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The Educational Efficiency of High Schools in Małopolskie Voivodeship – A Comparative Analysis

Efektywność edukacyjna małopolskich liceów – analiza porównawcza

Author(s): Jacek Osiewalski,Artur Prędki,Grzegorz Szulik / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 5/2020

Keywords: efficiency; education; production function; COLS; DEA

Objective: In the article the authors model and measure the educational efficiency of high schools in Małopolskie Voivodeship, which are treated as microeconomic production units. Research Design & Methods: Two alternative methods of assessment are presented for the proposed educational efficiency measure. In the first, based on the Cobb-Douglas production function, efficiency is modelled using a one-sided random term. The parameters of this model and the efficiency measure are estimated using the corrected ordinary least squares (COLS) method. In the second approach – Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) – efficiency is determined using the optimal value of the objective function of an appropriate linear program. The variables used for the study and the set of data are described. Findings: The results for 34 high schools, obtained using both methods, are moderately similar, but diverge radically from the ranking based on the Educational Value Added (EVA) index used by the Central Examination Board (CEB). Implications / Recommendations: The high schools that lead the press rankings in Małopolskie Voivodeship are not the most efficient institutions in the microeconomic terms. Moreover, the most efficient high schools are located in smaller cities (not in Cracow). Contribution: A new measure of EVA, rooted in the microeconomic approach to schools as production units, is presented and empirically applied. This measure significantly differs from the EVA index used by CEB; in the authors’ opinion, it is clearer and easier to interpret; the efficiency measure based on it makes it possible to rank schools objectively.

The Effectiveness of Poland’s “Family 500+” Programme in Terms of Reducing Poverty and Increasing the Fertility Rate

Ocena skuteczności programu „Rodzina 500+” w zakresie ograniczenia ubóstwa i zwiększenia dzietności w Polsce

Author(s): Paulina Kucharska / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 5/2020

Keywords: the “Family 500+” programme; social policy; demographic situation; fertility; extent of poverty

Objective: The article evaluates the effectiveness of Poland’s “Family 500+” programme in reducing poverty and increasing the fertility rate. Research Design & Methods: The research method used is analysis of statistical data and source literature in Polish and English. Findings: The study proves that Poland’s “Family 500+” programme has been partially effective. The additional child allowance has helped reduce poverty, but has not noticeably increased the fertility rate. Implications / Recommendations: A number of pro-natalist barriers coupled with a fertility rate persistently below 2.0 since the early 1990s has meant that financial aid alone cannot sufficiently encourage Poles to start a family. Demographic development stimulation should consist of comprehensive policies, including not only financial transfers but particularly activities mitigating the negative effects of socio-cultural changes. Contribution: The article evaluates the effectiveness of the “Family 500+” programme, and thus the economic validity of introducing the most expensive family policy in the history of the Third Republic of Poland. The paper provides a multidimensional view on the causes of low fertility and the socio-economic consequences of lowering the poverty rate.

Identification of the Impact of Information Contained on Cosmetics Packaging on Purchasing Decisions of Young Female Consumers

Identyfikacja oddziaływania informacji zawartych na opakowaniach kosmetyków na decyzje nabywcze młodych konsumentek

Author(s): Dagmara Bojarczuk,Olga Smalej-Kołodziej / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 5/2020

Keywords: shopping behaviour of women; cosmetics market; consumer attitudes; consumer knowledge

Objective: The article outlines practices connected with shopping for cosmetics and to establish how much knowledge consumers have about the ingredients of the cosmetics they buy and the labels used on them. Research Design & Methods: To diagnose the purchasing behaviour of women on the cosmetics market, a CAWI quantitative study was carried out on a group of 410 respondents between the ages of 18–48. Findings: The analysis show that the knowledge of consumers about the ingredients in cosmetic products and the labels used on them has improved over the years, but still remains at an average level. Implications / Recommendations: The data collected and the conclusions drawn from them make it possible to identify the most appropriate marketing tools for the cosmetic market for the consumer group of young women.Contribution: The article diagnoses the consumer attitudes of women shopping on the contemporary cosmetics market, which is rich in new products and innovations. The article also indicates recommendations for how cosmetic product manufacturers could approach the market.

Reconciling Macroeconomic Determinants with Stock Market Performance in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries: an ARDL Approach

Reconciling Macroeconomic Determinants with Stock Market Performance in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries: an ARDL Approach

Author(s): Arikewuyo Kareem Abidemi,Akeem Adekunle ADEYEMI,Eunice Titilayo Omodara,Lateef Adewale Yunusa / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2020

Keywords: Macroeconomic Determinants; Stock Market Performance; External Shock; Sub-Saharan Africa

Prior studies have adduced unstable macroeconomic factors to stock price movement overtime but the relationship between the duo remained unsettled. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique was used to reconcile the macroeconomic determinants with performance of stock markets in selected Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) covering the period of 1999:1–2017:4. It was found that macroeconomic indicators were essential in determining stock market performance in Nigeria while South African stock market did not show any predictable linkage but the contemporaneous effect of oil price changes on stock market performance in selected SSA. The study, therefore, recommended that countries in SSA should reduce overdependence on oil to minimize external influence in order to promote stability of the stock markets.

bKash vs. Bank-led Option: Factors Influencing Customer’s Preferences – Does it Warrant Voluntary-Insurance-Policy for Rapid-growth Digital-banking in Bangladesh-economy?

bKash vs. Bank-led Option: Factors Influencing Customer’s Preferences – Does it Warrant Voluntary-Insurance-Policy for Rapid-growth Digital-banking in Bangladesh-economy?

Author(s): Akim M. Rahman / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2020

Keywords: Bank-led digital; digital-transaction; bKash, Voluntary Insurance; digital-banking; percived risk-factor

In today’s technology-driven world-economy, banking-services have been modernized where customers compete for comparative time-saving-options. Bangladesh, a developing country, is no exception. Besides traditional banking, Agent-banking, bKash, Western-Union etc. serve new-way financial-services. But, in 21st-Century business-mentality era, many factors are unpredictable. Strict laws & application can marginalize the magnitudes of Perceived-risk where developed countries are ahead of developing countries. But it does not guarantee risk-free digital-transaction where developing countries are vulnerable. It might have led a slower growth of digital-banking in countries like Bangladesh. Dealing with determinant Perceived-risk, current author proposed Voluntary-Insurance policy (Rahman, 2018) that deserves to be scrutinized. Using Factor Analysis and Hypothesis Testing on customers’ opinions helps identifying factors that have undermined the growth-trend of bank-led digital. Attributes “Phone call confirmation” has influenced customer’s preference using bKash. “No transaction fee” has influenced using bank-led digital. Addressing risk-factors, Voluntary-Insurance in place can ensure secured digital-banking that can enhance growth of usages digital-banking.

The Implementation of Energy Policy in Polish Enterprises Registered in the EMAS System

Realizacja założeń polityki energetycznej w polskich przedsiębiorstwach zarejestrowanych w systemie EMAS

Author(s): Jadwiga Nycz-Wróbel / Language(s): English,Polish / Issue: 1/2020

Keywords: Eco-Management and Audit Scheme ‘EMAS’; environmental management system; energy policy

The purpose of the article was to present the activities implemented and applied by Polish enterprises registered in the EMAS system, which are significant in the context of the enforcement of the energy policy assumptions. In order to achieve this goal, at the outset, selected assumptions of Poland’s energy policy were characterized and activities that could serve their implementation were presented. Then, the EMAS system requirements, relevant to the implementation of selected policy assumptions, were described. The rest of the article presents the results of own research. The basis of the research method used was the analysis of secondary sources in the form of environmental declarations of Polish enterprises registered in the EMAS system. Based on the analysis, it was found that the surveyed enterprises have taken actions that may be relevant to the implementation of the main directions of the energy policy regarding: improvement of energy efficiency, development of the use of renewable energy sources and reduction of the negative impact of the energy sector on the environment

SENIOR DEBTORS AS A CHALLENGE TO SOCIAL WORK

ZADŁUŻENI SENIORZY, JAKO WYZWANIE PRACY SOCJALNEJ

Author(s): Agata Tymicka / Language(s): English,Polish / Issue: 3/2019

Keywords: indebtedness; senior; senior debtors; social work

Old age is a stage in the life cycle in which people particularly need the support of their family and institutions. Social assistance institutions, especially social workers working directly in the residential environment, are therefore faced with a special task of dealing with situations that may endanger the safety of the elderly. One such threat is the current debt of Polish seniors – almost half of elderly people have loan commitments. The aim of this study is to analyse the phenomenon of indebtedness of older people, with emphasis on the possibilities of support. In order to achieve this goal reliably, the available literature and the latest reports of the Economic Information Bureau have been analysed. In the first part of the article the basic concepts were explained, and then the profile of the “pensioner-debtor” was characterized, considering main causes and consequences of debt of elderly people. In the next part, an attempt was made to identify the possibilities of support that can be obtained by senior debtors on behalf of assistance institutions, mainly social workers.

Sustainable Shipping in the Law of the Sea

Zrównoważona żegluga w prawie morza

Author(s): Dorota Pyć / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2020

Symbolic and Affective Motives, Constraints and Self-Efficacy among Romanian Car Buyers

Symbolic and Affective Motives, Constraints and Self-Efficacy among Romanian Car Buyers

Author(s): Mădălina Bălău / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2019

Keywords: symbolic motives; affective motives; instrumental motives; car buying; MOA model; self-efficacy

Cars have long been considered goods that symbolize status, yet few studies integrate the impact of symbolic and affective motives on the car buying decisions, with even fewer studies focusing on the influence of these motives on Eastern European consumers’ buying behaviour. The aim of this paper is to propose and test an integrative model, derived from the MOA model, which accounts for consumer motives (instrumental, symbolic and affective), constraints and abilities. The model is tested on a sample of Romanian consumers owning a driving licence. The data analysis was based on structural equation modelling. Findings indicate that symbolic and instrumental car use motives positively influence the intention to buy a car sooner, while affective motives have a negative influence, leading consumers to postpone the intention to buy a car. Results also show a significant positive effect of self-efficacy on intention implementation. Thus, the stimulation of symbolic motives may increase car buying intentions, while the presence of affective motives may lead consumers to still enjoy their current car. The paper contributes to expanding our understanding of consumer behaviour through an integrative model, which includes psychological motives, external factors and consumer abilities.

Taxes and the incentive to work under flat and progressive tax systems in Slovakia

Taxes and the incentive to work under flat and progressive tax systems in Slovakia

Author(s): Orkhan Nadirov,Bruce Dehning / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2021

Keywords: flat tax system; progressive tax system; labor-leisure preferences; labor market model; Slovakia;

This study examines the impact of taxes on the incentive to work under flat and progressive tax systems. Of particular interest are the changes from progressive-to-flat and flat-to-progressive tax conditions. To measure the impact of taxes on the incentive to work under both scenarios, we relate hours worked with the effective marginal tax rates. Using national accounts data and the Prescott’s (2004) labor market model, Slovakian work hours were examined at points in time around the adoption of a flat tax system in 2004 and a progressive tax system in 2013. In Slovakia, there was a transition from a progressive to a flat tax system in 2004, followed by a reversion back to a progressive tax system in 2013. Theoretically, the incentive to work increases when a progressive tax structure is replaced with a flat tax, while the incentive to work decreases in the opposite case. However, the findings show that when Slovakia replaced its progressive tax with a flat one, the actual hours worked decreased, contrary to predictions. When the flat tax was abandoned in favor of a progressive tax structure, hours worked also decreased, but less than when the flat tax was introduced, and significantly less than predicted by the model.

Spitballing, slapstick, lazzi and improvisation:

Spitballing, slapstick, lazzi and improvisation:

Author(s): Corinna Di Niro,Pablo Muslera / Language(s): English / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: Commedia dell’Arte; Shakespeare; pedagogy; drama in secondary schools; Australia;

Commedia dell’Arte is the 16th century genre of theatre from Italy where characters such as Pantalone, Dottore, Il Capitano and Arlecchino reappear in performances showcasing human frailties in comic ways. The term Commedia was initially used to describe “theatre” and Arte to describe one’s trade or business. Now, commonly referred to as “the art of comedy”, Commedia dell’Arte is often taught within the middle years of Australian secondary schools, where it is explored not just for the understanding of the genre itself, but more importantly to impart a number of theatre and life skills. Sometimes aided by an artist in residence or through viewing live Commedia dell’Arte performances, the slapstick manner and ensemble characteristics of Commedia dell’Arte players can serve as pedagogical tools to enrich the academic and personal lives of 21st century students. This article refers to a devised theatre play, The Marriage of Flavio and Isabella, which was developed as a contemporary Commedia dell’Arte performance and aims to show how the intrinsic characteristics of the genre can be translated to suit a contemporary Australian context. In doing so, the performance targets student-learning outcomes within Australian secondary schools. To devise the performance, I drew on my training and ten years of experience as a Commedia dell’Arte practitioner, the ideas and work of Antonio Fava, a leading expert in the genre, data collected from interviews with five professional Commedia dell’Arte practitioners, and interviews and participant observations with ten secondary school drama teachers. The purpose of drawing on a variety of sources was to explore the place and potential for Commedia dell’Arte in curriculum practice and to determine how Commedia dell’Arte could be better understood in a context where the genre is not part of the day-to-day culture. This article includes a discussion on Commedia dell’Arte’s influence in different genres and encourages a dialogue on how might the mode of performance embodied in traditional Commedia dell’Arte be translated to respond effectively to contemporary contexts, both educational and public.

Revolutionary Games and repressive tolerance:

Revolutionary Games and repressive tolerance:

Author(s): Benjamin Shepard / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/3/2015

Keywords: play; Occupy Wall Street; Marx; Burning Man; pie fights;

This essay considers examples of boisterous game play, including ludic movement activity and humour in the context of the Occupy Wall Street movement in the USA. This form of auto-ethnography makes use of the researcher’s feelings, inviting readers into the personal, emotional subjectivities of the author. In this case, the author explores games, play, and humour highlighting a few of the possibilities and limits of play as a mechanism of social change, looking at the spaces in which it controls and when it liberates. While play has often been relegated to the sports field and the behaviour of children, there are other ways of opening spaces for play for civic purposes and political mobilization. The paper suggests play as a resource for social movements; it adds life and joyousness to the process of social change. Without playful humour, the possibilities for social change are limited.

How humor and fear in social advertising affect drivers‘ intention to change behaviour? The case analysis

How humor and fear in social advertising affect drivers‘ intention to change behaviour? The case analysis

Author(s): Agota Giedrė Raišienė,Walter Wymer,Valda Dirginčienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2021

Keywords: social marketing communications; belief change; behaviour change; WOM; unsafe driving;

The article aims to add to knowledge of how to more effectively attain favourable marketing outcomes with respect to social marketing communications. This research sought to determine if the type of appeal had a differential influence on changing audience beliefs, audience behavioural change intentions, and audience word-of-mouth intentions. The social marketing problem in this study was unsafe driving practices, specially speeding and driving while tired or sleepy. Using a sample of 365 survey respondents in a repeated measures design, we examined the influence of appeal type on our outcome variables. We then examined the moderation effects of age and gender on the relationship between appeal type and our outcome variables. We also examined the influence of attitude toward the social marketing ad, the respondent’s unsafe driving history, and the respondent’s attention to the social marketing ad. With respect to the moderation effects of age and gender on the relationship between appeal type and our outcome variables, the results were not significant for audience belief change, but they were significant for audience behaviour change intentions; gender (but not age) was significant for audience WOM intentions. The research contributed to the social marketing communication research by examining the influence of appeal type on important and underresearched outcome variables. Ad execution variables were included, such as the audience’s attention to the ad and their attitudes toward the ad. Finally, the effects of various audience characteristics were included in our model, specially age and gender and; most importantly for social marketers, the degree to which audience members engaged in the targeted antisocial behaviour of the research.

Development as happiness: A multidimensional analysis of subjective well-being in Indonesia

Development as happiness: A multidimensional analysis of subjective well-being in Indonesia

Author(s): Sujarwoto Sujarwoto / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2021

Keywords: development; happiness; subjective well-being (SWB); multidimensional analysis;

Although subjective well-being (SWB) has attracted policy-makers and researchers in the last decades, only a few studies exist on measuring the multidimensional measure of SWB and its determinants in a developing country context. In this study, we examine a multidimensional measure of SWB to identify its demographic and social determinants in Indonesia. A multidimensional measure of SWB was calculated based on the OECD SWB measure. For this analysis, we have used a unique representative national dataset, Indonesia’s Happiness Survey 2017, consisting of 72,317 respondents aged 18 years and older, representing all of the country’s 34 provinces. The results show that disparities in SWB exist across population groups, urban/rural groups, and the residents of various provinces and islands across the country. SWB shows consistent associations with household income, housing conditions, unemployment status, environmental quality, health status, work-life balance, social connectedness, neighborhood trust, personal security and personality. Contrasting relationships were found between SWB and household size, education and residence on certain islands. SWB may capture different information about personal well-being and quality of life than HDI and GDP. Policy makers are expected to monitor social and development progress as well as to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of quality of life in Indonesia.

Entrepreneurial orientation and SME performance: The mediating role of learning orientation

Entrepreneurial orientation and SME performance: The mediating role of learning orientation

Author(s): Nusanee Meekaewkunchorn,Katarzyna Szczepańska-Woszczyna,Chaiyawit Muangmee,Nuttapon Kassakorn,Bilal Khalid / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2021

Keywords: resource-based view theory; entrepreneurial orientation; innovativeness; proactiveness; risk-taking; learning orientation; SMEs performance;

This paper aims to address the mediating effects of learning orientation on the relationships between three dimensions (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) of entrepreneurial orientation on SMEs’ performance in Thailand. Due to competition in a volatile environment, these dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation have been the focus of attention in many strategic management studies. This study is based on a survey, utilizing a sample of 379 SME managers in the manufacturing sector of Thailand. The data collected were analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The results of the proposed model prove that innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking ability of SMEs have a significant positive influence on the learning orientation and business strategy of firms. Further, the results of indirect effects show that learning orientation and business strategy mediates between the positive relationship of dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. The mediating effect of learning orientation and business strategy contributes to the resource-based view (RBV) and provides useful insights to managers regarding policy formation and implementation to improve business performance.

Neural network modeling of the economic and social development trajectory transformation due to quarantine restrictions during COVID-19

Neural network modeling of the economic and social development trajectory transformation due to quarantine restrictions during COVID-19

Author(s): Tetyana Vasilyeva,Olha Kuzmenko,Mariusz Kuryłowicz,Natalia Letunovska / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2021

Keywords: impact of COVID-19; forecast of quarantine measures impact; socio-economic development of Ukraine; economic-mathematical model; neural network;

The article uses neural networks to model the effects of quarantine restrictions on the most important indicators of the country's socio-economic development. The authors selected the most relevant indicators and formed a specific sequence of its calculation to study the direction of transforming the trajectory of socio-economic development of a particular country due to quarantine restrictions. They used a multilayer MLP perception and networks based on radial basis functions. They chose BFGS and RBFT algorithms in neural network modeling. Collinearity study was the basis for data mining in terms of key factors of change. The author's approach is unique due to an iterative procedure of numerical optimization and quasi-Newton methods ("self-learning" and step-by-step "improvement" of neural networks). The model projected gross domestic product and the number of unemployed in the country affected by the COVID-19 pandemic over the three years.

Environmentally responsible behaviour of consumers: Evidence from Slovakia

Environmentally responsible behaviour of consumers: Evidence from Slovakia

Author(s): Zdenka Musová,Hussam Musa,Veronika Matiova / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2021

Keywords: environmental responsibility; consumer; circular economy principles; environmental purchasing; eco-labels; Slovakia;

Consumers give special importance to higher environmental responsibility which is expected to improve the environment quality. The aim of this paper is to present the selected results of the examination focused on Slovak consumers´ environmentally responsible behaviour. The frequency of implementing responsible activities within the circular economy principles was investigated. The environmentally responsible consumer behaviour in the context of the selected demographic characteristics of consumers and approaches to environmental issues were also studied. The paper contains the results aimed at consumers´ perception and knowledge of eco-labels and the impact on purchasing behaviour too. Secondary data analysis is supplemented by the results of the primary research as of November and December 2018, which was conducted via an online questionnaire on the sample of 434 respondents from Slovakia. The obtained data were evaluated by selected statistical methods (Chi-square test, Spearman´s correlation coefficient, ordinal regression, factor analysis). Consumers pay an adequate amount of attention to implementation of responsible activities, and this suggests positive changes in consumers´ perception and approaches to environmental issues. Testing confirmed that statistically significant variables influencing environmentally responsible behaviour of consumers are age, gender, income, number of household members, environmental attitudes and knowledge of eco-labels.

Activity-Based Life-Cycle Costing applied to an innovative forestry company product portfolio

Activity-Based Life-Cycle Costing applied to an innovative forestry company product portfolio

Author(s): Achille-B. Laurent,Robert Beauregard,Sophie D’amours / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2021

Keywords: product portfolio analysis; activity-based costing; life-cycle costing; engineered wood products;

An accounting system helps to provide information for planning and control of production. This article presents a Life Cycle Costing by using an Activity Based Costing approach of an innovative forestry company. In order to perform a cradle-togate assessment the study covers the forest and industrial activities of the forest product processing. The costs of each product in the portfolio are determined by the treatment activities they undergo. The inventory covers several years of activity of the company, which makes it possible to calculate the uncertainty of the average results with Monte Carlo simulation presented in the result section. Based on the results a products portfolio analysis was performed to identify the development progress phases of the mains products to support the product rollover strategy decision.

Determinants of unemployment duration for young men and women in Tunisia

Determinants of unemployment duration for young men and women in Tunisia

Author(s): Farouk Kriaa,Mohamed Bouhari,Yamina Mathlouthi / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2020

Keywords: unemployment duration; survival analysis; Kaplan–Meier estimator; Tunisia;

This paper investigates the impact of individual characteristics (gender, age, education level, and marital status) and regional influences on unemployment duration of young in Tunisia using data from the Panel Study of Tunisia Labor Market 2014 (TLMPS 2014). The Kaplan-Meier estimates of the survival function are presented (used) to analyze the determinants of unemployment duration. Results point (out) significant differences between men and women in the difficulty of getting a first job. These differences consist mainly in the following points. First, education appears as a highly positive factor in reducing the duration of unemployment, particularly for women. Second, the rural – urban gap continues to be significant in this context. Third, residents of regions with higher unemployment rates, all else equal, have longer duration of unemployment. In all regions, women have relatively longer duration of unemployment. Fourth, the unemployed persons from the age group 25-30 years have a higher probability of remaining unemployed. Fifth, married women have significantly longer duration than married men before finding jobs. These results may be useful and can improve the implementation of adequate policies on the Labor market of Tunisia by identifying vulnerable groups of persons that look for employment.

SOURCES OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF MANAGERS IN BULGARIAN COMPANIES

ИЗТОЧНИЦИ НА ЗНАНИЯТА И УМЕНИЯТА ЗА УПРАВЛЕНИЕ НА КОНФЛИКТИ НА РЪКОВОДИТЕЛИ В БЪЛГАРСКИ КОМПАНИИ

Author(s): Ivanka Mihaylova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 1/2021

Effective handling employees’ disputes requires a variety of conflict management competencies from managers. Training in conflict management is considered as a major tool for developing managers’ knowledge and skills to successfully deal with conflict in organizations. The objective of the present study is to explore the efforts of Bulgarian organizations to develop managers’ conflict management competencies by examining managers’ assessment of the sources of their conflict management knowledge and skills. Questionnaire data were collected from 300 managers from different Bulgarian companies. Findings show that organizations do not provide training in conflict management for managers. Most respondents consider their experience in dealing with conflict as a main source of their knowledge and skills, followed by sharing opinions and consultations with colleagues or other people. Finally, the paper provides some practical implications of the findings for the organizations.