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This article discusses the history of the so-called book program—a joint effort by the US government, the East European diaspora, and readers of prohibited books behind the Iron Curtain. Between 1956 and 1989, the program purchased some ten million copies of publications and delivered them to people in Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe in order to undermine communist rule. The article gives nuanced explanations of the motivations and practices of book-takers, placing Cold War books in the context of consumer goods trades. Using the historical materials of the Polonia Book Fund, a US-sponsored publishing project for Poland, this article contributes new insights on the transatlantic perspective of the cultural Cold War. This article focuses on the program's early stages, and describes various elements of the transnational smuggling network. The program's state–private partnership was a workable solution that helped to foster a diversity of opinions in post-Stalinist Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the acceptance of renewable energy in the adoption of the climate package, taking into account the GREEN consumer values among consumers in Poland. The research problem addressed in this paper relates to the measurement of consumer values in terms of the GREEN concept; specifically, consumer acceptance of the available offerings provided by real businesses. In addition, consumer needs are important in terms of ensuring the acceptance of renewable energy, which will create opportunities for its production in the context of the Fit 55 climate package. The study formulates some research questions and hypotheses to justify the concept with empirical data by applying statistical tests. The study is presented in several sections with a detailed presentation of secondary and primary data. The main outcome of the research is based on the primary data using a structured survey questionnaire administered in Poland and 557 collected samples. Nowadays, the responsibility also lies with consumers, as green consumption will entail green production. The research concludes that Poland's consumers have a good level of acceptance of RES, based on the current green energy situation of Poland, which may lead to sustainability and will benefit policy makers in government, corporations and end consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research examined awareness, prospects and constraints of sustainable marketing mix development (SMD) from the perspective of Poland's high-energy consumer goods (HECG), i.e., confectionery products, as an example of the Polish food industry. A questionnaire survey was designed for this purpose. The purpose of the survey questions was to evaluate selected areas of SMD; thus, a reference value ratio was proposed. An original approach to pairwise comparisons technique was applied to rank the value of each survey to provide an intensity measure for each examined area, i.e., a non-heuristic approach with verifiable accuracy and reliability. It was found that a high level of awareness among respondents exists in relation to SMD. Considering all aspects of constraints intensity for SMD, it could be concluded that SMD for Poland's HECG is at a quite high level. However, considering all aspects of prospects intensity for SMD, this evaluation supported the conclusion that its level for Poland's HECG is moderate only. It was also found that prices of sustainable products constitute the highest ranked determinant of SMD. Considering these research findings regarding awareness, limitations and perspectives for the development of a sustainable marketing mix in the enterprises operating in Poland's HECG sector, it can be concluded that there are many more problems and difficulties in implementing sustainable marketing mix programs than there are prospects for the development of this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article an attempt has been taken to assess the elasticity of revenue expenditure on basic goods and services for groups of households in Poland, separated using an income criteria. Coefficients of elasticity have been assessed basing on estimated Working models, using unpublished raw data, on individual households from the household budget survey conducted by the Central Statistical Office in 2006. Based on the survey can be concluded that the highest values of co-factors were income elasticity for the households of the first group of income - up to 200 zł / person / month. These households were characterized by a high elasticity of expenditure for all of the analyzed consumer goods and services, including food. The lowest income elasticity occurred in the highest income group - above 1700 zł / person / month. Demand for food and soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, as well as housing and energy carriers in these households was close to saturation level and demand for other goods and services was not very flexible and classified them as a basic level group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the financial behavior of Poles, including the financial exclusion. Results published immediately before the crisis, during the crisis, and in 2010, when some indications pointed to a consumer belief in the end of the financial market downturn, were compared. The article also summarizes the results of various studies conducted at that time, and takes into account the willingness and attitude to saving, ways to invest for various purposes, particularly for retirement, and the use of non-cash payment instruments. The data on changes in retail sales of particular groups of consumer goods are used to justify the selected conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the article is to define and examine the size, structure and growth of vending market (self-service kiosk market) as the distribution channel of the consumer goods. There are three main sectors of the automatic vending machine market: selling machines, service machines and automated devices in public communication. Vending market is still undeveloped in Poland. The authors forecast that the sale of products and services through vending will increase steadily in Poland, following the Western European trends. Although cash payments are still dominant in vending payments, the near future will be driven by cashless payments, especially in public transport, vending parking machines and the other urban ticketing. The other driver, which will strengthen the increase of the vending market is the selfservice trend in distribution and economy. The automated devices' ability to provide product conveniently is its key competitive advantage versus other distribution channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author examines the personal resentment that resulted from cross-border travel by Poles and East Germans during the period 1971-1989. It is explained that in January 1972 the German Democratic Republic and Poland eased travel restrictions on their citizens as a means of deepening relations between the two countries. While significant number of Poles traveled to Germany there was a rise in personal tensions and xenophobia as Poles were perceived to be buying up East German food, clothing and consumer goods.

Examines economist, L. Podkaminer's suggestion that increasing supplies and/or prices of manufactured consumer goods and services, rather than increasing food prices, would combat the disequilibrium in the Polish economy. Contradiction of the conventional wisdom that food prices had been held at abnormally low levels through the 1970s and 1980s.