Collaboration to Improve the Region’s Competitiveness

In an innovative partnership, the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management, local businesses, and government agencies—the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship office, the commune of Brzesc Kujawski, and the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone—came together. Their collaborative efforts ensured that multiple perspectives were considered when creating comprehensive solutions tailored to the region’s specific needs for improved economic competitiveness and development.

Call to Action

The project was born of a desire to enhance the region’s economic competitiveness, address technological and societal challenges, and promote data-driven decision-making for businesses and governments. The Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, like many others in Poland and across Europe, faces increasing competition when attracting investment from companies and entrepreneurs.

With globalization and the rapid pace of technological change, regions must find ways to stand out and create favorable conditions for investment. By identifying the region’s strengths and areas for improvement, the project aimed to enhance the region’s competitiveness in the global marketplace. Further, it deepened key stakeholders’ understanding of what makes Kujawsko-Pomorskie an attractive destination for investment and how it could further improve its business climate to attract multinational companies and startups.

By identifying strengths such as local talent, land availability, and strategic geographical locations, the project aimed to guide the development of policies that promote inclusive economic growth and reduce disparities within the region. Government entities and businesses require comprehensive and accurate data to understand the region’s potential and make informed decisions about how to allocate resources.

The project’s findings have helped local governments plan infrastructure projects and other initiatives that will make the region more attractive to investors. For businesses, the findings have offered critical information on how to invest and leverage resources.

Innovation Description

From February 2022 to January 2023, the project was carried out by a team from the school in cooperation with the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship office, the Brzesc Kujawski commune, and the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone. The project’s key objective was to evaluate the region’s investment attractiveness by identifying and leveraging its unique strengths and addressing areas of improvement.

The findings aim to help regional authorities develop more effective policies to support and improve business conditions and streamline regulations for investors. It also offers invaluable insights to investors for better decision-making by providing critical information about investment opportunities.

Using a unique methodology, the assessment of potential investment attractiveness analyzed secondary data and considered eight pillars: entrepreneurship, innovation, social infrastructure, technical infrastructure, environmental protection, land and housing resources, market absorption, and labor resources. Each pillar was defined by a number of diagnostic variables.

In addition to the study based on secondary data, the project’s team members conducted intensive quantitative research (a survey study) and qualitative research (an expert study and a case study). In this part of the project, original research tools were used. The expert study included entities representing the business environment and representatives of companies operating in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship.

The following stage of the research procedure, a quantitative study, covered only entities with foreign capital headquartered in the voivodeship, or region. This research was enriched with a case study of the Brzesc Kujawski commune.

Innovation Impact

The project has significantly impacted and delivered mutual benefits to all involved partners. The research findings have provided valuable data to participating government entities at the regional and communal levels. The resulting data will allow local authorities to develop targeted strategies to address infrastructure needs, improve regulatory frameworks, and create a more business-friendly environment.

The project may also lead to a more favorable perception of the region among investors. Companies have clearer insights into the region’s potential, which has helped them make more informed investment decisions. The Pomeranian Special Economic Zone indicates that the findings are an important resource for entities implementing or planning investments in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, as well as for institutions supporting entrepreneurship and development in the region.

The school has benefited from applied research opportunities that enhance its academic reputation and offer students practical experience thanks to the project’s positive recognition. The Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship office organized a series of five debates titled “Factors of Entrepreneurship Development in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship,” held in the region’s five biggest cities. The research team from the school presented the project results, and its representatives participated in all events.

The research results became the basis for discussions with participating local authorities, entrepreneurs, members of business-related institutions, and representatives of the scientific community. Met with great interest, the debates attracted approximately 600 participants and received widespread media attention.

Reference Links

• “Investment Attractiveness of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship: A Synthesis Report on the Research Results,” PDF from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń website