Regional Development In Serbia Research Articles

Assessing socio-economic vulnerability aiming for sustainable development in Serbia

ABSTRACT The most cited definition of sustainable development was created more than three decades ago, by the Brundtland Commission. The problem that was defined then is equally present today. There are various definitions of ‘sustainable development’, and thus, in the past, different countries have made different frameworks. However, the current framework has been presented by the 2030 Agenda and specifically divided into 17 goals, defined by the United Nations. It is not the same starting point for countries with developed and underdeveloped economies. This paper highlights the economic and educational structure of the population as a potential for economic and social development, but also for the Gross Value Added. These are the main parameters that were analysed to extract the most sensitive areas. The analysed data refer to the 25 administrative areas (NSTJ 3) in Serbia. The most endangered areas that should be emphasized in further research and action plans are distinguished. The results of the paper should serve as a starting point for further and more in-depth research, as well as for creating projects for the more balanced regional development of Serbia.

Diverzifikacija ruralne ekonomije u funkciji regionalnog razvoja Republike Srbije

Pronounced regional disparities represent one of the main features of regional development in Serbia. The regions are economically very uneven, and there are often differences within the regions themselves. The most prominent intra-regional disparity is between urban and rural areas. Rural areas are particularly vulnerable because they have experienced depopulation and economic decline for decades. This problem has been recognized and addressed in the Strategy of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Serbia from 2014-2024. One of the priority areas of implementation of the operational objectives relates to the diversification of the rural economy and the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. Due to its positive effects on GDP, employment, the balance of payments, investment and population standard, tourism is increasingly becoming an essential instrument for stimulating development, especially in those regions where employment creation through other forms of investment is challenging. Accordingly, this paper aims to present the potential of rural tourism as an endogenous factor of regional and local development through the presentation and analysis of socioeconomic indicators and realized tourist traffic in the statistical regions in Serbia. Results of correlation analysis indicate a positive correlation between the number of tourists and number of employees, number of employees per 1000 inhabitants and average net earnings in NUTS 3 regions in Serbia.

Komparativna analiza regionalne efikasnosti u Srbiji - DEA pristup

The main aim of the paper is to offer a statistical identification of differences in efficiency between Serbian regions. The regional resources covered by the analysis are presented in the form of infrastructure, investment in new fixed assets and employment levels. For the researching purpose, data envelopment method (DEA) is used as a major component in identifying regions that use their resources effectively. This approach of mathematical programming optimization tends to evaluate the efficiency of the analyzed regional spatial aspects. Moreover, studying regional differences and generally spatial efficiency creates a significant basis for mapping key problems of regional development in Serbia and provides important guidelines for the creation and implementation of regional policies.

Regionalne strukturne neravnoteže Srbije kao posledica primenjenih tranzicionih modela privrednog rasta

One whole cannot develop unless all its parts develop. Regional development has direct implications for overall economic and social development! Regional transition in Serbia takes its toll on key development dimensions - demographic, spatial, economic, social, security and political. The state was not aware of the regional consequences of the transition. Regional policy was in the second plan, the focus of state instruments was dominantly placed on the process of transferring the planned economy into a market-oriented economy, regional imbalances were developed and intensified spontaneously and uncontrollably, the individual actions of the state were uncoordinated and selective, mainly initiated from particular political interests. State instruments were not in the function of depreciation of transitional consequences. The key message of the paper is that a more balanced regional development in Serbia cannot be implemented without building an efficient institutional framework, consisting of institutions and instruments, various policies that ensure stability, continuity and harmonization in the development process. In addition, the author points out the importance of affirming the integrative function of strategic regional development planning, the decentralization process and polycentric regional development. In regional theory and practice, it is generally accepted that a higher efficiency of implementation of regional development policy and planning is ensured through hierarchically differentiated decision-making systems.

Spatial demographic inequalities and regional development in Serbia

The study provides a comprehensive data analysis of demographic and socio-economic characteristics in Serbian regions as factors of uneven regional development. The data were provided by the official population censuses from 1953 to 2011. The study uses the following demographic indicators: population; the index of population change; population density; the share of migrants in the total population; the share of 65+ population; and the average age of the population. The indicators of the regions’ socio-economic development were as follows: the level of development of cities and municipalities; the share of uneducated population; the share of the population with secondary and higher education; the share of welfare recipients; the share of employed population; the share of computer illiterate persons; and the share of the unemployed. The research results have shown significant regional discrepancies: Belgrade, Kosovo and Metohija regions are economically prosperous regions, attractive for migrants from other parts of Serbia, the situation is quite the opposite in Southern and Eastern Serbia, characterized by the outflow of the population and economic underdevelopment, especially in the border areas. The other two regions are within the two extremes, Vojvodina being closer to Belgrade and Sumadija and Western Serbia, to Southern and Eastern Serbia.

Key Aspects of a Balanced Regional Development of the Republic of Serbia

Abstract The main goal of the research presented in this paper is to point to the benefits of a balanced regional development, as well as the mechanism of its implementation, based on the analysis of the current situation relating to the regional development of the Republic of Serbia, which is characterised by the greatest regional disparities in Europe, that even show the tendency of further deepening. The importance of a consistent and comprehensive development strategy of the country that would include reindustrialisation and full employment policy as a means of initiating dynamic economic growth and achieving sustainable development of the national economy and its regions is emphasised. This position is justified, primarily, due to the fact that, despite its crucial importance, regional development has never been understood as an integral part of the overall socio-economic development, therefore, this issue, owning to a lack of institutional and systemic approach is constantly being marginalised. In the analysis of the key aspects of a balanced regional development in Serbia, based on the study of different theoretical views and practical experiences regarding this important social and economic development issue, the method of the analytical description was primarily used.

Regional development of Serbia at the beginning of the XXI century

Problem of regional inequality in Serbia is rather noticeable. Regional inequality and polarization of Serbia can be observed primarily on the example of the City of Belgrade and the AP Vojvodina, which are according to numerous indicators of development evidently ahead other regions in the country. Negative development trends in Serbia present a major problem that threatens to jeopardize the future of regional and social development of the state itself and the process of European integration too. The paper presents some indicators of regional inequality as well as the importance of taking measures to achieve a higher level of economic development. When we talk about regionalization as a factor of public regulation of economic and regional development in the conditions of transition in Serbia, European integration in Europe and globalization in the world, it is necessary to take into account possibilities, limitations, applicability and specific characteristics of the Serbian economy in order to secure socio-economic and geographical framework for conducting economic activities.

Regional drivers of economic growth

Regional development of Serbia, after waves of recession, faced an additional challenge: a trend of increasing regional demographic regression, economic gap, etc. Entrepreneurs and SME sector are particularly hit hard by the economic crisis. But, in addition, in Serbia there are 1.2% rapidly growing enterprises (1,103, of which 160 gazelles) that boast growth potential (before the crisis, there were 3%). These are the drivers of regional economic growth. The basic research results of the regional dynamic entrepreneurship: 1,103 dynamic enterprises (2009-2013) participated in the increase in business revenues of Serbia with 110.5% (these enterprises covered 10.5% of the loss of the remaining segment of economy), generated 1/3 of profit growth in the economy and created 10,000 new jobs in the economy. Regional driving forces of growth and development had, in a certain number of regions, an extremely important role in the change of economic structure, increase in employment, and improvement in competitive performances of local economic structures. Economic recommendations presented in the paper go in two directions: firstly, it is vital to set up additional stimulating mechanisms for dynamic regional entrepreneurs in order to create conditions conducive to a faster growth of dynamic entrepreneurship in Serbia. Secondly, a way out of regional poverty will depend mostly on the building of institutions and affirmation of regional strategic planning.

Foreign direct investments and unequal regional development in Serbia

Foreign direct investments are an important factor for economic growth in Serbia. Most of the foreign direct investment in the period 2001 to 2012 was in the Belgrade region and, to a lesser extent, in Vojvodina. This spatially concentrated distribution caused an increase in regional disparity in Serbia. The connection between foreign direct investment and regional disparities can in part be explained by the current stage of economic development. However, in the case of Serbia, one of the main reasons was the lack of a clearly defined policy to attract foreign direct investments, the collateral damage being the increase in regional disparities.

Sociospacial identity of Belgrade in the context of urban and regional development of Serbia

Based on the analyses of sociologists, historians, economists, demographers, anthropologists, and based on author?s own research, the aim of the paper is to point to the complex and dynamic sociospatial identity of contemporary Belgrade in the context of urban and regional development of post-socialist Serbia. The analytical framework includes, first of all, the definition of the city?s identity in terms of self-awareness of a city as sociospatial collectivity, which historically originates and develops in dependency which the city and the individuals in it establish in relationships with other cities. It then cites the various concepts by means of which identity of the modern city is constructed: the entrepreneurial city (Harvey), the creative city (Florida and Landry), the exciting city (Richards and Palmer), the city as a text (Radovic), a competitive identity of the city (Anholt) and so on. In particular, Belgradization as a process of concentration of money and power in the capital is analyzed and it is concluded that the network of Serbian cities is pyramidal, that the regionalization of Serbia is asymmetric, and that Belgrade is a primate city, too big and too powerful for Serbia i.e. that Belgradization increases regional imbalance in Serbia. The paper concludes with an optimistic assessment that Belgrade, despite numerous problems in its development, has the potential to become the ?European Capital of Culture? in 2020.

Regional disparities in Serbia

The paper presents a legislative and institutional framework of regional development in Serbia, as well as the analysis of regional disparities across different geography, elaborated through six selected indicators: population and population density (analyzed as a single indicator), Regional GDP, Employment, Unemployment, Business Demography and Budgetary Revenues per capita. Indicators are analyzed at the all three NUTS, as defined by the Law on Regional Development, and at the local level (cities and municipalities). In the analysis, the paper applies the unweighted Gini index of regional disparity that was used in calculating disparities within each observed indicator. The results are presented within the tables and figures that show changes of the Gini index across years of observation. The paper showed that highest regional disparities in Serbia are at the local and NUTS 3 level. Disparities at those two levels are stable across the years. Disparities at NUTS 1 and NUTS 2 levels are also high, yet lower than at the bellow territorial levels (NUTS 3 and the local level). However, disparity at these two levels grows much faster than at the NUTS 3 and local level.

The investment policy and regional development of Serbia in the transition period

Our country can compensate the lagging in the economic development in relation to the EU countries as well as to the countries of the region only by increasing the economy's competitiveness, depending to a great extent on the possibilities of the economic entities investment in improving the attributes of the existing and development of new products and services, as well as on introducing modern technology and technological procedures. The transition program conducted by former socialist countries was highly based on foreign direct investments (FDI) enabling these countries the successful inclusion into global flows of international production and overall economy. In this paper the possibilities and sources of our economy investing will be analyzed and the influence on enhancement of the overall and regional competitiveness of the companies as a necessary condition for increasing the export and the overall economic development of the country.

Patterns of regional development in Serbia: A multivariate statistical analysis

The primary objective of this paper is to examine patterns of regional development in Serbia and to identify underlying geographical factors of these patterns. Principal component analysis is used to reveal the basic dimensions of regional differentiation. Its results are described in the context of findings from thematically similar research on Central European countries. An area's position in the national settlement system hierarchy has been identified as the strongest determinant of regional differentiation in Serbia. Other strong patterns seem to be connected with macro-geographical position. Success in economic development is most apparent in regions near the metropolitan area of Belgrade, and the general development level, along with a predisposition for agriculture, exhibits a strong north-south polarization. Specific attention is directed at demographic development, which is characterized by a west-east gradient. Central patterns of regional differentiation are similar to those uncovered in previous Central European research. Regional policy in Serbia should, therefore, try to learn from experience within this region to cope with processes and problems that are often quite similar. .

Macroregional centers in function of regional development of Serbia

Beside the dominance of Belgrade in regional development of Serbia and marginal role of medium sized cities, macroregional centers were for a long time important carriers of economic development and a driving force of the overall prosperity. The objective of this work is to indicate the role of macroregional centers in the regional development of Serbia through their analysis and comparison of the results with the average values on the state level. Their existence represents a precondition for decentralization of Serbia. .

Approach to undeveloped areas in regional development of Serbia

Issue of undeveloped areas and their typology more detailed presented in dependence on the dominant aspect of underdevelopment are analysed in this paper. As the resultant of mutually connected processes on industrialization-urbanisation-deagrarization-depopulation relations, the regional unevenness (regional polarisation) has more and more been strengthened by transitional flows since 2000. Besides traditionally undeveloped areas (hilly-mountain and border area), 'devastated areas' have also been differentiated or municipalities of 'traditional poverty', additionally emphasizing many layers of the regional structure of Serbia.

Spatial and environmental planning of sustainable regional development in Serbia

The paper analyses the planning framework for sustainable territorial and regional development. The spatial and environmental planning should play the key role in coordination and integration of different planning grounds in achieving the sustainable regional development. The paper discusses the spatial planning capacity to offer the integral view of the sustainable territorial development. The brief review of tendencies in new spatial planning and regional policy has been given. The focus is on the concept of balanced polycentric development of European Union. The guiding principles of spatial planning in regard of planning system reform in European countries have been pointed out. The changes in paradigm of regional policy, and the tasks of European regional spatial planning have been discussed. In Serbia problems occur in regard with the lack of coordinating sectoral planning with spatial and environmental planning. Partly the problem lies in the legal grounds, namely in non codification of laws and unregulated horizontal and vertical coordination at all levels of governance. The possibilities for the implementation of spatial planning principles and concepts of European Union sustainable territorial and regional development have been analyzed on the case of three regional spatial plans of eastern and southeastern regions in Serbia. The disadvantages in implementing the strategic environmental impact assessment as an instrument for coordination and integration of sectorial planning with spatial and environmental planning have been analyzed. The strategic environmental impact assessment has been implemented only in the spatial planning process. Through spatial planning process its feedback effect on sectorial planning has been indirectly achieved. The priority actions in Serbia for achieving the spatial and environmental planning role in coordination and integration of different planning grounds in sustainable regional development have been given.

Structural changes and regional differentiation of industry in Serbia during the period of transition (1988-2005)

The aim of this article is to present the effects of industrial restructuring, which are reflected in structural and territorial changes in the number of employees in Serbia, for one of the most difficult and the most catastrophic periods in its recent history - 1990-2005. This kind of research is of particular importance because it indirectly reveals fundamental processes and key issues of the policy of industrial restructuring and the policy of regional development in Serbia.