Adam R . Szromek | Silesian University of Technology (original) (raw)
Papers by Adam R . Szromek
Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity
The global events of the third decade of the 21st century prove that the specter of humanitarian ... more The global events of the third decade of the 21st century prove that the specter of humanitarian problems caused by health and military crises is real, and even very probable. Contemporary tourist entities, however, are not doomed only to a destructive reaction, but can also assume a significant social role for humanitarian aid. The aim of this article is to assess the changes taking place in the business models of spa services companies in the context of crisis situations caused by organizational changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in 2018 and 2020, based on in-depth interviews as part of the generic contingency principle (GCP) methodology. In the course of the research, it was found that business models are not a frequently used management tool in spa enterprises. Based on the findings, a business model for spa businesses was created, followed by a more sustainable version, that can be shared in the form of open innovation. Due to the outbreak of the COVI...
Zeszyty Naukowe. Organizacja i Zarządzanie / Politechnika Śląska, 2018
Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way tourism activities are conducted. R... more The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way tourism activities are conducted. Restrictions on moving from place to place have likely limited the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus but have also led to economic crisis in many countries around the world. In this article, we assessed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the activities of cultural heritage tourism sites in Europe. Scientific research was carried out in industrial heritage tourism sites associated with the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). Analysis of the literature and the results of our own research indicated a strong impact of the pandemic on the examined sites, expressed in the limitation of the operating time of the sites, a decrease in the number of tourists attended to, and a decrease in revenues. No significant reduction in employment was noticed. These sites were not generally used in preventive actions during the health crisis. Only some managers took an active part in supporting emerg...
Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 2022
Cities, in particular those of historical value, are popular destinations for mass tourism. The u... more Cities, in particular those of historical value, are popular destinations for mass tourism. The urban space is often the main cause of conflicts, at the heart of which lie conflicting interests, attitudes and needs relating to the way this space is utilized. The aim of the research described in this article is to identify the intensity of conflicts between residents, tourists and the tourism sector. The research was conducted in 2020. The statistical analysis of the obtained data included questionnaires from 386 respondents. Analysis was conducted of the conflicts that arose among tourism sector players, who were classified into groupstourist entrepreneurs, residents, and local authorities. Respondents often indicated conflict arising between tourists and residents, and between tourist sector entrepreneurs and residents. In the opinion of respondents, conflicts were the result of result of varying structures in the hierarchy of values and of differences in attitudes towards the city.
The article describes the local environment and natural treatments available in Żegiestów-Zdrój, ... more The article describes the local environment and natural treatments available in Żegiestów-Zdrój, a small spa resort in the Carpathian mountains. Analysis of the development of the spa resort was conducted using R.W. Butler’s tourism area life cycle model (TALC). The analysis showed that the life cycle of Żegiestów-Zdrój is characterised by unpredictable changes, and that the life cycle 180 Z. Kruczek, A.R. Szromek process is difficult to foresee, as shown by the sporadic unstable changes that have taken place. Chaos theory is better able to explain the resort’s development, as this employs non-linear mapping of events. Supplementing the life cycle analysis with chaos theory allowed for a better description of the development of Żegiestów-Zdrój. The conclusion presents the opportunities for the revival of the resort and the beginning of a new cycle in its development. The theories described may also be used for the interpretation and forecasting of changes in other spa resorts.
Sustainability, 2019
This article discusses the need to expand the concept of the value proposition, in order that thi... more This article discusses the need to expand the concept of the value proposition, in order that this business model component includes the value for a customer, the value captured by the enterprise, and the value for the community, as well as benefits for the natural environment. The objective of the article is to identify sustainable development components that have been proposed for tourist enterprises in the research literature. The article proposes actions to complement existing tourist enterprises business models in order to give them the characteristics of a sustainable business model and to implement practices of value creation for the community. The research notes that the value captured by an enterprise determines the level of implementation of its economic objectives resulting from the value creation for the customer and implementation of social objectives (including pro-ecologic ones). The revenues of an enterprise depend, first of all, on meeting the expectations of the cu...
Tourism Recreation Research, 2021
Urban space is often the cause of disputes. The underlying causes of these disputes are conflicti... more Urban space is often the cause of disputes. The underlying causes of these disputes are conflicting interests, attitudes and needs regarding the way it is used. Among the various functions performe...
Health and Primary Care, 2018
Sustainability, 2020
This paper aimed to present a model of natural environment management in national parks in Poland... more This paper aimed to present a model of natural environment management in national parks in Poland in the context of increased tourist traffic. The research area comprised Polish national parks as they are characterized by barely altered nature, little human impact, and undisturbed natural phenomena. The methods involved the observational method, literature analysis and criticism, and the in-depth interview method employed in November 2019. The respondents included national park management staff. The questions were prepared in accordance with the Berlin Declaration principles of sustainable tourism development and were extended with the authors’ own items. The questionnaire contained 17 questions, grouped in four parts: science and documentation; tourism; cooperation and education; environmental threats. The results indicate that in order for actions to prove efficient in a park, a conservation plan should be carefully developed. Its correctness requires monitoring the state of the e...
Sustainability, 2020
This article presents considerations on business models, overtourism, and sustainable development... more This article presents considerations on business models, overtourism, and sustainable development on an example of the most important Polish tourist destination, which is Krakow. The purpose of the article is to identify the values generated and captured by tourist enterprises in the context of the occurrence of a specific level of overtourism. The authors have attempted to identify the values of sustainable tourism declared by entrepreneurs, referring to the companies providing services as well as tourists and the local community. The research, conducted on a sample of 518 respondents including 371 residents and 147 entrepreneurs, not only allowed us to determine the attitudes of Krakow inhabitants toward the phenomenon of overtourism related to the Doxey model of irritation, but also to assess the impact of having/using a business model based on the acceptance of principles in sustainable tourism development. A comparison of the results obtained between enterprises declaring havin...
Ekonomiczne Problemy Turystyki, 2018
Background. The basic background of the conducted research was the need to modernize business mod... more Background. The basic background of the conducted research was the need to modernize business models of spa enterprises. In many cases the lack of formalized business model can be noticed, while in some areas there are attempts to describe it. Yet, this is often a deceptive activity, forced by hurried introduction of market conditions into health resorts enterprises and an attempt to fit into difficult economic situation. Health resorts sector is still characterized by business models dependent on other entities creating their market system. Research aim. The main aim of the article is the analysis of literature in the field of business modeling and business models classification, referring to the needs of spa enterprises. Methodology. The basic methodology of the conducted research was critical analysis of literature. Key findings. Business models used in health resort facilities need to be redefined in terms of components and business architecture, especially in terms of the occurring processes and relations, as the social changes, and with them the services reorganization in this sector, constitute the necessity to introduce changes to the health resort business model. Modern health resort business model should be targeted towards the market dependency of B2C (Business-to-Customer) type, creating especially value for the customer. Modern health resort enterprise business model should take into account changes in the health resort product structure and its components.
Sustainability, 2019
The aim of this article was to identify features and attributes of tourist facilities that affect... more The aim of this article was to identify features and attributes of tourist facilities that affect trust among them and allows estimating the level of trust among any given site on a touristic route. The level of trust can be a key feature that affects the capability of tourist facilities to create and enter complex relations. It is also crucial for planning their future and sustainability. Therefore, measuring trust between tourist facilities plays a major role in the management of inter-organizational relations. The authors used statistical methods in order to identify features that influence the level of inter-organizational trust between these kinds of facilities. The analyzed data comes from research that was conducted in 2017 and describes 42 tourist facilities that operate within the Industrial Monuments Route (IMR)—a Polish route in the region of Silesia. A strong linear correlation was found between variables that described efficiency of communication and trust level. The Cl...
Sustainability, 2019
Literature on the trends of health tourism development has proven that it is becoming one of the ... more Literature on the trends of health tourism development has proven that it is becoming one of the most important tourism activities. With the growing popularity of this form of tourism, the structure of the needs of tourists and spa patients is simultaneously changing. This article presents the results of self-research carried out in Polish spa resorts based on a sample of 753 patients and spa tourists. The purpose of the research carried out was the development of a value proposition for the client of a spa enterprise as an element of a business model. At the same time, this paper points to the need to base spa activity on the values of sustainable development through key spa resources in the form of a therapeutic climate and natural raw materials applied in spa therapy. The key values for patients and spa tourists are the improvement of health with natural therapeutic resources, recreation in a place with a healing climate, achieving the effect of the treatment, the development of ...
Sustainability, 2019
The aim of the paper was to create a configuration model of an inter-organizational network for p... more The aim of the paper was to create a configuration model of an inter-organizational network for post-industrial tourist organizations. Nowadays, establishing organized and structured cooperation is necessary not only from a single organization’s perspective, which fights for survival on a highly competitive market, but also from the perspective of a whole touristic region. The quality and social responsibility of a regional touristic product is determined not by a single organization, but by their collective outcome. The main goal was achieved by the analysis of tourist sites, their function within the Industrial Monuments Route (IMR) in Poland, as a case for the conducted study. The authors used trust level indicators as determinants for designating inter-organizational relations in the wrought network model. Those relations concern various forms of cooperation that the researched organizations have selected during a structured interview and were willing to undertake under given co...
Sustainability, 2019
This article expands on knowledge about modeling tourism business. The basic scientific problem o... more This article expands on knowledge about modeling tourism business. The basic scientific problem of the conducted research was the need to modernize the way of doing business in spa tourism enterprises by popularizing the business model and to provide an indication of the elements of the business model that should be grounded in the principles of sustainable spa development. The aim of the article is to present the results of our own research carried out in Polish spa enterprises in 2018. The key scientific issue was to examine the range of use of the business model templates in the management of tourism-treatment activities carried out in spas. Discussing the research results was preceded by a review of the literature on business models and the characteristics of activities carried out by spa tourism enterprises. The conducted research used qualitative methods, especially in-depth interviews, conducted with managers of the largest enterprises of spa tourism in Poland. Quantitative r...
Frontiers in public health, 2018
In Poland, following the example of other EU countries, the first maps of health needs prepared b... more In Poland, following the example of other EU countries, the first maps of health needs prepared by the Ministry of Health were presented in 2016. The maps constitute a foundation for rational decision-making in the management of health care resources, being potentially useful for all actors in health system. This refers in particular to the institutions responsible for distribution of funds and contracting health service, but also for decision-makers, who determine the scope of funds to be utilized in the health system, or the structure of benefits provided to patients. Service providers are also addressees of the maps, to give them a basis for planning future activities. The article presents a structured assessment of the current state of affairs, based on recent experience and sets out likely directions for the development of health needs in mapping in Poland in the future. We discuss the criticism addressed toward maps by representatives of various groups acting in health care. I...
Frontiers in public health, 2018
The effectiveness of health systems is an area of constant interest for public health researchers... more The effectiveness of health systems is an area of constant interest for public health researchers and practitioners. The varied approach to effectiveness itself has resulted in numerous methodological proposals related to its measurement. The limitations of the currently used methods lead to a constant search for better tools for the assessment of health systems. This article shows the possibilities of using the health system synthetic outcome measure (SOM) for this purpose. It is an original tool using 41 indicators referring to the epidemiological situation, health behaviors, and factors related to the health-care system, which allows a relatively quick and easy assessment of the health system in terms of its effectiveness. Construction of the measure of health system functioning in such a way allowed its presentation in dynamic perspective, i.e., assessing not only the health system itself in a given moment of time but also changes in the value of the effectiveness measures. In o...
European Journal of Public Health, 2014
Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity
The global events of the third decade of the 21st century prove that the specter of humanitarian ... more The global events of the third decade of the 21st century prove that the specter of humanitarian problems caused by health and military crises is real, and even very probable. Contemporary tourist entities, however, are not doomed only to a destructive reaction, but can also assume a significant social role for humanitarian aid. The aim of this article is to assess the changes taking place in the business models of spa services companies in the context of crisis situations caused by organizational changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in 2018 and 2020, based on in-depth interviews as part of the generic contingency principle (GCP) methodology. In the course of the research, it was found that business models are not a frequently used management tool in spa enterprises. Based on the findings, a business model for spa businesses was created, followed by a more sustainable version, that can be shared in the form of open innovation. Due to the outbreak of the COVI...
Zeszyty Naukowe. Organizacja i Zarządzanie / Politechnika Śląska, 2018
Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way tourism activities are conducted. R... more The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way tourism activities are conducted. Restrictions on moving from place to place have likely limited the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus but have also led to economic crisis in many countries around the world. In this article, we assessed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the activities of cultural heritage tourism sites in Europe. Scientific research was carried out in industrial heritage tourism sites associated with the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). Analysis of the literature and the results of our own research indicated a strong impact of the pandemic on the examined sites, expressed in the limitation of the operating time of the sites, a decrease in the number of tourists attended to, and a decrease in revenues. No significant reduction in employment was noticed. These sites were not generally used in preventive actions during the health crisis. Only some managers took an active part in supporting emerg...
Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 2022
Cities, in particular those of historical value, are popular destinations for mass tourism. The u... more Cities, in particular those of historical value, are popular destinations for mass tourism. The urban space is often the main cause of conflicts, at the heart of which lie conflicting interests, attitudes and needs relating to the way this space is utilized. The aim of the research described in this article is to identify the intensity of conflicts between residents, tourists and the tourism sector. The research was conducted in 2020. The statistical analysis of the obtained data included questionnaires from 386 respondents. Analysis was conducted of the conflicts that arose among tourism sector players, who were classified into groupstourist entrepreneurs, residents, and local authorities. Respondents often indicated conflict arising between tourists and residents, and between tourist sector entrepreneurs and residents. In the opinion of respondents, conflicts were the result of result of varying structures in the hierarchy of values and of differences in attitudes towards the city.
The article describes the local environment and natural treatments available in Żegiestów-Zdrój, ... more The article describes the local environment and natural treatments available in Żegiestów-Zdrój, a small spa resort in the Carpathian mountains. Analysis of the development of the spa resort was conducted using R.W. Butler’s tourism area life cycle model (TALC). The analysis showed that the life cycle of Żegiestów-Zdrój is characterised by unpredictable changes, and that the life cycle 180 Z. Kruczek, A.R. Szromek process is difficult to foresee, as shown by the sporadic unstable changes that have taken place. Chaos theory is better able to explain the resort’s development, as this employs non-linear mapping of events. Supplementing the life cycle analysis with chaos theory allowed for a better description of the development of Żegiestów-Zdrój. The conclusion presents the opportunities for the revival of the resort and the beginning of a new cycle in its development. The theories described may also be used for the interpretation and forecasting of changes in other spa resorts.
Sustainability, 2019
This article discusses the need to expand the concept of the value proposition, in order that thi... more This article discusses the need to expand the concept of the value proposition, in order that this business model component includes the value for a customer, the value captured by the enterprise, and the value for the community, as well as benefits for the natural environment. The objective of the article is to identify sustainable development components that have been proposed for tourist enterprises in the research literature. The article proposes actions to complement existing tourist enterprises business models in order to give them the characteristics of a sustainable business model and to implement practices of value creation for the community. The research notes that the value captured by an enterprise determines the level of implementation of its economic objectives resulting from the value creation for the customer and implementation of social objectives (including pro-ecologic ones). The revenues of an enterprise depend, first of all, on meeting the expectations of the cu...
Tourism Recreation Research, 2021
Urban space is often the cause of disputes. The underlying causes of these disputes are conflicti... more Urban space is often the cause of disputes. The underlying causes of these disputes are conflicting interests, attitudes and needs regarding the way it is used. Among the various functions performe...
Health and Primary Care, 2018
Sustainability, 2020
This paper aimed to present a model of natural environment management in national parks in Poland... more This paper aimed to present a model of natural environment management in national parks in Poland in the context of increased tourist traffic. The research area comprised Polish national parks as they are characterized by barely altered nature, little human impact, and undisturbed natural phenomena. The methods involved the observational method, literature analysis and criticism, and the in-depth interview method employed in November 2019. The respondents included national park management staff. The questions were prepared in accordance with the Berlin Declaration principles of sustainable tourism development and were extended with the authors’ own items. The questionnaire contained 17 questions, grouped in four parts: science and documentation; tourism; cooperation and education; environmental threats. The results indicate that in order for actions to prove efficient in a park, a conservation plan should be carefully developed. Its correctness requires monitoring the state of the e...
Sustainability, 2020
This article presents considerations on business models, overtourism, and sustainable development... more This article presents considerations on business models, overtourism, and sustainable development on an example of the most important Polish tourist destination, which is Krakow. The purpose of the article is to identify the values generated and captured by tourist enterprises in the context of the occurrence of a specific level of overtourism. The authors have attempted to identify the values of sustainable tourism declared by entrepreneurs, referring to the companies providing services as well as tourists and the local community. The research, conducted on a sample of 518 respondents including 371 residents and 147 entrepreneurs, not only allowed us to determine the attitudes of Krakow inhabitants toward the phenomenon of overtourism related to the Doxey model of irritation, but also to assess the impact of having/using a business model based on the acceptance of principles in sustainable tourism development. A comparison of the results obtained between enterprises declaring havin...
Ekonomiczne Problemy Turystyki, 2018
Background. The basic background of the conducted research was the need to modernize business mod... more Background. The basic background of the conducted research was the need to modernize business models of spa enterprises. In many cases the lack of formalized business model can be noticed, while in some areas there are attempts to describe it. Yet, this is often a deceptive activity, forced by hurried introduction of market conditions into health resorts enterprises and an attempt to fit into difficult economic situation. Health resorts sector is still characterized by business models dependent on other entities creating their market system. Research aim. The main aim of the article is the analysis of literature in the field of business modeling and business models classification, referring to the needs of spa enterprises. Methodology. The basic methodology of the conducted research was critical analysis of literature. Key findings. Business models used in health resort facilities need to be redefined in terms of components and business architecture, especially in terms of the occurring processes and relations, as the social changes, and with them the services reorganization in this sector, constitute the necessity to introduce changes to the health resort business model. Modern health resort business model should be targeted towards the market dependency of B2C (Business-to-Customer) type, creating especially value for the customer. Modern health resort enterprise business model should take into account changes in the health resort product structure and its components.
Sustainability, 2019
The aim of this article was to identify features and attributes of tourist facilities that affect... more The aim of this article was to identify features and attributes of tourist facilities that affect trust among them and allows estimating the level of trust among any given site on a touristic route. The level of trust can be a key feature that affects the capability of tourist facilities to create and enter complex relations. It is also crucial for planning their future and sustainability. Therefore, measuring trust between tourist facilities plays a major role in the management of inter-organizational relations. The authors used statistical methods in order to identify features that influence the level of inter-organizational trust between these kinds of facilities. The analyzed data comes from research that was conducted in 2017 and describes 42 tourist facilities that operate within the Industrial Monuments Route (IMR)—a Polish route in the region of Silesia. A strong linear correlation was found between variables that described efficiency of communication and trust level. The Cl...
Sustainability, 2019
Literature on the trends of health tourism development has proven that it is becoming one of the ... more Literature on the trends of health tourism development has proven that it is becoming one of the most important tourism activities. With the growing popularity of this form of tourism, the structure of the needs of tourists and spa patients is simultaneously changing. This article presents the results of self-research carried out in Polish spa resorts based on a sample of 753 patients and spa tourists. The purpose of the research carried out was the development of a value proposition for the client of a spa enterprise as an element of a business model. At the same time, this paper points to the need to base spa activity on the values of sustainable development through key spa resources in the form of a therapeutic climate and natural raw materials applied in spa therapy. The key values for patients and spa tourists are the improvement of health with natural therapeutic resources, recreation in a place with a healing climate, achieving the effect of the treatment, the development of ...
Sustainability, 2019
The aim of the paper was to create a configuration model of an inter-organizational network for p... more The aim of the paper was to create a configuration model of an inter-organizational network for post-industrial tourist organizations. Nowadays, establishing organized and structured cooperation is necessary not only from a single organization’s perspective, which fights for survival on a highly competitive market, but also from the perspective of a whole touristic region. The quality and social responsibility of a regional touristic product is determined not by a single organization, but by their collective outcome. The main goal was achieved by the analysis of tourist sites, their function within the Industrial Monuments Route (IMR) in Poland, as a case for the conducted study. The authors used trust level indicators as determinants for designating inter-organizational relations in the wrought network model. Those relations concern various forms of cooperation that the researched organizations have selected during a structured interview and were willing to undertake under given co...
Sustainability, 2019
This article expands on knowledge about modeling tourism business. The basic scientific problem o... more This article expands on knowledge about modeling tourism business. The basic scientific problem of the conducted research was the need to modernize the way of doing business in spa tourism enterprises by popularizing the business model and to provide an indication of the elements of the business model that should be grounded in the principles of sustainable spa development. The aim of the article is to present the results of our own research carried out in Polish spa enterprises in 2018. The key scientific issue was to examine the range of use of the business model templates in the management of tourism-treatment activities carried out in spas. Discussing the research results was preceded by a review of the literature on business models and the characteristics of activities carried out by spa tourism enterprises. The conducted research used qualitative methods, especially in-depth interviews, conducted with managers of the largest enterprises of spa tourism in Poland. Quantitative r...
Frontiers in public health, 2018
In Poland, following the example of other EU countries, the first maps of health needs prepared b... more In Poland, following the example of other EU countries, the first maps of health needs prepared by the Ministry of Health were presented in 2016. The maps constitute a foundation for rational decision-making in the management of health care resources, being potentially useful for all actors in health system. This refers in particular to the institutions responsible for distribution of funds and contracting health service, but also for decision-makers, who determine the scope of funds to be utilized in the health system, or the structure of benefits provided to patients. Service providers are also addressees of the maps, to give them a basis for planning future activities. The article presents a structured assessment of the current state of affairs, based on recent experience and sets out likely directions for the development of health needs in mapping in Poland in the future. We discuss the criticism addressed toward maps by representatives of various groups acting in health care. I...
Frontiers in public health, 2018
The effectiveness of health systems is an area of constant interest for public health researchers... more The effectiveness of health systems is an area of constant interest for public health researchers and practitioners. The varied approach to effectiveness itself has resulted in numerous methodological proposals related to its measurement. The limitations of the currently used methods lead to a constant search for better tools for the assessment of health systems. This article shows the possibilities of using the health system synthetic outcome measure (SOM) for this purpose. It is an original tool using 41 indicators referring to the epidemiological situation, health behaviors, and factors related to the health-care system, which allows a relatively quick and easy assessment of the health system in terms of its effectiveness. Construction of the measure of health system functioning in such a way allowed its presentation in dynamic perspective, i.e., assessing not only the health system itself in a given moment of time but also changes in the value of the effectiveness measures. In o...
European Journal of Public Health, 2014
Dziennik Rzeczpospolita z dnia 7 sierpnia 2014 r., s. 2. -A. Kalinowska, 120 proc. normy po pobyc... more Dziennik Rzeczpospolita z dnia 7 sierpnia 2014 r., s. 2. -A. Kalinowska, 120 proc. normy po pobycie w sanatorium. Rozmowa dla Rzeczpospolitej.
Dr. Krzysztof Przecławski (1927-2014) was one of the leading Polish tourism researchers and a hig... more Dr. Krzysztof Przecławski (1927-2014) was one of the leading Polish tourism researchers and a highly-respected authority in this field of science. However it was neither wide-ranging scientific research nor outstanding scientific works that distinguished him. He was known as a remarkable scientific character due to the educational nature of his approach, exemplified in his published scientific works. These resulted in him being regarded as an authority and educator, thanks to whom contemporary researchers are now able to think outside the theoretical framework of tourism and develop further aspects of the human sciences.
The aim of this paper is to describe differences in the perception of local governments in Poland... more The aim of this paper is to describe differences in the perception of local
governments in Poland concerning health clusters as tools for the
modernization of the healthcare system, as well as recognition of the scale and forms of direct involvement of local governments in the creation and development of cluster initiatives in health care. The study involved 219 Poviats offices in Poland. We used a CAWI questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using a chi2 statistical test. We observed low degree of participation in clusters and the scale of support provided by the local government in Poland. The reason for that is the distrust and the lack of relevant knowledge among local officials. Moreover, contrary to the specifics of the healthcare market and products offered in the market, local governments treat the cluster initiatives in healthcare exactly the same way as entities in other sectors of the economy are treated. Nonetheless, the occurrence of an identifiable key medical product in a given area slightly increases the tendency of local governments to pursue an active policy to support clusters. Thus, there are reasonable grounds for regarding the medical services as a potential tool to improve the competitiveness of the region.