IS THE HUMAN CAPITAL OF RURAL AREAS DIVERSIFIED? A TYPOLOGICAL APPROACH FOR THE COMMUNES OF THE ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIE VOIVODESHIP

Abstract

The article is empirical in nature, it aims to analyze and evaluate the differences in the spatial distribution and internal structure of human capital in rural areas of the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship. The spatial analysis was carried out at the gminas level in Poland, total 2,172 objects, including 103 from the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship. The Central Statistical Office Local Data Bank, OKE, Foundation EFRWP were the main data source. The subject of the analysis was the index of the general level of human capital (WSKL) – a synthetic measure expressing the essence of human capital in five components of its structure, i.e. the labor market, education, health, innovation and social wealth. The study used a The taxonomic method of hierarchization (non-model) and classification of multi-feature objects were used in the study. The exploration of the structure of human capital resources in rural areas in the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodship was carried out based on the author’s typology of rural areas for Poland. The research results allow to conclude that the level of human capital in rural areas of the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodship is low, and the region as a whole is an area of human capital deficit. The structure of human capital is very unfavorable, which is a serious barrier to the development of both local communities and the region as a whole.