polycentric development assessment using thehierarchy method

The concept „monocentric” describes inhabited agglomeration with one dominantcentre.Latvia is a monocentric settlement withastrong main centre–Riga, whichhas a great specific weight in total economic system. At the same time Latvia hasawide, comparatively evenly distributed net of cities, the potential of which hasnot been properly used.The development of regions is unbalanced; the advantagesof administrative territories are not used. Existent model of territorialdevelopment for Latvianregions cannot ensure sufficient financial resources,investment formation and dynamic pace of economic development.For thepurpose of the European Union policy the settlement is polycentric,if there areseveral centres of equivalent value or centres, which supplement each other.Programs of polycentric development are included in program documents of theEuropean Union; since joining the European Union these documents aremandatory also for Latvia.The aim of the research is to identify alternatives ofterritorial development inLatvian regions.Within the framework of the research the expert questionnaireisperformed, the results of which are being evaluated with the methodology of theAnalytic Hierarchy Process.Achieved results can be used when making decisionwhich of the territorial development alternatives needs to be developed first inorder to achieve the set aim–sustainable development.