Paid annual leave (PAL) is one of the elements of working time regulations. The regulations are implemented at national levels, but core labour standards in this resects are stipulated by the International Labor Organization. The European Union member states are also guided by the relevant directive. Together with the length of the working day and week as well as the number of paid public holidays, the length of annual leave is essential to determine the potential of working time in every economy and the costs of hiring a full-time employee. Under globalization, this may be one of the factors determining business location. From the employees' point of view, the length of paid annual leave is an important element in maintaining a work-life balance. The article aims to examine the differences in the length of paid annual leave between countries and regions in average terms and depending on tenure, as well as to identify the groups of countries and regions where paid annual leave is relatively longest and shortest. It also proposes how the differences in the PAL length can be explained based on Hofstede's cultural dimensions model and legal tradition. The anticipated directions of changes in paid leave regulations are also discussed. Based on the critical analysis of data and information from international organizations, in particular, the World Bank and the International Labor Organization, and existing reference literature, the article provides arguments confirming the thesis that the length of paid annual leave depends on systemic, in particular cultural, factors.

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studia i prace wydziału nauk ekonomicznych i zarządzania nr 40, t. 1 izabela ostoj * Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach pracodawcy w obliczu niepełnej inforMacji na rynku pracy -studiuM teoretyczne i eMpiryczne streszczenie Dla sprawnego funkcjonowania rynku pracy niezbędna jest informacja. W rzeczywistości do uczestników rynku pracy dociera informacja niekompletna, trudna do wykorzystania. Trudności doświadczają w szczególności pracodawcy poszukujący odpowiednich pracowników. Problem ten, choć dostrzegany w koncepcjach teoretycznych rynku pracy, jest jednak marginalizowany. Częściowo znajduje swe odzwierciedlenie w wybranych modelach płacy proefektywnościowej oraz koncepcji kapitału społecznego. Dla przedsię-biorstw niedostatki informacji są źródłem dodatkowych kosztów związanych z rekrutacją pracowników. Wobec niemożności ich obniżenia pracodawcy uciekają się do stosowania różnych zabiegów, m.in. płac proefektywnościowych, a także zatrudniania po znajomości, co sprawia, że ofert pracy na rynku jest mniej, a w praktyce osoba bezrobotna nie ma szans na dotarcie do nich.Słowa kluczowe: rynek pracy, informacja, rekrutacja wprowadzenie W teorii ekonomii przyjmuje się, że doskonale konkurencyjny rynek zapewnia efektywną alokację zasobów w gospodarce. Dotyczy to także rynku pracy, który * Adres

Motivation: The online gig economy, where labour is provided via specialized digital platforms, is an important element of the platform economy. This market is developing on a global scale. The structure of supply in the online gig economy and the reasons for the domination of gig workers from specific countries are still the areas remaining relatively under-researched. Aim: The article aims to examine the supply side of the online gig economy based on the country of origin of gig workers, as well as to explain the reasons why gig workers from specific countries have dominated the sector. Results: The analysis of the data from the Oxford Internet Institute proved that the supply of online labour services in the global market is dominated by three Asian countries — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh — as well as the USA and the United Kingdom. The preliminary investigation into the determinants of the supply of labour services indicates that the countries under research have developed favorable institutional conditions, such as the universal knowledge of the English language, the right proportion of Internet users to the population size, the large informal sector, and considerable labour freedom.

Motivation: The development of labour platforms is one of the manifestations of the platformisation of the economy. Their growing popularity has revealed institutional vulnerabilities, particularly with regard to the weak position of platform workers, related to their ambiguous status, controversial regulations of labour platforms including algorithmic control of tasks performed, the rate and method of payment for services rendered, insufficient knowledge of how platforms operate. They are all the subject of intense discussion, also at the EU level.Aim: The identification of desired directions of changes in the institutional environment of labour platforms in Poland — as expected by the society — against the background of the ongoing discussion on this subject in other countries and at the EU level.Results: A diagnostic survey conducted on a large sample of Polish citizens aged 18–70 revealed that the most expected changes that would improve the quality of the institutional environment of labour platforms are: the introduction of a minimum payment for work services and the adoption of the independent worker status, the introduction of universal rules regulating digital platform operations, as well as the introduction of training and information materials on how labour platforms work. Poles attach less importance to the right of platform workers to establish trade unions.