Effect of the Centrifugal and Centripetal Effects in Core Versus (Semi)Periphery in Central Europe Countries

Abstract

The paper focuses on examining regional disparities in Austria, Czech republic, Slovakia and Hungary (CE countries) in spatial perspective on NUTS III level. It took two crucial topics: spatial regional imbalances and polarization of the development. Spatial imbalances over the territory were examined via using the Moran’s coefficient of spatial autocorrelation and the Geary’s C statistics for mutual comparisons of achieving results. Both results showed a significant degree of the inequality. Polarization of the development was examined via measuring the possible centrifugal and centripetal effects, present in the proximity of the core regions of CE countries. Empirical examination showed “contradictory” results, indicating presence of both effects based on Gi(d) statistics introduced by Getis and Ord (1992). Thus we can conclude the spatial imbalance over the territory of CE countries is significant, and we can’t rule out acting of centrifugal and centripetal effects, however distinctly in some core regions.