Immersion to Poland

We are leaving for Poland in 4 days. Over the last few weeks, our class has had the opportunity to learn about Polish culture, it's growing economic landscape, and the rich history of the entire region. I am very excited to arrive in Krakow and experience the fascinating culture of this region.

Prior to our trip, each student was asked to choose an article on Polish culture that interests them, and put together a summary and response to the article. I enjoyed reading a study on Entrepreneurship by Michal Chmielecki and Lukasz Sulkowski. Traditionally, Poland is known to view entrepreneurship in a negative light due to it's extremely "risky process". The study included a qualitative and quantitative questionnaire of 124 management students in Poland. The goal of the study was to identify metaphors on entrepreneurship to gather a better understanding of how young people in Poland perceive entrepreneurs. I found it particularly interesting that some Poles are becoming more open to the idea of entrepreneurship in Poland, an area of the world where this idea is often looked down upon. I believe innovation in business is critical to maintaining competitive markets in economic structures. For entrepreneurship to expand in Poland and other countries around the world, it is important for the concept to be associated with innovative ideas, creativity, and freshness.

I look forward to talking with the people of Krakow about how they view innovation and business in a region where the idea is historically looked down upon. I understand that the start-up technology and entrepreneurial culture is becoming more and more popular in Poland, and I am excited to learn more about it. I am also very excited to eat the food in Poland, particularly the pierogis and Polish Kielbasa. Na zdrowie!