Instytut Nauk Ekonomicznych

A growing literature examines whether the poor, the working class, and people of color are disproportionately likely to live in environmentally hazardous neighborhoods. This literature assumes that environmental characteristics such as industrial pollution and hazardous waste are detrimental to human health, an assumption that has not been well tested. Drawing upon the sociology of mental health and environmental inequality studies, we ask whether industrial activity has an impact on psychological well-being. We link individual-level survey data with data from the US. Census and the Toxic Release Inventory and find that residential proximity to industrial activity has a negative impact on mental health. This impact is both direct and mediated by individuals' perceptions of neighborhood disorder and personal powerlessness, and the impact is greater for minorities and the poor than it is for whites and wealthier individuals. These results suggest that public health officials need to take seriously the mental health impacts of living near industrial facilities.

Abstract The present study is a cross‐cultural comparison of risk perception. A psychometric approach has been followed in order to examine quantitative risk judgments of different hazards and the ratings of these same hazards on various risk‐characteristic scales. A list of hazards was used that is comparable with other samples (American, Hungarian, Norwegian), but a certain number of hazards of an entirely different kind were added (e.g. social tensions, shortages of consumer goods) because these are important today for Polish society. In spite of the different list of hazards, the basic factor structure of risk perception turned out to be essentially the same as the structure found in other studies. There was considerable agreement in risk perceptions in the Polish and American samples. We also discovered a number of idiosyncratic qualities of risk perception in Poland, generally indicating the importance of the availability heuristic.

Although there are few studies of the sexual life of coccinellids these phenomena have attracted the interest of isolated groups of coccinellidologists. Probably the most important finding is that at least some coccinellid species (Adalia bipunctata and Harmonia axyridis) do not mate at random with the females prefering certain males. This phenomenon was first observed in Adalia bipunctata by Lusis and then studied in detail by Majerus, O'Donald, de Jong and others. In Japan, Harmonia axyridis was similarly studied by Osawa and Ueno. While the former author found that in this species (as in A. bipunctata) the colour of the elytra is most important in mate choice by females, the latter stresses that size and activity are important. Sperm competition is another interesting phenomenon, most often the sperm of the last male fertilizes the eggs (Ueno, Katakura). Obata and Hidaka have contributed in an important way to elucidating the function of the spermatophore in mating. The studies by Hodek and Ceryngier recorded the maturation and regression of testicular follicles and the relation of mating activity to diapause in four coccinellid species. In contrast to females, where induction of diapause prevents maturation of ovaries, in diapausing males the tissue of testicular follicles remains active until the temperatures decrease in late autumn. Dissection of spermathecae revealed principal difference in autumn mating activity between Coccinella septempunctata, in which 40-60% of the beetles mated before hibernation and Ceratomegilla (syn. Semiadalia) undecimnotata, which does not mate in autumn.

We construct the first consistent series on the long-term distribution of income in Poland by combining tax, household survey and national accounts data. We document a U-shaped evolution of inequalities from the end of the nineteenth century until today: (1) inequality was high before WWII; (2) abruptly fell after the introduction of communism in 1947 and stagnated at low levels during the whole communist period; (3) experienced a sharp rise with the return to capitalism in 1989. We find that official survey-based measures strongly under-estimate the rise in inequality since 1989. Our results highlight the prominent role of capital income in driving the U-shaped evolution of top income shares. The unique inequality history of Poland speaks to the central role of institutions and policies in shaping inequality in the long run. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10887-021-09190-1.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of corporate governance, as measured by the Corporate Governance Index, on firm performance and dividend payouts during the financial crisis of 2008. Design/methodology/approach The empirical approach followed in the study involved constructing a comprehensive measure of corporate governance for 298 non-financial companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the years 2006-2010. Findings The results show that prior to the crisis, there was a positive association between corporate governance and performance as measured by Tobin’s q. Moreover, the study presents evidence that higher corporate governance leads to an increase in cash dividends. Amid the financial crisis, corporate governance was positively associated with a higher return on assets, yet this was not observed when measured by Tobin’s q. Additionally, during this period, better-governed companies paid dividends less generously than firms with lower corporate governance standards did. Originality/value The study provides new evidence on the impact of corporate governance on firm performance and valuation in an emerging market during the financial crisis. Moreover, the study shows that governance mechanisms operate differently in crisis and non-crisis periods.

This study aimed to provide new evidence linking internal corporate governance mechanisms and corporate misconduct by using a sample of 2,844 public US companies during the period 2007–2019. The results revealed that the optimal size and diversity of boards, including well-functioning audit committees, are negatively correlated with corporate violations. By contrast, it was shown that board members’ independence, activity, and ownership are positively correlated with a firm’s fraudulent activities. Therefore, not all internal governance mechanisms are related to reduced corporate misconduct. Moreover, the study shows that some internal governance mechanisms, such as the share of female board members, mitigate certain types of corporate misconduct.

Porównano wielkość areału samców i samic w różnym wieku w populacji nornicy, Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780) w sytuacji, gdy populacja żywiła się naturalną bazą pokarmową (rok 1967) i gdy bazę tę zwiększono (rok 1973) przez stałe dokarmianie zwierząt owsem. Populacja zamieszkiwała wyspę o powierzchni 4 ha, porośniętą lasem.

Son yllarda, Trkiye'nin makroekonomik sorunlarnn banda cari ak gelmektedir

This aim of this article is to identify unusual strategic-management matters in times of crisis. The research scope is strategic management processes, the characteristics of the processes and methods of strategic crisis management. The study reports research on the contemporary state of strategic crisis-management problems and provides an analysis of some theoretical and methodological principles. The analysis includes a classification of the main problems which must be solved for efficient, strategic, crisis management. The article indicates strategic and tactical management methods used by corporations and raises questions about the functional distribution of strategic management within relevant authorities; it makes practical recommendations for the functional realization of strategic management goals at all stages of a crisis; it identifies the responsible supervisory entities and the main results of strategic management. The range of problems of the subsystems of strategic management in a crisis period is researched; a basic set of strategic competences of the management authorities is found; and the functional distribution of strategic management in crisis conditions is shown. The suggested mechanism for strategic management in crisis situations is the instrument for the prevention and liquidation of crisis phenomena; it increases the efficiency of the adoption and realization of strategic plans to counter crises. Using planned scenarios and mechanisms to run corporations during a crisis may provide the opportunity to maintain strict governance of the actions of corporate top management and to identify the main tasks for neutralizing crisis events as they develop during the crisis situation. Quick and effective implementation of the set tasks during a crisis will help a corporation to increase the efficiency of its anti-crisis measures.

We use a unique firm-level survey dataset that draws from the EFIGE (European Firms in a Global Economy) questionnaire to unveil differences in factors driving export performance in the most structurally diverse areas of Poland. While conventional results regarding the role of size, foreign ownership and innovation activity are confirmed at the aggregate level, the picture breaks down when Western and Eastern macroregions are extracted. Our results suggest that the common perception of a more developed West (Poland ‘A’) and a backward East (Poland ‘B’) might be outdated. Rather, firms in both regions seem to follow distinct strategies for and have dissimilar success factors in competing internationally. Interestingly, export performance in the East is found to benefit from family ties in business, but also from product innovation and non-price competitiveness. In the West, it is associated mostly with size and foreign ownership. Overall, our results, on the one hand, add support to the ‘new’ new trade theory and the ‘new’ new economic geography’s premises related to the importance of microeconomic factors and, on the other, contribute to the discussion on the pattern of regional development in Poland. We also discuss some implications for policymakers and managers and suggest directions for further research.

Przedmiotem artykułu jest zbadanie występowania konwergencji regionalnej w Polsce w odniesieniu do PKB na mieszkańca. Analiza przeprowadzona została dla okresu 1995–2005 na poziomie województw (NUTS 2), podregionów (klasyfikacja NUTS 3) oraz w ramach województw. Przez konwergencję rozumiane jest zmniejszanie się różnic między regionami pod względem poziomu dochodu. Zjawisko przeciwne nazywane jest dywergencją. W pracy zastosowana została metoda umożliwiająca analizę dynamiki pełnego rozkładu względnego dochodu per capita, zaproponowana przez Quaha (1993, 1996a, 1996b). Polega ona na estymacji macierzy przejścia zapożyczonych z procesów Markowa oraz wykorzystaniu nieparametrycznych estymatorów jądrowych warunkowej funkcji gęstości dla rozkładu względnego PKB na mieszkańca w kolejnych latach. Jest to metoda umożliwiająca weryfikację hipotezy o występowaniu konwergencji klubów, co nie jest możliwe przy zastosowaniu metodologii klasycznej (Barro, Sala-i-Martin 2003). Zauważalna jest silna stabilność rozkładu dochodu i brak występowania konwergencji bezwarunkowej zarówno między województwami, jak i między podregionami. I województwa, i podregiony generalnie względnie ubożały za sprawą szybszego niż przeciętny rozwoju najbogatszych województw (mazowieckie) czy podregionów (duże miasta, głównie Warszawa i Poznań). Z różnicowanie pod względem relatywnego PKB na mieszkańca rośnie w czasie zarówno dla województw, jak i podregionów. Wzorcem konwergencji, jaki daje się zaobserwować tak na poziomie NUTS 2, jak i NUTS 3, jest konwergencja klubów (polaryzacja) – regiony względnie najbiedniejsze i osobno względnie najbogatsze upodabniają się do siebie i zbiegają do różnych poziomów dochodu. Analizie poddano też występowanie konwergencji podregionów wewnątrz województw – tu również jedynym obserwowanym wzorcem konwergencji jest konwergencja klubów.

This study provides the first critical and systematic investigation of the literature on Means-End Chain theory after the ground-breaking book “Understanding Consumer Decision Making: The Means-End Approach to Marketing and Advertising Strategy” by Olson and Reynolds (2001). The sample of 157 articles published in the Science Direct, Emerald, and Wiley databases was investigated. The period covers scientific literature published from 2001 to 2018. The paper shows the main theoretical concepts, methodological approaches, research problems, and findings. The results of the literature review demonstrate that the Means-End Chain theory is an evolving area of research and is gaining importance in academia and management. Some important gaps in the knowledge of theoretical and methodological levels were identified, and the most important directions for further studies were proposed

Przeprowadzono próbę porównania trzech sposobów inwentaryzacji liczebności jeleni, sarn i dzików, mianowicie: próbnych pędzeń, tropienia wokół przepędzanych powierzchni i liczenia tropów na tranzekcie.

Artykuł stanowi zaproszenie do dyskusji nad epistemologicznymi i aksjologicznymi założeniami metody biograficznej, a szerzej – socjologii interpretatywnej. Najpierw zarysowana jest przemiana funkcji (Funktionswandel, termin Karla Mannheima), jakiej doznały niektóre idee interpretatywne w ostatnich dziesięcioleciach w związku z włączeniem ich do socjologii głównego nurtu: od krytyki (w Foucaultowskim sensie tego słowa) dotyczącej władzy dyscyplinarnej do braku krytycyzmu wobec rządomyślności. W tym kontekście omawiana jest sytuacja metody biograficznej. Następnie przedstawiane są wątpliwości wobec metody biograficznej z punktu widzenia dwóch wariantów antyesencjalizmu (Erving Goffman, Michel Foucault). Konkluzją jest postulat powrotu socjologii interpretatywnej i metody biograficznej do postawy krytycznej, tym razem wobec rządomyślności.

Increasing material use efficiency is important to mitigate future supply risks and minimize environmental impacts associated with the production of the materials. The policy mix presented in this paper aims to contribute to reducing the use of virgin metals in the EU by 80% by 2050 without significant shifting of burdens to other material resources, environmental impacts, or parts of the world. We used a heuristic framework and a systems perspective for designing the policy mix that combines primary instruments designed to increase material efficiency, recycling and substitution of materials (a materials tax, the extended producer responsibility, technical regulations, and environmental taxes) and supportive instruments aimed to reduce barriers to implementing the primary instruments and to contribute towards the policy objectives (e.g., research and development support, and advanced recycling centers). Furthermore, instruments were designed so as to increase political feasibility: e.g., taxes were gradually increased as part of a green fiscal reform, and border-tax adjustments were introduced to reduce impacts on competitiveness. However, even in such a policy mix design ongoing ex-ante assessments indicate that the policy mix will be politically difficult to implement—and also fall short of achieving the 80% reduction target. Nonetheless, we suggest combining primary and supportive instruments into coherent and dynamic policy mixes as a promising step towards system reconfigurations for sustainability.

This study examines the relationship between family firms and carbon emissions using a large cross-country dataset of 6600 non-financial firms over the period 2010–2019. We find that family firms emit less carbon than non-family firms, especially after the Paris Agreement. Several factors contribute to this outcome, including governance structure, the degree of family control, R&D spending, and the issuance of green patents. Our study also shows that despite lower carbon emissions, family firms have lower environmental scores, primarily due to their reduced public commitment to emission reduction. Both environmental scores and carbon emissions increase when non-family CEOs are appointed and when family ownership decreases, indicating that agency conflicts may influence these outcomes.

Badania przeprowadzono w 83 populacjach myszy laboratoryjnych hodowanych w drewnianych klatkach w ciągu pięciu miesięcy. Populacje te założono w gradiencie liczby osobników od 20 do 220. Wodę i pokarm podawano w nadmiarze. Dla każdej populacji oceniono liczbę noworodków trzema sposobami przez: 1) Zsumowanie liczby noworodków zarejestrowanych w kolejnych dniach; 2) Uzupełnienie uzyskanej liczby noworodków o szacowaną liczbę osobników padłych od momentu urodzenia od pierwszej rejestracji; 3) Przemnożenie liczby ciąż zakończonych porodem razy średnia wielkość miotu.

Bison and Cattle

Leptin is a hormone secreted primarily by adipose tissue and its blood levels depend on the amount of fat stored in adipocytes. Leptin has a wide range of physiological effects. Acting directly or through the sympathetic nervous system it participates in the regulation of energy metabolism. Leptin inhibits synthesis of triacylglycerols in the liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscles, thus reducing the intracellular lipid content in these tissues. In adipocytes, leptin down-regulates the expression of genes encoding fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the major enzymes of fatty acid synthesis, while it up-regulates the expression of the hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) encoding gene, thus stimulating hydrolysis of triacylglycerols in adipose tissue. Moreover, leptin enhances fatty acid oxidation in adipocytes, and skeletal and cardiac muscle by increasing the expression of genes encoding key enzymes involved in this process, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD). It has also been demonstrated that this hormone improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance by stimulating glucose transport and metabolism in many tissues. It is known that leptin is involved in the long-term regulation of food intake. However, increasing evidence suggests that it may also influence energy substrate utilization in peripheral tissues. Therefore, leptin can effectively control whole-body energy homeostasis by altering lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, especially in adipose tissue and muscles.

Following the new strand in the new trade theory literature focusing on firm heterogeneity in this paper we investigate the determinants of firms’ export performance in three Baltic states and four Central European countries (CECs). We start by estimating probit regressions for the pooled datasets that include these two groups of countries and then we disaggregate the samples into particular countries. The study covers Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia and is based on BEEPS firm-level data collected for three years: 2002, 2005 and 2009. Our estimation results obtained for the Baltic and CECs indicate that the probability of exporting is positively related to the level of productivity, firm size, the share of university graduates in productive employment and the internationalization of firms. The results obtained for the two groups of countries are not statistically different, while results for particular countries reveal some degree of heterogeneity.