Spatial Diversification of Foreign Capital in Poland in 2013 and 2023 with Particular Consideration of Wielkopolskie Voivodship
Purpose: Foreign capital is one of the key factors influencing the economic development of the region. The aim of this article is to analyse changes in the spatial differentiation of foreign capital in Poland in 2023 with respect to 2013 with the use of Z. Hellwig’s taxonomic index, to present the position of Wielkopolskie Voivodship compared to other voivodships and to identify the factors related to investment attractiveness for Wielkopolskie Voivodship. Design/Methodology/Approach: The survey was based on 12 diagnostic characteristic. On their basis, a synthetic measure developed for the Polish voivodships, which allowed to classify them in terms of the importance of foreign capital for the region’s economy. The position of the Wielkopolskie Voivodship was determined in relation to other regions in Poland and the distance separating it from the model, which turned out to be the Mazowieckie Voivodship. At the end, the values of the most important indicators for foreign capital in Wielkopolskie Voivodship were presented and compared. Findings: Poland is a highly diversified country in terms of the distribution of foreign capital. There is a single voivodship – Mazowieckie with a significant concentration of the number of companies with foreign investors as members, as well as the value of the capital invested by them in those entities. Wielkopolskie Voivodship, along with the Dolnośląskie and Śląskie voivodships, belongs to regions with a key foreign capital significance, however, the distance between them and the Mazowieckie Voivodship in this respect is very high and this has not changed in the years under review. Practical Implications: The results of the research can be a valuable source of information for central and local authorities, which may allow them to identify the factors that most attract foreign investors to a given region and those that discourage them from investing. In the case of regions which scored lower in the survey, such result should serve as an impetus to intensify their efforts to improve their investment attractiveness. The survey may also prove beneficial for foreign investors looking for attractive business locations. Originality/Value: This type of research in Poland was carried out several years ago, but there is a lack of up-to-date analysis in this area using the synthetic indicator, which is its added value.