1. BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCE ON REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS AND DEVELOPMENT.
- Author
-
FLOREA, Ramona and FLOREA, Radu
- Subjects
REGIONAL development ,ECONOMIC competition ,COVID-19 pandemic ,HUMAN capital ,FOREIGN investments - Abstract
Increasing regional competitiveness became during the last decades one of the major concerns of regions all around the world. In fact, external environment, characterized by the acute energy crisis, lack of resources, Covid-19 pandemic and its economic, social effects and limited access to financial and qualified human resources led to an increased competition between regions in order to attract investment and human resources. Local communities and regions all around the world are permanently struggling for increasing their attractiveness and competitiveness in order to attract foreign investments, different sources of financing, companies and high-skilled people. Regional competitiveness is the ability of a region to provide an attractive and sustainable environment for businesses and residents to live and work there. European Commission identified the main characteristics of competitive regions: significantly developed infrastructure (for industry, services, transport, IT and connectivity, research - development, culture, education health, social activities), high skilled human resources and an inclusive climate and efficient and responsible governance and a good reputation. Regional competitiveness can be analysed from three different perspectives: one of the companies and investors, one of the inhabitants, and one of different stakeholders (NGOs, local communities) interested in community development and prosperity. This paper aims to present different approaches of the concept of regional competitiveness and the main factors which influence regional competitiveness, also called the "sources of competitiveness", focusing mainly on business infrastructure and investments. The experience of the past decades shows us that, most of the time, business infrastructure represents a major factor of the economic, cultural and social development of the region. The business infrastructure allows attracting investors, developing businesses in the area, creating new jobs and, as a consequence, increasing the demand for products and services in all activity sectors (including culture, education, health). There are other situations when the lack of adaptation of the business infrastructure to the particularities of the region (related to the economic potential, insufficient qualified human resources) will not produce the expected economic and social effects. The paper analyzes the impact of business infrastructure (including industrial, technological parks, production units, business incubators, business centers, economic centers, offices, exhibition areas) on economic development, environment, resource-saving and sustainable development of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022