An agency perspective of resilience: the case of Pomorskie region

ABSTRACT

This article starts with a discussion on four metaphors and four research fields of resilience. Special attention has been paid to the evolutionary approach of resilience and the agency perspective within it. Next, the author demonstrated a critical view of the concept including the role of state and social capital. Using a qualitative method of research, key determinants and policies which protected Poland, the only country which was protected in the European Union from recession, were identified. The identified determinants and policies are balance of international trade, weakening of the Polish currency, supporting competitiveness, countercyclical fiscal policy, conservative banking policy and flexible labour policy. The inflow of European funds and a high level of consumption have helped to overcome negative consequences of the crisis as well. The paper then includes a description of the structural aspects of Pomorskie region in Poland. Strategies for small businesses and those implemented on the labour market proved to be effective in short and medium spans. Also, diversification of economy and export, cost competitiveness, availability of patient capital, social capital and the role of human agents were found to be significant to response to the crisis and in the region’s resilience building.

KEYWORDS:

• Economic resilience
• evolutionary approach
• agency perspective
• economic crisis
• Poland
• Pomorskie

SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION CODES:

• R13
• P43
• H70

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank for significant contribution to the research the following interviewees: Monika Piątkowska, Spokesman of the Ministry of Economy; Bożena Diaby, representative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; Dr Radomir Matczak, Head of the Department of Regional and Spatial Development in Pomorskie Region; Dr Zbigniew Canowiecki, Head of the Board of Employees of Pomorskie Region; Grażyna Zielińska, Head of the Region’s Pomorskie Chamber of Commerce in Gdańsk; Katarzyna Matuszak, Head of the Pomorskie Development Agency in Gdańsk; Irena Wróblak, Head of the Board of Credit Guarantee Fund of Pomorskie Region in Gdańsk; Marcin Nowicki, expert of the Gdansk Institute for Market Economics; Dr Tomasz Brodzicki, expert of the Development Institute; Dr Marcin Wołek, councillor of Gdynia City; Kinga Dziewiątkowska-Seroka, representative of the Department of Regional Programs, Development Office of Pomorskie Region; Michał Bruski, Deputy Head of Regional Labour Office in Gdansk; Rafał Rolka, NGO representative for professional training, Scientific Association of Organization and Management in Gdańsk. I also thank other representatives of local institutions, companies and NGO’s.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

Grzegorz Masik http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6019-7763

Notes

1. Interviews were conducted within the framework of the project titled Economic Crisis: Resilience of Regions (ECR2), Programme ESPON 2013. In the project, over 30 interviews were conducted in each of eight investigated European regions. The results from Poland and one Polish region are presented based on selected interviews.

2. Interviews conducted with spokesman of Ministry of Economy, representative of The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Head of Department of Regional and Spatial Development in Pomorskie Region, the Head of the Board of Employees of Pomorskie Region, the Head of Region’s Pomorskie Chamber of Commerce in Gdańsk, the Head of Pomorskie Development Agency in Gdańsk, and an expert of the Gdansk Institute for Market Economics.

3. Expert statement of the Development Institute.

4. Statements of the Head of Regional Pomeranian Chamber of Pomorskie Region, the Head of Pomorskie Development Agency in Gdańsk, the expert of the Gdańsk Institute for Market Economy, spokesman of Ministry of Economy.

5. Statement of the Head of Department of Regional and Spatial Development and representative of Department of Regional Programmes in Development Office of Pomorskie Region.

Additional information

Funding

This research was conducted with the project title: Economic Crisis: Resilience of Regions (ECR2), ESPON, European Observation Network, Territorial Development and Cohesion and this work was supported by the European Regional Development Fund [grant number 2013/1/25].