<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Studies conducted so far suggest that SEZs are not treated by local authorities as the main mechanism of job creation in a given region. The objective of this paper is to highlight potential mechanisms through which SEZs impact labour markets in poviats (counties) in Poland. To this end we conducted a comparative analysis of changes that had taken place in the labour market over the period 2004–2016 in two groups of poviats with the highest unemployment rate reported in 2004: with and without SEZs. The study does not allow us to unambiguously conclude that SEZs contributed to the improvement of labour market situation in poviats with the highest unemployment rate in Poland. That can be attributed to the fact that SEZs in Poland are highly fragmented as well as to SEZs investors being able to select locations for their investment projects in relatively better developed regions.</p>
</abstract>

Studies conducted so far suggest that SEZs are not treated by local authorities as the main mechanism of job creation in a given region. The objective of this paper is to highlight potential mechanisms through which SEZs impact labour markets in poviats (counties) in Poland. To this end we conducted a comparative analysis of changes that had taken place in the labour market over the period 2004–2016 in two groups of poviats with the highest unemployment rate reported in 2004: with and without SEZs. The study does not allow us to unambiguously conclude that SEZs contributed to the improvement of labour market situation in poviats with the highest unemployment rate in Poland. That can be attributed to the fact that SEZs in Poland are highly fragmented as well as to SEZs investors being able to select locations for their investment projects in relatively better developed regions.

<bold>The impact of Special Economic Zones</bold> on local labour markets in Poland

Collegium of World Economy Department of European Integration and Legal Studies

Chair of Urban Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies

Miscellanea Geographica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Studies conducted so far suggest that SEZs are not treated by local authorities as the main mechanism of job creation in a given region. The objective of this...

	Changes in the unemployment rate (in p.p.: 2016–2004)			Changes in the unemployment rate (share: 2016/2004)			Changes in the rate of population of working age (in p.p.: 2016/2004)
	Min	Max	Average	Min	Max	Average	Min	Max	Average
Total	−25.40	−9.80	−18.41	0.16	0.70	0.47	−10.30	6.70	−0.40
Poviats with SEZs, 2004–2016	−23.30	−9.80	−16.89	0.16	0.70	0.45	−3.50	2.60	−0.60
Poviats with SEZs established in the period 2004–2016	−25.40	−16.60	−20.76	0.36	0.57	0.46	−2.60	2.80	0.30
Poviats without SEZs, 2004–2016	−22.90	−15.20	−19.52	0.40	0.62	0.49	−0.80	2.40	0.20

The impact of Special Economic Zones on local labour markets in Poland

Data publikacji: 05 sty 2021

Zakres stron: 93 - 98

Otrzymano: 20 maj 2020

Przyjęty: 09 wrz 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0032

Słowa kluczowe
Local labour market, special economic zones, unemployment rate, economic growth, regional development

© 2021 Adam A. Ambroziak et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Changes in the unemployment rate in selected poviats over the period 2004–2016

The impact of Special Economic Zones on local labour markets in Poland

Data publikacji: 05 sty 2021

Zakres stron: 93 - 98

Otrzymano: 20 maj 2020

Przyjęty: 09 wrz 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0032

Słowa kluczoweLocal labour market, special economic zones, unemployment rate, economic growth, regional development

© 2021 Adam A. Ambroziak et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Changes in the unemployment rate in selected poviats over the period 2004–2016

Słowa kluczowe
Local labour market, special economic zones, unemployment rate, economic growth, regional development