This article focuses on the analysis of the military links with local communities in the context of sustainable development, in particular the social and economic aspects of development. The aim of the article is to identify and characterize the links between military units and entities in the local environment on the example of selected municipalities in Poland and to assess these links in the opinion of residents, local authorities, and soldiers. Between military units and local communities, there are relations of different nature and intensity, conditioned by internal and external factors. The military stationed on the territory of individual municipalities makes a direct and indirect contribution to building the social and economic potential of these places, as well as providing public goods in the form of the national defence. The links between the military and local communities are discussed in the source literature with reference to examples from different countries. While the scale and scope of these links vary, these impacts follow similar patterns.

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The European Union’s New Green Deal generates changes in the socio-economic development of regions. An element of this change is the transformation of the regional profiles of the energy portfolio towards more pro-ecological ones. The aim of this article is to identify the conditions and reasons for the transformation of the energy portfolio of the Eastern Poland macroregion, and to define the directions of the energy portfolio evolution caused by the need to implement the goals of the European Green Deal by 2030, in order to consequently develop the forecast energy portfolio for the Eastern Poland macroregion. It has been assumed that the energy transformation of the Eastern Poland macroregion will be implemented through gradual transformation of the energy portfolio towards dispersed sources of local and civic energy. The research is based on both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative research was carried out on the basis of the diagnostic survey method with the use of the proprietary questionnaire as well as with the analysis of the content of strategic documents of the voivodships included in the Eastern Poland macroregion. The basis for the preparation of research questions was the extended PEST method which stands for: political, economic, socio-cultural, technological. Research efforts were focused on developing an energy portfolio for the region using the assumptions of the Boston consulting group matrix (a strategic planning tool). The originality of the conducted research consists in the adaptation of the BCG matrix to the development of the forecast energy portfolio and the preparation of a proposal for the aggregated energy portfolio of the Eastern Poland macroregion. The obtained results indicate that the macroregion’s energy portfolio is diversified, though with the key significance of conventional sources. It is predicted that by 2030, the following sources will change their positions within the portfolio for the Eastern Poland macroregion: solar energy, wind energy and bioenergy. However, it will retain the character of a “youth wallet”.

Purpose: This article discusses the possibilities and consequences of the Polish Armed Forces (which is a type of public organization) utilizing the concept of New Public Management (NPM). The key element of NPM focuses on the citizenthe customer of public services who assesses the quality of service and effects. The research aimed to evaluate the service understood as activities and the value that a citizen receives from the military units from the perspective of the need to ensure security in the time of peace. Approach/Methodology/Design: Scientific literature and results from the research among 600 inhabitants from the Polish cities and other reports were analyzed. The article contains the results of own analyses, which were carried out based on data obtained in the research conducted using a mix-mode research procedure CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) and CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview). Findings: To evaluate the service security offered by the armed forces, it is possible to use the Need-Feature-Benefit (NFB) principle, and its specification understood as a portfolio of implemented activities and values. The research results show that respondents who evaluated the values (like solidarity, justice, patriotism, love in human relations, conscientiousness, perseverance) higher also showed greater appreciation for the security service delivered by the armed forces. Practical Implications: The results are of significant importance to a public organization. The applied research allowed creating an approach to evaluating the armed forces' service applying the Need-Feature-Benefit (NFB) principle for practical implications that could help not only in Poland but also worldwide. Originality/Value: The research provides theoretical assumptions and practical answers to encourage further research globally.

The article presents the chosen results of studies carried out in eleven Polish municipalities located in a different part of country where military units are stationed. Analysis refers to category of local development. Simulations reflecting the way the liquidation of military units could potentially impact socioeconomic development of the municipalities have been carried out. This scientific work was financed by the resources for education in 2010-2013 as a research project of Ministry of Science and Higher Education No O N115 311238, Local and regional conditions for the functioning of military units situated within the territory of the country.