Polish Organizations Research Articles

Database for content of mercury in Polish brown coal

Poland is rated among the countries with largest level of mercury emission in Europe. According to information provided by the National Centre for Balancing and Management of Emissions (KOBiZE) more than 10.5 tons of mercury and its compounds were emitted into the atmosphere in 2015 from the area of Poland. Within the scope of the BazaHg project lasting from 2014 to 2015 and co-financed from the National Centre of Research and Development (NCBiR) a database was set up with specification of mercury content in Polish hard steam coal, coking coal and brown coal (lignite) grades. With regard to domestic brown coal the database comprises information on coal grades from Brown Coal Mines of ‘Bełchatów’, ‘Adamów’, ‘Turów’ and ‘Sieniawa’. Currently the database contains 130 records with parameters of brown coal, where each record stands for technical analysis (content of moisture, ash and volatile particles), elemental analysis (CHNS), content of chlorine and mercury as well as net calorific value and combustion heat. Content of mercury in samples of brown coal grades under test ranged from 44 to 985 μg of Hg/kg with the average level of 345 μg of Hg/kg. The established database makes up a reliable and trustworthy source of information about content of mercury in Polish fossils. The foregoing details completed with information about consumption of coal by individual electric power stations and multiplied by appropriate emission coefficients may serve as the background to establish loads of mercury emitted into atmosphere from individual stations and by the entire sector of power engineering in total. It will also enable Polish central organizations and individual business entities to implement reasonable policy with respect of mercury emission into atmosphere.

MODIFICATIONS IN COMPENSATION PRACTICES IN ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING VARIOUS SECTORS IN POLAND

The aim of this study was to investigate the main changes that occurred in compensationpractices in organizations representing various sectors in Poland in the last decade. Due to thetransformation, there has been a fundamental change in compensation policies and practices appliedin organizations in Poland. Based on the literature review and the empirical data, the authors explorecompensation practices in Polish organizations prior to transformation and after the fall of the statesocialistregime, as well as after EU integration. The changes concern development of compensationstrategies, increase in salary dispersion, modification of inefficient incentive programs, andsimplification of the internal structure of compensation, which reduces the number of social welfarebenefits. Nonetheless, the most significant transformation concerned compensation took place inemployer and employee mentality.

DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND

The search for ways to develop the transboundary cooperation between the organizations of Belarus and Poland is the great importance for both countries. The study the interest in cooperation, resolution and development barriers of cross-border cooperation was based on questioning of business entities. Analysis of the data from the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus makes it possible to assess the current state of bilateral cooperation between the organizations of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Poland. The information obtained by processing the questionnaires of the respondents of the Republic of Belarus reveals the degree of development of cooperation, trust issues between partner organizations and competitors, scientific research organizations, authorities and Polish organizations.

Intersections Between Diversity Management and Human Resources Management in Polish Enterprises

Purpose: The organisational environment enterprises operate in is constantly changing. Organisations and whole industries seek new ways of achieving competitive advantage and becoming innovative. Additionally socio-demographic changes like population ageing, migrations force organisations to adapt their management styles. One of the possible solutions for those challenges is diversity man-agement. The main goal of this paper is to identify the intersections between diversity management and human resources management in organisations and in consequence to determine where in the organisations’ structure and strategy diversity management is being implemented in the analysed organisations. Design/methodology/approach: For the purpose of this paper tele-phone-depth-interviews (TDIs) with representatives from companies implementing diversity management were conducted. The enterpris-es were chosen through purposive sampling. The organisations were firstly screened for implementing diversity management through an analysis of their websites and reports. The organisations imple-menting diversity management and informing stakeholders about it through their websites and reports were further included into the study. The respondents chosen for the TDIs were representatives of the organisations responsible for diversity management or indicated by the company itself as the most competent to give information about the diversity management related actions of organisations. Findings: The conducted research suggests that analysed organ-isations implement a wide range of possible HR approaches to diversity management from diversity enlargement, implemented by most of the organisations through a special diversity orient-ed recruitment process, diversity sensitivity achieved mostly through diversity trainings, diversity audit realized through social and diversity indicators and reporting to the strategy for achieving organisational outcomes implemented by single organ-isations through developing a horizontal approach to diversity management. Research and practical limitations/implications: For the pur-pose of this paper a qualitative research approach was chosen. Therefore, the presented results are not representative, but, due to the fact that only a few organisations in Poland implement diver-sity management, the entities interviewed for the purpose of this paper can be treated as flagships of this strategy in Poland and as a kind of good practices. Originality/value: The paper examines the intersections between diversity management and human resources management in select-ed Polish organisations. Due to the fact that diversity management is not a widespread approach in Polish organisations, the paper gives insight into the exiting solutions of implementing it and combining it with human resources management. Paper type: research paper.

The Reasons for Decertification of ISO 9001: Financial Aspects

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the financial performance of organizations that give up their QMS (Quality Management System) according to ISO 9001 certification. Different reasons found for the cancellation of ISO 9001 certification were taken into consideration. The decrease in certification of ISO 9001 standard is, during the past few years, noticeable in many countries. Therefore, there is a need to analyze the phenomena.Methodology/Approach: The study analyses financial performance of organizations and reasons of ISO 9001 certificates cancellation based on 99 Polish organizations, which gave up certification in years 2012 and 2013. The reasons of certificate cancelation were obtained from the quality managers of studied organizations. Financial performance was estimated on the basis of the ROA indicator value.Findings: The results show that in the studied organizations, there is a big group of companies that had financial problems. There were 28.8% of organizations that did not have profits at all, and 32.9% with a financial performance, calculated according to ROA indicator value, lower than the average for the industry in which studied organizations were operating. Surprisingly, there is no evident correlation between the reasons of ISO 9001 decertification and financial performance of these organizations.Research Limitation/implication: The data cover Polish organizations that give up ISO 9001 certification, and they were obtained only from one certification body. Survey data concerning the decision of decertification cover only a two-year period of time.Originality/Value of paper: The findings of our study might be helpful for the managers of organizations and certification bodies as well as for the researchers to describe the effectiveness of activities related to QMS implementation, certification and cancellation.

Nowe organizacje Polonijne w Królestwie Niderlandów

Identity of Polish community can be defined in various categories. From one side, those people have typical foreign community identity, from the other, they have bipolar identity focused on integration with the Netherlands. Organizations that function in Holland are open to new cultural challenges. There are following new Polish community organizations operating in Holland: Multicultural Platform for Peace and Freedom, TOP Polki, Polish Professional Woman of the Netherlands.

Activists’ Perceptions of their Roles in Civic Organizations: A Case from Poland

ABSTRACTThis article presents a typology of meanings which Polish activists attribute to their roles in Polish organizations of civil society. The main object of interest is the social identity of activists which emerges through the process of engagement in an organization. After analysing interviews with members of organizations, six ways of playing the role of an activist were distinguished. First of all, it turns out that most activists understand their role as a particular job. However, it is also equated with being an expert. Further meanings emerging from the interviews link such activism with being a representative and having a task to fulfil. Finally, there is also a definition which is shared by those who treat their activism as an inherent part of their lives. It is often connected with perceiving it as a particular kind of sociability. The findings of this study point out the professionalization of civil society organizations.

PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR IN THE MANAGER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP – THE RESULTS OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH IN POLISH BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to identify patterns of organizational behaviour for the manager-employee relationship and to identify differences in this respect depending on the position of the individual in the organizational structure against the background of the official business relationship on the basis of the empirical research in Polish business organizations.Methodology/approach: The tool used in the study was a standardized WAZO questionnaire designed to examine organizational solutions and organizational behaviours, both from the general perspective and broken down to behavioural dimensions, conducted in 2015 on a representative randomly selected group of 2274 employees from 40 Polish companies.Findings: Using a proprietary research questionnaire, three patterns of behaviour have been identified for the manager-employee relationship: traditional, contemporary and future, described by way of components such as the scope of power, power distance, the basis of the manager's power, the method of selection of information and the degree of stability of power. The obtained results indicate that in Polish organizations dominate contemporary behavioural patterns for the first four mentioned criteria, whereas for the last one - degree of stability of power, the dominant pattern of behaviour was the traditional pattern.Implications/limitations: Empirical studies do not take into account all elements of behaviour from the perspective of power relations, due to research limitations. Nonetheless, characterising the behavioural patterns using various criteria is universal and widely used. In addition, research on this subject is very subjective - although the research tool was standardized, the results mainly depend on how people perceive their relationships with the authorities.Originality/value: The article shows on the basis of the proprietary questionnaire the contemporary patterns of behaviour from the perspective of power relations, and recommendations for practice. Managers who know certain patterns of behaviour will be able to model employees' attitudes towards work and to shape relevant social relationships. As for employees, they may be inspired to modify their own behaviours, in accordance with the requirements of the organizational environment.

Discursive Strategies of Polish Nationalists in the Construction of the Other

The paper explores the discursive strategies used by participants of Polish nationalist (radical right) organizations when they speak about others: Muslims and homosexuals. The article is based on the critical discourse analysis of 30 biographical narrative interviews with the members of three main Polish nationalist organizations: the National Radical Camp (ONR), the National Rebirth of Poland (NOP), and the All-Polish Youth (MW). Following the reconstruction of more general ways in which various categories of others are discursively constructed by narrators, the body of the paper focuses on two categories, Muslims and homosexuals, which appear most often in the narratives collected. The nationalists present themselves as the concerned defenders of both the European civilization as well as the Polish identity based on components such as religion (seen as the source of morality), tradition and history. Others are presented as a threat because of their otherness, claims and aspirations for power and dominance attributed to them. While Muslims constitute the embodiment of a cultural enemy who threatens the European (Christian) civilization, homosexuals are identified with liberalism seen as the danger destroying Polish identity and the traditional family.

Создание Третьей Бригады Легионов Польских. Обстоятельства создания и обзор снаряжения = Sozdaniye Tret'yey Brigady Legionov Pol'skikh. Obstoyatel'stva sozdaniya i obzor snaryazheniya

The aim of this work is not be exhaustive, but merely a subjective show the history of military formations existing in the years 1915-1917 he was the Third Brigade of the Polish Legions. On the basis of archival materials and scientific literature the author presents the constitution of the unit, which played an important role in the struggle for Polish independence in the First World War. The work is presented in both aspects of the purely military and political background related to the struggle for Polish Legions character. Initially, the author puts forward for consideration a preliminary reflection. Then present the formation of Polish organization of shooting in Galicia. In the next part discusses the circumstances surrounding the creation and the beginnings of the Polish Legions and the genesis of the Third Brigade of the Polish Legions. At the end of the focuses its attention on uniforms and equipment Legions.

E-logistics as the ICT Support in Modern Polish Organizations

E-logistics as the ICT Support in Modern Polish Organizations

Diversity Management Instruments in Polish Organisations

Purpose: Although diversity management as a concept and a term has been used since the 1980s, it is still a relatively seldom-used strategy in Polish organisa-tions. As previous research shows, organisations define and implement diversity management in various ways, which consequently leads to the usage of different instruments. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to present the different diversity management instruments used by Polish organisations. Special emphasis was put on the question whether the organisations have a dedicated budget for diversity management and whether they include diversity information in their reports. The aim of the paper was to present an overview of the instruments used by the organisations – leaders of diversity management in Poland. Design/methodology/approach: For the purpose of this paper telephone-depth-in-terviews (TDIs) with representatives from companies implementing diversity management were conducted. The enterprises were chosen through purposive sampling. The organisations were firstly screened for implementing diversity management through an analysis of their web sites and reports. The organisations implementing diversity management and informing stakeholders about it through their web sites and reports were further included into the study. The respondents chosen for the TDIs were representatives of the organisations responsible for diversity management or indicated by the company itself as the most competent to give information about the organisation’s diversity management related actions. Findings: The conducted research has shown the variety of diversity manage-ment instruments used in the interviewed organisations is large. The instruments differ from simple ones like organising a diversity day and promoting the idea of diversity and inclusion through simple channels to complex systems of moni-toring and assessing the implementation of diversity management. Furthermore, all organisations declare that they include diversity in their reports. Additionally, almost all of them admit that they do not have a separate budget for diversity management actions and initiatives. Research and practical limitations/implications: For the purpose of this paper a qualitative research approach was chosen. Therefore, the presented results are not representative, but, due to the fact that only a few organisations in Poland implement diversity management, the entities interviewed for the purpose of this paper can be treated as flagships of this strategy in Poland and as a kind of good practices. Originality/value: The paper presents an overview of diversity management instruments used by Polish organisations with special emphasis put on bud-geting and reporting. It defines diversity budgeting in terms of assessing every action from the perspective of its consequences towards all diversity dimensions represented in the company, while taking into account the human and financial resources. Paper type: Research paper.

The Use by Large Polish Organizations of Information about CSR Activities in e-Recruitment

IntroductionRecruitment with the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) - a widely utilized Human Resource Management (HRM) tool - is, in theory, a standard practice in all kinds of organizations. We should therefore expect that it will base on the available scientific knowledge concerning image formation by employers, hence specifically on activities of a symbolic value for potential candidates. CSR research and the role that media and professional reports assign to presenting CSR-related activities suggest that well-managed organizations should make wide use of these activities, also for creating their image as employers.The goal of this text is to establish whether this suggestion is applicable also for large Polish enterprises, as the research on CSR activities done in Poland and role of these activities in Polish enterprises leads to divergent results - some authors conclude that their role in company strategies are important (Skrzypek & Saadi, 2014; Żychlewicz, 2015), but some - show them to be superficial (Leszczynska, 2011) and small in scale (Cyran & Dybka, 2015). The article presents the results of two empirical studies. The websites of 300 of the largest enterprises in the country were observed to check how many of them use modern tools during e-recruitment, and specifically - how many of them describe their CSR-related activities on their websites. The second study verified whether potential candidates in Poland are sensitive to CSR-related information, i.e. whether placing such information on their website increases the attractiveness of the enterprise as a potential employer. An e-questionnaire filled out by 1054 young people verified that information concerning CSR activities increases the attractiveness of the enterprise as a potential employer not only among people professing values on which CSR is based, but among bigger groups of respondents. Additionally, no gender differences were found, which is consistent with some previous research from a non-European context and different from German sample results. Monitoring of websites however showed that the largest Polish enterprises do not make full use of the possibilities e-recruitment offers.The text is organized as follows. The first part describes Corporate Social Responsibility and presents a discussion of the utility of activities in this area for business, and for business in Poland in particular. Part 2 describes arguments for the belief that placing easily accessible information about CSR activities on websites is a rational strategy during erecruitment. Part 3 presents methodology and research hypotheses, and part 4 the results. Part 5 discusses the results and presents conclusions. A first version of the article was presented at the Strategica conference in Bucharest, 2016 (citations are not marked in the following text).1.Corporate Social Responsibility as a tool for creating a positive image of the companyThe concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was introduced under this name in the mid-1950s, although CSR practices were relatively widely in use in the XIX century (Husted, 2014). It was defined as the responsibility an enterprise had for its impact on the environment in which it functioned, at first personified by the entrepreneur or CEO, but later taken to mean the activities of the enterprise as a whole. This company environment is generally divided into the closest surroundings (local community), own employees, the natural environment and variously marginalized groups. Any of a company's activities aimed at improving the situation of these stakeholders are considered CSR activities.An ongoing discussion continues whether enterprises should take into consideration their impact on their environment and care for its well-being, and for what reason. A second issue concerns whether the company should be a good citizen because this is considered right (autotelic CSR), or because CSR activities are rewarded and improve the company's well-being, for example its financial status or market share (CSR activity is instrumental), which could be phrased as doing good leads to being well (Margolis). …

The intergenerational cooperation estimates from a gender perspective in Polish organizations in context of the age management

Aging of labour resources is a global problem that determines the shape of modern labour market. This problem is becoming increasingly visible also in Poland, as it is estimated that every tenth employer is aged over 55. It is important to understand that these people, due to their experience, can be a vital source of knowledge for organisations. An effective process of knowledge sharing can be a key factor in success of modern business. This publication is an attempt to evaluate intergenerational cooperation in Polish organisations. The aim of the paper was to identify differences in selected areas of intergenerational cooperation in an organisation from a gender perspective.

Admirator „rodowitego języka”, zatroskany purysta językowy, baczny obserwator „Polaków amerykańskich”… Wokół refleksji językowych utrwalonych w Listach z podróży do Ameryki Henryka Sienkiewicza

The text is devoted to those Sienkiewicz’s letters-features, letters-reports, letterscommentaries, letters-articles, letters-reviews in which the author of Quo vadis:1) verbalizes the situations of the „American Polish people” in the contemporary United States of America, 2) describes the Polish language they used, 3) expresses anxiety about its state, 4) analyzes the phenomenon of denationalization of the compatriots living abroad, 5) pays attention to the progressive Germanization and the linguistic-cultural Anglicization, 6) shows conflicts in the Polish organizations and institutions in America, 7) displays attachment to the Polish language of Helena Modrzejweska – distinguished theatrical personality. Letters from a journey to America (Listy z podrozy do Ameryki) is a source of very valuable and diverse (also linguistic) information about the life of the 19th century Polish diaspora in America struggling not only with the material, but also spiritual, including linguistic, problems.

Organizacje polonijne i tożsamość narodowa. Polacy w Bośni i Hercegowinie (BiH)

The article is based on anthropological fieldwork basing on participant observation and interviews conducted in 2014 during Program „Sigma” Erazmus Mundus 2 in Tuzla, Lukavac, Sarayevo and Mostar. The interviewees were the members of Polish minority in Bosnia and Herzegovina engaged in Polish cultural organisations. The study aimed at understanding various types of bonds with Poland as a state or the culture and even family histories, as presented in interviews and behaviours. The author poses the question: why intence development of Polish organisations flourished in the period of war in 1991-1995, in spite of the fact that Polish emigration to Bosnia started in the second half of 19th century. P resently the organi z ations are fading and even dissapearing. T he author traces manifestations of Polish identity and national ties in Bosnia and presents typology, linki ng particula r types of Polish identity with time and character of emigration .

Wychowanie fizyczne i sport w działalności Związku Strzeleckiego w województwie wołyńskim w latach 1921–1939. Zarys dziejów

The Shooting Association (SA) belonged to the most active Polish organisations operating in the field of physical education, sport and military training in the Volhynian voivodeship. In the interwar period, the number of members of the Shooting Association, who were recruited not only from towns but mainly from rural areas, increased significantly. In the period of the activity of SA in the Volhynian voivodeship the conditions for such operation improved, particularly in the field of instructor personnel. SA members practised various sports, mainly sports games, athletics, as well as boxing, cycling, football, water sports, shooting and table tennis. SA members participated in sporting competitions mostly at the local and regional level. An important element of the operation in the field of physical activity of SA was members’ participation in attempts to obtain National Sports Badge.

Workaholism and work engagement: Differences and mutual relationship

The main purpose of the study was to analyse the relationship between workaholism and work engagement which, in the light of current research, constitute two separate constructs, although they are in some way related to each other. In addition, their relationship with demographic data, such as, age, gender, type of position was examined. The cross-sectional study, with the use of questionnaire methods (the Polish version of UWES and DUWAS), included in its scope 967 economically active people from Polish organizations, representing various professions. The analysis of relationships (with the use of the method of structural equation modelling) of workaholism and work engagement showed – in spite of weak association through absorption – the separate nature of the constructs studied. Regarding the relationship with demographic factors, women obtained higher scores in all dimensions of workaholism and work engagement; older workers showed greater engagement and ­greater compulsion to work than younger workers; managers, when compared with non-managers, are characterized by a higher level of excessive work. The results showed that workaholism and work engagement are two distinct phenomena, although they are related to each other to a little extent. The obtained differences in the examined constructs in terms of demographic factors provide a starting point for further research and analysis of their specific characteristics and causes.

Managers in Polish Organizations - the Results of Empirical Research

Today we are dealing with unceasing changes that are not without influence on the functioning of the organization and its subsystems; and managers, who are specific moderators of all activities in the organization, in the face of the volatility of the environment, need to acquire new competences and roles, and realize relevant functions. It seems that the manager's role may be dependent on organizational characteristics such as the type of organization (for-profit, non-profit), the industry in which the organization operates and its size. These features can determine the roles and functions of the persons responsible for the management of organizations. Taking this into account, the aim of this article is to present the role of managers in Polish organizations, depending on their industry and size based on the results of empirical research. The study was conducted in 2015 among 289 organizations in Poland. One of their objectives was to identify a modern role of managers, depending on the selected organizational features based on interviews with people responsible for personnel policy in these organizations. Studies have shown that the role of the manager and basically just its scope is dependent on the size of the organization. On the other hand, no relationship between the role and the industry in which the organization operates has been observed.

Kierunki działalności edukacyjnej organizacji polskich w Prusach Zachodnich na przełomie XIX i XX wieku

The development of the Polish national movement in West Prussia began with the Spring of Nations. In the face of the Germanization policy of the authorities, Prussian Poles began to create their own organizations designed to maintain Polish identity and the realization of economic and social objectives. The Polish population in West Prussia which set up Polish organizations used German solutions, patterns elaborated in other regions and created their own, adapting them to the conditions prevailing in the Prussian state. At the turn of the century, the following different Polish organizations were in operation: the People’s Society, the Society of People’s Libraries, the “Guard” Society, the Society of Aid Science, the Scientific Society in Torun, the “Deliverance” Society, the Gym Society “Falcon”, the people’s banks, commercial companies, cooperatives etc. At that time, operating in West Prussia Polish organizations showed the different profiles of educational activities. Most of them were realizing the ideas of patriotic and religious education. The multifaceted activities of Polish organizations in West Prussia seem to be a phenomenon at situation in which the Poles were a minority in the said region and the realization of the initiatives undertaken by them were hampered and limited by the occupying power. In this article I made an attempt to present the main lines of the educational activities of Polish organizations in West Prussia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It was thanks to their activity that the modernization of Polish society took place. Besides a patriotic and religious upbringing, the most important directions of this activity were: basic education, civic education, economic education, cultural education, sports education, pro-health education and moral education.