Poland on the Path towards Sustainable Development—A Multidimensional Comparative Analysis of the Socio-Economic Development of Polish Regions

ABSTRACT

The aim of the paper is to conduct research and present the results of a taxonomic analysis assessing the 2019 and 2020 implementations of socio-economic sustainability goals in the Lubuskie Province as compared with other Polish regions. To this end, a multidimensional comparative analysis was performed to determine the level of socio-economic development of the Lubuskie Province and then benchmark it against other regions in the context of sustainable development. The research was based on independent indicators developed with the use of linear ordering methods and accounting for aspects of socio-economic development such as the economic potential, innovation of the economy, sustainable production patterns, demographic changes, job market, and social integration. Synthetic measures were developed with the use of the proposed partial indicators (independent variables), which, according to the authors, best illustrate the socio-economic development and sustainability at the regional level. The regions were then grouped by level of economic development, and the groupings were assessed for their performance. The research shows that in 2020, compared to 2019, the overall level of economic development deteriorated in all Polish regions, but the pandemic has so far had significantly less impact on the social area.