Drawing on a survey conducted among employees of companies located in a non‑developed country, this article seeks to determine whether there is a relation between actions connected to plastic waste reduction undertaken in the workplace and pro‑environmental behaviours in the household. The amount of plastic waste is becoming a global problem, and we believe that effective solutions demand the cooperation of business, society and public authorities. Although, the issue of excessive plastic waste is already well established in the academic literature, the question of the impact of pro‑environmental actions undertaken at work on employees’ behaviour at home is not sufficiently addressed to be solved. Along with standard statistical measures, we conducted logistic regressions. We found that both the number, along with the type of anti‑plastic actions in the workplace, have a positive influence on the employees’ willingness to reduce the use of plastic in their households. Furthermore, we found that the most meaningful actions are those aimed at increasing employees’ awareness regarding the plastic waste.
Since 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the functioning of various sectors and companies worldwide. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies, reshaped global consumer behaviour and triggered an unprecedented growth in online shopping. The aim of the article is to assess the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on the e‑commerce sector by examining the financial standing, position, and performance of three e‑commerce platforms from different regions such as Amazon, Alibaba, and Asos, both before and during the pandemic. The hypothesis of the article is that the coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the financial situation and operations of e‑commerce platforms across various regions. The analysis focuses on the years 2017–2020 to provide a comparative perspective on financial conditions before and during the initial phases of the pandemic, highlighting the most disruptive period in 2020 while intentionally excluding the later stages of the coronavirus pandemic and the recovery period. While the final phase of the selected period reflects immediate disruptions, it also includes early regulatory and market adjustments, making this timeframe a combination of sudden impacts and initial responses. This approach captures the contrast between pre‑pandemic stability and early‑pandemic disruptions, avoiding complexities from prolonged pandemic phases and recovery. The article adopts a quantitative method using ratio analysis to analyse liquidity, debt, efficiency, and profitability by examining financial statements such as balance sheets and profit and loss statements. The findings demonstrate that the pandemic has indeed impacted the e‑commerce sector. However, the extent of this impact varied across platforms and regions. The article provides a deeper understanding of the sector’s financial performance during a pandemic crisis and identifies key indicators driving this growth. The results provide valuable implications for businesses and policymakers, emphasizing sector’s evolving role in global economy.
The study explores how Millennial union officials assess their unions’ engagement with young people. The focus is on unions’ image, agenda, governance, and use of social media. It builds on a qualitative research framework. Semi‑structured qualitative interviews were used as the principal method of inquiry. The results indicate that while there is a growing realisation of the need to broaden union agendas in order to better appeal to young people, only a few unions have actually started to pay attention to progressive causes. Opinions were also divided on whether younger unionists were given a greater say in decision‑making. Likewise, while some interviewees positively assessed their unions’ embrace of social media, others were more critical. The paper contributes to the literature on the relationship between unions and young workers, while at the same time also providing insights into the debate on union revitalisation.
The objective of this article is to identify the impact of corporate investments in Bitcoin on the stability of the cryptocurrency market, with particular emphasis on the investment strategy of MicroStrategy (currently Strategy). The first section of the paper outlines the operational mechanisms of Bitcoin, including its consensus system and the blockchain technology that underpins its security and decentralisation. The second section examines the structure of the cryptocurrency market, identifying its key participants and the mechanisms driving its volatility and dynamics. The third section is dedicated to an analysis of MicroStrategy’s quarterly reports for 2023 to 2024. The final section presents the conclusions, which indicate that the company’s aggressive acquisition strategy is associated with significant financial risk. The analysed data suggest that continued exposure to the highly volatile cryptocurrency market may lead to serious challenges for the firm, potentially undermining its long‑term financial stability. Consequently, this may pose systemic risks to the broader cryptocurrency market, particularly by exerting substantial downward pressure on the supply side.
This article presents energy as a factor with a huge impact on economic growth and development, which is one of the factors of production, examines energy transformations throughout history, and shows the role of energy in growth and development processes and highlights its key role in breakthrough moments of the world’s economic development and transformation. Statistical public data analysis, historical data analysis, document analysis, logical reasoning, and drawing conclusions were employed. Data are presented in tables and figures. The article demonstrates that energy plays a significant role in economic and social growth and development; it is a factor of production. Historical analysis of human energy use, statistical data and case studies show that breakthrough moments that marked milestones in the world’s economic development were based on successive energy transformations, while technical and technological development based on new forms of energy use and new energy carriers has driven the economic and social transformation of the world.
The internationalisation of the Polish cosmetics industry is a dynamic process that plays a crucial role in the growth and competitiveness of the sector in foreign markets. This article examines the key factors influencing the expansion of Polish cosmetics companies beyond national borders, including market entry strategies, regulatory barriers, and the importance of innovation and marketing. Special attention is given to the role of product quality, brand recognition, and adaptation to local consumer preferences. The aim of this paper is to verify whether Polish entrepreneurs in the cosmetics industry are targeting markets with the highest purchasing potential and to demonstrate how six‑digit customs codes can be used to analyse international markets. Additionally, the article discusses the impact of global trends, such as sustainability and digitalisation, on the internationalisation strategies of Polish enterprises. The analysis results indicate that an organisation’s success depends on skilfully combining traditional values with modern business strategies and effectively utilizing available export support instruments.
This study analyses the impact of economic openness on economic growth in OECD countries over the years 1990–2020. Utilizing panel data and dynamic panel estimation methods, it examines the relationship between various aspects of economic openness – such as international trade, migration, foreign direct investment and political and economic integration – and the dynamics of economic growth. The results indicate a positive impact of economic openness on economic growth, with varying strength depending on the factor. The analysis also highlights the importance of further research in the context of new global challenges, such as digitization and climate change, for understanding the relationship between openness and economic growth in a changing global environment.
This article explores the implementation of Industry 4.0 within Polish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering insights into the region’s digital transformation patterns. By examining technology adoption patterns, we map the progression of Industry 4.0 among these firms. The study applied a mixed-methods approach, analysing Eurostat and IFR databases for quantitative data on digital technology and robotics use, and comparing Poland’s digital maturity with other EU states. For qualitative insights, we conducted interviews and site visits with 12 industrial firms and 17 digital solution providers. Our analysis highlights two critical factors influencing Industry 4.0 adoption: the firm’s global value chain position and the need to revise development models due to labour shortages. Polish firms predominantly automated distinct segments of their production, integrating robots with existing lines and tasks, and utilized systems that bridged older technologies with newer ones. Yet, they were hesitant to fully embrace comprehensive systems like intelligent factories, unlike Western firms that favoured automation in large-scale production due to labour scarcity and cost. A significant barrier identified for Polish SMEs was a deficient datafication level, evident from the inadequate practices in data collection, analysis and application. These firms often preferred reliance on experience over data-driven decision-making. Additionally, limited capital access hindered their ability to pursue advanced technological investments, impeding their innovation capacity. Polish industrial SMEs prefer a modular digitalization approach over comprehensive overhauls, reflecting a pragmatic strategy to tackle immediate issues and lay groundwork for future technological advancements.
The continuous internationalization of economic activity raises demand for the balance of payments statistics – a concise summary of the country’s economic relations with the rest of the world. At the same time, the increasing complexity of business operations impedes the ability to obtain high-quality data that reliably reflects the actual volume of cross-border flows. The study aims to identify the main methodological challenges experienced by the European reporting institutions (primarily central banks) in the process of the balance of payments compilation. The most problematic balance of payments components were identified through the analysis of the metadata responses provided individually by 41 European compilers, gathered on the standardized forms prepared by the International Monetary Fund. Despite the large methodological diversity, it was possible to distinguish two universal dimensions of methodological difficulties – the inaccessibility of data related to specific areas and the inability to compile it in full accordance with the IMF’s guidelines.
The aim of the article is to identify the benefits of applying the concept of big data as a significant tool for managing and optimizing the supply chain and logistic processes to gain a competitive advantage in the printing industry. The article explains the concept of big data and presents its main characteristics. Subsequently, it highlights the areas of application of big data and provides examples of its usage in the supply chain of printing enterprises. Research indicates that big data analysis can significantly contribute to the development of the printing industry and the functioning of its supply chain links.
In this work, we investigated how productivity behaved globally and how labour productivity (LP) explained the standard of living in 1980–2019. To accomplish this, we checked descriptive statistics of productivity and compared adjusted R-squared and ANOVA F-statistics to check whether the role of LP has become more significant in explaining per capita income as a proxy for the standard of living over time. Our findings suggest that while LP grew on average, its inequality also increased. Despite all the technological changes, some countries have had significant losses in LP and some countries skyrocketed. The research demonstrates that although LP did not become a better predictor of the standard of living over time, it remains the best one there is, as the technological changes affecting LP are the same ones that are bringing better standard of living to the world. The paper highlights the need to invest in new ways and new technologies to improve labour productivity in companies and other organizations to achieve better standard of living in general.
Amidst the growing global environmental issues, sustainable investment is gaining significance. This study examines the correlation between generational dynamics and preferences for sustainable investment in Germany. Employing the generational approach, the analysis explores how traditionalists, baby boomers, generation X and generation Y perceive and utilize sustainable investment opportunities. The research indicates a significant generational divide in the acceptance of sustainable finance. Millennials and generation X show a higher propensity for such investments compared to baby boomers and traditionalists. The study explores the motivational factors that influence investment decisions in different generations and uncovers different patterns that shape attitudes towards sustainable finance. Participants from previous generations prioritise long-term financial returns, while millennials and generation X show a stronger preference for impact investing that aligns with sustainability goals. Additionally, baby boomers and traditionalists show less inclination towards sustainable investment and emphasise financial returns and incentives over sustainability concerns. These findings highlight the significance of customizing strategies to involve various generational cohorts in sustainable finance initiatives. By comprehending the distinct motivations and preferences of each generation, stakeholders can create specific interventions to promote wider participation in sustainable investing and establish a more inclusive and environmentally aware financial landscape.
In recent years, the field of cyber-security has encountered unprecedented challenges due to the rapidly evolving nature of cyber-threats. Traditional cyber-security approaches often prioritize technical solutions and infrastructure, neglecting the critical role of human decision-making in cyber defence strategies. This paper delves into the intricate realm of cognitive biases within the cyber-security domain, investigating their profound influence on decision-making processes and organizational resilience from a behavioural economics perspective. Scholars have identified a multitude of biases, many of which directly impede actions and decisions in cyber-security. The paper addresses this gap in the literature by proposing a systematic and mixed research approach, which includes qualitative research followed by an empirical study. Through an examination of various biases and their implications, this research aims to illuminate the cognitive vulnerabilities inherent in cyber security and suggests strategies to mitigate their impact and reduce economic damage. Additionally, the study endeavours to narrow down the long list of biases and heuristics to the most prevalent ones through interviews, facilitating a more focused approach during the empirical study.
International intra-industry trade (IIT) is a significant prerequisite for a higher level of economic integration and development of an industry. It enhances benefits of trade, grows economies of scale, lowers production costs and prices, and increases product range. The aim and novelty of this study is to identify and assess changes in Poland’s international IIT in transport services that took place in the years 2004–2020 based on an examination of geographical and sectoral structures. One of the main findings concerning Poland’s international trade in transport services is that after its accession to the EU, Poland’s IIT index in postal and courier services increased, and its IIT index in sea transport, air transport and other modes of transport decreased.
Research in the strand of unemployment has attracted much attention in the last two decades due to its close link with macroeconomic development as confirmed by many theoretical and empirical endeavours. However, in the context of the Balkan region, empirical investigations are rare, and this study strives to fill this gap. For this purpose, the research examines the impact of economic growth and inflation on the unemployment rate. Our evidence is based on a sample of 11 countries of the Balkan region over the period 2000–2021. Our robust panel regression analysis, using static models such as the Dricroll–Kraray standard errors approach, feasible generalized least square estimations, seemingly unrelated regression, and dynamic panel estimation models, reveals that economic development and inflation reduce the unemployment rate. Theoretically, the findings mainly support Okun’s Law and the Phillips curve hypothesis. Our findings suggest that policymakers may design policies to ensure equitable and sustainable economic development and a balanced monetary policy to reduce the unemployment rate in the Balkan region.
This article will provide an in-depth look at the start-up visa system, as well as a comparison to a similar system in Taiwan. The method used in this study is a qualitative approach applying document analysis. According to the findings, the start-up visa system is adequate for improving economic conditions. The start-up visa is observed to have increased foreign entrepreneurs’ investments in Japan even though, at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted foreign entrepreneurs’ entry to Japan. The role that start-ups play in Japan’s economic environment is different from the European and American ones. A barrier, such as public institutions, is not a vertical collaboration, compared to Taiwan’s single institution. In the start-up ecosystem, international student entrepreneurs and spin-out foreign entrepreneurs have advantages over imported foreign entrepreneurs because of the difficulty in culture and marketing. The main industries supported by the local governments are IT, energy, and tourism.
Identifying the duration of trade can be crucial to stabilize trade relations in a globalized world economy and common shocks of various types. We use non-parametric survival techniques (Kaplan Meier function) to analyse at the firm-level data from the trade relations between Polish intermediaries and their foreign partners from 2007 to 2015. In this paper, we also aim to fill a gap in the literature by analysing differences in survival curves for exporters and importers (which is far less common). Higher survival rates are common for intermediaries with high initial trade volumes, as well as firms trading with EU countries. The differences in duration curves for importers and exporters are statistically significant; import activities with higher trade volumes are marked by greater relationship stability. We also find that both product and geographic diversification increase the probability of survival in foreign markets. The trade duration is negatively affected by strong intermediary relationships with partners in CIS and NAFTA countries.
This study empirically examines the relationship between human capital and economic growth in 8 Balkan countries over the period of 2000–2019. The study considers an array of statistical techniques such as the Generalized Linear Model (GLM) regression, the Dricroll–Kraray approach (D–K), and the System GMM (S-GMM) for data analysis. The study documents the positive and statistically significant impact of human capital on economic development. The analysis of the selected subsample of countries also established the positive role of human capital in shaping economic growth. The findings suggest that policymakers may design a comprehensive human development-related policy to achieve sustainable economic growth, at least in the Balkan region.
The goal for most urban areas within the European Union is the transition to sustainable mobility, Achieving CO2 neutrality by 2035, at least in the inner-city areas. The research field of transport behaviour has already been investigated in literature from various perspectives. However, both in science and in practical implementation, there is a shortage of research in the area of transport mode choice for leisure activities, with a concentration on Poland and Germany. The aim of this article is to identify underlying behaviour attitudes, which impact the transport mode choice for leisure activities in Warsaw and Berlin, where mobility is becoming increasingly important alongside daily commuting. Besides a comprehensive literature and internet research, a survey was conducted to obtain new insights from the data analysis. The focus is on generation Z, Y and X and thus includes survey participants aged 18 to 56. Based on descriptive statistics, a bivariate preliminary analysis was executed to find out significant potential predictors. The final specified exploratory model comprises a binary logistic regression analysis to identify influencing factors for the transport mode choice for leisure time activities. The analysis shows that the core influencing factors are the availability of a car, income, and satisfaction with access to public transport. Although future expectations suggest that alternative modes of transportation for recreation have to be improved, the car remains dominant because it represents a high degree of freedom and perceived comfort. Secondary data shows that congestion and burdens from air pollution are increasing and require a more holistic implementation of a sustainable mobility approach focusing on environmental factors and the quality of life of urban citizens. Based on data collection from a structured survey, new insights were gained on important drivers influencing the choice of transport for leisure activities with reference to the cities of Warsaw and Berlin. In addition, it provides guidance and ideas of how the transport services could be improved and how to incentivise more sustainable mobility behaviour among urban citizens.
Consumer behaviour is shaped by a number of parameters. One such parameter is the state of the economy and the level of disposable income, as the demand for goods is shaped according to the circumstances and the type of good. This paper examines whether the economic crisis of 2007–2009 had an impact on the number of spectators of the NBA games. The analysis examines, as well, whether some teams are more recession-proof than others. In order to establish the above, an econometric analysis has been conducted, having as independent variables the GDP, the real disposable income and the ranking position of the teams, and as a dependent variable the numer of tickets. Correlation analysis has being conducted, while a multiple regression analysis has been performed. The results show that the number of tickets has a correlation with GDP. The regression analysis shows that the ranking position is an explanatory variable of the number of tickets, while unemployment is not a statistically significant factor. As a conclusion, the analysis shows that recession has a negative impact on the number of tickets, while the ranking position of the team plays a significant role on the number of spectators.
