...CHAPTER 3: BRIEF PROFILE OF POLAND Poland officially the Republic of Poland is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) and Lithuania to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometer’s (120,726 sq. mi) making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. With a population of over 38.5 million people, Poland is the 34th most populous country in the world, the sixth most populous member of the European Union, and the most populous post-communist member of the European Union. Poland is a unitary state divided into 16 administrative subdivisions. POLITICS * Poland is a democracy, with a president as a head of state, whose current constitution dates from 1997. Poland is one of the most stable and peaceful countries peaceful countries. The government structure centers on the Council of Ministers, led by a prime minister. * The Constitution of Poland is the supreme law in contemporary Poland, and the Polish legal system is based on the principle of civil rights, governed by the code of Civil Law. * Historically, the most famous Polish legal act is the Constitution of 3 May 1791. Historian Norman Davies describes it as the first of its kind in Europe. Foreign relations * In recent years, Poland has extended its responsibilities and position in European and international...
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...QUESTION 1: How was Poland able to avoid the worst effects of the economic crisis that gripped most of Europe during 2008–2009? Poland was able to avoid the worst effects of the economic crisis by being fiscally conservative keeping public debt in check, not allowing it to expand during the recession; joining the European Union, giving it easy access to the large consumer markets of Western Europe; and curbing inflation to ease Poland’s entry into the European Union. QUESTION 2: What lessons can be derived from the Polish experience during 2008–2009? The lessons that can be derived from the Polish experience during 2008-2009 include the fact that Poland was able to embrace change. The transition from communist rule to a democracy went smooth and they were able to successfully implement the market-based economic rule. Another lesson to be learned is the fact that Poland was able to keep public debt in check. Other countries allowed the public debt to expand during the recession, contributing to their economic downfall. QUESTION 3: From the perspective of international business, what is attractive about the Polish economy? What are the weaknesses and risks associated with doing business there? The polish economy is attractive because they know how to maintain the monetary policy; they have simplified tax laws, reduced tax rates, and attempted to remove bureaucratic hurdles. The latest Entrepreneurship Law makes it easier to start a business in Poland. On the other hand, it could...
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...most of the countries in Eastern Europe after WWII. B. How do you think the two world wars affected the people of Poland? I think the two world wars affected Poland’s economy because of the war damage, and it lost many of its citizens. 2. A. How do the languages spoken in Poland and the Balkan republics affect the region’s history? The languages spoken there reflect on who ruled the country the most in the past. Polish is related to the languages of countries in the south, and Estonian is similar to Finnish. Latvia and Estonia, on the other hand, were under Swedish rule for a long time and because the Swedish are mostly Lutheran, most people in Latvia and Estonia are Lutheran as well. B. Why do you think people across the region practice many of the same customs? People across this region practice the same customs because they all are linked together from being under Soviet rule for so many years. 3. A. What is an industry that has grown in the region since the fall of the Soviet Union? One industry that has grown since the fall of the Soviet Union is tourism. The Americans have started visiting the countries that used to be under Soviet rule because they did not like to go there when it was under Soviet rule, because the Americans didn’t like the Soviets. B. How did Soviet rule hurt the region’s economy? Soviet rule hurt the region’s economy because the Soviets did not create a decent infrastructure, a set of resources like roads, factories and airports, that...
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...Australian Vintage LTD (AVG) The Australian industry The Australian wine industry is the 4th largest exporter in the world, exporting over 400 million litres a year to a large international export market that includes “old world” wine-producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain. There is also a significant domestic market for Australian wines, with Australians consuming over 400 million litres of wine per year. The wine industry is an important contributor to the Australian economy through production, employment, export and tourism. The Australian Wine export market was worth 2.8 billion Australian dollars in June 2007, and had a growth rate of 9%pa. Of this about AU$2 billion was accounted for by North America and the UK, and in this key latter market Australia is now the largest supplier of still wines. 2007 statistics for the North American market show that Australian wine accounted for a 17% share of the total value of U.S. imported wine, behind France with 31% and Italy with 28%. Australian Vintage Limited Australian Vintage Limited is a leading Australian wine company, known as McGuigan Simeon Wines until February 2008, when shareholders voted to change the name. Today Australian Vintage Limited is at the forefront of the Australian wine industry. Crushing 9% of total Australian annual production, its vineyards and grape supply capacity extend through some of Australian’s most captivating and diverse wine regions including the Hunter and Barossa Valleys...
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...THE POLISH SURPRISE As the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 unfolded, countries across Europe were hit hard. A notable exception was Poland, whose economy grew by 1.5 percent during 2009, while every other economy in the European Union contracted. In 2010 and 2011, Poland achieved a growth rate of 3.9 and 3.8 percent, respectively, which were among the best in the EU. How did Poland achieve this? In 1989, Poland elected its first democratic government after more than four decades of Communist rule. Since then, like many other eastern European countries, Poland has embraced market-based economic policies, opened its markets to international trade and foreign investment, and privatized many state-owned businesses. In 2004, the country joined the European Union, giving it easy access to the large consumer markets of western Europe. All this helped transform Poland into a major exporter. Exports account for about 40 percent of gross domestic product (in contrast, they account for around 12 percent in the United States). As a consequence, between 1989 and 2010, Poland recorded the highest sustained growth in the region. Real GDP doubled over this period, compared to a 70 percent increase in neighbouring Slovakia and 45 percent in the Czech Republic. Poland's government has also been fiscally conservative, keeping public debt in check, not allowing it to expand during the recession as many other countries did. This led to investor confidence in the country. Consequently, there was...
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...August 27th 2015 1. In 2004, Poland joined the European Union which gave it access to the large consumer market of western Europe. Poland was able to avoid the economic crisis by becoming a major exporter, being fiscally conservative, keeping public debt in check, not allowing it to expand during the recession as many other countries did. 2. The lessons that can be learned from the Polish during 2008-2009 are that it can benefit a country to be fiscally conservative by keeping public debt in check and not allowing expansion during a recession. Poland also got a bit lucky. A tight monetary squeeze designed to curb inflation and ease them into the EU, headed off the asset price bubble, particularly surging home prices that hurts so many other economies around the world. 3. Poland can be an attractive economy is many aspects. First, it’s known that Poland's economy has been consistently growing since the country joined the European Union in 2004. This helped Poland become a major exporter, accounting for about 40% of the EU gross domestic product. Secondly, they have a tight monetary policy which was able to keep the country afloat during the recession. However, they are some weakness within the Polish economy as well. The tax system they use is complex and archaic. Also, due to extensive regulations, it can be difficult to do business there. Poland is still completing its transition from a socialist economy to a market-based economy. That being said, the country is...
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...The Pulse of Europe 2009: 20 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall (Pew Research Center) End of Communism Cheered but Now with More Reservations Nearly two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, publics of former Iron Curtain countries generally look back approvingly at the collapse of communism. Majorities of people in most former Soviet republics and Eastern European countries endorse the emergence of multiparty systems and a free market economy. However, the initial widespread enthusiasm about these changes has dimmed in most of the countries surveyed; in some, support for democracy and capitalism has diminished markedly. In many nations, majorities or pluralities say that most people were better off under communism, and there is a widespread view that the business class and political leadership have benefited from the changes more than ordinary people. Nonetheless, self reported life satisfaction has risen significantly in these societies compared with nearly two decades ago when the Times Mirror Center1 first studied public opinion in the former Eastern bloc. The acceptance of — and appetite for — democracy is much less evident today among the publics of the former Soviet republics of Russia and Ukraine, who lived the longest under communism. In contrast, Eastern Europeans, especially the Czechs and those in the former East Germany, are more accepting of the economic and societal upheavals of the past two decades. East Germans, in particular, overwhelmingly approve...
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...r﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽ section 8) e peak at 119.1 in January 2014 - Wyrzykowska, E. sYNOsed in only USA from 18% to 21%.n custoxc | | PESTLE ANALYSIS FOR POLAND I- Political factors 1. Government stability and likely changes Poland’s political landscape has evolved into a stable democracy since the fall of communism in the country. Its strong foreign policy assures it political and economic security. Ever since the setting up of a democratic framework, various governments of Poland have undertaken initiatives to privatize companies in several industries. The government is in the process of privatizing numerous financial institutions, as well as companies in the power, chemical, and petroleum sectors. The privatization of companies is one among many measures the government is taking to reduce its budget deficit. However, Poland’s political and bureaucratic systems face widespread corruption, which has been a barrier to foreign investment. 2. Tax policy The Polish tax system is comprehensive and tightly regulated. Any taxpayers conducting a business activity in Poland may be subject to the following taxes: All taxes are imposed entirely based on Acts passed by the Polish Parliament, which means that taxes cannot be imposed based on decrees issued by the Ministry of Finance or any other authority. This ensures the certainty of law and protects taxpayers from unpredictable changes in legislation. Additionally, in case of uncertainties regarding the interpretation...
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...POLAND The cliched western view of Poland – bogged down by communist inefficiency and rusting tractors – is long gone. This was the only EU economy ( It joined EU in 2004) to avoid contraction in the dark days of 2009, leading the prime minister to describe Polish economic growth (albeit at a modest 1.6%) as a "green island" amid the red sea of recession elsewhere in the union. There has been massive public investment due to the European football championship (UEFA Euro 2012) that Poland co-hosted. And the weakening Złoty., which suffered when traders became increasingly nervous about the worsening debt situation in Greece and other eurozone members, has helped to keep exports ticking over. “The biggest threat to the security and prosperity of Poland would be the collapse of the eurozone” - Radek Sikorski, Poland's foreign minister. Krzysztof Rybinski, a Polish government critic has said that 2011 was the last good year for the Polish economy and that things will go downhill from the second half of 2012, for want of decent reforms in the face of an economic slowdown, an ageing population and a looming energy crisis. As a party to 89 Double Taxation Treaties throughout the world, Poland is indeed open for international business. Offering a large domestic market coupled with political and economic stability and various government incentives for investors, Poland is placed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) among the top countries to attract...
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...Main Groups My Zunia Member Log in | Join Now Help FR Enterprising Women : Expanding Economic Opportunities in Afr... The World Bank Annual Report 2013 The Global Slavery Index 2013 by DG Foundation ALL Culture » Economy » Education » Environment » Governance » Health » Science & Tech » Sectors » Society » Home » Flights of fancy: A case study on aviation and EU funds in Poland Flights of fancy: A case study on aviation and EU funds in Poland air transport infrastructure, airport infrastructure, airport network, Airports and Air Services, aviation portal, european regional development fund, european union, onboard magazines, promotion services, rail infrastructure, Transport, transport network, Trade & Transport, Europe and Central Asia Flights of fancy: A case study on aviation and EU funds in Poland bankwatch.org – The aim of this paper is to review the rationale of EU Cohesion Policy investments in airport infrastructure using the example of Poland, with a particular focus on newly developed regional airports. The paper gives a brief overview of the existing airport network in Poland. The functioning of smaller airports is examined with regard to the burden that they create for regional and local budgets. Furthermore, the paper describes planned EU investments in airport infrastructure under Cohesion Policy 2007 - 2013. Additional topics covered include the cases...
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...Main Groups My Zunia Member Log in | Join Now Help FR Enterprising Women : Expanding Economic Opportunities in Afr... The World Bank Annual Report 2013 The Global Slavery Index 2013 by DG Foundation ALL Culture » Economy » Education » Environment » Governance » Health » Science & Tech » Sectors » Society » Home » Flights of fancy: A case study on aviation and EU funds in Poland Flights of fancy: A case study on aviation and EU funds in Poland air transport infrastructure, airport infrastructure, airport network, Airports and Air Services, aviation portal, european regional development fund, european union, onboard magazines, promotion services, rail infrastructure, Transport, transport network, Trade & Transport, Europe and Central Asia Flights of fancy: A case study on aviation and EU funds in Poland bankwatch.org – The aim of this paper is to review the rationale of EU Cohesion Policy investments in airport infrastructure using the example of Poland, with a particular focus on newly developed regional airports. The paper gives a brief overview of the existing airport network in Poland. The functioning of smaller airports is examined with regard to the burden that they create for regional and local budgets. Furthermore, the paper describes planned EU investments in airport infrastructure under Cohesion Policy 2007 - 2013. Additional topics covered include the cases...
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...Alexander Omelyashko 50803 Warsaw 2013 Entry strategies of Polish SMEs to foreign markets Introduction The number of SMEs operating on the international markets is constantly skyrocketing since friendly policy of the EU authorities towards small firms and diminishing barriers of the international trade. Nowadays the percentage of SMEs to the whole number of all enterprises is constantly rising, playing a decisive role in EU economic development and competitiveness: in the EU they constitute about 98% of businesses (more that 20 million SME’s), providing two thirds of the total employment and 80% of new created jobs. This number in Poland is high as well. According to surveys Enterprises give out more than 70 percent of all GDP, and 72 percent of them were SMEs, which are 99.9% of all enterprises. STRUCTURE OF GDP IN POLAND IN 2012 CUSTOMS 11% MICRO 32% ENTERPRISES 70% OTHERS 19% MIDDLE 11% SMALL 8% BIG 19% OTHERS CUSTOMS MICRO SMALL MIDDLE BIG The competition is harsh, and enormous number of new enterprises is coming up every year. Thus, no doubt that that is crucially important for an SME to choose the right entry strategy in order to operate the internalization process successfully. The appropriate entry strategy will have great consequences on the development of the firm, its revenues and the way it will hold on the stark market. It’s essential for Poland’s small and medium-sized businesses to begin to venture more into markets abroad if the country...
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...FDI Venture | Trans-Continental Trucking Company in Poland | | Country/Service Since its transition to a market economy after becoming liberalized in 1989, Poland has quickly become a thriving high middle income country that has a stable democracy and good relationships with European States ("Polish Information and Investment Agency"). Poland possesses the public institutions, infrastructure, high human development levels and proximity to world markets, making it an attractive country to do business in ("Polish Information and Investment Agency"). Based on economic factors, compensation rates, and location, it is proposed to enter into Poland’s transportation services market by starting a wholly owned trucking company transporting oversized cargo, such as windmill parts and fuel. Preliminary research showed Poland as a major avenue for transporting goods across Europe, proving a trucking company would be a lucrative investment. Poland has seen a significant increase in foreign direct investment projects, up 40%, the most across Europe ("Polish Information and Investment Agency"). Currently, Poland is listed as the sixth most attractive country to invest in, confirming the country’s strong position in the international invest scene ("Helping U.S. Companies to Export"). The country’s sustainable development has much to do with its solid economic foundations. Poland has experienced an unflagging 5% annual economic growth, classifying it a credible and important business...
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...CG in Continental Europe and Corporate Governance Code ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A corporate governance brief report on Germany, Central Europe and the Nordic-Countries. Development of Corporate Governance in Germany German finance was bank-driven and universal banking was the norm (Gerschenkron 1962). Banks extended loans and credits, provided bridging finance, facilitated the transfer of ownership and participated in corporate governance through both the exercise of shareholders’ proxy votes and direct equity holdings. Despite the existence of these broad capacities, strong bank participation in corporate governance was a dominant feature of the German landscape only during the first few decades after World War II and began to weaken in the 1990s. Germany’s traditionally insider-dominated corporate governance system has undergone substantial reforms since the early 1990s. These resulted in a “hybrid system,” Complementing the traditional stakeholder-oriented system with important elements of the shareholder-oriented system. As a result, the control of outsiders, especially minority Shareholders, has increased and insider control has been reined in. Moreover, these reforms fostered flexibility and promoted competition between corporate governance structures, especially for public companies operating under the SE statute. German law mandates a two-tier board structure, made up of a “supervisory board” and a “managerial...
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...Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung ZCM Agnes Arndt / Dariusz Gawin Discourses on Civil Society in Poland Agnes Arndt: Premises and Paradoxes in the Development of the Civil Society Concept in Poland Dariusz Gawin: Civil Society Discourse in Poland in the 1970s and 1980s Discussion Paper Nr. SP IV 2008-402 ISSN 1860-4315 Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH Social Science Research Center Berlin Reichpietschufer 50, 10785 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany Telefon: +49/30/25491-0 Telefax: +49/30/25491-684 E-Mail: wzb@wz-berlin.de Internet: http://www.wz-berlin.de Agnes Arndt ist Historikerin. Sie ist Promotionsstipendiatin der Gerda Henkel Stiftung am Berliner Kolleg für Vergleichende Geschichte Europas“ an der Freien Universität Berlin sowie Gastwissenschaftlerin der Forschungsgruppe „Zivilgesellschaft, Citizenship und politische Mobilisierung in Europa“. Agnes Arndt is Historian. She is PhD fellow at the “Berlin School for Comparative European History” at the Free University Berlin and associated research fellow of the research group “Civil Society, Citizenship and Political Mobilization in Europe". Dariusz Gawin ist Direktor am Museum des Warschauer Aufstands in Warschau. Dariusz Gawin is director at the Warsaw Rising Museum, Warsaw. Zitierweise: Agnes Arndt and Dariusz Gawin, 2008 Discourses on Civil Society in Poland Discussion Paper SP IV 2008-402 Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB) Agnes Arndt: Premisses and...
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