Patterns of Human Capital Formation

The main goal of the article is to identify the basic patterns of the formation of human capital (HC). An especially valuable and scarce resource of the modern economy is becoming a creative skilled worker capable of generating ideas, as well as creating and implementing new technological solutions and products. The development of the economy leads to significant transformations in the generation of resource potential, and changes in the role of individual resources. Human capital begins to play a dominant role in the resource hierarchy. It is the HC that sets in motion the production processes and determines the efficiency of using the entire resource potential. The methods of aspect analysis and of apperception used in this study made it possible to identify modern patterns peculiar to the formation of human capital in the economy, and to emphasize its objective importance and ability to significantly influence the development of society. During the research, the authors proved that human capital acquires the status of the main resource in the economy, the quantitative characteristics of the workforce capacity give way to the role of qualitative characteristics, and the development of STP requires a new employee formation to dominate the intellectual component.

Selected benefits and threats arising from internet use by households and enterprises in Poland with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic

The internet has revolutionised the world over the past half of a century, and the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to an increase in its importance. Although the global network brings with it more advantages than disadvantages, its existence also causes certain threats which have an impact on the life of Polish households and operations of Polish enterprises. This paper is theoretical and empirical in nature. Its aim is to explore the relationship between the internet and the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e. the time household members spend online. The impact of the two factors on survival in the market was examined in the case of enterprises. Moreover, the subjectively most important benefits and threats arising from the global network consumption in the opinion of the business entities mentioned above were illustrated. According to the respondents, facilitating communication is the main advantage of the internet (33.33%), whereas the spreading of hate on the internet is the major threat associated with its use (24.17%). The main benefit derived from the global network resources by enterprises is the possibility of obtaining raw materials from the most profitable sources (28.40%), whereas the major threat identified by them is that a negative opinion published on the internet can weaken the financial standing of a company or even make it disappear from the market (55.56%). Nearly 60% of household members found themselves spending more time online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 94% of the entrepreneurs who use the internet in running their businesses admitted that it helped them to keep their business in the market during the pandemic.

Economic Competitiveness and Availability of Road Infrastructure

The level of road infrastructure development brings about several benefits, such as shorter travel times, reduced transport costs, or improved road safety. Undoubtedly, it is also a factor that has had a beneficial impact on the growth of certain regions. This is particularly important for the entire economy (in the macroeconomic context), for regions (on the meso-regional level) and for business enterprises (the macroeconomic aspect). The aim of this study has been to evaluate the effect of the availability of road infrastructure on the economic competitiveness of Polish voivodeships. To this end, the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI) was compared with the ratio of the density of hard-surface roads per 100 km2. The analysis showed that the highest regional competitiveness and simultaneously the highest road density ratio were in the voivodeships: śląskie, małopolskie and mazowieckie. However, the majority of regions in Poland are composed of voivodeships with both of these indicators scoring below zero. These are regions in the eastern part of Poland; as well as the lubuskie and zachodniopomorskie voivodeships.

Solidarity Economy Reintegration Entities in Warmia and Mazury

The aim of the paper is to present solidarity economy reintegration entities and to analyse the actions they undertake for labour market reintegration and social inclusion of people at risk of social exclusion and for social and vocational rehabilitation of the disabled in the Warmia and Mazury region. The paper provides a review of the literature on the subject, based on an analysis of data from public statistics published by Statistics Poland, current studies of the Regional Centre of Social Policy in Olsztyn and scientific studies dedicated to the field of the social and solidarity economy. The analysis has revealed that all solidarity economy entities operating in the region are focused on taking comprehensive measures aimed at counteracting social exclusion and promoting social and vocational reintegration of people who, for various reasons, are not able to perform their social and professional roles independently and effectively.

Operating Subsidies and the Economic Situation of Agricultural Farms in Poland in 2014-2019

The purpose of this study has been to determine the role of operating subsidies in shaping the economic situation of agricultural farms in the years 2014-2019. Secondary data originating from the database of accounting books of farms aggregated by the Polish FADN were taken for our analysis. The data were processed through an analysis of the dynamics of changes in 2014-2019. The results showed that operating subsidies reached an average of between 41% and 282% of the value of income earned by family-owned farms. It was found that whether or not farms were able to earn a financial surplus without resorting to subsidies depended on the economic size of a farm. The smallest and the largest farms were unable to cover their costs and earn a profit without having access to additional sources of funds.

Selected management concepts in supply chains

Supply chain management is considered a complex process that can lead to errors, conflicts, or a breakdown of cooperation. In chain creation, it is important to organize and rationalize the network of interconnections to which the assumptions of concepts, such as lean manufacturing, agile manufacturing, and resilient supply chains, can be applied. For this reason, the aim of the research presented in the study was to attempt to identify how selected management systems in supply chains can influence the improved functioning of enterprises in a vulnerable condition and in the contemporary challenging situation. The starting point for consideration was to define the concept of a supply chain, lean manufacturing, agile manufacturing, and resilient supply chains, and to indicate the benefits of using the selected concepts. For this purpose, foreign and domestic literature was used. The result is a description, analysis, and criticism of the different systems in relation to the supply chain.

Horizontal Integration of Farmers on the Example of Agricultural Producer Groups in North-East Poland

Increasing horizontal integration in agriculture, by creating groups of agricultural producers, may accelerate the modernization of Polish agriculture and increase its competitiveness. The aim of the research was to find out about the state and conditions affecting the functioning of agricultural producer groups in North-East Poland in the years 2000-2021. As part of the research, data on the characteristics of the groups were analyzed, i.e. their specializations, scope of activities, personal composition, and legal forms. Moreover, the amount of financial aid obtained from RDP was defined. The article uses information contained in legal acts, literature on the subject, as well as secondary data from the ARMA. Based on the research, a short duration of the created groups has been noticed. Out of 170 entities created, 24 of them were active at the time of the study, with a total of 3,142 members. Most of them collaborated in dairy groups in the Podlaskie Voivodeship (1940).

Stability of Tax Revenue in Poland’s National Budget in 2004-2020

Both the amount and structure of tax revenue may change in time as they depend on numerous variables, including factors of the business cycle. However, the stability of tax revenue affects the balance of public finances and the ability to meet public obligations. The aim of this study is to evaluate the stability of tax revenue in Poland’s national budget in 2004-2020. The research results indicate that both the amount and the structure of tax revenue in the national budget in 2004-2020 were stable.

ASEAN as an Optimal/Nonoptimal Currency Area

Economists have been arguing to this day about the benefits and risks of introducing a community currency. It is very difficult to clearly determine which side is right. Most often, scientists refer to the example of the so-called Eurozone, but it is still far from reaching an agreement between supporters and opponents of such a solution. This paper presents the issues of monetary integration in ASEAN+3 (i.e. ASEAN member countries, China, South Korea, and Japan) in terms of the optimal currency area and other necessary conditions for the creation of a sustainable development region. The researchers argue about whether ASEAN+3 should introduce a single currency. Some suggest that the group meets several OCA theory criteria, i.e. labour mobility and economic openness. According to the results of the study, ASEAN+3 is an economically diverse area and there is a lack of institutions enabling effective monetary integration in the short term. Optimization assumptions included in the analysis determine the real chances of development and survival within the currency area. The author's analysis has indicated that ASEAN+3 should not introduce a single currency for three reasons: failure to meet the optimization criteria, diversification of socio-economic development, lack of an institutional framework and inconsistency in the perception of monetary integration. On the other hand, it should be noted that a single currency could contribute to increasing the monetary security of the entire South-East Asian region, which means that the ​​monetary integration may be a long-term idea.

Application of Budgeting in Selected Municipal Companies in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship

This study aimed to determine the scope to which budgeting is used as a management method in selected enterprises of the municipal sector in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship. The research goal was achieved through the following tasks: identification of the reasons for and methods of budgeting used in enterprises of the municipal sector in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship and determining the methods of controlling budget implementation in the examined entities. The use of budgeting in the practice of Polish municipal enterprises, as well as the knowledge of how to use this management instrument, seems to be relatively common. Nevertheless, there are still entities convinced of the insufficient amount of benefits resulting from budgeting and that these benefits may be lower than the labour input and costs incurred in budgeting. Research has revealed that budgeting is used primarily in medium and large companies with annual revenues of over PLN 50,000,000 and employing over 200 employees. An important feature that connects all entities using budgeting is the desire to reduce costs and improve financial results. The desire to increase internal control and make more effective decisions was the main reason for the implementation of budgeting in these enterprises. The dominant methods of budgeting are the top-down and incremental methods. Budget control is exercised by various people and units. Disclosed deviations most often relate to exceeding the planned level of costs and failure to meet the deadlines for renovation and investment tasks.