Search results

AbstractThe article is an attempt to discover the essence of creativity trainings. Creativity is the ability to create new and valuable objects. Thus I will analyze those two adjectives "new" and "valuable". What more I will undertake the problem of assumptions which are made by creators of creativity trainings. Then I will present the creative processes by Margaret Baden and ways to develop them. At the end I will try to identify conditions of the effectiveness of those trainings

A deposit guarantee scheme is a crucial element of the financial safety network, which is currently undergoing a major reform in the European Union due to the process of the creation of the banking union. Therefore, it is important to present a variety of the possible target models, their adequacy in relation to the objectives set in the reform as well as to analyse the conditions which contributed to the choice of the one that is being implemented. What also needs to be addressed is the issue of the proposed model along with its potential to eliminate systemic dysfunctions, involving those addressed by the EU legislator as well as the moral hazard inherently present in the mere concept of a deposit guarantee scheme.

The author claims that the development of the discipline of policy analysis and the professionalization of state activities in policymaking (from public education, public administration or political activities) takes the high quality policy studies. The policy analysis craft has plays many public role. Generally, its main task is to achieve the maximum of rational judgments relating to the key components in policymaking. It helps to diagnose the policy problems which affect the society and must be resolved, including capturing their dynamics before the damages are done. It supports as well the agenda setting which is to reflect the hierarchy of public problems. It helps to crystallize the evidence base which are to prove the effectiveness of policy intervention which has been planned. The author describes the historical circumstances in Poland shaping the cultural bias in policy analysis. He points to some public life practices which limit the inclination for analyzing policies or affect their quality. At the same time he emphasizes the significance of the professional policy analysis to make sure the decision making process is effective. It enables to detect many sorts of risks hidden on the stage of policy formulation and policy implementation. The public administration, political class, and many analytical institutions like think tanks have troubles in policy analysis.

This article analyzes empirically the impact of job search through social networks on wages. Individual data are used from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) and the regression combining and decomposition methods to estimate the effect of social networks for Poland and 19 other countries. In the analyzed cases generally the null hypothesis cannot be rejected of no wage effect of social networks. At the same time the results indicate a positive effect on the wages of private employment agencies and employment agencies operating at universities and schools.

Tax systems in some countries only serve to prevent the onset of the financial crisis and excessive public debt and budget deficit in relation to GDP. The article presents the author's analysis of the impact of taxes scale on financial stability and economic sustainability of countries. The concept of a hypothetical share of tax on GDP for the analysis of social inequality is introduced. An assessment of fiscal policy in the European Union and Norway between 2000 and 2010 was prepared. Usefulness of higher taxation (consumption, labor and capital) in the context of the need to reduce public debt in many countries was estimated, too.

European Union is principal example of the so-called fourth current of institutionalization of international relations. What makes it special in the context of other state-like communities is the level of integration and what follows the level of institutionalization of intra-communal relations. There are two levels of institutionalization of intentional relations in integration organizations. On the first level international relations are institutionalized within the community of states. The second level concentrates on institutionalization of relations between the community and other subjects of international relations. The European Union is an example of organization that is advanced on both levels of institutionalization. This paper analyzes institutionalization of international relations between EU and developed states (Australia and New Zealand) and Mercosur – another integrational organization. Recommencement of negotiation between EU and Mercosur on a treaty of association, as well as commencement of negotiations between EU and Australia on the conditions of a Framework Agreement, have taken place at the moment when it was certain that world economy has to cope with the effects of a serious recession. Those actions, although they may seem irrational, are thoroughly rational as they increase the chances of reaching a compromise. Crisis helps to concentrate on the core problems and states (or organizations of states) are more willing in that distinctions to reach an agreement, provided that the balance tilts in their favor (even if the results of negotiations are very diff erent from what was assumed at the beginning).