Wielkopolskie Voivodeship Research Articles

Housing Preferences of Seniors and Pre-Senior Citizens in Poland—A Case Study

This article identifies and compares the housing preferences of seniors and pre-senior citizens in Poland. In addition, the attitude of residents of large cities in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship towards senior citizens’ housing was determined. Surveys were conducted in the two largest cities of this region. The influence of the potential behaviors of this group of society on the development of housing was also examined. Results showed that differentiation of housing preferences was visible primarily when choosing the type of development and size of the dwelling. Seniors preferred smaller units in multi-family housing construction. Pre-senior citizens, on the other hand, were more likely to think about living in a single-family house. The location of a new dwelling was also important. Seniors, more often than people aged 50–59, chose a location in the city center. Pre-senior citizens, in contrast, more often decided to live in a rural area or outside the city center. Moreover, the attitude of seniors towards senior citizens’ housing is undecided, which may indicate that many people may change their housing preferences in the future and decide to move.

The Influence of Ecophysiographic Determinants on the Functional-Spatial Development of Rural Areas - A Study of the Village of Lubasz

Abstract The article discusses selected issues concerning the influence of ecophysiographic determinants on functional-spatial and socio-economic development in rural areas. Ecological, economic and social processes that have been taking place for the past few decades are examined in the context of the development of local self-governments and transformation of economic processes into market oriented economy following socioeconomic changes in Poland. The process of intense urbanization of the countryside is a common phenomenon that occurs specifically in rural areas that are within the impact zone of a big city. It is caused by i.a. human migration into rural areas as well as by development of areas of business activation. These tendencies, which occur both in the social and economic context, greatly affect ecological processes. Expansion of land development and the ensuing further development of necessary technical infrastructure give rise to numerous problems in natural environment. Ecophysiographic determinants play a vital role in the pursuit of sustainable development of the countryside in the aspect of threats that result from excessive urbanization of rural areas. The author discusses these issues on the example of a study of the village of Lubasz in the wielkopolskie voivodeship.

The Development of Human Capital on the Labor Market of the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship

Summary Subject and purpose of work: This paper presents the development of human capital on the labour market of the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship in 2004-2017. Materials and methods: The study uses methods of literature review and comparative analysis based on data provided by Statistics Poland. Results: The results of the analysis show that constant development of human capital is taking place in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, and its level measured by the number of students and graduates of universities, as well as the number of registered patents is comparable to the average in Poland. The high quality of human capital contributed to achieving above-average economic results and household incomes. Conclusions: Development of human capital and raising professional qualifications at post-graduate studies was particularly important in the period of negative impact on the Polish economy of the financial crises of 2007-2009 and 2010-2012. A combination of higher education and innovative abilities, as well as involvement in R&D contributed to the increased competitiveness of the voivodeship’s economy.

Plant protection costs in selected farms in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship

Plant protection costs in selected farms in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship

Applying latent class analysis in the identification of occupational accident patterns

Purpose: The objective of the study is to use selected data mining techniques to discover patterns of certain recurring mechanisms related to the occurrence of occupational accidents in relation to production processes. Design/methodology/approach: The latent class analysis (LCA) method was employed in the investigation. This statistical modeling technique enables discovering mutually exclusive homogenous classes of objects in a multivariate data set on the basis of observable qualitative variables, defining the class homogeneity in terms of probabilities. Due to a bilateral agreement, Statistics Poland provided individual record-level real data for the research. Then the data were preprocessed to enable the LCA model identification. Pilot studies were conducted in relation to occupational accidents registered in production plants in 2008-2017 in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship. Findings: Three severe accident patterns and two light accident patterns represented by latent classes were obtained. The classes were subjected to descriptive characteristics and labeling, using interpretable results presented in the form of probabilities classifying categories of observable variables, symptomatic for a given latent class. Research limitations/implications: The results from the pilot studies indicate the necessity to continue the research based on a larger data set along with the analysis development, particularly as regards selecting indicators for the latent class model characterization. Practical implications: The identification of occupational accident patterns related to the production process can play a vital role in the elaboration of efficient safety countermeasures that can help to improve the prevention and outcome mitigation of such accidents among workers. Social implications: Creating a safe work environment comprises the quality of life of workers, their families, thus affirming the enterprises' principles and values in the area of corporate social responsibility. Originality/value: The investigation showed that latent class analysis is a promising tool supporting the scientific research in discovering the patterns of occupational accidents. The proposed investigation approach indicates the importance for the research both in terms of the availability of non-aggregated occupational accident data as well as the type of value aggregation of the variables taken for the analysis.

Nowe miasta w systemie osadniczym województwa wielkopolskiego

Głównym celem pracy jest określenie znaczenia nowych miast w systemie osadniczym woj. wielkopolskiego w aspekcie ich ogólnej sytuacji społeczno-gospodarczej. Znaczenie ośrodków w systemie osadniczym rozpatrywane jest w odniesieniu do procesu urbanizacji i funkcji, jakie pełnią dla najbliższego otoczenia. W tym celu przeprowadza się postępowanie badawcze obejmujące cztery etapy. W etapie pierwszym dokonano podstawowej charakterystyki systemu osadniczego woj. wielkopolskiego. W etapie drugim omówiono procesy umiastowienia kraju i woj. wielkopolskiego. Trzeci etap poświęcono zagadnieniu znaczenia nowych miast w procesie urbanizacji woj. wielkopolskiego. W ostatnim, czwartym etapie pracy wykorzystano wyniki badań ankietowych, na podstawie których omówiono sytuację społeczno-gospodarczą nowych miast badanego regionu. Analizą objęto sześć ośrodków woj. wielkopolskiego, które odzyskały prawa miejskie po 1989 roku. Są to: Obrzycko (restytucja praw miejskich w 1990 r.), Nekla (2000), Dobrzyca (2014), Chocz (2015), Jaraczewo (2016) i Opatówek (2017). Przeprowadzone badanie wykazało, że nowe miasta charakteryzują się zróżnicowanym potencjałem społeczno-gospodarczym i odgrywają relatywnie niewielką rolę w procesie urbanizacji woj. wielkopolskiego. Znaczenie nowych miast jako ośrodków o funkcjach handlowych, edukacyjnych i ochrony zdrowia wzrasta na poziomie lokalnym.

Hepatitis A in Poland in 2016

The aim of this article is to assess the epidemiological situation of Hepatitis A in Poland in 2016 with the regard to the recent years. The assessment was conducted based on the results of the analysis of data from the bulletins “Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2016” and “Vaccinations in Poland in 2016”, as well as information from the individual case- questionnaires and reports from epidemiological investigations in outbreaks of hepatitis A, submitted by the sanitary-epidemiological stations to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance in NIPH-NIH. In 2016 in Poland there were 35 cases of hepatitis A registered. Incidence per 100 000 inhabitants in the whole country was 0.09, but in different voivodeships varied from 0.03 (in Wielkopolskie voivodeship) to 0.28 (in podkarpackie voivodeship). The incidence among male was slightly higher than women and was 0.11 and 0.08/100 000 respectively. In 2016 a decrease in the incidence and percentage of imported cases was observed (comparing it to the previous year). Because of the increasing part of population prone to infection good epidemiological situation concerning HAV in Poland paradoxically increases the risk of an occurrence of HAV epidemic, especially in the scope of ongoing large multistate HAV outbreak among MSM. In relation to this situation the enhancement of surveillance over this disease and undertaking anti-epidemic actions gains particular importance, especially when it comes to promoting vaccinations among members of risk groups.

ASSESSMENT OF LOGISTICS SUSTAINABILITY IN FAMILY FARMS BASED ON THE LSR CONCEPT

This paper is an assessment of sustainable logistics in family farms based on the LSR concept. The introduction clearly illustrates the significant contribution of logistics to the sustainable development of farms. For the purposes of this study, five Polish family farms were selected, located in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship, managing arable land with an area ranging from 32 ha to 131 ha, focused on mixed (plant + animal) production with various field arrangement patterns. This study uses a measurement methodology for logistics sustainability, addressing five key areas of LSR, i.e.: purchasing social responsibility (PSR), sustainable transportation (ST), sustainable packaging (SP), sustainable warehousing (SW) and reverse logistics (RL). According to the results, there is a weak (albeit growing) positive correlation between the logistics sustainability level and the area of land, whether it comes to specific main LSR processes or to social, environmental and economic aspects.

THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NON-AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN RURAL AREAS OF NORTHWEST POLAND

The objective of this study was to assess the potentialfor growth of non-agricultural rural activities in northwestPoland. The analysis was performed within a linear regressionframework. The results demonstrated that non-agriculturalactivities were determined by entrepreneurship, infrastructureand small size of farms. The estimated potential of nonagriculturalactivities was highest in Zachodniopomorskievoivodeship, moderate in Wielkopolskie voivodeship, andlowest in Lubuskie voivodeship. The results also suggest thatin order to fully tap into the potential of non-agricultural activities,some institutional support needs to be provided by thelocal government

Enamel defects and dental caries among children attending primary schools in Poznań, Poland.

Both positive and negative associations between developmental enamel defects (DED) and dental caries have been reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of DED of permanent dentition and its association with dental caries in schoolchildren living in Poznań (Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, Poland). A total of 2,522 6th grade children and 3,112 1st grade children were examined. Developmental enamel defects were described using the modified Developmental Defects of Enamel Index. Dental caries experience was assessed in accordance with the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). The study revealed 475 children (9.6%) to have at least 1 enamel defect of permanent dentition. In 6th-graders, statistical analysis confirmed significant differences between DMFT, DT (decayed teeth) and FT (filled teeth) numbers of various DED groups with subjects affected by diffuse opacities having generally the lowest caries indices and subjects with enamel hypoplasia and/or demarcated opacities having the highest caries indices. In both age groups, dental caries prevalence was statistically significantly higher in subjects with hypoplasia and/or demarcated opacities as compared to subjects without DED or with diffuse opacities (p < 0.05). The prevalence of DED in the examined population was low and comparable to those reported in regions without fluoridated water. The study confirmed that children affected by diffuse enamel opacities were less susceptible to dental caries, while demarcated opacities and hypoplasia should be considered important dental caries risk factors.

The Leader Programme as an Impulse for New Projects in Rural Areas

Abstract The article aims to present the stages of the LEADER programme and its influence on greater activity and integration of inhabitants by, e.g. extending the knowledge of tradition and national heritage and the actions intended for the integration of local communities. It is noticeable particularly in the implementation of the activities within Axis 4 of the 2007–2013 Rural Development Programme. Positive changes in rural areas are a result of building strong social and human capitals, which are important factors of local development. The skills and the ability for cooperation of a local community allows it to implement many projects. The investments made by beneficiaries of the LEADER programme improve the level of living and the quality of life in the countryside. The effect is an improvement in physical infrastructure and tourist attractiveness as a result of care for the rural landscape and cultural heritage. The implementation of the LEADER programme is presented on the example of Wielkopolskie Voivodeship where the participation in actions for local communities is deeply ingrained. In order to show spatial differences in the activity of local entities under Local Action Groups in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, classes were selected on the basis of funds received by local entities in the LAG areas. There are 36 Local Action Groups operating in Wielkopolska (of which 31 have seats in this region).

The frequency of Enterobius vermicularis infection in children from Wielkopolska Voivodeship

&lt;i&gt;Enterobius vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; is a cosmopolitan parasite of large intestine. &lt;i&gt;Enterobius vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; infection is found mostly in closed human communities such as kindergartens, nurseries and orphanages. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of &lt;i&gt;E. vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; in preschool children from Wielkopolska Voivodeship. In addition, the aim was to determine the relationships between the gender of children, place of residence and the occurrence of enterobiasis and to define the most common symptoms of enterobiasis in infected children. There were 145 children (84 girls and 61 boys) aged 3-6 who attended kindergartens in Wielkopolskie voivodeship. Swabs from the anus area was used according to Graham’s method. The frequency of &lt;i&gt;E. vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; infection in the studied children was 7.6%. There were no relationships between the gender of participants as well as the place of residence and the frequency of &lt;i&gt;E. vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; infection. There was no relationship between the occurrence of symptoms of enterobiasis and &lt;i&gt;E. vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; infection. The examination showed that the half of studied children infected with &lt;i&gt;E. vermicularis&lt;/i&gt; had no symptoms of infection. Enterobiasis is the most common parasitosis in preschool and early childhood children. The prevalence of enterobiasis in humans is correlated with socio-environmental factors. On the basis of the presented study, it was found that in order to control the E. vermicularis infection, it would be necessary to regularly educate parents about the risks of parasitic diseases and to teach children the principles of hygiene from a young age.

Zmienność czasowa i przestrzenna opadów atmosferycznych w Wielkopolsce w latach 1981–2014 = Temporal and spatial variability of atmospheric precipitation in Wielkopolska in the 1981–2014 period

The aim of this study is to characterize pluvial conditions in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. The work comprises analysis of the long-term, annual and seasonal precipitation, as well as their spatial distribution and variability concerning the number of days with precipitation of a certain intensity in the period of 1981–2014. The study was based upon daily sums of atmospheric precipitation in years 1981–2014 derived from 5 synoptic stations, 9 climatological stations and 78 precipitation stations located in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship (Fig. 1). The data was obtained from IMGW-PIB. The Wielkopolskie Voivodeship is an area with relatively low precipitation sums comparing to other regions of Poland. In the years 1981–2014, the average annual rainfall amounted to 548 mm and was characterized by high variability of rainfall amounts from year to year (Fig. 2, 3). The amplitude of fluctuations exceeded 500 mm. In the examined period, the average annual rainfall (from 92 stations) presents an upward trend (23 mm/10 years), the highest in the summer. The number of days with precipitation is increasing at a slower rate (Fig. 4). The distribution of rainfall in analyzed area is characterized by considerable spatial diversity (Fig. 5, 6, 7). The highest average sum of precipitation and the highest number of precipitation days were registered in the north-west, northern and southern parts of the region. On the contrary, the driest was the Wrzesinska Plain and the eastern part of the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. Majority of the region is characterized by an average of 120–160 days with precipitation per year. The lowest number of such days are noted in the north-eastern part, and the highest – in the north-western part of the voivodeship (Fig. 8). In the seasonal distribution of rainfall, a clear prevalence of summer precipitation is visible, comprising 36.6% of the annual sum, with a maximum in July of 76.5 mm on average. The most intense precipitation, i.e. above 20 mm day, was least frequent in the central part of the study area (Fig. 9). The most diverse distribution is characterized by the weakest precipitation, i.e. less than 1 mm per day. Considerable variation in spatial distribution of precipitation indicates that rainfall is often of local nature. The amount and duration of precipitation as well as range depends on the cloud structure formed under specific synoptic conditions and local relief. The concentration of stations considered in a given area provides a more detailed image concerning the actual spatial variation of precipitation.

AGRO-TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION AS A SUPPORTING TOOL IN PRESENTING INFORMATION IN FARM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for the presentation of farming operations in farm financial statements with the use of agro-technical documentation kept by the farmers, as illustrated by the example of crop farms. Research methodology: to pursue the objective set out in this paper, the relevant literature and the applicable legal regulations were reviewed. From 2015 to 2017, in-depth personal interviews were conducted with the farms’ chief accountants (30 persons) and farm owners (150 persons) who keep their records in accordance with the Accounting Act. The farms were located in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. The subject addressed in in-depth interviews was the disclosure of non-financial information in farm financial statements. Result: the presentation of the farms’ business performance needs to be much more detailed. The results of research on the scope of non-financial information disclosure in farm financial statements were presented. The agro-technical documentation was reviewed in 30 farms.

Differences in accessing Rrural Development Programme (RDP) funds. The impact of financial factors on the support level. The example of municipalities in the Wielkopolska region

The objective of this paper is to assess the absorption level of funds disbursed under the 2007-2013 RDP to municipal government units and the impact of financial determinants on the amount of funds accessed. Intensive investment activities were have been taken in the Polish rural areas over the recent years. Many of them were implemented with the use of the EU subsidies, including those disbursed under the 2007-2013 RDP. The purpose of the RDP was to support transformation not only in the agriculture sector, but also on rural areas, especially as regards technical and socio-economic infrastructure. In the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, a total of 463 projects were implemented, amounting to PLN 722 million. Environmental infrastructure projects represented the largest share in the total amount although socio-economic projects were much more numerous. The municipalities under consideration differed in levels of the EU funds accessed. This means the beneficiary’s financial autonomy is a crucial determinant, especially if the EU funds are disbursed as a refund. In less wealthy municipalities, that solution may effectively constrain access to large amounts of aid. Also, by allocating funds to other investments, the municipalities restrict their investment potential and often become unable to implement subsequent investment projects.

Impact of Regional Operational Program for Wielkopolskie Voivodeship 2007–2013 on innovation of micro, small and medium enterprises in Wielkopolska region

The micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector is crucial for the development of an innovative and competitive European Union economy. In each programming period, the EU prepares a number of activities and tools for these companies to improve their market position. The article attempts to assess the impact of the Regional Operational Program for Wielkopolskie Voivodeship 2007–2013 (ROPW) on the innovation level of the SME sector in the region. The evaluation was based on 255 projects implemented by these companies within the ROPW. Research shows that there was little interest in EU funds from Wielkopolska entrepreneurs. However the examined projects were characterized by a high degree of innovation.

Czynniki konkurencyjności w mikro i małych przedsiębiorstwach na przykładzie branży piekarniczo-cukierniczej

The paper presents the results of research conducted in 2015 in 56 micro and small enterprises operating in bakery and confectionary industry located in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. The aim of the investigation was to define factors of company’s competitiveness. The main internal determinants influencing competitiveness, among which the most important are high product quality, product price, product range or development financing possibilities, were presented. Service quality, relations with clients and company’s image were recognised as very important as well. The respondents also underlined the significance of modern technologies and innovation.

Airsoft Games as a Way of Reusing Post-military Areas

The paper presents the results of a study on preservation of military facilities conducted in 2013 and 2014 at the Faculty of Architecture at Poznan University of Technology. The study focused on the issue of reusing and preserving former historic military buildings. The objective of the study was to verify the possibilities of adapting military areas located in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship for the organization of games which more or less employ military tactics. The paper introduces a definition of paramilitary sports, which was created for the purpose of the author's doctoral dissertation. The results of the analysis of current trends in developing land for the purpose of Airsoft games are also presented. The data from the analysis were is an expert method applied to create a theoretical model of paramilitary sports. The model was then used to evaluate the former military facilities with respect to their adaption for Airsoft games. In correlation with the historic value of the analyzed facilities, the results of the evaluation allowed the author to produce a list of sites of military architecture in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship that present great potential for the above mentioned purposes. The paper concludes that the theoretical model for paramilitary sports centers is an efficient tool for evaluating the suitability of prospective locations for Airsoft games and helps to properly develop the area in terms of its functionality and spatial lay-out. The results of the study proved that the model can be applied to all former military facilities in Poland that remain un-adapted. The study also presents the outcome of cooperation of the Faculty with the Military Academy of Land Forces in Poznan, and with the Poznanczycy Group, which maintains one of the Prussian bomb shelters in Poznan.

Current state of peatland soils as an effect of long-term drainage – preliminary results of peatland ecosystems investigation in the Grójecka Valley (central Poland)

AbstractUnderstanding the effect of long-term drainage of peatland areas is helpful in future peatland management and regulations of water conditions. The aim of this work was to assess the current state of fen peatland soils in the Grójecka Valley (eastern part of the Wielkopolskie voivodeship, central Poland), affected by long-term agricultural use (pastures, meadows) since the 1960s and potentially by lignite open pit mining industry (KWB Konin) since 1980s. Field studies were carried out in 2015 in selected fen peatland areas. Soil material for laboratory analysis was collected from genetic horizons from four soil profiles. The surface horizons of studied organic and organo-mineral soils were built with well-developed moorsh material. They were classified as medium moorshiefied – MtII (profile 1, 3 and 4) and strongly moorshiefied – MtIII (profile 2). Obtained results of physical and physico-chemical analysis indicate that long-term peatland utilization connected with potential impact of the lignite mining, transformed mainly the upper horizons of studied organic and organo-mineral soils. However, despite obvious strong human impact on peatlands ecosystems, we cannot exclude the climate variables, what should be confirmed by long-term monitoring program. Furthermore, presented paper indicated that new subtype moorsh-muddy soils (in Polish: gleby murszowo-mułowe) within the type of gleyic soils should be implemented in the next version of Polish Soil Classification.

Moisture Content Impact on Mechanical Properties of Selected Cohesive Soils from the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship Southern Part

Abstract Results of investigations of shearing resistance and compressibility of fine-grained cohesive soil from the southern part of the wielkopolskie voivodeship in relation to the increasing moisture content are presented. The analysis of two series of samples, using soil paste for the consistency index of 0.9 and 0.4–0.3 was carried out. The results imply that the increasing moisture content causes a decrease in the angle of shearing resistance and cohesion and is also reflected in the higher compressibility of the soil. It was observed that regardless of the soil consistency, the angle of shearing resistance decreases and the cohesion value and the oedometric modulus of primary (consolidation) and secondary compressibility grows with the increase in the clay fraction.