“Poles’ SelfPortrait”. A report by the Marka Polska Think Tank Foundation with the key involvement of a UEW researcher 

How do we really perceive ourselves as a nation – and what does this say about Poland’s future? This question is addressed by the report „Polaków portret własny – Część I. Raport o DNA marki Polska – perspektywa wewnętrzna” (“Poles’ SelfPortrait – Part I. A Report on the DNA of Brand Poland – an Internal Perspective”), prepared by the Marka Polska Think Tank Foundation under the leadership of dr hab. Barbara MrózGorgoń, prof. UEW, a researcher at Wroclaw University of Economics and Business and President of the Foundation. The publication was produced as part of the public task „Marka Polska – podstrategia turystyczna” (“Brand Poland – Tourism Substrategy”), cofunded by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism. 

A country that “could be a Ferrari but is still driving like a Polonez” 

The report diagnoses the phenomenon of “impostor syndrome” at national level – a deep gap between Poland’s objective achievements and the way we think about ourselves. On the one hand, we see a dynamically developing economy, a strong IT and gaming sector, and a growing number of startups and creative industries. On the other, participants repeatedly describe a country that “could be a Ferrari but is still driving like a Polonez”: low selfesteem rooted in historical experience, collective trauma and a narrative of Poland primarily as a victim rather than an active shaper of change. 

“Poles’ SelfPortrait – Part I. is the result of a multistage research project combining psychological, sociological and marketing perspectives. The team led by dr hab. Barbara MrózGorgoń, prof. UEW, employed a broad range of methods: from desk research, through 24 indepth individual interviews (IDI) and 35 focus group interviews (FGI), to Design Thinking workshops in seven Polish cities. In total, the researchers analysed over 180 hours of recordings and around 400 pages of transcripts, coding statements in several dozen thematic categories. Approximately 150 people took part in the study – representatives of business, academia, culture, the creative sector, students and experts with international experience. 

The essence of Brand Poland 

The report offers several key insights. It shows how Poles perceive their strengths – hard work, resourcefulness, creativity, resilience and strong social ties – as well as their weaknesses: feelings of inferiority, low selfesteem, organisational and aesthetic chaos, and social polarisation. It also analyses socalled “aspirational deficits”: what we envy other nations – German consistency, Scandinavian quality of life and Italian dolce vita. On this basis, the authors propose the essence of Brand Poland in the formula “Strength in action. Creative resilience”, describing a nation that can mobilise in times of crisis, act effectively despite limited resources and increasingly identify with a modern, European identity. 

An important part of the report is the identification of areas where Brand Poland’s potential is greatest yet still underused: culture and the creative sector, talent, IT and gaming, the space and maritime sectors, naturebased and culinary tourism, contemporary cuisine and craftsmanship, and the cosmetics industry. At the same time, the report highlights the barriers that prevent this potential from translating into a coherent image – from excessive bureaucracy to a “market stall without a vision” in the public space. 

“Poles’ SelfPortrait – Part I. does not stop at diagnosis. The document forms a starting point for building a longterm national brand strategy: it sets out the principles on which such a strategy should be based (authenticity, coherence, a longterm horizon and reliance on Poland’s real competitive advantages) and offers recommendations for changing the narrative – from a story of suffering to a story of opportunity, agency and the creative resilience of Poles. The project was carried out by the Marka Polska Think Tank Foundation in cooperation with the Stowarzyszenie Konferencje i Kongresy w Polsce (SKKP), and the report was premiered at Kozminski University in Warsaw. 

Thanks to the engagement of dr hab. Barbara MrózGorgoń, prof. UEW, who established and leads the Marka Polska Think Tank Foundation, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business is actively coshaping the nationwide debate on the national brand. This is a clear example of how the expertise of our researchers goes beyond the walls of the university, translating into concrete tools for public administration, business and the creative sector – and into Poland’s longterm development strategy.  

The report is available online on the Marka Polska Think Tank Foundation website https://markapolska.pl/raport-polakow-portret-wlasny/

Author: Justyna Morawska-Płoskonka