Evaluation of smart economy development in the RIGA planning region (LATVIA)
Latvia University of Agriculture, 2 Liela Str., LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
*Correspondence: azenaligita@gmail.com
Abstract:
Aim of the study: to evaluate the indicators of smart economy development and the interaction with other indicators for the Riga planning region.
Methods: analysis of documentation and statistical data, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method.
To evaluate the potential development of smart economy in the Riga planning region (henceforth – RPR), it is important to understand the present situation in the region, its specificity, and role in the context of provisional future trends. Two approaches have been employed in the present study to evaluate the situation on a regional level. One includes the collection and comparison of the basic economic development indicators, whereas AHP method has been used in the second approach, where 5 experts expressed their opinion on the options of potential development of smart specialisation in the RPR.
RPR as a capital city region is pronouncedly monocentric, with Riga city as its socioeconomic core that develops a wide network of functional ties, and creates a home for the part of the society that works in Riga, but lives in the adjacent suburban territories – Pieriga.
Traditionally the basic indicators of development include only the demographic and economic indicators. Sometimes these results are not objective, do not describe the potential for development, but clearly show the inequal social and economic situation in the region. To characterise the economic development in the RPR, we will include the economic profile data, statistical data and expert opinions on the population, regional government, state and EU influence on the development of the Pieriga region smart specialisation.
Key words:
development of smart economy, smart specialisation