The impact of regional demographics on Higher Education Policy. An example from Silesia, Poland

The determinants of higher education policy have their sources in various spheres, such as economic, social, educational, national policy, administrative, and demographic. Problems for the development of higher education also stem from these spheres. One of them is the challenging demographic situation that is a significant element of developing higher education in southern Poland (particuarly in the Silesia region). Given this context, this article aims to indicate the policies of the universities in the region which respond to the existing demographic threats. This relationship is to confront student opinions regarding their vision for their education and future career within the current demographic situation. Using research-based on an analysis of university and regional local government strategic documents and surveys carried out among students, we conclude that higher education development policy is responding to the demographic transformation. Meanwhile, students' attitudes to the challenges of the demographic situation is quite "flexible" and relatively ambivalent. This article presents the contrast between the increasingly tricky demographic situation in Silesia, Poland, and the limited response in the two main groups of stakeholders – academic authorities and students – that require shaping higher education ipolicy towards future demographic challenges

THE CONCEPT OF INTEGRATED PROFIT FROM CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP. THE CASE OF TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS’ GROUPS AND AGRI-FOOD SECTOR

The concept of integrated profit offers a theoretical framework for a holistic analysis of contract goals between agricultural producers’ groups and agri-food sector. The theoretical background applied in this paper is the contract theory. The primary purpose being the identification of vertical coordination forms between producers’ organizations and agri-food sector. Consequently, the specific goal was to recognize price mechanisms in contracts and their analysis in the context of the integrated profit (only in the field of coordination). The research focused on contracts signed in 2014 between groups operating on poultry market and their first buyers. The survey (collection of primary data) was conducted in the period March-May 2015 through the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview. The main first buyer of producers’ groups were processing plants. Almost 50% of groups used to sell their outputs through contracts. The fixed price was the most frequently used price formula in contractual relationship. Consequently, more risk were taken by first buyers. The second most popular price formula was the market price on delivery day which can be treated as an unduly burden for producers’ organizations, although it may also support production coordination through price signals

Koordynacja transakcji na rynku drobiu na przykładzie grup producentów rolnych

Agro-industrialization together with consolidation processes between agribusiness entities, especially between agricultural production and agri-food sector, make the analysis of coordination processes between farmers (producers’ organizations) and food sector an important research issue. The goal of this paper is thus to provide characteristics for modes of transaction coordination between poultry producers’ organizations and their buyers taking into a special account formal/contractual relations. For the purpose of the research the author applied a questionnaire method which was conducted between March and May 2015. The sample was 67 poultry producers’ organizations covering their activities in the year 2014. Conducted research revealed that 73% of respondents sold the whole production of their members to processing plants and most transactions of poultry producers’ organizations were completed under contractual framework

Mechanizm cenowy w powiązaniach kontraktowych z perspektywy teorii agencji. Przykład koordynacji transakcji na rynku ziemniaka między grupami producentów rolnych a rynkiem spożywczym

Contracts are one of the main forms of the vertical transaction coordination. Key aspect of contractual relationships are adequate motivation and selection of partners. It can be done through a price mechanism. The theoretical concept applied for this kind of research is the principal–agent model (the agency theory). The main goal was to identify contract existing in transactions between producers’ organizations and agri-food sector. Consequently, the specific goal was to recognize the price formula in contracts. The research was focused on contracts signed in 2014 between groups operating on the potato market and their first buyers, so that is why the author has used the case study as the main research method, while the survey (collection of primary data) was conducted in the period March–May 2015 through the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview. The main first buyer of producers’ groups were processing plants. Almost all of groups used to sell their outputs through contracts. The fixed price was the most frequently used price formula in contractual relationship. / Synopsis. Kontrakty stanowią jedną z form pionowej koordynacji transakcji w agrobiznesie. Kluczowym aspektem umów jest odpowiednie motywowanie stron do właściwego działania oraz optymalny wybór kontrahentów. Może to się odbywać poprzez ustanowienie odpowiedniej formuły cenowej. Koncepcją teoretyczną umożliwiającą badanie tych problemów jest model pryncypał–agent w ramach teorii agencji. Celem głównym przeprowadzonych badań była identyfikacja powiązań kontraktowych między grupami producentów rolnych a pierwszym odbiorcą. Celem szczegółowym było rozpoznanie formuły cenowej. Przedmiotem badań były kontrakty między grupami producentów rolnych na rynku ziemniaka a pierwszym odbiorcą w 2014 r., dlatego zastosowano metodę studium przypadku, natomiast same dane zostały pozyskane w toku wspomaganego komputerowo wywiadu telefonicznego (w okresie marzec–maj 2015 r.). W badanych jednostkach cała sprzedaż była realizowana poprzez kontrakty. Głównym odbiorcą były zakłady przetwórcze. Dominującym systemem płatności była cena stała

The Polish exports of fruits and vegetables. The case of fruits and vegetables producer organisations and groups (the primary market) from Lower Silesian voivodeship

The main goal of the paper was to evaluate changes in Polish fruit and vegetable exports between 2004–2012 and to identify the main export destinations of representatives of 107 the primary market of fruits and vegetables from the Lower Silesian voivodeship. For the purpose of the research, data from the International Trade Centre (ITC) was used. The author also used the method of a case study – fruit and vegetable producer organisations and groups from the Lower Silesian voivodeship were the focus of the research. The analysis allowed the steady growth of fruit and vegetable exports between 2004- 2012 to be identified from Poland as a whole, with the main importing markets being Germany and Russia. The same directions were characteristic among subjects from the Lower Silesian voivodeship

Pionowa koordynacja transakcji między grupami producentów rolnych a ich pierwszymi odbiorcami. Przykład rynku ziemniaków

The main goal of the paper was to identify contract mechanisms existing in transactions between producers’ organizations on the potato market and first buyers. The research was focused on contracts signed in 2014. The author has used the case study as the main research method, while the survey was conducted in the period March–May 2015 through the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview. 8 producers’ groups took part in the research (approx. 35% of the statistical population). In 2014 groups used to sell their outputs through contracts. The main first buyer of producers’ groups were processing plants

The Development of Agricultural Producer's Cooperatives in Poland after 1990

After 1990 in Poland new economic possibilities appeared. During last two decades the most important issue was how to build a new institutional order. Governing bodies had to face up the challenge of defining the model of agricultural cooperatives and their role in the new economic reality. The author presented changes among rural cooperatives, paying special attention to production cooperatives and producers' groups

Koncepcja zintegrowanej korzyści z powiązań umownych. Przykład pionowej koordynacji transakcji między grupami producentów rolnych a sektorem rolno-spożywczym

The concept of integrated profit offers a theoretical framework for a holistic analysis of contract goals between agricultural producers’ groups and agri-food sector. The theoretical background applied in this paper is the contract theory. The primary purpose being the identification of vertical coordination forms between producers’ organizations and agri-food sector. Consequently, the specific goal was to recognize price mechanisms in contracts and their analysis in the context of the integrated profit (only in the field of coordination). The research focused on contracts signed in 2014 between groups operating on poultry market and their first buyers. The survey (collection of primary data) was conducted in the period March-May 2015 through the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview. The main first buyer of producers’ groups were processing plants. Almost 50% of groups used to sell their outputs through contracts. The fixed price was the most frequently used price formula in contractual relationship. Consequently, more risk were taken by first buyers. The second most popular price formula was the market price on delivery day which can be treated as an unduly burden for producers’ organizations, although it may also support production coordination through price signals.Koncepcja zintegrowanej korzyści umożliwia holistyczną analizę celów realizowanych w ramach kontraktów między rolnikami lub organizacjami producentów rolnych a rynkiem przetwórstwa rolno-spożywczego. Wykorzystanym podejściem była teoria kontraktów. Jako cel główny artykułu przyjęto identyfikację form pionowej koordynacji transakcji między grupami producentów rolnych a rynkiem rolno-spożywczym. Celem szczegółowym było zaś rozpoznanie mechanizmu cenowego w umowach i analiza przy wykorzystaniu koncepcji zintegrowanej korzyści (rozważania zawężono do obszaru koordynacji). Przedmiotem badań były kontrakty podpisane w 2014 roku między grupami producentów działającymi na rynku drobiu a pierwszym odbiorcą. Podstawowym narzędziem badawczym był wspomagany komputerowo wywiad telefoniczny. Badanie przeprowadzono w okresie marzec – maj 2015 roku. Głównym pierwszym odbiorcą surowca od grup producentów były zakłady przetwórcze. Blisko połowa organizacji całość sprzedaży realizowała w ramach powiązań umownych. W analizowanych kontraktach dominowała formuła „cena stała”, co skutkowało większym ryzykiem pierwszego odbiorcy. Drugim często stosowanym mechanizmem była „cena z dnia dostawy”, która z kolei w nadmierny sposób obciążała grupę, choć pozwalało to na koordynację produkcji poprzez sygnały cenowe

THE HOLD-UP PROBLEM IN AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTS. A STUDY OF CONTRACTUAL CORRELATIONS BETWEEN POLISH GROUPS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND FIRST RECIPIENTS

The pre- and post-hold-up problem occurs when partners behave in opportunistic way, contracts are incomplete and there are requirements to invest in assets (both specific and general ones). The most exposed to this issue are farmers having weaker market position than their partners or when there is a significantly lower level of horizontal integration among them. The primary purpose of the paper is twofold. The first goal is to identify farming contracts related to investments in assets (the post-contractual hold-up problem), while the second one is to recognise these agricultural producers’ groups in Poland, which were exposed to the pre-contractual hold-up problem. To complete these research goals the case study method, based on empirical data, was applied. The analysis of data was carried out through descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. One can claim that the post-contractual hold-up problem may have occurred in ca. 42% of total contracts. The research proves also that approximately 31% of agricultural producer’ groups have never been exposed to the pre-contractual hold-up problem