Society and Politics

No. 4(81)/2024

Wojciech Gizicki

Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II

TRANSFORMATIONS IN POLAND’S SECURITY CONSIDERING STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL  EVENTS AFTER 1989

Summary

National security is the result of many conditions, decisions and activities. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to support and form the security policy by adopting and achieving an effective strategy. The document contents must take into account many areas, opportunities and challenges. The national security strategy presently requires achieving the internal and external situation. This is related to the occurrence of dynamic changes in contemporary global reality.  Every nation in this respect is in a similar situation. Of course, strategic goals, the reason of state and the nation’s regional and global position can vary. The article aims to review Poland’s strategic documents after 1989 concerning the current situation in the area of opportunities and challenges for national security. Poland’s geo-political situation is essentially significant, particularly due to its location between Russia and Germany.

Keywords: transformation, national security, strategic documents, Poland, geopolitics.

JEL Codes: H11, H55, H56, I28

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0424.a01

Agata Górska-Lisicka

Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie

Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska

Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie

Deradicalizing a radical Islamist. The case of Saudi Arabia

Summary

The article examines Saudi Arabia's deradicalization program, Munaṣaḥa, focusing on its theoretical and practical aspects. As a long-term strategy, aimed at counteracting Islamist terrorism, deradicalization seems to be more promising than isolated imprisonment, assuming that it is possible to deradicalize a radical Islamist on the cognitive level. Before exploring the Saudi program, the authors provide an overview of deradicalization programs implemented in other Muslim-majority countries. This comparison highlights the diversity of approaches to deradicalizing Islamist extremists while placing the Saudi initiative within a broader international context. The paper discusses the motivations behind launching the Saudi program, with emphasis on national security concerns and efforts to combat extremist ideologies. It outlines the program’s structure, rehabilitation and reintegration processes, including transitional measures, post-program monitoring, and support for graduates and their families. It assesses the program's effectiveness and addresses concerns and challenges related to its implementation. 

Keywords: deradicalization, jihād, Saudi Arabia, terrorism, radical Islamism.

JEL Codes: K42

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0424.a02

Maria Kocot

Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach

Artur Kwasek

Uczelnia Techniczno-Handlowa w Warszawie

Factors Motivating the Enhancement of Digital Competencies in Agile Organizations

Summary

The aim of the study was to identify and analyze the factors motivating employees to enhance their digital skills in an agile organization. The research was conducted using a survey method in 2023, covering employees from various organizations employing agile management methods. The results indicated that motivation to improve digital skills is multifaceted and depends on a combination of factors such as compensation, independence, professional and financial situation, life circumstances, development prospects, social belonging, and the desire to prove oneself.

Keywords: agile organization, Green IT, organization, IT equipment, organizational agility.

JEL Codes: O10

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0424.a03

Radomir Miński

Akademia Finansów i Biznesu Vistula w Warszawie

The phenomenon of „goals displacement” as an example of organizational pathology

Summary

This article is devoted to the reception of the thought of Robert Michels, known as the author of the ‘iron (bronze) law of oligarchy’, in the field of organisational sociology. In Poland, Max Weber's pupil and collaborator is relatively little known. His basic work has not yet been published in Polish and his thought - stereotypically - is associated only with political science and possibly sociology. However, this is a flawed approach - one that reduces Michels' work solely to its impact on political science. The aim of this article is, on the one hand, to popularise the thought of this researcher, and, on the other hand, to emphasise the little-known fact - especially in Polish social sciences - that his flagship work Zur Soziologie des Parteiwesens in der moderne Demokratie. Untersuchungen über die oligarchischen Tendenzen des Gruppenlebens, contains a detailed description of the phenomenon of the “goals displacement” phenomenon, which had a formative impact on the development of the sociology of organisations.

Key words: organization, goals displacement phenomenon, organizational pathology.

JEL Codes: B00

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0424.a04

Aleksandra Gralczyk

Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie

Ethical responsibility of journalists in reporting on suicide deaths

Summary

Suicide is a delicate and extremely serious subject that requires special journalistic responsibility. The media is expected to balance the public's right to information with the need to protect privacy, the dignity of the deceased, and the mental health of the audience. Therefore, journalists often face a difficult dilemma: how to inform the public without violating moral norms, personal rights of the deceased's family, or causing potential imitation effects, known as the "Werther effect". Referring to the principles of journalistic ethics can be helpful in such situations, playing a key role in creating media standards, especially in difficult and sensitive cases. In this analysis, the author applied the assumptions of normative theory and social responsibility of the media, as well as the method of analyzing guidelines suggested by WHO.

Key words: information, suicide, ethical responsibility, journalist.

JEL Codes: Y9

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0424.a05

Mateusz Burdyn

Akademia Finansów i Biznesu Vistula

TWO DIFFERENT WAYS OF SEEING THE ECONOMIC SENSE OF BUSINESS ETHICS

Summary

The aim of the work presented here is to show the real relation between ethics and business, which cannot focus solely on the subordination of one area to the other, but must take into account the principles and objectives of both. The systematisation of the topic presented was undertaken, among others, by the Alfred Nobel Prize winner of the Bank of Sweden, Professor Amartya Sen, who, in describing their relation, presented it in two possible variants, in which positive behaviour in business is linked to a certain perception of economic sense. The first captures it as a reward in itself through its direct impact on the society in which the individual lives. The second way - the enlightened way - sees it in the specific outcome to which positive behaviour leads. The distinction presented, however, encounters the problem of the intentionality of the action taken, which stands in opposition to the very essence of morality. It cannot, therefore, be formulated in a way that treats ethics as a tool to achieve a particular outcome.

Keywords: business ethics, intentionality, economic criterion, relation, perception of sense.

JEL Codes: M59

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0424.a06

No. 3(80)/2024

Maria Kocot

Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach

Artur Kwasek

Uczelnia Techniczno-Handlowa w Warszawie 

Analysis of the Use of Green IT in an Agile Organization in Light of Own Research

Summary

The article analyzes the impact of organizational agility on the efficiency of IT resource management, with particular emphasis on Green IT practices, aiming to understand how agile methods can enhance operational efficiency and minimize the negative environmental impact of business activities. The research was conducted using a survey method in 2023. The results indicate that the application of agile methods in IT management significantly accelerates adaptation to changing market conditions, increases process efficiency, and promotes the implementation of sustainable solutions. The limitations of the study include its geographical and industry scope, which may affect the generalization of the results. Practical implications for IT managers involve the potential for improving operational efficiency through the integration of agile methods with Green IT practices, which is particularly important in the context of increasing expectations for sustainable development. The study also highlights the social implications of organizational agility, demonstrating how it can contribute to better management of natural resources and reducing companies' carbon footprint. The originality and value of the article stem from combining organizational agility with Green IT management, a relatively new area in management literature that may inspire further research in this field.

Keywords: agile organization, Green IT, organization, IT equipment, organizational agility.

JEL Codes: O10

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0324.a01

Tadeusz Zienkiewicz

Politechnika Lubelska

Determinants of the formation and current state of the Polish national minority in Croatia

Summary

The purpose of this article is to analyse the factors of migration of representatives of the Polish nation to the territory of the present Republic of Croatia, to present the main assumptions of Croatia's policy towards national minorities and to analyse the spatial distribution of the Polish community. The adopted time caesura covers the period from 1991 to 2021. The research used a qualitative research methodology with participatory observation, interviews and content analysis of the literature on the subject. An empirical field study was carried out. Quantitative research methodology was also used. The source of statistical data is the Statistical Office of Croatia.  As a result of the research, it was clarified that the norms of cooperation between the authorities of the Republic of Croatia and national minorities correspond to democratic norms. The current Polish community in Croatia, to a large extent, is a migration from the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, concentrated in six main regions with more than 71% of the total population. This fact may be a reason to formulate a strategy for supporting Polonia and promoting Poland.

Keywords: Polish diaspora, national minority, Croatia, spatial diversity of population, migration policy

JEL codes: J15, J18, N93, N94

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0324.a02

Tomasz Knecht

Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie

MIRACLE ON THE VISTULA AS AN ATTRIBUTE IN IMAGE CREATION AND COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES BASED ON LOCAL HISTORICAL POLICY

Summary

The term 'historical policy,' often understood as activities organized and undertaken by governments, state institutions, non-governmental organizations, and society, with the aim of shaping and disseminating historical memory, has gained significant popularity in Poland over the last two decades. The growing role of interest in the past in defining identity, shaping attitudes, and building an image is evidenced not only by discussions among political scientists, historians, and publicists, but also by the inclusion of provisions on historical policy, referring to memory and history, in the programmatic documents of political parties. Local governments also do not shy away from historical policy, where, depending on various factors, actions often focus on the grassroots utilization of cultural heritage and the history of a given region, for example, to express or strengthen the identity of the local community. Considering the above statements, and looking at numerous examples of image-building and communication activities related to the annual commemorations of the Miracle on the Vistula, it was considered appropriate to attempt to verify what role historical policy actually played in the messages constructed by the local community and the municipal authorities of Radzymin in the years 1990-2020.

Keywords: Miracle on the Vistula, historical policy, image creation, political communication, local government

JEL Codes: N94, M37, R50

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0324.a03

Milena Kindziuk

Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie

Facebook profile Ewa Błaszczyk Foundation “Akogo?” as a form education for people in comas. Case study

Summary

The article explains the educational role of the Facebook social network for people in coma on the example of the profile Ewa Błaszczyk Foundation “Akogo?” at the turn of 2023/2024. The study took an explanatory approach; it is a case study. The media analysis allowed to distinguish three categories of education for people in coma: the transmission of knowledge about the process of waking up from coma and new awakenings; transmission of knowledge about the rehabilitation of awakened people and new projects in this area; transmission of knowledge about the basics of the functioning of the clinics run by the Foundation and the related financial needs. The results of the research show that the "Ewa Błaszczyk Foundation “Akogo?” profile on Facebook is a very important tool for educating the public for people in coma and is useful for understanding many complex issues related to this process.

Keywords: Facebook, “Akogo?”, “Alarm clock”, coma, waking up.

JEL Codes: H7; L82

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0324.a04

No. 2(79)/2024

Artur Życki

Uniwersytet Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach

The contemporary faces of stoicism

Summary

The aim of this article is to show the contemporary resurgence of Ssoicism on the basis of the thoughts and achievements of ancient philosophy and to try to integrate these universal values into the process of informal and formal education. The turn of the second and third millennium is a period of renaissance for stoic philosophy taking place mainly, outside academia, in the online world. This return to the times of ancient times is linked to the problems and confusion of modern man. An attempt at an antidote to this state of affairs, among many others, is the positive psychology that emerged in the United States based on Stoicism. The article takes a closer look at achievements of ancient Stoic thought and the possibilities of its contemporary use of it by people who are looking for paths to individual development and finding a way to live a good, happy life.

Keywords: philosophy, stoics, happiness, emotions, good life.

JEL Codes: Y9

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0224.a01

Karol Papka

Badacz niezależny

From Ambition to Crisis: The Rise and Fall of Edward Gierek’s Economic Policy

Summary

This paper attempts to investigate the reasons for the failure of the economic concept of Edward Gierek's team and to identify the main aspects that influenced the final outcome. The author also considers the issue of the living standards of the people of that era, confronting the common claim of older generations “we used to live better” with statistical data – analyzing whether it was indeed accurate. At the beginning of the article, a brief historical outline of the seizure of power by Edward Gierek’s team is presented, further touching on the emergence of selected investment projects of that period. In preparing the article, the author made use of national statistical data, databases of international institutions and literature on historical and economic issues.

Keywords: foreign loans, economic development, Fiat 126p, Smelter Katowice.

JEL Codes: D31, H81, P21

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0224.a02

Renata Runiewicz

Uniwersytet WSB MERITO Warszawa

Influence of the environment on strategic management

Summary

This work is a theoretical presentation of the influence of the environment on strategic management. The aim of the work is the characteristic of strategic management, and its environment. Strategic management is the planned use of a company's resources to reach its goals and objectives. It requires ongoing evaluation of internal processes and external factors that may impact how a company functions. That’s why in strategic management, the environment plays a huge role. In this paper, this relation between environment and strategic management is presented.

Key-words: strategic management, environment, influence.

JEL Codes: J54, M54

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0224.a03

Maria Kocot

Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach

Artur Kwasek

Uczelnia Techniczno-Handlowa w Warszawie

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing the Organizational Agility of Higher Education Institutions in a Knowledge-Based Economy

Summary

The aim of the article was to examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing the organizational agility of higher education institutions in the context of a knowledge-based economy. The research hypothesis suggested that there is a positive relationship between the implementation of artificial intelligence technology in educational processes and the increase in organizational agility of the institutions, improvement in students' educational outcomes, and the flexibility of study programs. The subject of the research was the perception of the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the organizational agility of higher education institutions by students. The research method was a survey conducted in January 2024 on a sample of 956 students from three Polish universities. The results indicated that the majority of respondents perceive artificial intelligence as a key element supporting the development of organizational agility of the institutions. Students acknowledged that AI significantly impacts the improvement of educational outcomes and the development of competencies, which aligns with the hypothesis. It was also emphasized the need for active support from universities in developing competencies related to the use of artificial intelligence in teaching. Despite the positive attitude, respondents also expressed concerns about potential risks associated with the decline in the level of knowledge and the quality of education resulting from the implementation of AI in education.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, organizational agility, knowledge-based economy, higher education institution, management.

JEL Codes: O10

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0224.a04

No. 1(78)/2024

Maria Kocot

Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach

Artur Kwasek

Uczelnia Techniczno-Handlowa w Warszawie

Students' Expectations of Study Programs as Determinants of Agile Management in Higher Education Institutions

Summary

The aim of the article is to examine students' expectations of higher education study programs and their impact on the agile adaptation and management of higher education institutions. The research hypothesis assumes that study programs that are transparent, practical, innovative, adapted to the labor market, and allow for individual selection of program content, increase student satisfaction and the efficiency of university management. The study utilizes a quantitative methodology, employing a survey distributed among 529 students from various academic disciplines, educational levels, and age groups, ensuring the representativeness of the data. The key findings indicate that students expect study programs to not only adapt to current market trends but also to offer prospects for professional and personal development, suggesting the need for an agile approach in designing and updating curricular programs. The research results also highlight that universities must actively incorporate students' expectations into decision-making processes to ensure the continuous attractiveness and competitiveness of their educational offerings.

Keywords: agile management, students, study program, higher education institution, innovation.

JEL Codes: O10

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0124.a01

Patryk Chmielarz

Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie

Marek Rewizorski

Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie

Economic, political and legal aspects of interest rate changes in Europe and Asia from 2013 to 2023

Summary

This article analyses the effects of drastic interest rate reductions, in particular the use of negative interest rates. The examples of Japan and selected European countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Poland, show that the use of low (or negative) interest rates for too long can have a pro-inflationary effect as well as contribute to the worsening of the problem of excessive household indebtedness concerning wealth and creditworthiness and lead to the emergence of speculative bubbles. Thus, suboptimal use of interest rates reduces individual countries' and populations' financial security. Starting from the recognition of the challenge of interest rate formation, the authors of the article adopted an evidence-based public policy perspective to more fully recognise the phenomenon in question and thus lay the groundwork for effective solutions aimed at young people in particular, who are gaining their first experience of using the products offered by the banking system.

Keywords: Interest rates, NIRP, economic policy, real estate, 2% Credit.

JEL Codes: G21, P11, P52, R20, R30

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0124.a02

Patrycja Tyborowska

Akademia Finansów i Biznesu Vistula w Warszawie

Katarzyna Walat

Akademia Finansów i Biznesu Vistula w Warszawie

Report on the National Scientific Conference: Citizen, citizeness, citizenship

Summary

On October 18, 2022, the National Scientific Conference "Citizen, Citizeness, Citizenship" was held at the Dom Polonii in Pultusk. The conference was organized by the Doctoral School of the Aleksander Gieysztor Academy in Pułtusk (a branch of the Vistula Academy of Finance and Business) headed by Dr. Radosław Lolo, in cooperation with the Mazowiecki Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomi Społecznej run by Fundacja Fundusz Współpracy. The main purpose of the conference was to discuss a wide range of topics, concerning the historical and contemporary concept of citizenship, civic identity, civil society.

Keywords: conference, citizen, civic identity, civil society.

JEL Codes: Y9

DOI: doi.org/10.34765/sp.0124.a03