The aim of this article is to identify the associations that young Polish recipients have with green energy, considering their self-assessment of the level of knowledge about green energy and the importance attributed to the energy sources they use on a daily basis. An analysis of the world literature on the subject indicates that there is a cognitive and research gap in the level of market awareness of individual recipients regarding green energy and its sources. This issue has been neglected even more among young people in the context of their associations with this type of energy. To eliminate these research gaps, five hypotheses were formulated. To this end, primary research was carried out using the survey method to collect data. The research covered 311 individual representatives of recipients in Poland aged between 18 and 24. The primary data collected was subjected to quantitative analysis, using specific tests and statistical analysis. Among other things, the following was discovered: (1) the dependence between the self-assessment of the level of knowledge about green energy and the importance attributed to the sources of energy used; (2) the dependence between the self-assessment of the level of knowledge about green energy and the associations with it (mainly negative ones); (3) the dependence between the importance assigned to the sources of energy used and the associations with green energy (mainly positive ones); and (4) that there were sets of recipients characterized by identical associations with green energy within the groups of people selected among the total respondents and among respondents assessing their level of knowledge as low or high, as well as among respondents attributing high or low importance to energy sources. The research results and the conclusions drawn have significant cognitive value and practical application.

The aim of this article was to identify factors influencing the purchasing decisions of individual buyers represented by Polish doctors on the dairy product market, taking into account the demographic variable of the respondents’ age. This article is based on a survey conducted among 201 Polish doctors using the CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interview) method. The collected primary data was subjected to quantitative analysis, including both a description of general trends and the identification of differences in responses between distinct age categories of respondents, as well as the identification of hidden factor structures. Conducting a study with a group of doctors perceived as experts fills a research gap in the literature and makes an important contribution to the discussion on the factors shaping the purchasing behaviour of doctors as buyers. The research revealed differences in the assessment of the importance of motivators influencing purchasing decisions for dairy products between groups of doctors separated by age. Younger respondents (aged 27–44) attach greater importance to the influence of marketing activities at the point of sale and the health attributes of dairy products, while older respondents (aged 45 and over) attach greater importance to aspects related to trust and safety as well as consumer trends. Hidden (latent) factors influencing purchasing decisions in the surveyed age-based groups of doctors were also identified in comparison with the total number of respondents, and consumer segments were identified based on the similarity of factor profiles. The results of this study can be used both by companies in the dairy sector in the process of designing marketing strategies for dairy products and by institutions influencing public health.

The study aimed to address a research gap by identifying the factors that influence the purchasing decisions of individual Polish doctors in the dairy products market, with gender as a demographic variable. The primary data collection method was a survey, conducted using the CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing) technique. The sample was selected using a purposive approach with elements of proportional territorial allocation. The survey involved 201 interviews with doctors from across Poland representing various fields of medical specialisation. The group of respondents surveyed is characterised by one of the highest levels of social trust. Conducting research among a professional group of doctors who are perceived as experts, whose knowledge is based on scientific evidence and many years of education, is an important contribution to the discussion on the factors that shape purchasing behaviour. The research confirmed the hypothesis that purchasing decisions in the dairy market are shaped by diverse factors. The study showed that the surveyed group of doctors most often makes purchasing decisions guided not only by health and quality values, but also by pragmatic ones, such as a product’s shelf life or availability in shops. The conducted research showed that differences between women and men representing the medical community in the assessment of factors influencing purchasing decisions in the dairy products market occur for 6 of the 26 variables assessed, thus one of the research hypotheses was only partially confirmed. Further research using principal component factor analysis made it possible to determine what hidden factors influence purchasing decisions among all respondents and groups distinguished by the demographic characteristic of gender, which allowed for the definition of customer segments.

Objective: Using the Lubelskie voivodeship as an example, this paper seeks to identify and analyse consumers’ (users of municipal parks) expectations regarding the functions of municipal parks in the context of work-life balance. We determined expectations regarding the parks’ functions based on the reasons for visiting them. Research Design & Methods: The primary data collection method was a survey method, which used a questionnaire technique. Non-random sampling was used. Respondents were recruited online using a snowball technique. The survey was conducted remotely using Google Forms. The gathered primary data were subjected to quantitative analysis, that is, the mean score test, Mann-Whitney U test and exploratory factor analysis. Findings: We confirmed that the offer of municipal parks improves the likelihood of achieving a work-life balance, mainly due to recreation and leisure and health-promoting functions. The pilot survey revealed that interviewed consumers who used municipal parks in the Lubelskie voivodeship had varying expectations regarding the parks’ roles. The foremost expectations involved parks’ leisure function, which is the ability to relax in a natural environment, experience tranquillity and seek shelter from the sun, admire the beauty and sounds of nature, and engage in leisure activities, including meeting family and friends. Furthermore, the Mann-Whitney U test showed that the variable frequency of visits to city parks was not a statistically significant differentiating variable for most respondents’ expectations regarding their function. Nevertheless, through factor analysis, segments were identified for each category of respondents analysed that differed in their expectations regarding the urban park offer. Implications / Recommendations: The study’s findings can be utilised by city authorities to develop local municipal park management policies. Knowing what residents look for from municipal parks allows them to update their municipal park management strategies to align them with the demands of the public and to boost their appeal to city inhabitants. It can be applied to the management of existing parks and the development of new park spaces in cities. Contribution: The review of the literature and the analyses enrich the literature focusing on work-life balance, specifically examining the impact of municipal parks on worker well-being and the significance of measures and innovations related to developing green areas as part of city policy. The presented findings can be a starting point for further research on this topic.

This article aimed to identify the purchase motives for plant-derived unprocessed and minimally processed foods (UMPF) by individual buyers in Poland, considering their gender and age, and to segment these motives. The research was conducted on a sample of n = 1,000 using a survey method, with the CATI technique. However, the study of UMPF purchase motives could include a sample of n = 875 respondents who purchase UMPF. Relevant explanations are provided in the executive summary and methodology. Data was subjected to quantitative analyses. The methods used were mean score analysis, comparative analysis, Pearson's chi2 independence test, V-Cramer's contingency coefficient, and exploratory factor analysis. Four research hypotheses were verified. As a result of the analyses, it was proven that three groups of motivators shape the motivation to purchase UMPF: health-promoting factors (of greatest importance), pragmatic factors (of moderate importance), and marketing factors (of least importance). In addition, both the gender and age of respondents were shown to significantly differentiate the motives for purchasing UMPF. The results of factor analysis, however, revealed different structures of latent factors determining purchase motivations according to gender and age, which made it possible to distinguish two main segments of consumers with similar hierarchies of motives: the first, including women and post-working-age people, and the second, including men and people of working age. The results obtained can be used to develop social campaigns to promote UMPF consumption.

Summary: The article has a theoretical and empirical character. Identifying the internal structure of reasons of lack of Polish young potential employees’ interest in universities as employers was the main goal of this paper. To prepare its theoretical part the method of cognitive-critical analysis of world literature on marketing and management was applied. The results of this analysis show that the aspects connected with the mentioned reasons have not been studied yet. The more the opinions about the way of perception of universities’ employees in the comparison of other organizations’ employees have not been taken into account in the analysis. So one can talk about the existence of a cognitive gap and an empirical gap in this scope. Striving to reduce these gaps the empirical studies were conducted. The research covered representatives of Polish young potential employees. Gathered primary data were statistically analysed applying the following research methods and tests: exploratory factor analysis and Kruskal-Wallis test. The results of these analyses show that the opinions on relative perception of universities’ employees decide about differences in the structure of reasons of lack of interest in universities as employers. But the mentioned opinions are the element differentiating in a statistically significant way only one reason.