In search of a model procedure for assessing the risk of violence in Polish conditions - Summary of Authors’ research results

Objective: The study undertook an assessment – unique in Polish conditions – of the factors related to higher education differentiating the group of graduates of the Jagiellonian University (JU) in terms of their professional activity in the context of taking up employment or starting self-employment. Research Design & Methods: Lazear’s theory was applied to find study-related entrepreneurship determinants. The study attempted to determine the factors influencing the employment of Jagiellonian University graduates or their self-employment. The following explanatory variables were used during the study: scientific discipline and students’ faculty, professional activity or possibly running a business by the student, mode of study (full-time versus part-time), and scientific and non-scientific activities such as volunteering, undertaking studies abroad, and internships. The analyzes were based on data collected during the alumni career paths research of more than 6000 graduates who completed their studies between 2015 and 2019. Findings: The Mann-Whitney test and parametric t-Student tests showed that graduates of the JU who started a business, as opposed to those who work as employed persons, already set up a business during their studies and then continued it or started other types of business activity. Regarding the two analysed groups of students, there were significant differences in the completed faculty, study mode (full-time versus part-time), student internships, studies, internships abroad, and volunteering. Implications & Recommendations: The results of the analyses can be used by several groups of beneficiaries. Firstly, they can be useful for high school graduates intending to start higher education, as they indicate such disciplines and fields of study, after which the chances of professional success are the highest. The second group interested in the results of this work might be university students, who, based on its results, may undertake additional academic and non-academic activities that could increase their chances of professional success. Thirdly, the management of universities can use the results of research when preparing an educational offer that would be best suited to the needs of the labour market. Contribution & Value Added: The subject of factors differentiating the professional attitudes of university graduates, especially in countries undergoing systemic transformation, is insufficiently explored. Deficiencies in quantitative research based on large sets of data are particularly visible. This article fills this gap by pointing to the factors that significantly affect self-employment or hired work by graduates of the oldest and one of the most renowned universities in Poland.

Purpose – The main aim of the paper is to test to what degree information supplied to the job candidate by means of internet advertisement are realistic in Polish reality. Methodology – To achieve this aim, a study on 117 job advertisements for the position of recruiter, located on eleven job recruitment portals, was performed. 43 characteristic keywords were identified within each job ad. The next step involved comparing those results with the analysis of qualitative data gathered from three persons hired for the position of a recruiter at least two years ago. The data received from three recruiters were analyzed following Eisenhardt's (1989) suggestions and grounded theory approach. Findings – Research results reveal that majority of tasks performed in the position of recruiter were placed within recruitment advertisement. The tasks that were not enclosed in recruitment ads and indicated by recruiters as important are as follows: HR processes modeling, taking care of company blog and holding employee meetings. Research results suggest that, despite the notion of realistic job previews (RJPs), in Polish conditions they do not necessarily lead to dissatisfaction from the job in the three analyzed cases. Limitations – The main limitation of the paper is the restriction of realistic job previews to information regarding job duties and tasks of only one position – recruiter. The study signals RJP’s importance in Poland and we believe further research on the issue is necessary.

We are pleased to present the September issue of Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, which showcases the diversity of research and reflections on contemporary psychiatry and clinical psychology. The articles collected here share a strong focus on the practical dimensions of diagnosis, therapy, and prevention—both in the field of mental disorders and in the challenges faced by mental health care systems. The issue opens with an article by Marlena Banasik et al., dedicated to developing a model procedure for violence risk assessment in Polish conditions. The authors emphasize the need for systematization and wider implementation of structured professional judgment tools, which could enhance the reliability of forensic-psychiatric evaluations and improve public safety.

In the face of mass education, the need to seek individualized methods of students’ teaching-learning is increasing. That causes academic tutoring to become more and more popular in higher education all over the world. The article presents the theoretical background of tutoring, the results of research in that regard and the benefits of its practical application. Furthermore, the reality of higher education in Poland is presented here: the context and basic problems constituting the background for possibilities and limitations of application of academic tutoring in Polish conditions. The last part of the article includes examples of application of tutoring at Polish universities. Besides, some areas are indicated in which the use of tutoring may still be considered if the economic, social and cultural conditions in Poland are taken into account.

The aim of the paper is to review how free funds (available cash resources) are managed in the Polish state budget, to review the solutions used at the national and local levels in other countries and assess the quality of management in Polish conditions. Analysis of the budget available cash resources covered the last twelve years and included both periods of economic growth as well as crisis years. Methodology of the research included financial analysis of state budget revenues, expenditure, debt income and debt repayment expenses, as well as public debt statistics and ear-marked funds data. The results obtained during the study provide for the formulation of a negative opinion regarding the management of available funds in the state budget. Based on the research results, the authors prepared a number of recommendations, the implementation of which will increase the effectiveness of public funds management.

Care farms represent an innovative form of combining agricultural activity with social services, which is gaining importance in the context of the multifunctional development of rural areas and support for seniors, lonely people or those in difficult life situation. The article focuses on two aspects: the essence of care farms, their functioning and their impact on improving the quality of life of participants; the possibilities of implementing this model in Polish conditions. The development of the idea of care farms is discussed using examples of case studies from selected European countries. Particular attention is paid to the possibility of implementing the model in domestic conditions, using the example of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, which is a pioneer in implementing the idea of care farms in Poland and where the first pilot projects were carried out. To achieve the aim of the work, research methods included literature studies, descriptive method and the results of a focus group study conducted among service beneficiaries and care farm owners. The research results indicate growing interest in this form of activity and the significant potential of agricultural farms for the development of care services as a tool for social integration and counteracting social exclusion, as well as their role in the social support system as social innovations at the interface of agriculture and care. In Poland, care farms can become an important element of sustainable rural development and can be a response to socio-demographic challenges, offering unique benefits from contact with nature and participation in farm life, and providing an alternative to institutional forms of care.

In this paper the author tries to present and analyze some results of his researches focused on surveying the expectations and needs as well as troubles and difficulties concerned with confronting small and medium size enterprises (SME’s) with various challenges generated by the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). After presenting in the first part of the paper a listing and some subjective discussion of general as well as particular problems of implementing the Industry 4.0 approach in practice of the contemporary industry, in next chapters the adopted assumptions as well as obtained results of the SME’s oriented survey are introduced together with a short presentation and discussion of used methods and tools of research. The cases of Polish SME’s are illustrated by results of investigating a limited group of firms, which fulfil SME criteria and are located and operating in Metropolis GZM (Silesian Voivodeship, Poland). In the last part of the papers the author summarizes obtained results and proposes some next steps of further research.

The paper characterizes the porous asphalt mixture used in pavement construction. This kind of pavement can reduce traffic noise and reduce the slipperiness of the road pavement. The effectiveness of the porous asphalt depends on many design and technological aspects, but especially on the air-void clearance in the pavement layer. The paper includes the results of water permeability research based on laboratory tests of specimens from actual road pavement. The research shows the differences between the contamination of the road pavement sections located inside and outside the city. The paper includes recommendations for using porous asphalt based on experiences under Polish conditions.

Purpose: The main aim of the study is to identify the competences and characteristics of a contemporary Polish manager working in the international markets either directly or indirectly (in Polish enterprises) and then to compare that profile with that of the Polish manager proposed by J. Penc in 2001. There are many models of managerial competence, however, this model was chosen for several reasons: - it is far enough in time but not so far to be drastically different; - it is a model of early Polish market economy; currently the market shows symptoms of a mature economy, so both can be juxtaposed; - it comprehensively covers hard and soft competences; - shows the actual state of market in 2001 and the probabist state for 2010, which, in combination with current research, provides an overview of changes and directions of evolution; - it is a model for a market economy that is intensively searching for its opportunities in connection with the globalization process of the economy. Such an action is to bring the following results: - the creation of a personal-competence profile of the contemporary Polish manager; Comparison and analysis of differences in the personal-competence profile over the past sixteen years; - the ability to develop a characteristics and competencies profile of the manager of the future; - the emergence of a Polish model, which will allow foreign researchers to have a basis for comparison with the existing (or emerging) models of managerial competencies from other countries. The study is the result of empirical research and comparative studies. Methodology/approach : Own empirical research has been conducted for the development of this study. The research instruments applied in this study was self-administered questionnaire and researcher-administered questionnaire. The study was conducted on a group of 90 managers from micro, small and medium enterprises in 2014-2017 (55 companies). These managers are experienced in international business. The companies they manage are co-operating with at least one foreign market for several years. This cooperation takes place in the following forms: import and export (direct and indirect), production cooperation of project cooperation, strategic alliance or direct foreign investment. The research organizations have a productive, commercial, service and project activity range. There are no virtual-only companies, even though some companies exhibit its features, as they also run wholesale web-based sales of their products. All the researched organizations are in contact with different cultures and diverse environments. An analysis of subject literature was carried out, both on retrospective and current works. A critical comparative analysis was performed. Findings: This study is a comparative analysis of the managerial characteristics and competences profile of the Polish manager over the last sixteen years. The directions of evolving these qualities and competences in contemporary Polish managers have been identified, which may be the basis for future analyses. The conducted research has shown a clear evolution of the characteristics and competences of a modern manager in Polish conditions. Based on them, the future profile can be determined. Implications/limitations: The study may be an inspiration for further research and analyses. It can also be used to build the personal – competence profile of a contemporary manager and manager of the past(at least in Polish terms), which can directly translate into the development (and creation) of managers’ education in order to develop their competence. The created profile can be used to build job descriptions, and in the recruitment process of right managers for modern businesses. The philosophical differences of organizations operating on international markets and the cultural diversity of some (mainly non-European) countries may result in limiting the application of managerial personal – competence profile. Originality/value: This article is an original work which contains an original project of the profile of the characteristics and competences of a contemporary “Polish international” manager, which can be successfully used in economic practice and scientific theory.

Reasons for the creation of spin-off companies based on the experience of a medical university

The aim of this paper is to present the theoretical assumptions which form the basis for Sources of Sport-Confidence Questionnaire SSCQPL. This Questionnaire is used to measure the sources of sport-confidence understood as the athlete’s confidence, connected with the awareness that s/he has the skills and abilities necessary to achieve the success in own discipline (Vealey, 1998). This publication depicts the primary stages of preparation of the linguistic-cultural adaptation of SSCQ to the Polish conditions. Results of the psychometric properties research (such as the theoretical and criterion validity and reliability) are presented. For the needs of the pilot study, 100 participants were examined. They are active athletes, both amateurs and professionals. The theoretical validity and reliability of adapted Questionnaire were confirmed. Correlation with the SES Questionnaire and GSES Questionnaire did not confirm the criterion validity of the SSCQ-PL.

This study investigates the nature and specificity of the concept of sustainable tourism against the background of the paradigm of sustainable development (with regard to the conditions for the implementation of its practices in Polish conditions). The study assumes the hypothesis that researching sustainable tourism as a category within a new scientific concept—i.e., an emerging paradigm of sustainable development—requires the use of an appropriate scientific methodology. This study, in its essential part, has an overview and theoretical character. A critical analysis of the literature on the subject from books and journals, as well as Internet sources, is used in the study. Documentary and observation methods are applied, and the results of qualitative research based on case study research methodology are presented; thus, the empirical part of the paper has an exploratory nature. Research on sustainable tourism as a category within an emerging paradigm of sustainable development shows that researchers use an appropriate scientific methodology, which is compatible with the interpretive paradigm in the highest degree. In case studies, the research is often limited to the analysis of one example. Due to the prevalence of studies applying qualitative methods, an interpretivist approach is prevalent, while a functionalist approach, associated with quantitative research and model testing, is less frequent.

Vegetation condition mapping at a landscape-scale across Victoria. Graeme R. Newell1, Matt D. White1, Peter Griffioen2 and Michael Conroy3 (1Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia. Email: graeme.newell@dse.vic.gov.au; 2Acromap, Pty Ltd, 37 Gloucester Drive, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia; 3Spatial Information and Infrastructure, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Marland House, 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000, Australia). Key words: ecological modelling, mapping, native vegetation, neural networks, vegetation condition. Introduction. One of the strongest drivers in conservation planning across southeastern Australia has been information on the level of depletion of remnant native vegetation (i.e. both ‘extent’ and ‘type’, e.g. Regional Forest Agreement process). However, more recently natural resource management (NRM) agencies have also been asked to consider the ‘condition’ or ‘quality’ of native vegetation, and many government agencies at regional, state and federal levels have now instituted policies and requirements to monitor native vegetation condition over time (e.g. DNRE 2002). Concepts, methods of assessment and monitoring of condition in rangelands, arid and semiarid ecosystems have been around for many decades (e.g. Dyksterhuis 1949), and mapping of condition in these environments has become even become routine (e.g. Reeves et al. 2001; Wallace et al. 2004). However, the concepts of ecological condition or quality of native vegetation (or ‘habitat’) in more mesic and temperate systems are still relatively vague and poorly defined (Gibbons & Freudenberger 2006), and maybe considered idiosyncratic when compared to similar concepts applied to agricultural systems, medicine, engineering, etc. (Tongway & Ludwig 1997). Useful attempts to clarify these concepts (McIntyre & Hobbs 1999; Gibbons & Freudenberger 2006), and to develop general and widely applicable methods for scoring vegetation condition or habitat value have been made recently. Methods range from relatively generic scores of habitat structural complexity (e.g. Newsome & Catling 1979), to intricate scoring and modelling approaches applicable to single species (e.g. Habitat Suitability Indices; USFWS 1981). Recent approaches such as ‘Habitat Hectares’ (Parkes et al. 2003) provide rapidly obtained indices of native vegetation condition by using comparisons to reference condition states (i.e. ‘benchmarks’, viz. Hopkins 1999), and are intended to provide NRM practitioners with simple measures of vegetation condition. ‘Habitat Hectares’ values are attributed to a specific site or location on a map. However, the highly variable nature of condition across landscapes means that this information does not necessarily infer the condition of other adjacent sites. The need for a complete map rather than individual points of vegetation condition became obvious to land managers, and resulted in this project to attempt to ‘map’ native vegetation condition at a landscape scale. Maps of native vegetation condition in temperate Australia are not novel (e.g. Coops et al. 1998), but have not been formerly produced at the current spatial scale or across a broad range of vegetation types. This paper highlights the need for maps of native vegetation condition for supporting NRM activities, introduces some recent research to produce a landscape scale vegetation condition map, and considers the current usefulness of these maps for stated NRM aims. Methods. A full explanation of the development and application of the statistical and spatial modelling routines to develop the map is beyond scope of this short paper. The study area comprised an area of more than 9 million ha (∼ 40% Victorian landmass) within the jurisdictions of the Mallee, North-Central, Goulburn-Broken and Northeast Catchment Management Authorities. ‘Habitat Hectare’ condition assessments were available from 1267 pre-existing sites, and these data were supplemented with a further 1641 sites stratified by vegetation type, tenure and patch size across Mallee and Goulburn Broken CMAs. These data were then used as the dependent variable in a ‘neural network’ modelling procedure (viz. Lek & Guégan 1999) that identified relationships between site condition scores and 13 independent variables assembled from a state-wide spatial data library. These variables included vegetation type, climate and lithology, novel indices of tree density derived from an existing statewide tree cover dataset, and a land-use map. The output of this modelling identified relationships between the 13 independent variables and site condition assessed in the field, with a strong positive correlation evident between the predicted and observed scores explaining 51% of the variance. The modelled ‘neural network’ relationships were then applied to ‘unknown’ sites or cells (30 m2) with recognized extant native terrestrial vegetation to form a condition map that was coincident with extant native vegetation. Data from a further 541 sites were then collected to validate the final map, thus creating a total pool of 3449 site assessments used to develop the map (Fig. 1a). (a) Distribution of Survey Sites with northern Victorian CMAs (Blue, pre-existing data; Orange, new data. Total = 3449 sites). (b) Output model of native vegetation condition. (c) Example output of model at proposed operational scale (1:100 000). Results. Figure 1(b) provides an example of the coverage of the native vegetation condition map across northern Victoria, and clearly shows a gradient from relative good condition predicted in the large Mallee blocks in the north-west of the State, to poorer native vegetation condition predicted for more fragmented and more intensively farmed landscapes on the inland slopes and plains of central and north-eastern Victoria. Although this ‘regional scale’ view of ecological condition is somewhat interesting, it is not particularly informative for planning local scale NRM activities. Given the constraints of the data and final map we considered that the map is probably most useful at scales of 1:100 000 and above. Figure 1(c) shows an area around Wangaratta at this scale, and clearly shows varying levels of predicted condition across the Killawarra Range in the north, Warby Ranges in the central region, the riverine systems along the Ovens River, and the fragmented remnant vegetation. This diagram demonstrates the ability of the map to represent condition across various landforms and vegetation configurations, but also highlights the inability of the map to clearly distinguish relatively subtle differences in predicted condition at the ‘paddock’ scale. Discussion. Our primary aim was to produce a map that would assist NRM staff in making decisions for conservation investments across northern Victoria. Arguably, this aim has been met, but how good is the model and resulting map? Considering the geographical scale of the project, the range of bioregions and biological systems involved, and the range of condition states, we believe that the map aligns well with existing broad scale appraisals of vegetation condition (e.g. National Land & Water Resources Audit 2001; Department of Natural Resources and Environment 2002). However, there are always strengths and weaknesses. In constructing this broad-scale map, we became aware of the difficulties and challenges to developing accurate models of vegetation condition. First, the sampling of the full range of condition states is important, and the scarcity of high quality sites in lowland southeastern Australia can impact on the model and subsequent map. Second, the rarity of ‘good’ sites means that the current model has a ‘flat’ response. The model tends to overestimate the scores for sites in poorer condition and conversely underestimate scores for sites in very good condition, while providing the most statistically robust predictions within the mid-range of condition states. Third, the quality and consistency of field data are critical (including GPS location), and we had to exclude a large proportion of pre-existing field data from modelling because of obvious errors. Fourth, GIS surfaces used as independent variables often have coarse resolution and can result in maps with similar properties. This coupled with the inappropriate use of zoom function on GIS and image analysis software can often imply false precision when viewing maps. For these and a number of other reasons (e.g. ‘Habitat Hectare’ condition assessments are intentionally coarse, and were not intended for the fine scale temporal or spatial monitoring of condition; see Parkes et al. 2003, 2004), we believe that the current map is unlikely to provide the accuracy and precision necessary to (i) detect differences in condition between small parcels of land suitable for property or statutory planning purposes (i.e. ‘paddock’ level); and (ii) monitor acute and subtle changes in condition at fine spatial scales and over short time frames (e.g. political and funding cycles). Nevertheless, the stated objectives, policies and requirements of various Government agencies to monitor native vegetation condition over time remain. Whereas this may be possible using modelling approaches applied solely at fine scales, this will limit the widespread use of the approach. There are currently no substitutes for site inspections and targeted data collection when monitoring site condition, and making planning and conservation management decisions at fine scales. Modelling the condition of native vegetation across the Australian temperate zone is in its infancy, and we can anticipate that emerging technologies, more ecologically relevant GIS data, and remotely sensed datasets may allow maps at finer scales to be produced in the future. Despite this list of limitations, the model does have a number of strengths. We believe that the map does provide important insights into patterns of native vegetation condition at landscape scales, and is novel in its representation of the condition of native vegetation across a large area of temperate Australia. We believe that the most appropriate use of the map currently is to augment other spatial expressions of landscape attributes (e.g. relative rarity of vegetation types, etc.) and to assist in the identification of locations where NRM activities are most likely to deliver effective conservation outcomes (Higgins 2006). The use of vegetation condition mapping for other purposes will also evolve and become apparent with future improvements.

Maritime container supply chains (MCSCs) is exposed to various risks arising from both internal operations and the external environment, and the increasing complexity of the modern global logistics system makes the situation even worse, thus causing a significant challenge to the effective risk management of MCSCs. However, systematic studies on this topic are relatively few. In view of this, this study aims to explore and analyse various MCSC risks, develop suitable risk assessment methods, and evaluate the overall performance of MCSCs from a systematic perspective, so as to ensure the safety, reliability, and resilience of MCSCs. This research starts with the identification and classification of all possible risk factors that may be involved in an MCSC based on a comprehensive literature review, and the research results are further validated through a Delphi expert survey. The identified risk factors are then analysed, screened, and assessed in detail. The novelty of this study lies not only on the risk assessment of MCSCs under an uncertain environment from a supply chain level but also on the consideration of the impact of risk condition of each individual MCSC on the overall performance of the entire container supply network. The research results will provide useful insights and valuable information for both researchers and practitioners on the risk analysis and assessment of MCSCs, which is beneficial to different types of stakeholders involved in the maritime shipping industry. The work is also able to provide a theoretical foundation for risk-based decision making and shipping route optimisation in further work. Although the risk assessment methods are presented on the basis of the specific context in MCSCs, it is believed that, with domain-specific knowledge and data, they can also be tailored for a wide range of applications to evaluate the reliability and performance of other supply chain systems, especially where a high level of uncertainty is involved.

The relevance of the problem under study is due to the fact that, despite the many works devoted to the theoretical and applied aspects of risk research, the specifics of the formation of financial risks in the activities of retail trade networks have not been sufficiently studied. In particular, there is no methodology and practical recommendations for quantitative risk assessment using statistical methods that allow to identify trends and patterns in the dynamics of risk indicators, to consider external and internal risk factors, the results of which should be used as a basis for developing measures to reduce the risk of retail trade. networks. The aim of the work is to improve the methodology for assessing financial risks based on methods of statistical, economic and financial analysis. The article presents the results of a quantitative assessment of financial risks according to the approach developed and tested on the data of the retail trade network “Magnit”. For a quantitative assessment of the financial risks of a retail trade network, the authors proposed a system of five profitability indicators. The analysis of trends and patterns in the dynamics of profitability indicators, as well as factors influencing them, was carried out using one-dimensional and multidimensional data sets. Forecasts of profitability indicators are not contradictory and indicate the presence of a risk of losses, therefore, a detailed assessment of financial risks was carried out. It was revealed that the indicators of profitability of the retail trade network “Magnit” in the analyzed period had a statistically significant relationship with the indices of the physical volume of retail trade and consumer prices, as well as the number of economic entities in retail trade. The assessment of the financial condition of the organization by indicators of financial stability and a comprehensive assessment by the five-factor model of E. Altman are given. The scientific novelty of the work consists in improving the methodology for assessing financial risks based on statistical, economic and financial methods of analysis, as well as developing proposals for reducing financial risks for network trading organizations. The proposed methodology and research results are of interest to decision makers in network trade organizations, regulatory bodies at the regional and federal levels. Prospects for further research on the issues of assessing and predicting financial risks of retail chains consist in a more detailed study of external factors, in particular, legal restrictions, changes in the level and structure of consumer demand due to the pandemic that began in 2020.