Development of Employment in Less Favoured Areas in 2002-2006

More than 30% of the population lives in less favoured areas in the Czech Republic. These areas are characterized by a number of limitations such as shorter growing season, lower average annual temperature, the worse traffic conditions, higher environmental protection and others. Sustainable development of these areas depends not only on development of agriculture in these areas that is well supported, but also on the development of other sectors of the economy. An important element of development of these areas is a sufficient number of job opportunities. An analysis of employment in the years 2002-2006 was performed to investigate this. The method shift-share analysis was used. The analysis revealed that the total change of employment in the LFA was influenced mainly by a positive development of the regional component in the most important sectors. In the non LFA, the decrease of a number of workers due to the industry-mix component (mainly transport and trade) was intensified by unfavourable values of the regional component. Dealing with the situation of the employment in industry, trade and transport is the key matter.