Kaimo vietovių konkurencingumą lemiantys veiksniai

Abstract

It is the totality of the unique factors that determines the competitive position of the region in the global economic space in the epoch of knowledge- based economy. The resources of the Jurbarkas district pilot areas were analysed as the main factor of formation of competitive ability of the rural areas, be­cau­se only when u sed effective­ly they can add value that strengthens the competitive advantage in comparison to other are­as. The competitive advantages consist of everything that provides the area with distinctness. The main factors of competitive advantages are resources, ability, and expertise. The main factors that influence competitiveness of the rural areas are: resources (economic structure, innovative activity, u se­fulness of area, skills of local workfor­ce, natural resources, decision- making centres, social structure, culture in area) and competence (research and technological development, SME development, agriculture, forest and food industry development, infrastructure and human capital, institutions and social capital). Regarding maintaining of the competitive advantage it is important to assess the most suitable alternatives. Competitiveness of rural areas is the capability of the area to produ­ce such goods and services that are in demand on regional, national markets and, at the same time, ensure a stable and high level of incomes for the local population. The productivity of regional labor de­pends on se­ve­ral factors (taking into account the specific nature of the local business environment) that also have an impact on the level of employment. The combination of the two indicators – economic productivity and the level of employment – actually represents the region’s competitiveness that is the main component of the effi­cient development of the region and of the growth of the local population’s well-being. The formation of local competitive advantages is cau­sed by two groups of factors: traditional and unique. The first group encompasses the entirety of traditional production factors that determine the level of labor productivity, while the second includes the communicative capital, creative capital, and cultural capital.