Martyna Wronka-Pośpiech

The identification of skills and competencies for effective management in social enterprises. A managerial perspective

Summary The need to adapt to external business requirements, turbulences present in the environment as well as the dynamic changes occurring in the non-profit sector require the presence of managers who are not only capable of taking proper care of financial issues, but also of optimally deploying available human resources. Today, organisations operate in the world without fixed rules of conduct or a universal management style. As a consequence, there is no universal recipe for success. It is, however, clear that the social enterprise should be run by a competent manager, preferably someone with a business track record and in-depth knowledge of formal issues. The literature review shows that working in a social enterprise requires a high degree of flexibility, a variety of skills and qualifications with the management facing a difficult challenge of how to simultaneously achieve social and economic objectives. The purpose of this article is to identify and explore the key competences and optimal features of the social enterprise manager. Data for the study was collected through a survey from 100 social enterprises in Poland.

Relationships Between Miles and Snow Strategic Types and Organizational Performance in Polish Production Companies

Abstract Purpose: Miles and Snow’s conception of strategic types is the most popular and extensively studied typology of strategic choices. Consequently, in recent years it has been related to organizational performance measures. Despite numerous studies conducted in different environmental and organizational settings, the research results of relationships between strategic types and organizational performance are ambiguous. In this paper, we seek to advance the knowledge regarding how a chosen strategic type affects organizational performance measures in the transition economy of Poland. Methodology: Using quantitative research results, on the basis of data from 96 organizations we statistically test four research hypotheses. Findings: Research results reveal the existence of “clear” strategic types in majority of companies but highlight moderately strong relationships between declared strategic type and organizational performance. In turn, they suggest that Prospector and Analyzer strategic types promise slightly higher performance than Reactor and Defender types. Originality: This research project on strategic types in SMEs in a transition economy is one of few dealing with this topic that have been conducted in Eastern European countries to date.

Management Innovation and Its Measurement

The aim of this paper is to explain the nature of management innovation, as well as to propose its measurement instrument. The paper offers a review of key publications on management innovation published in research journals within the last two decades. The critical analysis – primarily focused on definitions, the proposed dimensions of management innovation and the scales used for their measurement – has allowed for the development of an original tool for measuring management innovation (MI). Five dimensions of management innovation are proposed, namely, strategic dimension, structural dimension, employee motivation and development dimension, interorganisational relations and partnership dimension, and ICT dimension. Using survey data of 301 employees from different companies in Poland, the validation of the management innovation measurement instrument was conducted. Internal consistency analysis (Cronbach’s alpha) and factor analysis, used to test the statistical reliability of the tool, yielded satisfactory results. The findings of this study contribute to advancing innovation research, particularly the state of knowledge on management innovation. Implications for both research and managerial practice are also presented. The proposed five-dimension management innovation model can be used to measure the scope of management innovation in further research and develop the knowledge about links between MI and an organisation’s performance or its impact on technological innovativeness. In addition this study uncovers a wide range of information on management innovation issues for interested parties and for future research.

Risk Perception in the Activity of Social Enterprises

Although the social entrepreneurship literature has been expanding in recent years, links between social enterprises and risks in their functioning have not been deeply explored. This chapter explores those links to create a conceptualization of risks affecting social enterprises. After reviewing existing theory, 26 potential risks were theorized and tested via a questionnaire. In our survey, we focused on social entrepreneurs’ risk perception. One hundred and sixty-one complete data surveys were collected and discussed. The paper begins with background on the social services, focusing on ways and means of its provision. It describes the characteristics of social enterprise, and risks it encounters. Then defines the survey architecture, measures, to end up with research results. We conclude that the dynamics of the social sector conceal a number of important unresolved issues. In this paper we address these issues, and attempt to achieve some understanding of the risks standing behind them.

W kierunku lepszej opieki geriatrycznej w ramach podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej - wnioski z ewaluacji projektu Wsparcie systemu kształcenia ustawicznego personelu medycznego w zakresie opieki geriatrycznej

Demographic and epidemiological changes, especially the lengthening of human lifespan, influence shape and nature of the needs of society, which can and should be satisfied within the area of operations assigned to social policy, particularly health policy being one of so-called public policies. Public policies make for ordering public tasks – ranging from its design, implementation and results evaluation. Usually they are in correspondence with identified social issues, for solution of which an intervention at the state level is necessary. One of social issues requiring an urgent solution is creating system of support for older people enabling them to live with dignity in their current living environment. As a result of identified deficits in this area, public debate in Poland was initiated regarding creating policies for people aged 60+, which final result was preparation of the assumptions of the long-term Senior Policy in Poland for the period 2014–2020. Guidelines of this document as one of the important areas of supporting aged 60+ indicate creating conditions for maintain good health and autonomy for as long as possible. The programme document 2.1.1, under priority 1 for creating of systemic solutions allowing development of medical services for the elderly population, as main objectives to be achieved states: (1) the development of geriatrics as a medical specialty, (2) preparation and professional development of medical staff towards holistic and comprehensive health care for an elderly patients, and (3) the promotion and development of outpatient and geriatric care in Poland. In order to meet the demand for stimulating activities aimed at strengthening resources enabling wider access to health services for the elderly, The Ministry of Health (Department of Nurses and Midwives) in partnership with the Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education in Warsaw in the period from 1st of January 2012 until 30th of June 2015 develop and execute the project “Support of continuous education system of medical personnel in the field of geriatric care” funded by the European Social Fund under the Operational Programme Human Capital. The aim of the project is to improve care directed at the elderly in Poland by improving the competence of medical personnel in the field of geriatric care. The added value of the project was carrying out vast survey among experts regarding their preferences in terms of organisational shape of comprehensive care of the elderly at the level of primary health care.