Report on the Completion of the Kościuszko Foundation Scholarship and Participation in the Dekaban-Liddle Fellowship Programme by Prof. Beata Łopaciuk-Gonczaryk
Prof. Beata Łopaciuk-Gonczaryk (Department of Political Economy WNE UW) participated in two research initiatives over the past several months, both of which resulted in significant academic achievements. Professor Łopaciuk-Gonczaryk has kindly provided a brief summary of these activities. We invite you to learn more about the implementation of the Kościuszko Foundation Scholarship and the Dekaban-Liddle Fellowship Programme.
As part of the Kościuszko Foundation Scholarship (carried out over a three-month period beginning on 15 February of this year), Professor Łopaciuk-Gonczaryk was a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh. She collaborated with Prof. Nynke Niezink on the project “Social Network Embeddedness of Sustainable Attitudes and Behavior: Coevolution of Social Networks with Behaviors and Attitudes – Social Influence vs. Selection.” The researchers investigated the coevolution of students’ social networks and their pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. Using panel data collected from first-semester university students and applying Stochastic Actor-Oriented Models (SAOMs) in RSiena, they accounted for structural effects, the context of shared classes, and individual characteristics. The findings obtained so far indicate a strong selection mechanism: students tend to establish relationships with others who share similar attitudes and behaviours, while there is no evidence of peer social influence affecting these characteristics.
Right after completing her stay in Pittsburgh, Prof. Łopaciuk-Gonczaryk began a fellowship funded by the Dekaban-Liddle Foundation. In addition to a visit to Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, she also spent time at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, where she collaborated with Prof. Yasaman Sarabi on the project “Board Interlocks and ESG Compliance of UK Companies.” This research examines the coevolution of board interlock networks and compliance with environmental practices among the largest UK companies. Drawing on panel data from 2020 to 2024 and using SAOM models, the study demonstrates that board interlocks may facilitate the diffusion of environmental practices, while similarity in ESG-related activities increases the likelihood of ties being formed between companies. Contrary to previous findings, a greater proportion of women on corporate boards does not appear to increase the propensity to adopt new environmental practices, although women are more likely to create interlocking board connections. The results highlight the importance of analysing both influence and selection mechanisms, as well as the structure of corporate networks, in research on the development of sustainable business practices. Thus far, the first stage of the project has been completed, focusing on the environmental pillar of ESG. In the near future, the researchers will extend their work to the remaining two pillars: social responsibility and corporate governance.
We would like to thank Prof. Łopaciuk-Gonczaryk for sharing the results of her research and wish her every success in her future academic endeavours.
At the same time, we encourage individuals interested in the Kościuszko Foundation Scholarship Programme to apply in the current recruitment round. Applications for the next edition of the programme are now being accepted and may be submitted until 30 November of this year.
