Krakow University of Economics

During the pandemic and russia’s war against Ukraine, higher education shifted to hybrid and distance learning, with some universities forced to adapt or relocate from occupied territories. This article analyzes the institutional, spatial, and financial aspects of Ukraine’s higher education market (1990–2023), focusing on financial data from 2020–2023 across 24 regions and Kyiv, excluding occupied territories. The calculated results based on concentration levels and the Herfindahl-Hirschman index for the number of educational institutions, students, and postgraduate students showed that the higher education market is highly competitive, with an uneven geographical distribution between regions. The analysis of the level of concentration of financial resources among higher education institutions, calculated based on state funding, showed that the distribution of financial resources among universities is relatively even (in 2023, the 20 largest higher education institutions accumulated more than 43.5% of total state funding). The share of state resources aimed at developing the scientific potential of higher education institutions decreased for the 20 largest higher education institutions from 58% in 2020 to 55% in 2022. Non-parametric correlation analysis revealed a low correlation between the amount of general funding for higher education institutions and the amount of revenues to the special fund for research, which indicates insufficient support and prioritization of the scientific sector in the country. These conclusions can be used in implementing the reform (balancing and optimization) of the existing educational network in Ukraine, which has been actively pursued in recent years.

Technological advancements over recent decades have significantly transformed the business environment, driving digitalisation, robotisation, and the development of artificial intelligence. These changes have intensified competition and spurred the growth of global technology companies, while impacting traditional industries. This paper examines the evolving skill requirements of employees due to technological progress, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0 and 5.0. Industry 4.0 focuses on digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things, robotics, and cloud computing, to automate production processes. In contrast, Industry 5.0 emphasises the integration of human intelligence with advanced technologies to achieve personalised and sustainable solutions. The study categorises the impact of technological progress on work requirements into unskilled-biased, skill-biased, and talent-biased technical changes. Unskilled-biased changes increase productivity among low-skilled workers, while skill-biased changes enhance the demand for higher skills, especially in information and communication technologies. Talent-biased changes reflect the growing need for experts in robotics, AI, and data analysis. The chapter also highlights the shift towards valuing soft skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, which are crucial in the modern industrial landscape. The findings emphasise the necessity for continuous learning and adaptation to keep up with technological advancements. Additionally, the chapter underscores the importance of aligning training and development programmes with future workforce needs to ensure employees are well-equipped to thrive in digital and automated environments. These insights are vital for policymakers and educators to foster a workforce that can effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by Industry 4.0 and 5.0.

This paper focuses on one of the recent theoretical contributions to the analysis of public policies: discursive institutionalism (DI). It aims to define elements of research approaches for empirical papers that refer to DI. We answer two main questions: How is DI used as a research framework? Moreover, how do researchers describe their research methodology? We examined 103 articles published between 2008 and 2020 and applied the analytical criteria in line with a systematic literature review. Based onthe data synthesis, we formulated suggestions for building a strong foundation for the research methodology for DI. We observe that researchers who undertake such studies also originate from these countries. Moreover, the manner of using DI differs. Despite the recommendation to include ideas, discourse, and actors, among others, simultaneously in this field of study, researchers tend to emphasise only one or two aspects. The paper contributes by providing a systematisation of knowledge about research methodologies related to DI, identifying the most frequently used methods, pinpointing their suitability to a research topic (subject), presenting the style of thedescription of the research methodology section (which is missing for certain papers) and highlighting the co-occurrence of DI with other research methodologies. The results are expected to help formulate guidelines for enhancing methodological rigourregarding the aspects that should impact the quality of research undertaken within the DI paradigm.

We consider three distinct discrete-time models of learning and evolution in games: a biological model based on intra-species selective pressure, the dynamics induced by pairwise proportional imitation, and the exponential/multiplicative weights algorithm for online learning. Even though these models share the same continuous-time limit—the replicator dynamics—we show that second-order effects play a crucial role and may lead to drastically different behaviors in each model, even in very simple, symmetric $2\times 2$ games. Specifically, we study the resulting discrete-time dynamics in a class of parametrized congestion games, and we show that (i) in the biological model of intra-species competition, the dynamics remain convergent for any parameter value; (ii) the dynamics of pairwise proportional imitation exhibit an entire range of behaviors for larger time steps and different equilibrium configurations (stability, instability, and even Li–Yorke chaos); while (iii) in the exponential/multiplicative weights algorithm, increasing the time step (almost) inevitably leads to chaos (again, in the formal, Li–Yorke sense). This divergence of behaviors comes in stark contrast to the globally convergent behavior of the replicator dynamics, and serves to delineate the extent to which the replicator dynamics provide a useful predictor for the long-run behavior of their discrete-time origins.

The aim of this article is to analyse the disclosure of financial and non-financial information in an ESG report on the energy sector in Poland, using the example of the Enea Group, i.e., information on the following: (1) the structure of the Enea Group, its business model, and created values; (2) the impact of the energy sector on the natural environment; (3) environmental protection costs in correlation with the calculation of electricity prices and rates (financial and non-financial aspects); and (4) pro-ecological projects. The specific aim is to adapt the accounting policy of business entities to environmental challenges by proposing changes to the energy sector’s chart of accounts, using the example of the Enea Group, which ultimately leads to changes in the structure of the integrated report and finally in the ESG report. This study is of a theoretical and conceptual nature. As a result of the triangulation of the scientific methods used in this article, it was found that neither the accounting policy nor the company’s chart of accounts have so far presented correct records of costs related to environmental protection, which implies the development and proposal of implementing changes in this area. The research sample is limited to three years and includes a case study of the Enea Group. The presented discussion allows us to fill the research gap in the scope of information on the activities undertaken by the Enea Group for the protection of the natural environment and the costs of environmental protection incurred. The added value is the original structure of the integrated report presented by the authors and ultimately the ESG report of the energy group and adapting the accounting policy to environmental challenges.

This study investigated the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumer purchasing decisions in the cosmetics market through an experimental design. Using eight scenarios that manipulate levels of social CSR, environmental CSR, and price, this study examined their direct effects and interactions, and the moderating influences of intrinsic and extrinsic motives. The findings confirmed that social and environmental CSR positively influence purchase intentions, with their combined effect being stronger than individual contributions. Price negatively moderates the impact of environmental CSR, particularly at higher levels, while intrinsic motives interact positively with environmental CSR to offset the negative association from its main effect. This research provides actionable insights into CSR’s role in shaping consumer behavior, emphasizing the interplay between CSR dimensions, price sensitivity, and motivational factors in the dynamic cosmetics market.

Ancient Egyptian mummification was a mortuary practice aimed at preserving the body and soul for the afterlife, achieved through a detailed ritual of embalming using oils, waxes, and balms. While most research on Egyptian mummified bodies has so far been conducted in European collections, our study focuses on the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The goal was to evaluate whether contemporary smells reflect the mummification materials and, if so, what information can be of value to collection interpretation and conservation. We combined panel-based sensory analyses with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O), microbiological analysis, and historical and conservation research. Apart from differences in odor intensity, the sensory analyses highlighted common olfactory descriptors for all samples: “woody”, “spicy”, and “sweet”. GC-MS-O identified four categories of volatiles based on their origin: (i) original mummification materials; (ii) plant oils used for conservation; (iii) synthetic pesticides; and (iv) microbiological deterioration products. However, the use of insect repellents similar in composition to the original mummification materials makes it challenging to attribute the origin of some compounds. Clusters based on the chemical and olfactory profiles of the smells emerged, suggesting similarities based on the archeological period, conservation treatments, and materiality.

The study analyzes productive efficiency of crop farming in the EU. We use publicly available data on crop farming from FADN database. Standard efficiency measurement techniques based on frontier analysis indicate that the representative farms provided in the database are fully efficient, even though there is ample evidence in the literature that this is highly unlikely. We find that this is a consequence of overly restrictive assumptions about the compound error in standard SF models. The efficiency benchmark, based on the best model given data with generalized error specification, reveals substantial differences in crop farming efficiency in the EU.

Effective waste management plays a vital role in advancing sustainability goals across industries, with particular relevance to glass manufacturing—a sector that generates significant environmental challenges due to its resource-intensive production processes and high waste generation. The scale of production results in the accumulation of substantial amounts of waste glass, which, if not efficiently managed, contributes to environmental degradation. In this context, craft-beer production, which increasingly relies on glass bottles for packaging, presents unique challenges and opportunities for implementing sustainable practices. The sector faces trade-offs between increasing the use of recycled glass (cullet) and addressing the environmental impacts associated with transporting materials over long distances. The combination of centralized waste processing systems and long-distance transport adds economic and environmental costs, with transportation contributing up to 60–80% of overall waste management expenses. Addressing these issues requires an integrated approach that evaluates critical variables, such as cullet content and transport logistics, to identify solutions that balance economic and environmental efficiency. This study addresses the pressing issue of optimizing the recycling of glass bottles for craft-beer packaging by examining the combined influence of cullet content and transport distance on environmental sustainability. The objective was to assess the environmental impacts associated with varying levels of cullet content (0%, 57%, and 90%) and transport distances (25 to 250 km) using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology aligned with ISO standards and the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs). The analysis demonstrated that increasing the proportion of recycled glass and reducing transport distances are key to improving environmental efficiency in bottle production. The most environmentally favorable scenario, S03 (90% cullet content), remains effective even at greater transport distances. In contrast, scenario S02 (57% cullet content) requires further distance reductions to maintain efficiency, particularly beyond 150 km. These findings highlight the importance of shorter supply chains and higher recycled material content as essential steps toward sustainable glass bottle production for the craft-beer industry.

Cruciferous vegetables of the plant order Brassicales are an attractive dietary component and a valuable source of fiber. However, the nutritional–physiological properties are different when comparing soluble and insoluble fibers. Another significant impact is the transformation of fibers by different influencing factors during food preparation. Cruciferous vegetables, especially, are dominantly processed to soften the matrix. As a result, during cooking, the polysaccharides are dissolved, swelled, or degraded to a certain extent, influencing the composition and the nutritional–physiological properties. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of different cooking procedures on changes in the dietary fiber content profile of three different plants: white cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis), broccoli (B. oleracea L. var. italica), and Brussels sprouts (B. oleracea L. var. gemmifera). The sample material was subjected to direct (“in the water”) and steam cooking. The dietary fiber content and the content of its fractions were determined using an enzymatic analysis method. The results of the research show that the cooking process had a significant influence on the content of dietary fiber fractions in cruciferous vegetables. The concentration of insoluble dietary fiber decreased, whereas the content of soluble dietary fiber increased. When considering the average influence of each process, both steam cooking and direct cooking had a similar impact on changes in the concentrations of dietary fiber fractions. It can therefore be concluded that, when considering dietary fiber content, both processes can be equally well chosen as a thermal treatment for cruciferous vegetables.

This paper analyzes the effective use of a mixture of fly ash (MSWI-FA) and solid waste from flue gas treatment (MSWI-SW), which are by-products of the municipal waste incineration process. MSWI-FA (19 01 13*) and MSWI-SW (19 01 07*) are classified as hazardous waste due to their toxic metal content and leaching potential, and currently lack practical applications, unlike slag and bottom ash (19 01 12). This study tested these wastes as partial substitutes for natural sand within a range of 0–20% of cement mass. Statistical analysis of the experimental results allowed the creation of good quality models predicting the effect of substitution additives on compressive strength and flexural strength (correlation 0.91 and 0.93, respectively). The mixture with the highest share of substitution additives (40% = 20% + 20%) was characterized by a decrease in compressive strength by 1.3% and flexural strength by 25.8%. Cement mortars synthesized with the waste mixture (up to 20% of each component) showed slightly lower consistency and water absorption than the control mortars. After the frost resistance tests (25 cycles), the flexural and compressive strength showed ambiguous behavior, showing both increases and decreases, indicating that the percentage of waste components alone is an insufficient set of factors for predicting these strength properties. The concentration of metal ions, i.e., Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Cr, in the eluate after the leaching tests did not exceed the legal levels of pollutants introduced into waters, with the exception of barium. However, its content did not exceed the permissible levels required for waste intended for landfill. Using the mixing plant for this waste in the amount of 20% each, we save about EUR 10 in the cost of purchasing sand (which is 13% of the production costs of 1 m3) and EUR 8 in the cost of environmental fees when producing 1 m3 of mortar. The proposed technology is compatible with the objectives of a sustainable economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges for leaders, requiring behavior change and public self-compliance. Stereotypically feminine qualities, such as compassion and a good approach to people, may have helped achieve these goals, rendering the pandemic a “feminine crisis.” The special nature of this crisis, along with media attention on female-led countries successfully managing the pandemic, raises the question of whether female leaders would be perceived as more competent in handling such a crisis. In an experimental study conducted on a representative sample in Poland, we assessed whether female prime minister candidates or candidates with feminine traits had an advantage when their competence in managing a large-scale pandemic was evaluated. Surprisingly, we found that, contrary to national security and economic crises (where male or masculine candidates tend to be advantaged), women or feminine candidates were not perceived as having an advantage in managing a COVID-19 type crisis. Furthermore, conservative participants seemed to perceive male candidates as more competent, even in the pandemic context. Although the differences were small in magnitude, they suggest that even in a potentially “feminine crisis,” women do not fare better than men, while men still fare better in stereotypically male crises.

Sustainable development is a key concept within global policies and programs. European Union as one of the leaders in implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals committed to finding sustainable and inclusive development solutions by 2030. These commitments were included in the Green Deal requirements for every European country. As an EU member, Poland now has to operate in a competitive global market and has come to the point of implementing sustainable innovation as a necessary means of further economic growth. The aim of this paper is to investigate how entrepreneurs cope with barriers and challenges to introducing sustainability‐oriented innovation in the Polish market. For this purpose, authors conducted a literature review and ethnographic research in seven companies operating in Poland. To the best of our knowledge for the first time, ethnographic research was conducted in the field of applying sustainability‐oriented innovation in Polish companies. Our findings indicate that the greatest challenges are values‐based, mainly an integration of the company's values with external stakeholders. Substantial efforts are required to convince investors about the long‐term advantages of sustainable solutions. The most important part of this process is the education of stakeholders and a values‐oriented communication strategy of the company. Additionally, entrepreneurs consider public procurement law to be a “killer of innovation.” This article can fill the gap in the knowledge about the company's best practices, barriers, and values that influence their sustainability‐oriented innovation activities.

The aim of this research is to analyze the drivers of young urban residents’ readiness to actively participate in agro living lab (ALL) projects, contributing to sustainable and resilient urban systems. This study is based on a literature review and a survey conducted among students from selected universities in Kraków. Using factor analysis and regression trees, the profiles of the individuals most inclined to participate in ALL projects were identified. The analysis included a wide range of variables, such as education, proximity to agriculture, perception of urban agriculture, and various sociodemographic characteristics. These findings indicate that readiness to engage in ALL projects is strongly associated with respondents’ field of study, interests, and individual experiences. Moreover, participants with positive attitudes toward urban agriculture and personal relationships with farmers were more likely to express a readiness to participate in ALLs. These results provide new insights into the social conditions influencing ALL participation and offer valuable guidance for developing strategies to promote the active engagement of urban populations in sustainable food initiatives.

We explore whether the primary financial variables of the social security sector and changes in the GDP are complementary, thus allowing for better forecasts. Thus, it is crucial to create policies that promote fiscal sustainability and societal well-being. We analysed EU countries for the period 2003-2019. We found that the Granger burdens of causation were not equally distributed. Revenue redistribution plays a greater role than allocation. This is because, in countries that were members of the community before 2004, expenditures and revenues were characterised by bidirectional Granger causality. In turn, in countries that joined the community in 2004 and later, expenditure and balance were characterised by bidirectional Granger causality. Granger causality, demonstrated on the basis of GDP changes to expenditure, is of key importance here, and it is GDP changes that may result in changes in expenditure in EU countries, and not vice versa. This is particularly important for countries where the financial situation in this sector is more challenging.

Interest in rural entrepreneurship among researchers has been systematically growing in recent years, which allows for noticing specific research trends. However, a comprehensive methodological approach to this topic is lacking, especially in the context of new definitions of rural entrepreneurship. This article focuses on the results of a systematic analysis of the literature on rural entrepreneurship aimed at distinguishing emerging research trends. The authors base their conclusions on research of articles from the international databasesof Scopus and Web of Science journals. The paper also proposes an original model of rural entrepreneurship, based on the relationship between a rural entrepreneur and the place of activity, concerning new ways of defining this type of entrepreneurship. This model may help understand the mechanisms of rural entrepreneurshipand the factors determining its development and may constitute a conceptual framework for further empirical research. Moreover, the conclusions from the study have application values, as they can be helpful for decision-makers in formulating local policy assumptions and strategic development plans, especially forrural areas.

Man lives and acts within social space, which is the result of all individual and group activities, accumulating in time and space. These activities transform the physical environment of a person in such a way that it supports, to the greatest extent possible, the realization of individual and collective aspirations and expectations. The space created in this way becomes an area of relations between various actors and constitutes both physical space and its imaginary model in human consciousness. The article provides an overview of the mutual relations between human communities and space. The paper aims to analyse theoretical approaches in this area that define the role of the city’s community in the process of shaping its space and the impact of the quality of urban space on its users. A review of the current state of research, which is largely limited to the sociology of architecture and urban planning, has allowed for the identification of both research gaps and directions of research on these relationships. These have been indicated as recommendations and conclusions. In this context, the authors also cite examples of research and projects carried out in interdisciplinary expert teams, which constituted important threads in developing sociological research on urban space in Poland.

This paper focuses on circumstances and consequences of health payers' configuration in Poland and Czechia since the 1990s. It aims to identify the differences in healthcare financing between the two neighboring countries that had started from a similar position, but eventually incorporated different arrangements of payers. The paper conducts comparative analysis of four distinctive elements: the configuration of contracting and payment methods, the power of the payers, coverage and contributions, and the dominant anchor's search attempts. The results map the evolution of healthcare in both countries with a focus on the payers' role, show the payers' economic position and behavior to providers, citizens and health policy authorities. Polish single‐payer system was identified as cheaper and more effective for administratively based expenditure control, while the Czech multipayer one showed higher institutional stability and a wider coverage paid by public health insurance. The paper brings an empirical assessment of existing theoretical knowledge concerning the options for a payers' configuration, demonstrating that the choice and adjustments thereof are country‐specific and depend on the preferred priorities of health policy.

Integrating environmental and social considerations into business strategies is critical to progress toward achieving sustainable development. The paper utilizes a sample comprising 364 companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) to identify the relationship between companies' corporate governance mechanisms and their environmental, social, and governance (ESG)‐related strategic and reporting decisions. The timeframe of the study takes into account a key moment characterized by significant changes to the WSE's corporate governance code of best practice. According to the study findings, companies are more likely to integrate social issues into business strategies than they are to integrate environmental concerns. The logit regression results suggest a significant positive relationship between the implementation of both a diversity policy on corporate governance bodies and remuneration mechanisms and the decision to integrate environmental and social issues into a company's business strategy and ESG strategy disclosure. In contrast, the implementation of effective internal management systems is significantly associated only with the decision to integrate social issues into a company's business strategy.