Poland’s management of municipal waste, which amounts to over 13 million tons/year, is not efficient—about 60% of the waste is subjected to recovery processes, about 20% of all municipal waste is converted into energy, and almost 40% is landfilled. The authors of this article recognize the potential of pyrolysis as a method of the thermal processing of waste allowing the potential of the energy contained in the waste to be utilized. Pyrolysis is an economically attractive alternative to incineration, with a significantly lower environmental impact, allowing efficient waste management and the use of pyrolysis by-products in the energy sector (pyrolysis gas), or in the building materials sector (biochar). Despite so many advantages, this method is not employed in Poland. The aim of the paper is to indicate a recommended strategy for the application of pyrolysis in Poland as a method of the thermal processing of municipal solid waste. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis was used as a research method. In the first step, on the basis of the literature review, the factors which may affect the use of pyrolysis in Poland were identified. In the second step, five experts evaluated the weights of those factors and the interactions between them. The products of the weights and interactions allowed, in accordance with SWOT analysis methodology, the most desirable strategy of pyrolysis application in Poland to be determined, which turned out to be an aggressive one. This means that pyrolysis as a thermal waste processing method should be implemented on a large scale in Poland to improve the indicators of municipal waste management.

Poland is highly likely, as per a European Commission report, to fall short of meeting the 2025 targets related to the preparation for re-use and recycling of municipal waste and packaging waste. The risk of not meeting the municipal waste recycling targets stands at 27%, while for packaging waste, it is estimated at 30%. Recycling rates play a pivotal role in gauging the efficiency of waste management systems, as well as in monitoring progress toward a circular economy. Taking into account the considerable likelihood of Poland not achieving the recycling targets, the authors of the paper found it imperative to identify the risk factors associated with Poland’s failure to meet the European Commission’s recycling and landfill targets within the waste-to-energy context. Additionally, they sought to evaluate the potential for the development of the waste-to-energy concept in Poland. The research objectives were fulfilled through the literature review method. By employing the classification of factors outlined in a SWOT analysis, the authors highlighted which of the identified risk factors could or should be considered strengths or weaknesses, opportunities or threats to the Polish recycling process. Mapping out future courses of action will enable decision-makers in Poland to address the weaknesses in recycling, capitalize on opportunities arising from the socio-economic situation in Poland, and formulate plans to mitigate the identified threats. Undertaking such initiatives has the potential to enhance recycling rates in Poland and facilitate the broader application of waste-to-energy practices.

Generation Z makes up a significant portion of consumers worldwide and has a huge purchasing power. Building social media relationships with Generation Z members (Gen Zers) is a huge challenge for today’s enterprises, not only because they are the least studied generation, but also because they represent different values than those of the previous generations, and in order to earn their trust, enterprises have to meet certain conditions. The aim of this chapter was to identify enterprises’ social media activities that earn the most trust in the brand among Gen Zers, inducing them to make purchasing decisions. Studies were conducted twice among students of the Management Faculty of the Czestochowa University of Technology (in 2018 and 2020). The method used in the study was a survey, as part of which the CATI surveying technique was used. For analysis of the study material, descriptive statistics measures were used. Analysis of the collected empirical data provided the basis for verifying the research hypotheses and for concluding that enterprises’ social media activities impact purchasing decisions of Gen Zers. Also, enterprises’ social media activities that earn the most trust in the brand among Gen Zers and positively impact their purchasing decisions were indicated. The strength of the relationship between the analyzed variables and the respondent’s gender was verified.

The aim of the paper is to assess the impact of enterprises’ activities on social media on the purchasing decisions of Generation Z members. The study investigates Gen Zers’ behavior in response to enterprises and their activities on social media as part of a broader research conducted by the authors among students in Poland and Great Britain in 2023. The research employed a survey method, specifically utilizing the CAWI survey technique. Descriptive statistics measures were applied to analyze the research data. The findings demonstrate that activities on social media by enterprises positively influence Gen Zers purchasing decisions, with the impact varying, depending on the respondent’s country of residence. The results reveal that the selected activities had a significantly stronger impact on the decisions of females compared with males and also had a significantly stronger impact on the decisions of urban dwellers.