Nowy paradygmat rozwoju regionalnego

Abstract

Anew paradigm of regional development is emerging in West-European countries. It is based on local innovative networks. Key conditions for the establishment of such networks are: the existenee of numerous small-scale enterprises which operate in cooperation organized horizontally and an integrated local labour market, which generates a social learning process and lasting incentives to innovate. The Polish economy is currently in a transformation process from a centralized command system to a market economy similar to that existing in Western mdustnalized countries. In the course of this transformation numerous new small and middle-size enterprises are being established. This process is differentiated regionally; in some regions it is already far advanced. More difficult is the establishment of balanced local labour markets Unemployment runs high in many areas. High inflation, structural recession and many uncertainties are barriers to development of a local learning process and of an incentive mechanism foi innovations. Yet, in some Polish regions efforts are being made to establish an organizational infrastructure which could i. p in establishing viable local innovative networks.