Search

The impact of the war in Ukraine and migration has affected the ecommerce markets of the recipient countries, presenting both opportunities, in the form of an increased consumer base, and challenges, such as the lack of a clear development vision. This paper aims to investigate the influence of migration processes on the development of e-commerce in Poland and examine the feasibility of using forecasting methods by e-commerce companies under these conditions for future activity planning. To fulfill the research objective, the following tasks were addressed: investigating the current state of e-commerce development influenced by migration processes; exploring modern migration processes and their impact on global economies; assessing the impact of migration from Ukraine on the Polish market; and analyzing a Polish online store to develop a model for forecasting data and planning activities under the influence of migration processes. To achieve this goal, three models were constructed: a multiple regression model to assess the level of migration processes' influence on e-commerce; a neural network to forecast sales for a Polish e-commerce store; and cluster analysis to identify clusters of goods most affected by migration processes. The study analyzed the nuances of modern migration processes and assessed the reverse effect of migration as a driver of e-commerce development. Migration stimulates e-commerce by altering consumer behavior and logistics routes, increasing exports and imports, and fostering the spread of digital entrepreneurship. Using data from a Polish online store, the study modeled the impact of market changes on the company's operations and identified the most significant factors. Thus, the analysis explored the impact of migration on ebusiness in Poland through constructed models. Regression analysis revealed that migration processes have contributed to the development of the Polish online store's sales, thanks to the increase in migrant consumers and rising price levels. A neural network was developed with machine learning, incorporating macroeconomic and demographic factors into its forecasting typology. Cluster analysis was employed to examine the online store's assortment, identifying clusters by sales volume and migrants' influence. The analysis determined that, following the onset of the migration movement, categories experiencing a surge in demand from refugees, such as baby food products, appliances, telephones, furniture, and communication devices, saw the most significant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article emphasizes the fact that the perceived values, behaviour and attitude of consumers are among the key elements in the implementation of the electrification policy of the automotive industry in Europe. Customers' perception differs on several European markets. In Poland, single studies on a small research sample have been carried out so far. The main aim of the paper is to discover the perceived value and intention of adopting EVs by consumers in Poland. The perceived values were divided into functional and non-technical values. The analysis also took into account the socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics of potential buyers and their intentions to adopt EVs. The main data for this study's analysis was obtained from 3,129 respondents. Both the PAPI (Paper and Pen Personal Interview) and CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) research methods were used. The results show that internal factors influencing consumers' decisions to buy an EV (such as charging time, driving range, EV price) are more important than external factors (e.g., fuel prices, consumer characteristics, charging networks, social visibility, and social norms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scientific discourse on consumption, increasingly more attention is being paid to sustainable development. Regarding the fact that not only various types of enterprises, but also consumers contribute to the excessive consumption of natural resources, it is of crucial importance to reduce the knowledge gap in the field of sustainable consumer behavior and decision-making processes related to the choice of organic products. The paper aims to present the decision-making processes of Polish consumers of renewable energy against the background of other categories of ecological products. Special attention is paid to the extent in which the offer is adjusted to the needs of consumers of renewable energy in Poland, compared to other categories of ecological products. The paper also shows the perception of the consumer of ecological products by buyers of renewable energy and by people who do not buy ecological products. The paper is based on a literature review and the results of a quantitative empirical study. The quantitative research was performed on a nationwide sample of 1032 people, among whom 509 people bought an organic product in the last 3 months, and 523 people did not purchase such a product during this period. The analysis of the results allows us to conclude that in the case of renewable energy, factors such as price, quality and the producer's certification play a crucial role in the decision-making processes of Polish consumers. The hierarchy of criteria considered in the decision-making process related to the purchase of renewable energy and equipment enabling the use of renewable energy sources is quite similar to the one observed when purchasing electric cars. At the same time, it should be noted that almost every second person purchasing renewable energy compares many offers and spends a relatively long time contemplating their choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although European energy policy supports the reduction of energy consumption, the current economic and political situation in Poland and uncertainty related to the origin of energy sources do not support it. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify and assess the factors that affect the energy-saving behaviour of Polish consumers in the process of energy consumption. The research problem concerns the specificity of behaviours that are part of new trends in consumption, such as greening and the ethical dimension of consumption. The research question arises as to what the social responsibility of consumers is in the process of energy consumption. The research problem comes down to the question of factors that determine the behaviour of an individual consumer in the energy market. In order to realise the indicated purpose of the article, a conceptual research model was built and direct research was conducted using the research method, which was an online survey (CAWI). The research was run among 1422 individual consumers. After verifying 14 research hypotheses, it can be concluded that energy-saving behaviour is influenced in similar ways by a set of factors. In the paper there are findings which show that the generally understood energy-saving behaviour (Y1—at home and Y2—off-site) is influenced by the following factors: X1—energy-saving knowledge, X3—green consumer values, X5—social influence, X6—beliefs, and X7—consumer awareness. The specific mechanism of influence of each of the dominant factors is that the higher the intensity of these factors in consumer behaviour, the more actions are taken to save energy inside or outside the home. However, X2—energy-saving cost perception and X4—materialism presents this influence mechanism only for Y1—energy-saving behaviour at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study is two-fold: firstly, to identify the role of trust in the sharing economy; secondly, to identify the correlations between personal determinants such as age, gender, education level, place of residence and factors impacting the choice of sharing economy platform. Research Design & Methods: The mix methods were applied in the study. Firstly, the literature studies were used to recognise the theoretical background and the variables identification. Secondly, the pre-research study, applying the in-depth interviews, was conducted, and thirdly, the main primary empirical research was employed with the online survey as a main research method. Findings: There is a strong relationship between the activities of consumers in relation to sharing economy and trust. Trust becomes a fundamental issue in the so-called "the trend of sharing". Consumers identify trust as a key determinant of their participation in the sharing economy and likewise the main limitation in case of their deeper involvement in the sharing process. The more credible and trustworthy an enterprise is, the more willingly consumers are able to take advantage of its intermediation. When analysing consumer decisions in relation to independent variables, such as age, gender, place of residence and education level, a lack of statistically significant correlations between the variables and the factors influencing the choice of the appropriate platform was noticed. Only two pairs of variables showed statistically significant negative correlations: age and credibility of the sharing economy platform as well as education level and number of stars. Implications & Recommendations: Research broadens knowledge about the sharing economy and allows to better understand the behaviour of active consumers of the sharing economy. The results may be useful for sharing economy companies and platforms. Contribution & Value Added: The analysis presented in the paper expands knowledge about the significance of trust and other factors influencing the choice of platforms in sharing economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The results presented in this paper provide a reference point on the important determinants of honey consumption which can help honey marketers to promote consumer buying behaviour as well as provide doctors and nutritionists with arguments to encourage higher honey consumption by patients. Due to its sensory qualities and therapeutic properties, honey is a desirable dietary ingredient. Despite the growing interest in proper nutrition in developed countries, honey consumption in developed countries is relatively low. This is also true in Poland. Hence, research was undertaken to determine Polish consumers' behaviour with regard to honey, and its determinants, with particular emphasis on nutritional knowledge and health status. The relationships between the different aspects of consumer behaviour in the honey market and the demographic and economic characteristics of the respondents were verified using the Mann–Whitney U test for comparisons of non-dependent groups for variables on an interval scale. A multiple regression model was developed to examine the relationship between the respondents' nutritional knowledge and their honey-related behaviour, while the relationship between the respondents' health status and their behaviour towards honey was verified using a logistic regression model. Obtained results indicate that gender, age, education, and income differentiate consumers' behaviour with regard to honey. The level of nutritional knowledge had a moderate effect on variations in the respondents' behaviour. A better assessment of health status was associated with greater importance of nutritional-health motivators of honey consumption, while poorer health status determined a greater importance of such determinants as the place where honey is sold or its label attractiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Management Issues / Problemy Zarządzania is the property of Problemy Zarzadzania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Despite the fact that consumer behaviour in the organic foods market has been the subject of numerous studies in various countries around the world, little research has been devoted to the assessment of the importance of the altruistic behaviour of consumers who prefer a local origin of such food. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to determine the motives of organic food consumers for their interest in the local origin of food in the context of behaviour defined as either altruistic or egoistic. The study was carried out among 850 consumers of organic foods in Poland. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn's post hoc test were used for the analysis of empirical data. This study shows that the emphasis on the importance of the local origin of this kind of food by organic food consumers is related to their awareness of the needs of other people; specifically, this is demonstrated by these consumers taking into account the importance of caring for the natural environment in their purchasing decisions. Therefore, this is an example of altruistic behaviour which also fits into the concept of reflexive localism. It was further determined that this consumer group has a stronger and more robust relationship with the organic food market than the market's other members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify middle-class consumers' habits in four countries during the pandemic of 2020, with special attention to analogous consumers' reactions to extraordinary circumstances during the recession of 2008. Furthermore, this study tried to detect the impact of the pandemic on conscious shopping. Although the consequences of the ongoing pandemic were unforeseeable, the paper opened new avenues for further research on factors responsible for conscious consumption during the unprecedented externality and its significance on the middle-class consumers in culturally diverse markets. To achieve the aforementioned goals, between June and December 2020, computer-assisted web interviews (CAWI) based on pilot stage research were conducted to answer the following questions: How did the pandemic influence the buyers' shopping habits in terms of conscious consumption? What were the reasons for the changes in shopping habits? What kind of consumer behaviors would middle-class buyers recommend to others? One general conclusion, inter alia, should be stressed remarkably: during the pandemic, irrespective of the cultural differences, the middle-class consumers' behaviors did not vary significantly with regards to most of the investigated variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies that are applied in many areas of social and economic life, make the processes of creating, distributing and communicating value to customers continuously transform. It is also connected with redefining the roles performed by market entities, including producers, service providers, distributors and consumers. New technologies expand the possibilities of engaging the consumer in processes that have been conducted before only by companies. In this context, technology management is important. It translates into creating a spiral of values, in which what is possible in the field of new technologies will inspire what is indicated in the area of value management for the customer and vice versa. This is reflected in the concept of technological determinism, as well as in the ongoing changes in consumer behaviour and consumption virtualization. The aim of the paper is to present the scope of Internet applications in the processes of managing value for customers in Poland. The paper is based on literature studies and the results of a quantitative empirical study, which was performed on a sample of 156 companies operating on the Polish market. The research included people responsible for the use of the Internet in marketing or for maintaining contacts with customers with the use of new technologies. The analysis of the research results shows that the Internet is used to a greater extent to communicate and distribute value rather than to involve customers in its creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to identify selected predictors of food label use to extend our knowledge about consumer behavior related to food purchases. Two types of information were examined: front-of-package (FOP) and back-of-package (BOP), and two contexts of reading labels were distinguished: during shopping and at home. Various types of potential predictors were tested, including demographic (e.g., age, gender, household size, place of living), socioeconomic (e.g., education, professional activity, income), behavioral (e.g., purchasing certain types of products), and psychographic (e.g., importance attached to various types of information) criteria. The survey was conducted with the use of the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviews) methodology in a sample of 1051 Polish consumers. Quota sampling was applied based on sex, age, education, place of living (urban vs. rural), and region. Descriptive statistics, t -tests, ANOVAs, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple and retrograde step regressions were applied. In retrograde step regression models, only one predictor (self-rated knowledge about nutrition healthiness) turned out to be significant for all four measures of label reading. The remaining predictors were specific to selected measures of reading labels. The importance of the information about the content of fat and that about the health effects of consuming a food product were significant predictors of three types of food label use. This study confirms the necessity to investigate reading labels in fine-grained models, adapted to different types of labels and different contexts of reading. Our results show that demographic or socioeconomic variables are not significant predictors of reading food labels for a large group of Polish consumers.

This paper aims to identify selected antecedents of the importance attached to salt content information (ISCI) placed on food labels, on the basis of a representative survey of 1051 Polish consumers. The study was conducted with the use of the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviews) method in 2018. Quota sampling was applied with reference to the following five criteria: sex, age, education, place of living (urban and rural areas), and region. In a multiple regression model, ISCI depends on the respondent's: sex, age, evaluation of the quantity of nutrition claims, importance attached to nutrition claims, willingness to pay a price premium for products with nutrition claims, attention paid to health and nutrition claims, agreeing with the opinion that unreliable nutrition claims are a serious problem, evaluation of healthiness of one's diet, self-rated knowledge about healthy nutrition, buying organic food, and reading front-of-package (FOP) labels during and after the purchase. The strongest effects on the importance attached to salt content information on the food packaging were displayed by the importance of nutrition claims, attention paid to nutrition and health claims, respondent's age, FOP label reading at home, and agreeing that the use of unreliable nutrition claims is a serious problem., Competing Interests: The author declares no conflict of interest. The funder had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Research background: One of the main ways companies gain and maintain a competitive advantage in many markets is to introduce product innovations. The degree of their acceptance by consumers is determined by many factors, among which the level of consumer innovativeness is of great importance. The paper presents the results of a study on consumer innovativeness of the adult inhabitants of the Poznań agglomeration. Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to recognize the relationship between consumer innovativeness and consumer's personal characteristics and to advance knowledge regarding consumer innovativeness. Research methodology: The research was carried out using the direct interview technique with the use of an interview questionnaire, on a sample of 795 adult inhabitants of the Poznań agglomeration. Results: The results show that there is a directly proportional relationship between consumer innovativeness and education or material status and an inversely proportional relationship between consumer innovativeness and age in the pro-innovative dimension. The results indicate that there are statistically significant differences in consumer innovativeness between groups based on respondents' personal characteristics – gender, age, level of education and material situation. The results however are ambiguous. Novelty: The novelty of the study is based on the verification of the relations between consumer innovativeness and their selected personal characteristics, with the example of Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/purpose - The main aim of the paper is to fill in the gap in the existing literature as well as to propose a set of specific family enterprises' (FE) attributes concerning certain socioeconomic conditions in Poland. The objectives of the article are interrelated with two theses. H1 assumes that in current literature there is a little attention paid to the demand side of the market, particularly to the individual consumers (including young buyers) and their attitudes toward FEs. H2 indicates that the perception of Polish FEs changes considerably reflecting the international trends. Design/methodology/approach - The authors studied a consolidated profound review of recent international and Polish publications on FEs. The expert interviews and in-depth individual interviews were conducted. Both empirical studies brought a preliminary insight into overall consumer perception of the FEs in Poland. Findings - For several years Polish buyers have been dynamically changing their mindset, breaking the stereotype of FEs' owners. Nowadays, tradition and quality are two attributes which are associated closely with Polish FEs. Customers indicate that FEs are trustworthy, responsible, solid and dependable. They also highlight the ethnocentric attitude toward these companies - Polishness. All these attributes are evidently appreciated. FEs are correlated with traditional industries and products, especially with groceries, cosmetics, clothes, shoes, jewelry, furniture, windows and doors. Research implications/limitations - The identity of FEs is not always communicated properly. Consumers often cannot ascertain a provenance of their offer as many FEs do not emphasize their family identity. Additionally, on the Polish market, consumers are occasionally misled considering the family ownership of a business. Originality/value/contribution - The studies indicate a set of attributes typical of Polish FEs underpinning their strong identity which should be explicitly conveyed to the public, with special regard to young consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the research was to study consumer decision-making and purchasing preferences when buying engine oils to reveal the presence of consumer preference heterogeneity. Research Design & Methods: Survey data were collected from Polish and Czech consumers by using a self-administered questionnaire. The main data analysis tools used in the study were the finite mixture models and semantic differential. Findings: Consumers do not constitute a single homogenous group. They cluster into four segments with differing importance profiles. The study found that the largest consumer segment, over one-third of consumers, consider the quality classification, viscosity classification, and OEM specification as the most important criteria during the decision-making process. Implications & Recommendations: As the largest extracted consumer segment includes drivers who are mainly guided by technical specification in the purchasing process, we recommend producers to put additional efforts to provide clearly visible technical specifications on the product label. Contribution & Value Added: The study fills an important gap regarding the lack of empirical research in the context of buying engine oils. The undertaken research indicates that the attention of future consumer research into brand attachment should be shifted from brand loyalty studies towards the study of brand familiarity. The paper presents very valuable model-based consumer segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the changing perceptions of dairy product quality among Polish consumers post-COVID-19. Topics include the impact of nutritional value and health-promoting ingredients on consumer choices, the role of marketing in shaping purchasing behavior, and the methodology of surveying consumer preferences across Poland.

The aim of the article is to present and analyze the deep transformations that have occurred in the retail trade of the FMCG in Poland after 1989. It presents the phase nature of the transformations of this market, which led to its current diversified structure. Both the development of domestic trade and the expansion of foreign trade corporations were taken into account. The content includes issues such as market diversification and concentration, development within particular formats and the phenomenon of convergence. The paper takes advantage of ongoing qualitative and quantitative research (since 2012) of the FMCG retail market in Poland by Kondej Marketing. The survey is based on aggregation and analysis of available secondary data, market observations and primary direct interviews. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of the demand factor on the development and shaping of the structure of this market. The influence of disposable income on the situation within the retail market of the FMCG industry was comprehensively presented. The preferences and purchasing behavior of Polish consumers, which are unique on a European scale, were also taken into account. This applies, in particular, to the attitude of smart shopping and the tendency to buy in stores located near buyers’ place of residence. The article presents the thesis that the purchasing preferences of Polish consumers have a significant impact on the development of the sector and its structure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Polish mainstream media have engaged in commenting on diverse economising urban practices including balcony gardening, street universities, barter systems, handicraft, food collectives and so forth. This paper explores the manner in which these practices are represented in the Polish popular press and online media stories, and how this can aid our understanding of Poland's contemporary consumer formations, especially concerning the relationship between past and present portrayed. Various interconnected reasons have been cited as a background for their current popularity, including a valued return to tradition, anti-consumerist sentiments, their fashionable status in Western capitalist economies, and the financial and social rewards they offer. Our analysis reveals complex ways in which 'traditional' and familiar domestic activities such as knitting, gardening, repairing, or popular social institutions from the past such as milk bars, are being recast as socially valuable and 'cool', and generally associated with visible, choice- and value-based practices of young, highly educated people with a high level of cultural capital. We explain this ongoing semiotic process by the concept of 'cultural translation' (Lotman, 1990), highlighting some of the tensions in the way popular media are implicated in a different valuation of identical practices, and thus in social change. We also reflect on the practice of cultural translation as experienced in the course of collaborating on this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vulnerability is an emerging topic in many different fields, but data protection and privacy discussions of vulnerability have rarely engaged with gender studies. This paper investigates the notion of the ‘vulnerable data subject’ from a gender perspective, to question whether gender should be regarded as factor of vulnerability at all, and, if yes, how. It also asks what do these reflections tell us about the (gendered or un-gendered) notion of ‘standard data subject’. Even though the term ‘vulnerable data subject’ is only incidentally mentioned in EU data protection law, and in the GDPR only referring explicitly to children, several Data Protection Authorities (e.g. in Spain and Poland) have considered “being female” as a potential source of data subject’s vulnerability (e.g. in case of consumers victims of sex-related crimes). The US privacy tort – as originally conceived – was built off gendered notions of female modesty, suggesting women were vulnerable, and connecting women’s privacy claims to the ‘wrong kind of privacy’. Looking at the history and foundations of privacy and data protection law, surface questions such as whether the ‘average data subject’ in privacy and data protection legislation is, by default, a man, and whether women might have to be regarded as vulnerable data subjects just because they are women. This article then looks into law and economics analysis of consumers’ behaviour, but also political philosophy and, in particular, gender studies, to observe an intellectual polarisation: on the one hand the universalist approach, according to which every human must be regarded as vulnerable, as otherwise vulnerability would be a stigmatising label; on the other hand the particularistic approach, according to which some subjects are more vulnerable than others (in particular, women are more vulnerable – i.e. subject to adverse effects – than men in many contexts: workplace, education, etc.). A third way might be the ‘layered’ theory of Luna, based on a contextual and relational (even situational) nature of vulnerability. This solution is compatible with the layered riskbased approach in the GDPR, but also with intersectional approaches in gender studies. This ‘third way’ might be also a cautious solution to the ambiguous and inconsistent treatment of vulnerability both in the European Union policies surrounding data protection law and in the EU data protection practice itself (considering, e.g. the ineffective protection of children). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of knowledge management and knowledge transfer/sharing occurred as a consequence of the process of transformation of traditional business relations into collaboration of industry, services and their partners, due to the fact that information has become production's resources, especially in net-product sectors (for example IT sector). The intellectual value (information, knowledge, innovation) is created by enterprises, their co-competitors (co-operators, competitors) and customers to satisfy target markets. The global, innovative firms have been using new tools to create relations based on knowledge-changing, because global customers are more exacting and they take decisions more knowingly. That is why knowledge sharing between producers and intermediaries is a crucial point for developing offers for customers. In the paper the following assumption has been made: knowledge sharing between IT leaders and intermediaries enables creating competitive offer for target market. The customers' satisfaction reflects the level of knowledge sharing between IT leaders and intermediaries. Observing activity of chain retailers selling IT product we can state, that the level is not very high. Also, the opinions of the customers buying in those retail chains show that the offer do not encourage them to make a purchase in the future. In the paper the factors that discourage customers from buying in retail chains will be identified (on the basis of Internet users' comments on various Internet pages).The paper presents the example of practices in knowledge management of IT-leaders and Media Market on the Polish market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The research on the cultural aversion to eating insects in Western countries provides valuable insights into consumer behavior and consumption patterns. By exploring the cultural norms, historical practices, and symbolic associations related to insects, the study sheds light on why most people in Western societies find it difficult to accept insects as a food source. This research contributes to existing consumer research knowledge by delving into the roots of disgust and negative perceptions surrounding insect consumption. It situates itself within the broader context of cultural and historical influences, examining the impact of Slavic folk culture, biblical references, and symbolism associated with specific insect species. This comprehensive approach enhances understanding of the multifaceted nature of disgust towards insects as a potential food source. The research is relevant to academia and non-academic constituents, such as policymakers, food industries, and cultural influencers. Understanding the cultural and psychological barriers to insect consumption can guide marketing strategies, product development, and public awareness campaigns to promote alternative protein sources. Policymakers may use these findings to address regulatory hurdles and promote the acceptance of insect-based products in Western markets. Insects are a conventional food in many cultures worldwide. Why therefore are they treated with aversion by the majority of people in Western countries? The aim of this work is to understand cultural norms and historical practices related to insects that can explain why in the countries of the West it is so difficult to accept them as a foodstuff, and why the disgust that they arouse is more common than in other regions of the world. Insects in Western countries are associated with negative experiences resulting from cultural and religious beliefs, traditions, stories, myths and individual experiences. Although there are species of insect that have positive associations, the high number of negative terms popularized the negative image of these creatures in people's minds, as a result of which the concept of insects as a foodstuff arouses disgust in the culture of the West. Understanding the aversion to insects will contribute to the broader understanding of consumer attitudes, cultural influences on consumption, or potential shifts in food choices. It also can help develop strategies or methods that will assist in changing this reluctance and encourage the utilization of insects as a food source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to create a typology of consumers based on the consumption of food products and non-alcoholic beverages for two countries. The research was conducted among non-randomized respondents representing 900 Polish and 300 Slovakian households. The Polish part of the study was carried out in the Silesian and Mazovian provinces. The Slovakian part of the study was carried out in the whole country. To identify four groups of consumers, the paper used the clustering of objects method, especially the Two-Step method: Ward (hierarchical) cluster analysis and non-hierarchical k-means cluster analysis. The authors represent the difference in the results achieved between types of consumers. Poles and Slovakians similarly perceive the financial status of their households and the attention paid to food price when buying it. However, there is a significant difference in food consumption. When eating, Slovaks are influenced more by vegetarian and vegan fashion trends and emotional experience than price. On the contrary, Poles are more interested in the health aspect of the food consumed and its quantity when emphasizing the price, which results from being less financially satisfied. The results of the research provide information about changes in consumer attitudes in the researched area and their thinking about their consumption, respectively lifestyle, and illustrate some trends in consumer behavior for the current and post-COVID-19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper was to determine the relationship between the physical activity undertaken by Polish consumers and their attitude towards organic food. The motives for the selection of organic food, the barriers that consumers face when buying it, and the requirements set by consumers were determined. The research was carried out by means of a diagnostic survey using the author′s questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). In total, 3436 respondents from all over Poland were examined using the selected research sample. Statistica 13.1 PL was used for statistical analyses. The results of the research indicate that the main reasons for the selection of organic food, especially among physically active respondents, were the perceived lack of harmful substances and that it is healthy in itself. The study showed that physically active respondents preferred to purchase, to a greater extent, less processed food produced in a natural way and on organic farms. The main reason for purchasing organic food in physically inactive respondents was due to its taste values. The originality of the paper stems from demonstrating differences and similarities in the motives for buying organic food expressed by physically active consumers and those preferring passive lifestyles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies on consumer behavior have shown that there is an increase in consumer interest in natural food from their own farm or plot. In practice, the share of households, where the concern for the health of family members and the state of the natural environment is increasing. Polish consumers, which use food self-supply, used to choose this form of satisfying their consumption needs for economic reasons in the past, and now they choose it for health or environmental reasons. Analysing the role of the consumer behaviour is decisive for the development of new consumption trends, to which food self-supply largely fits. A quantitative and qualitative study was conducted based on a questionnaire to determine the behaviour of Polish consumers related to food self-supply, which allowed to determine how many households consume products from their own production among the surveyed population and what factors determine the choice of this form of consumption. The level of food self-supply in the surveyed rural households was high, and their members also declared that they would continue to use this form of satisfying consumption needs in the future. They justified their choice by assuming care for their and their family's health, traditions passed down from generation to generation, and financial considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Consumer switching behavior was one of the expected outcomes of the ongoing competitive reform in the European electricity industry. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors that affect the intention of consumers to switch from their incumbent supplier, who has a strong market position. This article follows the trend of describing and analyzing the situation of incumbent energy suppliers after energy market liberalization. (2) Methods: The research goal was to verify seven research hypotheses regarding switching intentions on the Polish energy market. For this purpose, structural equation modeling analysis using AMOS 29 was conducted. The survey was carried out in 2020, before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Poland, and the research sample consisted of 1216 adults (clients of the incumbent supplier). (3) Results: Special attention was given to customers' resistance to change, as it was found to be a factor that can impact customers' decisions to switch, both directly and indirectly. Resistance to change can affect the trust that customers have in their current supplier's brand, their perception of the costs involved in switching, and their intention to switch. The research also highlighted the importance of brand trust and perceived ease of change in the customers' decision-making process. (4) Conclusions: An important factor that reduces switching behavior is the customer's resistance to change; brand trust is a valuable asset that also reduces switching intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The aim of the article is to evaluate the consumption and frequency of drinking wine in the countries of the Visegrad Four. Materials and methods. The data were obtained from the sources: Standard EU Alcohol Survey / Deep Seas, DATACube, Public Database VDB, Wine Consumption per Capita in Hungary, Wine Consumption per Capita in Poland. The following methods were used: The Kruskal Wallis test, Analysis of Variance Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney test. Results and discussion. Wine consumption in the individual countries of the Visegrad Four varies. Hungary has achieved the highest consumption in the last period, where the average consumption of wine in pure alcohol for the last decade (2010-2021) is 3.2 liters. The analysis shows that when evaluating all age categories in terms of frequency of wine drinking, the largest group (18.42%) are wine consumers who drink wine 2-5 days a year. The second largest group (16.58%) are wine consumers who drink wine 1-2 days a week. The third group are consumers (16.38%) with a frequency of drinking 2-3 days a month. From the point of view of the comparison of individual countries, it follows that in all four analyzed countries consumers consume wine occasionally but the most in Poland. From the point of view of regular consumption, the Czech Republic stands out. Wine consumers in Hungary and Slovakia have the same behaviour in contrast to the Czech Republic and Poland. On the other hand wine consumers in the Czech Republic and Poland have similar consumer behaviour. Among other comparisons of the states, there are significant differences in wine consumption in terms of the frequency of alcohol drinking. Conclusion. Czech, Slovak and Hungarian winemakers who are starting to expand into the Polish market have a chance. Hungary has recorded the highest wine consumption in recent years, with an average consumption of 3.2 liters of pure alcohol per capita. Due to the globally decreasing area of vineyards, the demand as well as the prices of wine will increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poland, the low level of health care financing from public funds is becoming increasingly voiced and accepted as an argument not only for increasing health insurance contributions, but also for extending the scope of private funding. The objective of this paper is to analyze the level and structure of out-of-pocket expenditure in Poland as well as health care consumer characteristics influencing payments for health care and willingness to pay. The analysis relies on two main sources of micro data: the household budget surveys of the Central Statistical Office of Poland and a representative survey carried out in Poland in 2010. The results indicate that in the structure of out-of-pocket expenditure, spending on pharmaceuticals dominates (up to 80%of total out-of-pocket expenditure on health). The out-of-pocket expenditure on services most often refers to paying for outpatient specialists' services, rehabilitation services and dental care, often in the private sector. Out-of-pocket expenditures are highest among population groups with high health needs (elderly, disabled, chronically ill) but also among individuals with high income. Polish consumers do not object to co-payments for health services with good quality and quick access. Greater stated willingness to pay characterizes younger people, those with higher income and better health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business entities strive for continuous adaptation to changing situations and needs. The decisions of business entities entangled in multifaceted processes of economic, social, and environmental progress must be taken on the basis of reliable knowledge, developed know-how, scrupulous recognition of the initial state, and foresight of the multiple consequences of business actions over a long horizon. In such a situation, the measurement of financial efficiency in terms of the profitability of enterprises in meat and poultry industries is extremely desired and provides valuable information on the necessary modifications to reduce the potential risks of business operation. The Polish meat and poultry industries should take into account current and future market requirements, competition, and consumer response. The dynamic progress of technology is forced to take appropriate steps to improve and modernize products, services, and methods of solving profit losses. The aim of the paper is to calculate and evaluate the statistical relationships between profitability ratios in Polish meat and poultry enterprises divided into four groups: slaughterhouses, meat enterprises (small, medium, and large), poultry meat enterprises, and meat trade enterprises. In the theoretical part of the study, methods of descriptive, comparative, deductive, and synthetic analyses were used. In the practical part of the study, panel data from the entire meat and poultry industries in the period from 2010 to 2019 were used. For the measurement of financial efficiency, methods, such as financial indicator analysis, panel database modeling, and nonparametric ANOVA, were applied. The ANOVA method was used to test only the statistically significant relationships between profitability ratios across all groups of examined enterprises in the meat and poultry industries. To summarize, the optimal level of profitability was achieved by all groups of examined enterprises, except small meat enterprises. The highest financial efficiency in the area of profitability was reached by poultry enterprises. Moreover, financial support for small companies in the meat industry can bring tangible benefits such as maintaining a diversified product range locally and transforming small meat companies into buying centers for the local community. Both are effective solutions, especially in view of the post-pandemic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The actions, decisions and behavior of consumers in a circular economy are defined as a circular consumption system. The circular economy is an alternative economic model to the linear model of production and consumption. This model is in line with the zero waste concept, which according to the Zero Waste International Alliance, is an ethical, economical, efficient and forward-looking concept in which consumer behavior includes buying products, caring for them and then recycling or reusing them. This is closely linked to adopting and committing to the circular business model of extending and reusing products. The aim of the study was to identify and describe consumer behavior and activities related to the zero waste concept. The analysis was conducted in the context of reusable products. The research was based on the CAWI method. The tool used to obtain the information was a structured questionnaire. The survey included 821 respondents from Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. The survey shows that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of consumption not based on choices with a positive attitude towards the environment. In addition, consumer sensitivity to environmental problems is growing. Growing consumer awareness and the promotion of healthy lifestyles by environmental organizations and movements are reversing unfavorable trends in favor of conscious consumption based on rational consumer choices, which translates into economic effects for households. The study found that the behavior of many respondents fits into the zero waste concept, implementing habits on a daily basis that are in line with sustainable consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in electricity demand and, consequently, electricity consumption profiles. Given the rapid changes in energy prices, it is significant from the perspective of energy companies, and forecasting consumed energy volume. A necessity for accurate energy volume planning forces the need for analyzing consumers' behaviors during the pandemic, especially under lockdowns, to prepare for the possibility of another pandemic wave. Many business clients analyzed in the paper are economic entities functioning in sectors under restrictions. That is why analyzing the pandemic's impact on the change in energy consumption profiles and volume of these entities is particularly meaningful. The article analyzes the pandemic and restrictions' impact on the total change of energy consumption volume and demand profiles. The analysis was conducted basing on data collected from a Polish energy trading and sales company. It focused on the energy consumption of its corporate clients. Analyzed data included aggregated energy consumption volumes for all company's customers and key groups of economic entities under restrictions. The analysis demonstrates the influence of pandemic restrictions on energy consumption in the group of business clients. Significant differences are observable among various sectors of the economy. The research proves that the largest drops in energy consumption are related to shopping centers and offices. Altogether, the restrictions have caused a 15–23% energy consumption drop during the first lockdown and a maximum 11% during the second against expected values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to identify and explain the factors influencing the decision-making process on the behavioural intention to use home photovoltaic systems by Polish households and potential buyers. The survey was conducted in 2021 on a sample of 521 participants. The research used a random sample of households without PV systems located in the rural areas in Poland, where the adoption of innovative technologies related to obtaining energy from renewable sources is especially important. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to measure structural relationships. The main finding indicates that consumer innovativeness has the strongest impact on the intention to purchase a photovoltaic installation. The perceived value also affects the intention to purchase a photovoltaic installation. The perceived value is affected by perceived economic benefits and indirectly by the subjective knowledge of PV. Surprisingly, environmental concerns negatively affect the intention to use PV installations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimisation of poultry meat quality attributes at the industrial level requires getting to know the changing customer needs and expectations to justify further measures taken in the future to improve the production process. This article was aimed at the following: (1) to identify and assess consumer expectations and behaviour in relation to the quality criteria for poultry meat offered on the market in Poland, and (2) to identify the significance of the sensory characteristics of poultry meat, mainly variegated colours on its surface, as a criterion for creating the expected quality in a shop. The study results showed that the attributes which significantly lower the quality and commercial value of meat are the defects noticeable on the fillet surface, namely discolouration and hematomas, which are mainly caused during the poultry stunning. The absence of noticeable bruising or hematomas and a uniform colour on the fillet surface are the main attributes of high-quality poultry meat retail cuts, which are expected by consumers. A recommendation for poultry meat producers is that bruising and hematomas need to be eliminated and that the offer should be adjusted to Polish consumers' expectations about the quality attributes of the meat offered on the market. The elimination of these meat defects will be possible, e.g., through the introduction of innovative technical solutions into the poultry stunning process, which will improve meat quality at its production stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical background: Trust plays an important role in market relations and is a valuable bridge between the consumer and the producer. Given the importance of food, trust in its safety certainly plays a key role. There are many determinants affecting food safety trust. Due to its growing role in society, Generation Z (Gen Z) and its views on the subject should be taken into account. All the more so because this generation is skeptical, cautious, and sensitive in economic, environmental, cognitive, and social terms.Purpose of the article: The objective of the study is to identify the determinants of trust in food safety among Polish students representing Gen Z consumers. A subsidiary objective is to identify whether trust in food safety is influenced by their socio-demographic and cognitive characteristics. Research methods: A face-to-face survey method was used and 374 respondents were participating in the study. The influence of twelve determinants on trust in food safety was assessed. Cronbach’s alpha statistics were used to assess the questionnaire scale’s reliability. The KMO index (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity were applied to know the appropriateness of performing factor analysis. To simplify and reduce the number of sources of confidence in food safety identified in the study, a factor analysis was conducted using the principal components method and Varimax rotation with Kaiser normalization. To find the relationship between sociodemographic variables and the studied variables multiple regression was applied. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 29. Main findings: The reliability of the questionnaire used in the study has been confirmed. We distinguished three groups of determinants influencing food safety trust, and these are: “Place of food production and sale”, “The way of food production and supervision”, and “External socio-economic environment”. This type of classification can be considered our original contribution to the study, as well as the fact that among the individual determinants analyzed, we identified those with the highest importance in building food safety trust. These are the country of origin, the requirements of the country’s legal and market system as well as the activities of consumer and producer organizations. It was shown that socio-demographic and cognitive characteristics play a role in perceptions of product safety and in inducing trust in food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pandemic crisis we have been observing a lot of new phenomena, and one of the areas that has changed significantly is consumer behavior. One interesting field of research is prosumer behavior related to household management during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Pandemic is the time of limited mobility, availability of products and services, time of paying attention to health and spending more leisure time at home. Prosumption is the most effective way to satisfy the needs of household members, minimizing costs and fostering the protection of the level of need fulfilment. The aim of this article is to assess consumer behavior in terms of subsistence food production before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food prosumption comes in line with new consumer trends, which constitute elements of sustainable development and food security. To explore investigate the subject, a direct survey was conducted using a diagnostic survey method with the application of Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) survey technique. The survey was conducted in July 2022 among 1112 respondents[I]. Based on the results obtained, two indexes were built to describe two categories of food self-supply: food production index and food processing index. The obtained indexes were juxtaposed with variables describing socio-economic characteristics of households, determinants of consumer behavior. Statistical, descriptive and comparative methods were used. The research shows that consumers are very active in the field of food prosumption during the COVID-19 pandemics. Analyzing the variables describing households, we obtain information that income does not correlate with the level of food self-supply in households. In turn, the number of people in the household and the place of residence have a significant impact on the level of food self-supply in the surveyed households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: Traditional financial institutions are facing new competitors — FinTech lenders. The development of these entities and their services depends on many factors, including the level of their acceptance and use by potential and/or current customers. This acceptance determines the ability to create desired financial results and defines the set of FinTech lenders’ activities and also their environment aimed at shaping the offer which meets their consumers’ expectations. The limited number of studies addressing the identification and assessment of the impact exerted by the adoption factors of lending services offered by FinTech lenders and the lack of such analyzes relating to these decisions made by consumers from Central and Eastern Europe argue for the need to conduct such research. Purpose of the article: Identify factors driving consumers’ adoption of digital lending services offered by FinTech lenders in Poland. Methods: Critical analysis of the source literature, descriptive and comparative analysis, diagnostic survey, econometric methods (PCA, SEM used in the TAM). Empirical data come from the surveys carried out in May 2022 using the CAWI method and covering a representative sample of 1,000 Poles. Findings & value added: The study identified factors driving consumers’ adoption of digital lending services, including perceived trust, risk, usefulness and financial health. It has been proven that the perceived ease of use and innovation do not represent the statistically significant constructs influencing the accepted adoption attitudes. The adopted research model shows a considerable power to explain the intention of using digital loans. The article is the first scientific study of this type discussing the identification of adoption factors for loan services offered by FinTech lenders operating on the Central and Eastern European market. The presented example of Poland being the leader in this dynamically developing market provides the background for conducting international comparative studies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to explore preferences regarding the selection of collective consumption, with attention being given to the following three research constructs: the attractiveness of collective consumption, economic determinants for using the offer of food services, as well as social and cultural determinants for consumer behaviours on the food services market. The research was conducted through a direct channel, using a questionnaire prepared to this end. The research process, during which primary data was gathered, comprised the following three stages: qualitative research, quantitative pilot research and proper quantitative research. The proper quantitative research covered a representative random sample of 2,102 Poles aged above 18. The article presents the results of research carried out to examine preferences regarding the use of food services provided by restaurants and attempts to categorise consumers of food services into segments. Empirical material was gathered and analysed to identify five consumer segments. The data obtained not only supplements existing research by providing up-to-date pandemic-related information on changing preferences on the food services market and gives restaurant owners (restaurateurs) guidance on designing food product architecture for individual consumer segments, but also provides a starting point for research hypotheses that can be formulated in future scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the behavior of domestic water consumers can facilitate a more proactive approach to water demand management, and serves as the foundation for the development of any intervention strategies that seek to bring about sustained and substantial reductions in domestic water consumption. As part of the European Union (EU) funded project Integrated Support System for Efficient Water Usage and Resources Management (ISS-EWATUS), a household water consumption survey was administered to address the question of how water was used within the home in the EU. The survey was distributed by the University of Thessaly in Greece, and the Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas in Poland. This paper represents the research output of the survey, including the analysis of three major elements pertinent to the behavior of domestic water consumers: end use behaviors; socio-demographic and property characteristics; and psychosocial constructs such as attitudes and beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to determine the awareness measures of consumers from Eastern Poland and Western Ukraine towards regional food products, including consumer knowledge on regional products available in the media and their availability on the food market. The effort was made to compare consumers' opinions on the reasons for purchasing regional food and ways of distinguishing it from conventional products, as well as on the availability of regional products. Consumer awareness—that is, making informed choices based on the knowledge we have—is a measure of attitudes and cognition, and sometimes can be directed towards the brand, which is the product's regional designation. Therefore, it is necessary to comment that attitudes towards regionality can generate a behavioral intent. A diagnostic survey with an author's questionnaire was used in the study, which helped to survey 1128 respondents from Eastern Poland—that is, from the Podlaskie, Lublin, and Subcarpathia regions—and 1072 from Western Ukraine, including the Volyn, Lviv, and Transcarpathia regions. Discriminant function analysis was used in statistical analysis. Both residents of Eastern Poland and Western Ukraine obtained information on regional food products from their friends or family and from television (TV), internet, and regional fairs. Consumers from both countries pointed at too many possibilities of purchasing regional products; at the same time, they paid attention to a limited number of points of sale. TV and Internet have a great promotional potential to educate young consumers focused on the purchase of regional food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Management Issues / Problemy Zarządzania is the property of Problemy Zarzadzania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urban e-mobility, seen as a part of complex and multidimensional European Green Deal plan, is essential for cities. However, it cannot be implemented without a common social commitment accompanied by a shared, strong belief in its advantages. Even if urban authorities and central governments would encourage their citizens to buy or share an electric vehicle (EV), the shift to EV will not be significant without people convinced that the idea of becoming zero-emission is economically viable and rational to them privately. This is especially true and important in countries like Poland—which is classified as an "EV readiness straggler". The main purpose of this study is to develop a robust forecasting model with the aid of advanced machine learning methods. Based on the survey conducted, we identified factors useful for predicting consumer behaviour in terms of willingness to purchase an EV. The proposed machine-learning tool (specifically, the Random Forest algorithm) will allow automotive companies to more effectively target factors supporting the promulgation of urban individual e-mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although much research focuses on the compulsive buying behavior theory, little attention has been paid to evaluation and diagnosis of compulsive buying in Eastern Europe. This is surprising, given an increasing prevalence of consumerism in many transitioning economies. Young consumers are particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to adapt the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale to the Eastern European, specifically Polish cultural and language environment, and to validate it within a group of young Polish consumers, as well to assess the compulsive buying prevalence and the relationship between the compulsive buying and its precursors. Design/methodology/approach: The Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale was selected for adaptation to the Polish context as it represents one of the best methodological and substantive compulsive buying measures in literature. The research is composed of two studies. Study 1 uses an in-person survey of young consumers (N = 504). A wide range of statistical procedures and latent variable modeling was used in the analysis. Study 2 (N = 756) uses an online survey to evaluate the correlation and relationship between the compulsive buying measure and its precursors, including consumers' traits and states, by implementing a multiple indicators and multiple causes model. Findings: The results of the two studies confirm that the adapted scale represents a valid and reliable measure of compulsive buying tendency in Poland, with the identified incidence rate of compulsive buying among Polish young consumers ranging from 11% in Study 1 to 11.6% in Study 2. In comparison with the results of other studies using the same measure, the current research findings reveal a similarity with the compulsive buying prevalence in China (10.4%; He et al., 2018), Brazil (9.8%; Leite et al., 2013) and slightly exceed the level found in western societies (e.g. 8.9% in the USA; Ridgway et al., 2008). The results of Study 2 indicate that compulsive buying in Poland is induced by low self-esteem and high levels of materialism, depression, anxiety, stress and negative feelings. Research limitations/implications: The present research offers a methodological and substantive contribution by adapting and testing the original version of the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale within an Eastern European transitional market; specifically Poland. In addition, the study offers an empirical contribution to the international research on compulsive behavior, including its precursors, as seen in young consumers. Practical implications: This research offers important public policy implications and highlights ethical implications for business organizations. In particular, the findings of this study offer suggestions for enhancing policies and processes of programing appropriate social and educational campaigns that can save young consumers from the negative consequences of compulsive buying. Originality/value: The transitional status of the Polish economy and other Eastern European countries has given rise to compulsive buying behavior, especially among young consumers. This emerging consumer behavior trend in Eastern Europe is still underexplored and underreported; hence, there exists a strong need for exploring and measuring such behavior across different Eastern European markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The growing segment of elderly consumers implies the need to permanently explore the needs and expectations of older people in relation to the offer of food products. This is because, as the research results show, the households of the elderly are characterized by the different fulfillment of needs compared to others. Purpose: The survey conducted among people over 60 in 2019 was aimed at determining the selected concerns of senior consumers related to the safety of food products. Research methodology: The research among people over 60 years of age was conducted in the Wielkopolska region (of Poland) in 2019 on a sample of 373 people. The respondents were selected using the quota selection method. Results: The vast majority of seniors point to a variety of concerns about the safety of food products. This is surprising, as the respondents equally often emphasize that food in Poland is safe. Novelty: The observations are an important implication for producers or commercial agents – their task is to prepare messages to confirm that the food products offered meet the quality requirements. The process of educating older people can be made difficult – primarily through their well-established (over the years) nutritional practices related to the purchase and consumption of those products that are essential for life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: Health and environmental concerns linked to food production and consumption have become crucial both for policy makers and for consumers for modern society. Some consumers are becoming increasingly careful about what they eat, giving value to the impacts of everyday food choices on their health and on the environment. There have been few studies that have jointly analyzed these consumption patterns and that have looked for their association. Purpose of the article: The objective of the study is to develop a Polish (PL) and Czech (Cz) young-adult consumers' segmentation based on health and environ-mental attitudes and values in food choices. The research is needed to diagnose consumption trends in this segment of the market to enable creating a market offer tailored to this group of consumers. Methods: A total of 631 students from two Universities - one in Poland (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (323)) and on in the Czech Republic (University of South Bohemia (308)) were selected to participate in the research. The sample of students was chosen because of the importance of young-adult consumers as the participants of the market with a specified purchasing potential. The data were collected through a survey questionnaire, in which a Likert type scale was used to determine the health and environmental attitudes and values in food choices. The results obtained were analyzed statistically using Statistica 13.1 using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation, cluster analysis using the k-means method and ANOVA. Findings & Value added: The survey demonstrated that the students presented both health and environmental attitudes, and that their food choices were driven to a lesser extent by the environmental than by the health-related values. Results demonstrated that the two distinguished factors significantly differentiated both the Polish and the Czech students into two clusters, with the first cluster being represented by consumers presenting stronger health and environmental attitudes (PL N=58%, Cz N=48%) compared to the students from the second cluster. It adds value to recent young consumers' behavior knowledge by jointly analyzing their attitudes toward health and environmental values in food choices. These findings may be useful in developing effective educational and marketing campaigns and understanding the demand for certain products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to present consumer attitudes in Poland in respect of modern solutions in the retail trade and the influence which these attitudes have on their behaviour in the market. The considerations were conducted using methods of logical inference, based on a critical analysis of available derivative sources and conclusions from quantitative research conducted on a sample of 1.075 consumers. In order to analyse more deeply the research results a cluster analysis was conducted using one of the hierarchical methods - the Ward's method. Respondents' attitudes towards modern solutions in the retail trade are generally positive. However they are not always recognized by them. A large percentage of respondents declared that they are not acquainted with particular forms of modern retail trade (mostly Beacon, PSS or RIFID systems). They were mostly consumers from the 'retreated skeptics' group, in other words the elderly with basic or vocational education from small towns and villages. The research findings presented may be used by trade enterprises in order to answer to the identified need of consumers from generation Z and to set out the direction of the technological education of consumers and increase the availability of particularised solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/purpose - On the basis of a critical analysis of related literature, the article attempts to explain the concept and essence of collaborative consumption, a dynamically developing consumer trend. The principal goal is to demonstrate that young people in Poland are distrustful of sharing goods with strangers, and thus are much more willing to engage in collaborative consumption when they know the people with whom they make transactions. Following the analysis of the research material, it was also possible to confirm that a key reason for young people to participate in collaborative consumption lies in financial benefits and access to a wide range of goods and services. Design/methodology/approach - The tool used to conduct the research was my original questionnaire comprising 50 closed-ended questions regarding alternative consumer trends, including collaborative consumption. The survey was carried out from 10th May to 10th June 2017. The participants were recruited via the ankietka.pl website and social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and e-mail. In order to partake in the survey, those interested had to visit a specific website containing the questionnaire. It was also distributed across special forums, university and private school fanpages. 240 people aged 18-34, belonging to Generations Y and Z, took part in the survey. Findings - The research shows that the higher the value of goods, the less likely younger consumers are to share them. Respondents most frequently exchange goods such as books, clothing and games. Their disposable income is a crucial factor influencing their interest in collaborative consumption. The most important advantages of collaborative consumption include the possibility of earning money and unhampered access to a wide range of goods and services. On the other hand, the central disadvantages are xas distrust and possible fraudulent transactions on the part of strangers. Research implications/limitations - Given the limited financial capacity, the study of collaborative consumption in consumer behavior of young people was confined to an online survey. Originality/value/contribution - This article is one of few publications in Poland that seek to provide some insight into collaborative consumption in the purchasing behavior of young people living in Poland and into the most important factors influencing respondents' participation in the examined consumer trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that according to the "Non-food retail Poland 2006," clothing and footwear retail sales remained practically unchanged from 2004 to 2005. However, despite its fragmentation, the market is set to develop. Poles are buying more and more clothing and traditional clothing stores and bazaars continue to be the most common shopping locations for clothing. However, there has been growth in chain clothing stores and shopping centers are increasingly being built in medium-sized cities.

E-recruitment is a field of human resources where ICT tools are frequently used. We popularly assume that the scope with which they are used differs between countries, and that technical structure is the main reason for these differences. However, we lack the tools to explain why e-recruitment is considered more common in the US than in Poland, for instance, despite similar access to the Internet among employees and employers in both countries. The article presents a typology of four levels of e-recruitment methods, as a tool for explaining the differences in the maturity of using e-recruitment methods in these two countries. Additionally, for each of the four groups of e-recruitment methods, strong and weak points are shown, and the keys to their successful use are described. It has been also shown that a positive image of a company's brand is a necessary condition for higher levels of e-recruitment to be successful. A special analysis is conducted of the use of gamification and games for e-recruitment purposes, and examples are given of their use on each of the four e-recruitment levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies from the textile sector seek new methods of market expansion and increasing brand value. These methods include brand extension, brand licensing, acquisition of patent rights and co-branding, that is the strategy of double branding products when two distinct partner brand names are used on one product. Different studies show that the influence of co-branding on the behaviour of the consumer and their perception of products is high. For the authors, it was important to demonstrate the impact of co-branding on customer preferences concerning textile products for the example chosen. The aim of the research was to identify behaviours of consumers from the Lodz Voivodeship (Poland) when a co-branding strategy is used. As was proved in the study, the consumers give priority to a co-branded textile product in relation to a classic textile product. However, at the same time, those consumers do not give priority to a more expensive co-branded textile product in relation to the classic textile product. As was also proved in the study, the preferences of different groups of customers are not the same and the demographic, socio-professional and geographical characteristics of customers influence their behaviour towards the example of a co-branded textile product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of research is a phenomenon of prosumption, i.e., the intertwining of consumption and production processes, until the differences between them are blurred. When consumers produce goods and services for their use, they become prosumers. The article aimed to assess consumer behavior in terms of various forms of prosumer activity on the market of household-related services. The types of prosumer activity of rural households and their size were determined during the analyses. The article uses primary sources from a survey conducted among residents of rural areas of the Masovian Voivodeship in Poland in 2017. Statistical, descriptive, and comparative methods were used. The research shows that consumers are very active in the field of prosumption, rationally running their households. The study used principal component analysis (PCA) and selected descriptive statistics. The research results showed that the services performed can be grouped into three categories, i.e., the index of basic living self-sufficiency of households, the index of renovation and repair self-sufficiency, and the index of professional self-sufficiency of farms. Consumers usually prepare meals at home and clean, iron, and wash clothes, thus reducing the costs of running a household. It is also popular to carry out repairs oneself or to carry out repairs of equipment at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vision of the smart city is inextricably linked with the concepts of intelligent transport, sustainable mobility and managerial decision making. Cities of the future not only entail the use of new technology, but also increasingly the interpenetration of technological and social aspects, with the simultaneous involvement of urban space users in the creation of such technologies. This provides an opportunity to introduce desired changes and create a more balanced space with a higher quality of life and improved energy efficiency. The article discusses the concepts of sustainable development and sustainable mobility with a particular emphasis on issues related to the smart city. The authors reviewed the various smart city solutions that have been implemented in the field of urban transport in Cracow, whose authorities have taken steps over the last few years to make the city smarter and more modern. The aim of the research was to assess the contribution made by smart city solutions to improving the attractiveness and reliability of public transport in Poland's second-largest city. The undoubted added value of this analysis is the application of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method to evaluate the implemented solutions. It should be pointed out that such an analysis constitutes a new approach in this area. Until now, these models have been used to assess consumer behavior. The results showed that some of the implemented intelligent solutions increase the attractiveness of public transport in Cracow, but this does not square with users' assessment of reliability. According to users, ecological solutions have no impact on the attractiveness of public transport. Nor do conveniences such as bus lanes, giving priority to public transport vehicles at intersections, and adjusting traffic light regulation to traffic volume, have a positive impact on perceptions of public transport as a reliable means of getting around the city. The results may be of particular importance for the city's authorities and other stakeholders engaged in strategic activities and the building of a city of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]