The measurement of innovation and development of regions : the framework for quantification based on Polish voivodeships

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to add a proposal of synthetic measurement, as well as to assess the current performance of the voivodeships in Poland, with respect to regional innovation and regional development investigated together. Design/Methodology/Approach: Applied methodology was based on an aggregate measure including the set of indicators used to describe both innovation and development. The most current period available in STRATEG database was used to perform the analysis. To ensure the feasibility of international comparisons, the definition of region adopted in this study was coherent with the commonly used in EU regional policy NUTS 2 level, which in Polish case refers to sixteen existing voivodeships. Findings: This empirical study contributes to the theoretical concept of examining the innovativeness and development of regions as multidimensional phenomenon. The current synthetic assessment of innovation and development for Polish regions indicated high differentiation and concentration of these phenomena appearance. Clear disparity in the development trajectories of individual voivodeships was observed. Identified inequalities should maintain the fields of further economic studies. Practical Implications: The obtained results and conclusions allow to identify challenges for the quality and durability of the future development of Polish voivodeships, as well as in terms of practical implications related to regional cohesion policies in general. Originality/value: To the best of my knowledge this is a unique study considering a synthetic measurement for regional innovation and development.