Europejski kontekst wpływu współczesnych megatrendów na rozwój społeczno-gospodarczy. Ujęcie syntetyczne = The European context of the impact of contemporary megatrends on socio-economic development. A synthetic approach

Abstract

The article aims to analyse the influence on socio-economic development of contemporary socio-economic changes, or – using terminology after John Naisbitt (1982) – main megatrends, primarily from the point of view of the situation and changes characterising the EU’s Member States. The specifics of these processes in the capitalist countries of Western Europe and in the former countries of so-called “people’s democracy” in East-Central Europe are the key element of this discussion. In the context of the spatial patterns identified, discussion centres around trends of: (1) transformation, (2) economic integration, (3) globalisation, and (4) postmodernisation. The first part presents a synthetic characterisation of megatrends distinguished, including as regards specific definitions and reasons for them to arise. The second, most important part of the work addresses the impacts of megatrends n socio-economic development and the specific nature of the process ongoing with the two spatial European patterns. The analysis conducted supports the contention that the megatrends described have played a key role in the shaping contemporary processes of socio-economic development. However, it is difficult to analyse the separate influences of each, given the way they interact in one bundle (external in relation to endogenous ocesses), permeating one another, and ensuring an influence exerted that is diversified both temporally and spatially. It is not easy to state that any specific social or economic changes result solely from one or other of the processes iscussed. Thus, the influence of these megatrends should be perceived synergically. More or less intensive processes of transformation are strengthened by economic integration and globalisation and give rise to a diversified range of postmodernisation changes. This perception is needed even more, as many researchers often consider these processes in a slightly different configuration (Dicken, 2015).

Asymmetry of the economic development of cross-border areas in the European Union: assessment and typology

“…In the post-1990 period, the European continent experienced a dynamic course of megatrends such as globalisation, transformation, and economic integration (Konecka-Szydłowska et al, 2019), leading to an increase in international linkages and interdependencies. This period was also associated with far-reaching transformations in the functions of borders and borderlands, development of cross-border integration and cross-border cooperation, and implementation of relevant placebased policies, most notably the EU Cohesion Policy with the launch of Interreg programmes.…”

“…1). One of the most important ones is globalisation which has led to an increase in international interdependence of regional economies (Konecka-Szydłowska, Churski, Herodowicz & Perdał, 2019), shaping a new, more relational understanding of spatialities, including cross-border areas (Paasi, 2019). The opening up of regional economies and internationalisation of production processes, however, has led to the emergence of new spatial inequalities in economic production and income level (Ó Riain, 2011).…”

“…The processes of globalisation remains strongly interdependent with the processes of economic integration (Konecka-Szydłowska et al, 2019). The EU common market, along with free movement of people, capital, goods, and services, has become a unique determinant of regional development and cross-border economic ties within the European integration process.…”

Revitalization Education in Problem Areas as a Tool for the Implementation of Social Welfare

“…In order to undertake real economic competition, these countries had to rebuild and modernize material, human and social capital in a relatively short time, with the support of financial capital and innovations from Western countries, which contributed to a kind of economic and socio-cultural "neo-colonization" of these countries. However, as a result of these processes, these countries showed (and continue to demonstrate, especially thanks to the positive effects of the European Union integration) an above-average pace of postmodernization changes compared to Western European countries [37].…”

Spatial Differentiation of the Socio-Economic Development of Poland–“Invisible” Historical Heritage

“…The country departed from the socialist command economy to adopt the capitalist, free market model. The process of modernization, post-modernization and globalization began, and by the second half of the 1990s, integration processes also started to have an impact [27]. The transformation in Poland, although it followed a relatively moderate (bloodless) course politically, resulted in huge economic and consequently social changes.…”