Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.21861/HGG.2005.67.02.01

Polarization of Regional Economic Development in Croatia: Trends and Challanges in a New Geographic Reality

Vera Pavlaković-Koči
Dane Pejnović

Abstract

This paper examines how the proposed conceptualization of Croatia’s regional economic development, Koncepcija regionalnong gospodarskog razvitka Republike Hrvatske (1999), addresses the challenges of Croatia’s uneven economic development. While the problems of Croatia’s lagging regions have been addressed, the conceptualization contains controversies regarding what should be the guiding principles of regional policy – targeted or balanced regional economic development. The proposed conceptualization represents a mixture of neoliberal thinking about the key actors in regional economic development, principles of European Union regionalism and the socialist-era legacies. Consequently, it lacks clarity in several key aspects. A specific challenge is the existing multiciplicity of regional and socials interests as well as the limitations of regional economic development based on rigid administrative-territorial units.

Keywords

polarization of regional economic development; targeted regional economic development; balanced regional economic development; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

9736

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/9736

Publication date:

12.1.2006.

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