Tadeusz Stryjakiewicz

The changing role of border zones in the transforming economies of East-Central Europe: The case of Poland

The geopolitical and socio-economic changes in East-Central Europe that started at the beginning of the 1990s has brought about a fundamental change in the status of frontier areas in this region. The paper examines the new transborder relationships as well as the conditions, forms and dynamics of integration processes on the example of Poland. It discusses some stimuli and barriers to cross-border co-operation, including the creation of new transborder institutional embeddedness (e.g. Euroregions). On the other hand, the paper stresses the role of the informal economy in the current development of border zones in East-Central Europe.

Residential Change and Demographic Challenge: The Inner City of East Central Europe in the 21st Century

Praca składa się z trzynastu rozdziałów zgrupowanych w trzy części. Pierwsza z nich zawiera rozważania teoretyczne i metodologiczne, druga wyniki badań empirycznych i dyskusję nad nimi, w trzeciej zaś czytelnik znajdzie zwięzłe przedstawienie najistotniejszych ustaleń oraz postulaty badawcze na przyszłość. Pomimo dużej liczby autorów oraz rozbudowanej struktury narracja pozostaje bardzo spójna i jednolita.

Role of creative industries in the post-socialist urban transformation

Abstract Over the past two decades the cities in Central and Eastern Europe have witnessed a wide-ranging transformation in many aspects. The introduction of a market-oriented economy after half a century of socialism has brought about deep social, economic, cultural and political changes. The first stage of the changes, the 1990s, involved the patching up of structural holes left by the previous system. The post-socialist city had to face challenges of the future while carrying the ballast of the past. Rapid progress in catching up with the West transformed the city a great deal. Later on, the advent of the 21st century brought a new wave of development processes based, among other things, on creativity and innovation. Hence our contribution aims to explore the role of creativity and creative industries in the post-socialist urban transformation. The article consists of three basic parts. In the first we present the concept of a ‘creative post-socialist city’ and define the position of creative industries in it. We also indicate some similarities to and differences from the West European approaches to this issue. In the second part, examples from Central and Eastern Europe are used in an attempt to elucidate the concept of a ‘creative post-socialist city’ by identifying some basic features of creative actions /processes as well as a creative environment, both exogenous and endogenous. The former is embedded in different local networks, both formal (institutionalised) and informal, whereas the structure of the latter is strongly path-dependent. In the third part we critically discuss the role of local policies on the development of creative industries, pointing out some of their shortcomings and drawing up recommendations for future policy measures.

The Process of Shrinkage as a Challenge to Urban Governance

Abstract For many decades most researchers, planners and local authorities have been focusing almost exclusively on urban growth and its socio-economic and spatial consequences. However, in the current debate concerning the future of cities and regions in Europe the process of their shrinkage starts to attract more attention. In the conditions of a declining population, urban governance is an important challenge for local authorities, being usually much more difficult than during the periods of population growth. The experience of cities affected by shrinkage shows that there is no simple method of counteracting negative consequences of this process. Regeneration strategies vary a lot, depending mostly on the way the problem is perceived by both central and local governments. The strategies can either choose an adaptive approach (the acceptance of shrinkage and adjustment to it), or attempt to renew growth (shrinkage is treated as just a temporary phenomenon). Quite often the problem is ignored and no action is taken at all. In the paper the authors discuss the conditions and consequences of different approaches towards the process of shrinkage and present examples of regeneration strategies (together with their assessment). They conclude with recommendations for future urban policies.

Urban regeneration in Poland’s non-core regions

ABSTRACT After many years of efforts aimed at reaching a cohesive and inclusive socio-economic development, Poland keeps witnessing some significant disparities in the distribution of wealth. Moreover, these disparities intensified in the course of the post-socialist transition and they have not been diminished by the regional policy of the EU. In this light, urban regeneration appears as an important, emerging sphere of public intervention intended to support the less developed regions. The objective of this study is twofold: first, to characterize the place of urban regeneration in the Polish strategic planning system, and second, to carry out an in-depth analysis of planning strategies and practices of urban regeneration at the regional level and conclude with recommendations for planning. The latter is achieved by examining the Polish experience with urban regeneration practices in the 1999–2015 period using Wielkopolska region as a case study. In order to reach this objective: (a) all strategic documents related to urban regeneration have been collected and analysed, (b) a survey has been conducted in 100 cities and towns of the region and finally (c) 50 interviews have been carried out with various stakeholders involved in the urban regeneration process. The article concludes with recommendations for planning and further urban regeneration projects aiming to alleviate the development disparities between core and non-core regions.

Internationalization as a challenge for geographical education in Poland: experience of a new postgraduate study “cultural industries in the development policies of cities and regions”

Abstract For many years internationalization has not been a strong point of geographical education in post-socialist countries, including Poland. Therefore, all attempts at intensifying it are a real challenge and good practices deserve dissemination. This paper seeks to present the organizational and programme assumptions of a new field of postgraduate study called Cultural industries in the development policies of cities and regions, (Project supported by the European Social Fund under the Human Capital Operational Programme in the years 2013–2015 (Priority IV: Tertiary Education and Science, Measure 4.3: Enhancing the didactic potential of universities in areas of key importance for the Europe 2020 Strategy. UDA-POKL.04.03.00–00-152/12–00).) developed by the staff of the Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Poland) as a didactic innovation, based on a modular system of education offering wide internationalization possibilities. The analysis focuses on experiences connected with this process. They include classes prepared in cooperation with visiting professors and practitioners from eight universities and European institutions as well as week-long practical placements in Brussels, arranged thanks to a network of experts and institutions specifically established for this purpose. The results obtained help to formulate conclusions and recommendations for higher schools interested in adopting this kind of good practices connected with the development of geographical education.

Cultural Industries In The Development Policies Of Cities And Regions: A New Area Of Educationin Spatial Management

Abstract This paper seeks to present organisational and programme assumptions of a new field of postgraduate studies called Cultural industries in the development policies of cities and regions, prepared by a team of workers of the Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań as a didactic innovation based on a modular system of education that meets contemporary changes in the labour market. The analysis will also embrace experiences following from the educational process implemented under the Human Capital Operational Programme in the years 2013–2015 (Priority IV: Tertiary Education and Science, Measure 4.3: Enhancing the didactic potential of universities in areas of key importance for the Europe 2020 Strategy). They provide a basis for conclusions and recommendations for higher schools interested in the development of this area of education.

Changes in Polish Industrial Geography at the Turn of the 21st Century

The 2014 Regional Conference of the International Geographical Union is a good occasion for reflections on changes that took place in Polish industrial geography at the turn of the 21st century.This article discusses several issues which – in the author’s opinion – best reflect those changes: (a) problems with defining the substantive scope of the discipline; (b) new methodological trends (e.g. evolutionary, relational, institutional approaches); (c) a new look at the factors of location of an economic activity; and (d) the place of industry in present-day spatial processes (globalisation, transformation, tertiarisation of the economy). The second part of the article offers (1) an analysis of the involvement of Polish industrial geography in systemic transition; (2) a survey of its contemporary most important research problems, and (3) anassessment of the current state of Polish industrial geography, including its strengths and weaknesses.It should be emphasised that this paper does not seek to give a full survey of the latest publications in Polish industrial geography; it is only intended to outline an evolution of research issues against trends in world geography.

Czasoprzestrzenna analiza rynku nowych samochodów osobowych w Polsce

The purpose of the article is to offer a spatial and temporal analysis of the market for new cars in Poland using different methodological approaches and tools. It covers: –general characteristics of the car market in Poland in its spatial and temporal dimensions; –identification of the socio-economic conditions that affect the demand of individual consumers for new cars and their spatial differences; and –distinguishing different types of the car demand variability in its spatial and temporal dimensions, as well as forecasting the future demand. Based on a literature review, the potential socio-economic conditions that might affect the car demand have been identified, and subsequently their role in the Polish circumstances has been defined with the use of econometric modelling. The model of multiple regression showed that the demand for new cars was stimulated by incomes of potential consumers and by a net in-migration, and depressed by the level of unemployment together with prices of complementary goods (especially petrol prices). Further analysis with geographically weighted regression (GWR) models revealed general spatial trends in the way that the identified conditions affected the demand for cars. Finally, the use of harmonic analysis allowed for the forecasting of the future car demand at the level of individual territorial units (poviats). The latter were categorised into four types according to their car demand variability.The purpose of the article is to offer a spatial and temporal analysis of the market for new cars in Poland using different methodological approaches and tools. It covers: –general characteristics of the car market in Poland in its spatial and temporal dimensions; –identification of the socio-economic conditions that affect the demand of individual consumers for new cars and their spatial differences; and –distinguishing different types of the car demand variability in its spatial and temporal dimensions, as well as forecasting the future demand. Based on a literature review, the potential socio-economic conditions that might affect the car demand have been identified, and subsequently their role in the Polish circumstances has been defined with the use of econometric modelling. The model of multiple regression showed that the demand for new cars was stimulated by incomes of potential consumers and by a net in-migration, and depressed by the level of unemployment together with prices of complementary goods (especially petrol prices). Further analysis with geographically weighted regression (GWR) models revealed general spatial trends in the way that the identified conditions affected the demand for cars. Finally, the use of harmonic analysis allowed for the forecasting of the future car demand at the level of individual territorial units (poviats). The latter were categorised into four types according to their car demand variability.

Introduction – Creative Industries in Europe: Drivers of (New) Sectoral and Spatial Dynamics

This chapter sets up the context and objectives of the book. First, a review of the various definitions used for the cultural and creative industries at the European level is provided highlighting some of the challenges and definitional issues encountered over the last 20 years. Second, some data on the importance of the cultural and creative industries in Europe are presented as well as some European national specificities. The chapter then discusses some of the remaining gaps in understanding that exist with regard to the sectoral and spatial dynamics of the creative industries in Western and Central and Eastern Europe in light of the various policies and agendas pushed forwards by the European Commission. Finally, we conclude by detailing the objectives of the book and the various chapters it includes.