Measuring creative capacity of Visegrad Four countries’ economies

In this paper we study creative capacity of economies of Visegrad Four countries in the period 2000-2011. Creativity index is constructed based on the 3Ts concept of talent, technology and tolerance being the key components of the creativity. Creativity index is measured and calculated with both the cross-section and the time series dimensions. The paper provides index as an open source with the description of variables and their respective weights. Comparison of the creative capacity of economies is based on the empirical results of the Creativity index and its components. Czech Republic is the first and Hungary is the second in the ranking continuously during the examined period. Talent and technology areas are the main reasons for differences between the two leading countries and the rest.

Screening the distribution of EU Support for Primary Education in Slovakia

The aim of the research paper was to analyse the distribution of education support financed by the European Union. We focused on the evaluation of the regional distribution of the primary education support within the less developed NUTS 2 regions in Slovakia which were eligible to receive a support through two selected political measures. Particularly, we analysed the Regional Operational Programme, particularly the Measure 1.1 Education Infrastructure that was aimed at modernizing the primary school buildings and equipment. On the other hand we examined also the Operational Programme Education, particularly its measure 1.1 Transformation of traditional to modern school that was focused on the modernization of content of education process. The analysis pointed out the main differences between the mentioned two support measures. It was also showed the territorial distribution of these EU funds at the NUTS 2 level, regional level and at the levels of particular districts and supported municipalities. These results were confronted with a selected indicator of development, through which the fulfilment of the principle of territorial concentration was examined.

Structure of the EU28 plus ukraine economic region from the growth pole theory perspective

Economic and debt crisis in Europe has brought along the question which member states could become a source of future economic growth of EU28 region. With respect to this question, this paper aims to contribute to this debate by identifying possible economic growth poles within the EU28 economic region. In light of recent debate centered on the future of the Ukraine we use a broad definition of the European economic space with EU28 as well as the Ukraine included. Our results show that the dominance of the United Kingdom has been successfully challenged by Germany and Poland represents the only country from the “new” EU countries that can be labeled as a European growth pole. Additionally, the heterogeneous distribution of growth pole potential partially resembles the distribution based on Zipf’s law but with a growth potential concentrated more in the upper part than in the case of Zipf’s law benchmark.