Recent Researches in Business Administration, Product Design and Marketing

Growth Pole Ploiesti - - tool for regional development

ADRIAN NEDELCU Economy and Business Administration Department -Gas University of Ploiești Ploiești, No 39, Avenue, 100680, [email protected]

Abstract: - Spatial planning has experienced profound changes in recent decades marked by abandonment of interventionist policies and orientation towards development models that give a significant role to the regional level of spatial planning. In this context, the region is seen as an important source of comparative advantages, but also as a basic scale for economic development. The essence of this increase in the role of the regional level is expressed by the new regionalism, whereby one region can hold its own path of development. Despite these positive developments of the regions, the fact that local and regional development remains strongly correlated with events occurring nationally or internationally cannot be ignored. In this framework, the relations between the region and the central powers, the state or it’s mode of integration into the global system remain important structural forces. Regional development is mainly aimed at the harmonious development of the territory of a region from an economic, social and cultural point of view, by avoiding the negative effects of excessive urbanization process. In the context of regional development on a matrix of sustainable development the city of Ploiești is regarded as the coordinating centre for the settlements in the immediate vicinity and used as a tool to achieve the goal of regional development, namely a territorial, balanced development of the regions. This paper tries to highlight the city of Ploiesti as the engine of the regional sustainable development through spatial diffusion of growth impulses to the area of influence in terms of protecting the environment and boosting development processes in small towns and adjacent rural areas.

Key-Words: - regional development, sustainable development, growth pole, metropolitan area, urban development pole, industrial park.

1 Introduction result of the increase of third sector in the Regional development is one of the major concerns economy). On the other hand, rational territorial of the European Union since its establishment, when distribution of industry, infrastructure and labor will the signing of the Treaty on interstate economic help reduce the negative effects of overcrowding, a integration in 1957 in Roma stipulated the following phenomenon faced by most prosperous regions. objective for regional policy: "to strengthen the The following fundamental principles stand at unity of national economies and to ensure the basis of the regional development policy in the harmonious development by reducing disparities European Union: between different regions and especially to support - the principle of concentration, principle that the most disadvantaged regions." prevents waste and dispersion of resources on too Regional development policy of the European many goals, the allocated funding focusing on Union, which is based on financial solidarity, that common goals; allows third of the EU budget to be directed towards - the principle of coherence, whereby a specific the most disadvantaged regions, is in fact the project for a specific sector should be based on a "engine" that makes possible the development of all comprehensive long-term strategy, good correlation regions and crystallization of a more cohesive with other projects, and should come under the economic union, competitive and balanced. general development plan; This major interest is based on economic - the principle of subsidiarity, a principle that places grounds, meaning that the development of less responsibility closer to the concrete reality; favoured regions will polarize preferentially the - partnership principle, followed throughout the input of trade, creating new markets for both capital process of regional sustainability and development, goods and consumer goods and services (as the acknowledges the role of local actors responsible in defining their needs and mobilizing resources;

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according to this principle, the involvement and profile of the growth pole was achieved by using the participation of stakeholders at all levels (local, descriptive method. regional, national and EU) in all phases of attraction 3 Regional development policy in and exploitation of the Structural Funds are urgently needed, as a guarantee of efficiency of resource Romania At EU level, the strategy of growth centres is allocation; emerging in the early 60s, due to the need of - the principle of additionality, whereby financial deglomeration of highly urbanized regions in order resources are allocated additionally to resources to reduce the gaps that are more obvious and with from national, regional or local authorities; serious consequences, both at interregional and - the principle of co-financing requires that projects intraregional level. It is based on the growth pole and programs for regional development should have concept, established by Francois Perroux and widely an involvement and participation (co-financing) of elaborated by Jacques-Raoul Boudeville and José both local and regional factors, as well as factors of Ramón Lasuén, according to whom growth poles EU; are cities with a number of features that out pass the - the principle of evaluation works by continuous average of the region and in which growth processes assessment (conducted throughout project are triggered [1]. Thus, the polarization on sectors, implementation to distinguish whether the project occurred due to the onset of growth processes, also objectives are operational, and the programs are has the implicitly effect of spatial or regional carried out, in order to be able to intervene in time if polarization, proof being the spatial development needed), and by final evaluation (to what extent the trend of growth poles of the first generation on the project objectives have been achieved and to what axes of development occurred along the major lines extent they can be pursued through subsequent of transportation [5]. programs). In the context of sustainable development, The major objectives of the European Union Romania is currently facing a big challenge of for the period 2007-2013 are related to achieving rethinking and reorganization the regional social, economic and territorial cohesion and development and urban systems [2]. ensuring economic competitiveness. For the In Romania, each of the eight development commissioning of these objectives it was regions includes, on a territorial level, at least one recommended and it is still recommended that funds city with over 200,000 inhabitants, with an should be concentrated in growth poles to ensure the important contribution to regional development. In polycentric development of Member States and order to implement the national strategy for increase their ability to compete internationally. polycentric urban development and its connection to

European Union policy, one year after Romania’s 2 Methodology integration, in 2008, seven major cities have been This study seeks to highlight the city's role in designated as centers of growth poles. These regional sustainable development, representing a correspond to concentrations of industries with development pole that allows a better balancing of higher dynamic (Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, the economic, social and cultural development, by Ploiești, Constanța, Iași, Craiova - one in each spatial diffusion of growth impulses towards areas development region). Through their ability to induce of influence in terms of protecting the environment. sustained economic growth, creating jobs, boosting In terms of methodology, the study is the result productivity, irradiation of development processes of the analysis of various bibliographic sources. in small towns as well as rural adjacent areas, poles Qualitative methods, case study, observation of growth have important involvement and method, exploratory research, document analysis, multiplication effects on the regional economy [1]. consultation of bibliographic sources, of relevant legislation were used. 3.1 Growth Pole - instrument of the regional In order to obtain data on the concept of growth pole and the polycentric development process, the development policy in Romania exploratory method was used. In this respect the The period that has elapsed since the fall of main documents, publications that have made communism (1989) but also the endeavours to reference to regional sustainable development connecting to the European system of values (2004, through growth poles have been analyzed. 2007) have demonstrated the need for adopting Presentation of the natural and demo-economic sustainable regional development policies. A challenge that Romania is facing, at present, binds to rethinking and reorganizing regional development

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and urban systems in the context of sustainable The geographical position, the size of the development [2]. population, but also the poly-functional structure In this context, growth pole, the new territorial ensures the urban coordinator centre Ploiești with structure comprises two main components: an urban those prerequisites necessary to develop centre or urban centre coordinator (generator of interdependent relations with adjacent area (Fig. 2). regional economic development) and the adjacent Accordingly, we can adopt the hypothesis according area (metropolitan area) that consists of townships to which district polarization has the implicitly with which, according to size, functional profile and effect of polarization of the metropolitan area, quality of the transport infrastructure, can have reflected in the flows of matter, energy and relations of reciprocity, interdependency and information that are targeted on the one hand from subordinate relationships are lost gradually in favour the urban coordinator centre towards the of cooperation, partnership. surrounding area, and on the other side from the Along with the 7 poles of growth 13 other urban surrounding area to the urban centre [3]. Depending centres have been identified as drivers of regional on the distance from the city, the particular development (Arad, Baia Mare, Bacău, Brăila, characteristics of the city and its surrounding area, Galaţi, Deva, Oradea, Piteşti, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Satu these streams have lower or higher intensities older Mare, Sibiu, Suceava și Târgu-Mureș) as poles of and are more or less complex. The criteria that led to urban development. the establishment of the Growth Pole Ploiești- Prahova, as national growth pole were the 3.2 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova following: The Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is part of South - high level of economic and social development region, where the forms the and the considerable potential to attract investors; natural border with Bulgaria, offering the possibility - placement in close proximity to European and of having links with the 8 riparian countries and also national transport networks, which provides access to the Black Sea in Constanta Port - the most connection with other European urban poles (of the important port in the Black Sea Basin and the fourth three Pan-European corridors crossing Romania two largest in Europe through the Danube-Black Sea are of great interest to growth pole, where the channel. The South Muntenia region covers an area Corridor IV: Berlin - Prague – Budapest – Brașov – of 34.489 square kilometres (third largest in Bucharest – Constanța – Thessaloniki - Istanbul and Romania) and has a population of 3,379,406 Corridor IX: Helsinki - St. Petersburg – Moscow – inhabitants (the second largest population, after the Kiev – Chisinau – Bucharest - Alexandroupolis North-East Development Region). inter-cross), easy access being a competitive The Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is located in advantage, an engine of economic development the southwest of Prahova County and with respect to (favourable positioning on the E60 road and DN1 administrative-territorial aspects, it comprises an road, the artery considered to have the most intense urban centre (Ploieşti – 1st rank municipality) and its traffic in Romania, especially in the segment of area of influence where there are 3 integrated towns Bucharest-Ploiești-Brasov, where annual traffic (Băicoi, Boldești-Scăieni and ) and 10 rural varies between 6,000,000 and 10,000,000 vehicle municipalities (, , Dumbrăvești, passages(fig. 1). Păulești, Berceni, Valea Călugărească, Bărcănești, , Ariceștii Rahtivani, Târgșoru Vechi), that comprise of 58 villages, 10 of which function as townships, with an average of 5.8 villages per township (Fig. 1). The total area of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is 61,165 ha, of which 5,828 ha is the administrative area of Ploiești, and 55,337 ha located within the urban pole, occupying 1.8% of South Muntenia Development Region, is 12.97% of the total area of Prahova County. The Growth Pole has a population of 351 108 inhabitants, representing approximately 10.77% of the population of the South-Muntenia Development Region and respectively 43.19% of the total ș population of the county Prahova. Fig. 1 The position of the Growth Pole Ploie ti- Prahova

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relatively high overall slope (7.5 ‰), old riverbeds abandoned, plus several knobs (mounds), scattered throughout its area. Piedmont plain consists of Quaternary sedimentary formations (sands, gravels and clays) similar to the deposits from Frătești where maximum thickness of 60 m and the presence of basal clay layer is favouring the presence of large reserves of good quality groundwater which provide the units located in the industrial polygon Ploiești Vest (Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company and Interbrew Romania). The northern sector of the analyzed area includes two rows of Carpathian hills (Mălăeşti Hill with maximum altitude of 533 m) which are separated by the depression corridor Mislea-Podeni Depression (partially administrated by the Dumbrăveşti township). External Carpathian hills correspond to anticlinal structures (Ţintea hills with 403 m and Găgeni hills with 337 m and Bucovelului Hills with Fig. 2 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova within the 406 m). Prahova county The area of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is in a temperate-continental climate (the average - strong research-development and innovation annual temperature 10⁰C-10.5ºC, an average capacity (the Petrol-Gaze University of Ploiești-the maximum in July between 21⁰ and 22⁰C and an most important higher education institution in its average minimum in January ranged from -2.5⁰C to field, the Research and Development Institute for -3⁰C; precipitation varies between recorded values Viticulture and Winemaking in Valea Călugărească, of 590 mm / year (in the south, in Românești) and National Institute for Research and Development of 750 mm / year (in the north); the main winds are the Oil Equipment in Ploiești); ones coming from the northeast (15.8%) and N (13, - experience gained as regional centre (former 3%). The local föehn –type wind, hot and dry, residence of Ploiești region) and traditional relations forming in the southern slopes of Prahova with neighboring cities (Buzău, Brașov, Târgoviște). Subcarpathians under the influence of the western and north-western atmospheric circulation, gives 3.2.1 Natural and human potential of the gentle character to winters, increase in the number Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova of sunny days, the average temperature higher than The Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is a relatively normal, which represents a competitive advantage compact geographical area that includes the for the vine crops in Dealu Mare vineyard (one of localities in the vicinity of its main urban center: in the largest and most renowned in the country). Due to the peculiarities of the relief, climate and the north the localities Băicoi, Boldești-Scăieni, soil, the vegetation present all around the growth Plopeni, Blejoi, Bucov, Dumbrăvești și Păulești; in pole has a number of local features given by the the East the localities Berceni and Valea forest area with the presence of quercines and the ș Călugărească; in the south the townships Bărcăne ti higher hills have forests of oak (Quercus petraea). ș and Brazi, and in the west the localities Arice tii Fauna, which is in recourse, is typical for the forest Rahtivani and Târgșoru Vechi. steppe zone and oak forests (rodents, fox, wolf, Ploiești municipality, residence of Prahova deer, wild boar, quail, partridge etc.). county, located at an altitude of 165 m, is set in In the metropolitan area the soils that we can Ploieștilor Plain in the area between the rivers find are the ones from the clay-alluvial class and Prahova on the west and on the East. To reddish-brown-clay soils, successfully used for the northwest, the plain raises to the Carpathian hills cereals, vegetables, industrial crops, fodder crops, reaching the localities Florești and Băicoi (altitude vine and tree crops (Valea Călugărească vineyard, of 350 m) and to the southeast it descends to 120 m apple and pear in the orchards in Băicoi). (south of Românești locality). Ploiești Plain has a

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Some elements of the geobotanic or forest The trend of decreasing number of population, domain are also of particular scientific value: the registered at the level of the main urban centre of protected area of Plopeni Forest- recently declared the South-Muntenia manifests itself within the as part of the European Ecological Network Nature metropolitan area, but at slightly lower values. For 2000, with an area of 91 ha, with the relief features the urban area, the lowest rates were registered at of high plain (279 m altitude) from the continental Boldești-Scăieni (2,3%), and for the rural area the biogeographically region; the Păuleşti Nature highest demographic growth from 1992 (8%) have Reserve, a protected area of national interest (40 been known by the Ariceștii Rahtivani and Târgșoru ha), secular oaks near the Ghighiu monastery. Vechi townships. The range of underground resources is limited to Due to the natural movement population and its exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons (oil migration, the average density in Prahova county is and gas in areas Băicoi-Țintea, Boldești-Scăieni) decreasing, from 185.4 loc/km2 in 1992 at 176 construction materials (clays for ceramics, quarry loc/km2 in 2002 and 174 loc/km2 in 2008 [6]. The stone). Significant reserves of salt, lower coal, most densely inhabited area is represented by limestone, sandstone, gypsum, mineral waters in the Ploiești municipality, the urban centre of the growth can be found in the vicinity of the metropolitan area. pole, with a density of 3950 loc/km2 in 2008, The evolution of demographic indices such as the decreasing from 2004, when the average density number and density of population, territorial was 3990 loc/km2. Regarding the population distribution, the structure of the population by sex, density, at the growth pole level, there are recording age, place of residence or socio-economic structure, significant differences between rural and urban area, highlights the demographic configuration of the between higher hilly areas with higher degree of Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, much changed since forest coverage and those located along the valley 1992 mainly due to the transformation of the corridors or axes of movement. The highest values political, economic system and social life, but also of population density meet on the axis formed by the the mentality of the population. villages of Valea Călugărescă-Bucov-Ploiești- Declining birth rate in the Ploiești municipality Păulești-Băicoi. Population dynamics is determined and the increased mortality and emigration, led the by the combination of two major demographic stable population on a downward trend, decreasing phenomena: the natural movement of population during 1992-2002 by 20,263 people. Subsequently, (imposed at its turn by the variation in time of some due to the increase of living and education indicators such as birth rate, mortality, natural standards, reform of the health sector, decreasing increase) and territorial mobility of the population. trend has been reduced, so that between 2002 and 2008, decrease in population was only of 1,812 persons. Table 2 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova - population on localities 1 July 2008 Locality Administrative Unit Population Masculine Feminine Ploiești Municipality of I 230.640 grade 108.429 122.211 Băicoi City 19.669 9.574 10.095 Boldești-Scăieni City 11.327 5.547 5.780 Plopeni City 9.623 4.729 4.894 Ariceștii Rahtivani Township 8.284 4.130 4.154 Bărcănești Township 9.478 4.598 4.880 Berceni Township 6.100 3.061 3.039 Blejoi Township 8.1.51 3.945 4.206 Brazi Township 8.354 4.091 4.263 Bucov Township 10.788 5.258 5.530 Dumbrăvești Township 3.732 1.853 1.879 Păulești Township 5.260 2.532 2.728 Târgșoru Vechi Township 9.182 4.638 4.544 Valea Călugărească Township 10.520 5.095 5.425 TOTAL 351.108 167.480 183.628 Source: INS, DJS Prahova

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Natural increase, at the level of the year 2008, population, the occupied one and the number of presented negative values: -2.5‰ (birth rate 9.2‰, employees, as well as the activity rates and the mortality 11.7‰) and follows the same European occupancy of population is reflected in the increase trend, reckoned to be a critical condition and a in economic dependency rate, amplifying the dangerous imbalance element for the growth pole existing imbalances between active and inactive components [6]. sector of the population, with exercising high In terms of the structure by age group, young pressures on the social security system (table 3). population (14.2% in 2008) is exceeded by the Economic processes developed over the past five elderly population (16.0%), the adult population decades (including the accelerated and exaggerated exceeds 2/3 (69.8%). The aging population trend is development of the industry, forced eloquent both at the level of South-Muntenia cooperativization of agriculture or the social ones- Region, as well at the national level or at European development and increasing the number of cities, Union level. For the next decade, from the attracting a large number of peasants towards urban equilibrium variant forecasts there is a more environment etc.) have produced extensive pronounced decrease of the segment of population disturbance at the level of local rural communities destined for professional education (age 15-24 related to: years) and a relative strengthening of the adult - the trend of depopulation of rural localities (in population with the age of 35-55 years old, which 80% of the number of townships, the population has requires a higher pressure on continuous training of been declining over the past 25 years); adults [7]. The aging of the workforce is another - demographic ageing is much more evident in rural trend that is manifested at the growth pole level, areas than in the urban one (share of the population which will have an impact on the economic over the age of 60 years is two times higher than development in the metropolitan area. The that in urban areas, where the share is 11,6%); population of Ploiești municipality represents 55.3% - the aging labour resources (52% of the active of the total urban population of Prahova county and population has the age higher than 40 years, 17.3% of the total urban population of the South- compared to 40% in urban areas); Muntenia Development Region. Urban population - the lack of a diversified palette of jobs and of the growth pole stands at 271.259 inhabitants, prevalence of specific agricultural activities in over representing a share of 77.3% of total population 75% din townships; [6]. Continuous decline in recent years, of the active - the low level of rural localities utilities;

Table 3 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova – active population and unemployment (2008) Requital Unrequital Unempl Active Locality unemployment unemployment TOTAL Women oyment Population TOTAL Women TOTAL Women Rate Ploiești 158.015 1.141 724 603 286 1.744 1.010 1,1 Băicoi 13.106 162 75 55 24 217 99 1,7 Boldești- 7.435 82 47 92 47 174 94 2,3 Scăieni Plopeni 7.397 246 98 38 20 284 118 3,8 Ariceștii 5.046 35 14 50 26 85 40 1,7 Rahtivani Bărcănești 5.866 55 32 49 24 104 56 1,8 Berceni 3.743 26 11 12 5 38 16 1,0 Blejoi 5.130 48 27 18 10 66 37 1,3 Brazi 5.098 52 30 46 19 98 49 1,9 Bucov 6.843 32 23 37 16 69 39 1,0 Dumbrăvești 2.300 50 17 45 10 95 27 4,1 Păulești 3.265 34 13 25 8 59 21 1,8 Târgșoru 5.379 47 23 38 18 85 41 1,6 Vechi Valea 6.544 36 19 44 28 80 47 1,2 Călugărească TOTAL 235.167 2.046 1.153 1.152 541 3.198 1.694 1,4 Source: INS, DJS Prahova

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- the building low rate of individual houses in rural the other two in Ariceștii Rahtivani- where is the localities compared to that of urban area; largest industrial and logistic private park in South- - poor quality of road transport infrastructure; East Europe with an area of 225 hectares. - social-cultural services of inadequate quality, both Along with the industrial sector, the field of in terms of materials and equipment as to ensure the constructions as known a significant development qualified personnel. or (thanks to the real-estate boom in 2005-2008, The most important component of the active through the emergence of residential population is formed by the occupied population, neighbourhoods in the vicinity of the city of the producer of goods and necessary services for the Ploiești, at Păulești or Bucov), services (commerce, existence of local communities, an important factor favoured by the presence of generous spaces outside in economic development. The demand for labour the road band, near highway A3 or even in the city on the labour market, expressed by the occupied limits, through supporting industrial platforms population, is determined by the phenomena UPETROM in the South and FLACĂRA in the development and specific processes of the economic East, and revitalized by the presence of large chains system as well as by the demographic phenomena of hyper and supermarkets with an active presence complexity which underline the exercised pressures in Europe - Metro, Praktiker, Bricostore, Baumax, of labour demand. Decathlon, Selgros, OBI, Real, Kaufland, Billa, Lidl, ); tourism and transport domains. 3.2.2 The economic potential Location of shopping centres in balance (North- The industrial profile of the Growth Pole Ploiești - South and West-East) and close to major road Prahova is largely based on the branches of oil arteries facilitate the access of population form other domain, respectively oil processing, the construction cities (Băicoi, Boldești-Scăieni, Plopeni) or of machinery and equipment, research and design. townships (Ariceștii Rahtivani, Păulești, Blejoi, To these are added other sectors of the industry Bucov) components of growth pole Ploiești- where are valued both the resource materials Prahova. potential, as well as that of the human resources in The development of transports essential the metropolitan area. In this context we can condition in regional and urban planning was mention: the production of heat and electricity to the conditioned by the geographical position of the Brazi (where the first thermal power station operates growth pole of economic corridor Bucharest- since , built by OMV Petrom with Brașov. This evolution of the communication and financing from the EBRD and IEB, equipped with a transports are both a strong territorial expansion of gas turbine with a full cycle of 860 MW installed the urbanization process as well as an internal factor power, able to supply around 8-9% of electricity of development, facilitating the organization of production of the country) and Ploiești, the metallic urban and rural area, to ensure the fluent traffic of construction and chemical equipment, the people and goods. production of electrical and electronic equipment, The agricultural sector benefits from arable and chemical industry, wood and wood products, textiles agriculture lands with fertile soils, suitable for a industry and textile products, food and beverage diverse range of crops: cereals, vegetables for industry (Halewood Wine Cellars, Coca Cola grains, oil plants, vegetables in field crops or solar Hellenic Bottling Company and Interbrew Romania, systems (in the vegetable band - Bucov, Ariceștii all in Ploiești). Industrial complex profile of Rahtivani, Târgșoru Vechi, Bărcănești), plus wine Ploiești, considered to be the "engine" of the and fruit trees-production, concentrated in Băicoi metropolitan area, is strengthened by the presence of (apple plantations), and in Dealu Mare vineyard some foreign investors who have settled here the (also known as the "Homeland of the red wines") operational centre from Romania, such as: Unilever with vineyard centre at Valea Călugărească. South Central Europe, Timken Romania, Petrotel- The vine-growing domain represents an Lukoil, British American Tobacco. important component of economic development, Within the growth pole operates the 6 industrial especially after the year 2004, with the launching by parks from the 10 existing parks at the county level, the Prahova County Council of the "Wine Road" all aimed at creating the necessary infrastructure and project. The project, performed with the aim to necessary utilities to attract domestic and foreign harness vini-viticultural tradition of the area in the investment, creating jobs and promoting sustainable context of sustainable tourism (by wine tourism, regional development. Four of the six industrial rural tourism or cultural tourism), reedits a segment parks are located in the rural area, two at Brazi and of an older wine road, used by the Romans, which

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was crossing the entire Europe, reuniting in this unemployment, etc. (Plopeni, Ariceștii Rahtivani). context, a number of localities in the metropolitan In figure 3 are shown on the main factors of the area: Băicoi, Boldești- Scăieni, Bucov, Pleașa and location of economic activities at the level of Valea Călugărească (with an old wine cellar since Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, factors characterised 1777, renovated and incorporated into the tourist by an uneven territorial distribution, both circuit). Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova represents by quantitatively and qualitatively. It is noted that the its geographical position, its natural frame but also development is determined by two categories of through the socio-economic characteristics one of factors: factors of external and internal development the sites with a great capacity to support the [1]. economic growth of Prahova county and South- In the category of internal factors act two Muntenia Region. subgroups of factors, i.e. strength factors, where there are included the labour force (the factor closely related to space and the most variable from 4 Growth pole Ploiești-Prahova-form the geographic point of view), capital (indispensable factor for harnessing natural resources and from the of cooperation for regional sustainable metropolitan area and whose territorial distribution development influence the jobs offer, functional profile of Between 2001 and 2008, Romania has recorded an settlements, types of relationships between average economic growth of 6.3%, one of the settlements and their characteristics), technological greatest economic growths in the European Union. factor (crucial factor of change and economic Despite this increase, in Romania, the effects of the development due to the major effects of the increase crisis have been felt much more powerful than in the in labour productivity, in shaping the new economic rest of the EU, a fact explained by unsustainable spaces) and natural resources (natural factors or growth pattern pre crisis. Moreover, the crisis has physical-geography can make significant differences shown just these vulnerable elements of this model in the development process), easily quantifiable of pre-crisis economic growth from Romania, model factors through the advantages/disadvantages of the that had to be changed in order to ensure an costs involved and the weak factors category of economic growth not only healthy but also regional development. sustainable on a medium and long term. In these This last category is represented a number of circumstances, the strategic planning of the poles of complementary factors, such as: regional structure growth has become one of the key problems of (urbanization degree, spatial agglomeration degree, sustainable regional development and the density population, density of constructions, polycentric development may be one of the established relations with the other regions), remedies for systemic approach to territorial economic structure, infrastructure (density of development [1]. communication ways and their level of This theory of growth and regional development development), political system (regional policy, the permits, at the same time, on the one hand, the level of local taxes, subsidies and facilities provided balanced development of the metropolitan area of by the State), the social system (quality of life, Ploiești-Prahova, and, on the other hand, the education branch, medical service, the social attenuation of the present imbalances within and climate)the cultural system (cultural services, the around polarizing urban centre (Ploiești), precisely presence of universities and research laboratories), through the infusion of economic activities in the ecological system. industrial parks, located in areas of cities and towns affected by the phenomena of depopulation, ageing,

Internal factors of development External factors of development Strength Factors Weak Factors ● regional structure ● production factors migration ● economic structure ● labour force ● flow of goods, services and information ● infrastructure ● capital ● regional policy of the State and other ● political system ● technology institutions ● social system ● natural resources ● general business environment ● cultural system ● ecological system Fig. 3 Regional development factors Source: Benedek József, 2004

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From the external factors of development, factors of migration are remarked: migration of mobile development factors (labour, capital, technology), the flow of goods, services, regional policy of the State, general business environment. Major role in attracting foreign capital and investments have the six industrial operational parks of the growth pole, where operates more than 100 economic agents. The parks are also stimulated by the general European policy guidelines in becoming "innovation poles", bringing together universities, research institutes, large and small companies, other productive organizations / service providers, fact which involves a close cooperation between public or Fig. 4 General view of DIBO Industrial Park – Brazi private academic environment and the business sector, contributing to local and regional integration, reducing the differences between centre and periphery [6]. The vision development for 2025 horizon must take into consideration the major partnership role of Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova in the consolidation of a comparative advantage, provided by its strategic geographic position given by the location between two Pan-European corridors TEN-IV and TEN-IX, in the vicinity of the largest airport of the country (Otopeni-Henri Coandă International

Airport), as well as in multiplication of competitive Fig. 5 View from the DIBO Industrial Park – Brazi advantages by increasing location factors for residents, business and academic environment.

5 Conclusion Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, through its geographical position in the contact zone of Ploieştilor Plain with Curvature Subcarpathians plays an important role in outlining an axis of economic development at national level, consisting of the urban systems in Constanța, Bucharest, Ploiești, Brașov, Cluj-Napoca and Oradea. Built on an impressive industrial tradition and based on a set Fig. 6 Ploiesti West Park Aricestii Rahtivani the of favourable circumstances, the growth pole has largest industrial and logistic private park in South- registered from its setting the steady economic East Europe with an area of 225 hectares growth, superior to the national average, managing to attract a high volume of foreign investment, Strategies of functional and ecological oriented to the various economic sectors. restructuring of the metropolitan area must take into The establishment of industrial parks and attracting account the following objectives: birth-rate foreign investments outlined in the main area of recovery, reducing the mortality and increasing the growth pole a main area with a more sustained average duration of life, improving the health status development (Ploiești-Blejoi-Bucov), to which are of the population, increasing the adaptability of the added two complementary areas-one with a great labour force in regional competition, improve the potential for formed by the (Ariceștii Rahtivani- quality and efficiency of public service provision, Târgșoru Vechi-Brazi-Bărcănești) townships and increasing the attractiveness of rural areas and another with the agro-industrial functions (Valea diversification of the rural economy, increasing the Călugărească, Berceni, Păulești). amount of green space per each inhabitant according

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to the European rules (30 to 40 sqm/place)the [2] Cucu Vasile, City´s geography, Cultural decoupling of economic growth from environmental Foundation Publishing House „Dimitrie degradation by reversing the report between the Bolintineanu“, Bucharest, 2001, p. 148. resource consumption and the creation of added [3] Ianoș Ioan, Heller Wilfried, Space, economy value and the proximity of the performance indices and settlement systems, Technical Publishing of EU regarding the sustainability of consumption House, Bucharest, 2007. and production. [4] Marin Ion, Marin Marian, Europe-Regional Geography, University Publishing House, Bucharest, 2005, p.167-168. References: [5] *** The Direction of Prahova statistics [1] Benedek József, Regional planning and [6] *** Integrated development plan of Growth regional development, Publishing House Pole Ploiești-Prahova, CJ Prahova, 2nd Part, Clujeană University Press, Cluj-Napoca, 2004. June 2009, p. 98-102.

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