Poland. Competitiveness Raport 2010

Opis książki:

Wstęp
This is the 25th edition of the annual report on the Polish economy published by the World Economy Research Institute at the Warsaw School of Economics. The report analyzes Poland`s competitive performance in 2009, comparing it against other European Union countries, in particular new member states and Poland`s main trading partners. Competitiveness is defi ned here as a country`s ability to achieve a sustainable increase in the standard of living, along with an improvement in the country`s role in the global marketplace and its enhanced investment attractiveness. This definition constitutes a general framework for examining various economic and social issues in this report, which is made up of seven chapters.
In the first chapter, Poland`s economic performance is benchmarked against that of other countries. As sustained economic development is the eventual outcome of competitiveness, the current GDP growth trends in Poland are analyzed. This study is supplemented with an assessment of the scope of real income convergence and existing income disparities along with a look at incomes below the poverty line. As international transportation and telecommunications systems are continually upgraded, Poland is becoming increasingly integrated with the global economy in terms of trade, foreign investment and migration. In Chapter 2, we look at how international transactions infl uence the Polish economy. Business ties with foreign countries contribute to economic growth and help boost the standard of living in the country.

Therefore, Chapter 2 offers a detailed evaluation of Poland`s position in world trade and investment fl ows, and examines the role of transactions with foreign countries in shaping Poland`s competitive performance.

Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the determinants of Poland`s competitive performance in 2009. The framework for this assessment goes beyond a growth-accounting breakdown of economic performance. Two groups of factors that can boost competitiveness are distinguished here: (1) assets and their productivity, and (2) the quality and effectiveness of policies and institutions. Both groups of determinants have been described quantitatively and qualitatively, and their importance for Poland`s competitive performance in 2009 has been evaluated.

Chapter 5 draws on the main fi ndings of the previous chapters and provides a concise assessment of Poland`s competitive position in the world economy at the end of 2009, including its major strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, challenges that Poland has to face in 2010 have been pointed out.

The last two chapters of this report highlight the growing role of clusters in shaping Poland`s competitive performance. Although clusters are still at an early stage of development in Poland, there is a strong potential for creating competitive cluster structures in the country. Chapter 6 offers an overview of emerging cluster initiatives, arguing that clustering has become an important incentive for innovation today. The widely recognized need for an appropriate cluster policy in Poland goes in line with recent trends at the European Union level.

Chapter 7 is dedicated to an in-depth analysis of specifi c types of agglomeration structures, that is, knowledge-oriented clusters and their role in enhancing cooperation between science and business. Effective ties between science and business are important for building long-term competitiveness as they facilitate knowledge transfers and the use of research results for commercial purposes, thus fostering entrepreneurship and upgrading the technological capability of the economy. Therefore, the report examines the conditions necessary for the emergence of knowledge clusters in Poland and highlights key policy priorities.

The last part of the report offers some preliminary conclusions about Poland`s possible paths of development and economic priority choices that are necessary for enhancing competitiveness and achieving a better-endowed society at a time of recovery after a global economic crisis. This issue has recently been the subject of substantial debate. The report aims to encourage further discussion about Poland`s economy in the context of the latest turmoil in the global marketplace.

Książka "Poland. Competitiveness Raport 2010" - Marzenna A. Weresa (red.) - oprawa miękka - Wydawnictwo Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie. Książka posiada 336 stron i została wydana w 2010 r.