ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE TREND OF ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE BETWEEN POLISH SUBREGIONSIN YEARS 1995- 2005 (Próba okreslenia tendencji konwergencji gospodarczej polskich podregionów w latach 1995-2005)

This article presents the results of research into the processes of economic convergence in the Polish economy in the years 1995 - 2005. The subregions, which are less than the voivodeship, were analysed. The paper attempts to outline the trend of convergence in time and space. It discusses the basis for: (i) gross value added, (ii) gross value added per capita, (iii) labour productivity. The full sample of 45 subregions was tested statistically, and on this basis, they were divided into three research groups: (a) the full, (b) excluding cities, and (c) minimum (based on 33 subregions). The article presents an analysis of sigma convergence and beta convergence processes. Empirical results indicate that in the years 1995- 2005 the sigma type divergence was noted. In the case of beta type, exclusion of 12 territorial units does not allow for unambiguous conclusions. Spatial analysis, performed with the use of I Moran statistics, indicates a strong interregional-dependencies for the full sample. Other research groups did not con firm the significant spatial interaction among subregions in the 1995 - 2005.period .