REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN MANUFACTURING

The article aims at regional differences in the efficiency of the use of human work in small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing. The analysis was focused on differences in high technology and low technology SMEs in regions of the Czech Republic. Regional disparities were assessed using measure of variability. An analysis of 1,068 enterprises showed greater variability between regions in labour productivity of high technology enterprises than in low technology enterprises but these regional disparities significantly decreased over the monitored period. The level of labour productivity in high technology enterprises declined (except for 3 regions) as a result of an inadequate growth in personal costs. Also, for low technology enterprises in almost all regions, there was a decline in labour productivity and the corresponding steady state. High wage growth in the regions can lead to higher regional disparities in labour productivity, and the risk of losing competitiveness for businesses in the future.