Regional smart specialisations in the light of dynamic changes in the employment structure: the case of a region in Poland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2022.006Keywords:
employment structure, employment dynamics, regional specialisations, smart specialisationsAbstract
Research background: Among the determinants of the socio-economic development of the region, an important role is played by its endogenous potential. It is reflected in the industry structure of the region, formed in the process of its historical development. The industry structure is the basis for the development of regional specialisations. One of the criteria for defining specialisations is the employment structure by sections and divisions of the national economy. The definition of regional specialisations is indispensable for planning the development policy and for formulating regional strategies.
Purpose of the article: The main objective of the paper is the analysis and evaluation of employment structure as a criterion for the delimitation of industries identified as smart specialisations in the region. The study covers the case of selected region in Poland at NUTS-2 level ? the voivodeship of Małopolska.
Methods: The study is based on GUS unpublished data (Statistics Poland) for 2009 and 2018. It makes use of descriptive statistical analysis methods and structure and dynamics ratios, as well as Florence?s specialisation coefficient.
Findings & value added: The research has shown that the employment structure indicating the presence of the region's specialisation in given industries is an important, but not sufficient criterion for the evaluation, whether the delimitation of industries recognized as smart specialisations was appropriate. In the light of the conducted research, it seems fully justified to grant the status of smart specialisation in Małopolska to Information and Communication Technologies as well as to Creative and Leisure Industries. In the context of changes to employment dynamics and structures, the possible development-oriented smart specialisations are as follows: Manufacture of metals and metal products, Electronics and machine industry, and Chemistry. On the other hand, the identified specialisations: Life science and Sustainable energy are not in line with changes in the region?s employment structure. The paper proposes one of the possible ways of precise identification of distinctive regional industries with high development potential. The structure of employment and changes occurring in this area make it possible to determine the main forces of the region's endogenous potential, and thus may form the basis for the determination, and in the longer term, assessment of the relevance of identified regional smart specialisations. The added value of the study is, therefore, an attempt to assess, on the example of a selected region, to what extent changes in regional specialisations reflected in the existing employment structure confirm the accuracy of the selection of industries identified as regional smart specialisations. The presented case is an exemplification of the proposed method, which can also be successfully applied to other European regions.
Downloads
References
Bal-Domańska, B., Sobczak, E., & Stańczyk, E. (2020). A multivariate approach to the identification of initial smart specialisations of Polish voivodeships. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 15(4), 785?810. doi: 10.24136/eq.2020.034.
View in Google Scholar
Balland, P. A., Jara-Figueroa, C., Petralia, S., Steijn, M., Rigby, D., & Hidalgo, C. A. (2020). Complex economic activities concentrate in large cities. Nature Human Behaviour, 4(3), 248?254. doi: 10.1038/s41562-019-0803-3.
View in Google Scholar
Bański, J., & Mazurek, D. (2018). Smart specialisation and the internal potential of regions in Poland. Folia Geographica, 60(1), 5?30.
View in Google Scholar
Barca, F. (2009). An agenda for a reformed cohesion policy. A place-based approach to meeting European Union challenges and expectations (Independent report prepared at the request of Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, April). Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/regional_polic y/archive/policy/future/pdf/report_ barca_v0306.pdf (20.03.2021).
View in Google Scholar
Billings, S. B., & Johnson, E. B. (2012). The location quotient as an estimator of industrial concentration. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 42(4), 642?647. doi: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2012.03.003.
View in Google Scholar
Brańka, P. (2016). Identification of regional specializations possibilities on the basis of information on the sources of inhabitants? income on the example of Małopolskie voivodeship. Studia KPZK PAN, 170, Warszawa: KPZK PAN, 245?261.
View in Google Scholar
Bronisz, U. (2018). Local specialization of cities of the Lubelskie voivodship, Barometr Regionalny, 16(2), 173?181.
View in Google Scholar
Capello, R., & Kroll, H. (2018). Regional innovation strategies 3 (RIS3). London: Routledge.
View in Google Scholar
Cholewa, M., Geodecki, T., Kulczycka, J., Nowaczek, A., Mamica, Ł., Możdżeń, M., & Zawicki, M. (2016). Impact of regional smart specialisations on the economic development of Małopolska region. Kraków: Małopolska Szkoła Administracji Publicznej, Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie, 14?15.
View in Google Scholar
Danilova, I., Pravdina, N., Dzenzeliuk, N., & Kochegarova, L. (2019). Sector specializations of regions: criteria of localization and efficiency. In K. S. Soliman (Ed.). Vision 2025: education excellence and management of innovations through sustainable economic competitive advantage. Madrid: International Business Information Management Association, 2376?2390.
View in Google Scholar
Davies, B., & Maré, D. C. (2021). Relatedness, complexity and local growth. Regional Studies, 55(3), 479?494. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2020.1802418.
View in Google Scholar
Delgado, M., Porter, M. E., & Stern, S. (2014). Clusters, convergence and economic performance. Research Policy, 43(10), 1785?1799. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.201 4.05.007.
View in Google Scholar
Delgado, M., Porter, M. E., & Stern, S. (2016). Defining clusters of related industries. Journal of Economic Geography, 16(1), 1?38. doi: 10.1093/jeg/lbv017.
View in Google Scholar
European Commission (2010a). Europe 2020 ? a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, COM(2010) 2020 final. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52010DC2020&from= en (16.03.2021).
View in Google Scholar
European Commission (2010b). Europe 2020 flagship initiative. Innovation union, COM(2010) 546 final. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52010DC0546&from=EN (16.03.2021).
View in Google Scholar
European Commission (2010c). Regional oolicy contributing to smart growth in Europe 2020, COM(2010)553 final. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/regio nal_policy/sources/docoffic/official/commnic/smart_growth/comm2010 _553_ en.pdf (20.03.2021)
View in Google Scholar
European Union (2013). Regulation (EU) No. 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No. 1083/2006. Brussels: European Union.
View in Google Scholar
Foray, D. (2013). The economic fundamentals of smart specialization. Ekonomiaz, 83(02), 55?82.
View in Google Scholar
Foray, D., David, P., & Hall, B. (2007). Smart specialisation: the concept. Knowledge Economists Policy Brief, 9, 5?9.
View in Google Scholar
Foray, D., Goddard, J., Goenaga Beldarrain X., Landabaso, M., McCann, P., Morgan, K., Nauwelaers, C., & Ortega-Argilés, R. (2012). Guide to research and innovation strategies for smart specialisations (RIS 3). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Retrieved from https://s3platf orm.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/20182/84453/RIS3+Guide.pdf/fceb8c58-73a9-4863-8107-752aef77e7b4 (20.03.2021).
View in Google Scholar
Foray, D., & Goenega, X. (2013). The goals of smart specialization. S3. Policy Brief Series, 1, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
View in Google Scholar
Foray, D., McCann, P., & Ortega-Argilés, R. (2015). Smart specialization and European regional development policy. In D. B. Audretsch, A. Link & M. Walshok (Eds.). Oxford handbook of local competitiveness. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 458?480.
View in Google Scholar
Foray, D., & van Ark, B. (2007). Smart specialization in a truly integrated research area is the key to attracting more R&D to Europe. Knowledge Economists Policy Brief, 1, 24?27.
View in Google Scholar
Gianelle, C., Guzzo, F., & Mieszkowski, K. (2018). Smart specialisation at work: assessing investment priorities. JRC Technical Reports, JRC113433. Seville: European Commission.
View in Google Scholar
Gianelle, C., Guzzo, F., & Mieszkowski, K. (2019). Smart specialisation: what gets lost in translation from concept to practice? Regional Studies, 54(10), 1377?1388. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2019.1607970.
View in Google Scholar
Gianelle, C., Guzzo, F., & Mieszkowski, K. (2020a). Smart specialisation: what gets lost in translation from concept to practice. Regional Studies, 54(10): 1377?1388. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2019.1607970.
View in Google Scholar
Gianelle, C., Kyriakou, D., McCann, P., & Morgan, K. (2020b) Smart specialisation on the move: reflections on six years of implementation and prospects for the future. Regional Studies, 54(10), 1323?1327. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2020. 1817364.
View in Google Scholar
Guimaraes, P., Figueiredo, O., & Woodward, D. (2009). Dartboard tests for the location quotient. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 39(3), 360?364. doi: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2008.12.003.
View in Google Scholar
Hassink, R., & Gong, H. (2019). Six critical questions about smart specialization. European Planning Studies, 27(10), 2049?2065. doi: 10.1080/09654313.2019.1 650898.
View in Google Scholar
Hermosa, J. C., Elorduy, J. P., & Eguia, B. (2014). Smart specialization and entrepreneurial discovery: Theory and reality. Revista Portuguesa de Estudos Regionais, 39, 5?22.
View in Google Scholar
Hidalgo, C. A., Balland, P.A., Boschma, R., Delgado, M., Feldman, M., Glaeser, E., He, C., Kogler, D. F., Morrison, A., Neffke, F., Rigby, D., Stern, S., Zheng, S., & Zhu, S. (2018). The principle of relatedness. In A. J. Morales, C. Gershenson, D. Braha, A. A. Manai & Y. Bar-Yam (Eds.). Unifying themes in complex systems IX. ICCS 2018. Springer Proceedings in Complexity. Cham: Springer, 451?457. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_46.
View in Google Scholar
Kalle, A. Piirainen, K.A., Nygaard-Tanner, A., & Alk?rsig, L. (2017). Regional foresight and dynamics of smart specialization: a typology of regional diversification patterns. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 115, 289?300. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2016.06.027.
View in Google Scholar
Kogut-Jaworska, M., & Ociepa-Kicińska, E. (2020). Smart specialisation as a strategy for implementing the regional innovation development policy ? Poland case study. Sustainability, 12, 7986, 1?21. doi:10.3390/su12197986.
View in Google Scholar
Kroll, H. (2017). Smart specialization policy in an economically well-developed, multilevel governance system. In S. Radosevic, A. Curaj, R. Gheorghiu, L. Andreescu & I. Wade (Eds.). Advances in the theory and practice of smart specialization. London: Academic Press, 99?123.
View in Google Scholar
Kuznetsov, Y., & Sabel, C. (2017). Managing self-discovery: diagnostic monitor-ing of a portfolio of projects and programs. In S. Radosevic, A. Curaj, R. Gheorghiu, L. Andreescu & I. Wade (Eds.). Advances in the theory and practice of smart specialisation. London: Academic Press, 51?72.
View in Google Scholar
Lopes, J., Ferreira, J., & Farinha, L. (2019) Innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3): past, present and future research. Growth and Change, 50, 38?68. doi: 10.1111/grow.12268.
View in Google Scholar
Małopolska Smart Specialisations, 2018. Retrieved from https://businessinmalopol ska.pl/files/Malopolska_smart_specialisations-guide. pdf (23.03.2021)
View in Google Scholar
Markowska, M., Kusterka-Jefmańska, M., & Jefmański, B. (2016). Analysis of smart specialisation in European regions using fuzzy classification. Argumenta Oeconomica, 2(37), 31?65. doi: 10.15611/aoe.2016.2.02.
View in Google Scholar
Marques P., & Morgan K. (2018). The heroic assumptions of smart specialisation: a sympathetic critique of regional innovation policy. In A. Isaksen, R. Martin & M. Trippl (Eds.). New avenues for regional innovation systems - theoretical advances, empirical cases and policy lessons. Cham: Springer, 275?293. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-71661-9_14.
View in Google Scholar
McCann, P., & Ortega-Argilés, R. (2015). Smart specialization, regional growth and applications to European Union cohesion policy. Regional Studies, 49(8), 1291?1302. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2013.799769.
View in Google Scholar
McCann, P., & Ortega-Argilés, R. (2016). The early experience of smart specialization implementation in EU cohesion policy. European Planning Studies, 24(8), 1407?1427. doi: 10.1080/09654313.2016.1166177.
View in Google Scholar
McCann, P., & Soete, L. (2020). Place-based innovation for sustainability (Report produced for the European Commission Joint Research Centre, Seville). Retrieved from https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle /JRC121271 (05.03.2022).
View in Google Scholar
Mieszkowski, K., & Barbero, J. (2021). Territorial patterns of R&D+I grants supporting Smart Specialisation projects funded from the ESIF in Poland. Regional Studies, 55(3), 390?401. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2020.1782877.
View in Google Scholar
Montresor, S., & Quatraro, F. (2020). Green technologies and smart specialisation strategies: a European patent-based analysis of the intertwining of technological relatedness and key enabling technologies. Regional Studies, 54(10), 1354-1365. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2019.1648784.
View in Google Scholar
Morgan, K. (2017). Nurturing novelty: regional innovation policy in the age of smart specialisation. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 35(4), 569?583. doi: 10.1177/0263774X16645106.
View in Google Scholar
Morkut?, G., Koster, S., & Van Dijk, J. (2017). Employment growth and inter-industry job reallocation: spatial patterns and relatedness. Regional Studies, 51(6), 958?971. doi: 10.1080/ 00343404.2016.1153800.
View in Google Scholar
Murzyn, D. (2018). Financing of smart growth in less developed regions on the example of Poland. e-Finanse, 14, 8?20.
View in Google Scholar
Neffke, F., & Henning, M. (2013). Skill relatedness and firm diversification. Strategic Management Journal, 34(3), 297?316. doi: 10.1002/smj.2014.
View in Google Scholar
OECD (2013). Innovation-driven growth in regions: the role of smart specialisation. Paris: OECD.
View in Google Scholar
Radosevic, S. (2017). Assessing EU smart specialisation policy in a comparative perspective. In S. Radosevic, A. Curaj, R. Gheorghiu, L. Andreescu & I. Wade (Eds.). Advances in the theory and practice of smart specialisation. London: Academic Press, 1?36.
View in Google Scholar
Sobczak, E. (2012). Smart specialization of workforce structure in the European Union countries ? dynamic analysis applying shift-share analysis method. Comparative Economic Research. Central and Eastern Europe, 15(4), 219?232. doi: 10.2478/v10103-012-0037-3.
View in Google Scholar
Sobczak, E., & Bal-Domańska, B. (2013). Smart workforce structures versus regional development in European union countries of new accession (EU12). In P. Jedlicka (Ed.). The international conference Hradec economic days 2013. Economic development and management of regions. Peer-reviewed conference proceedings, Part III. Hradec Králové: Gaudeamus, 349?360.
View in Google Scholar
Sotarauta, M. (2018). Smart specialization and place leadership: dreaming about shared visions, falling into policy traps? Regional Studies, Regional Science, 5(1), 190?203. doi: 10.1080/21681376.2018.1480902.
View in Google Scholar
Szávics, P., & Benedek, J. (2020). Smart specialisation priorities of less developed regions. A critical evaluation. In C. Bevilacqua, F. Calabr? & L. Della Spina (Eds.). New metropolitan perspectives. NMP 2020. Smart innovation, systems and technologies. vol 177. Cham: Springer, 22?36. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-52869-0_3.
View in Google Scholar
Trippl, M., Zukauskaite, E., & Healy, A. (2020). Shaping smart specialization: the role of place-specific factors in advanced, intermediate and less-developed European regions. Regional Studies, 54(10), 1328?1340. doi: 10.1080/00343404 .2019.1582763
View in Google Scholar
van Ark, B., O'Mahoney M., & Timmer, M. P. (2008). The productivity gap between Europe and the United States: trends and causes. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 22(1), 25?44. doi: 10.1257/jep.22.1.25.
View in Google Scholar
Vicente, J., Balland, P.A., & Crespo, J. (2018). Les fondements micro du changement structurel régional: Que nous enseignent 25 ans de proximités? Revue d?Économie Régionale & Urbaine, 5(6), 1013?1041. doi: 10.3917/reru.185. 1013.
View in Google Scholar
Wojnicka-Sycz E. (2020). Smart specializations and regional development in Poland. In A. Ujwary-Gil & M. Gancarczyk (Eds.). New challenges in economic policy, business, and management. Warsaw: Institute of Economics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 33?55.
View in Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.