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The Actual Image of Cooperative Banks in the Young Farmers’ Sector
No full textThe image of a company is the picture that appears in the minds of consumers. The image is subjective and active, with the result that the image can be shaped after the individual has been provided with specific information and impressions about a particular institution. Nowadays, in an era of strong competition in financial markets, the complexity of banking services and widespread digitalisation, the positive image of the bank is becoming crucial in building the right relationships with current and future groups (segments) of customers, as well as other groups of the bank’s environment that are important from the point of view of the bank’s activities. Investments in shaping a positive image of a financial institution are justified, among other things, by the fact that bank customers receive additional value in the form of satisfaction caused by a strong image of the financial institution, which increases their loyalty to the bank, but also their willingness to accept higher prices, which directly translates into increased profit and value for the financial institution. The main objective of the monograph was to present the actual image of cooperative banks and to identify the attributes of the perception of banks among young farmers. It was assumed that the improvement of the bank’s image is possible through the appropriate creation of image differentiators, the ‘anchors’ of the financial institution’s identification. The specific objectives of the work are as follows: characteristics of the cooperative bank sector in Poland, a presentation of financial services for agribusinesses offered by Polish cooperative banks, a presentation of the objectives of the mini-research project entitled: ‘The Actual Image of Cooperative Banks in the Young Farmers’ Segment’, identifying the groups of attributes that have the greatest impact on the shape of the actual image of cooperative banks. Based on the literature on the subject and the research carried out, and taking into account the main objective and specific objectives adopted, the paper attempts to verify the hypotheses which state: H1. In the opinion of young farmers, the image of cooperative banks is positive. H2. The actual image of cooperative banks depends on both the analysed demographic and economic characteristics of the young farmer, psychological factors and the characteristics of the farm the farmer manages. H3. There are differences in the perception of the image of cooperative banks between shareholders of cooperative banks and those who do not have membership contributions. H4. A key attribute shaping the image of cooperative banks in the young farmer segment is their ability to provide transaction security. The following methods were used to realise the stated objectives and hypotheses of the study: • a critical-cognitive analysis of the theoretical output contained in national and international literature, • analysis of the structure and dynamics, • survey method (direct questionnaire interviews, n=256), • financial analysis methods (horizontal, vertical and ratio), • statistical methods (descriptive statistics, Student’s T-test, one-way analysis of variance - F-statistic, non-parametric ‘chi-square’ test, Cronbach’s alpha statistic), • graphical and tabular methods of presenting results. During the preparation of the monograph, domestic and foreign literature relating to the issues addressed in the study was used. The empirical material consisted of primary and secondary data (financial statements of cooperative banks, reports of the National Bank of Poland and the Association of Cooperative Banks). The main primary data source was the mini-project research results: ‘The Actual Image of Cooperative Banks in the Young Farmers’ Sector’. The temporal scope of the issues presented in the paper generally concerned 2024, while a broader time horizon, going back to the 19th century, was used to illustrate selected trends of a general nature and to present the history of cooperative banking in Poland. An assessment of the organisational and economic situation of the cooperative banks operating in the study area was carried out for 2022-2023. The following were analysed: the value of total assets, the value of receivables from the non-financial sector, the value of liabilities from the non-financial sector, the total capital ratio (TCR), the return on assets (ROA) and the return on equity (ROE). For the analysis of data expressed in monetary units, the time-varying value of money was taken into account to eliminate the impact of inflation from year to year. Annual consumer price indices (CPI - consumer price index) were adopted according to Statistics Poland in Poland. The method used in the study was: last year of analysis =100. The work is theoretical and empirical in nature and consists of an introduction, five substantive chapters, a conclusion and an appendix. The first chapter discusses the history of Polish cooperative banking from the 19th century until the 2020s. The last part of the chapter presents the current organisational and legal status of the cooperative bank sector in Poland. The second chapter discusses financial services for individual farmers and agribusinesses. The first part of the chapter presents the specifics of bank accounts for agricultural producers and deposit accounts. The next section contains information on loans, including preferential loans, which can be used by young farmers. Standard and innovative billing services are then described. In the last part of the third chapter, attention is given to other financial services offered by financial institutions to agricultural producers, such as leasing and insurance services. Chapter three characterises the mini research project: ‘The Actual Image of Cooperative Banks in the Young Farmers’ Segment’, which was financed by the Project ‘Greater Potential of Management Science and Quality through Better Use of the Capital of the Polish Countryside’. This project was funded by the state budget under the Ministry of Science’s ‘Regional Initiative of Excellence’ programme . Part one of chapter three outlines the main aim of the research and the scope of the mini-project. The study population and the respondents’ farms were then characterised. It concludes with a presentation of the area of operation and selected financial results of the cooperative banks that operated in the study area. Chapter four characterises the actual image of cooperative banks. The socio-economic and psychological determinants shaping the image of cooperative banks in the opinion of young agricultural producers are then presented. The following section of the study also presents the relationship between the image of the financial institution and selected characteristics of the respondents’ farms. The final section of this chapter highlights other factors that can determine the image of a bank, such as membership in a cooperative bank and the fact that a farmer uses the services of a cooperative bank and a commercial bank at the same time. Chapter five presents the results of the research on the distinguishing features of financial institutions that, in the opinion of customers, most influence the image of cooperative banks. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between the different areas of attributes shaping the image of the cooperative bank and the selected demographic-economic and psychological characteristics of the respondents. The final section of the monograph summarises the theoretical considerations and empirical research that made it possible to assess the image of cooperative banks in the young farmers’ segment. As already mentioned, the seven-point Osgood semantic differential scale was used to assess the actual image of cooperative banks. Fifty features were analysed. The average value from all scale items was 4.44, indicating a neutral image. The presented research results, therefore, do not allow the first hypothesis (H1), which assumes that the image of cooperative banks in the young farmers’ assessment is positive, to be accepted. The research carried out also made it possible to identify factors that differentiate young farmers’ assessment of the actual image of cooperative banks. Demographic and economic factors, psychological determinants and selected characteristics of the farm managed by the respondent were included in the analysis. In the group of determinants of a demographic-economic nature, the factors determining the image of the bank in the eyes of young agricultural producers turned out to be the number of people in the respondent’s household and the amount of average disposable income per person in the household. Those from the most numerous families had the best opinion of the cooperative banks. Taking the latter factor into account, it can be concluded that the higher the income, the worse the image of the cooperative banking sector in the eyes of customers. A ‘rather positive’ image was held by those whose income did not exceed PLN 2,446. Farmers, whose income was higher, had an indifferent view of cooperative banks. In the group of psychological determinants, two factors were taken into account: the respondent’s risk propensity and the self-reported personality type. The first factor mentioned was found to be statistically significantly related to customers’ opinion of cooperative banks. Respondents who declared a ‘risk propensity’ and those characterised by a ‘neutral attitude’ held an indifferent image of cooperative banks. In contrast, farmers with a ‘risk aversion’ rated the cooperative banks rather negatively. The research also examined whether the characteristics associated with the farm managed by the young farmer could condition the image of the bank in the eyes of this customer segment. According to the statistical analysis, the area of the farm proved to be a factor influencing the image of the cooperative bank. Users of larger holdings had a slightly better image of cooperative banks. No differences were found in farmers’ assessment of the image of cooperative banks by type of farm production. The results presented in this study, therefore, allow us to accept the second hypothesis (H2), which assumes that the actual image of cooperative banks depends on both the analysed demographic and economic characteristics of the young farmer, psychological factors and the characteristics of the farm that the farmer manages. Almost 30% of young farmers were shareholders in a cooperative bank. The analysis of variance carried out did not show any significant differences in the assessment of the image of the bank cooperatives between the group of people with shares and respondents who were only bank customers. In this context, hypothesis three (H3), which assumes that there are differences in the perception of the image of the cooperative bank between people who own shares of the cooperative bank and people who are only customers of these institutions, should be rejected. The results also indicate that the image of the cooperative bank does not depend on whether the farmer uses only the cooperative bank or has a bank account with both the cooperative bank and the commercial bank. As the statistical analysis shows, the assessment of the actual image of the cooperative banking sector is made by evaluating security in the broadest sense. The most important characteristic shaping the image of the cooperative bank in the group of respondents analysed was the security of transactions (rating of 6.63 on a seven-point scale). Among the 62 image attributes assessed, all of those related to security (6) ranked in the top 10 key image differentiators for a financial institution. In this context, hypothesis four (H4) should be adopted, which assumes that the most important attribute shaping the image of the cooperative bank in the young farmers’ segment is the ability to provide transaction security. The questionnaire used in the research allows the actual image of the bank to be measured at specific points in time. Given that the actual image of a bank is a variable category, it would be interesting to continue research in this thematic area in order to determine the dynamics and directions of the changes taking place. It would also be valuable to identify the actual image of cooperative banks in other segments of agribusiness customers, e.g., in the segment of large-scale farmers, as well as to assess the potential image of cooperative banks conducted among representatives of this banking sector. The book is primarily addressed to research workers representing the scientific discipline of Management and Quality Sciences, as well as lecturers and students in the field of management. Cooperative banking professionals can also use the monograph.Dofinansowano ze środków Ministra Nauki w ramach Programu „Regionalna inicjatywa doskonałości", umowa nr: RID/SP/0039/2024/01, kwota dofinansowania: 6 187 000,00 zł, okres realizacji 2024–2027.
Co-financed by the Minister of Science under the 'Regional Initiative of Excellence' programme. Agreement No. RID/SP/0039/2024/01. Subsidised amount PLN 6,187,000.00. Project period 2024–2027
KSAP – 35 lat kształcenia na rzecz dobra wspólnego: historia, zmiany i wyzwania
No full textTekst przedstawia syntetyczną analizę 35-letniej działalności Krajowej Szkoły Administracji Publicznej (KSAP) jako instytucji kształcącej kadry urzędnicze III Rzeczypospolitej. Autor ukazuje ewolucję misji i programu kształcenia – od elitarnego modelu aplikacyjnego, przez fazę umiędzynarodowienia i menedżeryzacji, po obecne wyzwania związane z cyfryzacją, kształceniem dualnym i rozwojem kompetencji liderskich. Szczególną uwagę poświęcono roli etosu służby publicznej oraz przemianom instytucjonalnym w kontekście politycznym i społecznym. Artykuł podkreśla znaczenie KSAP jako centrum kompetencyjnego dla nowoczesnej administracji publicznej w Polsce
Nowe datowanie osady na Srebrnym Wzgórzu w Wolinie a kwestia genezy i modelu urbanizacji wczesnośredniowiecznego miasta
No full textWczesnośredniowieczny Wolin był wieloczłonową aglomeracją miejską. Jednym z najważniejszych jej elementów było osadnictwo w obrębie Srebrnego Wzgórza. W celu uściślenia chronologii osadnictwa na jego obszarze wykonano 26 nowych datowań 14C z nawarstwień związanych z wałem północnym, warsztatami rogowniczymi oraz domami. Wyniki porównano z dostępnymi datami dendrochronologicznymi oraz numizmatycznymi. W rezultacie przesunięto wstecz datowanie osadnictwa wczesnośredniowiecznego na Srebrnym Wzgórzu, które mogło się rozpocząć w 1 poł. IX wieku i było już wówczas ufortyfikowane. Porównanie tych wyników z datami z dzielnicy Ogrody oraz centrum na Starym Mieście pozwoliło sformułować dwie hipotezy o powstaniu Wolina w wyniku połączenia dwóch osad o być może odmiennym charakterze etnicznym oraz o nagłym przełomie urbanizacyjnym w połowie IX wieku obejmującym zarówno Stare Miasto, jak i Srebrne Wzgórze.Early medieval Wolin was a multi-part urban agglomeration. One of its most important elements was the settlement within Silver Hill. In order to clarify the chronology of the settlement in its area, 26 new 14C dates were obtained from layers associated with the northern rampart, the antler workshops, and houses. The results were compared with available dendrochronological and numismatic dates. As a result, the dating of the early medieval settlement on Silver Hill, which may have begun in the first half of the 9th century and was already fortified at that time, was moved back. Comparison of these results with the dates from the Ogrody district and the centre in the Old Town allowed the formulation of two hypotheses about the formation of Wolin as a result of the merger of two settlements of perhaps different ethnic characters, and the sudden urbanisation breakthrough in the middle of the 9th century involving both the Old Town and Silver Hill.This research was funded in whole by the National Science Centre, Poland under the number 2022/06/X/HS3/00647, project: "Geneza i dynamika osadnictwa wczesnośredniowiecznego na Srebrnym Wzgorzu. Rozpoznanie problematyki datowania połnocnej dzielnicy Wolina za pomocą metody 14C AMS.
Development of a Cyclodextrin-Based Drug Delivery System to Improve the Physicochemical Properties of Ceftobiprole as a Model Antibiotic
No full textThis study presents a methodology for developing a cyclodextrin-based delivery system for ceftobiprole, a poorly water-soluble and amphoteric drug, chemically stable in acidic conditions. Ceftobiprole is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic administered clinically as its water-soluble prodrug, ceftobiprole medocaril, due to limited aqueous solubility of the parent compound. Solubility enhancement was achieved through complexation with anionic sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD). At a pH below 3, ceftobiprole is protonated and cationic, which facilitates electrostatic interactions with the anionic cyclodextrin. An optimised high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to assess solubility, the impurity profile, and long-term chemical stability. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) confirmed the amorphous nature of the system and the absence of recrystallization. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy supported the formation of a host–guest complex. The freeze-dried system prepared from 0.1 M formic acid solution contained negligible residual acid due to nearly complete sublimation. The most promising formulation was a ternary system of ceftobiprole, maleic acid, and SBE-β-CD (1:25:4 molar ratio), showing ~300-fold solubility improvement, low levels of degradation products, and stability after eight months at −20 °C. After pH adjustment to a parenterally acceptable level, the formulation demonstrated solubility and a pH comparable to the marketed drug product.Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (project numbers 1/2024 and 1/2025
Wpływ pandemii COVID-19 na dług publiczny w Polsce i Europie. Czy wystąpił efekt zapadkowy?
No full textIntroduction and aim: The aim of this article is to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the level and com-position of public debt in Poland and six selected EU member states between 2018 and 2023, and to test the hypothesis that the crisis triggered a ratchet effect in public spending. Research methodology: The study combines a critical review of the literature with an exploration of Eurostat ESA/COFOG data, focusing on shifts in the debt-to-GDP ratio and reallocations across the ten budgetary functions. Results and implications: The results show that in 2020 the average public-debt-to-GDP ratio rose by 12.1 percent-age points, while Poland’s increase—11.4 points—was below the EU mean, yet Poland was the only country where the upward trend persisted beyond 2021. in the studied countries and across the European Union as a whole, government spending, after a phase of rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, began to decline but did not return to the 2018 baseline. The phenomenon persisted most vividly in the “economic affairs” and “health” functions. Poland’s use of off-budget vehicles (PFR and BGK) limited the surge in the central government deficit in 2020, but the related costs were ultimately captured in ESA statistics in 2021–2022. Conclusion: The key conclusion is that the post-pandemic ratchet effect was selective, concentrating on the two expenditure categories that proved most critical during the crisis
Lagun's law and the foundations of cognitive drive architecture: A first principles theory of effort and performance
No full textIndividuals often fail to initiate or sustain effort despite having clear intent and adequate capability. While existing frameworks in motivation, attention, and executive function describe relevant correlates, they do not formalize the internal structure that determines whether Drive is mechanically possible. Cognitive architectures, such as ACT-R or SOAR, simulate task execution once cognition is already active, but they do not model the conditions that allow cognitive effort to begin. Cognitive Drive Architecture (CDA) is proposed as a new field within cognitive psychology to address this foundational gap. It defines Drive as the emergent output of real-time system configuration, rather than as a motivational state or behavioral trait. At the core of CDA is Lagunian Dynamics, a structural theory formalized through Lagun's Law of Primode and Flexion Dynamics. This theory introduces six internal variables-Primode, CAP (Cognitive Activation Potential), Flexion, Anchory, Grain, and Slip-that function across three operational domains: Ignition, Tension, and Flux. Each variable is defined by its structural role in the production and disruption of effort, rather than by psychological traits or surface behaviors. The Drive Equation models engagement as the result of interactions among ignition readiness, cognitive adaptability, attentional tethering, internal resistance, and systemic variability. This framework yields falsifiable predictions related to initiation failure, dropout patterns, and intraindividual performance inconsistency. Each component of the system can be operationalized using behavioral and physiological proxies, making the theory testable in both experimental and applied settings. CDA is not a motivational theory but a structural field focused on the conditions that make cognitive effort possible. It supports cross-domain applications in cognitive science, education, clinical practice, and adaptive system design
Improving hydrogen generation from biomass and solid waste by combining sonophotocatalysis through carbon-based materials: Challenges and future perspectives
Get PDFEnvironmental pollution is becoming one of the main issues facing human civilisation as a result of the world's growing industrialisation. Using limitless solar energy, photocatalysis may be used to address environmental issues. Whilst, the incorporation of ultrasonic cavitation in the various processes such as fenton-like process, electrochemical process, and specially sono-photocatalysis that offers ideal conditions for increasing biomass fragmentation and conversion into target products. and green hydrogen within a lesser reaction time. The scientific community and industry have taken a serious interest in the intensification of ultrasonic processes for a variety of applications, as well as the resulting synergistic effects based on conventional comparison in literature. In light of this, the purpose of this review is to summarize the current research in the field, provide an overview of the recent studies of ultrasound-assisted different catalysis process for hydrogen production and discuss their limits and validity, compare them as conventional techniques. Finally, a few future perspectives in form of suggestions on the ultrasound-assisted photocatalysis for hydrogen production from a various biomass models and different wastes, and highlighting the role and recent evolution of carbon-based materials in this field are presented together with current issues and challenges and clarify future attitudes in the hopes of exploring this ideal combination for large-scale H2 production.Acknowledgments.
This study received financial support from the National Science Center (NCN), Poland, under the research project OPUS 20 No. 2020/39/B/ST5/00076
Children’s dreams in educational care facilities
No full textCelem mojej pracy badawczej było poznanie marzeń podopiecznych placówek opiekuńczo-wychowawczych. Praca składa się z trzech rozdziałów. Pierwszy rozdział zawiera ujęcie teoretyczne, w którym zawarłem podstawową terminologię w celu dokładnego zrozumienia całości pracy. Następnie klasyfikację placówek opiekuńczo-wychowawczych oraz funkcjonowanie wychowanków w placówkach opiekuńczo-wychowawczych. Rozdział pierwszy zakończyłem przybliżeniem tematyki funkcjonowania wychowanków oraz marzeń, w świetle wyników badań innych autorów. Drugi rozdział, to założenia metodologiczne przeprowadzonych przeze mnie badań, określający cele badań oraz problemy badawcze. W ostatnim, trzecim rozdziale, zawarłem analizę badań własnych odnoszącą się do indywidualnych przypadków badanych wychowanków placówek opiekuńczo-wychowawczych.Praca została poświęcona problematyce marzeń wychowanków umieszczonych w placówkach opiekuńczo-wychowawczych. W celu zbadania marzeń podopiecznych placówek badaniem zostało objętych pięciu wychowanków umieszczonych w instytucjonalnej pieczy zastępczej. Przeprowadzone badanie miało na celu ukazanie marzeń podopiecznych, zawartych w problemach badawczych. Problemy badawcze obejmowały marzenia wychowanków, definiowanie marzeń przez podopiecznych, dążenie do spełniania marzeń oraz przedstawienie ich w rysunku plastycznym. W badaniu zastosowałem metodę indywidualnego przypadku, przy zastosowaniu trzech technik badawczych: wywiad, obserwacja i techniki projekcyjnej – analizy rysunku. Do wybranej metody i technik zastosowałem trzy narzędzia badawcze: kwestionariusz wywiadu, arkusz obserwacji oraz rysunek
Metoda oceny efektywnosci hydraulicznej komponentów systemów odwodnieniowych
No full textThis study evaluates the performance of different retention solutions in stormwater drainage systems. The outcome of this study proposes a method to determine the hydraulic efficiency of different stormwater drainage retention components, in which instead of assessing retention capacities, the resistance time is used. The study was conducted in a laboratory setting, involving four different hydraulic units designed to increase channel retention in the drainage system. These units operate under diverse hydraulic conditions, including varying channel gradients, different inflow rates, and differential outflow reductions. The analysed units included a linear system (U1), a linear system with increased retention (U2 and U4), and a ring system (U3). The experiments conducted laid the groundwork for a method to determine the hydraulic efficiency of drainage components in situations where estimating efficiency based on the analysis of required capacities is impossible or very timeconsuming. The research results were utilised to assess the hydraulic efficiency of the studied hydraulic units U1-U4. The results of this study indicated a significantly higher efficiency of ring systems (U3) under all input scenarios at the highest tested flows (12L/s). In specific cases, its application allowed for over a 5-fold extension of the system’s correct operation time, and the determined hydraulic efficiency coefficient α values ranged between 4.5 and 11.4. For lower flows (10 L/s), the most effective system varied depending on the hydraulic conditions, with the channel gradient identified as the parameter that most significantly influenced the efficiency of individual solutions.This work was supported by the by Poland’s National Science Centre
[Project No. 2020/04/X/ST8/00450]
Opracowanie zintegrowanego systemu wspomagającego działalność w laboratoriach i działach badawczo-rozwojowych (B+R) przedsiębiorstw.
No full textProgram Badawczo – Rozwojowy numer WND-RPSL.01.02.00-24-0457/19-002 dofinansowany w ramach Regionalnego Programu Operacyjnego Województwa Śląskiego na lata 2014 2020 (Europejski Fundusz Rozwoju Regionalnego
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