Clusters as a vehicle for regional development – The case of Lublin Region.

Clusters are a specific form of spatial organization of various sectors of industry and services regarded as the most mature form of organization of production in the post-industrial era. Research on existing cluster structures clearly demonstrates that clusters can be an important drive of regional development. Clusters have positive influence on the other sectors of local and regional economy and significantly contribute to the development of their international competitive advantage. The clusters through external effects, such as technological spill-over, affect the other sectors of local and regional economy and thus lead to increasing their international competitive advantage. Even the cluster-like structures by many are viewed as stimulators of regional development capable to contribute significantly to the growth of export and attract considerable amounts of foreign investments. Cooperation within the cluster structures can produce a wide array of synergy effects and thus cluster participants can benefit even more. Cooperation within the framework of clusters is particularly advantageous to small and medium-sized enterprises; they can combine their innovative potential, team up and apply for external funds more effectively. The concept of clusters represents an important step towards explaining the reasons for unequal distribution of economic activities in space and resultant disparities in economic development between various regions. A groundbreaking model of clusters based on the triple helix of science, business and government has determined new approach to stimulating innovation in order to alleviate regional disparities and ensure sustainable hi-tech regional development. The paper explores clusters as a crucial concept in modern management and contemporary economic development theories and discusses selected factors shaping clustering processes.

THE TRIPLE HELIX IN CLUSTERS - A METROPOLIS SHAPING FACTOR

A formal status of being a metropolitan area opens up vast opportunities for economic and social development for the whole region and a metropolitan area itself. However, literally only few big urban areas in Poland, including Lublin, are capable to meet all applicable statutory qualitative and quantitative requirements. Lublin with its geographical location, population, established Special Economic Zone and Regional Science and Technology Park, numerous organizations and institutions, including local and regional business supporting agencies as well as many successful research-and-development units, has a solid base to become a ‘metropolis of knowledge’. Intensified co-operation between all three spheres within the framework of so called ‘triple helix’ could largely strengthen this process. The very concept of a ‘triple helix’ is based on interactions between three types of organizations – scientific centres, public institutions, including self-government authorities, and business. Lublin has all the assets to become ‘a cluster of knowledge’. Co-operation between scientific institutions, science and technological parks, business incubators as well as properly designed policies based on the economy of knowledge and therefore providing significant preference to high added-value projects are crucial for Lublin to be considered a metropolis of knowledge.clusters, networks, triple helix, metropolization, regional development

THE CLUSTERS AS A FACTOR ATTRACTING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN LESS DEVELOPED REGIONS

The role of cluster initiatives in economic and social development is becoming increasingly important. Low level of innovation, poor competitiveness, high levels of unemployment and emigration of qualified workforce are severe problems that less developed regions are facing. Therefore, various cluster initiatives could be a solution. Clusters stimulate innovations and contribute to the increase of competitiveness of local economy and individual businesses. They should also encourage foreign capital investments. Foreign direct investments are one of the most important factors stimulating economic growth. The present paper investigates concept and essence of clusters, the concept of foreign direct investments and Polish experiences in attracting foreign capital. The authors try to answer the questions: how do clusters impact regional attractiveness for foreign direct investments? Which are the reasons behind the locational choices of foreign direct investments near a cluster based environment? What is the role of foreign direct investment in clusters and, finally, what is the impact on regional development from both clusters and foreign direct investment?clusters, foreign direct investments, less developed regions, regional policy

Entrepreneurship Strategies in a Portuguese and in a Polish Region

In the present paper we will consider strategies of innovation, risk and proactivity as entre/ intrapreneurship strategies. This study was done in a Portuguese and in a Polish region. In Portugal the region was Vale do Sousa, located in the northern Portugal. The Polish region was Lublin Voivodeship and it is situated in the south-eastern part of the country. The study focused on Industrial and Construction sectors. In order to get a valid sample, a group of 251 firms were analysed in Portugal, and 215 in Poland. However, the minimum sample size in Poland should be 323. Since this is a work in progress, we are aiming for this number of questionnaires. Each strategy was analysed individually for both regions and the results pointed to a lack of culture of entrepreneurship in firms’ management. Only Proactivity presented a positive result in firms’ management. Polish firms tend to be more innovative and more risk takers, while in proactivity Portuguese ones present a slightly higher result. Combining the strategy results, it was possible to identify that 61.2% of Portuguese firms present a low level of entrepreneurship, while 60% of Polish firms present a moderate level. Considering intrapreneurship good levels, while Portugal account for 5.2% this figure is 19.1% in Poland

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on the health care system in less developed regions of Poland

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to develop a model for assessing the satisfaction of patients of GP practice with access to health services in the Lubelskie Voivodeship, in terms of eliminating inequalities in the quality of these services and developing a scenario for the revitalization of the health care system in relation to the inhabitants of the underdeveloped region in the period after the cessation of pandemic.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research method included developing a research tool in the form of a survey questionnaire, validating the tool, conducting Phase I and II of the survey, and evaluating the performance of the outpatient specialty care subsystem. The analysis of the research results was directed at developing the assumptions of a model for restoring functionality and increasing resilience of the healthcare system.FINDINGS: It was found that the level of patient satisfaction with the functioning of the health care system during a pandemic, both in the form of medical tele-consultation and in the form of direct contact with personnel in a health care facility, depends on the age and the level of education. There were no differences in terms of sex and place of residence (town, village). It was also found that the very limited availability of advanced diagnostic methods, showing an unfavorable trend in the period preceding the outbreak of the pandemic, deteriorated further and poses a critical threat to the functioning of the health care system for patients with chronic diseases (oncological, neurodegenerative etc.)PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of the research will be used to construct a model for the reconstruction and revitalization of the health care system in the Lubelskie Voivodeship after the pandemic.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study presents results of the current research. The development of the research results will be continued in order to construct a comprehensive model.This article in part on basic healthcare presents the results of research funded under the Faculty of Management of the Lublin University of Technology (Discipline Council for Management and Quality Sciences) 2020/2021.peer-reviewe

Structure of competences of Lublin University of Technology students in the field of sustainable development

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to define the structure of competences of students at the Lublin University of Technology (LUT), Poland, in the field of sustainable development.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research method is a diagnostic survey, and the tool is a self-assessment questionnaire. The conceptualization of sustainable development competences adopted in the study is the ability to shape future scenarios through active participation in modeling and transforming society towards sustainable practices. The eight competences of de Haan were adopted as research frames. Students of managerial and technical faculties were surveyed.FINDINGS: The structure of the competences examined is partially different from that presented in the literature. Factor analysis indicates two broad groups of competences - multidimensional approach to problems and reflexivity. The structures of competences in separate groups differ from each other. In the managerial group there is a critical perception of oneself and the world and a multidimensional approach to problems, while in the group of students of technical faculties – a cooperative and multidimensional approach to problems, as well as contesting and forecasting. Moreover, some students from the management group (marketing and market communication) and students of technical faculties differ in terms of cooperation competences.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of the study enable the introduction of content and methods into the study curricula to increase competences in the field of sustainable development.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The contribution is the research-based indication that students of different fields of study within one university have a different competence structure in the field of sustainable development.peer-reviewe

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on startups operating in the Lublin region

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work is to explore the problems that the startups operating in the Poland’s Lublin region are struggling and then to select the pairs problem-industry where there is a statistically significant relationship.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research method was a diagnostic survey with the use of a questionnaire as a research tool. The questionnaire was sent out through Google Forms to the startups run the Lublin region. In total, the study covered 219 entities.FINDINGS: The conclusions from the research indicate that startups experienced serious hardship during the pandemic, which included problems with financial liquidity, decreasing sales volume, maintaining existing clients and acquiring new customers, and logistics difficulties. The research shows that the occurrence of particular groups of problems at a given level of significance, depends on a relatively small number of features. Analyzing individual problems, we found that the industry in which a given enterprise operates has no significant relation with the problems it experienced. Only in case of such problems as introducing remote work, access to new capital, sales drop, retaining present customers, ensuring health security of employees, renegotiation of contracts, and the issues concerning cybersecurity, there is a statistically significant relationship.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The paper provides knowledge on the problems faced by startups in particular sectors of the economy. This knowledge can influence decisions made both by decision-makers within institutions providing support to businesses, as well as by entities operating in the surveyed industries.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The paper presents the outcome of the recent study, carried out at the turn of 2020 and 2021, on the situation of startups operating in the Lublin region and their performance in a time of the pandemic.peer-reviewe

Rozwój struktur klastrowych w Polsce Wschodniej

Polish Abstract: Aksjomatem współczesnych koncepcji rozwoju regionalnego stało się założenie, iž rozwój jest funkcją konkurencyjności. Analizując doświadczenia najwyžej rozwiniętych regionów na świecie można dostrzec ksztaltowanie się w ich ramach specyficznych struktur społeczno-gospodarczych określanych jako klastry czy grona, które w decydującym stopniu przyczyniają się do podnoszenia regionalnej konkurencyjności i w konsekwencji wysokiej dynamiki wzrostu. Rozpatrywanie gospodarki regionalnej z perspektywy klastrów skupia się na powstających powiązaniach pomiędzy przedsiębiorstwami, branžami, sektorami oraz relacjach pomiędzy firmami i instytucjami otoczenia. W ramach koncepcji rozwoju klastrów, przedsiębiorstwa i branże, postrzegane są jako elementy większego systemu, a nie jako wyizolowane podmioty. To nowoczesne podejście implikuje zalecenia pod adresem polityki regionalnej i lokalnej, która powinna obecnie być nastawiona na zwiększanie konkurencyjności regionów poprzez identyfikację najbardziej konkurencyjnych w skali międzynarodowej klastrów i ksztaltowanie warunków sprzyjających ich rozwojowi. Można przyjąć, iż polityka promocji klastrów będzie stawała się najbardziej efektywną formą prowadzenia regionalnej polityki rozwoju. English Abstract: The axiom for contemporary concepts of regional development is the assumption that development is a function of competitiveness. Analyzing the experience of the highest developed regions in the world, one can notice the formation within them of specific socio-economic structures referred to as clusters or clusters that make a decisive contribution to increasing regional competitiveness and, consequently, high growth dynamics. Consideration of the regional economy from the perspective of clusters focuses on the emerging links between enterprises, industries, sectors and relations between companies and institutions of the environment. As part of the cluster development concept, enterprises and industries are perceived as elements of a larger system, and not as isolated entities. This modern approach implies recommendations for regional and local policy, which should now be aimed at increasing the competitiveness of regions by identifying the most internationally competitive clusters and shaping conditions conducive to their development. It can be assumed that the cluster promotion policy will become the most effective form of running a regional development policy

Is there a pattern for innovative firms? A case study from a Portuguese and a Polish Region

The article presents the results of the study and comparison of innovation of Portuguese and Polish companies. For this research, the perspective is taken from innovation based in intangible factors, trying to measure, above all, the organizational culture of companies on innovation. The results state that Portuguese firms are less innovative than Polish ones. At the same time, in both countries manufacturing companies are more innovative than companies in the construction sector. In the case of Polish companies it was demonstrated that there was a relationship between the size and age of the innovation. The research results will be used to assess the culture of enterprises’ innovation in other countries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio