Usage of uniqueness of the regions as economic advantage: a new tool to increase regional economic resilience

Abstract

This paper ainis at analyzing uniqueness of the regioną as a tool to increase regionai cconomic resilience and economic advantage. Econonruc and sočiai challengcs within the EU member statės influenco a necessity to find new tools to ensurc regionai prosperity and economic advantages of the region by using existing cultural, natūrai, human and other resources that are important for regionai economic development. Unique features of the region can be usod as a tool to increase regionai economic growth. The uniqueness index methodology was developed for the assessment of the cultural uniqueness as economic advantage of the region. The results revealed that regionai uniquuness index can be used for Identification of typologies of the regions uvjthin a country that can serve as a basis for creation regionai support strategy that can be applied by various governmental institutions. This analysis has been conducted at the national levcl. From a policy perspective, recommendations for the regionai policy to define important insights for the next programming period 2014-2020 in the EU can be applied.