quality of collaborative efforts between national parks and local governments in the area of tourism development. The research procedure is based on the questionnaires received from all 23 national parks in Poland, which welcome a total of about 11 million tourists per year. The largest number of park and local government decisions made concern promotional efforts and the development of tourist infrastructure –  mostly walking trails. Most national parks (61%) do suggest that tourism development conflicts with the mission of national parks. The research results may help better understand the relationship between national parks and local governments and may help evaluate what is expected of government officials.

Study results presented in this article are trying to identify the scale of activity among Polish women in non-governmental organizations, that were recognized as working for women’s cause. In order to accomplish that goal, evaluation of women’s share in non-governmental organization’s management was performed, as well as analysis of statutory objectives, its implementation and areas of gratuitous actions.

This paper discusses a project devoted to the concept of responsibility in the field of research and innovation, which has been initiated by the European Commission in recent years. The key element of this project is performing science with society and for society, which includes wide cooperation with different societal actors, representing researchers, business, civil society and policy makers. An important part of this concept is diversity and gender equality in the research and innovation sector. These issues are also perceived as instruments of shaping correct relationship between science and society. The paper presents the main initiatives under the Responsible Research and Innovation project and selected good practices introduced by research institutions aimed at overcoming gender imbalance in the scientific profession within the European Union.

There is a broad discussion in the literature if self-employment is a solution allowing women to reconcile their work and family life. Nevertheless there is still very little empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis for different countries and institutional frameworks and the results are mixed. One of the reasons may be the lack of sufficient data containing questions on self-employment, entrepreneurship, innovations, firm performance and simultaneously questions fertility intentions and decisions. The article compares properties of several European representative surveys and discusses potential methodological issues.

The concept of public governance requires inter-organizational cooperation. Resolving social problems encounter some restrictions. One of them is the strategic planning of the public interest activities. This area of public activity is not well researched. The author presents the definition of strategic planning of the public interest activities, formulates the research problems and presents the basic assumptions about the research methodology.

Public administration should constantly develop and contribute to improving the processes related to the implementation of public tasks. In this context, a very desirable tool for perfecting local government personnel become regional development strategies. The analysis was subjected Strategy of socio-economic development of Warmia and Mazury 2025, which allows the skilful and appropriate investment in human capital. The study analyzed area is to identify the main activities in the field of human resources management, preferring to improving public administration to utilize this Strategy for socio-economic development of the Warmia and Mazury. The search for aspects related to the proper management of human resources in local government was based on a review of scientific literature showing practical examples and empirical results of previous studies.

Local Government Boards of Appeals are bodies of higher instance as compared to agencies of territorial government units unless the specific acts legislate otherwise. The Boards are a specific guarantor of citizens rights protection and also rights for good administration. The aim of the paper is to analyse the activity of Local Government Boards of Appeals in Poland in the years 2012–2015. The method of descriptive and logical analysis was used in the paper. Annual reports of the activity of every Local Government Board of Appeals in Poland in the years 2012-2015 made up the starting material. In conclusion of performed surveys, the authors stated among others that in the examined period fluctuations of the number of cases coming into the Boards of Appeals were observed and the performed analysis allows to predict in the following years the number of submitted cases at the level of about 200,000. Moreover, in view of great amount of cases examined by Local Government Boards of Appeals in Poland, their financial support as well as employment increase are advisable.

Among the determinants of development infl uence of cultural factors and human capital is underlined on the attractiveness of specifi c regions and tourism. The aim of the development is the answer to the question whether in Cracow festivals have an impact on the development of the cultural and tourist city. The author tried to describe the most numerous attention-grabbing of tourists festivals and cultural events and make the impact analysis on the development of the city of Cracow. The basis for scientifi c analysis are statistical and industry literature.

This paper reports the main assumptions and the participation of Cracow in the UNESCO Creative Cities. It’s aim was therefore to show how participation in this type of project can affect the realization of the marketing strategy of the city in relation to the concept of territorial marketing.

The paper object is to analyze the differences between the methods used by NGOs and civic movements, in order to infl uence the territorial development trends in Cracow. The text discusses methods of those, which shaped the directions of development of Cracow, on the background of the theory of life cycle of the organization.

The article presents information on the ways of understanding the term  non-governmental organization and data on non-governmental organizations registered in the city of Krakow. The major thematic areas, undertaken by these organizations. They analyzed the forms of cooperation of NGOs and municipal authorities on the basis of prepared Multiannual Programme Cooperation Municipality of Krakow and NGOs for the years 2015–2018.

The article presents the metropolitan identity – understood as a new type of organizational identity, specific to metropolitan centers – and aims to assess its relevance to the territorial management of metropolis. Theoretical considerations were performed using the analysis of documents related to Cracow Metropolitan Area.

Are Polish cities sustainable? What does sustainable city mean in practice and how to assess the results of implementation of sustainable development strategy? The article presents the tool that can be used in order to profi le and evaluate complex urban processes and strategies towards sustainable development of Cracow and other selected Polish cities.

The aim of this paper is to identify the challenges in management of urban development on the example of Nowa Huta. The work was divided into three parts, each of which discusses a different aspect concerning the essence of the subject. The fi rst part refers to the history of Nowa Huta. Second part discusses problems in managing the development of the city. Last part refers to Nowa Huta and the challenges posed by the authorities in relation to its historical conditions, as well as the actions taken to date. To achieve the objective were used analysis of literature on the fi eld of history, sociology, management development, social geography, strategic documents and materials available on the Websites. Analysis of literature allowed the development of applications which basis do further research in this area.

The subject of the paper is to analyze the concept of the creative class in relation to the conditions of Cracow and their impact on the local and regional development. The aim of the article is the justifi cation that Cracow meets the requirements of a creative city and for its development are responsible the interaction of three factors (talent, technology and tolerance).

The necessity of innovation in economy, science, organizations, searching for new technologies in the production process, solutions in management, satisfying cultural and social needs of the XXI century people and above all gaining the client, customer causes the essentiality to organize meetings and to promote the achievements in the widest extend. “The innovative thought” endeavors to reach all the above – mentioned areas of life, both in our homeland and abroad. The purpose is to find the potential future clients, customers of the “product” or “service”.

The meetings have already gained their name in the international arena. It is so called: “the industry of meetings” , which refl ects the whole phenomena and processes connected with the organization of meetings in a given area. While “business tourism” is the form of gathering together in one place a lot of people in order to discuss, debate, present opinions and products, share ideas, learn and motivate [Borodako, Berbeka, Niemczyk, Seweryn, 2014: 63].

In the article, I would like to indicate what “the business tourism” is and that Cracow has become an attractive city for organizing those types of meetings not only for the Poles but also for the European and other people from different parts of the world. In recent years, it is mainly due to the building of the convention center ICE, EXPO and the performing and sport hall TAURON ARENA. The cultural heritage of Cracow, the beautiful historical buildings, twenty three academies and universities with the world famous Jagiellonian University and AGH University of Science and Technology, numerous accommodation places contribute to the offer of the city. It can compete with such metropolises and centers as Warsaw, Prague, Florence, Budapest, Munich.

Purpose of the article is empirical verification of factors of efficient knowledge sharing by scientific workers of universities, existing in literature of the subjects, and an attempt to identify the most significant of them. The illustrative empirical data were obtained through a research tool in a form of a survey questionnaire, addressed to workers employed on scientific and didactic positions at universities located in Poland. The realized research allowed to specify previous knowledge related to premises of knowledge sharing, with regard to the knowledge workers. Results of the performed research suggest that these factors are mainly of a resourceful nature. The obtained results not only confirm but also complement the theoretical basis for knowledge sharing in the academic environment.

The openness of science is to ensure free access to the ultimate outcome of research and the use of open models in other areas of scientific work. The article pointed out the possibility of using the concept of organizational learning in shaping openness. Learning of an organization is a complex and multi-level phenomenon. Expanding the boundaries of organizational learning is promoted by networking of information with other entities. Reinforcing learning within the open science may include its types proposed by E. Stern.

Today's environment of any organization and to seek ever new ways to improve the efficiency of their operation. This applies to both universities, as well as local government units, which together more often cooperate and implement various projects. Joint actions can be seen through the gradual raising ethical standards applied in different organizations. These study provides perspectives from the axiological to manage these specific types of organization, which is the university and the local government unit.

Background. Initiatives to promote gender equality in STEM have been developed in Europe over a number of years. However, all specific programmes have proved to be insufficient to increase the number of women in science and in engineering.

Research aims. The main objective is to analyze the barriers that lead to gender inequity in the context of science and the academia, namely vertical and horizontal segregation (underrepresentation of women in STEM) and asymmetric gender culture in organisations (including structural barriers for women).

Methodology. In this paper location parameters of descriptive statistics, like median 1st and 3rd quartile and rate structure, were compared. Those simple parameters were used to show the scale of differences between males and females, especially in the context of salaries, and to highlight the dynamics of changes in time.

Key findings. The study revealed that there is no equity in salaries at all educational levels in Poland. There is also no equity in R&D personnel salaries and in number of engineering students and in higher level technical university personnel.

Conclusions. Urgent solutions and actions are needed to increase the equity balance in STEM in the context of salaries and careers development, in transportation engineering field.

For years, we have consistently strived to enact high-quality legislation, or, in other words, legislation which is comprehensible to its recipients, transparent, uncomplicated, and devoid of legal loopholes and contradictions. In order to bring about a genuine improvement in this regard, it is possible to introduce enhancements to both the process of formulating the goals of changing legislation, as well as to the process-based design of selected legal acts, and acts of a procedural nature in particular.
The article presents the efforts which the legislators have undertaken to-date in order to eliminate faults to the legislation process which allow for the creation of contradictory, ambiguous, and overly complicated legislation. The article also presents the actions undertaken in order to implement the methodology, best practices, and tools associated with business process management which have proved to be successful in the business sphere in the field of legislation.

In order to propose a method for measuring employee engagement in public sector, a review of the literature was conducted; 12 original employee engagement questionnaires were found. UWES and MBI-GS were considered as the most appropriate for public sector due to their validity, reliability, support of empirical analyzes and Polish language versions.

The cooperation of industrial enterprises influences the improvement of competitive position of enterprises. The main objective of the study is to attempt to determine the impact of distance and the relationship between the participants in the supply chain on innovative cooperation between industrial companies from the Polish east in 2010–2012. The second objective of this article is to compare conditions influencing on the innovation cooperation between industrial enterprises from Poland eastern and western. The empirical data, based on which the computations were performed and then interpreted the results obtained from industrial enterprises using a survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire was sent to industrial companies from the four province: Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie. The analysis is static and covers the years 2010–2012.

Universities face increasing competition and depend more and more on political, economic, but also environmental factors. These lead to new turbulences for higher education organisations. Essentially, higher education systems become constantly more complex, reliant and fast changing, the level of disruption that confronts university leaders increases. In this context, innovation management is a central device to deal with foreseen and unforeseen disruption. The paper describes how innovation audit can be applied as a major means of change and innovation management to increase the competitiveness and innovation capacity of higher education institutions. The topic is presented from two aspects that later meet each other, from the aspect of higher education institutions and that of innovation management.
 

The aim of the paper is to present the specificity of quality as a competitiveness tool in higher education sector. Moreover author tests hypotheses, assuming growing importance of quality in the management of the university. Article’s objective has been achieved through the study of literature and interviews, which were conducted with 16 persons responsible for the management of the education process in different universities.

The paper is a case study of two housing estates in Krakow, which were built in 80’ in 20th century. Currently they are widely changing in spatial and functional way. The authors valuate the spatial planning procedures to measure the level of society engagement usefulness in this process.

The article is devoted to topic of social media in public policy in Poland. It presents the results of research of Twitter usage on local level. Conclusion shows that local political leaders and local governments use Twitter potential on vary small scale.

The paper presents the significance of civil servants and citizens partner cooperation in efficient environmental public policies formulation. The author analyses the utility of Mandated Participatory Planning, which is one of the most widely used instrument of shaping the environmental policies in European Union for partner cooperation.

The trade in counterfeit products is liable to multibillion-dollar losses of private entrepreneurs, national governments, and society. The aim of the article is to present theory and research on the sale of counterfeit together with an analysis of statistics and media coverage as an attempt to determine how Polish consumers perceive this problem.

In the era of globalization and rapid technological progress the presence of new technologies in performances of classical music is slowly becoming the norm. The leading musical institutions offer broadcast performances to cinemas, affecting the opera houses. Consumers gain access to a new range of services, yet at the same time they are forced to adopt new attitudes towards the services provided by traditional institutions, which effects national cultural policy.
This paper presents the results of polls conducted in the UK and Poland in 2014 and 2015. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the problem of perception of the quality and repertoire of local opera houses in relation to broadcast operas as a key factor for shaping cultural policy in Poland.

Twenty-first century is the century of change. If school want to prepare young people for live in the still changing reality, it must equip students with the necessary skills and competencies. Many institutions, both domestic and international, whose mission is to strive for the development of society, economy, emphasizes the role and importance of the activity of the students, who as adults will contribute to economic growth. The impact of student engagement in their development is also emphasized by many researchers, practitioners, and theoreticians in area of education.
The main purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the necessity of building space in schools to the commitment of the students. In addition, the article presents factors of promoting the active attitudes of young people in school and pursuit of such educational policy, which will be cause that children and young people will be active participants in school life and social life.

Development support of the cultural infrastructure is one of the most important aspects of development plan for city and region. Developed cultural infrastructure help spreading the culture, facilitate tourism development, increase city’s popularity, influence the residents’ quality of living. Today, cultural institutions development is multifaceted and multifunctional, combining diverse forms in one area, enabling interaction with recipients and cooperation between non-governmental organizations and artists, creating innovative cultural offers. Goal of this article is to characterize development of cultural infrastructure from the beginning of XXI century and its role for city development and its residents, based on example of Cracow. Cultural institutions, which are financed from the budget of the city and province of Malopolska, created in Cracow in recent years were also discussed as an example of cultural infrastructure.

This paper aims to describe trends in the development of evaluation in education in Poland. The author has attempted to develop a periodization of its development. In the history of educational evaluation in Poland he identifies three periods - the era of silence - before 1993;  the time  of reforms - 1993-2009 and "hardening time” - after 2009. The historical analyses presented here are the starting point to determine the status and prospects of the evaluation in Poland, especially in the light of the experience gained during design and implementation System of Educational Evaluation. The author 's intention is to propose analytical tools enabling the description and explanation of the regularities governing the process of embedding evaluation in the theory and practice of education

The end of the project, which was aiming at using the evaluation in the inspection system for quality improvement of schools, other educational institutions and in the development of the whole educational system, provokes to ask questions about future of this idea. Education today is perceived as a one of the most important condition of the success in contemporary societies. Evaluation, which popularity is systematically growing, might serve as an effective tool for improvement. However, we should be aware that evaluation in education is a specific form of it, demanding different approach. In order to build open, democratic and supportive for development evaluation we need to answer important questions concerning its future developments.

The text depicts the important role of internal evaluation in school development. The differences between internal and external evaluation have been pointed out. The design of internal evaluation is based on the concept of school focused on student development.

The paper presents the necessary conditions to be met by effective teachers teams. Characteristics of team work of Polish teachers is based on the results of an external evaluation of the years 2013- 2014, a survey of schoolmasters of graduates Postgraduate Education Leaders in 2015 and interviews with teachers - participants of training on teamwork conducted in 2015 in four primary schools. On the basis of the research conclusions paper presents recommendations of actions that should lead to an increase in the quality of teachers teamwork  in Polish schools.

The aim of this paper is to present and analyse the organisational and cultural determinants of  the implementation the Lean Management in Polish universities.  The study was based on results of the review literature. On the base of literature research it can be assumed that traditional values and principles of universities are not in deep contradiction with fundamentals of Lean Management. But implementation of this conception needs breaking and crossing many barriers in the technical and organisational sphere, also needs the deep changes in the organisational culture of university.

The article depicts the issue of cooperation of higher education institutions (HEIs) with their environment in Poland. The aim of the article is to present selected aspects of HEIs` scientific and research activities. This aim has been attempted by analyzing Polish and foreign literature, and by conducting desk research concerning HEIs` revenue from research activity from 2006 to 2013. It was found that HEIs are becoming increasingly active in this field, which might be as a herald of positive trends.

The role of the third sector, which affects the development of civil society, is greater than before. At the same time is observed growth of the need for responsible use of management techniques in the crisis economic environment, which return to ethical values. Despite many differences between market and non-governmental actors, turbulent economic situation affects more intense relationships of the business sector and NGOs. The article presents conditions to support cross-sector cooperation in assessing the significance of the development of the relationship between the above mentioned entities. Author submits proposal of structuring by selection of important cooperation between business and NGOs theories and results from own study, conducted between 2013 and 2014 (grants from the WUT Faculty of Management). Aim of the paper is to find reasons for cooperation between business and NGOs as indispensable element in sustainable management.

The article presents the description of the role played by military public relations in partnership cooperation the among armed forces and non- governmental organizations. In order to explain this role, both NATO documents and Polish reports and papers were analyzed.

The Authors would like to present various types of cooperation between the armed forces and their environment, as well as to show the role of planned and professional communication, that is, public relations. The authors begin their work from defining the basic research notions and then study various cases of Polish Armed Forces cooperation with their environment, especially with non- governmental organizations.

As the conclusion, the authors present the idea that the Polish Armed Forces realize, through the communication policy, their strategic target, which is preparing the personnel to the service in the armed forces units and to gain social acceptance for their actions and activities. Non-governmental organizations, thanks to the mentioned public relations, realize their various statutory goals.

The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of LAGs on the local socio-economic development of Lublin region. The main thesis of the research is based on the assumption that local governments today are not the only and most important entities responsible for the creation of local socio-economic development, particularly in rural areas. This role is also played by Local Action Groups.

Currently the concept of creative capital, just like knowledge, seems to be in focus of researchers of and those practically involved in economy. A look at creativity through the theory of creative class is linked with the conditions predetermining its development. The study describes collaboration as an element of building creative capital. Combining the concepts of cooperation and creativity in relation to local governments is a novel approach in literature. Therefore, the main purpose of the article is to present the conceptual approach to developing creative capital related to municipality as an administrative unit.

The development of the railway infrastructure can be one of the main factors creating regional development. Relationships at the level of market mechanisms, technical, structural changes, can lead to an increase in the productivity of the regional economy. The basis, in this regard, would be to improve the existing transport infrastructure, in particular routes of international importance. An example for that is the Rail Baltica railway, which may boost the development of the regions, including Podlasie. Therefore, the aim of this article is to identify and evaluate the impact of the development of the basic forms of rail infrastructure on regional development on the example of Rail Baltica route in Podlaskie voivodship. The analysis was made on the basis of available statistical data and literature. The article uses the hypothetical-deductive method of research

Road safety is a very important problem undertaken by various actors of both an international and local level. An important role in this area play non-governmental organizations, whose activities result from social motives. The body of the article summarizes and presents the international non-governmental organizations of different scope and nature of the action and shows the extent of their efforts to road safety. Studies show that many new organizations start their activities in the field of safety and security. As regards to the transport issues very often it is road safety because almost everyone is a road user: a pedestrian, a cyclist, a bike rider, a car driver or a passenger of any vehicle. Therefore road safety concerns the vast majority of a society. Furthermore the non-governmental organizations are matched very closely to the actual needs in the field of road safety due to their scale and specialization and can respond to the social expectations faster than local, regional or national administration. As a result the non-governmental organizations play a significant role in the design and implementation of programmes to improve road safety.

More public authorities nowadays engage specialised undertakings to perform public services. This raises questions on the applicable rules to the selection of public service providers as well as their remuneration for public service delivery. The paper discusses the models of providing urban public transport services in the EU and in Poland and the consequences of adopting ones in the context of the EU common market, in particular resulting from the public procurement and state aid rules. The very common model in Polish cities which consists of the co-existence of the Public Transport Authorities (the organisers of local public transport) and the operators (carriers) who are budgetary establishments or publicly-owned commercial companies, where ‘the internal provider exception’ under public procurement rules is applicable, the compliance of the public services financing with state aid rules remains to be challenging for public authorities.

European Union first attempted to create common transport policy in 1950s; in Poland, TEN-T program has been realized as a tool to implement the goals of EU transport policy since 2004. The aim of the article is to present the way EU transport policy has been realized in Poland and to what effect. The author hopes to present the most commonly committed pitfalls and to highlight the best projects and types of approach used so far when analyzing the infrastructure projects, realized within the TEN-T program.

The paper presents the concept of the use of benchmarking to support the financial management of local government units. An effective use of the proposed method is the use of Business Intelligence tools and OLAP system enables the development of a data warehouse since 2006 containing the report of implementation of the budget of local government units. Financial problems some municipalities tend to the widespread use of these tools for finding solutions sequences of actions, pre-existing similar problems, in the framework of homogeneous groups of municipalities.

The new paradigm of regional policy (NPRP) is analysed. The stakeholders, selected instruments of regional policy, as well as the mechanisms of coordination featured in NPRP are examined. The paper is based on research implemented in the Sub-Carpathian Region of Poland.

The purpose of the article is to present a few theoretical arguments supporting the thesis that ethical codes can be an effective tool for managing by values in the public sphere. The point of departure in this article are two conceptions being included in the so-called humanistic paradigm in public management: New Public Administration and New Public Service. Both conceptions yield a postulate of the re-evaluation of the ethical basis for public management.

Public safety management is a social process aimed at ensuring an optimal level of safety at an area of the specified administrative unit. The scope of public safety management extends from social policy, through regional policy, crime policy, to emergency management. This process is co-created by entities operating in the one administrative area under existing capabilities and limitations as well as the dynamic changes in the environment. However the literature points out the insufficient collaboration between public administrative units. Furthermore, the lack of a process approach can lead to disturbances in coordination and activities duplication. Therefore the goal of this paper is to identify and describe the collaboration processes implemented in the public safety management.

Every organization, including food inspection bodies, can be examined in their formal and non-formal sphere. Though research concerning formal aspect of the inspection bodies functioning is definitely important it must be remembered that it is the non-formality and so called tacic knowlege that governs all organization members in their everyday practices. Formal aspect of the organization might be far from what is actually done in the inspection bodies since people working there treat law regulations in different ways. In the article I briefly describe the interpretiveparadigm of organization research and the methods of the in-depth individual interview used in the research and focus on the two level analysis (content and discourse) that is the basis of the outcomes presented earlier.

Among the obstacles I mention two most important ones. First of which is defined the use of the category of “we vs they” that characterizes the narratives of the inspection bodies members.

Opposition and the antagonism present in this category is – by no means – one of the most vital obstacle for real cooperation.

The second category named “politicisation of hierarchical kingdoms” describes the phenomenon of inspection bodies being treated as completely separate, highly dependent on political powers, units in which any change or mobility is virtually impossible, and in which those who are at the top will not take into consideration the voice of those who are at the bottom. In this way a non-crossable boundary is being built in everyday institutional practices making it impossible to cooperate.

In the summary, I suggest that before implementing any new law regulation these are the cultural factors that should be seriously taken into account.

Local government units in Poland are responsible for implementing a wide range of tasks that are usually associated with satisfying the basic needs of local communities. In addition, local governments are responsible for implementing processes involving local and regional development. However, the implementation of the tasks set largely conditioned by the financial possibilities that are made available to individual self-government units. In a situation where current spending consumes the largest part of the budget of local investment activity remains very limited. For help in such a situation, the legislature directs the contracting public-private partnership. Modern public-private partnership is a form of long-term, based on the principle of mutual trust – cooperation of the public sector with the private sector. The aim of such cooperation are the most common services provided, whose main task is the implementation of a public task with simultaneous benefit of the private sector. The idea of public-private partnership aims to achieve mutual benefits. On the one hand, is focused on delivering the key tasks of the public, on the other hand – on achieving commercial purposes.

It is becoming more and more important for the actors of economy, both in the corporate and public sector, to take into consideration certain social and environmental aspects to be socially respected in their business activities. Nowadays it is a generally accepted fact that corporate decisions have their impacts not only on the immediate environment on the whole society. The CEOs of the companies have significant roles in that.

The present study focuses on the CSR attitudes of the CEOs among the Hungarian SMEs based on a survey from 2014. The study introduces those factors that feature and determine the formation of the attitudes.

Along the dimensions it can be stated that concerning the CSR attitude of the majority of the leaders of the Hungarian SMEs are beyond the traditional only profit maximization type of thinking.

The CEOs in the sample do form a homogenous group. Regarding the CSR attitudes of the examined CEOs, the attitudes can be divided into three clear segments: the traditional, the modern and the neutral.

Participation is a very important process in the context of a democratic state. The basis of democracy is citizen participation in governance and making key decisions for society. The aim of this paper is to identify the level of involvement of the residents of Małopolska’s commons and cities in decision-making by local referendum.

In this paper there are presented the basic definitions of the referendum and its models described by type classification. In the following part of this article there has been presented the concept of participation, its variations, and its reference in relation to the concept of participation referendum. On the basis of the referendum turnout data authors made the identification of the citizen participation in this institution of direct democracy.