General

Poland is a European Union member since 2004.

Language and Religion

Polish is the official language, which is closely related to Czech. Catholicism is the dominant religion in the country.

Value System

Poland scores high on the uncertainty avoidance index, and higher than average on the power distance index. Rules and regulations will contribute to a more structured society. The country is still male-dominated, although this is changing slowly. Interpersonal relationships are important.

Tips when Doing Business

Hierarchy remains important in the business world, and it is vital to develop contacts and relationships with business contacts. Professional businesswomen often find that Poland is one of the more difficult places in Europe to be taken seriously. 

The Pew Global Attitudes Project is an interactive database that allows users to explore public opinion trends in 55 countries on topics ranging from attitudes towards the U.S. to peoples assessments of their own lives to views about globalization, democratization and extremism and other important issues.

Poland ranks as no. 58 (of 180 countries) on Transparency International’s 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index.