Open Access Article SciPap-852
Absorption Capacity of Structural Funds (2007-2013): Typology of Czech Microregions
by Oldřich Hájek 1,*, Jiří Novosák 2, Peter Horváth 3 iD icon and Jana Novosáková 4

1 Faculty of Management and Economics, Department of Management and Marketing, Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Mostní 5139, Zlín 760 01, Czechia

2 Faculty of Management and Economics, Department of Management and Marketing, Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Mostní 5139, Zlín 760 01, Czechia

3 Faculty of Social Science, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Bucianska 4/1, Trnava 91701, Slovakia

4 Faculty of Social Science, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Bucianska 4/1, Trnava 91701, Slovakia

* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Abstract: The intent of this paper was to suggest a typology of Czech microregions based on the demand side of their structural funds (SF) absorption capacity in the programming period 2007-2013. Moreover, the demand side of SF absorption capacity of the so called microregions with concentrated state support was evaluated. Concerning the first intent of this paper, seven clusters of microregions were defined, using a new approach based on the following theoretically substantiated variables for operationalizing the demand side of SF absorption capacity – the number of project applications submitted for financing by SF, the amount of SF requested for one project application, and the share of project applications supported by SF. The relevance of these clusters was shown by the associations between their absorption capacity on the demand side and relative SF allocation. Concerning the second intent of this paper, it was shown that the so called microregions with concentrated state support are less likely to have high absorption capacity on the demand side compared with their not supported counterparts.

Keywords: Czech Republic, Cluster Analysis, Absorption Capacity, Structural Funds

JEL classification:   O18 - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis • Housing • Infrastructure,   O22 - Project Analysis,   R12 - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity,   R58 - Regional Development Planning and Policy

SciPap 2017, 25(1), 852

Received: 1 January 2017 / Accepted: 20 March 2017 / Published: 12 April 2017