The issue of business ethics and corporate social responsibility continues to be widely discussed in the world literature, and is still actual because of the emerging scandals related to the large corporation’s activities. According to the author, in the Central and Eastern Europe post-communist countries one finds examples of almost all aspects of unethical behavior and practices, and which still require from the business, state administration at different levels, and society appropriate actions. The article includes a retrospective analysis of this phenomenon.
Innovation is an essential factor in the growth and long-term development of businesses, national economies and integration groups. The aim of the article is to highlight the importance of innovation for countries transforming their economic system. A good example is the Visegrad Group, which includes four countries with a level of economic development and similar potential for innovation. The key factors influencing the innovativeness of the analyzed economies were identified. The author stresses the special role of the accession of V4 into the EU in overcoming the difficulties and the main obstacles in the process of systemic transformation.
The research of contemporary theory of educational change development by Ukrainian authors and its place in pedagogical science are highlighted in the article, the role of Ukrainian reformology in the national educational changes strategies’ evolution is identified, the main directions of research and experimental activity in Ukraine in the educational changes context are characterized. It is proved that systemic analysis of foreign educational change theory is presented in the works by Ukrainian researches. The conceptual issues of foreign educational change theory as well as the ideas of Ukrainian reformers constitute the foundation of national education development strategy. It is revealed that scientific rationalism and axiological approaches prevail in the activity of modern strategies for educational changes in Ukraine. Research and experimental activity as a basis for productive internal change in the experience of organization is recognized a primary requirement that ensures effectiveness of Ukrainian educational changes strategies. It is concluded that educational change in Ukraine followed the development of the native reformology and pedagogical innovation. In the works of Ukrainian researchers is presented a systematic analysis of the theory of foreign educational changes which is made by the adaptation of the basic assumptions of the theory to the Ukrainian realities. The provisions of the foreign theories of educational change, ideas of native reformologists are the basis of formation of national strategies for educational development. The advantage of scientific rationality and axiological approach in the formation of modern strategies of educational change in Ukraine is revealed Experimental and research activity (first of all innovative) as the basis of productive efficiency of internal changes in the organization is recognized as a priority condition of effectiveness of the national strategies of educational change. The main form of experimental research activities in Ukraine are innovative educational projects whose implementation takes place at national, regional, institutional levels.
China’s economic transformation process, which started in 1978 under the banner of the Four Modernizations, is the deepest transformation in the long history of this country. The Communist Party of China carries out modernization in some areas, while limiting changes in others. Economic development has been undoubtedly impressive, but also unbalanced. It created problems such as inequality and social contrasts between urban and rural areas, as well as between coast and interior provinces, the division of the society into different categories of citizens, and corruption. There is also the question about the relationship between economic development and democratization. The article is an introduction to explain these phenomena.
The accession of the group of eight post-communist Central and Eastern European mem- ber states who joined in 2004 marked a historic watershed in the development of the European Union. The subsequent enlargements in 2004 represented the biggest expansion of the EU’s membership base since the beginning of the institutionalised process of insti- tutional European integration after the end of WW2. Even more importantly however, it constituted the official end of more than four decades in which the European continent had been artificially divided into two ideological and military blocs by the Cold War. This article concentrates on the 2004 enlargement and analyses how the CEE-8 group has integrated into the EU’s institutional and policy acquis over the past decade. In this respect the impact of the global financial crisis of 2008–09 represents a major challenge for the countries of the region in their ongoing political, economic and social transforma- tion since the fall of communism. The paper examines to what extent the CEE countries have managed to tackle the multiple challenges of the post-communist transition and which factors have determined their status as predominantly passive policy-takers. Special emphasis is put on the impact of the 2008–09 global financial crisis, which poses the risk of backsliding the CEE’s domestic political and economic transition process and growing alienation from the increasingly complex new coordinative EU policy mechanisms. The article also considers the potential future role of the semi-institutionalised cooperation amongst the Visegrád 4 group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) in effec- tively promoting the interests of the wider CEE region in the EU. The main challenge in this respect lies in the persistent diversity of national interests and varying levels of com- mitment towards transnational cooperation amongst the V4 and the wider CEE group. This especially applies to the regional leader Poland, which has been torn between the ambition to intensify regional cooperation and the desire to become a leading player in the EU alongside France and Germany.
Artykuł omawia transformację systemu logistycznego bułgarskiej armii począwszy od zmian w 1991 roku, przedstawiając historyczną analizę rozwoju tego systemu. Opierając się na podejściu systemowym, autor opisuje reformy, które zostały wdrożone w zarządzającym oraz wykonawczym podsystemie logistycznego systemu Bułgarskich Sił Zbrojnych oraz prezentuje obecny stan rozwoju tego systemu. Koncentrując się na działaniach związanych ze wsparciem udzielanym przez państwa-gospodarzy, autor prezentuje udoskonalenia struktur logistycznych na trzech poziomach rządzenia oraz działania jednostek logistycznych mające na celu realizacje zadań w formatach zarówno narodowym, jak i koalicyjnym.
The author puts forward the thesis that fertility rate and demographic stability of Polish society may constitute an objective moral quality test of the transformation in Poland after the year 1989. Considering the role of any given young generation in securing continuity of national history and a nation's sense of community as well as that of the mainstay of their native national culture, he tries to demonstrate that the moral quality of the executed transformations manifests itself in the shape of social and demographic policies.
The transformation of the Estonian press began in the late eighties of the 20th century. There is quite a large discrepancy in the dates of the end of this process which could be explained by the fact that the formation of the newspaper market in Estonia started in 1994. However, the events of the early 21st century showed that the formation of new structures was an extremely laborious and very long process. Undoubtedly, the success of the transformation process was the emergence of the Estonian media already in the initial stage of private radio and television stations as well as local private radio stations. The transformation of the political system, which took place in Estonia, did not lead to a rapid loss of leadership of public television – Eesti TV. Eesti TV had remained the market leader in the electronic press until 1999 and in 2001 it lost its position to the most popular TV in Estonia, the commercial station TV3, which had existed since 1996. The article describes the changes that occurred in the public media in this neuralgic period.
The purpose of the paper is to present scenarios for the development of Polish social policy over the next decades. We are considering three such scenarios. The first one foresees the continuation of the concentration of social policy on its adaptation to current challenges specific to Poland. The second scenario assumes a gradual change of priorities for external challenges related to globalization processes, changes in the structure of developed countries’ economies, as well as technological progress and the construction of a knowledge-based economy. The final scenario is an attempt to answer the question of what the shape of the welfare state will be depending on different ways of responding to the challenges that will be ahead of it and on the goals that can be achieved at that time. The scenarios presented by us are not of a prognostic nature, they are rather subjective reflections on probable development trends in the area of social policy.
The paper reflects the historical and current dynamism of the concept of intimacy. Besides differences between scientific disciplines in understanding what the substance of intimacy is, the recent discourse on change in intimacy has been dominated by the transformation theme introduced by Anthony Giddens (1992). Led by reflections of Richard Sennett (1986) the author draws attention to the opposite aspect of change in intimacy-the change in content, or the "transmutation" of intimacy. Transmutation of intimacy-the substitution of the satisfaction of intimate needs with identity creation-not only contests the very essence of intimacy, but also constitutes a significant challenge for the project of intimate citizenship (Plummer 2003).
This paper investigates the long-term problems of capital accumulation in the context of centre and periphery and dependency models, the systemic and geo-economic features of the integration of post-socialist transition countries in the context of dependent market economy (DME) model characterized by high dependency on foreign direct investment channelled by foreign MNCs into the CEE and the restructuring of the centres in Central and Eastern Europe. It argues that the global economic crisis has been exposed the systemic vulnerability of the post-socialist neo-liberal transition model characterized by foreign investment-led growth which is failed to generate domestic capital accumulation and decrease the relative development gap between the ‘old’ and ‘new’ EU members. We would like to use the principles of geoeconomics in order to analyse the Central and Eastern European region and the role of the Foregin Direct Investment and its special role in financial sector in transformation and the question of the problem of Central and Eastern European financial centres focusing on the position of Warsaw.
The economic transition took place in the Central and Eastern European region almost at the same time. The reasons and the process of economic transition are similar. However, the Hungarian case had a special importance in the change of the regime, as it was followed by a political transformation. The New Economic Mechanism from 1968 brought irreversible changes in macroeconomy and in the attitude towards enterpreneurship. The reforms were stopped because of several reasons. However, the spirit survived. While focusing on the transformation, it is also essential to examine the historical and political background of Hungary to answer the question whether the socialist economy can be can be considered a “detour” or “impasse”. Using the different statistical data about the Hungarian convergency towards the developed Western European region, it can be said that the relative backwardness is rooted in the historical past and apart from the fact that several efforts were carried out in order to reduce or at least to stop the growing differences, these attempts failed partly because of several inappropriate political decisions.
The main goal of the article is an attempt to outline an analytical tool that would systematize considerations of the possible variants of the development of the European Union as a result of a coincidence of internal and external circumstances. Prospects of further progress, stop, and fall of integration, impacts of the proceedings of Russia and changes in the broader international environment are taken into account. For this purpose an approach developed by the influential mainstream research, called the Copenhagen school, has been implemented: the theory of security complexes.
Basing on official statistical data, the article presents changes in R&D taking place in Poland in 1975-2009. In 1975 the Polish centrally-planned economy held a strong position in Europe, especially if we measure it by the number of scientific and technical staff employed in research and development. After transition to a market economy, the level of employment in R&D continually decreased and in 2009 reached 40% of the level from 1975. At the same time, the European Union experienced growth of employment in R&D; for example in Spain R&D employment grew 17-fold (by 1688%).Poland will need to increase its innovativeness in order to effectively compete in the global economy.
It is the individualistic approach which prevails in previous analysis of the problem of ethics in economy. The problem of the ethical attitude concerns individuals, business people, managers, politicians and economists. The publications about business ethics lack analysis of system circumstances in which individuals and companies act. If capitalism is just the power of capital owners over workers and if, according to Schumpeter, it is “the civilization of inequality and of the family fortune”, than it can be easily judged as a system of predominantly unethical tendencies. Nevertheless, it is worth raising questions about ethical character of various types of capitalism. Participation capitalism is one which ensures (nearly) full employment, a social minimum wage for everyone and the real power of society including workers’ participation in decision processes. The structural conditions of such capitalism force and even encourage ethical behaviour. The capitalism of the protective state was founded by J.M. Keynes, W. Beveridge and Will Hutton with his stakeholder capitalism. Many European countries approach this standard of capitalism. Predacious capitalism (turbo-capitalism) is a maximum-profit-oriented capitalism with no regard to social costs. The nearest example is the post-Reagan American capitalism. Polish capitalism fails to pass muster even in regard to the liberal capitalism.
Bagnoli, a neighbourhood on the west outskirts of Naples, has been a typical industrial and working class area for more than eighty years, having put up an important factory district in a wide territory belonging to its seaside zone, where the Ilva-Italsider building, third steel industry centre in Italy, dominated. Since 1993 this huge factory has been definitely closed and its facilities have been phased out. So the large territory has become object of an important conversion and urban requalification project. Between 1995, when the variant Regulation Plan of Naples Municipality was introduced, and 2005, when the Executive Urban Plan was approved, this project has been developing and completing, defining the future of the ex industrial area, according some privileged lines: enhancement of natural and landscape aspects inside the heart of Pozzuoli gulf; recovery and development of the original touristic vocation through the thermal system and bathing restoration. This project opens towards great expectations of transformation and improvement of life and environment quality both for the inhabitants who live there in the neighbourhood and for the whole city. At the same time it has happened a speculation phenomenon through the sale contract concerning buildings and flats by the realties, together with the transfer of many historical inhabitants and the arrival of new people in the neighbourhood. They are attracted by the changing prospective of the area, but they have no relation with the zone and its history. So, during the last twenty years, the neighbourhood identity has been modified. Contemporarily, the soils draining proceeds slowly and among thousands difficulties, while the sea bottom draining isn’t active yet. Today, most of the area is under seizure by judiciary, that found irregularities and defaults in the draining works, realized only for the 65%. The future imagined in the conversion project results, in this way, largely compromised. In this research work we intend to verify how a particular physical-spatial dimension has influenced the social relations and the same identities of the people and their “community”, how we can delineate the perception and the performance of a urban transformation largely failed, and which contribution the citizens of Bagnoli can give to the urban design through their own imaginary and meanings they ascribe to their environment (Lynch 1960). In this sense, the study aim at giving a contribution to the participative practice, that up to now is out of the transition dynamics.
In this article we propose an extended approach in terms of Cognitive Pragmatics (CP) to the explanation of the development of the higher cognitive processes. Therefore, we explain in terms of CP how linguistic and pre-linguistic social practices shape the mind. CP, as we understand it here presents a broader transdisciplinary position covering developmental psychology, primatology, comparative psychology, cultural psychology, anthropology and philosophy. We present an argumentation for the thesis that CP provides an explanation to the origins and developmental mechanisms of some of higher mental functions unique to humans. Thus, we want to extend the notion of CP beyond its standard definition by emphasizing the transformative component of communicative acts. In our approach, CP first and foremost examines the cognitive mechanisms underlying social pre-linguistic and linguistic communication. Secondly, it explores how this communication reorganizes and transforms cognitive abilities and processes. We would like to extend the tasks of CP as well, because its goal is to not only describe cognitive processes that enable communication, but also to explain the social mechanisms of transformation of mind and cognition. We provide an example of said mechanisms of development of higher cognitive functions through the account of metacognition.
Sometimes you may judge the book by its cover. Those familiar with the works of Guglielmo Meardi know very well that his name as the author usually signals a controversial, if not a provocative content. Italian-born Meardi, who currently is the Head of prestigious Industrial Relations Research Unit at the Warwick Business School, has been covering developments in the field of work and employment relations in Europe for more than two decades, paying special attention to transformations of that field in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). He pioneered field research in the Polish a# liates of multinational corporations. In $%%$ Meardi stepped forward with a thesis that fuzziness, disorganization and hybridity of Polish industrial relations make our country look like an ‘American Trojan horse (Meardi 2002), posing a threat to the foundations of European Social Model. Ten years later the Author does not hesitate to formulate even more acute diagnosis, writing openly about EU’s lack of capability to maintain the social dimension of European integration after the 2004-2007 enlargement. In his book Meardi claims that the accession of post-communist countries to the EU produced a convenient excuse for undermining the idea of the intrinsic nature of work as a value, which should not be assessed only from a market perspective, as either profitable or not. What happened in the New Member States (NMS) from the CEE after the accession, serves as the evidence.
Ten years after the publication of 'Illusory Corporatism in Eastern Europe', the author re-examines his claim that tripartite arrangements introduced in the region after 1989 served chiefly as a façade for introducing neoliberal policies undermining labour interests. He finds that tripartism still produces meagre results, and that most of what labour has gained has come from better organisation, smarter use of resources, and increased militancy, not from tripartism. While 'illusory corporatism' is sustained in Eastern Europe, it is advancing elsewhere in the world. He looks at Latin America and Asia, which resemble 1990s Eastern Europe, as governments introduce tripartism at crisis moments in order to win labour commitments to cutbacks. As for Western Europe, where many scholars have seen an advancement of corporatism because of the signing of pacts in countries where the traditional preconditions were lacking, the author argues that this corporatism is 'illusory' because pacts are made to secure labour's acceptance to the corrosion of union power and a decline in labour conditions. Standards of corporatism have been systematically ratcheted down. Many scholars see 'corporatism' wherever agreements are signed, whereas an outcome-based approach, proposed by the author in his original article, leads to a characterization of 'illusory corporatism'.
This paper attempts to characterise various cultural landscapes in the area of Eąuatorial Africa. To achieve this, the contents of various thematic maps and satellite photos representing: areas covered with forests (mostly secondary forests), naturę reserves, areas of extensive and intensive agriculture and urban-industrial areas were overlaid with the contents of map of potential vegetation (which represent, to use a simplification, the natural, primeval landscape). The method applied allowed for distinguishing five types of cultural landscape that correspond to five levels of transformation of the primeval landscape. The resulting map shows a mosaic-like structure of landscapes. This structure changes constantly. The surface area of regions with a certain landscape type increases or decreases, or else the regions change their locations. A detailed analysis of socio-economic processes (and the related changes in the natural environment) can constitute a basis for a prediction of cultural landscape transformation. It is the author's opinion that such prediction could be applied in various planning projects.
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