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This chapter is designed to highlight the role of sustainable development in corporate Internet communications of selected retailers operating in Poland. It provides an overview of key content relating to corporate social responsibility (CSR) available on the websites of retailers analyzed in the study. Key thematic areas connected with corporate sustainable development are usually linked with the CSR strategy. These areas refer to the accountability of the chain as an employer, guarantor of high quality of products, reliable business partner, a member of the local community, and an entity that is taking care of the environment. Conclusions and comments are based on the analysis of the content published on corporate websites of selected retailers and the assessment of how the content is communicated using various marketing tools.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the case study of Bakoma, which is a leading Polish yoghurt‐producing company that has achieved a remarkable success, but now is facing serious challenges from multinationals. The authors aim to analyse its development model, marketing strategy, and competitive position.

The paper is based on the authors' own case study. They gathered the necessary information from company documents, both published and unpublished, as well as a series of in‐depth interviews with representatives of Bakoma and other key players in the Polish dairy market.

The authors found out a strong interdependence of the business and political spheres, especially during the initial phase of the Polish systemic transition. Secondly, foreign partners played a major role in the creation of the company (inflow of capital from an American businessman of Polish origin), acquiring access to technology licence (Onken), and capital investments and transfer of management skills (Danone). A major strength of the company is its innovative marketing strategy based on a perfect knowledge of the specificity of Polish consumer preferences. Nevertheless, the Polish yoghurt market as an important segment of the dairy market becomes gradually more and more dominated by multinational corporations, especially of French and German origin.

This paper provides original insights into the development and marketing strategies of a leading Polish yoghurt company facing strong competition from multinationals. The results may be useful to managers from Central and Eastern European dairy companies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine major marketing developments in the Polish food‐processing sector following the EU accession. The aim is to discern the impact of EU integration on several variables characterising the marketing and business strategies; to determine the sources of competitive advantage on the domestic market and abroad; and to distinguish the most popular development directions.

The paper is based on the author's research study. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted among 780 food‐processing companies located in Poland and 30 interviews were conducted with representatives of the industry participating in the International Trade Fair Polagra in Poznan.

There was a systematic growth of export orientation in the study sample after joining the EU. The representatives of the industry usually pointed out either a positive or neutral country‐of‐origin effect. The crucial sources of competitive advantage differed according to the target market. The importance of quality guarantees and successful branding was much higher in exports, whereas taste and price played a relatively greater role on the domestic market. A growing prevalence of the strategy of backward contractual market channel integration was observed. The findings confirmed the growing attractiveness of internationalisation strategies among Polish food processors after EU accession.

The paper provides original insights on the evolution of marketing and business development strategies in Poland after joining the EU. The topic has not been widely discussed at the level of food‐processing industry. The results may be useful to managers from Central and Eastern European food companies.

The purpose of this paper is to present the varied roles played by the University of Lódz (UL) in maintaining and restoring the natural capital of a city as a driver for sustainable city development. The higher education institution can be perceived as visionary, originator and executor of natural capital projects.

The paper analyses three cases performed by the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, UL, in the city of Lódz. The activities are based on different scales ranging from city-wide to local, e.g. river and green infrastructure, and which vary in character from policy planning to implementation.

Natural capital projects influence city development on different levels: by the initiation of legal protection, by the implementation of rehabilitation concepts for rivers and by influencing the strategic documents for mid-term and long-term urban development.

The university has the potential for multidisciplinary engagement in the development of urban sustainability. In large-scale projects, academics play a more conceptual role, in capacity building and knowledge transfer, while in local-scale implementations, their role includes innovation, know-how and technology transfer. Moreover, it may act as a reinforcement hub, by safeguarding and strengthening the natural capital of the city.

Orthopaedic implants, such as intervertebral disc endoprostheses (IDEs) are difficult to manufacture by means of conventional methods because of their complex shape. However, technologies developed in recent years, such as selective laser melting, could simplify this process. Although this method is attractive in both manufacturing and rapid prototyping of IDEs, little is known about their tribological performance. The functional aim of the work is to conduct a tribological evaluation of the ASTM F75 alloy after selective laser melting process and to investigate the viability of the technology in IDE design. The research aim was an explanation of the wear mechanism of bearing surfaces with respect to the reference material.

In this paper, the tribological test results of a lumbar IDE prototype fabricated by selective laser melting and forging is presented and compared. The endoprostheses were fabricated from commercially available ASTM F75 powder using a selective laser melting device. As a reference material, a forged ASTM F1537 LC alloy was used. Comparative wear and friction tests were carried out with the use of a unique spine simulator.

The obtained results confirm the viability of the selective laser technology in endoprosthesis design. Unfortunately, poorer tribological wear resistance of endoprostheses produced by means of selective laser melting (SLM) technology compared with that of the reference material calls into question the possibility of using these technologies in the manufacturing process of endoprosthesis' components exposed to tribological wear.

This paper presents the friction and wear behaviour of the lumbar IDE prototype. The tests were carried out in motion and loading conditions close to those we observe in the lumbar spine.

In the enlarged European Union (EU) with 25 members, the free movement of capital, coupled with the free movement of goods and services should be a major direct attraction for both intra-EU and external foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. EU membership does not, however, lead to a linear increase in FDI inflows as many analysts suggest (ECE, 2001). With EU accession, the structure of FDI may change substantially (Hunya, 2000; Dyker, 2001). Activities based on the existence of closed domestic markets (e.g. food and beverages) and on cheap labour (e.g. assembly activities) might be reduced, or even closed down, giving way to more knowledge-intensive activities in the new EU member countries (Kalotay, 2004a). FDI in the new EU member countries is not yet on an uninterrupted growth path. In the pre-accession phase (1995–2003), the relative importance of new EU members in global FDI flows when compared to that of the “old” members of the EU, was actually shrinking. Thus, if new members want to use FDI as one channel for catching up, they have to reverse this trend and increase their inward FDI quite rapidly.