WSB University Research Articles

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AS AN AREA SAFETY ENGINEERING

The publication deals with the issue of safety engineering and occupational health and safety interms of the areas of knowledge, education and science. Safety engineering is an area of knowledge,an area of education (field of higher studies), an area of science (a new discipline in the fieldof engineering and technical sciences). On the other hand, occupational health and safety is anarea of knowledge (e.g.: occupational health and safety service, legal information, standardizationinformation, industry information), an area of education (e.g.: training in the field of occupationalhealth and safety, occupation of an occupational health and safety technician, field of higherstudies, postgraduate studies), yet it is not an autonomous area of science as an independentscientific discipline (it has a chance of becoming a research area or scientific specialty in thediscipline of safety engineering). The scope of the publication comprises selected aspects of safetyengineering, selected aspects of occupational health and safety and a review of requirements in thefield of occupational risk assessment. The research and analyses included publicly available datain the field of higher education and science system (including: POL-on system, RAD-on system,Polish Science database, website of the Council of Scientific Excellence): universities offering fieldsof study in safety engineering and occupational health and safety, entities and persons conductingresearch activities in safety engineering, entities authorized to award doctoral degrees andhabilitated doctor degrees in safety engineering, persons declaring scientific specialties in safetyengineering and occupational health and safety. In the higher education and science system, thefollowing were identified: two entities authorized to award doctoral degrees and habilitated doctordegrees in safety engineering (the Fire University, the WSB University), nine entities conductingscientific activities in the discipline of safety engineering and 113 people conducting scientificactivities in the discipline of safety engineering (people with at least a doctoral degree, including13 people with the academic title of professor and 32 people with the academic degree of associateprofessor).

ORGANISATIONAL AGILITY AS A FACTOR DETERMINING TRUST IN ORGANISATIONS

The article aims to understand which factors are key to building trust within an agile organisation. The article presents the results of surveys conducted in 2022 at three universities: the University of Technology and Commerce in Warsaw (UTH), the WSB University and the Vistula Academy of Finance and Business (VISTULA). The article presents the results of a survey conducted in December 2022 on a sample of 462 respondents. The conducted research showed that the organisations whose employees are employed are endowed with agile features (the ability to quickly see market opportunities, instant recognition of threats from the environment, cases for the implementation of tasks, the ability to categorise situations in the context of opportunities and threats). At the same time, the surveyed organisations place great emphasis on gaining the trust of their employees. The most important determinants in this aspect turned out to be the respect shown to employees, the development of organisational culture, the use of praise, good leadership and business ethics.

Higher Education Institutions as Partners in Growing Innovation of Local Economy

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are constantly evolving how they operate and their areas of academic interest. What remains unchanged is the fact that the raison d’être of a university is to fulfill the role of a citadel of knowledge to its environment. The aim of this paper is to show the relationship between HEIs and entities that have an impact on the growth of the local economy, in particular the possibilities of shaping local partnerships for innovation. The paper thus outlines the nature of individual sectors, the special role played by local governments, and the activities of universities related to innovation in the economy, based on the results of two collaborative studies co-sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and teams of researchers at the WSB University in Dąbrowa Górnicza. One of the projects was under the framework of the DIALOG program of 2019–2020 and the other used the framework of the Regional Excellence Initiative program of 2019–2022. The main part of this study was based on a survey of representatives of local governments; the survey was oriented towards identifying the opinions of local managers on the current and postulated roles of universities in the development of the local economy. The results presented in this study indicate, among other things, a significant differentiation of expectations concerning the cooperation of entities in the process of local development based on innovation and changes in the areas of this cooperation.

The impact of covid-19 on the economy and sustainable e-commerce

This study aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 and sustainable e-commerce in Hungary and Kenya. COVID-19 has devastated the global economy, resulting in financial and job losses. Routine changes in spending have moved the focus from non-essential to essential items, due to the impact of COVID-19, the associated economic meltdown, and the deterioration of people’s physical and mental health. However, e-commerce can be a better option to stop the spread of COVID-19 due to its real benefits and usefulness in solving the challenges faced. The methodology used in this paper is the collection of primary data from an online survey questionnaire, and secondary data from several databases,e.g.,the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Johns Hop-kins Centre websites. The results show the negative impact of COVID-19 on society and the economy, as well as the positive and significant effects ofthe growth of e-commerce during COVID-19, where most of the goods being purchased are medical supplies: masks, medicines, and food. This has been made possibleby the rise of e-commerce platforms as a link in sustainable e-commerce after the significant disruption to the worldwide supply chain due to total lockdown. E-commerce has shown growth during the COVID-19 pandemic period as a sustainable platform. In conclusion, this study proposes policies that support e-commerce in developing countries during and after COVID-19. Furthermore, theoretical, and managerial implications are proposed in the study. It is high time to warn businesses to adopt information and communications technology (ICT) to flourish and thrive during times of financial and economic hardship, such as the use of e-commerce with the right policies enacted to support sustainable e-commerce. © 2021, WSB University. All rights reserved.

Book Review: Cultural management: from theory to practice, edited by Łukasz Wróblewski, Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz and Jerry C.Y. Liu, London: London Scientific & WSB University, 2018

Book Review: Cultural management: from theory to practice, edited by Łukasz Wróblewski, Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz and Jerry C.Y. Liu, London: London Scientific & WSB University, 2018

Wpływ wykorzystania dotacji ministerialnych i funduszy unijnych na kształtowanie się zbiorów w bibliotece uczelni niepublicznej na przykładzie biblioteki Wyższej Szkoły Bankowej w Toruniu

The impact of ministerial grants and EU fundson the library of a non-public higher education institution as seen in the Library of the WSB University of ToruńThe article presents an outline of the legal basis of the operation of non-public higher education institutions and their place in the Polish education system. This is the background for the author’s analysis of the library and information systems of business schools that are part of the TEB SA group. The author focuses on extrabudgetary forms of expanding the library of anon-public univer­sity through the use of ministerial and EU grants. The case study presented in the article is that of the Library of the WSB University of Toruń. The author examines, on the basis of books inventoried in 2011–2016, the volume and percentage share of books acquired thanks to EU funds and ministerial grants. She demonstrates how the Library — which, owing to the business nature of the University, has specialist collections at its disposal — acquires new forms of books e-books in mobi and pdf files, e-book readers, audiobooks etc. as well as educational aids. She presents examples of how extrabudgetary funds can support and complement the main budget of the library of anon-public university in its initiatives aimed at creating amodern facility.

Determinanty korzystania ze strategii uczenia się języka angielskiego przez studentów poznańskich uczelni

The study described in the present paper aimed to account for all the three dimensions of learners’ strategic self-regulation, i.e. cognitive, affective, and sociocultural-interactive language learning strategies (LLS) (Oxford 2011), and attempted to explore their relationships with learners’ personality and other individual variables, such as gender, type of university and area of studies, or the level of proficiency in English. The participants of the study, who formed a representative sample of BA/BS students of AMU and WSB University (722 students in total), completed two questionnaires, a Polish adaptation of SILL ver. 7.0 (Oxford 1990), and the adaptation of NEO-FFI recommended by the Polish Association of Psychology (Zawadzki et al. 2010) for research. The goodness criteria for psychometric research tools (Hornowska 2007) were analysed for both questionnaires. The obtained results confirm the role of most of the above-mentioned individual characteristics in strategy choice, validate the importance of learners’ personality in language learning, and provide evidence of the significance of openness to experience in learning a foreign language.

Reflections on the questionnaire at the workshops: Methodology for assessing the cam-pus sustainability from the perspective of multi-level antifragility

Aim: The author provides a critical reflection of the questionnaire discussed at the workshop “Methodology for assessing the campus sustainability from the perspective of multi-level antifragility” held on Friday 13 May 2016 at the WSB University in Wrocław. The aim is to make a general diagnosis of the current situation in higher education in Poland, and to propose a direction of change than can enable its survival and improve its quality.Design / Research methods: In the article, the author gives his personal reflections regarding the research questionnaire discussed at the workshop “Methodology for assessing the campus sustainability from the perspective of multi-level antifragility” in the context of the viability of higher education in Poland.Conclusions / findings: The author selected, in his opinion, the most important elements of the questionnaire discussed at the research workshop. The main conclusion is that significant changes seem to be necessary due to the dynamic developments in the external environment, in particular the declining number of students resulting from the deepening demographic decline.Originality / value of the article: The article provides critical feedback on an innovative approach towards research on campus sustainability.

Reflections on developing indicators for campus sustainability from a fragility perspective

Aim: Provide a summary of the discussion at the workshop on “Methodology for assessing the campus sustainability from the perspective of multi-level antifragility” held on Friday 13 May at the WSB University in Wrocław, as well as reflection notes each of the participant wrote after the workshop. The paper shows the outcome of the process of interaction and reflections of the authors regarding the methodology of assessing campus sustainability using a fragility approach. Design / Research methods: This article contains feedback based on the experience and ideas from students from Georgia, Germany, Kazakhstan and Lithuania. Discussion took place during the workshop in focus groups. Afterwards, a discussion took place among all participating students and lecturers. After the workshop, the authors wrote individual feedback notes. These are summarized in this paper. Conclusions / findings: Although there are promising element that can be developed into a framework of assessing campus sustainability from a fragility perspective, many challenges appear. In particular challenges in defining unambiguous indicators as well as finding proper sources of information were identified. Originality / value of the article: The article provides critical feedback on an innovative approach towards research on campus sustainability.

A fragility approach to campus sustainability – methodological explorations

Aim: Often, the approach towards entering a path of sustainable development is that intervention needs to take place. This may lead to unwanted side effects. This paper presents the basis for explorative research on campus sustainability. The aim is to create a basis for developing a methodology for identifying fragilities, threats to organizational viability and sustainable development of the external environment. Design / Research methods: The ideas presented in this paper were developed through literature study and discussed during three explorative research workshops organized in May and June 2016 at the WSB University in Wrocław (Poland), the University of Sonora (Hermosillo, Mexico) and Siauliai University (Lithuania). The ideas developed are the basis for future research on the issue. Conclusions / findings: Although more elements are included in the survey, representing elements of organizational viability and mental models directing the path of change. The survey presented and discussed in reflection papers in this volume will be the base for further research on how to improve campus sustainability by eliminating unsustainabilities. Originality / value of the article: While the traditional approach towards campus sustainability is what action should be undertaken in order to support this aim, in this paper focus is on what not to do. It can be expected that this approach leads to less undesired side-effects than an interventionist approach.

Reflections on methodology for assessing campus sustainability from a Turkish perspective

Aim: The author provides a critical reflection of the questionnaire discussed at the workshop “Methodology for assessing the campus sustainability from the perspective of multi-level antifragility” held on Friday 13 May at the WSB University in Wrocław. The author reflects from the background of his experience in Turkey. Design / Research methods: The author provides his own reflections and opinions, based on the discussions at the workshop. Conclusions / findings: It is very difficult to create a set of indicators making campus sustainability internationally comparable, as well as finding proper sources of information. A starting point in creating such indicators may be mistakes threatening organizational viability and external sustainability Originality / value of the article: The article provides critical feedback on an innovative approach towards research on campus sustainability.

Reflection on the Sustainability and Multilevel Antifragility Workshop

Aim: The aim of this article is to provide a brief reflection on the campus sustainability workshop that was held on May 13th, 2016 at the WSB University in Wroclaw. The topic of sustainability, and identifying critical threats to sustainability at the institutional level and beyond is of major concern.Design / Research methods: This reflection relies on a critical review of the discussion and materials presented during the workshop, and the opinion of the author. The observation and participation of the author and fellow participants played a crucial role in shaping the reflection.Conclusions / findings: Firstly, the conclusion drawn is that the methodology used by the host should be more clearly specified, and the questions should be focused and separated, in order to properly research them. Secondly, given the data that was available, that the study of fragilization in this context should focus on Safe to Fail, instead of Fail Safe approaches, to prevent catastrophic failure events.Originality / value of the article: The value of this reflection lies in the primary research interest, however, institutions may benefit from the analysis and opinions suggested. Without properly redesigning the study methodology to be more specific, the value of this research in its current form is limited, this author looks forward to the future work on the topic.

A Socio-Economic Portrait of Foreign Students in Poland – as Exemplified by Students from Former CIS Studying at WSB University in Wroclaw

A noticeably increased intensity of migration becomes a very important issue with regard to economic, socio-cultural and political matters. Broader flow of people results in the occurrence of numerous threats, but also provides opportunities and benefits for both the participants of migration flows, and the areas to which the flow is directed. An important role in this process is played by the students, who con stitute a special category of immigrants. The article contains a socio-economic characteristics of foreign students from countries of the former CIS, with the emphasis on their reasons for immigration, organizing their new life abroad, life plans and in particular their economic activity. The core purpose of the article is to identify the mechanisms of adaptation of foreign students as a specific category of immigrants to functioning in the new socioeconomic environment. The article, in addition to its cognitive merit, also has a practical purpose. The problems and obstacles faced by foreign students in Poland form a basis for general recommendations for actions aimed at improving the conditions of functioning of foreign students in the new realities.