BRANŻA JAKO MEZOSYSTEM GOSPODARCZY

Abstract

This article attempts to answer the question whether a branch of economy, which is an intermediate link between economy as a whole and a single company, should be considered a real entity or merely a construct that helps explain the economic reality. The article includes arguments in favour of viewing a branch of economy as a real entity, while some examples are given of situations when a branch of economy only serves the function of a category that allows to understand the market. The author makes use of some of the philosophy findings concerning real entities. The problem is analysed with the help of the concept of collective and distributive sets. A large part of the presented discussion is taken up by definitions and presentation of a branch of economy in the field of branch economics. The author attempts to determine the extent to which the concepts of a branch of economy found in literature allow this notion to be considered a real entity rather than a cognitive construct.