The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions to the economies and societies worldwide. The study aims to show how this pandemic affected the incidence and severity of poverty in EU countries during the first year of its course. By means of a three-level hierarchical modelling technique with panel data from the EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey for the years 2019 and 2020, determinants of poverty during this period were identified, alongside relevant macro-and microeconomic factors. The obtained results attest to multi-dimensional changes in the incidence and severity of poverty in European countries, resulting from their different economic performance, labour market conditions and policies adopted by them in response to the pandemic. In the analysed period, key factors affecting incidence and severity of poverty at individual level were the household type, household members' educational attainment and economic status. At country level, these were: GDP per capita, income inequalities between the poor and non-poor, and residence in Northern and Western European countries. The analysis highlights the importance of considering both the incidence and depth of poverty in the process of policymaking aimed at poverty reduction. The results provide a basis for developing more effective strategies to combat poverty and reduce the adverse effects of systemic shocks on vulnerable groups within the EU. Given the critical role of both individual-and country-level determinants, policy interventions should be tailored to the specific conditions of each EU Member State.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the lockdown of economies, resulting in the deterioration of the financial situation of numerous households. To support economies and societies, governments implemented various measures involving job protection and financial support. This study aims to assess the changes in the financial situation of households of people aged 50+ during the pandemic. We evaluate the outcome of the introduced national policies, the EU countries’ economic performance, labor market conditions and the individual characteristics of the financial situation of the members of the examined households. To achieve this goal, an original synthetic index was constructed to measure the changes in the overall financial situation of the surveyed group of households. This index combines various indicators, including income, subjective income assessment, the use of savings to finance current consumption and the postponement of bill payments, allowing a comprehensive evaluation of the shifts in the financial status of the 50+ population during the pandemic. Additionally, the study aims to examine how the age of respondents is interlinked with the changes in their financial situation. Data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), including the SHARE Corona Telephone Survey conducted during the first and the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic were utilized for the analysis. The study's findings show that during the pandemic, the changes in the financial situation of households with people aged 50+ varied across the selected countries. Furthermore, they reveal that both the response to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic of a given country and its overall development level, as well as the characteristics of the respondents had a diverse impact on the financial situation and ability to cope with the economic risks faced by individuals aged 50+ during the studied period. These findings can serve as a basis for the design of targeted government interventions aiming to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on the material situation of this vulnerable age group.

Nauka i szkolnictwo wyższe są niezbędnym elementem infrastruktury społecznej, stanowiąc podstawę rozwoju gospodarczego i społecznego. Badania naukowe prowadzą do akumulacji nowej wiedzy, stano- wiąc podstawę i nieodzowny etap do tworzenia innowacji (o zróżnicowanym charakterze) prowadzących do postępu gospodarczego i społecznego. Odbywa się to przez wiele kanałów, w tym zmianę struktural- ną i kapitał ludzki. Zmiana strukturalna oznacza między innymi zmianę struktury produkcji w kierunku innowacyjnych branż. Aby uruchomić ten kanał wpływu, muszą istnieć zarówno silne i dobrze dofinan- sowane jednostki naukowe generujące innowacyjne rozwiązania, jak i przedsiębiorstwa, które będą w stanie takie rozwiązania wdrożyć. Szczególne znaczenie mają nie tylko badania rozwojowe, ale także badania podstawowe, których efekty powinny być dostępne dla możliwie najszerszego kręgu odbiorców. Cechują się one jednocześnie względnie niewielkim potencjałem do szybkiej komercjalizacji, przez co sektor prywatny nie jest zainte- resowany ich finansowaniem. Finansowanie tych, jakże istotnych z punktu widzenia rozwoju, badań staje się więc istotnym zadaniem państwa – dzieje się tak również w krajach postrzeganych jako bardzo liberalne gospodarczo, z silnym sektorem prywatnym. Liczne badania wskazują, że finansowanie badań ze środków publicznych jest równie efektywne, jak ze źródeł prywatnych. Istotnym kanałem wpływu jest budowanie kapitału ludzkiego, bez którego nie może się rozwijać nowo- czesna gospodarka oparta na wiedzy. Dotyczy to nie tylko obszaru badań, ale również obszaru wdrożeń nowych rozwiązań. Ponadto, jak wskazują badania, osoby z wyższym wykształceniem chętniej rozwijają swoje kompetencje, rzadziej dotyka je bezrobocie, a ich kompetencje są wyżej wyceniane na rynku pra- cy, są dłużej aktywne zawodowo i aktywniej również uczestniczą w procesach oszczędzania i inwesto- wania – przez co w większym stopniu przyczyniają się do tworzenia PKB. Wykształcenie jest również jednym z kluczowych społecznych determinant zdrowia – osoby lepiej wykształcone są zdrowsze i żyją dłużej, a jakość ich życia jest wyższa. Finansowanie publiczne badań, w tym podstawowych, często motywowane jest nie tylko efektami go- spodarczymi, ale także utrzymaniem dziedzictwa kulturowego lub budowania soft power danego kraju. Wyniki badań empirycznych potwierdzają pozytywną i istotną rolę sektora nauki i szkolnictwa wyższego w generowaniu wzrostu gospodarczego. Rola ta jest jednak zależna od poziomu rozwoju gospodarczego oraz skali finansowania badań naukowych i prac rozwojowych. Badania wskazują, że największe korzyści z nakładów na badania i rozwój odnoszą kraje średnio i wysoko rozwinięte, ponieważ wraz z rozwojem gospodarczym coraz większego znaczenia nabierają determinanty związane z postępem technicznym, innowacjami i kapitałem ludzkim, podczas gdy w krajach na wcześniejszych etapach rozwoju wzrost go- spodarczy napędzany jest czynnikami pracochłonnymi, a innowacje mają charakter naśladowczy i po- chodzą z zewnątrz. Należy również pamiętać o istnieniu efektu zwrotnego, polegającego na tym, że poprzez wzrost wydatków na B+R i zwrot w wyniku wyższego PKB możliwe jest ich podnoszenie w kolej- nych okresach. Badania przedstawione w raporcie potwierdzają wcześniejsze wnioski w tym obszarze. Uogólniony wy- nik badań empirycznych uzyskany w metaanalizie badań pierwotnych za lata 2014–2023 oraz szacunki dla krajów UE pozwalają stwierdzić, że każdy wzrost udziału wydatków w PKB o 0,1 p.p. oznacza wyższy wzrost PKB między ok. 0,77 p.p. do ok. 1,35 p.p., a każda zainwestowana złotówka daje efekt między ok. 8 a 13 zł wyższego wzrostu PKB. Tym efektom na poziomie makro towarzyszą istotne efekty na po- ziomie lokalnym w Polsce. Miasta będące rozwiniętymi ośrodkami akademickimi rozwijają się nawet 30% szybciej, a wzrostowi udziału studentów w populacji powiatu o 1 p.p. towarzyszy wzrost PKB per capita o 2–4 tys. zł. W krajach Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej efekty wydatków na badania naukowe i prace rozwojowe były dotąd zróżnicowane i zależne od specyfiki kraju. Uogólniając, można powiedzieć, że we wzroście gospodarczym w tych krajach sektor nauki i szkolnictwa wyższego dotąd nie odgrywał znaczącej roli. Wzrost był wynikiem zwłaszcza efektów doganiania, rozłożonych w czasie zmian instytucjonalnych i po- szerzania rynku wewnętrznego. Te czynniki wzrostu gospodarczego w najbliższych latach będą ulegały stopniowemu wyczerpywaniu. Nie jest możliwe w Polsce i innych krajach regionu budowanie długotrwa- łego, stabilnego wzrostu gospodarczego wyłącznie poprzez wykorzystywanie czynników wzrostu charak- terystycznych dla krajów na niskim i średnioniskim poziomie rozwoju oraz w wyniku poszerzania rynku wewnętrznego. Znalezienie nowych motorów wzrostu – takich jak badania naukowe i prace rozwojowe – jest koniecznością. Podsumowując, można stwierdzić, że to od rozwoju systemu nauki i szkolnictwa wyższego  wymagają- cego istotnych nakładów ze środków publicznych  zależy to, czy dana gospodarka jest zdolna do samo- istnego kreowania impulsów rozwojowych czy też jest skazana na pełnienie roli pomocniczej w stosunku do gospodarek i społeczeństw lepiej rozwiniętych. Warunkiem przejścia na wyższy poziom rozwoju gospodarczego i budowania gospodarki opartej na wie- dzy jest między innymi zwiększenie nakładów na naukę i szkolnictwo wyższe, w tym w obszarze badań podstawowych. Tymczasem Polska odbiega poziomem finansowania nie tylko w porównaniu do krajów Europy Zachodniej, ale również krajów naszego regionu – z nakładami na poziomie 30–50% finansowa- nia w wiodących krajach UE i ok. 70% wiodących krajów regionu Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej. Co więcej, jak wskazują przeprowadzone analizy, środki te są wykorzystywane w Polsce w sposób relatywne efektywny (patrząc na relację między nakładami a wynikami rozumianymi jako liczba publikacji, cytowań i liczba studentów) – nie można więc oczekiwać lepszych efektów zarówno w zakresie badań nauko- wych, jak i kształcenia kadr, wyłącznie poprzez zmiany instytucjonalne w sektorze nauki i szkolnictwa wyższego bez znaczącego i długoterminowego zwiększenia zasobów, którymi dysponuje sektor nauki i szkolnictwa wyższego – dotyczy to zarówno nakładów finansowych, jak i ludzkich. Warto wspomnieć przy tym o kwestii wynagrodzeń pracowników akademickich. Niestety rosnącym oczekiwaniom związanym z jakością prowadzonych badań towarzyszy proces pauperyzacji tej grupy zawodowej. W 2023 roku w ujęciu miesięcznym przeciętne wynagrodzenie w grupie nauczycieli akade- mickich było już jedynie o nieco ponad 10% wyższe niż przeciętne wynagrodzenie w gospodarce naro- dowej, podczas gdy w 2004 roku różnica ta przekraczała 80%. Jest to o tyle ważne, że poziom finanso- wania jest istotnie skorelowany z ilością i jakością publikowanych badań  szczególnie jest to widoczne w przypadku publikacji w czasopismach o najwyższym prestiżu. Warto też zwrócić uwagę na problem demograficzny  mediana wieku kadr naukowych rośnie, a poziom wynagrodzeń nie przyciąga utalen- towanych młodych ludzi. Na koniec warto wspomnieć o roli uniwersytetów – to nie tylko miejsce, gdzie kształci się młodych ludzi i prowadzi badania naukowe, ale to także miejsce formowania obywatelskiego i przygotowywania do przynależności do elit społecznych, które będą kształtowały przyszłość Polski. Uniwersytet jest miejscem, gdzie pielęgnuje się kluczowe wartości i dziedzictwo kulturowe oraz buduje się soft power na arenie międzynarodowej.

Abstract One of the greatest challenges facing official statistics in the 21st century is the use of alternative sources of data about prices (scanned and scraped data) in the analysis of price dynamics, which also involves selecting the appropriate formula of the price index at the elementary group (5-digit) level. When consumer price indices of goods and services are constructed, a number of subjective decisions are made at different stages, e.g. regarding the choice of data sources and types of indices used for the purpose of estimation. All of these decisions can affect the bias of consumer price indices, i.e. the extent to which they contribute to the overall uncertainty about the resulting index values. By measuring how robust consumer price indices are, one can assess the impact that the decisions made at the different stages of index construction have on the index values. This assessment involves analysing uncertainty and sensitivity. The purpose of the study described in the article was to determine how much and in which direction the consumer price index changes when including scanner and scraped data in the analysis, in addition to the data on prices collected by enumerators. The impact of these new data sources was assessed by analysing uncertainty and sensitivity under the deterministic approach. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is a novel application of robustness analysis to measure inflation using new data sources. The empirical study was based on data for February and March 2021, while scanner and scraped data about selected categories of food products were obtained from one retail chain operating hundreds of points of sale in Poland and selling products online. It was found that the choice of a data source has the most significant impact on the final value of the index at the elementary group level, while the choice of the aggregation formula used to consolidate different data sources is of secondary importance.

Abstract The study investigates whether economic growth in the Balkan countries was pro-poor in the most recent period. We also try to establish to what extent various measures of pro-poorness of economic growth produce consistent and comparable results. Firstly, concepts of pro-poor growth are defined and corresponding approaches toward measuring pro-poor growth are presented. We distinguish between measures based on a general class of pro-poor indices and a dominance-based techniques. In the empirical part of the study, we verified whether economic growth in six Balkan countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia) was pro-poor in the 2012–2017 period. The analyses is based on the latest available panel data of the European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). Growth was pro-poor in Croatia, Romania and Slovenia during the whole analysed period. The growth pattern was non pro-poor in Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia in certain years, mainly during periods of economic downfall. Various measures of pro-poor growth patterns do not produce consistent results in all instances. The results of the conducted comparative analysis suggest that the level of social benefits does not directly influence the pro-poor nature of the economic growth.

A novel method of measuring the degree of social exclusion (hereafter: DSE) is presented. Conceptually, the proposed approach is based on the Sen’s concept of capabilities. The operationalisation of the DSE measurement was conducted using the MIMIC model. It allows for assessing the DSE as well as identifying ways in which functioning of individuals leads to social exclusion. Moreover, it enables identification of individuals’ personal, social, and environmental characteristics that influence their DSE. Finally, as the proposed method is model-based, it allows for factoring in different ways of functioning of individuals in various countries in the measurement process. The empirical part of the paper presents a comparative analysis of the DSE among the population aged 50 + in eight EU countries using data from The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2017). Specifically, the analysis was conducted for: Denmark and Sweden (the Nordic countries), France and Germany (the Continental European countries), Italy and Spain (Mediterranean European countries), Czechia and Poland (Eastern European countries). The Nordic and Continental European countries proved to be less affected by social exclusion among older individuals than Eastern and Mediterranean European countries. Moreover, the results indicate that the DSE in each of the distinguished domain was determined by different underlying factors, the influence of which varied from country to country. Gaining a better understanding of various paths in which older people become socially excluded can help to support policies designed to combat social exclusion of this group of persons within the EU member states.

BACKGROUND:The aim of this paper is to construct a tool that can be used to measure multidimensional quality of life of persons with disabilities in comparison with population without disabilities for the purpose of monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in Poland.METHODS:The Sen's capability approach was applied to conceptualize the quality of life in various life domains. We followed guidelines of The Quality of Life Framework developed within the European Statistical System on choosing the life domains in which the QoL should be measured. The QoL scores in each domain (covered by the UNCRPD) were constructed using multiply indicators and multiple causes model (MIMIC). All analysis were based on 2018 EU-SILC data for Poland. We constructed quality of life indicators for population with and without disabilities and compared the differences.RESULTS:Persons without disability experienced higher QoL as compared to population with disabilities, overall and in various domains. Lower average QoL of persons with disabilities is a result of a lower share of those who experience high QoL. The biggest difference is observed for health and for productive and main activity domains. For material conditions and economic security and physical safety there was a moderate difference recorded. For the leisure and social relations domain there is almost no difference observed. Additionally, we identified diversified associations between such factors as age, gender, household situation, education, partner status, urbanization, health on the QoL across domains and analysed populations.CONCLUSIONS:A tool developed in this paper can be calibrated to enable cross-country and in time comparisons between different populations and support evidenced-based social policy.

Background The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [1] highlights the need to create proper socioeconomic and political conditions for persons with disabilities, with a special focus on their immediate living conditions. According to the Convention, these conditions should be built to ensure that persons with disabilities have the potential to enjoy a high quality of life (QoL), and this principle is reflected in the notion of livable areas. The crucial aspect of this framework is the relationship between the individual QoL and the environment, broadly understood as the socioeconomic as well as the technical conditions in which persons with disabilities function. Methods The basic research problem was to assess the relationship between individual QoL for the population with disabilities as a dependent variable and livability indicators as independent variables, controlling for individual characteristics. The study used a dataset from the EU-SILC (European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) survey carried out in 2015 in Poland. The research concept involved several steps. First, we created a variable measuring the QoL for the entire population with disabilities. To measure the multidimensional QoL, we used Sen’s capability approach as a general concept, which was operationalized by the MIMIC (multiple indicators multiple causes) model. In the second step, we identified the livability indicators available in the official statistics, and merged them with survey data. Finally, in the last step, we ran the regression analysis. We also checked the data for the nested structure. Results We confirmed that the general environmental conditions, focused on creating livable areas, played a significant role in shaping the QoL of persons with disabilities; i.e., we found that the higher the level of the local Human Development Index, the higher the quality of life of the individuals living in this area. This relationship held even after controlling for the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Moreover, we found that in addition to the general environmental conditions, the conditions created especially for persons with disabilities (i.e., services for this group and support for their living conditions) affected the QoL of these individuals. Conclusions The results illustrate the need to strengthen policies aimed at promoting the QoL of persons with disabilities by creating access to community assets and services that can contribute to improving the life chances of this population.

Social exclusion is a subject that attracts great interest in the social, economic and political sciences. The various dimensions of social exclusion often reinforce one another and consequently lead to even deeper marginalisation of individuals. Social exclusion has a negative impact on the quality of human capital, limits activity, entrepreneurship and innovation and generates higher cost for the state. In other words, capabilities refer to effective potential for realising goals and fulfiling expectations, whereas functioning, which represents the 'beings and doings' of a person, refer to realised goals and fulfilled expectations. The multi-dimensional evaluation of social exclusion under the capability approach requires consideration of several different dimensions corresponding to the relevant parts of life. The choice of domains and basic indicators depends on both the natural complexity underlying the concept of social exclusion and the potential for its application in empirical assessments.

In recent years, more and more attention has been focused on the effects of economic growth and inequality changes on income polarization, as well as on the changes in the middle income class fraction. A significant part of the literature that deals with these issues is focused on polarization indices. However, the polarization indices proposed by researchers do not allow for an assessment of impact of the income distribution changes on the disappearance of the middle income class. Moreover, the general income polarization indices do not allow for assessment of polarization within the distinguished income classes. This study proposes a class of median relative polarization partial indices, which allows for a comprehensive assessment of the median relative polarization over time, within the distinguished income classes, as well as the impact of income distribution changes (its polarization or convergence) on the change of the middle income class fraction (its disappearance or increase). Using Social Diagnosis panel data (a study carried out by the Social Monitoring Council), the proposed new tool has been used to verify the hypothesis of whether changes in the household income distribution in Poland during the years 2005–2015 have led to income polarization within the three distinguished income groups—lower, middle and upper income classes. Empirical analysis shows that despite the lack of overall polarization of incomes in the household population, there was a convergence of incomes in the upper and lower income classes and polarization of incomes within the middle income class. It implies that the income distribution has not been petrified, and as on average individuals in the lower and upper income classes tend to reduce the distance to the median income, whereas the members of the middle income class tend to be pushed out of the middle class. Moreover, the flows of households into the middle income class were higher than the outflows from this class, resulting in economic convergence, i.e. changes in income distribution leading to an increase of the middle income class fraction.

Purpose: In this article we apply the age perspective to assess the quality of life (QoL) of persons with disabilities. Using a single measurement tool, we compare age profiles in the quality of life of persons with disabilities to the population without disabilities. By doing so, we examine whether the general patterns (such as U-shaped profile) are observed also among the population with disabilities, hence assessing how heterogenous this group is. Methods: We have constructed a multidimensional measurement model identifying overall and nine dimensions of the quality of life using structural equation modelling. The model conceptually is based on the Eurostat guidelines. All analyses are based on EU-SILC survey data, carried out in Poland in 2015. Results: The quality of life for both groups has inverse, right-skewed U-shape. The maximum value is achieved for the age group of 30–34 and after this threshold a constant decline is observed. The QoL scores for the population with disabilities are obviously significantly lower. Additionally, they are more heterogenous, and with greater variation between men and women. In a majority of the domains we also observe lower scores for persons with disabilities. However, people with disabilities are similarly diversified by age as persons without disabilities. Conclusion: Our study suggests that people with disabilities are similarly diversified by age as persons without disabilities. Therefore, disability means something different for younger and older persons and this difference is reflected in their quality of life. It means that public policy for persons with disabilities should also be diversified, avoiding ‘one-for-all’ policy.

As a part of the European Statistical System, a general concept of measuring the quality of life was presented, defining its dimensions and partial indicators. The methodological objective of the study is to operationalize the measurement of subjective well-being(SW-B). The proposed method of measuring SW-B is based on the above concept, while incorporating the Sen's capabilities approach. The operationalization was performed using the MIMIC model. This model incorporates both observable functionings (SW-B indicators) and socio-demographic characteristics of individuals (conversion factors). The two sets of variables are linked through the latent capabilities, which are interpreted as the SW-B measures. Empirical analysis of the SW-B in Poland in 2015 was conducted using EU-SILC data. Characteristics influencing the SW-B were identified. The SW-B depends mostly on self-perceived health and material deprivation. Moreover, higher values of SW-B were observed for those who work, have 1-2 children and are highly educated.

Poland's economic growth accelerated strongly after the country became a member of the European Union in 2004. The average 10-year GDP growth rate has since exceeded 4 percent. Rapid economic growth has been accompanied by rising real household incomes. However, not all social groups have benefited equally from this growth. This article attempts to answer the question whether poor people in Poland have benefited more or less than the non-poor from rapid GDP growth and increasing real incomes. In the theoretical part of the article, pro-poor growth is defined. In the next step, various approaches to the analysis of the nature of growth and the basic measures of pro-poor growth are presented. In addition, the main advantages and limitations are discussed, and some modifications are proposed. In the empirical part of the article, the hypothesis is verified of whether economic growth in Poland was pro-poor from 2005 to 2015. The analyses are based on panel data taken from the Social Diagnosis (DS) study. The results of empirical analyses indicate that economic growth in Poland from 2005 to 2015 was generally favourable for the poor.

The aim of this article is the evaluation whether social and economic policy implemented after the Polish accession to the European Union led to a reduction in income disparities of households in Poland. Variations of those disparities were analyzed by assessing changes in the degree of economic polarization. In addition, changes in income inequality were evaluated. Analyses of changes in the degree of income polarization and income inequality of households in Poland were carried out for the years 2000—2014. In the analysis of the polarization process polarization indices were applied and changes in income inequality were analyzed using inequality coefficients.

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of subjective well-being in the countries participating in the European Social Survey (ESS) in 2012 as well as changes its level in comparison with 2006. In the construction of indicators, Geneva method was used, which allowed comparison of the level of subjective welfare and its various aspects in different countries. Also the level distance of the perceived welfare for its each components was examined. This was measured from their maximum positive level on the scales used in the test measurement. In addition to the comparative analysis of the level of welfare and the changes in the countries participating in the ESS, also its distribution inequity was assessed. Furthermore, using the method of correspondence analysis, the author conducted comparative analysis of subjective well-being profiles of countries participating in the ESS.

The study presents the concept of the hierarchical model of quality of life investigation in the context of social policy objectives and tools for the life quality measurement. Quality of life in the context of social policy is defined on the ground of the theory of needs, which is identified with the level of satisfaction of social needs. Moreover, the links of the concept of quality of life with social integration and sustainable development were presented.