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The objective of this paper is to explore the role of student theses developed in response to specific firms' problems under the supervision of university teachers as an innovative teaching method with a high level of personal engagement. The paper presents the results of research based on 150 interviews conducted in Krakow with team members engaged in preparation of student theses (each consisting of a university teacher, a master or bachelor student, and a company representative). The statistical analysis is based mainly on the Regression Tree Method and Spearman correlation coefficient. The interview-based research among key actors involved in preparation of firms' problem-oriented student theses confirmed the high effectiveness of this method of knowledge transfer from universities to industry. Thesis knowledge generated in this process brings positive effects to firms, university supervisors and students. Along with an increase in the assessment of practical skills obtained by students, the assessment of the suitability of work for the enterprise increases. Also as the satisfaction rating for cooperation increases, the benefit rating in the form of closer contacts with companies also increases. Satisfying results of university-industry relations obtained through the process of applied thesis preparation could be achieved if different kinds of stimulation types were implemented. On the side of the university, there should be incentives dedicated to the institutional level as well as tools dedicated to individual researchers. Studies have shown high usability of problem-oriented student theses. All parties to this process recognize significant benefits, which confirms that this type of collaboration is a WIN-WIN situation.

Globalisation and digital technology have changed the means and mechanisms of knowledge acquisition. The rapidly expanding open-access online resources and various digital learning platforms present new opportunities in the area of continuous entrepreneurial learning, including that of corporate employees. This paper draws on knowledge spillover theory in order to explore the potential of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as enablers of knowledge exchange, consolidation and new knowledge creation through connecting geographically and institutionally distant actors. The research design is based on a qualitative interpretative approach exploiting a triangulation of methods by using sets of quantitative data collected from MOOC participants, five focus group interviews and text content of online course discussion groups. This study contributes to our understanding of how digital technologies enable entrepreneurial learning on a massive scale. It identifies three factors which can trigger intense horizontal knowledge spillovers on a massive scale: (i) participants' common interests and aspirations, (ii) induced mobilisation, and (iii) participants' optional anonymity. Additionally, the findings of this study provide useful information for potential MOOC creators regarding the design and delivery of MOOCs targeting a high density of participant interactions.

This paper addresses the issue of individual entrepreneurship orientation (IEO) and entrepreneurship education (EE), which are both important for modern economic development. Intergenerational differences in these areas were discussed, especially characteristics of Generations Y and Z. The results of research conducted among 757 Polish students showing their IEO are presented. 80% of respondents displayed high levels of proactivity (primarily directed at meeting their own needs), whilst only 56% exhibited innovativeness and only 47% risk-taking. On the basis of the research results, the authors formulated recommendations for entrepreneurship education, aimed at strengthening IEO among representatives of Generations Y and Z.

The aim of the paper is to diagnose the entrepreneurship competency levels among students to identify differences in competencies and their levels regarding gender, material status, and professional situation. In addition, the goal of the analysis is to indicate the competencies that need to be strengthened among individual groups of students. The research was conducted using a questionnaire by The European Entrepreneurship Competence (EntreComp) framework that was sent to students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow and the Rzeszow University. The rule induction method enabled us to discover dependencies that were not obvious among different competencies of respondents and their status. The research revealed that the surveyed women had completely different competencies than men. Good financial status has a positive impact on the self-assessment of competencies and worse-cause difficulties in assessing business ideas. Unemployed students need stimulation to take action, seek funding, share ideas, and protect them. Students running their businesses are able to identify market needs. The results revealed the following implications: It is important to verify the EntreComp methodology to examine how different groups are evaluating their entrepreneurial competencies; the data mining technique enables discover of new knowledge based on regularities hidden in data; and the results can be used to tailor special teaching programs for developing skills that individual subgroups lack.

In the situation of a permanent change and increased competition, business ventures are more and more often undertaken not by individuals but by entrepreneurial teams. The main aim of this paper is to examine the team principles implemented by effective entrepreneurial teams and how they differ in nascent and established teams. We also focused on the relationship between the implementation of these rules by entrepreneurial team members and their evaluation of venture performance and personal satisfaction. The quantitative method was used: a list of nine items describing the principles important for the entrepreneurial teams' collaboration was included in a questionnaire conducted in a group of 106 Polish entrepreneurs who run their businesses as members of entrepreneurial teams. The results of the research showed that all the collaboration principles included in the prepared scale are implemented by the tested entrepreneurial teams; in the case of two particular items, the obtained scores were higher in nascent teams. The correlation between principle implementation and venture performance as well as the correlation between principle implementation and entrepreneurs' professional satisfaction was confirmed. In addition, the goal was to emphasize the importance of the entrepreneurial team's collaboration due to its effectiveness, and propose the prepared scale as a tool for entrepreneurial reflective learning. Finally, statements by members of two entrepreneurial teams concerning team collaboration are presented to deliver case studies that can be used during entrepreneurship courses.

The first objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the curricula offered by Polish higher education institutions aimed at future workers in the culture and creative sectors. Desk research is supplemented by a qualitative analysis of students' needs on professional education and the perception of cultural labour in Poland, and concluding remarks attempt to provide a preliminary response to the key expectations and gaps highlighted in the reported analysis. The paper argues that to sustain the trends of growth and to support the professionalisation of managing cultural and creative initiatives, higher education institutions in Poland have to develop a more explicit balance between pure cultural studies and cultural management education approaches. The breakthrough achievements require support from a parallel breakthrough -- formation tools that adapt alternative methods from organisation studies.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to take the emergence of the knowledge mobilization as an opportunity to develop an understanding of needs for catching up appropriate knowledge application in SMEs in the Republic of Croatia, Poland and the UK. It draws upon the "frame mobilization" literature, which illuminates the role that acts as interpretation play in instigating, promoting and legitimating collective action with aim to provide "quality entrepreneurial education". Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey based on a literature review built by Stimulating Learning for Ideas to Market (SLIM) project partner was employed to test the given perspective. A total of 380 businesses completed the survey from 12 to 20, November 2013. Participants have different profiles, act in diverse roles and industrial sectors. Identification of appropriate types of support, education, training and advice was made to recognize what small businesses need and can use to improve their operations. Findings: Empirical research evidence conducted among entrepreneurs, 213 were from Croatia, 100 were from Poland and 67 were from the UK, respectively. Results identified the nature of management education according SMEs' needs to increase innovative activities and intellectual property adapting a more business-like approach, scanning the horizon and identifying new markets and opportunities for growth. It discussed the impacts of formal and informal ways of intellectual property protection in sales and exports market (SLIM) project partner was employed to test the given perspective. Research limitations/implications: Main limitation lay in unequal sample response among countries. However, results proofed very similar response in all questions among three countries even size, entrepreneurial development, GDP or historical background are highly different. Practical implications: Therefore, the original contribution of the paper lies in the authors' empirical investigations into the current thinking and practice of existing entrepreneurs by suggesting some implications of this point, which should be of interest to all stakeholders who design courses in IP and who engage in social mobilization. Social implications: There are important organizational culture barriers with this target group, such as the emphasis on the need to publish and an unstable/unavailable IP budget. The integration of IP tools into curricula is an important step to improving the use of IP tools by future researchers. There is an indisputable case for integrating IP as an R & D output and increasing the valuation of IP for academic promotion. Originality/value: This paper illustrates the current challenges on SMEs' educational needs and intellectual property rights carried out in among 380 entrepreneurs across the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Poland and the UK. Most intriguing suggestion, perhaps, is that the role knowledge cooperation with universities may play as a breaking point to fully exploit SMEs' innovative potential. Surprisingly, needs for establishing a classification of diverse IP-management and collaboration-management tools useful in university-enterprise collaborations, within a general context of IP and open innovation has not been recognized.

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This paper investigates whether entrepreneurial education (EE) contributes to the entrepreneurial intentions (EI) of university students in the Visegrád countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia). The results show several differences with regard to the impact of education and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) on entrepreneurial intentions across the four nations. The direct impact of entrepreneurship education was positive and significant in only one country, Poland, the only of the four countries to have introduced entrepreneurship education at high-school level. Additionally, an indirect influence of EE on EI was uncovered. Using a multi-construct approach to ESE, the research proves that ESEs related to searching, planning and marshalling activities mediate the impact of entrepreneurial education on intentions, although these effects differ across the studied countries. Lastly, a gender comparison indicates that although women generally have lower entrepreneurial intentions and display lower levels of ESE they benefit more than men do from entrepreneurship education.

Purpose: Away from central public authorities, regional (also called rural) enterprises do not have direct, physical access to all the services that governmental or public agencies offer. Very often, these services are essential for enterprises, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in such areas, in order to perform their business operations. This paper aims to present an example of how such types of information management and use took place in the case of familiarizing rural SMEs with the use of e-government. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a case study of how a practical application is designed and developed for the blended training of rural SMEs. First of all, an identification of the main information resources that will be stored, annotated, shared and accessed through the system took place. Then, an outline of the general architecture and user roles involved was developed. System analysis and specification using Unified Modeling Language (UML) then took place. This was accompanied by design and specification of the database, based on appropriate metadata schemas for describing the information resources. The whole process was completed by the design and prototype development of the interface, which was put into public operation and testing with a sample set of real users. Findings: Although there are several information management systems focusing on the education and training of rural stakeholders, their learning resources are not directly relevant to SMEs' needs. The main finding of this paper is that it shows a complete case study of designing, developing and evaluating an information technology application for rural businesses. Originality/value: The value of the approach presented here is the combination of training resources in an information system with a blended training approach, so that it better matches the learning needs of SMEs. Through this web-based environment, rural SMEs are able to find information on the e-government services offered in their region, as well as gaining access to e-learning content on how they can use such services. (Contains 14 figures.)

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the impact of enterprise education on entrepreneurial attitude within European higher education institutions (HEIs) in France, Germany and Poland. The research seeks to consider whether differences between cultural and industrial heritage can influence entrepreneurial attitude and mediate the effectiveness of enterprise education. Design/methodology/approach: Research argues that Europe requires more entrepreneurs willing to innovate and create new ventures to facilitate economic growth. This research builds on prior studies, which have examined the impact of enterprise education and training on business start-up. In particular the study utilises the concept of entrepreneurial attitude to measure how enterprise education influences students' perceptions of, and motivations towards, entrepreneurship as a viable career option. The study contrasts and compares the impact of a short enterprise course on entrepreneurial attitude among undergraduate students in French, German and Polish HEIs. A quantitative methodology employed a research instrument utilising five-point Likert arrays to contrast attitudes and opinions of students both prior to, and after, the delivery of the course. Findings: Enterprise education has a positive impact on entrepreneurial attitude of French and Polish students. Conversely, the course had a negative impact on male German students. It was also found that while female students are more likely to perceive a greater benefit from the learning experience, the impact of enterprise education on entrepreneurial attitude is actually more significant for male students. Practical implications: The research findings are of interest to academia and policy makers. The study suggests that entrepreneurial attitude among European students can be influenced by exposure to enterprise education. The results also indicate that gender, cultural and industrial heritage can moderate the impact of enterprise education. Originality/value: The paper provides evidence that differences between gender, culture and regional settings need to be considered in the design and delivery of enterprise programmes if they are to have the desired impact on entrepreneurial intent and graduate entrepreneurship. (Contains 8 tables and 1 figure.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a revised approach describing occupational competence, with particular reference to its application in two European countries at the level of specific occupational fields and in relation to the models used in national vocational education and training (VET) systems. Design/methodology/approach: An Erasmus+ project involved partners in five countries developing and trialling competence standards, following principles developed from approaches that have recently emerged in some British self-governing professions. Findings: The model used in the project avoids the narrowness that was characteristic of earlier British approaches to occupational competence. It provides a template that can be used for articulating the essentials of practice, including in emerging fields and those that cut across professions and occupations. It is also flexible enough to provide underpinnings for different types of VET system without making assumptions about the way that economies, labour markets and education systems are organised. Practical implications: A number of factors are outlined that improve the applicability of practice-based competence descriptions, including starting from occupational fields rather than job roles, focusing on the ethos and core activities of the field, and using concise and precise descriptions that are not limited to specific roles and contexts. Originality/value: A tested, practice-based model of competence is put forward that can be applied at the level of broad professional or occupational fields, is neutral in respect of national labour markets and educational systems, and offers a means of developing a common "language" of competence at a European level.

The paper explores the activities offered by local governments in the entrepreneurial ecosystem concept perspective. This paper aims to determine the role of the local governments' assistance in the dependencies between institutions supporting entrepreneurship and new enterprises. The activities, such as (i) intentional activities, (ii) favourable conditions for the local entrepreneurial environment, and (iii) the local governments' relations with local entrepreneurs have been distinguished. To confirm the theoretically assumed three-factor structure, confirmatory factor analysis was performed. In the course of the study, the Spearman's correlation and structural modelling methods were applied. The results showed the relation between the local governments' activities and the entrepreneurship indicators at the local level. Additionally, the impact of the institutions supporting entrepreneurship on the number of newly registered entities, with a mediating role of favourable conditions for the local entrepreneurial environment and the local governments' relations with local entrepreneurs, was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the present paper is to assess the impact of technology entrepreneurship on the entrepreneurial behavior of employees (which translates into the development of technology entrepreneurship of the organization) in the context of new presentday challenges. Design/methodology/approach: The mentioned purpose was achieved by conducting qualitative research on selected photonics industry enterprises using the case study method. A comparative analysis of appropriately selected organizations allowed for formulating conclusions and recommendations concerning those organizations’ further activity under conditions of heightened uncertainty. Research limitations/implications: This paper contains the characteristics of technology entrepreneurship, academic firms, high-technology sector and case studies of three photonics firm in Poland. Finally, the conclusions and recommendations of discussed Polish photonic firm in Poland are evaluated. Practical implications: The increased uncertainty resulted in a greater consolidation of employee teams, and also generated additional resources of entrepreneurial opportunities and behaviors, in addition, employees were inclined to build more flexible relations with employers. Social implications: "Black swan"-type events forced the organizations to dynamic adaptation actions, which in turn intensified entrepreneurial activities both at the level of owners and employees. The senior management together with the owners of the companies was determined to undertake entrepreneurial activities in the area of reorganization of relations with employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to examine the differences in using agricultural entrepreneurship support and how it relates to characteristics such as the agrarian structure, socioeconomic development level, and land use across the Polish territory. The analyses were carried out at the district (poviat) level which is an intermediate administrative unit. This study found that the decisions on co-financing the measures dedicated to non-agricultural economic activity heavily depended on the agrarian structure. The highest levels of activity were witnessed in districts where the agrarian structure was particularly fragmented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Polish economy is continuing its expansion through the adoption of free market economics in the post-communist era. To encourage this growth in a future where difficult global economic conditions are likely to persist, it is essential that entrepreneurial activity is encouraged within the next generation of graduates. This study aims to explore the attitudes and motivations of Polish students towards an entrepreneurship education programme. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the research objectives the methodological approach adopted for this study involved semi-structured interviews undertaken with 122 Polish students. Each student undertook an interview within which they were asked to reflect on the impact of an entrepreneurship education programme on their entrepreneurial attitudes and motivations. Findings: This study builds on Jones "et al.", whose "snapshot" study found that Polish students had limited prior entrepreneurial experiences and expectations and welcomed the opportunity to undertake entrepreneurship education. The findings here confirmed the results of the prior study, but also provided greater insight regarding the reasons underpinning respondent behaviour. Research limitations/implications: The data collected within this study are limited to the experience of Polish students. It is questionable whether the results are generalisable to different nationalities. Additional research must be undertaken to explore this further. Practical implications: The results have implications for the construction and delivery of entrepreneurship education to student groups. Originality/value: The study contributes to the extant knowledge in the context of the experience of enterprise education in a developing country. The paper will be of value to enterprise education providers in aiding the construction and delivery of such programmes.

Purpose: This paper aims to appraise the delivery of an enterprise education course to a cohort of Polish students evaluating its impact in encouraging entrepreneurial activity. The Polish economy continues its expansion with adoption of free market economies post communism. To encourage this growth, entrepreneurial activity must be encouraged within the next generation of entrepreneurs namely the student community. The course entitled Starting a New Enterprise (SANE) was developed to provide entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of the business planning process. The enterprise education literature questions its effectiveness in encouraging entrepreneurial activity. This study profiles the SANE course focusing on students entrepreneurial motivations, prior experiences and future intent. Design/methodology/approach: This study presents a quantitative review of the Polish students' reflections on the experience of enterprise within the SANE course. The basis for this investigation involved two semi-structured questionnaires undertaken prior to and on completion of the course. In total, 59 students completed the first questionnaire and 50 respondents the second. Findings: The study found that Polish students had limited prior entrepreneurial experiences and expectations and welcomed the opportunity to undertake enterprise education. The findings suggested an equal proportion of male and female students aged 18-24 favoured a future entrepreneurial career. Moreover, a quarter of all respondents welcomed an immediate entrepreneurial career on graduation and found value in the development of a business proposal. The findings suggested that entrepreneurial education informs entrepreneurial intent and career aspirations. Originality/value: This study provides evidence into the effectiveness of enterprise education courses as a mechanism to encourage nascent entrepreneurial activity. (Contains 12 figures and 1 table.)

Purpose: The development of entrepreneurship is associated with both the activity of entrepreneurs and with the involvement of public authorities. Through its decisions the public administration can influence the building of a business-friendly environment. The aim of this research paper is to present the competences of public authorities in the field of entrepreneurship development and the business environment, as well as to indicate the most important factors related to running a business from the perspective of entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach: The main method used in the writing of this article is the analysis of source materials. It covers the achievements of public authorities in the field of entrepreneurship development in Poland since 1989. The criteria related to the appropriate conditions for running a business are also considered. Findings: The research examines reports and rankings run by editorial staff of prestigious business magazines and international organizations in terms of criteria as well as actions of countries for the development of entrepreneurship. The tools and methods of public administration that influence the economy through the development of entrepreneurship were also analysed. Originality/value: The article demonstrates the instruments of public authority in Poland, both at the national and regional level, in terms of their potential to nurture a business-friendly environment. The paper can be valuable both for managers and investors, as well as for managers at various levels of public administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/background: The development of the small and medium enterprises sector is extremely important for economy from the point of view of many, very diverse criteria. Employment increase, market expansion, active involvement in internationalization processes and product portfolio expansion require many qualitative changes such as improvement of the management system, implementation of innovations, raising funds for investments, overcoming paradoxes and management shortcomings. Politics and public support instruments play an increasingly active role in those processes. Such public aid may include, for example, dedicated EU funds, support for business environment institutions as well as direct and indirect public influence exerted from the central, regional and district level. Aim of the paper: The purpose of this paper is to present an outline of the approach to contemporary entrepreneurship of small companies and the related development requirements which SMEs sector entities need to face as well as to draw out the research approach adopted by the author for evaluation of the public aid provided to entrepreneurs. Materials and methods: The research instruments have been independently developed by this paper’s author. They are the effect of pilot surveys held by the author with small and medium entrepreneurs and representatives of entrepreneurs’ self-government in which they indicated their feelings about and reflections on the opportunities for obtaining public support. The author has based his work also on the evaluation reports on the use of EU Structural Funds in the years 2007-2014. Results and conclusions: The system of research proposed by the author of the paper creates a space for becoming familiar with how entrepreneurs and administrators of aid funds evaluate potential changes which may result in corrections, as part of public support after 2020, that is during the period of the new perspective of financing with EU funds and during the greatest economic crisis after World War II caused by the coronavirus pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. Department of Labor agencies are providing technical assistance to help Polish workers adjust to a market economy, especially the new experience of unemployment. (Author)

Background and Objective: When examining women's economic activity, it should be emphasised that related issues are a relatively new research direction, and an understanding of the specifics of the subject seems particularly important given that the number of women starting businesses in recent decades has been characterised by a permanent upward trend. The aim of this article is to present - against the background of the literature on the subject and empirical data collected by governmental institutions operating in the European Union - the entrepreneurial activity rate of women in Poland over a ten-year period (2012-2021). Materials and Methods: The article is based on reports and working papers published by Eurostat and the Central Statistical Office (CSO). To calculate the data presented in the publication, mathematical analysis tools were used in the field of comparative research, the occurrence of trends and the indication of existing trends and noticeable increases. Results: Poland's twenty-first position compared to other EU Member States points to unlimited development opportunities and the need to support this economic space at every level of economic activity. This conclusion is reinforced by the statistics achieved by the opposite sex - men - which showed an upward trend over the period studied (2012-2021). This is also confirmed by the value of the calculated median female gross salary, which is lower by EUR 126.2 than the median male gross salary in Poland. Practical implications: A defined indicator of female entrepreneurship will allow recommendations to be tailored for state bodies and local government institutions supporting women's economic activity in Poland as well as in other EU countries with a similar economic structure. Conclusion and summary: Visible discrimination against women appears in the analysis of the average gross salary at different organisational levels in Poland, which can be used as an argument to support and create additional aid programmes to support women's economic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to present the phenomenon of transnational entrepreneurship on the example of Poland. The paper also presents studies addressing this topic. Methodology/approach: This exploratory paper offers a general review of the phenomenon of transnational entrepreneurship in the Polish context. Available statistical data (GEM), as well as examples of existing studies are used to present the growing importance of transnational activities of immigrant entrepreneurs. The studies presented include Polish immigrants living in the US and several European countries, and immigrants from selected European and Asian countries who have moved to Poland. Findings and implications: The authors point out the symptoms of growing practical and theoretical importance of transnational immigrant entrepreneurship. Despite such symptoms, studies on the phenomenon are quite scarce in Poland, as well as other CEE countries (e.g. Hungary). Directions for further studies are outlined. Originality/value of the paper: The paper focus on the phenomenon of growing importance, which is currently understudied in the realm of Central and Eastern Europe. Research on migration in Poland does have a long tradition, but the popularity of research on immigrant entrepreneurship (including transnational activities) goes back no more than a few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management & Innovation is the property of Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu-National Louis University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Theoretical background: Human capital is one of the key factors in the development of entrepreneurship, production and services. The goal of each enterprise is to make a profit, the realization of which requires investment. When developing investment projects, it is crucial to choose the most promising ones, at the same time, it is necessary to take into account the existence of “bottlenecks”, and investment activity should be directed to liquidate them. So, the optimal values of the enterprises’ investments in the situation of sufficient and insufficient levels of human capital are found and the factors influencing them are analyzed. The study of the issue of human capital today cannot bypass the question of refugees. As a result of the war in Ukraine, a large wave of migration processes is taking place in Poland, and, therefore, there is a problem and need for adaptation of people fleeing from the war. The social problem that arose due to the large number of refugees in Poland requires a comprehensive solution that would aim not only to help the refugees, but also the Polish economy. The best possible solution to the problem of refugees, both for themselves and for the host countries, is to involve them in an egalitarian society and equal economic life. The study highlights the possibility of using technical capabilities for the development of human capital on the example of a mobile application “Pszukaj” developed by the authors. Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to build and analyze optimization models of investments in the field of production of goods and provision of services and in the development of human capitalin the situation of sufficient and insufficient levels of human capital development. The practical research question of this study is to consider the case of the “Pszukaj” mobile application as a communication tool for refugees wishing to function independently in Polish society. Research methods: The role of human capital in the enterprises’ activities will be evaluated based on constructed investment optimization models. The importance of technological opportunities for human capital development will be evaluated based on the case of the “Pszukaj” mobile application. Main findings: This study contributes to the existing research by offering the analysis of constructed investment optimization models in situation of sufficient and insufficient levels of human capital. The dependence of the optimal values of investments in the development of the sphere of production of goods and provision of services and in human capital on both efficiency indicators of investments in the corresponding directions is shown and analyzed. From the practical perspective, the value of technological opportunities for human capital on the example of “Pszukaj” is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to examine the significance of the war in Ukraine for patriotic entrepreneurship in both Poland and Ukraine. The methods are semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs and an online survey conducted among participants coming from both countries, who were introduced to the main elements that make up the concept of patriotic entrepreneurship. Both quantitative and qualitative research indicated that there is no significant impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on inclinations related to patriotic entrepreneurship among Polish entrepreneurs, while there is such an impact among Ukrainian entrepreneurs. While patriotic entrepreneurship can be one of the important motivations for managerial and employee actions, the noticeable impact of war on it was only in the country where hostilities are taking place. The research limitation was the lack of representativeness of the sample. The research should be repeated after the war. It would also be useful to continue the research on the representative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The national economy can be conceptualized as having three sectors: the public sector, a private economy, and a third sector “with organisations established by people on a voluntary basis to pursue social or community goals” (Ridley-Duff and Seanor 2008). The third sector includes organizations that directly affect the structure, market behavior or activity. This paper sets out reasons why do entrepreneurial person choose the economics of the third sector as their way towards entrepreneurship, address some of the potential scope and limits of particular forms of economic thinking about the this sector and extends economic research on the third sector, which still is the research gap. It also presents alternative view at third sector economics as the new-way entrepreneurship and addresses implications for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: In the paper, we presented a most crucial aspect of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in a regional context that seems to be more visible than the general approach. The role of entrepreneurs and support institutions as one of the main actors of a regional entrepreneurship ecosystem was underscored. We also stressed the significance of entrepreneurs' opinions related to Business Support Institutions (BSI) as sources of feedback and potential boosters of delivery and promotion that can be used by regional stakeholders and policymakers. Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to investigate significant differences in a perception of regional pro-entrepreneurial institutions between businesses that obtained or did not obtain support. Methods: Our study is based on data collected in Lubelskie Voivodeship, hence they refer to a single region in Poland. The sample totalled 386 responses, and we conducted numerical analyses by using the logit linear regression model. As the dependent variable, we used a dualvariable (not supported; supported) that describes two groups of enterprises, i.e. those that do not get and those that got some sort of public support. As independent variables, we adopted 18 factors that depict ordinary scale perception of various aspects of regional pro-entrepreneurial policy. Findings & Value added: Analyses revealed nine statistically significant relationships between perception of regional BSI impact on enterprises functioning and regional entrepreneurial ecosystem depending on whether particular enterprises got or did not get support, e.g. a favourable experience in obtaining support boosts positive perception that support from BSI influences positively the decision to set up one's own business. BSI at Lubelskie Voivodeship acts in favour to create bonds between enterprises, and support from BSI increases opportunities to survive in the market. Moreover, supported enterprises perceived better aspects, such as positive influence on enterprises' innovativeness thanks to BSI, and more are convinced that support programmes of BSI are available for a broad group of companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how cultural entrepreneurs built a “heavy metal world” in the Polish People’s Republic (PRL), focusing on the years 1980–89. By combining historical analysis with primary research to examine how both fans and artists alike acted together to overcome shortages, scarcity, and repression, this paper supports inclusive definitions of cultural entrepreneurship that go beyond an economic orientation, and acts as case study in an under-researched area to highlight the often uneasy coexistence between states and cultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of the present paper is to evaluate the relationships between intelligent polymer materials and the development of technological entrepreneurship as well as the role of intelligent polymer in sustainable development in Poland. Design/methodology/approach: The research concerned the impact of modern smart materials on the development of technology entrepreneurship in high-tech companies in Mazovia and its importance for increasing the competitiveness of enterprises. The survey research method was used as part of the lustration procedure, characteristic of the so-called nomothetic research approach used for quantitative research in management sciences. Findings: A problem encountered during the research was the fact that it was difficult to pinpoint the number of high-technology (HT) enterprises in the Masovian province, mainly due to the fuzzy border between medium-tech and high-tech organizations. Research limitations/implications: The research results show that advanced technology sector enterprises in the Masovian province acquire new smart materials mainly from external sources, primarily due to possessing limited resources and insufficient competences in this area. Practical implications: Technology entrepreneurship, in connection with the using of design thinking and the concept of sustainable enterprise will able to prepare and commercialize interesting and technology advanced materials which cause that many enterprises, not only high-technology firms, the building of high competitive position on international market. Originality/value: This article shows the importance of smart polymer materials in the development of technology entrepreneurship in high-tech companies in Mazovia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research Papers of the Wroclaw University of Economics / Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wroclawiu is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyses the female gender as a one of the factors that may influence product and process innovativeness of small enterprises. The data discussed come from an empirical study of 1017 small enterprises from the Kujawsko-pomorskie region in central-northern Poland. The theoretical framework suggests three areas of factors that may influence small enterprises innovativeness: the entrepreneur's gender, innovation management capability, and firm characteristics. The results of the study suggest that the female gender of the entrepreneur has a positive impact on the product and process innovativeness of small enterprises. In the group of small enterprises managed by female entrepreneurs the chances of introducing product innovation are higher by 83.7%, process innovation by 56%, and product and process innovation together by 82.1%., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This paper explores the phenomena of entrepreneurial activities of local governments such as the availability of local zoning plans, entrepreneurship support programmes or promotion of investments' benefits in specific locations. The investigation is based on a research sample of 329 local regions from Poland selected in stratified random sampling. However, only 114 local governments (formal authorities of local regions) who responded to the mystery stakeholder communication are subject to a more detailed analysis. The findings show the differences in the potential investment attractiveness of local regions with different levels of entrepreneurial activities of local government. Moreover, local governments with higher potential investment attractiveness engage more in entrepreneurial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic capabilities, resulting from activities that allow conscious and skillful modification of a firm's strategic potential, are seen as one of the key drivers of a firm's value creation, competitive advantage and above-average performance in changing environments. However, little is known about how dynamic capabilities can shape business survival and performance during crises. The research objective of this paper is twofold. First, through a literature review, we seek to identify which first-order dynamic capabilities-managerial decisions under uncertainty-are vital for rapid response to a crisis. Second, we present the results of research carried out among 151 small and medium-sized companies in Poland immediately after the beginning of the economic lockdown (April 2020). The survey that we developed identifies which dynamic capabilities were essential for businesses to survive during this unexpected black swan event. We also present dependence and regression analyses showing the links between the identified dynamic capabilities and value creation, understood as retaining employees and production levels, as well as value capture, understood as maintaining cash flow and current revenues., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Research background: Promotion of the entrepreneurship has an important role in the society, and the direct relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth of the country is proven. Universities education should be one of the pillars to build the business environment and the entrepreneurial propensity of the students in the entrepreneurship. Purpose of the article: The paper aimed to define and quantify significant factors that shape the entrepreneurial propensity of university students and create the entrepreneurial propensity index.A part of this aim was a comparison of defined factors in the Czech Republic (CR), Slovakia (SR) and Poland (PL). Methods: The survey-based research was conducted with students in the last year of their economic studies on the universities. 1,352 students from 25 universities in selected countries were approached during research. A custom Entrepreneurial Propensity Index was created that was implemented separately for CR, SR and PL. Findings & Value added: The research brought interesting findings. The aggregated Entrepreneurial Propensity Index in the Czech Republic reached the value of 0.470, which was higher than that of Slovakia (0.424) and Poland (0.412). The evaluation of the quality of university education is similarly positive in all countries (CR: 0.659, PL: 0.589, SR: 0.592). Czech students gave access to the financial resources and the role of macroeconomic environment got a higher rating than Slovak and Polish students. On the contrary, Poland students gave the social environment and business advantages a higher rating than Czech and Slovak students. The evaluation of the personality traits is more positive in Slovakia. The most positive indicator for all students is that doing business enables to make use of own abilities and own solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of entrepreneurship has various perspectives - economic, financial, social, and psychological. The aim of this paper is to present entrepreneurship from a perspective merging both financial and non-financial aspects of this phenomenon. The article presents two (complementary) aspects related to the phenomenon of entrepreneurship. One of the aspects described by author is the availability of financing for businesses in Poland (showing the issue in response to the most important obstacle to running a business), the other is shaping entrepreneurial attitudes. The section on sources of financing give an answer to the question of whether (and if so - to what extent) the problem of access to financing is a real barrier to starting a business in Poland. Presenting the perspective of students gives a new view on the subject and enables us to recognize factors that determine the decision to start a business among young people, knowledge of which may contribute to a change in attitudes towards setting up a business in Poland. Among the conclusions, the author mentions, inter alia, the need to strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes among students, especially due to the growing number of companies operating in Poland for reasons of positive motivation (such as improvement of the standard of living or independence). Moreover, the conducted analyses lead to the conclusion that new companies are financed primarily from their own resources, which discourages many from starting their own business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Management Issues / Problemy Zarządzania is the property of Problemy Zarzadzania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management & Innovation is the property of Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu-National Louis University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many research studies indicate differences in the activities of small enterprises run by female and male entrepreneurs. These differences also apply to shaping entrepreneurial orientation. The main aim of the paper is to identify the entrepreneurial orientation in dimensions of autonomy, innovation, risk-taking, different level of proactivity, and competitive aggressiveness in relation to the gender of the entrepreneurs. This paper presents the results of a survey conducted among 220 small enterprises in Poland. The research showed a similar level of entrepreneurial orientation in the observed dimensions and the positive correlation between entrepreneurial orientation and the economic performance of enterprises in both studied groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the role corporations play in modern world, they are becoming an interesting area for theoretical considerations and a research object. The subject of the paper is intrapreneurship, which is a form of corporate entrepreneurship that refers to the individual behaviour of corporate employees. The main goal of the research was to analyse and evaluate the entrepreneurial potential of corporate employees and the working climate that affect significantly the development of intrapreneurship. The article is based on the author’s research, which was conducted by means of a survey among 320 employees and 60 executives at different levels taken on in 41 different types of corporations conducting business activity in Poland. By entering the research, it was assumed that the corporation was entrepreneurial if it employs entrepreneurial employees, and its working climate is conducive to undertaking entrepreneurial initiatives. The research showed the importance of the work climate for the development of intrapreneurship, which can be considered a dimension supporting the development of corporate entrepreneurship. It was also featured that not those employees who had intrapreneur potential were more involved in risky ventures, but those who felt that the company supported their actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scope of this paper is to construct the demographic profile of the entrepreneur. The basic question is: who has higher chances of survival? Recently the interest in firms survival in Poland has increased significantly. To cover the need for more detailed data there was panel database used. The survey covers the five-year history of enterprises' activity and the sample covers only enterprises employing initially fewer than 50 workers. In this paper only the sample of 1518 enterprises established in 2004 was selected. Only enterprises that initially did not employ any worker were selected. Cox regression semiparametric model with time constant and time varying variables was applied. Regarding demographic characteristics of the main owner a conclusion may be drawn, that an enterprise with a highly educated owner experienced in management had a lower liquidation risk. Opposite to other studies a male owner had higher risk of failure comparing to a female owner. Also an older owner (35 years and more) had higher chances to be liquidated, which is in opposite direction than expected. However this effect is time varying. The entrepreneur with management experience increases chances of survival. If a manager succeeded in acquiring the loan for a start the success is more probable. First-year investments increased the survival chances. The first year was the most important because at that time the main drive for being on the market was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The main goal of the paper is the evaluation of agritouristic enterprises, as a specific type of family owned businesses, in terms of their market and entrepreneurial behaviour and the behaviour connected with generating innovation. The attempt has been made to define the advantages and disadvantages of family-run business in the opinion of the agritouristic enterprises. Research Design & Methods: Achievement of the above-mentioned goal was based on the analysis of professional literature, and direct research supported by direct questionnaire surveys and individual in-depth interviews. The empirical research was conducted in the period from January to March 2012. Findings: Agritourist enterprises are self-defined as family enterprises. They can see and appreciate benefits from running a family business as well as their advantage in being innovative and strive to introduce changes in their businesses. Implications & Recommendations: In the opinion of the authors of this paper, agritourist farms are a very special example of family entrepreneurship. Contribution & Value Added: Issues analysed in this study are relatively new and poorly covered by the literature in the field. It is a certain novelty to analyse family entrepreneurship in agritourism in addition to being an interesting area of scientific exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper is intended to identify the role and activity of universities in building up business environment infrastructure in Poland. It analyses centres that support innovation processes and entrepreneurship co-established by higher education institutions, such as technology and academic incubators, technology transfer centres, and science and technology parks. Research method - The research methods include: a critical analysis of subject-matter literature, the analysis of the existing data (reports and expert opinions), and three casual interviews with leaders of innovation and entrepreneurship centres in Poland. Results - After a period of dynamic development (which ended in 2012), the number of business support institutions is declining. The trend is observed, in particular, amongst technology parks and incubators. On the other hand, the engagement of universities in the development of technology transfer centres is growing while the population of university start-up incubators remains stable. The number and power of entrepreneurship and innovation support centres are strongly correlated with the economic strength of regions and their position as academic centres. University and business collaboration has been expanding together with the density of regional relationships. Originality / value - The article assesses the state and quality of operation of the academic business environment and its transformation in the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]