Three Decades of Polish Socio-Economic Transformations: Geographical Perspectives

ISBN-13: 9783031061073 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022

Churski, Pawel

Opis

This edited volume analyses and discusses the systematisation of Polish socio-economic transformations of the last three decades using selected examples of the most important changes.  1989 marked the onset of the political transformation process in Poland and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The transition involved a shift from a socialist system to a parliamentary democracy and from a command economy to a market one. Due to the deep economic crisis that culminated in 1988 and the peaceful model of change developed and implemented in Poland, the magnitude and manner of implementing various initiatives was unprecedented and had specific implications. This transformation opened Polish society and the Polish economy to the impact of global social and economic changes, triggering successive transformations, often overlapping in terms of their causes and consequences. This publication aims to present the course and effects, in particular territorial, of Poland's socio-economic transformation in the years 1990–2020. The analysis covers the key aspects of this transformation, illustrated with references to the concepts and theories of development, domestic and foreign literature, own empirical research and existing or newly developed model approaches to transformation in the territorial dimension. The book appeals to researchers and student in the fields of geography, spatial management, economics and business, sociology and political sciences, public and private economic research institutes, employees of governmental bodies and corporations, consultants in public administration, journalists and policymakers.

Spis treści

1. Introduction

 

2. Polish transformations against a background of the global development trends

2.1 Development irregularities in Poland and their historical determinants

2.2 Megatrends in socio-economic changes and development challenges for Polish space

2.3 Polish transformations – theory and challenges and experience

2.3.1 Post-socialist transformation

2.3.2 Post-enlargement transformation

2.3.3 Globalisation transformation

2.3.4 Digital transformation

 

3. Post-socialist transformation

3.1 System reforms – assumptions and reality

3.2 Restructuring of industry and its diversification

3.3 Changes in agriculture and in the food economy

3.4 Evolution of the education system and higher education development

3.5 Public governance

3.6 Restructuring the settlement system – from metropolises to rural areas

 

4. Post-enlargement transformation

4.1 Changes in demographic processes

4.2 Mobility and its challenges

4.3 Changing geography of flows in the conditions of European integration

4.4 Spatial accessibility – changes in transport infrastructure

4.5 New regional policy

 

5. Globalisation transformation

5.1 Climate changes (Renewable Energy Sources, energetics)

5.2 Economic resilience (crisis)

5.3 Globalisation effects in the retail trade

5.4 The place of Poland in the global economy (global production networks, position in East-Central Europe, also in regional groups).

5.5 Openness vs. conservatism – geography of electoral preferences

 

6. Digital transformation

6.1 Digital economy

6.2 Technological transformation of the industry

6.3 Modern services

6.4 Digital society

 

7. Results of changes and their spatial differences

7.1 What did transformations change in Poland?

7.1.1 Economy

7.1.2 Society

7.1.3 Space

7.2 Did transformations prepare Poland for the challenges of the 21st century and how did they do it?

7.3 Opportunities and threats of the future

 

Bibliography

Index

O autorze

Paweł Churski Professor of social science. Habilitation Earth Sciences in Economic Geography, specialisms: Socio-Economic Geography, Spatial Management, Regional Growth, Regional Policy, PhD Earth Sciences in Economic Geography, specialisms: Socio-Economic Geography, Spatial Management, Regional Growth, Regional Policy, is an economic geographer working at the Faculty of Human Geography and Planning, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań (POLAND), Now holds a position a Dean of Faculty, since 2009 Head of Regional and Local Studies Department. His research interests include: the problems of local and regional development in Poland including climate change challenges, factors of development and regional policy in Poland and in the European Union, the challenges of responsible research and innovation and the role of a university in their implementation, the application of econometrics and geographic information systems for spatial analysis, the level and standard of living, the state and changes in the labor market in the period of socio-economic transformation in Poland and Europe.

Tomasz Kaczmarek Professor at the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań. Director of the Metropolitan Research Center, Head of the Department of Urban Systems and Territorial Governance. Member of the Steering Committee of the Commission on Geography of Governance - International Geographical Union. Member of the national scientific bodies: the Committee for the Spatial Development of the Country of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Committee on Geographical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Council of Scientific Excellence. Fields of research: local governance in Europe, strategic management and spatial planning in metropolitan areas, social participation in decision making processes in the public sector. Author of 200 publications, 10 books, including "Territorial and administrative structures and their reforms in European countries"," Territorial and administrative systems of metropolitan areas in Europe". Laureate, with a research team, of the Prime Minister's Award for scientific and technical achievements.