Spa(tia) – a diffusion-oriented method of territorial impact assessment

In this paper we consider the options for policymakers in performing territorial impact assessment (TIA) of various policies. Hybrid methods combining stakeholder involvement with systematic statistical analysis are a good compromise between the analytical capabilities of the tool and the required time and resources needed to use it. However, the existing hybrid methods focus on the direct effects of the intervention, while neglecting the territorial diffusion of the policy outcomes. To address this gap, we propose a new method, which uses a spatial proximity matrix to incorporate diffusion effects into TIA. We discuss an example application of the new method for the ex-ante evaluation of the ‘European Funds for Western Pomerania’ programme.