Share:


Sustainable local development in relation to complementary currencies on the example of the Polish currency Zielony

    Nina Stępnicka   Affiliation
    ; Beata Sadowska   Affiliation
    ; Robert Walasek   Affiliation
    ; Grzegorz Zimon   Affiliation
    ; Dariusz Brzozowiec Affiliation

Abstract

The complementary currency Zielony (PLZ) is an example of an economic experiment, operating in Poland since 2015. It is also a new type of economic tool that supports the local economy and influences the creation of sustainable local developments. However, this impact is not direct, as it is realised through a network of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the local economy, which, among other things, create jobs relevant to the economic prosperity of the region and the life of the local community. The main objective of this article is to demonstrate the relationship between the use of the complementary currency Zielony in Poland by the entities that create the system of this currency and its impact on the economy, in particular on the local sustainable development in the pre-pandemic and pandemic period of Covid-19. The main research problem is formulated in the form of a question: “What are the benefits and opportunities for the economic entities of the local economy as a result of their accession to the complementary currency Zielony system?” The article adopts the following thesis: “The complementary currency Zielony in Poland positively influences the functioning of the local economy and the economic entities that belong to the system and promotes the creation of conditions that are important for sustainable local development. However, it works best when it is not disrupted by administrative barriers and lockdowns, like those that appeared in Poland during the Covid-19 pandemic.” The analysis carried out proved the validity of the thesis and allowed to solve the main problem. The study used the method of critical literature analysis and analysis of statistical data from 2015–2021.


First published online 31 January 2023

Keyword : complementary currency, economics, finance, local development, local economic, management, sustainability development

How to Cite
Stępnicka, N., Sadowska, B., Walasek, R., Zimon, G., & Brzozowiec, D. (2023). Sustainable local development in relation to complementary currencies on the example of the Polish currency Zielony. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 29(2), 618–652. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2023.18341
Published in Issue
Mar 20, 2023
Abstract Views
692
PDF Downloads
565
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Alia, H., & Spiegelman, E. (2020). Convertible local currency and trust: “It’s Not You, It’s Me” – A field experiment in the French Basque Country. Local Economy, 35(2), 105–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094220905505

Andreoni, V. (2020). the trap of success: A paradox of scale for sharing economy and degrowth. Sustainability, 12(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083153

Belmonte, S. M., Puig, J., Roca, M., & Segura, M. (2021). Crisis mitigation through cash assistance to increase local consumption levels – A case study of a bimonetary system in Barcelona, Spain. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 14, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm14090430

Bindewald, L. (2021). Inconsistent definitions of money and currency in financial legislation as a threat to innovation and sustainability. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 14(2), 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm14020055

Blanc, J., & Fare, M. (2022). Community-based alternative currencies as drivers of new monetary arrangements. Post-Print halshs-03759897, HAL.

Campinas. (2014). Social and solidarity economy: Towards inclusive and sustainable development. International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization.

Ciccozzi, E. (2022). Are cryptocurrencies already influencing the real economy? Facoltà di Impresa e Management Corso di Laurea in Corporate Finance.

Collom, E. (2005). Community currency in the United States: The social environments in which it emerges and survives. Environment and Planning A, 37, 1565–1587. https://doi.org/10.1068/a37172

Collom, E. (2011). Motivations and differential participation in a community currency system: The dynamics within a local social movement organization. Sociological Forum, 26(1), 144–168. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1573-7861.2010.01228.x

Collom, E., Lasker, J. N., & Kyriacou, C. (2012). Equal time, equal value: Community currencies and time banking in the US. Ashgate Surrey.

Departament Analiz Ekonomicznych Santander Bank Polska S.A. (2020). Sytuacja społeczno-gospodarcza Polski w dobie pandemii.

Desquilbet, J.-B., & Farvaque, E. (2022). ‘As one dies, so dies the other’? On local complementary currencies as two-sided platforms. ffhalshs-03518592f.

Dini, P., & Kioupkiolis, A. (2019). The alter-politics of complementary currencies: The case of Sardex. Cogent Social Sciences, 5(1), 1646625. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1646625

Diniz, E. H., Siqueira E., & van Heck, E. (2018). Taxonomy of digital community currency platforms. Information Technology for Development, 25(3), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2018.1485005

Escobar, A. L., López, R. R., Guerrero, J. E. G., & Cuadrado, E. S. (2020a). Design of strategies for the implementation and management of a complementary monetary system using the SWOT-AHP methodology. Sustainability, 12, 6849. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176849

Escobar, A. L., López, R. R., Solano-Sánchez, M. A., & de los Baños García-Moreno García, M. (2020b). The role of complementary monetary system as an instrument to innovate the local financial system. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6, 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc6040141

Evans, M. S. (2009). Zelizer’s theory of money and the case of local currencies. Environment and Planning, A41, 1026–1041. https://doi.org/10.1068/a4144

Fare, M., & Ahmed, P. O. (2017). Complementary currency systems and their ability to support economic and social changes. Development and Change, 48(5), 847–872. https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12322

Fare, M., De Freitas, C., & Meyer, C. (2015). Territorial development and community currencies: Symbolic meanings in Brazilian community development banks. International Journal of Community Currency Research, 19(D), 6–17.

International Labour Organization. (2016). Cooperation in a changing world of work: Exploring the role of cooperatives in the future of work. Cooperatives and the world of work, No. 6, 1–4.

International Labour Organization. (2019). Financial mechanisms for innovative social and solidarity economy ecosystems.

Fleischman, T., Dini, P., & Littera, G. (2020). Liquidity-saving through obligation-clearing and mutual credit: An effective monetary innovation for SMEs in times of crisis. Journal of Risk Financial Management, 13, 295. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13120295

Fraundorfer, K. (2022). Participation in the exchange network “talenteverbund” in a (post-)modern welfare state arrangement. A theoretical and empirical analysis of engagement in the alternative economy as a form of active citizenship. Johannes Kepler Universität Linz.

García-Corral, F. J., de Pablo-Valenciano, J., Milán-García, J., & Cordero-García, J. A. (2020). Complementary currencies: an analysis of the creation process based on sustainable local development principles. Sustainability, 12, 5672. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145672

Gelleri, C. (2009). Chiemgauer regiomoney: Theory and practice of a local currency. International Journal of Community Currency Research, 13, 61–75. https://doi.org/10.15133/j.ijccr.2009.006

Giménez, A. F. C., & Tamajón, L. G. (2019). An analysis of the process of adopting local digital currencies in support of sustainable development. Sustainability, 11, 849. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030849

Gómez, G. M. (2022). Large-scale currency circuits as anti-crisis mechanism: the Argentine Redes de Trueque. In G. Vallet, S. Kappes, & L.-P. Rochon (Eds.), Central banking, monetary policy and the future of money (pp. 221–245). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800376403.00016

Gómez, G., & Dini, P. (2016). Making sense of a crank case: Monetary diversity in Argentina (1999–2003). Cambridge Journal of Economics, 40, 1421–1437. https://doi.org/10.1093/cje/bew034

Gómez, G. M., & Helmsing, A. H. J. (2008). Selective spatial closure and local economic development: What do we learn from the Argentine local currency systems? World Development, 36(11), 2489–2511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.11.015

Graugaard, J. D. (2012). A tool for building community resilience? A case study of the Lewes Pound. Local Environment, 17, 243–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2012.660908

Grzeszczak, M. (2018). Zatrudnienie w sektorze MSP determinantem rozwoju gospodarki lokalnej. Zeszyty naukowe politechniki śląskiej 2018. Seria: organizacja i zarządzanie, 129, 123–142.

Hechenberger, G. (2018). Regional resilience – the special case of “money”. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203701904-10

Jardon, C. M. (2016). Human capital as source of innovativeness in subsistence small businesses. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 11(3), 59–66. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242016000300007

Joachain, H., & Klopfert, F. (2014). Smarter than metering? Coupling smart meters and complementary currencies to reinforce the motivation of households for energy savings. Ecological Economics, 105, 89–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.05.017

Jonas, A. E. G. (2013). Interrogating alternative local and regional economies: The British Credit Union movement and post-binary thinking. In H.-M. Zademach, & S. Hillebrand (Eds.), Alternative economies and spaces: New perspectives for a sustainable economy (pp. 23–42). Transcript Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/transcript.9783839424988.23

Kljucnikov, A., Civelek, M., Krajcík, V., & Polach, J. (2020). Customer attitude to the local currency implementation. Marketing and Management of Innovations, 4, 76–89. https://doi.org/10.21272/mmi.2020.4-06

Kokabian, P. (2020). Black currency of middle ages and case for complementary currency. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 13, 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13060114

Kwon, M., Lee, C., & Xiao, Y. (2017a). Exploring the role of neighborhood walkability on community currency activities: A case study of the crooked river alliance of TimeBanks. Landscape and Urban Planning, 167, 302–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.07.008

Kwon, M., Lee, C., Xiao, Y., & McIntosh, W. A. (2017b). Community currency activities, community attachment, and quality of life: A case study of the Crooked River Alliance of TimeBanks. Time & Society, 28(3), 1181–1220. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961463X17716737

Lasker, J., Collom, E., Bealer, T., Niclaus, E., Young Keefe, J., Kratzer, Z., Baldasari, L., Kramer, E., Mandeville, R., Schulman, J., Suchow, D., Letcher, A., Rogers, A., & Perlow, K. (2011). Time banking and health: The role of a community currency organization in enhancing well-being. Health Promotion Practice, 12(1), 102–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839909353022

Lewandowska, A., Stopa, M., & Inglot-Brzęk, E. (2021). Innovativeness and entrepreneurship: Socioeconomic remarks on regional development in peripheral regions. Economics and Sociology, 14(2), 222–235. https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-789X

Mattsson, C. E. S., Criscione, T., & Ruddick, W. O. (2022). Sarafu Community inclusion currency 2020–2021. Scientific Data, 9, 426. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01539-4

Meyer, C., & Hudon, M. (2017). Alternative organizations in finance: Commoning in complementary currencies. Organization, 24(5), 629–647. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508417713216

Meyer, C., & Hudon, M. (2019). Money and the commons: An investigation of complementary currencies and their ethical implications. Journal of Business Ethics, 160, 277–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3923-1

Michel, A., & Hudon, M. (2015). Community currencies and sustainable development: A systematic review. Ecological Economics, 116, 160–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.04.023

Ministerstwo Rozwoju i Technologii. (2022, January 13). Zrównoważony rozwój. https://www.gov.pl/web/rozwoj-technologia/zrownowazony-rozwoj

Nakazato, H., & Lim, S. (2017). Community rebuilding processes in a disaster-damaged area through community currency: The pilot project of Domo in Kamaishi, Japan. Disaster Prevention and Management, 26(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-06-2016-0116

Nakazato, H., & Lim, S. (2020). Interplay between social support tie formations and subjective mental health conditions in a community currency system in Japanese disaster-affected communities: The ambivalent effects of social capital. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 51, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101809

Ojeda, A. H. (2022). Parallel state currency: A mechanism to expand sovereignty for countries with foreign debt and trade deficits. Annandale on Hudson.

Pater, R., & Lewandowska, A. (2015). Human capital and innovativeness of the European Union regions. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 28(1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2014.962487

Peacock, M. S. (2014). Complementary currencies: History, theory, prospects. Local Economy, 29(6–7), 708–722. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094214553174

Petri, I., Rana, O. F., & Silaghi, G. C. (2012). Service level agreement as a complementary currency in peer-to-peer markets. Future Generation Computer Systems, 28, 1316–1327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2011.09.007

Petz, M., & Eskelinen, T. (2019). Sysmä community currency: An analysis of its success from the perspectives of purposes, stakeholders and promotion. European Countryside, 11(3), 417–442. https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2019-0024

Polska Agencja Rozwoju Przedsiębiorczości. (2021). Raport o stanie sektora małych i średnich przedsiębiorstw w Polsce.

Ranalli, B. (2013). Local currencies: A potential solution for liquidity problems in refugee camp economies. Journal of Refugee Studies, 27(3), 422–433. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fet049

Rauschmayer, F., Polzin, Ch., Mock, M., & Omann, I. (2018). Examining collective action through the capability approach: The example of community currencies. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 19(3), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/19452829.2017.1415870

Richey, S. (2007). Manufacturing trust: Community currencies and the creation of social capital. Political Behavior, 29(1), 69–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-007-9028-7

Sae-Mi, L., & Taewon, L. (2021). Establish marketing strategy using analysis of local currency app user reviews -focused on ‘Dongbackjeon’ and ‘Incheoneum’. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association, 21(4), 111–122.

Sartori, L., & Dini, P. (2016). From complementary currency to institution: a micro-macro study of the Sardex mutual credit system. Stato e Mercato: Quadrimestrale di Analisi Dei Meccanismi e Delle Istituzioni Sociali, Politiche ed economiche, 107, 273–304.

Serrano, M., & Xhafa, E. (2011). Beyond the capitalist logic: Theoretical debates and social experiences. In M. Serrano, E. Xhafa, & M. Fichter (Eds.), Trade unions and the global crisis labour’s visions, strategies and responses (pp. 19–34). International Labour Organization.

Seyfang, G. (2001a). Community currencies: Small change for a green economy. Environment and Planning A, 33, 975–996. https://doi.org/10.1068/a33216

Seyfang, G. (2001b). Money that makes a change: Community currencies, North and South. Gender & Development, 9(1), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552070127737

Seyfang, G. (2002). Tackling social exclusion with community currencies: Learning from LETS to Time Banks. International Journal of Community Currency Research, 6(1), 1–11.

Seyfang, G., & Longhurst, N. (2013a). Desperately seeking niches: Grassroots innovations and niche development in the community currency field. Global Environmental Change, 23, 881–891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.02.007

Seyfang, G., & Longhurst, N. (2013b). Growing green money? Mapping community currencies for sustainable development. Ecological Economics, 86, 65–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2012.11.003

Seyfang, G., & Smith, A. (2007). Grassroots innovations for sustainable development: Towards a new research and policy agenda. Environmental Politics, 16(4), 584–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644010701419121

Simmons, R., Dini, P., Culkin, N., & Littera, G. (2021). Crisis and the role of money in the real and financial economies – An innovative approach to monetary stimulus. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 14, 129. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm14030129

Sobiecki, G. (2014). Walut światy równoległe. Kwartalnik Nauk o Przedsiębiorstwie, 4, 5–17.

Stępnicka, N., Wiączek, P., & Brzozowiec, D. (2020). Local currencies versus the level of economic security of the region during the COVID-19 period. WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics, 17, 889–899. https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2020.17.87

Stępnicka, N., Zimon, G., & Brzozowiec, D. (2021). The complementary currency zielony in Poland and its importance for the development of local economy entities during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Sustainability, 13(16), 9184. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169184

“Sunny” Hu, H., & Parsa, H. G. (2011). Self‐monitoring, dining companions and the usage of alternative currencies. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 20(3), 228–237. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610421111134950

Suzuki, K., Kawashima, R., & Tomokiyo, T. (2006). A study on the effectiveness of the community currency on the elderly and residents’ life. Journal of Architecture Planning, 609, 61–67. https://doi.org/10.3130/aija.71.61_2

Szemerédi, E., & Tatay, T. (2021). Sharing communities – Community currency in the sharing economy. Society and Economy, 43(1), 38–59. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2020.00027

Thlon, M. (2013). Charakterystyka i klasyfikacja ryzyka w działalności gospodarczej. Zeszyty Naukowe. Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie, 902, 17–36.

Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Świętokrzyskiego. (2021). Raport o stanie województwa świętokrzyskiego w 2020 roku.

Williams, C. C. (1997). Local exchange and trading systems (LETS) in Australia: A new tool for community development? International Journal of Community Currency Research, 1, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.15133/j.ijccr.1997.002

Winfrey, N. (2017). Community currencies: An ideology of abundance. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 153, 77–89. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20223

Witt, S., & Lindstrom, Ch. (2005). Local currencies in the twenty-first century. World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues, 9(1), 157–163.

Zeller, S. (2020). Economic advantages of community currencies. Journal of Risk Financial Management, 13(11), 271. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13110271

Zielony – Polska Waluta Lokalna. (2022, January 14). https://www.zielony.biz.pl

Ziółkowska, W. (2018). Innovativeness of the Polish economy in the context of sustainable development. Copernican Journal of Finance & Accounting, 7(3), 71–88. https://doi.org/10.12775/CJFA.2018.016