ASSESSMENT AND SPATIAL DIVERSITY OF THE COMPETITIVENESS OF COMMUNES OF THE ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE PROVINCE

Abstract

The commune is the basic local government unit. It has a certain range of freedom in deciding on the path of development and property. The commune’s process of activity takes place in a space that is entirely filled by the natural and economic environment, and its specific, individual features of the economy, society and resources. The aim of the article is to analyze the spatial disproportions in the competitiveness of poviats of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodship using a synthetic measure. As the source material, data from the Regional Accounting Chamber (Kielce branch) and Local Database of the Central Statistical Office for 2009, 2011 and 2017 were used. The competitiveness of the local economy is largely dependent on the processes taking place in the so-called development centers and the availability of endogenous resources. The center can get rich at the expense of peripheral areas (e.g. by attracting human capital). Włoszczowski, Kielecki and Buski poviats were high in the ranking. At the other end of the ranking were Pińczowski, Skarżyski, Kazimierski. The synthetic measure in 2017 ranged from 0.52 (Włoszczowski) to 0.73 (Kazimierksi), in 2009 0.53 (Staszowski) to 0.79 (Kazimierski) respectively. No position stability was observed in the ranking, the level of the indicator is influenced by: the economic nature of the unit and the function of the area (industrial, tourist, residential), economic potential, financial situation, natural environment and infrastructure. Therefore, the assessment should take into account local specificities in various structural and functional conditions.