scholarly journals The diversity of socioeconomic development of rural areas in Poland in The Western Borderland and the problem of post-state farm localities

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Bartkowiak-Bakun
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Socioeconomic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Historical Factors ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Peripheral Areas ◽  
High Share

Research background: Rural areas in Poland occupy more than 93% of the country’s area. This high share somehow automatically becomes a source of causes and effects of differences both at the regional and local level. Development disproportions in rural areas become vividly visible in the places of accumulation of developmental barriers, which derive from the effect of social, economic, environmental and historical factors. The arguments which refer to the place-based policy stress the fact that making use of the unused potential of intermediate and poorly developed territories may actually influence the local and national level of development (Farole et al., 2011). Rural areas, especially peripheral areas, are undoubtedly the territories of unused potential. Purpose of the article: The aim of the research is to measure the socioeconomic development, including the spatial diversification leading to the development of rural peripheral areas. Methods: Development is a multidimensional phenomenon. There-fore, its level will be determined by means of the synthetic feature. The synthetic feature will be used as the starting point for identification of peripheral areas and their delimitation. The Jenks method was applied to group entities into classes characterised by similar levels of development (Jenks Natural Breaks Classifica-tion, Jenks, 1967). The spatial scope of the research comprises rural areas in Poland in the western borderland, i.e. West Pomeranian, Lubuskie and Lower Silesian Voivodeships. The research subject were rural and rural-urban communes of the regions under investigation. The empirical material were obtained from the following sources: the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office, unpublished data of the Agricultural Property Agency. Measurements referred to 2015.The object of the study was the development of rural areas in the western borderland, which was identified by comparison of the synthetic features of the following factors: location rent, technical infrastructure, social infrastructure, human capital, social capital and local finance. Findings & value added: The results of the analysis showed significant differences level of socioeconomic development of rural areas in the western borderland. The research findings did not show a simple dependence between rural development and the share of former state-owned farms in the communes. Areas with a high share of former state-owned farms could be found both in the group of best- and least-developed communes. Due to the range of research, it is illegitimate to make other than intuitive inferences. Thus, we can intuitively indicate that the following group of factors triggered the process of development and helped to break the barriers resulting from the liquidation of state-owned farms: location in an urban agglomeration, natural and tourist values as well as the activity of local authorities. The research should be continued in order to identify the factors and pathways of development in individual areas under analysis.

scholarly journals Institutional efficiency versus stability of local governments in basic areas of activity: the case of Poland

Equilibrium ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-487
Author(s):  
Renata Marks-Bielska ◽  
Wiesława Lizińska ◽  
Magdalena Wojarska ◽  
Karolina Babuchowska
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Linear Ordering ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Synthetic Index ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Institutional Efficiency ◽  
The Relationship

Research background: In the last decade, the importance of institutions in determining economic processes and the economic growth is increasingly emphasized. Only a few papers deal with the efficiency of institutions, especially at a local level. Thus, a question arises whether the local authorities, in their pursuit of performing the assigned tasks, make every effort to attain a high level of efficiency? Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper was to determine the relationships between institutional efficiency and identified areas of stability achieved by local governments in their basic roles. Supplementary aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the type of a municipality (urban, rural or mixed urban-rural) and the efficiency and stability of undertaken tasks. A research hypothesis was put forth, assuming that the institutional efficiency of municipal governments depends on the level of stability in basic areas of activity pursued by a given municipality. Supplementary aim of this study was to analyze and assess the relationship between the type of a municipality (urban, rural or mixed urban-rural) and the efficiency and stability of undertaken tasks. Methods: An accumulated synthetic index of institutional efficiency and partial indices of efficiency in five areas: economic and spatial, financial, administrative, human resources management in municipal offices, provision of social, cultural and educational services, were derived from data acquired from public statistics (Local Data Bank) and from direct investigations conducted in 2015/2016 in 1220 municipalities out of 2479 ones present in Poland. The method for obtaining the index was linear ordering of multi-feature objects. Findings & Value added: The analyses have confirmed the hypothesis assuming that there is a relationship between the institutional efficiency of local governments and stability of the tasks they performed. These dependences varied in individual provinces of Poland. It is more beneficial for local governments to raise stability by attaining some improvement in these areas where it is low, but not at the expense of those areas where it is high. A specific group of municipalities consisted of urban-rural communities. Their complex and diverse structure must meet the challenge of performing their tasks in specific conditions (urban and rural areas).

scholarly journals Perceived Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategy of Indigenous Community (Chepangs) in Rural Mid-hills of Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 48-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pragya Khanal ◽  
Bishnu H. Wagle ◽  
Suraj Upadhaya ◽  
Prayash Ghimire ◽  
Suman Acharya
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Marginalized Communities ◽  
Indigenous Group ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Climate change is projected to increase in vulnerable areas of the world, and marginalized communities residing in rural areas are more vulnerable to the change. The perceptions of climate change and adaptation strategies made by such communities are important considerations in the design of adaptation strategies by policy-makers. We examined the most marginalized indigenous group "Chepang" communities' perceptions towards this change, variability, and their attitudes to adaptations and adapted coping measures in mid-hills of Nepal. We interviewed 155 individuals from two Chepang communities, namely, Shaktikhor and Siddhi in Chitwan district of Nepal. We also analyzed biophysical data to assess the variability. The findings showed that the Chepang community has experienced significant impacts of climate change and variability. They attributed crop disease, insect infestation, human health problem, and weather-related disaster as the impacts of climate change. Strategies they have adopted in response to the change are the use of intense fertilizers in farmland, hybrid seeds cultivation, crop diversification, etc. Local level and national level adaptation policies need to be designed and implemented as soon as possible to help climate vulnerable communities like Chepangs to cope against the impacts of climate change.

scholarly journals Trends in obesity at the national and local level among South Korean adolescents

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungsoo Han ◽  
Sejin Park ◽  
Jürgen Symanzik ◽  
Sookhee Choi ◽  
Jeongyong Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Korean Adolescents ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Obesity Trends ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

Obesity is a global phenomenon affecting all socioeconomic groups, irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity. In many countries, obesity trends are causing serious public health concerns threatening the viability of basic health care delivery. In this article, we examine the trends of adolescent obesity at the national level in South Korea introducing a new approach for visualising data at the local level based on linked micromap plots. Our analysis shows that the obesity rates for 2013 have only increased slightly since 2006 for South Korean adolescents of both genders in various age groups. However, considerable increases could be observed for the subgroup of adolescent males and adolescent females living in rural areas. Trends at the local level show a slight increase of the prevalence of obesity in most regions of the country, with the highest obesity prevalence found in the Northeast.

EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCIES VS HUMAN CAPITAL DIVERSIFICATION ON RURAL AREAS IN THE ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIE PROVINCE

2017 ◽  
Vol XIX (3) ◽  
pp. 121-128
Author(s):  
Maria Klonowska-Matynia
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Linear Ordering ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Synthetic Indicator ◽  
Data Source ◽  
Peripheral Areas ◽  
Examination Board ◽  
Stage 1

The aim of the paper was to determine the level of differentiation and classification of rural areas in the Zachodniopomorskie province in terms of human capital resources defined in the field of education. The linear ordering method in the study was applied, and as a result, each spatial unit the synthetic indicator was assigned, describing the total level of the resource. It was assumed the uneven spatial distribution of human capital. The obtained results confirm: a higher level of human capital cumulating on highly urbanized areas and the occurrence of deficits on peripheral areas characterized by qualitatively low educational competences (also outside the formal). The study encompasses rural areas defined as rural and rural-urban gminas distinguished according to the GUS administrative criterion. The Regional Examination Board (OKE) in Poznan, the National Census of 2011 (NSP), the Local Data Bank of the CSO and the data of Rural Development Monitoring stage 1 were the main data source.

scholarly journals Conceptualization of an Indicator System for Assessing the Sustainability of the Bioeconomy

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Egenolf ◽  
Stefan Bringezu
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
National Level ◽  
Indicator System ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Intersection Area ◽  
Global Impacts ◽  
Comprehensive Framework

The increased use of biogenic resources is linked to expectations of “green” economic growth, innovation spurts through biotechnology, development options for rural areas, and an increasingly regenerative resource base that is also climate-neutral. However, for several years the signs for unintentional and unwanted side effects have been increasing. In 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was published at the international level in order to address this problem and deliver a starting point for a comprehensive sustainability criteria evaluation catalogue. Impact indicators to quantify the environmental burden induced by national activities in foreign countries are especially lacking. In this article a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of the sustainability of the bioeconomy, considering key objectives and relevant criteria for environmental, economic, and social sustainability is developed. A special focus is set to the intersection area of the three pillars of sustainability, where the particularly important integrative key objectives and the indicators assigned to them (e.g., resource footprints) apply. This indicator set can be used as a basis for bio-economy monitoring, which uses and produces differently aggregated information on different levels of action, with a focus at the national level but also including global impacts of domestic production and consumption.

scholarly journals European Funds for Rural Areas and Regional Convergence of Agriculture in Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-22
Author(s):  
Mieczysław Adamowicz
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural Economy ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Added Value ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Gross Value Added ◽  
Sigma Convergence

SummarySubject and purpose of work: The aim of the article is to assess the phenomena of sigma convergence of labour productivity in agriculture and other sectors of rural economy in Polish regions during 2003 – 2014 in the context of the amount of European funds designated for agriculture and rural areas. European supprt was compared to the Gross Added Value of agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishery.Materials and methods: The subject literature and statistical data received from the Agricultural Modernization Agency and the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office were used. The empirical data regarding the level of agriculture in regions as well as the data on the resources utilised from the European Union were examined in order to assess the correlation between them and the phenomenon of regional sigma-convergence.Results: The study confirms the sigma convergence of the Gross Value Added per units of funding obtained from the European Union Budget and different level of sigma convergence of GVA / PE in regions.Conclusions: Sigma convergence assessment of the Gross Value Added per person employed in regions shows that in the analyzed period three phases could be distinguished: convergence (2003 – 2008), divergence (2008 – 2010) and stagnation (2010 – 2014).

scholarly journals PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AS THE MECHANISM OF THE RURAL TERRITORIES’ DEVELOPMENT

2019 ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Mariia Ilina ◽  
Yulia Shpyliova
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
State Support ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
The Public

Public-private partnership is the instrument of cooperation between state and business. It has many forms and functions but the only purpose to improve welfare of the territories. In relations between state and business the partnership can play dominant, subsidiary or supervisory role, regulate the institutional mechanism of financial cooperation, develop strategies, solve conflicts and provide social, communal and infrastructure services. Currently implementation of the public-private partnership mechanism in Ukraine is complicated because of shortcomings and gaps in legislation, deficit of different levels budgets, institutional inability of local governments to plan and implement partnership projects and low efficiency of economic activity of business entities. Concerning implementation of the mechanism on rural areas it should be substantially enhanced at the national level for many reasons. Firstly economic situation in most rural areas in Ukraine is depressed and community budgets lack funds. It proves the necessity to intensify economic cooperation and introduce other forms of cooperation. On the other hand, many negative socio-demographic trends (migration, depopulation, social exclusion and marginalization) are inherent in rural areas. It makes difficult for local governments to cooperate with communities members. Capability of the state to support partnerships is also complicated major because of underdeveloped organizational and economic support mechanism. Lack of annual plans to finance partnership projects, funds, technical support to implement projects, and no ways to get state guarantees are the evidence. Taking into account rural territories have no much capacity for development, the mechanism of public-private partnership should include the following key steps: identifying priority areas for PPP application, considering socio-economic potential of different types of the territories and social relevance of a project for a community; improving the qualification level of project management personnel; involvement of the private sector into infrastructural projects; state support for pilot projects; ensuring more transparency in decision making and use of budget resources and simplifying project selection requirements. Implementation of the PPP mechanism on rural areas will improve their infrastructure and satisfy social needs of residents. In order to improve the mechanism of state support for the implementation of PPP projects at the local level it is needed to establish a national specialized agency, define clearly powers of the state authorities, local self-government authorities and members of communities involved into PPP implementation. The other task is to create an informational framework. The purpose of the article is to substantiate how the public-private partnership’s mechanism can work on rural areas.

scholarly journals Multi-scalar geographies of polarisation and peripheralisation: A case study of Czechia

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (37) ◽  
pp. 125-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Šimon
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
National Level ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Spatial Level ◽  
Social Polarisation ◽  
Peripheral Areas

AbstractA key issue in socio-economic geography is to understand how regional and social polarisation shapes the territorial organisation of society. We argue that effects of polarisation are not translated simply and straightforwardly in a whole region, but vary to a large extent with respect to different types of accessibility areas. We applied the time-accessibility framework to classify a territory into urban, peri-urban, rural, and remote rural areas at a national and regional scale. Subsequently, we computed comparative indicators for this territorial classification, measuring three dimensions of peripherality for a period of thirty years. The analysis illustrates how polarisation and peripheralisation works at a detailed spatial level. A case study of the Ústí region shows re-polarisation and bi-polarisation of the region in its path from socialist urbanisation in the 1980s to regional peripheralisation in 2011. The use of the time-accessibility framework allows to assess regional changes within long-term and broader changes of core-periphery relations at national level and thus allows for a better understanding of the different nature of socialist and post-socialist peripheries. Finally, the article offers methodical procedures and tools allowing for a comparable research of polarisation and peripheralisation. Thus, it is responding to the call for more comparative research of peripheral areas in Europe.

scholarly journals Need for Service Design Development for Sustainable Rural Tourism in Azerbaijan

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonna Heikkilä ◽  
Aytan Poladova ◽  
Juha Kääriä
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Service Design ◽  
Cultural Tourism ◽  
Rural Tourism ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Comprehensive Service

Abstract ‘Development of Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Support of Local Handicrafts in Rural Azerbaijan’ is a joint effort between the Turku University of Applied Sciences Ltd. and Sustainable Future in Finland and Ekoloji Tarazliq NGO as a local partner, with the aim of creating rural businesses and services in order to attract tourists to the three project areas. Thus far, most of the tourists in Azerbaijan have been business travellers staying in the capital, Baku. The project (implemented in 2012-2014) has introduced PPP or public-private partnership approaches in the promotion of sustainable tourism through the involvement of various stakeholders from small-scale entrepreneurs to national level authorities. The most important stakeholder groups are the local communities, entrepreneurs, handicraft masters, and owners of households providing accommodation services to travelers. Several challenges and areas of development in rural tourism have been identified: insufficient infrastructure in rural areas, varying quality of services, and unclear brands of different regions. Rural tourism has great potential in Azerbaijan, but it needs promotion and support, especially in organized structures for service design and marketing channels, which require strong cooperation on the national and local level. The project envisages eco-cultural tourism as a concept which emphasizes unique environmental conditions and traditional cultural values in order to create favorable conditions for tourists; meanwhile it presents marginal livelihoods a novel source of income. Sustainability and participation are crucial for the long-term future of eco-cultural tourism, which could, with strong multilevel cooperation and comprehensive service design structures, promote economic development and support especially women’s participation and role in the tourism market of the rural areas.

Does Local Government Matter? How Urban Policies Shape Civic Engagement. By Elaine B. Sharp. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2012. 248p. $67.50 cloth, $22.50 paper.

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 599-600
Author(s):  
J. Eric Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Politics ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Political Scientist ◽  
Local Elections ◽  
University Of Minnesota ◽  
National Politics ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
State And Local

Like most fields of knowledge, political science tends to progress incrementally. Typically, a political scientist develops a model about a prominent institution or common behavior and that model becomes the starting point for understanding all its other permutations. This is especially the case in studies of American state and local government, which tend to follow theories of national politics. Scholars of state legislatures typically begin their analysis by using studies of the U.S. Congress, analysts of local elections start with presidential vote models, and so on. But, as Elaine Sharp reminds us in Does Local Government Matter?, we should not be so quick to assume that models or theories about national-level politics translate easily to the local level. In fact, local politics may operate under logics all their own.

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