Flagships of economic development of Debrecen: characteristics of industrial parks in the city

Abstract

Industrial parks have played a very important role in the development of the Hungarian economy in recent decades. Thanks to the commitment of local authorities, their number has increased significantly. The study aims to identify the characteristics of industrial parks and their position in the local economy, in this case in the Hungarian city of Debrecen, Hungary.

Different types of information sources were used. On the basis of documents on local economic development after the change of the political system, the most important features of objects listed under “industrial parks” approved by the Hungarian state and the enterprises located there were examined. The data collected in this way were compared with official data from various databases.

The most important research results can be summarised as follows. The objects found have been an important component of local economic development strategies since the early 1990s. In most cases, the city authorities regarded them as flagships of the local economy and therefore aimed for a continuous further development of their investment. This includes the gradual expansion of dedicated zones, the development of the infrastructure required for the settlement of companies and, more recently, the improvement of their increasingly important accessibility.

Industrial parks vary widely in terms of origin, ownership and functioning. Both brown- and green-field developments can be found in the city, although real growth potential (e.g. the expansion of its area) can only be seen in green-field zones. Among the owners/operators are both non-profit and for-profit companies, and in one industrial park, the companies owning sites locally are also the owners ofthe industrial park’s operating company. The economic structure is characterised by wholesale and retail trade, transport and warehousing alongside manufacturing.

The companies operating in the industrial parks constitute an important basis for the local economy, in terms of both their number and the number of employees (this applies in particular to the larger companies). The recent location decisions by investors indicate that industrial parks will continue to play an important economic role in the future.