The economic awareness of the young generation of Visegrad countries. A comparative analysis
The economic awareness of the young generation of Visegrad countries. A comparative analysis
Contributor(s): Urszula Swadźba (Editor)
Subject(s): Economy, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: economic awareness; young generation; Visegrad countries
Summary/Abstract: The fundamental questions on the interdependence of the economy and the economic awareness and the relationship between these two are not always easy. In general, they are formulated as if the two were separate systems that interact with each other. Some researchers treat each system as an independent variable and, depending on the views, explain economic phenomena by referencing both separately. Karl Marx regarded the economy as a factor influencing social awareness, whereas Max Weber regarded social awareness as an element influencing the economy. Who was right? It would be safest to say that there is an impact on both sides and that both human awareness affects the economy and the economy affects social awareness.The latter is part of a wider economic culture. The relationship between awareness and the economy is more often pointed out by sociologists than economists. This is primarily due to the fact that sociologists are the scholars more often involved in awareness and culture, i.e. the soft data. Economists in turn are trained in the use of quantitative data, which is not likely to awaken sensitivity to cultural data. The interests of both academic groups in terms of research concerning culture, including the awareness of economic societies, are revived when economic growth starts to accelerate in some countries or regions and the explanation for it is hard to conceive by turning to the known models. Only then does research on other factors, including cultural ones, begin to play an essential role.This issue was thus raised on the occasion of noting the economic success of countries of Southeast Asia, especially Japan, Thailand, and more recently China. Also, the rapid development of some regions of India (e.g. Bangalore) indicates a large share of cultural factors at work contributing to this success, including economic awareness. And finally, this problem is present in the analysis of the economic development of post-communist countries, whose development is irregular. These countries include the Visegrad countries – Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Future economic development of each country and its prosperity depends on the economic awareness of the members of its society. The Visegrad Group countries are struggling with the long term effects of their communist past, but on the other hand, through their membership in the European Union they are under constant influence of the free market economy and democracy. These circumstances affect the consciousness of the young generation that will build the future economy of these countries.
Series: Nauki społeczne
- E-ISBN-13: 978-83-226-3385-4
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-83-226-3384-7
- Page Count: 204
- Publication Year: 2018
- Language: English
Bibliography, Notes about contributors, Summary, Zusammenfassung
Bibliography, Notes about contributors, Summary, Zusammenfassung
(Bibliography, Notes about contributors, Summary)
- Author(s):Not Specified Author
- Language:English, German
- Subject(s):Economy
- Page Range:181-202
- No. of Pages:22
Theoretical and methodological basis of the research
Theoretical and methodological basis of the research
(Theoretical and methodological basis of the research)
- Author(s):Urszula Swadźba
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:13-26
- No. of Pages:14
- Summary/Abstract:What is the subject of the research that served as material for this publication is economic awareness. This very concept itself is embedded in a broader category of the so called social awareness. Defining this concept is usually difficult because one deals with multiple ways of understanding the concept of awareness. Latin may be helpful in shedding some light on the term of awareness – Latin conscientia is derived from con – “with” and scientia – “knowledge.” Accordingly, it signifies knowledge about something, the state of being aware of something, being conscious about something (Dubisz, 2003, t. 3, 1595). Psychologists define awareness as the highest level of mental development characteristic of the human inner subjective state of realizing something, a state of vigil (Reber, 2000: 740). The notion of social awareness has been discussed by a number of researchers. Initially, the term was found applicable in dialectical materialism. In this system, social awareness is a philosophical category opposed to the social state and means the total mental sum of all the people who formed the community. Social awareness in this system refers to social being, which is being, in a general sense, a part of a superstructure. The concept of social awareness was used to define and discuss class awareness and devalue the false awareness of the bourgeoisie (Mc Lenan, 1971).
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Demographic and social structure of the examined group of students from the V4 countries
Demographic and social structure of the examined group of students from the V4 countries
(Demographic and social structure of the examined group of students from the V4 countries)
- Author(s):Urszula Swadźba, Monika Żak
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:27-41
- No. of Pages:15
- Summary/Abstract:The presentation of the empirical material from the research will begin with the description of the socio-demographic features essential for further analysis. Apart from fundamental features of the members of the studied group, such as gender, age, level (cycle) of studies and their field, additional data, i.e. the place of residence, family situation, the father’s and mother’s education will be analyzed. This data will allow us to sketch the picture of the examined group of students and to get to know their accumulated cultural capital acquired at home. The collected data referring to the financial situation of the household in which a student lives (income per capita in a household, the evaluation of the household conditions) will also be analyzed. The financial situation of the family in which a student has been raised and within which they live can influence their economic awareness to a large degree.
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System of values and economics in life
System of values and economics in life
(System of values and economics in life)
- Author(s):Nicole Horáková Hirschler, Markéta Jalůvková
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:42-73
- No. of Pages:32
- Summary/Abstract:As we already mentioned in Chapter 1.2.2, values and their hierarchical system are the foundation of the society. Social values can be defined as a set of material or spiritual properties, principles and ideals generally deemed proper and desirable in any society, and therefore perceived as correct, suitable, and acceptable. An individual acquires his/her own set of values through the socialization process shaped by the system and historical background of a given society. Such social systems of values are neither unified nor static; to the contrary – they are dynamic and can vary among different social groups. The changes in the systems come either gradually, hand in hand with other changes in the society, or suddenly, triggered by major system changes, e.g. political, economic, or even social transformations.
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Between professional work and student duties – values of work and its features in students’ awareness
Between professional work and student duties – values of work and its features in students’ awareness
(Between professional work and student duties – values of work and its features in students’ awareness)
- Author(s):Urszula Swadźba
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:74-101
- No. of Pages:28
- Summary/Abstract:The aim of the chapter is to determine the place of work and its attributes as one of the elements of economic awareness of the young generation of the Visegrad Group countries. The following research hypotheses will also be verified in this chapter:1. We assume that students obtain funds for life from their parents. Most of them work casually during the academic year, during the holidays at home and abroad. The money earned from this work is treated as an additional source of income.2. We assume that for the younger generation work is an important value. Unemployment is not accepted. Work has value, not just existential, but also creative and related to self-realization.
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Declared and realized student mobility in the contemporary labor market
Declared and realized student mobility in the contemporary labor market
(Declared and realized student mobility in the contemporary labor market)
- Author(s):Rafał Cekiera
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:102-119
- No. of Pages:18
- Summary/Abstract:The accession of the Visegrad Group countries into the European Union structure in 2004 opened new perspectives for the professional development of their citizens. Potential departure – for a shorter or longer period – to work in another EU country has become one of the easily accessible alternatives. The possibility of legal employment abroad has created new career opportunities and, on equal terms, became part of the potential professional career paths available.
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Entrepreneurship, attitudes to poverty and wealth
Entrepreneurship, attitudes to poverty and wealth
(Entrepreneurship, attitudes to poverty and wealth)
- Author(s):Anna Dunay, Csaba B. Illés, Sergey A. Vinogradov
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:120-136
- No. of Pages:17
- Summary/Abstract:Many international academic authors have tackled the topic of the financial knowledge, financial behavior and entrepreneurial attitudes of the young generation and discussed the different aspects of financial and economic culture in various countries (OECD, 2005; Remund, 2010; Samy et al., 2008; Lusardi et al., 2010; Atkinson and Messy, 2012; Csiszárik-Kocsir, 2014; Dunay et al. 2015; Hornyák, 2013; Kovács et al., 2013; Strbová and Zozulaková, 2017; Żak, 2017). This chapter focuses on entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial attitudes of students from the four Visegrad countries that share similarities in their historical background, traditions and economic situation.The present chapter discusses two important topics. The first topic concerns the students’ opinion on entrepreneurship: What are the main motivations and attitudes of the Visegrad group university students regarding entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activities? The second one poses questions of the social register: What does this generation think of wealth and poverty? What are the main causes of social inequalities and differences in financial statuses of different social groups? What is their opinion on the idea of social responsibility?
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To save or to spend? Students’ attitude towards money
To save or to spend? Students’ attitude towards money
(To save or to spend? Students’ attitude towards money)
- Author(s):Monika Štrbová, Viera Zozuľaková, Urszula Swadźba
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:137-155
- No. of Pages:19
- Summary/Abstract:The aim of this article is to analyze the attitude of the young generation from the Visegrad Group countries towards money. Money is one of the elements economic awareness is comprised of. The possession and spending of money usually entails very particular behaviors and emotions, which in itself is a valid reason to research this area of economic awareness. In this part of the volume we will work to verify the hypothesis presented in the part “Theoretical and methodological basis of the research”:1. We assume that young people have an ambivalent attitude to money. On the one hand, they think there are more important things than wealth, and on the other hand, they attach considerable importance to money; they need it to have a pleasant leisure time. They acknowledge, however, that there is a purpose in saving.
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Consumption in students’ life
Consumption in students’ life
(Consumption in students’ life)
- Author(s):Monika Żak
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:156-174
- No. of Pages:19
- Summary/Abstract:Consumption is an inherent part of human life. However, not always the everyday activities related to fulfilling needs are identified with the concept of consumption. And yet every person is a consumer from birth. Consumer attitudes are shaped parallel to other behaviours that are part of primary socialisation. During secondary socialisation, certain modifications may be made, but the core is formed as early as during childhood. This chapter is focused on the place of consumption in the lives of the students from the Visegrad Group countries. The general assumptions of the theory of consumption and consumer behavior will be presented to provide a background for the analysis of the research results concerning the attitude of young people studying in the V4 countries towards consumption.
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Conclusion
Conclusion
(Conclusion)
- Author(s):Urszula Swadźba
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Socio-Economic Research
- Page Range:175-180
- No. of Pages:6
- Summary/Abstract:The existence of an impact of economic activity on social life seems obvious and generally recognised. However, one must bear in mind that the mutual relations between the economy and the society are of an interactive nature, which means that social life has a substantial impact on the shape of the economy and economic processes. Yet, this form of interaction is neither commonly perceived nor treated as obvious. The impact of the social on the economic is complex and often omitted in analyses of economic life. Economic awareness is one of those factors that have a fundamental influence on the decisions made in households, the understanding of ongoing economic processes, the attitudes towards money, and on consumption. Accordingly, research on economic awareness is very important, and this particularly concerns the young generation whose views are in the formative stage. Knowledge gained via such a research makes it possible to assess the social resources of this social group, as well as determine what stimulating actions can be taken to develop features that would facilitate these communities’ members participation in social and economic life. As young people are to be active participants of these, their economic knowledge, attitude to work, economic aspirations, readiness for mobility, entrepreneurship, attitude towards money, and type of consumption need to be considered as crucial indicators of the possibilities in store for the young generation in each of the V4 countries.
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