Transformation of Czech Post-Industrial Cities: Risks, Deindustrialization Effects and Possibilities of Future Development

Transformácia českých postindustriálnych miest: riziká, deindustrializačné efekty a možnosti budúceho rozvoja

Kateřina Důbravová

In: Geografické informácie (Geographical Information), Ročník (Volume) 28, Číslo (Issue) 1, 2024, p. 52-66, ISSN 1337-9453

DOI: 10.17846/GI.2024.28.1.52-66

Abstract

This paper aims at understanding changes in industrial employment in the Czech Republic and discovering whether these changes have caused problems in the development of Czech cities which used to be highly industrialized in the past. The first goal will be achieved by analysing statistical data on industrial employment in the Czech Republic and showing an example of the economic base of the city of Ostrava. For the second part of research, the method of semi-structured interviews with city authority representatives was chosen to provide information on the contemporary challenges that Czech cities have faced in relation to economic transformation. The results demonstrate that the economic base of the model city and employment in industrial sectors have changed dramatically since 1987. The biggest problems that cities have had are connected with attracting new employers and being given little support for their development goals by other authorities.

Keywords: economic transformation, post-industrial cities, city development, industrial employment, deindustrialization

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