Problem pomiaru przestrzennego zróżnicowania poziomu rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego obszarów wiejskich w Polsce
The predominantly methodological paper outlines the issues connected to the analysis of spatial diversification in the level of socio-economic development occurring in aggregation of relatively small territorial units under examination. On the one hand, they are related to the fact that the concept of socio-economic development is very complex and it is extremely difficult to operationalise it due to a single index – such a development can take various paths, according to diverse patterns. They depend on diversified natural and structural (economic and social) conditions occurring in the given examined units. However, different development models may lead to its similar levels. The proposal of a scale construction of the socio-economic development level used in the research of the Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development of the Polish Academy of Sciences for municipality aggregation follows. Yet, the authors emphasise the specific constraints in using this scale: they are linked to its ordinal nature and the fact that it does not have the universal character. On the contrary, it is limited to the research field and general development process segment.
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