Tomasz Kijek

Innovation Capital and Its Measurement

Innovation capital regarded as an element of intellectual capital reflects the ability of an organization to create and commercialize the new knowledge (innovations). The aim of this study is twofold. Firstly, an attempt is made to give a concise review of innovation capital concept and its measures in selected intellectual capital – IC –models. Secondly, this paper sets out to extend the current models and introduce a new valuation method of innovation capital. Moreover, the paper provides empirical evidence about the use of the proposed method.

Modelling Of Eco-innovation Diffusion: The EU Eco-label

Abstract The aim of this article is to carry out a theoretical and empirical analysis of the process of eco-label diffusion. Eco-labels allow consumers to identify products and services that have a reduced environmental impact during their life cycle. Thus, they are aimed at diminishing the information gap between sellers and buyers. The results of the estimation using the Bass model indicate that the diffusion of the EU eco-label has been most dynamic in countries such as Hungary, Poland, Denmark, Germany and France. In turn, the scope of diffusion (absolute saturation level) reached the highest value for companies in France and Italy. In addition, the results of the study confirm the stimulating impact of the scope of eco-label diffusion on consumer awareness of environmental issues. This finding points to the need for environmental education among consumers, which could in turn encourage firms to undertake pro-environmental actions.

AGRICULTURAL TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY CHANGES IN THE NEW AND THE OLD EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERS

The aim of this study was the evaluation of agricultural total factor productivity changes between new member countries which have acceded to EU after 2004 and so-called ‘old 15’ EU members. The analysis covered the years 2007–2013. The study is based on Malmquist productivity index divided into technological change and changes in technical efficiency. The results showed a slight increase in the agricultural total factor productivity in the EU countries in the years 2007–2013 (0.1 %, which mainly resulted from a slight increase in technical efficiency in agriculture(0.4 % ), while at the same time adverse technological changes. Among all the countries of the ‘old 15’, only Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, United Kingdom and Sweden reported increased index of productivity. In the group of countries that joined the EU after 2004, the total productivity growth took place in such countries as Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Malta, Slovakia and Hungary. The reason for this increase was primarily changes in technical efficiency. Keywords: agricultural productivity, European Union, Malmquist index, Total Factor Productivity (TFP), technological change. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.084

REGIONALNE ZRÓŻNICOWANIE DOCHODOWOŚCIGOSPODARSTW ROLNYCH W POLSCE W LATACH 2006-2014

Abstract Subject and purpose of work: The aim of the study is to assess the regional differentiation of the average level of farm income and to answer the question of whether during 2006-2014 there was a tendency towards convergence in this area. Materials and methods: The spatial scope of research included four FADN agricultural regions, whereas the time span covered the years 2006-2014. The numerical data used for the analyses were sourced from standard FADN results. The assessment of convergence was carried out using the coefficient of variation (sigma convergence) and the relative index of changes in the regions compared to the country (beta convergence). Results: The conducted research indicates the existence of regional disproportions in terms of average income level and average labour profitability on farms. The highest average income was achieved throughout all the years covered by research in the region of Pomerania and Masuria, and the lowest one in Lesser Poland and Carpathian Foothills. The research demonstrates that during 2006-2014 there was no convergence in the average level of income and average labour profitability of farms in the FADN regions. Conclusions: Convergence is a long-term process, so the research should be treated as an initial examination of the regional differentiation of the income situation of farms.

Wpływ wykształcenia kierownika na konkurencyjność gospodarstw rolnych

This paper is an attempt at filling the cognitive gap in the effect that human capital has on farms competitiveness. Education is the most measurable characteristic of human capital so the purpose of this paper is evaluating the effect of the manager’s level of education on the competiveness of the commercial farms. The surveys were carried out based on accounting data provided by commodity farms participating in the Polish FADN in 2010-2012. The outcomes indicate a competitive advantage of farms run by managers who completed higher education over entities run by farmers without higher education. Surveys also demonstrated a competitive advantage to the extent of land productivity, equipment of land with technical facilities and labour on farms run by managers with higher education in comparison to farms whose managers had no such education. Synopsis. Niniejsze opracowanie jest probą wypelnienia luki poznawczej w zakresie wplywu kapitalu ludzkiego na konkurencyjnośc gospodarstw rolnych. Najbardziej mierzalną cechą kapitalu ludzkiego jest wyksztalcenie, stąd tez za cel niniejszego opracowania przyjeto ocene wplyw poziomu wyksztalcenia kierownika na konkurencyjnośc towarowych gospodarstw rolnych. Badania zrealizowano na podstawie danych rachunkowych z towarowych gospodarstw rolnych uczestniczących w Polskim FADN z lat 2010-2012. Wyniki badan wskazują na istnienie przewagi konkurencyjnej gospodarstw rolnych zarządzanych przez kierownikow dysponujących wyksztalceniem wyzszym wzgledem podmiotow kierowanych przez rolnikow bez wyksztalcenia wyzszego. Badania wykazaly rowniez przewagi konkurencyjne w zakresie produktywności ziemi, technicznego uzbrojenia ziemi i pracy w gospodarstwach rolnych z kierownikiem posiadającym wyksztalcenie rolnicze w porownaniu do tych, gdzie kierownik takiego wyksztalcenia nie posiadal.

Źródła finansowania działalności innowacyjnej przedsiębiorstw przemysłu spożywczego z województwa lubelskiego

Abstrakt. Celem opracowania jest zbadanie kierunku i siły oddziaływania wybranych determinant wyboru określonego źródła finansowania działalności innowacyjnej w przedsiębiorstwach przemysłu spożywczego. Próba badawcza obejmuje 40 podmiotów gospodarczych z branży spożywczej zlokalizowanych w województwie lubelskim. W analizach empirycznych wykorzystano dwuwymiarowy model probitowy. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują, że rodzaj innowacji ma wpływ na wybór źródła finansowania innowacji.

Market Valuation of Innovation-Related Intangibles: The Case of Polish Biotechnology Firms

Innovation-related intangibles allow a firm to create and commercialize new knowledge. Intangible assets necessary for innovation are key drivers of a firm’s performance and growth in knowledge intensive industries such as biotechnology which is under high pressure to produce new commercial products and processes. Nevertheless, numerous biotechnology firms fail in their attempts to bring on innovations, since the research and development activities are considered to be high-risky in this sector. The aim of this paper is to conduct an analysis of the relationship between investments in innovation-related intangibles, i.e. R&D and patents, and a biotechnology firm’s market value. A sample consists of ten biotech firms listed on the New Connect market. This study utilizes the panel dataset over a 3-year period to run empirical analyses using a fixed effects model. The main findings of the research reveal that there is a non-linear effect of patents on the market value in the sample firms. Surprisingly, R&D expenditures appear to have an insignificant impact on the market value.

THE CREATION OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN RURAL AREAS IN THE LUBELSKIE REGION

Social capital is one of the pillars of sustainable development of rural areas because the modern village needs educated and enterprising people and communities that can adapt quickly to changes and cooperate. The main aim of this article is to evaluate the different components of social capital and attempt to answer the question whether social capital in the rural areas of the Lubelskie Voivodeship differs from the social capital in the urban areas of the region. First, the study quotes the main definitions of social capital by J. Coleman, R. Putnam and F. Fukuyama, and next, separates its components for analysis. The analysis of such components as trust, friendship, cooperation, engagement in activities for the benefit of local community, participation in organisations, obtaining information and the level of communication, participation in elections and the assessment of democracy made it possible to conclude that, in principle, there are no significant differences between social capital in rural and urban areas of the Lubelskie Region, which can be explained by the fact that rural areas are losing its traditional agricultural character, and the mixing of population – the rural population flows into urban areas and the urban population settles in the countryside. The evaluation was conducted on the basis of questionnaire research commissioned by the Marshal Office in Lublin, and carried out on a sample of 1100 residents of the Lubelskie Voivodeship. Keywords: cooperation, organizational participation, rural and urban areas, social capital, trust. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.098