Professionalization and economization of rural NGOs and the activity of their members. An example of local action groups from Wielkopolska

Wśród wiejskich organizacji pozarządowych można wyróżnić zarówno te, które zrzeszają niewielką liczbę członków, działają incydentalnie wykorzystując głównie środki pochodzące ze składek członkowskich, jak i te, które zrzeszają kilkaset osób, prowadzą regularną działalność charakteryzującą się wysokim poziomem ekonomizacji i profesjonalizacji. Przykładem drugiego rodzaju struktur są lokalne grupy działania. Celem artykułu jest odpowiedź na pytanie, czy wysoki poziom ich profesjonalizacji i ekonomizacji wpływa korzystnie na aktywność ich członków czy wręcz odwrotnie jest dla nich ograniczeniem? Została ona udzielona na podstawie badań (przeprowadzonych za pomocą techniki ankiety rozdawanej), zrealizowanych w 2012 roku na próbie 104 respondentów z pięciu lokalnych grup działania ulokowanych na obszarze Wielkopolski. Analiza wykazała, iż wysoki poziom ich ekonomizacji i profesjonalizacji nie oznacza zwiększenia aktywności ich członków. Pracę w organizacjach wykonują przede wszystkim członkowie zarządu oraz rady. Ich aktywność (najczęściej wykazywana od momentu powstania organizacji) utrwaliła ich pozycję w grupach, co stało się jedną z przyczyn marginalizacji innych członków, wśród których znaleźli się także ci, których chęć działania blokuje fakt, iż wszelkie prace wykonują „ciągle te same osoby”. Wysoki poziom ekonomizacji i profesjonalizacji analizowanych organizacji nie oznacza również, że w ich skład wchodzą tylko członkowie dysponujący wysokimi kompetencjami. Niepokojący wydaje się deficyt wiedzy członków LGD w zakresie specyfiki nowego modelu rozwoju wsi. W przyszłym okresie programowania przewiduje się zwiększenie znaczenia tych organizacji w zakresie oddziaływania na społeczno-gospodarcze przemiany wsi. Tym bardziej będzie wskazane podwyższenie poziomu kompetencji członków lokalnych grup działania, zwłaszcza tych, którzy przynależą do zarząduAmong rural non-governmental organisations there are those, which unite few members and act incidentally using mainly the resources which have been obtained from member fees, as well as those, which unite several hundreds of people and conduct regu- lar activities characterised by high level of economisation and professionalisation. The other kind of organisations can be exemplified by local action groups. The purpose of this article is to address the question whether the high level of professionalisation and economisation has positive influence on the activities of its members or – the opposite – it constitutes a hindrance. The issue shall be addressed basing on research (carried out via the distributed surveys) conducted in 2012 on a sample of 104 respondents from local action groups located within the territory of Wielkopolska. The analysis demonstrated that the high level of economisation and professionalisation of an organisation does not imply increased activity of its member

"Problematic" sexual behaviors : clinical and legal aspects

There is a vast scientific literature on psychiatric pathologies but research on the sexual problems that secondarily accompany them is still lacking. Among the few issues which in this area still manage to overcome an evident generalized resistance of patients to treating the subject and which can be the purpose of further study, beyond the sexual dysfunctions caused by drugs and the greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) we have focused in our bibliographical research on problematic sexual behaviors (PSBs). In particular, we have examined PSBs that complicate axis 2 disorders, usually the field of dynamic psychotherapy, while with reference to axis 1 only those present in bipolar disorder, because of the fact that this last, in its "ultra-rapid" cycles, is located by some authors in the symptom spectrum of borderline personality disorders. Lastly, our in-depth analysis, with the exclusion of paraphilic disorders already nosologically well classified in the DSM-5 with code F65, focused on the still poorly defined legal implications of PSBs secondary to personality disorders (PDs), with the purpose of contributing to a greater consideration of the argument in favor of adequate legal protection of patients and health professionals involved in this particular aspect of psycho-behavioral pathologies

Environmental protection and Italian constitutional reform : some profiles of interest and critical remarks

This paper aims to analyse the scope of constitutional reform no. 1/2022, approved last 8th February by the Italian Parliament, with which the Articles 9 and 41 of the Constitution have been modified. Thanks to this amendment, the environment (the ecosystem and biodiversity) has been included as a legal asset subject that needs an expressed protection. Specifically, it is possible to highlight the critical profiles concerning the balance that the legislator has already intended to offer at a regulatory level between respect for the environment and private economic activities. In this field, the Ilva case-law represents a milestone for the Constitutional Court and the Italian legislator

Relacja między wybranymi wymiarami kontekstu instytucjonalnego a kształtem pola problemowego współczesnej polskiej socjologii akademickiej. (Re)konstrukcja w oparciu o prace doktorskie z lat 1993-2011

Truizmem wydaje się stwierdzenie, iż ukonstytuowanie się dyscypliny nauko- wej (abstrahując w tym miejscu od rozważań dotyczących kryteriów naukowości) nie odbywa się na podstawie jednorazowego aktu jej powołania. Określenie granic (choćby przybliżonych) właściwego jej przedmiotu poznania oraz specyficznych metod oglądu i analizy tegoż przedmiotu stanowi długotrwały (ciągły) proces, obejmujący wielorakie działania jej twórców (niekoniecznie i nie zawsze świadomych swojej roli w tym zakresie), ich uczniów i kontynuatorów. Celem podjętych rozważań nie jest jednak analiza logicznie możliwych reguł i strategii działania w polu produkcji naukowej, konstytuujących właściwe poszczególnym dyscyplinom ramy przedmiotowo-problemowe. Niniejszy artykuł stanowi próbę rekonstrukcji wybranego wycinka pola problemowego współczesnej socjologii akademickiej oraz niektórych instytucjonalnych wzorców jego wytwarzania. Empiryczną podstawę analiz stanowią 193 prace doktorskie z zakresu socjologii powstałe w siedmiu Instytutach Socjologii w latach 1993−2011 oraz 47 wywiadów z ich autorami

Działania sektora bankowego w walce z wykluczeniem społecznym

Wykluczenie społeczne uznane zostało przez UE i ONZ za jedną z podstawowych barier w osiąganiu wzrostu ekonomicznego i zrównoważonego rozwoju. Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie działań banków w Polsce i na świecie w zakresie walki z wykluczeniem społecznym. Przedstawiono produkty i usługi skierowane do osób ubogich, nieposiadających zdolności kredytowej, mające za zadanie aktywowanie przedsiębiorczości i walkę z wykluczeniem społecznym, oraz usługi, pomagające w prowadzeniu działalności przez małe i średnie przedsiębiorstwa. Opisano innowacje techniczno-komunikacyjne zastosowane w bankowości, służące walce z wykluczeniem

Statistical models to accelerate software development by means of iterative compilation

Minimization of data-processing time and reduction of software-development time are important practical problems to be tackled by modern computer science.This paper presents the authors' proposal of a family of statistical models for the estimation of program execution time, which is an approach focused on both of the above problems at the same time. The family consists of a general model and specific models and has been elaborated based on empirical data collected for pattern-program loops representing some arbitrarily selected features related to the program structure and the specificity of a program-execution environment.The paper presents steps to elaborate the aforementioned family as well as the results of the carried-out experimental research. The paper demonstrates how the elaborated models can be applied in iterative compilation for optimization purposes, allowing us to reduce the time of software development and produce code with minimal execution time

Institutional and legal approach to eldercare versus sustainable work concept in selected European Union countries

Motivation: European societies face the problem of ageing populations and shrinking labour force. One of the ways to tackle this issue is the development of sustainable approach towards work. Sustainable work means creating such living and working conditions that they enable people to remain in employment throughout their extended working life. It requires gaining adequate skills, adjusting working conditions for elder workers’ needs as well as helping them balance work and life. Family obligations are not only related to childcare but also to eldercare given to parents, step-parents or spouses. The balance between work and care might be supported both at the enterprise and the institutional level.Aim: The article aims to examine the legal and institutional approach to care for the elderly in the selected EU countries (Germany, the UK, Finland and Poland) and to answer the question to what extent these institutions and laws support the concept of sustainable work.Results: The extent to which national institutions and laws support sustainable work concept differ between countries, depending on the welfare model they represent. Finland represents Nordic welfare model in which publicly organised and financed eldercare is very generous, so sustainable work model is easy to put in practice. German welfare state also has its social policy well developed, and care systems are supported by the universal long-term care insurance. The UK is an example of a more liberal regime, in which sustainable work concept is more market-driven. Polish efforts to follow the German model with reference to social insurance are still under public debate. However, we doubt whether German solutions are possible to be introduced in Polish conditions due to the different position of trade unions in this country, less importance of employee participation in company management than in Germany, and definitely less than in Germany the regulation of the labor market. In Poland, informal institutions, such as family and cultural customs, play a much greater role in organizing help in the care of an elderly person. Formal institutions play a smaller role in the organization of this care. We propose to take some solutions at the national and enterprise level to raise awareness of the need to take steps to address the issue of support for employees caring for an elderly person

Institutional and legal approach to eldercare versus sustainable work concept in selected European Union countries

Motivation: European societies face the problem of ageing populations and shrinking labour force. One of the ways to tackle this issue is the development of sustainable approach towards work. Sustainable work means creating such living and working conditions that they enable people to remain in employment throughout their extended working life. It requires gaining adequate skills, adjusting working conditions for elder workers’ needs as well as helping them balance work and life. Family obligations are not only related to childcare but also to eldercare given to parents, step-parents or spouses. The balance between work and care might be supported both at the enterprise and the institutional level. Aim: The article aims to examine the legal and institutional approach to care for the elderly in the selected EU countries (Germany, the UK, Finland and Poland) and to answer the question to what extent these institutions and laws support the concept of sustainable work. Results: The extent to which national institutions and laws support sustainable work concept differ between countries, depending on the welfare model they represent. Finland represents Nordic welfare model in which publicly organised and financed eldercare is very generous, so sustainable work model is easy to put in practice. German welfare state also has its social policy well developed, and care systems are supported by the universal long-term care insurance. The UK is an example of a more liberal regime, in which sustainable work concept is more market-driven. Polish efforts to follow the German model with reference to social insurance are still under public debate. However, we doubt whether German solutions are possible to be introduced in Polish conditions due to the different position of trade unions in this country, less importance of employee participation in company management than in Germany, and definitely less than in Germany the regulation of the labor market. In Poland, informal institutions, such as family and cultural customs, play a much greater role in organizing help in the care of an elderly person. Formal institutions play a smaller role in the organization of this care. We propose to take some solutions at the national and enterprise level to raise awareness of the need to take steps to address the issue of support for employees caring for an elderly person

The concept of the "co-created city" - experiences and visions of its implementation from the viewpoint of the Łódź authorities and Municipal Office stakeholders

In November 2021, the Łódź City Council adopted the "City Development Strategy - Łódź 2030+" document. The strategy used the "cocreated city" catchword as its guiding idea. Also in 2021, the Łódź Foundation launched the Project "Łódź as a Co-Created And Co-Governed City", which included a series of individual in-depth interviews with local journalists and municipal office stakeholders. For the purposes of this article, the collected research material was analysed in terms of current application of the governance concept elements. The visions of city governance offered by the authorities and by representatives of various stakeholder groups were also compared to each other. Moreover, an attempt was made to analyse the possible directions for the implementation of these visions. The conducted analyses show that the directions of activities to be undertaken in order to make the idea of governance a reality have been identified and described in a similar way by both the Łódź Municipal Office and the stakeholders. The differences between the two visions are the result of participatory, not always positive, experiences of stakeholders. Based on the hypothetical directions of implementing the idea of governance, either a variant assuming a new opening in relations with stakeholders or a variant of continued apparent activities appears likely

Definiowanie demokracji w doktrynie Kościoła katolickiego

Throughout the history of the Church a profound change in the assessment of democracy has taken place, from utter condemnation to apparent recognition. The Vatican only supports democracy which is based on Christian values. The institution of the Church is to be the authority to establish these values. Following John XXIII, the Vatican Council repeated that public authority could not act against the order settled by God. Thus the power of state authorities in this respect has been subjected to the directives of the Catholic Church. One can assume then that the political system proposed by the Church is a particular modification of feudalism. It should be ascertained that freedom – meaning the freedom of choice – expressed by individual participation in government and, consequently, in the enacted law, remains absent from the doctrine of the Catholic Church.Throughout the history of the Church a profound change in the assessment of democracy has taken place, from utter condemnation to apparent recognition. The Vatican only supports democracy which is based on Christian values. The institution of the Church is to be the authority to establish these values. Following John XXIII, the Vatican Council repeated that public authority could not act against the order settled by God. Thus the power of state authorities in this respect has been subjected to the directives of the Catholic Church. One can assume then that the political system proposed by the Church is a particular modification of feudalism. It should be ascertained that freedom – meaning the freedom of choice – expressed by individual participation in government and, consequently, in the enacted law, remains absent from the doctrine of the Catholic Church