Abstract
This article examines the role of regional policy in shaping the development of the digital economy in Poland, with a focus on the NUTS 2 level (voivodeships). Its main objective is to assess the extent to which regional development strategies incorporate issues related to digital transformation, and to evaluate how closely they align with the actual level of digital development across regions. The study employs two complementary approaches: a qualitative analysis of 16 regional strategies for the period up to 2030, and a quantitative analysis based on selected statistical indicators related to digital infrastructure, competencies, and employment in high-tech sectors. The qualitative part involves classifying regions according to the presence and intensity of references to key components of the digital economy, such as infrastructure, digital education, e-services, and the technological transformation of enterprises. The quantitative analysis draws on six diagnostic indicators, which were normalized and aggregated into a synthetic digital development index. Using the Jenks natural breaks method, three levels of digital development were identified: high, medium, and low. The comparative analysis highlights regions where strategic planning is consistent with actual development, as well as those where significant discrepancies exist. The results indicate that regional policy can play different roles: reinforcing (in digitally advanced regions), aspirational (in those aiming to catch up), or marginal (where digital themes are insufficiently addressed in strategic documents). The article also discusses the study’s limitations, including the temporal mismatch between strategic documents and statistical data, the limited set of indicators used, and the exclusion of other levels of public policy. Future research directions include correlation analysis, evaluation of policy implementation, and more in-depth institutional and territorial studies. The findings contribute to the ongoing debate on the effectiveness of regional policy as an instrument for supporting digital transformation in Poland.
References
Bank Danych Lokalnych (https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/bdl/start).
Brynjolfsson E., Kahin B. (red.) 2002. Understanding the Digital Economy: Data, Tools, and Research. MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262523302, December.
Brynjolfsson E., McAfee A. 2011. Race Against The Machine: How the Digital Revolution is Accelerating Innovation, Driving Productivity, and Irreversibly Transforming Employment and the Economy. Digital Frontier Press.
Bukht R., Heeks R. 2017. Defining, Conceptualising and Measuring the Digital Economy. Paper, 68. Centre for Development Informatics Global Development Institute, SEED. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3431732
Dahlman C., Mealy S., Wermelinger M. 2016. Harnessing the Digital Economy for DevelopingCountries. OECD, Paris (https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2016/12/harnessing-the-digital-economy-for-developing-countries_bd9a1f74/4adffb24-en.pdf).
DBCDE 2013. Advancing Australia as a Digital Economy: An Update to the National Digital EconomyStrategy. Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Canberra
Deloitte, n.d. What is Digital Economy? Deloitte, New York, NY.
EC 2013. Expert Group on Taxation of the Digital Economy. European Commission, Brussels (https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/cb640cdf-02f6-42f3-81a2-6db6b256577c_en?filename=report_digital_economy.pdf).
Eurostat (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database).
Gereffi G., Fernandez-Stark K. 2016. Global Value Chain Analysis: A primer. The Duke Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness.
Joann M. 2021. Gospodarka cyfrowa i postcyfrowa a przedsiębiorstwo. SGH Oficyna Wydawnicza, Warszawa.
Kling R., Lamb R. 2000. IT and organizational change in digital economies. [W:] E. Brynjolfsson, B. Kahin (red.), Understanding the Digital Economy. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, s. 295-324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/6986.003.0017
Knickrehm M., Berthon B., Daugherty P. 2016. Digital Disruption: The Growth Multiplier. Accenture, Dublin.
Łobejko S. 2009. Trendy rozwojowe inteligentnych organizacji w globalnej gospodarce. EMAR Research Marketing.
McKinsey & Company 2016. Cyfrowa Polska. Szansa na skok do globalnej pierwszej ligi gospodarczej. Raport 2016. Forbes Polska.
Mesenbourg T.L. 2001. Measuring the Digital Economy. US Bureau of the Census, Suitland. MD (Census.gov).
Mhlanga D. 2020. Industry 4.0 in Finance: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Digital Financial Inclusion. International Journal of Financial Studies, 8, 45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs8030045
OECD 2012. Digital Economy. OECD, Paris (https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-digital-economy_929323d1-en.html).
OECD 2015. OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2015. OECD, Paris (http://www.oecd.org/sti/oecd-digital-economy-outlook-2015-9789264232440-en.htm).
OUP 2017. Digital Economy. Oxford Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Pieriegud J. 2016. Cyfryzacja gospodarki i społeczeństwa – wymiar globalny, europejski i krajowy. [W:] J. Gajewski, W. Paprocki, J. Pieriegud (red.), Cyfryzacja gospodarki i społeczeństwa – szanse i wyzwania dla sektorów infrastrukturalnych. Publikacja Europejskiego Kongresu Finansowego, Instytut Badań nad Gospodarką Rynkową – Gdańska Akademia Bankowa, Gdańsk, s. 11.
Quan-Haase A., Wellman B. 2005. Local Virtuality in an Organization: Implications for Community of Practice. [W:] P. van den Besselar, G. De Michelis, J. Preece, C. Simone (red.), Communities and Technologies. C&T. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3591-8_12
Rouse M. 2016. Digital Economy. Techtarget, Newton, MA.
Tapscott D. 1998. Gospodarka cyfrowa. Nadzieje i niepokoje Ery Świadomości Systemowej. Business Press, Warszawa.
UNCTAD 2012. Information Economy Report 2012: The Software Industry and Developing Countries. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Geneva.
Wachal R. 1971. Humanities and computer. A personal view. North American Review, 8: 30-33.
Radomska E. 2019. Rozwój gospodarki cyfrowej i społeczeństwa cyfrowego w aspekcie dynamicznych zmian w otoczeniu zewnętrznym na przykładzie Wielkiej Brytanii. Myśl Ekonomiczna i Polityczna, 1(64). Warszawa.
Rifkin J. 2001. Koniec pracy. Schyłek siły roboczej na świecie i początek ery postrynkowej. Wrocław.
Roblek V., Bach M.P., Meško M., Bertoncelj A. 2013. The impact of social media tovalue added in knowledge-based industries. Kybernetes, 42, 4: 554-568. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/K-01-2013-0014
Sarama M., Chorób R. 2021. Społeczne i ekonomiczne aspekty transformacji cyfrowej w Polsce. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego, Rzeszów.
Stoica V., Ilas A. 2009. Romanian Urban e-Government. Digital Services and Digital Democracy in 165 Cities. Electronic Journal of E-Government, 7(2): 171-182.
Szymańska D., Lewandowska A., Korolko M. 2019. Cyfryzacja w miastach: idea, koncepcje i wdrożenia. Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika, Toruń.
Świątkowska J. 2017. Bezpieczeństwo fundamentem sukcesu czwartej rewolucji przemysłowej. Napędy i Sterowanie, 12: 109-110.
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Piotr Rykała
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.