COMPETITIVENESS OF THE ECONOMY AND THE SITUATION IN THE LABOR MARKET - ANALYSIS BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF POLISH VOIVODSHIPS DURING THE YEARS 2003-2008

Determination of the influence of the competitiveness of economy on the situation in the voivodship labor markets in Poland during the years 2003-2008 was the goal of the work. In this paper, in addition to the theoretical part attempting at presenting the influence of competitiveness on the situation in the labor market we also undertake an attempt at statistical-econometric verification of the influence of the competitiveness level on the situation in the voivodship labor markets. The analyses conducted indicate that the competitiveness level influences the situation in the voivodship labor markets positively during the analyzed period. The voivodships representing the highest competitiveness levels (i.e. Lower Silesian, Silesian and Mazowieckie voivodships) were characterized by the lower average unemployment rate levels and higher average employment rate indicator levels as compared to the voivodships with the lowest level of competitiveness (that group includes Podkarpackie, Swietokrzyskie and Podlaskie voivodships). In the voivodships where the competitiveness level increased the most during the period covered the situation in the labor market (measured by the unemployment rate and employment rate) improved more significantly than in the voivodships in which the level of competitiveness decreased the most. Econometric analyses also confirmed the positive influence of the improvement in the competitiveness level on the situation in the voivodship labor markets.