Regional competitiveness factors: determinants of economic and social development

The globalisation of the economy and the concomitant gradual decentralisation of public power are two challenges that local and regional authorities are currently facing. Appointed to meet the collective needs of local and regional communities, they must face increasing difficulties in order to fulfil this task to the fullest extent possible. The post-industrial economy has intensified the importance of such investment location factors as communication accessibility or the quality and availability of human capital resources, while natural factors have been marginalised. At the same time, the process of decentralising the powers of public administration, triggered by the low efficiency of the centralist state, was intensifying. This was also reflected in the reform of public administration in Poland, the main objective of which was to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration offices, the performance of public services and the management of public finances at the local level . The change in the hierarchy of importance of investment location factors and the concomitant radical increase in the responsibilities of local and regional authorities led to an increased interest on their part in those management methods that would guarantee or at least increase the likelihood of success in competing with other territorial systems both regionally, nationally and globally.