Gravitation effects and the economic development of poviats in the Mazovieckie Voivodeship 2010–2019

Abstract

PURPOSE: The article aims to show differences in the level of economic development of poviats in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship and the role of gravitation effects and other factors in this development.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The analysis spans the years 2010-2019. The level of economic development was quantified using a synthetic measure of development calculated by the taxonomic method. The role of gravitation effects and other determinants of poviats’ economic development were determined using econometric methods and cross-section and time-series analysis.

FINDINGS: The conducted econometric analysis showed that economic development of poviats is strongly stimulated by gravitation effects and processes increasing the gross value of fixed assets, investment, a growing number of natural persons undertaking the business activity, and a declining rate of unemployment.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The above analysis influencing the economic development of poviats in the Polish Mazovieckie voivodeship was carried out in the economic growth and development theory framework. Its findings show that the development of research in this area drove the evolution of views about which factors play a pivotal role in economic development, from traditional ones such as the availability of labor and the degree of its utilisation to the stock of real capital.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The primary purpose of this study is to show differences in the level of economic development of poviats. The economic development of the units under consideration is quantified using a synthetic measure of development (SMD) calculated by the taxonomic method which is an original method for such an analysis.