Overview of Economic Potentials of Slovenian Urban Areas for Defining Key Urban Policies

Abstract

The urban development process has been under intensive economic restructuring, socio-demographic and environmental transformations with technological innovations. Economic activities are geographically located to improve territorial competitiveness of companies as they have important role and possibilities of the economy of scale with cost effective market advantages. In this research the economic development potentials of selected urban areas (69 municipalities) in Slovenia have been defined through key development factors that are also causing the development gap as sources of external economies between selected urban areas. The selection of individual development factors of the economic potential of urban areas is based on the most important economic indicators (28) as initially implemented in the methodology of the ESPON II POLYCE project (2010-2012) Metropolisation & Polycentric Development in Central Europe for defining the potentials of MEGA (Metropolitan European Growth Areas) in Europe. The results of our analysis of economic potential of urban areas in Slovenia has emphasized the role of the capital city of Ljubljana (and functional urban area) with the highest concentration of the above average results followed with two regional urban areas (of national importance, SPRS 2004) – Nova Gorica and Novo mesto. The profiles of individual towns and urban areas are important empirically supported instrument for policy makers and other stakeholders for enhancing territorial competitiveness and cohesion, and strategic recommendations for further key urban policies.

Keywords

• development economic potential
• urban areas
• economies of agglomeration