Some Aspects of Regional Development of Information Society in the Czech Republic

Th e paper starts with the priority goals of the Strategy of regional development for the period of 2007?2013, whereas increasing in competitiveness is supposed to be one of the most important items of regional development. On the grounds of general economic view of use of information and communication technologies (ICT) the proposition that use of ICT is just basic presumption for increasing in competitiveness is being discussed gradually, which is also applicable within regional level. In terms of regional development in the Czech Republic I show the situation of Public Administration and its development, where the ICT are used as well. Th e main part of the paper deals with comparison of NUTS 3 regions of the Czech Republic with respect to three realms: economical development of regions, modernization of Public Administration by means of ICT and information society development in the sphere of households. Th e rate of correlation of mentioned realms is examined by means of chosen indicators in 2006. Both the correlation coeffi cient between the level of electronization of Public Administration and the economical situation of region, and the correlation coeffi cient between the extent of development of information society in the sphere of households and the economical situation of region are approximately 0.65, which shows positive dependency of investigated realms. Th ere is discussed development of chosen indicators in the period of 2003?2006. Th e results are following: ? Prague has a dominant position of all investigated realms. ? Th e correlation between modernization of Public Administration and general regional development is not explicit in the period of 2003?2006, on the other hand if I take into account signifi cant regional projects of development of electronic services of Public Administration, such as Interspis Project in Prague and Virtuos Project in Plzeňský region, I fi nd a positive correlation between mentioned realms. ? Unfavorable situation of modernization of Public Administration need not indicate low economical factors, but in regions, where these economical factors are low, development of public electronic services embodies similar characteristic. ? Th e typology of NUTS 3 regions of the Czech Republic based on our research, which means with respect to our investigated realms, roughly corresponds to the general typology by R. Wokoun.