The Main Determinants of Development –PLS Path Analysis Applied to the Factors of Endogenous Development

Many empirical analyses have been based on the theory of endogenous development, referring to the utilisation of given resources and providing the framework of quantitative analysis. The concept can be especially important in the case of less favoured and/or rural areas. However, the empirical analyses of this widely used theory often neglect the countryside or lay minimal focus on them. The research project presented here investigates the key factors of endogenous development and their presence in the rural districts of Hungary. The main aim of the paper is the examination and explanation of the effects of each capital on development. The study provides a review of the academic literature of development theories, as well as the understanding and development of the concept over the last few decades. The paper briefly addresses the delimitation of the Hungarian countryside, and it also proposes a regression model for the explanation of development, including latent variables symbolising the forms of capital. The model is examined by applying partial least squares (PLS) path analysis, which shows the connections between each form of capital through a dynamic approach. The analysis conducted for the years of 2009, 2013 and 2017 indicates that the relationship between the capitals is defined by temporal differences. Similar interactions can be seen between the capitals in 2009 and 2013, but 2017 shows a completely different system of relations. Hence, the findings show that, in a rural context, the relations between the forms of capital vary considerably over time.