Wzbogacona rzeczywistość a nierówności społeczne

This paper focuses on the technology of extended reality, whereby the aim is to draw attention to selected issues related to technology and solutions in the extended reality area in the context of social inequalities. The first part of the article discusses the essence of extended reality technology, paying attention to its place in the modern economy, along with a description of such solutions. The remainder of the study focuses on the issue of social inequality, with particular emphasis on the impact of extended reality on the problem of the digital gap and digital divide. The article presents the results of original research undertaken on a group of 88 respondents with both CAWI and equipment supporting augmented reality technology, of which 39.36% declared testing with this type of equipment in the past. The article also presents the results of original research with the use of XR equipment. XR-related solutions are currently still perceived as luxury goods, despite both the increasing availability for users and undoubtedly unique advantages. These include realism of generated experiences and the phenomenon of immersion in the synthetic world. The analysis of the role of such solutions in the context of social inequality provides a conclusion about their dichotomous nature. On the one hand, by popularizing the XR technology, the possibility of overcoming barriers and inequalities resulting from individual characteristics or social position is created, which leads to the improvement in the life situations of some people who have been struggling with exclusion so far. On the other hand, it provides the conclusion that such advanced technology entering everyday life has the potential to create another digital divide, which in the long term will result in increasing digital disproportions and exclusion.

Organisation of running events – reducing exclusions and improving the quality of life

Physical activity is a basic factor of human development – it brings satisfaction, vitality, energy, has a therapeutic dimension and affects the quality of life. Among the large group of amateur athletes, there are people vulnerable to social exclusions related to disabilities, psychological dysfunctions, sex and social status. For these people sport is a cure for loneliness and lack of self-confidence, as well as it positively affects their motivation to overcome barriers, which is reflected in other spheres of their lives. One sport that in particular integrates different social groups is running, as confirmed by the growing number of amateur runners, training activities dedicated to them and running events organised for them. However, it is important that organisers of such events ensure the safety of participants and take care of their satisfaction and comfort by holistic planning of all organisational activities. The study hypothesised that factors concerning the safety, comfort and satisfaction of participants play a vital role in organising running events. The aim of the article was to identify and assess the risk of organising running competitions for amateurs in the context of ensuring safety and satisfaction for all participants of the event. In particular, the author noted the risk factors of a social nature, conducive to integration, associated with countering exclusions. The paper presents test results for national competitions involving 21 and 42 km runs. The identification of risk factors was performed by 10 experts (the Delphi method) and 27 representatives of 7 running events organised in Poland (2017–2018) (risk estimate, a questionnaire) took part in the risk estimation. Risk estimation was carried out on the basis of average (effect and probability). The results of the study provide unequivocal information about the spheres of organising sporting events which in the highest degree can affect the safety and comfort of their participants and the perception of the competition itself. Among the key risks there were: inadequate financial and organisational resources, route capacity, or technical problems. Moreover, the paper includes an attempt to discuss results of other research.

Rozwój usług elektronicznej administracji publicznej w Polsce na tle Unii Europejskiej

The information society, which was born along with the development of information and communication technologies, is a commonly used term in everyday life, both personally and professionally. The aim of the article is to evaluate the level of development of e-government services in the European Union countries, with particular emphasis on Poland. For the purpose of the research, the Perkal and Ward methods were used and the following indicators: DESI and EGDI. The available data from Eurostat and the Central Statistical Office in the area of public e-government services for citizens were analyzed. The article also refers to the development priorities of Poland and the European Union in terms of e-administration development. E-administration is one of the most important areas determining the essence of the information society. Rapid progress is observed in the development of e-government in Europe. However, it is not even, and there are significant inequalities in the access and use of ICT in individual Member States. Societies strive for quick and convenient handling of civil matters via the Internet. Electronic public administration in EU countries is undergoing a digital transformation, from traditional handling of citizens’ affairs to modern, i.e. electronic implementation of public services. As the research shows, the level of development of e-government services in Poland differs from the average in the EU, despite a significant improvement in such areas as open data, pre-filled forms and the availability of e-administration services for enterprises.

Kultura organizacyjna jako moderator związków pomiędzy zaufaniem organizacyjnym a jego determinantami i następstwami

The paper includes analysis of the results of field studies conducted among employees of 20 organizations (N=601). The analyses were aimed at determining the impact of organizational culture has on the relationships between the “soft” (psychological and social) factors that characterize them. In particular the impact of organizational culture was considered on the relationship between the antecedents and outcomes of organizational trust. The statistical method used was moderation analysis (Hayes, 2018). The studies were based on a questionnaire that included 13 scales as measures for the variables considered. The analyses provides two main conclusions. The first is for researchers dealing with the soft aspects of the organization’s functioning, especially those related to the role of trust in the organization. The second is addressed to practitioners and relates to the quality of knowledge on employee management. The conclusion for the researchers concerns the need to take into account the specificity of a given organization when describing organizational phenomena. This concerns the tacit factors that go beyond the standard characteristics (industry type, size of the organization, number of employees, etc.), in particular those aspects of the organizational culture related to organizational trust. The failure to do so may lead to inadequate advice for executives regarding the methods used to develop the organization’s potential. The conclusion for practitioners is the need to pay attention to how employees perceive the organizational culture of their company. The omission of this fact may adversely affect the strategy of building a climate of trust, which can lead to a decrease in teamwork quality and a reduction in the superior-subordinate relationship.

Transformacja cyfrowa z punktu widzenia samorządu terytorialnego – wybrane zagadnienia

The article presents selected issues related to the digital transformation of Poland from the perspective of local government. It poses the following questions: How should we understand the digital transformation in general and the digital transformation of local government? Why should local government choose this path for transformation and what impact does it have? The article uses the method of analysis and criticism of the literature. The conclusions drawn from the research are as follows: the digital transformation of local government is the entirety of the changes taking place in it in terms of the services, processes, resources, organizational culture and competences using digital technologies. The purpose of these changes is to improve the quality of life and achieve the goals of sustainable development. Each local government unit must enter the path of digital transformation. It is an objective of necessity resulting mainly from social needs (expectations) for which the local government has been appointed. These needs can be divided into several categories. Residents require easier shopping and handling of administrative matters, as well as access to information and efficient communication. They also report the need for improving the conditions of work, maintaining employment, and accessing professional development. The expectation of reduced social inequalities remains valid. Residents and entrepreneurs expect Internet access and free mobility, and the latter also require support in optimizing business processes. In the conditions of developing the digital economy, we also expect the creation of an efficient system of warnings about threats and ensuring safety on the Internet. All aspects cause changes in the economy and the financing of local government. These mainly concern its functions and scope of performed tasks, the how social needs are satisfied and the tools used.

Normalizacja zmiennych a porządkowanie krajów Unii Europejskiej pod względem stopnia wykorzystania technologii ICT w przedsiębiorstwach

The main issue of multivariate comparative analysis is the normalization of variables. The literature offers various procedures for data normalization, and therefore the researcher has to choose between them. The article presents and discusses the most commonly used normalizing formulas. The article assesses the impact of data normalization procedures on the results of the linear ordering of European Union countries in terms of the level of ICT usage in enterprises. A hypothesis was formulated that the method of data normalization influenced the position of the objects in the ranking. The study is based on statistical data from Eurostat for the year 2018. Based on the selected diagnostic variables, values for a synthetic measure have been determined for individual countries. The synthetic measure was calculated according to the model-less method of linear ordering using four types of normalization. The method used in the research allowed the creation of rankings for the countries. The compliance of the orders thus obtained was compared using the Spearman’s coefficient of range correlation and the measure of similarity of rankings. As the study shows, the choice of normalization formula influences the result of linear ordering, which is not due to any change in the data structure. It was proven that the quotient transformation with the normalization base equal to the maximum value allowed the most similar ranking to be obtained of the examined objects in relation to the Rother rankings. The results of the study show that Denmark, Sweden and Finland had the highest positions in each ranking while Bulgaria, Romania and Latvia had the lowest positions.

Społeczeństwo i kultura jako definicyjny kontekst badań nad wpływem technologii na ponowoczesnego człowieka

Based on an analysis of selected definitions of the terms used for society and culture, the author creates the sociological theoretical framework for the article. In conjunction with the characterized phenomenon of digital transformation, extensive and far-reaching conclusions are formulated on the impact of new technology for postmodernity. In relation to the scientific achievements of Buber and Tischner, the author deeply analyzes the assumptions of philosophy of dialogue. This allows the observation of a wide dimension in the relationship between the relational nature of social relations, the condition of the individual, the durability of the systems humans create, the technocratic direction of civilizational development and the consumerist attitude to reality in contemporary society of the 21st century. The author describes technological worship and presents the negative consequences of digital transformation processes. On the example of the service sector, the transition is presented as symbolic culture based on the relations and dialogue with technical and functional culture. The research method used in the article is a review of the scientific literature. In the study, the author set the goal of determining the impact of digital transformation on humans in the context of the definition of culture and society. As a result of the research, the author states that technological insight (i.e. looking at technology as a way of resolving all contemporary problems) has the danger of successively weakening man, and could lead to a deepening of social inequalities. The author also emphasizes the need to deepen research on the consequences of the digital transformation on society and culture and to develop models that can reduce the negative consequences of the change process.

Conditions for the career development of young people with higher education from a regional perspective

Changes taking place in the contemporary world have stimulated a faster development of knowledge and have led to the need for businesses to adjust to them, including in their expectations towards their employees. Employees and young people have entered a higher level on a larger scale, which has consequently resulted in an influx of a large number of people with higher education into the labour market. The aim of this study is to present the regional conditioning of professional careers and the perspectives for their development based on the case of young people with higher education in the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship. The term professional career has been presented, as well as its stages, the situation of young people, including those with higher education, and factors limiting its development in the region. A professional career is a crucial element in the lives of contemporary humans. It determines their status and, thanks to it, they can develop and fulfil their ambitions. However, the development of a career is hindered in smaller and less developed communities, where there is a shortage of workplaces for people with higher education. It forces young people to migrate to large cities of a metropolitan character, where there are better possibilities of development and higher earnings. This results in a deficit of valuable human capital and in the deepening of the hard demographic and economic situation in the problem region. The article is of a cognitive character, with its research methods being literature studies and statistical data analysis. In order to achieve full comparability, the following study is based on the data available until the end of 2017 because there is some shortage of data for the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship in the following years.

Knowledge-based economy: wealth owners portfolio choices and financialisation. A wealth supply analysis

Based on a data and literature analysis as well as autonomous theoretical reasoning and argumentation by the author, the present article discusses the relevance of financialisation and portfolio choice changes under the present phase of development of modern economies. Relying upon the earlier studies by the author which stress that knowledge-based economy can be characterised as a low profitability of investment in physical capital, higher income inequalities, lower physical capital and economic growth rate phase of the development of economic systems, the present work provides variously conceived arguments to support the idea that significant portfolio choice changes by wealth owners are a relevant feature of knowledge-based economy. Some of the implications of the economic theory of the availability of assets other than physical capital and other assets more connected with production needs were thus discussed, pointing out that this leads mainly to the negation of the necessary arrival of mainstream counterbalance mechanisms which support the affirmation of higher physical capital accumulation when higher income inequalities are recorded.

Ochrona zasobów natury i rodziny w perspektywie aksjologicznej

The author of the article assumes that the deposit of values is an important driving force of the will to discover the function of responsibility, to search ex ante for effective means of action for life in well-being and at the same time to be ethical, and therefore it cannot be ignored in solving human development risks, including ecological risk reduction. From an axiological perspective, the sense of economic efficiency, growth of business assets and competitiveness become evident if they is anchored in the coordination mechanisms, institutions, regulatory tools and action strategies that bring positive effects in well-being relating to the entire space of integrated development, including not only the economic, social, and natural, but also spiritual and human biology, political, knowledge, technological, and consumption spheres, respecting the synergies and entropies arising from the coupling between them. From this research perspective, reflections on the ethical foundations of education and upbringing for the respect of nature and the family are presented. They are preceded by the presentation of the most important concepts of constraints on development from the sphere of nature and the criticism of the promoted programmes of nature conservation. From these reflections, it was concluded that it is advisable to activate the mechanisms of bottom-up innovation pushing and enforcing pro-ecological strategies coherent with harmonised development in all spheres of human existence. It was also pointed out that there is a need to modernise human capital based on axiologically ordered goals, also using for this purpose the institutions of family and religion.