The paper presents description and comparison of old-age pensions, disability pensions in case of inability to work and survivor’s pensions for agricultural and employees’ social insurance systems. Research was conducted among regions of Poland in 2008. In the study data of the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund and the Social Insurance Institution, as well as sources of widely available domestic statistics were used. The study employed basic measures of descriptive statistics. In the agricultural social security system there is a serious imbalance of the relationship between the insured and the beneficiaries. This situation indicates the need to subsidize the system in the future. The agricultural pensions are paid at the lowest amount in a substantial part of provinces. Average monthly pensions paid by ASIF in 2008 was almost a half lower than the employee pension. All pensions, both for employee’s and farmer’s, were lower than the average wage in provinces.

The aim of this paper is to analyse the diversity of the farming systems in tobacco farms within south-eastern Poland. The studied 151 tobacco farms are located in three provinces of Poland, i.e. Lubelskie, Podkarpackie and Mazowieckie. 15 diagnostic variables which characterize farming systems were selected for analyses. For multivariate evaluation of farm diversity and their grouping, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis based on 5 PCs were used. The farms were divided into five clusters which reflected five major types of farming systems in tobacco farms within the studied area. They were distinct mainly for farm size, utilization of the new agricultural know-how and technology, cattle density, fertilization, and also for the contribution of tobacco production to the farm incomes.

In the era of globalization and economic integration, education constitutes a significant element of creating the value of human capital. Despite the fact that it is not possible to purchase it, and, only in some degree one may gain it as a result of increased education, it is vital to undertake the activities by governmental and non governmental organizations aiming at its quality improvement. Better educated people better operate on the market and easier adjust to changing market conditions. In rural areas of Wielkopolska only 4.2% of habitants have higher education, therefore it is necessary to undertake complementary activities by institutions dealing with education, solving and promoting different forms of replenishing job qualifications as well as constant education. The graduates should be equipped in capabilities indispensable in market economics, improving their competitiveness.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the likely reaction of farmers to different Common Agricultural Policy scenarios. Farmers’ declarations regarding continuation of farming and farm management decision were the key issues examined in the study. The study was conducted in selected regions of several EU countries within the CAP-IRE project. Data has been collected through a farm survey with the use of an interview questionnaire. There were two hypothetical policy scenarios considered: Baseline, that assumes the continuation of the present EU agricultural policy, and Liberalization, assuming that all forms of public support for the farming sector are withdrawn. The McNerman test was the main tool used for statistical analysis. Research revealed significant differences in reaction of farmers from different regions of the EU countries represented in the study. However, on average, more farmers declared they would rather stopped farming under the no-CAP Liberal scenario and expressed greater interest in off-farm activities than in the Baseline scenario.

This article aims to provide an econometric justification for economic policy in the Central and Eastern European area by examining the stability of real GDP and industrial production in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary. Stability of GDP and industrial production is examined by unit root tests. The Dickey-Fuller (1979) unit root test indicates unit root in case of all four outputs. In case of the industrial production, the results are mixed. Nonetheless, difference stationarity of the GDP implies that there is no deterministic time trend in GDP. Therefore, there is no short-run trend reversion. Deep and long recessions are not only possible but also even likely. Thus, actions of economic policy can be regarded as justified because they are desirable to boost economy in order to reverse these recessions. This study can also be regarded as an extension of unit root tests to the post communist countries.

Business demography allows to measure the performance of enterprises in economy. The case of a country in transition such as Poland is a very interesting one. Despite joining the EU, there is still scarce and low quality data available. In fact, publications of the Central Statistical Office cover only firms registered in REGON (business register), which differs from the actual number of active enterprises. The number of active businesses represents about 60% of total registered fi rms. This study attempts to identify the most important qualitative and quantitative factors determining births and deaths of enterprises in the context of economic changes during the transition period. Due to limited access to additional surveys the analysis mainly focuses on the available data and covers descriptive analysis based on demographic indicators. Most spectacular results show that the dynamics of business population has been very low in recent years.

Real estate markets (REM) may be classified as strong-form efficient, semistrong-form efficient or weak-form efficient. Efficiency measures the level of development or goal attainment in a complex social and economic system, such as the real estate market. The effectiveness of the real estate market is a function of the efficiency of individual market participants. This paper comprises two parts. The first part attempts to analyze the efficiency of the Polish real estate market as a feature of general market efficiency. It formulates recommendations for improving market efficiency through the choice of adequate research methods and procedures based on the principles of the rough set theory.

In order to estimate the financial result of tourism activities in 2006 and 2007, 87 farms providing touristic services in the region of Siedlce were examined. Questionnaire, consisting of 27 questions regarding the size of the accommodation and the economic aspects of touristic activities, was sent to the farms owners. The obtained data were analyzed graphically and in form of tables as well as used them to calculate the following economic indicators: the economic size and the rate of rural recreational space, the index of the average number of nights and indicators analyzing the income compared to the demand (POR) and the supply (Yield). The value of direct costs, revenue and gross margin were also calculated. Statistical analysis was conducted by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and coefficient of determination (R2). The study showed that in touristic farms in the Siedlce region in 256 rooms, mostly 2- and 3-beds, there are 673 beds. The average annual gross margin of touristic activities amounts to the value in the range of 2,383.1 to 12,878.96 PLN z and this value proved to be significantly correlated with the attractiveness rate of the particular rural recreational space.

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview over theoretical background of tourism function issue and to analyze its spatial composition in the counties of Mazovia region. Firstly, the author discusses the theory of tourism function and indicates some barriers involving its measurement. Secondly, tourism function has been analyzed by using partial indexes referring to tourism movement, tourism features and tourism values in the researched counties. Then, synthetic tourism function index has been calculated and analyzed and finally, the relation between tourism intensity and natural and anthropological resources have been researched.

The article presents different concepts of sustainable agriculture. It aims to define an economic sustainability of agriculture and to discuss the possible ways of its assessment. It states criteria of measurement and parameters used by the OECD and the European Commission (EC). The method of system analysis has been applied to study simultaneously different issues of sustainability, i.e. economic, environmental, social and institutional. The very last aspect has been considered because of the role of governmental intervention in the sector. The conclusion is that the opportunity of gaining permanent income parity is, beyond all question, an indicator of an economic and social sustainability of agriculture in the national economy.

The aim of the paper is to assess the impact of quality management systems on innovativeness at food manufacturing enterprises in Wielkopolskie Voivodship in 2009/2010 on the basis of 25 surveys carried out and 3 direct interviews conducted with managers. All analyzed enterprises have implemented at least one quality management system and carry out an innovative activity which positively influences their functioning. It contributes to greater diversification and quality of products, increase in sales and entering new markets, and increased flexibility of production processes. Quality management systems help to shorten the time necessary for development and implementation of innovations mainly by regulating processes, implementing improvement measures and drawing up responsibility. Half of the analyzed enterprises cooperate with the research and design sphere or other enterprises. Such cooperation is mainly triggered by the lack of their own technical knowledge and not sufficient research infrastructure, deficit of experience, incomplete knowledge of market needs and customers expectations. Another reason for taking up innovative activity was to keep or decrease the distance from competition and to increase profits. The above conclusions prove a positive link between quality management systems and innovative activities.

Communes located by the Szczecin Bay have insufficiently supported fisheries and tourism in spite of being provided with good conditions for their development. The results of questionnaires and surveys held in 2008–2010 indicate that local self-governments gradually communalized fishing ports and offered advisory support for fisherman. Additionally, they showed a flexible approach towards the adjustment of rental fees for port utilities as well as property taxes. The lack of support or its being insufficient resulted partly from inadequate knowledge of problems by local authorities and partly because of the lack of financial resources for maintaining ports, implementing the indispensable infrastructural investments as well as meeting other needs for development. In 2009, the Maritime Office started transferring to local authorities tax fees on estates located under the waters of the Szczecin Bay. The financial situation of the local communities has been essentially improved. With the provided financial means, local authorities were able to prepare and pre-finance projects allowing them to apply for the EU co-financing of infrastructural development projects and other needs connected with tourism and fisheries.

Both the accession of Poland to the EU in 2004 and pre-accession period had a positive influence on changes that occurred in countryside. They particularly concern the movement of rural women, who undertake volunteer activity by implementing projects financed by the EU funds for the behave of women and local communities. At the same time they cooperate with local authorities. However, the rural women’s emancipation proceeds differently in comparison with women living in cities and towns. While being rather conservative in moral sphere, rural women are aware of social changes and perceive possibilities of personal development. Voluntary work constitutes an additional occupation for them. The fact that women’s organizations became independent is the most important change in the rural women’s movement over the last decade.