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This paper presents an analysis of the business cultures of four post-socialist Polish enterprises. Western capitalist orthodoxy emphasises the development and management of an 'appropriate' organisational culture as a key component of organisational effectiveness. Within an East European context it is likewise suggested that the development of appropriate market behaviours is necessary if transforming economies are not to hit a ceiling of recovery. However, what constitutes an 'appropriate' organisational culture within an East European context is open to speculation and debate, particularly if it accepted that there is no dominant model of capitalist work organisation which might represent a template for transforming economies. This paper draws on empirical case study material to appraise the business cultures of four post socialist Polish enterprises. Findings suggest that ownership, turnover of human capital and management philosophy and ideology represent key factors in the development of market oriented behaviours. However, findings also reinforce the strength and endurance of the socialist culture.

Poland in 1989 was faced with massive and unprecedented change. If we consider what communism was-an ideology, an economic system, a political system, a way of life-we can begin to appreciate the nature, scale, challenge and complexity of the change involved. This paper evaluates how privatised, post-socialist Polish enterprises have responded to market conditions. In particular, it traces the management role in capitalist restructuring and adjustment to the wider aspects of economic transformation in Poland. A general introduction is followed by case material from three privatised, post-socialist Polish enterprises. Conclusions reached demonstrate both continuity and change in management behaviour and adaptation to capitalism through incremental rather than radical adjustment strategies. Capitalist restructuring is, however, shown to be more radical and extensive with dominant MNC ownership and control.

This paper presents a study of worker attitudes from four post-socialist Polish enterprises towards aspects of enterprise transformation, namely organisational processes, working relationships and styles of management. We employ the concept of path dependence to identify structural, relational and attitudinal features of the socialist legacy at enterprise level. We argue that such an approach is valuable in identifying conceptual and practical problems of enterprise transformation in contrast to the determinism of neo-classical economic orthodoxy.

Обсуждается роль менеджера по человеческим ресурсам в компании, объективная сложность его задачи - примирить ценности организации с ценностями этики профессионалов по управлению людьми. По данным исследований, то, насколько профессионалы HR могут влиять на организационную этику, зависит от культуры и структуры организации, а также от уровня доверия к самим HR-специалистам. В основном, ничто не указывает на значительность их влияния.

The continued globalization process and internationalization of business is increasingly raising issues concerning human resource strategy and practice in those organizations operating across international boundaries. This paper presents an empirical evaluation of the management resourcing strategy of a Western multinational corporation (MNC) within a post-socialist Polish subsidiary. Findings suggest a high level of pragmatism in relation to management staffing decisions. Whilst normative resourcing models emphasize the importance of environment, organization and job analysis in selecting and preparing managers for expatriate appointments, these processes are contingency constrained. Difficulties of adaptation and integration of the Polish subsidiary serve to increase reliance on expatriate managers.

This paper presents an analysis of the business cultures of four post-socialist Polish enterprises. Western capitalist orthodoxy emphasises the development and management of an appropriate organisational culture as a key component of organisational effectiveness. Within an East European context it is likewise suggested that the development of appropriate market behaviours is necessary if transforming economies are not to hit a ceiling of recovery. However, what constitutes an 'appropriate' organisational culture within an East European context is open to speculation and debate, particularly if it accepted that there is no dominant model of capitalist work organisation which might represent a template for transforming economies. This paper draws on empirical case study material to appraise the business cultures of four post-socialist Polish enterprises. Findings suggest that ownership, turnover of human capital and management philosophy and ideology represent key factors in the development of market oriented behaviours. However, findings also reinforce the strength and endurance of the socialist culture. In dieser Arbeit wird die Analyse der Unternehmenskultur von vier polnischen Unternehmen der post-sozialistischen Ära vorgestellt. Was unter einer 'angemessenen' Organisationskultur im Osteuropäischen Kontext zu verstehen ist, darüber kann spekuliert und debattiert werden, besonders dann, wenn kein Standardmodell kapitalistischer Arbeitsorganisation für sich wandelnde Ökonomien existiert. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden empirischen Studie legen die Vermutung nahe, daß Eigentum, Humankapital, Managementphilosophie und Ideologie Schlüsselfaktoren bei der Herausbildung marktorientierten Verhaltens darstellen. Andererseits bestätigt sich die nachhaltige Wirksamkeit der sozialistischen Kultur.

A recent Court of Appeal ruling has highlighted the pitfalls of personal contract arrangements. It has indicated the need for employers to be careful to preserve individual employment rights when wanting to follow the increasing trend of dispensing with collective agreements and negotiating with employees individually. The ruling is a significant boost to trade union strategies by reinforcing individual rights to union membership.