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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms 
of the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0

1 Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland (corresponding author)
E-mail: pawel.dziekanski@ujk.edu.pl 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4065-0043
2 Cracow University of Economics, Poland
E-mail: lukasz.poplawski@uek.krakow.pl 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4147-3272
3 Direzione Generale – Università degli Studi di Messina
Unità di Staff Merchandising, Italy
E-mail: ffragomeni@unime.it
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1455-0033

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2024-10-5-83-91

INTRA-REGIONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
OF MUNICIPALITIES OF THE ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE VOIVODESHIP 

IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN 2010 AND 2020
Paweł Dziekański1, Łukasz Popławski2, Fabio Fragomeni3

Abstract. Regions, as spatial socio-economic systems, are characterised by different levels of development and 
entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is an element of job creation, economic development and innovation. It is 
an element of local territorial capital and a development factor, an element that shapes both the structures of 
economies and their communities, a determinant of their sustainable development. The phenomenon of 
entrepreneurship is influenced by a number of factors, including social capital, demographic characteristics, the 
availability of infrastructure, access to natural resources, the economic structures prevailing in a given region, the 
quality of human capital, the standard of housing stock, and the quality of infrastructure facilities. The objective 
of this article is to assess the economic and demographic factors that contribute to the spatial differentiation of 
the entrepreneurial situation of municipalities, based on a synthetic measure. The empirical data were collected at 
the municipal level in the Świętokrzyskie region of Poland. The variables were selected based on the availability of 
data from Statistics Poland for the years 2010 and 2020. Synthetic measures were constructed using the Technique 
for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution method. The Świętokrzyskie region is distinguished by a 
notable lack of economic competitiveness. The synthetic measure of entrepreneurship in the municipalities 
of the Świętokrzyskie region exhibited a range of 0.27 to 0.75 in 2010 and 0.30 to 0.65 in 2020. The diversity of 
the municipalities is attributable to a range of factors, including demographic, natural and socio-economic 
development processes. It is evident that additional support is required to facilitate the growth and development 
of entrepreneurship in the Świętokrzyskie province. Spatial polarisation in terms of entrepreneurial development 
is correlated with demographic and economic variables. Municipalities within the sphere of influence of urban 
centres had favourable conditions for the development of entrepreneurship. Municipalities with an agricultural 
character, located on the periphery of Kielce and other cities in the region, have the least favourable conditions for 
the development of entrepreneurship. The growth of entrepreneurship has mainly taken place in centres with long 
service or industrial traditions. Concurrently, a more pronounced expansion of services was witnessed in urban areas 
situated at a distance from the central hubs, driven by the necessity to address the demands of the local population. 
Conversely, industrialisation flourished in cities in close proximity to these central locations, where extensive 
collaboration and convenient transportation networks were feasible. Ongoing studies of entrepreneurship and the 
variables that shape it, such as demographics, should help authorities to evaluate and change policies. The rise or 
fall of synthetic measures should be a way of assessing the impact of current regional management. The results 
obtained can inform local authorities about the disparities that exist between units.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, synthetic measure, CRITIC-TOPSIS method.

JEL Classification: L26



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1. Introduction
Regions, as spatial socio-economic systems, 

are characterised by different levels and speeds of 
development. They are a system set up to achieve 
certain economic and social goals, functions and 
decision-making powers. In order to maintain their 
position, they need to seek new sources of development 
(OECD 2013). As M. Huczek (2016) notes, the process 
of regional development is understood as a spatial 
socio-economic system shaped by general regularities 
and specific features. These features encompass the 
region's position and role within the national economy,  
as well as its initial level of development. 

H. Sun, A. Kemajou Pofoura and co-authors (2020) 
link sustainable development to the achievement  
of both environmental, social and economic 
sustainability goals, given the scarcity of resources and 
rapid population growth in the regions. Development 
includes stimulating employment, increasing 
economic performance and fundamentally changing 
social structures, strengthening entrepreneurship. 
Entrepreneurship is considered the main driver 
of development, which promotes innovation and 
technological progress, is an element that prevents 
unemployment. 

Entrepreneurship can be conceptualised as an  
element of local territorial capital and a factor of 
development, as postulated by A. Klasik (2006).  
It is an element that shapes the structures of economies 
or their communities, and is a determinant of 
sustainable development. Regional disparities in 
entrepreneurial activity are attributable to structural 
and territorial capital-related factors. Factors that 
determine the level of entrepreneurship in a region 
include the demographics of the region and its labour 
market, the economic structure of the region, the 
quality of human capital, the housing stock and its 
standard, and infrastructure facilities (Huczek, 2016). 
The development of entrepreneurship brings many 
benefits to the economy, including better satisfaction of 
community needs, creation of new jobs and increased 
economic innovation. E. Skawinska (2009) writes  
that entrepreneurship plays an important role in the 
efficient allocation of available resources.  

The objective of this article was to evaluate the  
impact of economic and demographic factors on 
the spatial distribution of entrepreneurial activity.  
To achieve this, the following question was addressed: 
What is the relationship between entrepreneurship 
and demographic change in the region? To what 
extent do economic variables influence the level 
of entrepreneurship in the region? Empirical data 
were collected at the level of municipalities (102) of 
the Swietokrzyskie region (in Poland). The choice 
of variables was based on the availability of data 
at the Central Statistical Office in 2010 and 2020.  

The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to 
an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to construct 
synthetic measures. 

2. Literature Review
The economic potential of municipalities, as 

presented by F. del Olmo-García, I. Domínguez-Fabián, 
F.J. Crecente-Romero, and M.T. del Val-Núñez (2023), 
is contingent upon a number of factors, including the 
labour force participation of residents, the local labour 
market, entrepreneurship, the state of the environment, 
and the demographic contraction of regions.  
The loss of population, particularly of young people, 
has significant implications for the economic, social 
and environmental stability of regions. A. Krakowiak-
Bal (2006) emphasised that an adequate economic 
potential is conducive to an increase in the standard of 
living, increased production, a better social situation 
and greater public security. Furthermore, I. Pomianek 
(2016) posited that the potential of a municipality, 
which is the result of a combination of local conditions, 
determines their opportunities and directions of 
development. As M. Rutkowska and Ł. Popławski 
(2017) observe, the transition to a more closed-
loop local economy can facilitate competitiveness 
and innovation. This approach is designed to 
create conditions that will result in the creation of 
additional jobs with a more efficient use of resources.  
The idea of a closed loop is to incorporate sustainable 
thinking at every stage of working with a product  
or service, reducing waste and being energy self-
sufficient (Susan Evans, 2023).

Entrepreneurship entails the introduction of 
novelties to the market and the generation of new 
value for individuals, the economy, and society.  
The transition towards a circular economy necessitates 
the implementation of strategic policies, business 
models, structures, and processes, thereby facilitating 
societal and economic advancement. In light of the 
findings presented by G. B. Dragan, W. Ben Arfi, and 
colleagues (2024), it is recommended that companies 
adopt the 5Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Renew, Repair, and 
Recycle) as action aspects, independent variables, and 
predictive resources. This approach is expected to result 
in a cascading triple bottom line. A. Sreenivasan and 
M. Suresh (2023) have emphasised the importance 
of minimising negative impacts on society, the 
environment and the efficient use of products and 
services. This has led to the emergence of closed-
loop business models, which have in turn given rise 
to a number of entrepreneurial initiatives within the  
so-called sustainable economy.

As R. Watson, K. Roed Nielsen and colleagues 
(2023) observe, sustainable entrepreneurship can 
facilitate sustainable development by identifying and 
exploiting synergies between social, environmental 



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and economic outcomes. It represents the utilisation 
of opportunities for the production of goods and 
services that simultaneously sustain the natural and 
social environment and provide economic and non-
economic benefits. X. Gao, J. Meng, Y. Ling, M. Liao, 
M. Cao (2022) emphasise that entrepreneurship is 
an important determinant of innovation and growth  
with uneven spatial distribution, which is an important 
determinant of regional economic disparities.  
The benefits of locating firms in the local economy  
and create external benefits by linking labour markets 
and knowledge transfer.

Entrepreneurship constitutes an essential component 
of job creation, economic development and innovation. 
The phenomenon of entrepreneurship is subject to 
a number of external influences, including social  
capital, access to resources, landscape and biodiversity. 
In their 2021 study, Xie, Wang, Xie and Duan define  
the entrepreneurship ecosystem as a complex  
and diverse system of actors and environmental 
characteristics that addresses the institutional and 
socioeconomic factors influencing entrepreneurship.  
In the context of entrepreneurship, the ecosystem 
approach is concerned with the network of relationships 
and interdependencies between actors in the local 
economy, which can be conceptualised as a closed 
system.

3. Research Methods
The following steps were used to determine the 

synthetic measure of entrepreneurship:
1. Selection of variables describing entrepreneurship 

and demography for municipalities in the  
Świętokrzyskie region. From the set of variables, 
those characterised by low spatial variability (wpsol 
coefficient of variation) and high correlation of variables  
(according to the inverted matrix method) were 
removed (Wysocki, Lira, 2005; Malina, 2004).

2. The variables were standardised in accordance  
with the method of zeroed unitisation, as outlined by 
Kukula (2000).

3. The determination of weights for selected 
variables was conducted using the CRITIC (Criteria 
Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) method  
(Wu, Zhen, Zhang, 2020; Yin, Wang, Wang, Wang, 
Chang, 2023).

4. Determination of the TOPSIS synthetic indicator 
for individual municipalities using the formula:

q
d

d d
i ni

i

i i

=
+

= ∈[ ]
−

− +� � � � � � �� � �; , ,..., ; ; ;1 2 0 1qi                         (1)

where: di
−  denotes the distance of the object from 

the anti-pattern (from 0), di
+  denotes the distance of 

the object from the benchmark (from 1). Higher values 
of the qi measure indicate a more favorable financial 

situation of the municipality (Łuczak, Wysocki, 2012; 
Wysocki, 2010).

5. The results obtained should be evaluated 
and analysed according to the synthetic measure.  
Thereafter, the data should be divided into groups 
according to the value of the mean and standard 
deviation for the synthetic measure. A map of the spatial 
diversity of the synthetic measure, a scatter plot, and 
a correlation value were prepared using the Statistica 
program. 

4. Results and Discussion
As posited by J. Kudełko (2016), the economic 

potential of regions is shaped as a consequence of 
historical development. The economic potential of 
a region is largely contingent upon the economic 
traditions of the place in question (i.e., the territorial 
capital) and the production capacity of the enterprises 
operating within that region. S. Mondal, S. Singh, 
H. Gupta (2023) point out that the development 
of enterprises has led to a number of environmental 
challenges, such as the accumulation of waste, the 
release of harmful gases and pollution. In addition, 
Y. Huang, P. Li, L. Chen, J. Wang (2023) emphasise 
that entrepreneurship drives economic and social 
development, contributes to job creation and sustainable 
economic development. In a recent publication, 
X. Neumeyer, W. S. Ashton and N. Dentchev (2020) 
highlight the potential for a sustainability orientation  
to confer a competitive advantage on enterprises.

The synthetic measure of entrepreneurship in the 
municipalities of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship 
exhibited a range of 0.27 to 0.75 in 2010 and 0.30 to 
0.65 in 2020. The variation between municipalities was 
indicated by measures of variability, specifically the 
coefficient of variation. The range of values observed 
was 20.74–16.62 for the striatum, 0.48–0.35 for the 
standard deviation, and 0.09–0.05 for the concentration. 
The kurtosis ranged from 1.28 to 0.94, and the  
Gini coefficient ranged from 0.13 to 0.11 (Figure 1). 
The municipalities of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship 
are characterized by spatial differentiation in terms of 
the degree of development of entrepreneurship, labor 
market, demographic situation, quality of life, natural 
environment, and natural processes of socio-economic 
development, as well as the functions of the region – 
industrial, tourist, agricultural, residential, service, etc.  

Table 1 presents a comparison of the values  
of the synthetic measure of entrepreneurship of 
municipalities in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship 
in 2010 and 2020, organised into successive groups.  
The initial group comprises municipalities with 
the highest value of the synthetic measure of 
entrepreneurship, while the final group represents  
those with the lowest. It is evident that minor 



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fluctuations exist between the groups in question.  
It is evident that there is a distinct advantage associated 
with the number of municipalities in groups 3 and 4.  
The municipalities in Group 1, which exhibited  
the most favourable conditions with regard to 
entrepreneurship, were also distinguished by a superior 
situation in terms of the environment and ecology, 
infrastructure, the number of unemployed and 
employed individuals, as well as demographic variables 
(including migration balance and population density). 

Figure 2 presents Pearson's correlation coefficient 
between the value of the synthetic measure of 
entrepreneurship (year-on-year) and a number of 
demographic variables, including the number of 
unemployed and employed individuals, as well as sole 
proprietors. Furthermore, the figure indicates groups 
of municipalities that are statistically similar, as well  
as outliers. 

 In the context of the development of entrepreneurship 
in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (especially in rural 
areas), it was assumed that economic activity 
depends on a number of factors, including natural 

conditions (resulting from the resources of the natural  
environment and landscape values of the region and 
the system of protected areas), social and demographic 
structure, the quality of human capital, the level 
of social, economic and technical infrastructure,  
financial support for the development of 
entrepreneurship, the activity of local authorities and 
the activities of business environment institutions 
(Gąsiorowska-Mącznik E., 2017).

The value of the correlation between the synthetic 
measure of entrepreneurship in relation to selected 
economic elements is presented in Table 2. 

The Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, as presented by 
Trafiałek E., Jarosiński J. (2014), is characterised by low 
economic competitiveness. It has formed a structure 
of economic entities dominated by trade and repair. 
Manufacturing, construction, real estate and business 
services, transport, storage and communication were 
the main elements of the regional economic system.  
The aforementioned areas of economic activity are 
gradually extending their influence to other domains, 
particularly the service sector. However, they remain 

Figure 1. Spatial differentiation of the synthetic indicator of entrepreneurship of municipalities 
in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in 2010 and 2020
Source: own research based on data from the Statistics Poland

2010 

Average 0.43 
Minimum 0.27
Maximum 0.75

Range 0.48
Quartile. (Range) 0.11 

Std.deviation 0.09
Coefficient of variation 20.74 

Skewness 1.11
Kurtosis 1.28

concentration-Gini 
coefficient 0.13 

2020 
Average 0.43

Minimum 0.30
Maximum 0.65

Range 0.35
Quartile. (Range) 0.09 

Std.deviation 0.07
Coefficient of variation 16.62 

Skewness 0.73
Kurtosis 0.94

concentration-Gini 
coefficient 0.11 



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a crucial component of the economic and social 
landscape. 

Nevertheless, in order to fully capitalise on the 
inherent potential of the Świętokrzyskie region, as 
postulated by I. Kopacz (2010), the requisite human 
capital, particularly comprising entrepreneurial 
individuals, is indispensable. This, in conjunction 
with land, raw materials and investments, constitutes 
the economic development of an area. The growth of 
entrepreneurship has mainly affected centres with long 
service or industrial traditions (Busko-Zdrój, Staszów, 
Opatów, Wąchock – small towns in Świętokrzyskie 
Voivodeship). At the same time, the development 
of services in towns far from the central centres has 
increased, due to the need to meet the needs of the local 
population. In contrast, industry developed in cities 
situated in close proximity to these centres, where the 
conditions were conducive to widespread co-operation 
and the establishment of convenient transport links 
between them.

Of key importance, as D. Miłek, I. Kantarek 
(2017) point out, are various forms of support for  
entrepreneurs at the initial stage of their activity 
by institutions of the business environment. At the 
same time, it is necessary to take measures to reduce 
the barriers that prevent the resilient operation of 
enterprises, i.e., high taxes that are inappropriate 
for the initially small turnover of enterprises 
or complicated legal regulations for opening 
a business. The activation of society in entrepreneurial 
activities contributes to the growth of the number  
of enterprises stimulating the region's economy. 

Furthermore, Kasztelan (2015) highlights that 
the variation in the internal potentials of the local  
economy can be associated with a range of factors, 
including issues, demographics, the labour market, 
the level of entrepreneurship, infrastructure, the 
environment and numerous other conditions that 
influence the potential for development. Consequently, 
a region's distinctive individual characteristics and 
external conditions shape the opportunities for their 
development. In his 2009 study, M.S. Cato identifies 
three fundamental aspects of the green economy: 
the elimination of environmental hazards and the 
preservation of natural values, the rational management 
of natural resources and raw materials, and social 
inclusion and economic efficiency. R. Hahnel (2010) 
posits that, in spatial terms, the concept of a green 
economy can be understood as a process of reducing 
the environmental burden in local systems, improving 
living conditions and enhancing local and regional 
competitiveness.

5. Conclusions
Further support for entrepreneurial growth and 

development is needed in Świętokrzyskie region. 
The polarisation of space in terms of entrepreneurship 
development is correlated with demographic, economic 
variables.

The municipalities within the range of influence 
of urban centres, in particular Kielce (the region's 
capital), were characterised by favourable conditions  
for the development of entrepreneurship.  

Table 1
Selected characteristics of groups of municipalities by synthetic measure of entrepreneurship  
(entrepreneurship and labor market) in municipalities of Świętokrzyskie province in Poland in 2010 and 2020

2010 2020
Group 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Number of units in the group 3 15 42 42 5 20 52 25
q entrepreneurship 
(entrepreneurship and labor market) 0.68 0.55 0.44 0.35 0.61 0.5 0.42 0.35

Registered entities 126.33 87.53 56.86 51.83 128.4 92.6 73.4 69.28
SME entities (0-249 employees) 1262.33 874.8 568.71 517.88 1281.8 925.05 733.31 692.6
Units newly registered in the REGON register 104.33 88.87 62.6 52.95 83.4 69.7 63.1 57.88
Units deleted from the REGON register 75.33 61.07 34.67 34.12 45.4 34.3 27.88 31.92
Natural persons engaged in business activity 96.67 70.4 46.62 42.31 96.2 73.65 58.92 55.4
Registered unemployed by gender in 
municipalities in total 58 61.33 60 67.9 27.4 33.25 35.35 49.08

Employed 348 216.2 79.62 67.48 324.8 182.5 90.5 76.68
Migration balance -5.73 -0.69 0.1 -1.05 0.61 -1 -1.43 -2.31
Population density  1455.37 263.15 77.24 62.07 582.88 270.23 64.59 57.82
q demography 0.51 0.5 0.44 0.41 0.54 0.49 0.44 0.44
q environment and ecology 0.44 0.42 0.41 0.41 0.49 0.45 0.45 0.42
q infrastructure 0.46 0.31 0.33 0.31 0.43 0.38 0.35 0.35

Source: own research based on data from the Statistics Poland



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Figure 2. Relationship between the synthetic indicator of entrepreneurship and individual economic elements in 2010 and 2020
Source: own research based on data from the Statistics Poland  

y = 0,3096 + 0,3044*x;  r = 0,3367; p = 0,0005; r2 = 0,1134

0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8

q entrepreneurship, 2010

0,25

0,30

0,35

0,40

0,45

0,50

0,55

0,60

0,65

0,70
q 

de
m

og
ra

ph
ic

s,
 2

01
0

y = 0,3172 + 0,3242*x;  r = 0,2911; p = 0,0030; r2 = 0,0847

0,25 0,30 0,35 0,40 0,45 0,50 0,55 0,60 0,65 0,70

q entrepreneurship, 2020

0,25

0,30

0,35

0,40

0,45

0,50

0,55

0,60

0,65

0,70

0,75

q 
de

m
og

ra
ph

ic
s,

 2
02

0

 
y = 88,3834 - 58,6662*x; r = -0,2631; p = 0,0075; r2 = 0,0692

0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8

q entrepreneurship, 2010

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

un
em

pl
oy

ed
, 2

01
0

y = 72,3565 - 80,3292*x; r = -0,4244; p = 0,00001; r2 = 0,1801

0,25 0,30 0,35 0,40 0,45 0,50 0,55 0,60 0,65 0,70

q entrepreneurship, 2020

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

un
em

pl
oy

ed
, 2

02
0

 
y = -194,1068 + 696,5062*x; r = 0,7626; p = 0.0000; r2 = 0,5815

0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8

q entrepreneurship, 2010

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

w
or

ki
ng

, 2
01

0

y = -248,5103 + 851,5685*x; r = 0,6942; p = 0.0000; r2 = 0,4819

0,25 0,30 0,35 0,40 0,45 0,50 0,55 0,60 0,65 0,70

q entrepreneurship, 2020

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

w
or

ki
ng

, 2
02

0

 
y = -6,0985 + 131,2524*x; r = 0,6711; p = 0.0000; r2 = 0,4503

0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8

q entrepreneurship, 2010

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

na
tu

ra
l p

er
so

ns
 c

on
du

ct
in

g 
ec

on
om

ic
 a

ct
iv

ity
, 2

01
0

y = 3,4974 + 138,2415*x; r = 0,6152; p = 0.0000; r2 = 0,3784

0,25 0,30 0,35 0,40 0,45 0,50 0,55 0,60 0,65 0,70

q entrepreneurship, 2020

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

na
tu

ra
l p

er
so

ns
 c

on
du

ct
in

g 
ec

on
om

ic
 a

ct
iv

ity
, 2

02
0

 



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The power plant in Połaniec and the cement plant in  
Sitkówka-Nowiny constituted sources of growth 
that were of importance for the entire region and  
provided employment for the local population.  
The municipalities with an agricultural character, 
situated in the periphery of Kielce and other  
cities in the region, exhibit the least favourable 
conditions for the development of entrepreneurial 
activities.

The ongoing study of entrepreneurship and the 
variables that shape it, such as demographics, should 
facilitate the assessment and potential modification of 
policies by the relevant authorities. The fluctuations 
in synthetic measures serve as a means of evaluating  
the efficacy of present-day regional governance.

The results obtained can provide local authorities  
with information on the disparities that exist  
between units. Furthermore, additional research is 
recommended to compare the results based on a larger 
number of variables, to analyse in dynamic terms 
over an extended time interval in order to identify 
trends, to examine outliers (including their impact on 
the main criterion) and to determine their influence  
on the situation of the studied area, and to construct 
a synthetic measure based on another method.

The article's contribution lies in its presentation 
of the findings of a study on entrepreneurship and 
the factors influencing it, including demographic  
variables, at the municipal level in the Świętokrzyskie 
region in 2010 and 2020. 

Table 2
Values of the correlation measure between the synthetic indicator of entrepreneurship and individual elements of 
the economy in 2010 and 2020

M
ig

ra
tio

n 
ba

la
nc

e

Po
pu

la
tio

n 
de

ns
ity

q 
de

m
og

ra
ph

y

R
eg

ist
er

ed
 en

tit
ie

s

SM
E 

en
tit

ie
s 

(0
-2

49
 em

pl
oy

ed
)

En
tit

ie
s n

ew
ly

 re
gi

st
er

ed
 in

 
th

e R
EG

O
N

 re
gi

st
er

En
tit

ie
s d

el
et

ed
 fr

om
 th

e 
R

EG
O

N
 re

gi
st

er

N
at

ur
al

 p
er

so
ns

 co
nd

uc
tin

g 
ec

on
om

ic
 ac

tiv
ity

R
eg

ist
er

ed
 u

ne
m

pl
oy

ed
 b

y 
ge

nd
er

 in
 m

un
ic

ip
al

iti
es

 in
 

to
ta

l

Em
pl

oy
ed

 in
 th

e n
at

io
na

l 
ec

on
om

y

q 
en

tre
pr

en
eu

rs
hi

p

2010
Migration balance 1.00 -0.23 0.34 -0.04 -0.04 0.11 0.00 0.03 -0.17 -0.24 -0.03
Population density -0.23 1.00 0.24 0.66 0.66 0.48 0.56 0.60 0.03 0.58 0.58
q demography 0.34 0.24 1.00 0.51 0.51 0.58 0.46 0.56 0.04 0.37 0.34
Registered entities -0.04 0.66 0.51 1.00 1.00 0.74 0.76 0.98 0.11 0.75 0.74
SME entities (0-249 employed) -0.04 0.66 0.51 1.00 1.00 0.74 0.76 0.98 0.11 0.75 0.74
Entities newly registered in the REGON register 0.11 0.48 0.58 0.74 0.74 1.00 0.74 0.76 0.40 0.50 0.53
Entities deleted from the REGON register 0.00 0.56 0.46 0.76 0.76 0.74 1.00 0.77 0.35 0.60 0.45
Natural persons conducting economic activity 0.03 0.60 0.56 0.98 0.98 0.76 0.77 1.00 0.15 0.66 0.67
Registered unemployed by gender in 
municipalities in total -0.17 0.03 0.04 0.11 0.11 0.40 0.35 0.15 1.00 -0.04 -0.26

Employed in the national economy -0.24 0.58 0.37 0.75 0.75 0.50 0.60 0.66 -0.04 1.00 0.76
q entrepreneurship -0.03 0.58 0.34 0.74 0.74 0.53 0.45 0.67 -0.26 0.76 1.00

2020
Migration balance 1.00 -0.10 0.45 0.15 0.16 0.16 0.00 0.22 -0.22 -0.18 0.17
Population density -0.10 1.00 0.00 0.60 0.60 0.14 0.35 0.48 0.00 0.59 0.52
q demography 0.45 0.00 1.00 0.31 0.31 0.45 0.22 0.40 -0.15 0.02 0.29
Registered entities 0.15 0.60 0.31 1.00 1.00 0.58 0.69 0.96 0.06 0.63 0.70
SME entities (0-249 employed) 0.16 0.60 0.31 1.00 1.00 0.58 0.69 0.96 0.06 0.63 0.70
Entities newly registered in the REGON register 0.16 0.14 0.45 0.58 0.58 1.00 0.57 0.65 0.21 0.17 0.38
Entities deleted from the REGON register 0.00 0.35 0.22 0.69 0.69 0.57 1.00 0.72 0.20 0.38 0.25
Natural persons conducting economic activity 0.22 0.48 0.40 0.96 0.96 0.65 0.72 1.00 0.08 0.49 0.62
Registered unemployed by gender in 
municipalities in total -0.22 0.00 -0.15 0.06 0.06 0.21 0.20 0.08 1.00 -0.07 -0.42

Employed in the national economy -0.18 0.59 0.02 0.63 0.63 0.17 0.38 0.49 -0.07 1.00 0.69
q entrepreneurship 0.17 0.52 0.29 0.70 0.70 0.38 0.25 0.62 -0.42 0.69 1.00

Marked correlation coefficients are significant with p < .05000; N=102 

Source: own research based on data from the Statistics Poland



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Received on: 06th of October, 2024
Accepted on: 24th of November, 2024
Published on: 30th of December, 2024