The Influence of Institutional and Legal Conditions on Ownership Transformations of Selected State-Owned Maritime Enterprises in Poland

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the impact of state institutions on the process of ownership transformation of selected Polish state-owned maritime enterprises after 1989 and to show the relationship between legal solutions and the course of ownership changes of the studied entities. Design/Methodology/Approach: The historical method was used to show the reasons for the transition from socialist to market economy. Thanks to the decision-making method, the reasons for and effects of decisions made by the Polish government regarding ownership transformations of selected state-owned maritime enterprises were presented. The institutional-legal method was used to illustrate the range of competencies of state institutions and to analyze the relationships that existed between them. Findings: The ownership transformation of state-owned maritime enterprises was an important element of the system transformation in Poland that began in the late 1980s. Establishment of institutional-legal principles of functioning of a democratic state allowed cancelling legal acts applicable in the system of socialist economy. Laws adopted by the parliament created the legal basis for the establishment of public institutions participating in the process of ownership changes of selected economic entities. Practical Implications: The policy of the Polish government regarding ownership transformations of state enterprises in the shipbuilding industry has not brought the intended results.. Currently, the reconstruction of manufacturing shipyards in Poland is impossible, which is due to the dominance of the Asian shipbuilding market on a global scale. Originality/value:The conducted research allowed to present political, legal and economic factors conditioning the implementation of ownership changes of selected state enterprises of maritime economy.