EN
There are presented in the article the findings of empirical studies made in foreign-owned small firms. These firms constitute in Poland a qualitatively new type of economic units, and hence it seemed interesting to find out to what degree they are able to safeguard the accomplishment of their main goal - profit maximization in conditions of the socialist system. One of the most significant factors determining profit maximization are prices. Hence, the studies were focussed on the analysis of the level of prices, causes and directions of their changes, and the scope of influence exerted by prices on the current and long-term activity of companies.