Globalization process creates fovurable conditions for dynamic development of economic centers both at national and regional level. Yet, it may be an obstacle for growth for peripheral countries and regions. In the European Union one can confirm convergence process at national level. However, in Central European countries the convergence of national economies does not support sustainable growth at regional level and regional convergence process. This situation often leads to the problem of draining up of scarce resources from peripheral regions, which negatively affects their entrepreneurship potential and sustainable socio-economic development. In the longer run this unbalanced spatial growth can become a significant obstacle for welfare improvements. In this context, the purpose of the article is to analyze the quality of entrepreneurial environment in Poland at regional level within the context of sustainability framework. The research was done for NUTS 2 regions in the years 2010-2014. The quality of entrepreneurial environment is considered here as a multiple-criteria phenomenon that should be treated as a latent variable. Thus, in the research Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was applied. Values of the latent variable were assessed based on confirmatory factor analysis, which provided information on the socio-economic development of Polish regions, which determinates the entrepreneurial conditions. In order to group the regions to homogenous subsets natural breaks method was used. The conducted research confirms the process of improvement of entrepreneurial conditions in most of the NUTS 2 regions in Poland. From the perspective of regional convergence process, on the one hand, one can point some positive factors such as noticeable improvements in some underdeveloped regions. However, the dominance of the central region and significant disparities between the NUTS 2 are still relatively stable and extensive. From the methodological perspective the article shows the applicability of SEM methodology to national and regional analysis with application of data from national statistics.

The subject matter discussed in the article concerns the problem of the energy transformation of the European Union (EU) countries. In the case of the EU, the energy transformation has specific characteristics due to formal legal and institutional provisions. This means that the member states are obliged to implement the adopted Community Energy Strategy, which was defined under the European Green Deal. According to the EU policy, all member states are to have climate-neutral and zero-gas-emission economies by 2050. The energy transformation is to be largely based on the diversification of the energy sources used, with a dominance of renewable energy sources (RES). The article presents a research problem, where the question was asked whether achieving climate-neutral energy independence based solely on RES is possible at the regional level. It seems that the positive answer is an important argument in the discussion about the possibility of all member states achieving the goals set under the European Green Deal. Additionally, stating the possibility of energy independence from RES for a selected region is an important argument to promote just and bottom-up initiatives in order to carry out the energy transformation more effectively. The assessment of the energy potential from renewable sources at the regional level was carried out on the example of a selected NUTS 2 region, the Greater Poland Voivodeship in Poland. The main objective of the study is to analyze the possibility of obtaining independence from RES by the selected Greater Poland Voivodeship. The implementation of the objective consists of determining the energy potential from RES in the Voivodeship under study on the basis of the methods of a geographic information system (GIS). GIS methods were selected due to the fact that they allow for the spatial positioning of point, line, and surface structures in relation to the potential of RES, thus ensuring high accuracy of the obtained estimates. The analysis carried out in the study shows that the technical potential of RES in the Greater Poland Voivodeship is higher than the current electricity and heat usage. This means that by focusing solely on RES in the region, the Greater Poland Voivodeship can fully meet the energy demand thanks to its green resources. It should be emphasized that the Greater Poland Voivodeship is one of the coal-dependent regions in Poland that has already prepared a structured plan of just transformation. A locally and bottom-up prepared strategy assumes the conversion of the region from a “Coal Energy Region” into a “Green Energy Valley” in which economic development will be strictly connected to RES energy independence.

Spis treści WprowadzenieRozdział I Możliwości i bariery badania struktury zawodowej rynku pracy 1.1. Zawód w badaniach społeczno-ekonomicznych Udział pracujących w wielkich grupach zawodowych: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Udział pracujących w wielkiej grupie zawodowej: 6 Udział pracujących w wielkich grupach zawodowych: 7, 8, 9 Ciemny kolor oznacza wyższy udział pracujących. Rysunek 1.2.4.4. Specjalizacja zawodowa w podregionach województwa łódzkiego Źródło: opracowanie własne na podstawie danych BDL i BAEL.* Cyfra 9 oznacza kategorię "pozostali" lub "gdzie indziej sklasyfikowani". ** Jeśli w grupie średniej wyróżniono tylko jedną grupę elementarną otrzymuje ona wyróżnik 0 (zgodnie z zasadą stosowaną w ISCO-08).

The aim of this paper is to analyze the supply of highly qualified personnel in the context of prospects for the future innovative development of voivodships in Poland. Analysis of these problems and the relationship between them will be based on the studies on the educational profile of regions and on the analysis of potential trends and possibilities of creating a highly skilled labor force coming from higher education system, as well as on the research on the innovation level and profile of particular voivodships. Furthermore, analysis of possibilities and the level of knowledge diffusion will be conducted.

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the interdependence between labour productivity and the occupational structure of human capital in a spatial cross-section. Research indicates (see Fischer 2009) the possibility to assess the impact of the quality of human capital (measured by means of the level of education) on labour productivity in a spatial cross-section. This study attempts to thoroughly analyse the issue, assuming that apart from the level of education, the course of education (occupation) can also be a significant factor determining labour productivity in a spatial cross-section. The data used in this paper concerning labour force structure in major occupational groups in a regional cross-section comes from a Labour Force Survey. The data source specificity enables the assessment of labour force occupational specialisation at the regional level and the estimation of this specialisation at the subregional or county level. An in-depth analysis of the occupational structure of the labour market in a spatial cross-section is an important theoretical and practical area of study necessary for the development of effective labour market policies and the education system.