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PolishconsumersontheEuropeanmarket
Polesarecharacterisedbystrongattachmenttotraditionalvalues,such
asfamily,safety,religion.Theyalsoaccentuatethesignificanceoflove,friend-
shipandcontactwithnature.Ontheotherhand,ourrespectforintellectual
autonomy,i.e.striveforself-developmentandself-fulfilment,ismarkedly
lowerthanthatofotherdevelopednationsofEuropeanUnion(Mazurek-
-Łopacińska,2007,15,pp.30-31).Consequently,coveringthedistancethat
dividesPolandfrommatureeconomies,especiallythoseregardedassymbols
ofsuccess(UnitedStates,Japan),requiresfundamentaltransformationsoflife
valueshierarchytoadoptandaccentuatesuchvaluesas:education,engaging
professionalactivitiesandnursingoftalents.Poland’saccessiontotheEU
structuresisanimportantstimulantofsuchtransformations.Polesarewilling
tomakegooduseofthechancesofferedbythecommonEUmarketbyseeking
employmentabroad,expandingtheircontactsoneconomic,socialandcultural
level.TheyarealsoactiveparticipantsoftheEuropeantouristtrade.
AlltheabovefactorsinfluencetheimageofaPoleasapersonwho,
despitediversevaluesystemandweakeconomicstanding,ismoreandmore
closetothetypicalimageoftheEuropeancitizen(Table1).
StudiesofPolishself-appraisalofimageshowclearcommunityorientation
manifestedbystrongidentityonnational,religiousandfamilylevel.Another
importanttraitofPolesistheirreadinesstohelpothersandsympathisewith
thoseinneed.Meanwhile,typicalEuropeanimageshowsclearinvolvement
inself,animportantelementofindividualism,withresultingaspirationtosuc-
cessandputtingworkbeforefamily.
Table1.ImageofatypicalPoleandatypicalEuropeaninthelightofresponderstudies
intheyears1992-2007(in%)
Patriotic
Religious
Focusedonfamily
Focusedonwork
Helpsothers
Collectivism
Confident
Educated
Cultural
Strivesforsuccess
Goodworker
Respectswork
Resourceful
Traits
1
1992
73.0
89.0
70.0
14.0
50.0
62.0
31.0
58.0
47.0
42.0
47.0
50.0
64.0
2
Pole
2007
77.0
89.0
64.0
22.0
57.0
74.0
54.0
76.0
65.0
60.0
85.0
77.0
77.0
3
1992
52.0
36.0
25.0
49.0
37.0
54.0
81.0
83.0
78.0
77.0
88.0
84.0
81.0
4
European
2007
45.0
25.0
27.0
46.0
35.0
52.0
82.0
81.0
71.0
70.0
72.0
72.0
71.0
5
35