QUANTIFYING POLYCENTRIC PATTERNS: AN EMPIRICAL APPLICATION ON EMPLOYMENT DATA IM MOLDOVA, ROMANIA

Abstract

Polycentrism has been in the academic limelight ever since it was promoted in European
Spatial Development Perspective as an a-priori view valuable to adopt. The scientific
literature is abundant in studies which approach this concept from both a normative and an
analytical point of view. The latter offers different methods for analysing polycentric patterns
of development of a region. This paper uses elements of spatial econometrics to identify such
patterns in Moldova – the eastern side of Romania. Hence, different indexes of spatial
autocorrelation will statistically describe the spatial pattern of employment in Moldova
revealing its spatial structure (scattered or polycentric) and will then be incorporated in a hot
spot analysis which will point out spatial cluster topologies. The final output can serve as a
starting point for further detailed analysis and in assessing the implications of the identified
spatial structures on decisional level (stakeholders and policy designers).