Strategic management of local (gmina) development

W artykule przedstawiono istotę strategicznego zarządzania ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem działań marketingowych jako podstawy do skutecznego i efektywnego sterowania procesami rozwoju gminy, a w konsekwencji jak najlepszego zaspokajania zbiorowych potrzeb mieszkańców. Wskazano na rolę władz gminy w regulowaniu, kreowaniu i stymulowaniu rozwoju lokalnego, a także na konieczność kompleksowego podejścia do problemów rozwoju lokalnego. Przedstawiono także ewolucję metod zarządzania rozwojem lokalnym stosowanych przez władze polskich gmin. Na tym tle przedstawiono istotę, pojęcie, podstawowe cechy i etapy działań strategiczno-marketingowych na rzecz rozwoju gminy.Z przeprowadzonej analizy wynika, że odniesienie sukcesu w działaniach na rzecz rozwoju gminy w dużym stopniu zależy od umiejętności posługiwania się skutecznymi i efektywnymi metodami zarządzania. Taką – zdaniem autora – jest metoda strategiczno-marketingowa. W wyniku takiego podejścia powinien powstać efekt synergii, czyli efekt w postaci wartości dodanej ponad prostą sumę osiągniętych rezultatów, uzyskany w wyniku komplementarności obu metod zarządzania. Przy takim podejściu priorytety, cele i zadania do realizacji są określone w sposób kompleksowy, rzetelny oraz zgodny z realnymi możliwościami wykonawczymi, zwłaszcza finansowymi. W konsekwencji zwiększa się skuteczność działań realizacyjnych, co przekłada się na wyższy poziom zaspokojenia zbiorowych potrzeb mieszkańców, wzrost atrakcyjności lokalizacyjnej, poprawę wizerunku i wzrost konkurencyjności gminy w otoczeniu.The article presents the essential features of strategic-marketing management as a basis for the effective and efficient control of the processes of local (gmina) government development, and in consequence the best way of satisfying the collective needs of inhabitants. The author indicates the role of local government in the regulation, creation and stimulation of local development and moreover the need for a complex approach to local development problems. The evolution of the approachto local development management in Polish local (gmina) authority areas is also presented. Against this background the paper presents the essence, concepts, elementary features and successive stages of the management of strategic-marketing development in local authority areas.Outcomes of the analysis show that achieving success in activities for local government development depends significantly on the efficient and effective use of management methods. One of these methods, according to the author, is the strategic-marketing method. As a result of this approach the synergy effect should be generated, that is an effect of value added beyond the simple sum of results obtained as a consequence of complementary management methods. This approach shows that priorities, goals and implementation tasks are determined comprehensively, honestly and are compatible with a realistic possibility of execution and financing. In consequence the effectiveness of implementation activities is an enhanced, which translates into a higher level of satisfaction of the collective needs of the inhabitants, increase in the attractiveness of the location, an improvement of its image and increasing competitiveness of the urban communes in the surrounding area

Annus Mirabilis 1989 and its legacy: fulfilled promises, shattered illusions and unexpected results

Artykuł jest próbą analizy pierwszych lat transformacji systemowej w Polsce, tzn. przebiegu procesu demokratyzacji w 1989 r. oraz podstawowych problemów konsolidacji demokracji w Polsce w kilku latach następnych. Jest to analiza porównawcza wykorzystująca kategorie stosowane przez S. Huntingtona w książce Trzecia fala demokratyzacji. Artykuł przedstawia konsekwencje faktu, że proces demokratyzacji dokonał się w Polsce poprzez „przemieszczenie”, tzn. wspólne działania rządu i przedstawicieli opozycji, czego wyrazem był zwłaszcza obrady Okrągłego Stołu. Analizuje najistotniejsze dylematy następnych lat, a więc problemy gospodarcze i socjalne, „problem kata” (tzn. kwestię rozliczenia przeszłości) oraz „problem pretorianina” (tzn. sposób traktowania przedstawicieli poprzednich resortów siłowych). Opisuje także zmiany społecznego postrzegania wydarzeń z owych lat.This paper is an attempt to reconsider the first years of systemic transformations in Poland, or, more precisely, the course of events during democratisation process going on in 1989, and the fundamental problems of the consolidation of democracy in the following years. In a comparative analysis referring to categories used by Samuel P. Huntington in his book: The Third Wave. Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century, it presents the consequences of the fact that democratisation in Poland was achieved by ‘transplacement’ – joint actions of the government and the opposition, manifested in particular at the Round Table talks. Further the main dilemmas of subsequent years are analysed. These include: the economic and social issues, the problem of the accountability for the past, and the question of how to deal with the praetorians of the former regime. Changes in the social perception of the early transformation period are also described

Neurofeedback training for peak performance

Aim. One of the applications of the Neurofeedback methodology is peak performance in sport. The protocols of the neurofeedback are usually based on an assessment of the spectral parameters of spontaneous EEG in resting state conditions. The aim of the paper was to study whether the intensive neurofeedback training of a well-functioning Olympic athlete who has lost his performance confidence after injury in sport, could change the brain functioning reflected in changes in spontaneous EEG and event related potentials (ERPs). Case study. The case is presented of an Olympic athlete who has lost his performance confidence after injury in sport. He wanted to resume his activities by means of neurofeedback training. His QEEG/ERP parameters were assessed before and after 4 intensive sessions of neurotherapy. Dramatic and statistically significant changes that could not be explained by error measurement were observed in the patient. Conclusion. Neurofeedback training in the subject under study increased the amplitude of the monitoring component of ERPs generated in the anterior cingulate cortex, accompanied by an increase in beta activity over the medial prefrontal cortex. Taking these changes together, it can be concluded that that even a few sessions of neurofeedback in a high performance brain can significantly activate the prefrontal cortical areas associated with increasing confidence in sport performance

Analysis of relative changes in pulse shapes of intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity.

Objective.Analysis of relative changes in the shapes of pulse waveforms of intracranial pressure (ICP) and transcranial Doppler cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) may provide information on intracranial compliance. We tested this hypothesis, introducing an index named the ratio of pulse slopes (RPS) that is based on inclinations of the ascending parts of the ICP and CBFV pulse waveforms. It has hypothetically a simple interpretation: a value of 1 indicates good compliance and a value less than 1, reduced compliance. Here, we investigated the usefulness of RPS for assessment of intracranial compliance.Approach.ICP and CBFV signals recorded simultaneously in 30 normal-pressure hydrocephalus patients during infusion tests were retrospectively analysed. CBFV was measured in the middle cerebral artery. Changes in RPS during the test were compared with changes in the height ratio of the first and second peak of the ICP pulse (P1/P2) and the shape of the ICP pulse was classified from normal (1) to pathological (4). Values are medians (lower, upper quartiles).Main results.There was a significant correlation between baseline RPS and intracranial elasticity (R = -0.55,p = 0.0018). During the infusion tests, both RPS and P1/P2 decreased with rising ICP [RPS, 0.80 (0.56, 0.92) versus 0.63 (0.44, 0.80),p = 0.00015; P1/P2, 0.58 (0.50, 0.91) versus 0.52 (0.36, 0.71),p = 0.00009] while the ICP pulses became more pathological in shape [class: 3 (2, 3) versus 3 (3, 4),p = 0.04]. The magnitude of the decrease in RPS during infusion was inversely correlated with baseline P1/P2 (R = -0.40,p < 0.03).Significance.During infusion, the slopes of the ascending parts of ICP and CBFV pulses become increasingly divergent with a shift in opposite directions. RPS seems to be a promising methodological tool for monitoring intracranial compliance with no additional volumetric manipulation required

Modern microbiological methods in diagnosis of adverse reactions after BCG vaccination. Case reports

The attenuated bacilli Calmett-Guerin (BCG) vaccine is administered worldwide to prevent tuberculosis and is considered to have an excellent safety profile. In Poland, since 1955 BCG mass vaccination shave been compulsory. More than 95% new borns and 80% of older children of the population have been vaccinated. Complications of vaccination are uncommon. Although BCG has been used safely for many years, it can cause disease in humans, especially those with cellular immunodeficiencies. The risks associated with BCG vaccination include local complications, extraregional localized disease, and disseminated BCG disease. Identification of M. bovis BCG in laboratory is a very difficult process. Routine identification of mycobacterial isolates inclinical laboratories involves culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex which includes M.tuberculosis, M.bovis, M.africanum and M.microti and the vaccine strain M.bovis BCG. Most laboratories cannot quickly differentiate between BCG and other members of M.tuberculosis complex and some cases of BCG complications in children may be considered and treated as tuberculosis. Because of difficulties in proper identification of BCG strains isolated from the patients,the prevalence of BCG infections is not know exactly. Knowledge of BCG infection would be of particular interest to the clinician responsible for the therapy. We describe the several methods using in mycobacterial laboratory for identification and suggest th emodern algorithm of BCG strains identification including mycolic acids profileby HPLC and 14C PZA resistance methods. The methods allowed us fast and accurate identify M.bovis BCG infection in 5 children which have been described in our paper. Preliminary diagnosis for four children among five tested was tuberculosis. One immunocompromised HIV negative child died, one still excrets BCG bacilli. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BCG complication (AEFI) in Polish children in which HPLC and 14 C PZA methods have been used for rapid identification of M.bovis BCG in fectionand/orcomplication. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2004, 72, 505:51

High-frequency X-ray variability as a mass estimator of stellar and supermassive black holes

There is increasing evidence that supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are scaled-up versions of Galactic black holes. We show that the amplitude of high-frequency X-ray variability in the hard spectral state is inversely proportional to the black hole mass over eight orders of magnitude. We have analyzed all available hard-state data from RXTE of seven Galactic black holes. Their power density spectra change dramatically from observation to observation, except for the high-frequency (>10 Hz) tail, which seems to have a universal shape, roughly represented by a power law of index -2. The amplitude of the tail, C_M (extrapolated to 1 Hz), remains approximately constant for a given source, regardless of the luminosity, unlike the break or QPO frequencies, which are usually strongly correlated with luminosity. Comparison with a moderate-luminosity sample of AGN shows that the amplitude of the tail is a simple function of black hole mass, C_M = C/M, where C = 1.25 M_Sol / Hz. This makes C_M a robust estimator of the black hole mass which is easy to apply to low- to moderate-luminosity supermassive black holes. The high-frequency tail with its universal shape is an invariant feature of a black hole and, possibly, an imprint of the last stable orbit.Comment: MNRAS, 9 pages, 7 figure

The postmonocentric social order and its dynamic character: Two opposing cultural constellations

Niniejszy artykuł jest przedrukiem tekstu będącego wstępem teoretycznym do opublikowanej w roku 1993 pracy zbiorowej Polacy wobec ładu postmonocentrycznego. Społeczeństwo polskie i jego instytucje w 1992 roku. Omawia on podstawowy kierunek rozpoczętej w Polsce w roku 1989 wielkiej transformacji systemowej, wykorzystując w tym celu klasyczne Parsonsowskie przeciwstawienie dwóch przeciwstawnych układów zmiennych wzoru oraz Stanisława Ossowskiego czterech typów ładu społecznego. Pokazuje on, jak „rdzeń transformacji”, czyli podejmowane zgodnie z „interesem teoretycznym” działania modernizacyjne w gospodarce, polityce i kulturze napotykają na wywodzący się z różnych źródeł opór społeczny. Tekst publikowany jest w przekonaniu, że może on stanowić znakomite nawiązanie do Karla Polanyi’ego koncepcji double movement (przywoływanej w niniejszym tonie w artykule Macieja Kassnera), pokazując w szczególności, że opór wobec wprowadzania gospodarki rynkowej miał nie tylko ekonomiczny, ale znacznie szerszy, tj. społeczno-kulturowy charakter.This article is a reprint of a text which is a theoretical introduction to a collective work published in 1993 entitled Polacy wobec ładu postmonocentrycznego. Społeczeństwo polskie i jego instytucje w 1992 roku. It discusses the basic direction of the great systemic transformation, which began in Poland in 1989, using for this purpose Parsons’ classical juxtaposition of two sets of pattern variables. It shows how the “core of the transformation”, i.e., modernisation measures taken in line with “theoretical interests” in the economy, politics and culture, encountered social resistance from various sources. The article is published in the belief that it can serve as an excellent reference to Karl Polanyi’s concept of double movement (cited in this issue in Maciej Kassner’s article), showing in particular that resistance to the introduction of a market economy was not only economic, but of a much broader, i.e. socio-cultural, nature