Competitiveness of Cities and Their Regions in Poland – Changes in the Light of the Growth Pole Concept

Abstract

The aim of the chapter is to identify the pattern of city–region relations in Polish spatial and economic development. Based on the regression analysis of GDP per capita growth in chosen cities and their regions, conclusions are drawn on: differences in urban development (measured by GDP per capita growth) between cities and their surrounding regions and the direction of the core-periphery mechanism (backwash vs. spread). Findings of the research enabled us to answer the questions of whether urban Poland follows the core-periphery model of development, and to identify the stage of this theoretical approach at which Polish cities might be. For the majority of studies, cities and regions follow the backwash mechanism in their relations with the surrounding regions; however, the trend of this impact differs. Warsaw is a city where the dependence on its region’s resources is decreasing; nevertheless, other findings presented in the chapter allow the statement that Polish cities reach for their region’s resources and the core-periphery mechanism is characterised by the backwash effect. The following chapter fills in the gap in urban competitiveness studies, as they usually concentrate on specific case studies and rarely use larger panels for analysis. Such approach enables us to draw conclusions for the overall urban development patterns in Poland. Also, the issue of growth spread and city–region relations is rarely found in the Polish urban research.

Citation

Szczech-Pietkiewicz, E. (2017), "Competitiveness of Cities and Their Regions in Poland – Changes in the Light of the Growth Pole Concept", Pascariu, G.C. and Duarte, M.A.P.D.S. (Ed.) Core-Periphery Patterns Across the European Union, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 233-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78714-495-820171008