Spatial Economic Relationships of Competitiveness in Agriculture

Szálteleki, Péter – Pupos, Tibor

Keywords: competition, competitiveness, spatial economic, economic effects, Q18, R12, R13

The notions of competition, competitiveness and the scientific history of associated economic theories are well-researched areas. However, there is a shortage of consensus and clarity on the specifics of the interpretation of such concepts, the responses to some key questions, and how to measure competitiveness.
Clarity is lacking even more when it comes to competitiveness in agriculture. This is largely because the specific nature of agricultural production can in many cases alter or override the rules of generic economic modelling. Inquiries into agricultural competitiveness cannot any longer ignore the context defined and explored by regional sciences, such as the social and economic structures of the countryside. Agricultural production uses and depends on natural resources that are often limited and constantly changing in their attributes, including their significance to competitiveness.
This study examines whether the comparative advantages of a certain location of the agricultural production translate to substantial economic effects; how spatial economic relationships between agricultural firms affect the competitiveness of the produce and the firms as well ; and whether the bearings of spatial economics in agriculture carry relevance to the dialogue about competitiveness.

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