The Economic Base of Small County Towns in the Light of Direct Measurements. A Comparative Study of Brodnica and Łask

Stefania Środa-Murawska

The authors essayed to w ork out a comparative evaluation of two county towns of Brodnica and Łask while availing them selves of the concept of the town’s econom c basis. It was found tliat the economic basis of the two examined centers, as measured by means of the size and employment structure is considerable and relatively w ell-differentiated as regards the structure. The examined towns found their existence, in the first pałace, on incomes made from manufacturing and services targeted at the local and regional markets. Incomes obtained from services provided for the direct base also make for a substantial share in the global account. Both centers possess considerable labor reserves at their disposal. The latter are m aintained in the endogenous sector as well as in the form of unemployment. Similar trends were observed in both towns which regained the status of county towns. On the one hand, there is the advancing process of de-industrialization of municipal economy, on the other one -a decrease in the share of materiał services and a rise in the number of non-m aterial ones.