The book provides a comprehensive approach to the assessment of the nature of exporting
activity combining well-established theoretical reasoning with empirical evidence and also
signalling important economic policy recommendations. It is suitable for a wide range of
recipients ranging from scholars and students to policy-makers or local regional authorities
engaged in the process of designing implementing regional policies. Regional authorities show
more interest in export potential because globalisation makes the regional economies more open
and vulnerable to external economic shocks. The international trade channel has become an
important factor influencing the region's economic performance including dynamics and
volatility of economic growth as well as labour market performance. Due to economic transition
and the accession to the EU Poland's regions have become more open than ever. For regions of
both Poland and Spain (an EU country similar to Poland in terms of size and the number of
administrative units) being part of the EU's internal market with a free circulation of goods
and capital - exerts competitive pressure which can be regarded a stress test showing the
regional adaptive capacity and competitiveness. Apart from the in-depth review of the regional
export activity of Poland and Spain the book also provides similar insights for Canada and
Australia in terms of their regional export performance and trade policy. About authors:
Stanislaw Uminski (PhD) professor at the University of Gdansk Department of International
Economics and Economic Development. Co-founder and vice-president of the Institute of
Development. BI consultant ABSL Poland. Participant and head of research projects on FDI
foreign trade and regional development carried on for instance for European Commission
National Bank of Poland Ministry of Regional Development National Science Centre. Author and
co-author of publications in the fields of FDI competitiveness the foreign trade of regions
and special economic zones. Jaroslaw M. Nazarczuk (PhD) assistant professor at the Faculty of
Economic Sciences of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. Participant of research
projects concerning: operation of special economic zones regional export activity the role of
institutions in firms' location decisions economic development of selected regions evaluation
of regional operational programmes high-tech clusters regional marketing financed from
National Science Centre or carried for regional marshals' offices and other public entities.
Author and co-author of publications on SEZs regional export performance FDI smart
specialisation location determinants public aid effectiveness.
