The Role of Industrial Enterprises in the Development of the Knowledge-Based Economy

This paper proposes a model approach of contemporary conditions related to a knowledge-based economy (KBE) of the development of industrial enterprises and fundamental implications of their functioning for the formation of this type of economy, in respect of the geographical space. As a result, the article aims to determine the impact of socio-economic, cultural and natural conditions associated to the KBE on the functioning of industrial enterprises, and on the other hand, to determine to what extent these companies affect the development of the individual elements of geographical space, which are components of KBE. Proposal of the model is shown in the background analysis of the essential features of KBE and available data of Eurostat and Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS) on Poland's position in the European innovation space. Finally, the paper attempts to identify to what extent empirical verification of the proposed model was carried out or whether it is possible to do so during further research. The conducted study has shown that there is a need of empirical verification of some of the model elements, which can be an interesting new field of research in industrial geography.