You can manage bookmarks using lists, please log in to your user account for this.
Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Symmetry or asymmetry? Cross-border openness of service providers in Polish-Czech and Polish-German border towns
Contributor:
Dołzbłasz, Sylwia
Published:
Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2015
Published in:
Moravian Geographical Reports, 23 (2015) 1, Seite 2-12
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1515/mgr-2015-0001
ISSN:
1210-8812
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>The symmetry and/or asymmetry in terms of cross-border openness of service providers is examined in this article, for the cases of two border twin towns: Cieszyn/Český Těšín at the Polish-Czech border, and Gubin/Guben at the Polish-German border. To assess the level of openness of firms towards clients from the other side of the border, four trans-border categories were examined: neighbour’s language visible at store location; business offers in the language of the neighbour; the possibilities of payment in the neighbour’s currency; and the staff’s knowledge of the language. This enabled a comparison of both parts of the particular twin towns in relation to the character of cross-border openness, as well as an assessment of their symmetry/asymmetry. Comparisons of Gubin/Guben and Cieszyn/Český Těšín with respect to the analysed features were also carried out. The analysis shows significant variation in the level of cross-border openness towards clients from neighbouring countries. Whereas in the Polish-Czech town a relative symmetry was observed, in the Polish-German case, significant asymmetry was noted.</jats:p>