Discussion Papers 1990. No. 10.
Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary
CENTRE FOR REGIONAL STUDIES
OF HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
DISCUSSION PAPERS
No. 10
Regional Spread of Computer
Technology in Hungary
by
RECHNITZER, Janos
Series editor
HRUBI, Laszlo
Translated by SURANYI, Agnes
P6cs
1990
Discussion Papers 1990. No. 10.
Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary
ISSN 0238-2008
Kiadja a Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia Regionalis Kozpontja
Felel6s kiado: Enyedi Gyorgy
Sorozatszerkeszt6: Hrubt Laszlo
Kesziilt 250 peldanyban. 2 (B/5) fv terjedelemben
Agora nyomda Pecs - 91-545
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Discussion Papers 1990. No. 10.
Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary
CONTENTS
Introduction
P. 5
Regional Differences in Supply with Computers
p. 6
Employment and Organizational System
P. 9
Computerization of Education
p.12
Computerization of Higher Education and Cultural Services
p. 14
Private Sphere
p.17
Summarizing
P. 20
References
P.
22
Tables and Figures
p. 23
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
INTRODUCTION
In starting an analysis of the system of relations and the relationship between
electronization and socio-economic spatial structure two groups of issues emerge.
1/ The first question is how much the spread of electronization — the general
emergence, existence of its entirety and elements — is helped or hindered by the
network of settlements, its structure and determining features. Or in a wider sense:
how the many-sided and multi-level spatial distribution of the society and economy
can contribute to the spread of electronization and also how electronization itself
with its different outward forms affects the spatial differences, their moderation or
even elimination.
2/ In the spatial structure of the society and the economy nodes — centres —
with „own resources" have been formed, exercising thus spatial regional impact. To
what extent are the spatial resource centres supplied with systems of tools of
electronization? Do these centres produce, transmit electronization, or rather they
take part in the comprehensive, quicker spreading of these devices bearing
modernization? Do the regional centres of the economy play a mediating function
in the spread of the different formations of electronics or are these conditions
bearing dynamics and renewal merely concentrated in one centre, in Budapest?
I tried to analyse the relationships of electronization and the spatial socio-
economic structure, at the same time I have to make some reservations to make the
objectives of this paper clear and unambiguous.
I did not deal with all the elements of electronization, their appearance and
way of functioning. I examined only one of them: the spatial spread, appearance
and presence of computers. Unfortunately because of the lack of data I could not
touch upon either the electronization of the production processes /e.g. NC lathes,
robot technology, the spreading of CAD/CAM systems/ or the evaluation of the
regional presence and effects of communicative systems /data transfer, spatial
networks, local TV and information systems/. I did not undertake to give a survey of
the activities outside the production sphere, to discuss the electronization levels of
the population, private persons, entrepreneurs, of the tertiary and quaternary
sectors or their territorial structure.
Thus in the analysis I will touch upon the spreading of the devices of computer
technology, their spatial and temporal structure and the space-forming functions of
their forms of appearance. I am going to demonstrate not only the economy and its
supply but also the possibilities of access to the devices — for their functioning — as
well as their spatial, settlement-network determinants. I shall give an outline of the
supply of the educational system with machines, its composition and changes. At
the same time I am going to deal with the regional characteristics of the degree of
supply of the cultural, educational and extension training sphere with equipment.
At last I am going to make an attempt at showing and outlining the regional
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
characteristics of the possible supply the private sector, the population with
computers by using indirect information
The special literature on electronization and within this on the socio-economic
conditions of computer technology, the number of analyses on the social effects of
computer technology is rather small and limited in Hungary. Within this there is a
total lack of papers in connection with its spatial structure in Hungary but even in
the foreign technical literature their number is small. For this reason I am not in the
position of relying on an existing conceptual, analytic and methodological apparatus
and I had to elaborate it on my own. Consequently my attempts are only
approximations of these series of related phenomena being still in need of further
evaluation and reconsideration.
I was also in a difficult situation with the handling of the statistic data base.
Statistic surveys, mainly data publications presenting computer technology have
been published in Hungary since 1972. In the seventies these surveys were not
annually published, they could merely boast of the inconsistency of spontaneous
temporality. Since the 80's this aperiodicity has been broken and comparable data
bases are published yearly. The Computer Technology Department of the Central
Statistical Office put at my disposal the data series in a deeper breaking down in
addition to the official data publication. In this way I am able to publish
information which demonstrates the supply with equipment and its different
parameters both at the county and settlement levels — relating to one year. /This
data base concerns only the economic units being under official statistical
observation, including state enterprises, co-operatives, publicly financed institutions
and educational units. In the analysis I always indicate the character of the data
base./
I got access to a comprehensive data base in respect of the education as well.
With regard to the supply of this sphere with computers I have a relatively complex
statistical information system at my disposal, therefore — mainly at the county level
— I could point out temporal change and its different implications.
The private sphere caused the greatest difficulties. Here I made use of indirect
information in my paper trying to give an insight into some of the perceptible
relations on this basis. I will try to conclude the regional relations of the supply of
this very important sphere with computers from data concerning the residence of
the members of certain associations and unions as well as form that of the
subscribers to journals on computer technology.
REGIONAL DII'FERENCES IN SUPPLY WITH COMPUTERS
The new technology, development and devices bearing renewal were
concentrated in the large centres in the seventies. From among them the capital
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
played an invariably important role, while the strengthening of the role of the towns
with regional function was still perceptible to some extent and also the draining
impact of the economic concentration of some other settlements. The territorial
allocation of the computers is shown in !Table 11.
78% of the stock of computers was concentrated in Budapest in 1972 and this
ratio decreased only to 72% in 1979. The machine stock of the cities did not change
essentially, that is to say there was no significant computer technology base in the
Hungarian towns with regional function. The county distribution of the machine
stock is hardly of any significance: its increase can be observed only in two counties,
Borsod and Fejer, and even there the existence and operation of the machines are
based partly on the computer technology-related industrial base and partly on a
high percentage of the bases of the extractive and manufacturing industries and
R + D centres.
In the case of the other counties the situation is rather bad, since the stock is
basically concentrated in the county seats and its size settles on the level reached in
the middle of the decade, in brief, the increase is insignificant and minimal.
We have to continue analyses on the merits with the eighties, as the explosion
in the number and regional spread of the computers has produced spectacular and
easily demonstrable restructuring. The main cause of the change fundamentally lies
in the headway of the personal computers /PC's/, their appearance on the market,
their very quick reception and use. In 1982 the computer stock of the country was
only 2665 units, in 1987 already as many as 64983, that is the increase was twenty-
fourfold. /Here and from now on I will analyse the machines recorded by the
official information system, making use of the number as shown there. In this
system the machines used by private enterprises and the units owned — and used —
by the population are not taken into account./
The regional proportions also changed between 1982 and 1987. While in 1982
about two-thirds of computers were concentrated in the capital in the last year of
observation the share of Budapest was only 40%. The provinces nearly doubled
their stock of computers, which is characterized also by the difference in the yearly
rates of growth 'Table 21.
The data illustrating the number and increase of the computers show a gradual
decrease and after 1986 they are significantly reduced. This trend is the most
powerful in the case of the capital. Here presumably the change in the number of
computers has arrived at the starting point of a new phase, while the rise in the
provinces continues with a steadily decreasing rate and intensity. In this case,
however, I may not speak of either classical saturation or the flattening of the
growth curve of the provinces, I may only state that the former expansion rate has
been moderated, consequently the spreading of computers has become even in the
provinces, too.
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
The absolute index of the stock of computers naturally does not give an exact
picture of the spreading of its use and actual role in either the temporal or regional
comparison. It is less suitable for direct regional comparison /e.g. according to
counties/ because the differences in economic structure and the level of
development significantly influence the trend of this index. A somewhat more exact
picture is given if we examine the regional distribution in relation to a standard
projection base. For this purpose I chose the number of the employees of the
individual counties and characterized the degree of supply by the number of
computers per 10,000 employees /Figure 1/.
I broke down the country into 6 regions and investigated the supply of these
regions with computers. Clearly the number of the computers is the highest in
Budapest and also the increase in the level of supply is spectacular excelling the
curves of the other regions. The difference is rather great between the capital and
the other regions, namely in the capital as in the only multi-directional innovation
centre of the country the supply with computers is becoming increasingly
favourable. In principle an ever greater mass of employees get access to computers,
that is an increasingly greater circle of the production and activities get in
connection with this determining means of modernization.
The rest of the country — the other 5 regions — are at about the same level
concerning supply, in fact the trend line is broken only after 1985 with a manifold
differentiation taking place.
Beyond the number of computers the index of the size of the capacities of
computer technology — which can be characterized by the actually available total
performance — also refers to the composition and quality of the stock /Table 3/.
The data of the table illustrate the capacity of computers as recorded in the
individual counties for 1985 and 1988. Between the two points of time the
registered computer capacity of Hungary grew 8.9 times. This was significantly
exceeded by the total increase of the provinces which was 11.1-fold, while in
Budapest the expansion of capacity was below the average /7.4-fold/.
The regional distribution of the capacities fundamentally changed, as the
position of the provinces was improved by about ten percentage points, which can
be accounted for by the steady and comprehensive spreading of computers. The
paces of the capacity expansion of the individual counties are different, which is
indicated by the fact that the two extreme values are a 4-fold and a 22-fold increase
calling attention to differentiation.
The spreading of computers in the provinces /outside Budapest/ has taken
place with relative intensity since the second half of the eighties. Within this,
however, the concentration related to certain settlement functions and settlement
size is very strong as shown by Table 4 and 5.
We can make conclusions to the degree of supply from the distribution of
computer capacity. In this respect the high ratio of Budapest is determining again,
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
the total capacity of computers in the county seats is a little bit more than a half of
it, while the other towns together have a value amounting to about half of that of
the county seats and fmally the villages dispose of about half of the capacity of the
town category. That is to say the capacities have been developed on the basis of a
strongly hierarchical structure.
The hierarchical diffusion of computers adjusted to the role and functions of
the settlements is revealed in their distribution according to the size of the
settlements as well. Besides this the difference of distribution in the number and
capacity of computers also refers to the fact that a symmetrical spatial and
temporal diffusion model prevails. The diffusion of computers reaches the larger
settlements with national and regional functions and greater role first and then the
smaller settlements having local functions, at the same time this delay generally
results in the adoption of qualitatively better /more up-to-date/ computers with
higher capacity.
EMPLOYMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM
The impact of computer technology upon employment cannot be disregarded.
The fact of the matter is that it creates a mass of new places of work that can be
taken into account both directly and indirectly in the institution, factories,
production units and services centres. From the aspect of our topic it is a question
of importance where the workers of computer technology find employment, partly
in which regions, partly in what type of settlement they are concentrated. In this
way it will be possible to point out what impact the spread of this new device —
regarded in several places of this paper as one of the most important vehicles of
innovation — or rather activity has on the division of labour and employment. Or
again, whether the regional distribution of the employees of computer technology is
definitely concentrated in the central settlements being linked to the central
functions or it merely represents a wide-spread service /activity/.
Figure 2 shows the number of employees in the computer technology line
between 1975 and 1987. I divided the total number of employees into three groups
which are separately shown in the figure as well. They are as follows:
—programmers doing organization and management /let us call them software
experts/
— experts of the apparatus serving /and supplying/ the hardware stock /let us
call them hardware-operators/
—other additional staff doing jobs not directly connected with computer
technology /let us call them other employees/.
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
On the basis of the national data, the number of the computer technology
people more than doubled, the more vigorous changes started in the early eighties.
In the case of the groups formed according to the character of activity a similar
pace of development can be registered. From among the two main groups the
number of the employees serving, preparing and managing the hardware stock has
increased somewhat more steeply than that of the experts dealing with
programming management. The number of those indirectly engaged in computer
technology /other employees/ has changed with lesser or greater fluctuation but
steadily.
Let us start the examination of the regional, settlement distribution of the
computer technology people with the analysis of the population census of 1980, as
this was the first time that the number of active wage-earners in these jobs was
made public at the county and town levels in Hungary.
Figure 3 illustrates the regional distribution of the computer people employed
in the regions on the basis of the population census of 1980 on the county average
and according to towns.
The structure shown earlier does not show a significant change, since this is
the year prior to the explosion in computer sciences in Hungary but it is already
obvious that the active wage and salary earners were predominantly concentrated in
the counties considered to be economically developed and the same applies to the
cities with many-sided functions, the regional centres, the organizing and
management centres. In this way computer technology is an urban service
expanding the urban tertiary functions and slowly starting the restructuring of
employment there, although it still does not result in the radical transformation of
the traditional structure.
A more powerful change in computer technology was brought about by the
transformation of the organizational system. The discussion of this together with
employment can be justified by the fact that these new organizational formations
have created job opportunities based on innumerous new ventures, the economic
dependence and relations of which are radically different from the structures
having existed and functioned in the seventies or the early eighties.
In the organizational systems of the seventies the sectoral character and the
traditional form of the centralized large-scale enterprises and large-scale
organizations were predominant. Nearly each sector formed its own — one or more
— mainly organizational, administration-mechanizing enterprises which established
their regional offices in some kind of territorial organization afterwards. These
offices organized the, enterprises belonging to a particular sector of two or more
counties and also served their slowly launched computerization later on. In the
period of large-scale computers the endeavour towards central processing was
prevailing at the sectoral level in the form of jobwork. It is not the task of this paper
to make judgements about the deficiencies and competence — from the professional
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
aspect or otherwise — of these organizations but it cannot be denied that
undoubtedly they played an important transmitting role in the spatial spread of
Hungarian computer culture. A great number of branches and enterprises got to
know computer technology through these organizations, obtaining thus the
foundations for the further expansion and exploring of the possibilities of the
creation of the mechanization conditions.
The explosion in the number of computer organizations was brought about by
the legal rules concerning the new forms of small organizations becoming operative
in 1982. These small organizations are suitable for responding to the market, a
quick switch and adjustment to conceptions, to say nothing of their more flexible
management, more moderate price policy etc. The rapid development of these
organizations started. Their temporal changes and changes in the forms of activity
are illustrated by Table 6.
It can be concluded that the number of the units operating in the „traditional"
form of enterprises and co-operatives is determining, the overwhelming majority of
the employees and the market share is concentrated by them. At the same time on
account of the high number of employees their per capita sales receipts are already
unfavourable. There has been a spectacular rise in the number of so-called „small
enterprises" and „small co-operatives" only during the past few years as a result of
the new regulation and the improvement of interests. On the other hand, the
initially rapidly mushrooming so-called „business partnerships" came to a halt and
a great number of organizations were converted into the forms of small enterprises
and small co-operatives because the income conditions there have become more
advantageous recently.
The number of the people employed in business partnerships is being reduced
and the rate of the per capita sales receipts is also below the total average of the
organizations from year to year. The so-called „business partnerships within the
enterprises", the „specialized industrial co-operative groups" and the
„associations" do not play an important role either in employment or the market
share.
In this way the number of organizations dynamically increased, all this,
however, has not been accompanied by a radical rise of employment level in the
field of computer technology. The traditional form of enterprises and co-operatives
is invariably prevailing but the new small enterprises and small co-operatives
employing only a few people have gained ground, too. After the initial pace the
number of business partnerships did not increase further, nevertheless the number
of their employees was still on the increase.
At present there is no available data base for presenting the regional
distribution of these organizations. It is possible, however, to make an approximate
estimation of the regional structure with the help of the data series of Table 7 which
show the regional distribution of small venture organizations that support technical
innovation. /It should be mentioned that because of classification which is different
1 1
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
from that of the previous table it is not possible to make a direct comparison
between the two tables./
From among the 1570 small businesses 46% is engaged in providing computer
technology and organization services, 45% of which can be found in Budapest.
The role of Budapest capital as an innovation node is also obvious in the case
of the „small organizations", since the information, the market relations and the
production-service-management activities ensuring the demand are concentrated
here. Furthermore precisely on account of the concentration of the intellectual
potential the strata of entrepreneurs ready and able to run new ventures can be
found here.
It is natural that the regional distribution of these organizations is so to say the
mirror image of the regional spread of the computer stock as outlined above. The
machine supply as well as the demand for computer technology services of the
peripherically situated territories is moderate. In the settlement distribution of
these organizations the county-seats play a determining role, in the other cities their
number is significantly lower, while in the villages there are organizations of this
kind only once in a while.
On the whole we can conclude that the number of the employees of computer
technology has dynamically risen during the past ten years. A real breakthrough
was brought about by the establishment of the small organizations when the number
of jobs significantly rose and more flexible, simple organizational forms grew in
number. It is also due to them that the demand is on the increase, computer
technology is becoming a more and more relevant economic factor.
The regional structure of employment and the organizations is characterized
by an overwhelming concentration in Budapest. Besides it the larger regional
centres and the county-seats concentrate the intellectual bases of computer
technology. In the other cities their presence is perceptible but not significant yet,
in the villages the job opportunities and organizational forms are still scarce.
COMPUTERIZATION OF EDUCATION
The diffusion of computers and related knowledge can be made most efficient
in the case of the younger generations. They are not only most responsive to the
new but also represent a large mass of people, therefore the transfer of knowledge
can be rapidly integrated in their daily activities, thus — later — in production and
services. Finally the knowledge passed on in school education may induce further
demand — interest — within the family, the smaller or larger community for
computer technology which may result in the expansion of the market and the
faster reception of the devices and the transformation of the former means of
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Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
communication /entertainment, reception and processing of information etc./. In my
opinion today we cannot realistically assess the impact of computer science yet, its
influence on the active generations of the future but it is certain that the
appearance and application of these devices as widely as possible on the different
levels of education is indispensable.
In the early 80's a countrywide project was launched to provide computers for
the schools. For this purpose budgetary resources were used and local-council and
— with some restriction — institutional funds were mobilized as well. The demand
for computers increased in this way, which naturally had an impact on domestic
production. Computer types complying with the educational needs came into
existence and the institutions were inundated with them. According to the
„Hungarian practice" several elements of this action were criticized: the
performance of the computers, their comparatively primitive character, the degree
of equipping, the way of distribution etc. Unfortunately, the domestic industry —
owing to the monopolistic situation of the manufacturers — did not make use of the
possibilities of the development-generating computerization of schools and it was
unable to develop — despite the high demand — the computer type which might have
led to the establishment of the domestic base of computer science culture through
mass production./
The computerization project of schools was an extremely important step, a
milestone in the domestic spreading of the devices and activities. It had a great
impact on a great number of educational institutions and the computers became
available nearly everywhere. Not only a part of the teachers had to be trained for
coping with the new forms of communication but all the pupils and students had a
chance of coming across this basic device of innovation in real life. The success of
the project is proved by international standards, too. Through intensive
computerization we could catch up with the highly developed countries by the end
of the 80's and the rate of supply reached is laudable in all respects.
Computerization rose powerfully in the primary schools. While in 1986 there
were not any computers in 50% of the schools, by 1987 this rate decreased to
22.6%. There was a spectacular restructuring of the stock of computers with the
percentage of schools having five or even more units having been quadrupled. The
supply of the secondary schools showed a more favourable picture than that of the
primary schools because in this group the number of schools without computers is
relatively low and there are more and more secondary schools /81.6%/ equipped
with five or more units. Finally computers are already available in the vocational
schools, too, in fact the circle of schools with more than one computer is on the
increase /Table 81.
A survey of the regional structure of the stock of computers does represent
spectacular dynamics because while in 1986 in the primary schools there was only
one computer per 252 pupils, by 1988 one computer was at the disposal of 72
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
pupils. The rates of the secondary schools are more favourable, while those of the
vocational schools are near the level of the primary schools.
The differences between the counties are extremely great. There are regions in
which the project embraces all the spheres of education, while in others only
certain types of the educational institutions get support and finally in the third
group the whole project has not gained ground yet /Table 91. The regional structure
of computerization is rather divided. On the one hand, the regional educational
structure and policy differentiated between the institutions, on the other hand, the
regional adaptation and implementation of the central programmes created the
differences between the educational institutions of the individual regions.
Here we have to mention the supply of the settlements with machinery, as this
index gives a relatively balanced picture in the comparison of the county-seats,
towns and villages. The formerly experienced imbalances are somewhat eliminated
and significant, great differences in the distribution of the stock cannot be
observed.
COMPUTERIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND CULTURAL
SERVICES
It is needless to emphasize the importance of the computer supply of higher
education because the equipment available in these institutions serve education as
well as research and development. In the individual types of the institutions the
standards are different because of the character of education and the market
demand of research, thus significant differences can be pointed out in the regional
structure.
Table 10 characterizes the equipment of the higher education institutions
which function in the individual counties. On the whole the degree of supply is
getting more and more favourable. The majority of the traditional university centres
/thus Szeged in Csongrad county, Debrecen in Hajdu-Bihar county, Sopron and Gyro
in Gyor-Sopron county, GOdeill6 in Pest county, Pecs in Baranya county and Miskolc
in Borsod Abauj Zemplen county is in a better position, although there are
-
-
significant differences in their supply.
In addition to them new centres have been established. Kaposvdr in Somogy
county is becoming perceptibly a base of agrarian research or s could mention
Veszprem in Veszprern county as an example of a centre with certain traditions, the
centre of chemical industry and biotechnology, where the degree of supply is fairly
good.
In some counties where non-traditional but in numerous cases non-
independent institutions of higher education are run — perhaps precisely for these
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
reasons as well of non-independence, but — mainly as a consequence of the
specialized character of the educational units the degree of the computer supply is
low. It can be pointed out that, for example, in the counties of Bekes, Szabolcs-
Szatmdr and Szolnok the machine supply of higher education is worse than that of
the secondary schools there, in Heves and Vas counties, however, the institutions of
higher education are very near the mechanization level of secondary schools
institutions. The consequences of this unfortunate situation asserted themselves not
only in the counties in question but in other places, too, and they may give rise to a
complex effect. The secondary school pupils with some knowledge of computer
science may not be able to find the possibility of using and applying it in such
higher institutions — and just because of the rapid and explosion-like development
of the hardware and software — their knowledge will become out-of-date and
obsolete before long. After graduation already they may get employment in well-
equipped institutions, thus the lack of knowledge may impede adaptation or the
application of up-to-date education.
Computerization in the higher education fed on a great number of financial
sources /receipts from contractual work, research and budgetary subsidies,
donation, private etc./ and this has contributed to putting a lot of computer types to
work in the institutions. Just for the sake of illustration: in 1987 251 different types
of computers were registered at the institutions of higher education, 97 kinds of
which could be found only in a single institution! This extraordinary heterogenity
according to computer types has begun to disappear only recently, mainly with the
spread of the distribution of the IBM PC types in Hungary. When the stock of
computers is scrapped, it is generally replaced by this type.
On the whole the computer supply of higher education is gradually increasing,
this increase is perceptible, while it is influenced by the character of the individual
institutions, the size of resources to be obtained or available from the supreme
authority. Therefore the regional structure is not balanced either, the great
differences affect the standards of education, training and research carried out in
the institutions. In a lot of institutions of higher education — mainly in the colleges —
we will have to reckon with the fact that the new students entering there will
possess knowledge of computer science on a higher level than at the time when they
graduate. That is the extending of knowledge concerning this very important device
and activity bearing innovation is not ensured by these institutions, not to speak of
preparation for the application of the obtained knowledge in practice.
In the computer supply of the different branches of culture, general education
and communal entertainment today our falling behind is still extremely great,
consequently the regional distribution gives a very depressing picture. Although
these forms might ensure for the different strata of society — besides work or
education — large-scale accL;s to computers and getting acquainted with this boon
of electronization as well as their preparation for further use. At the same time they
might play a transmitting role in the main activity of particular strata partly through
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
retraining and post-graduate studies, partly through the facilitation of
communication and the acceleration of information.
In Table 11 I am trying to put the scanty Hungarian data base on a standard
projection base. It shows the standards of the computerization of cultural services,
the book stock of libraries and the free-time activities of the young generation and
finally the computer supply of a determining professional stratum, the educators.
On the average 12.2% of the community culture centres had computers, their
number of computers was between 3-4 according to the national average. The
counties with tiny villages attract attention with their bad supply /Baranya, Borsod,
Ndgrad, Zala, Vas/ while in the region of the Great Plain we get more favourable
values, often above the average /Hajdu-Bihar, Csongrad, Szolnok', in the remaining
counties these values vary. A close and unambiguous relationship of a positive
trend cannot be pointed out between the economic potential and the computer
supply of the community centres, as in counties such as Gy6r-Sopron and Veszprem
the equipping is unfavourable /in the former county there were 5, in the latter only
3 computers per community centre on the average/, but again the values in Fejer
county are much higher and hence the access to computers. /Naturally the structure
of settlement network is a very important factor, since in the counties with
comparatively fewer settlements the supply is higher than in the ones with small or
tiny villages. The data base does not orientate us with regard to the whereabouts of
these computers, by all probabilities they are overwhelmingly concentrated in the
towns./
The equipping of the libraries with computers /for the purpose of public
education/ is below criticism, as throughout the country there are nearly half a
million volumes per one computer, which means overloading even in the case of the
most up-to-date machines /not to speak of the real composition of the stock/. In
some counties endeavours towards computerization can be observed IHajdu-Bihar,
Vas, Szolnok/, but the general situation is very bad.
I analysed the access of the young generation to computers in the part on
education and within this in the primary schools. The presentation of the
equipment of the Houses of the Children — taking pupils of the counties of precisely
this age as a projection base — is important both for entertainment, pastime and for
laying the foundations of the completion of education and absorbed activities.
Nationally there is one computer per 91 pupils in the Houses of teh Children. These
are concentrated in the towns of certain counties and basically may have influence
only on some centres or at best on their environs. The dispersion is very great,
therefore it is difficult and not expedient to outline overall, general trends. There is
no doubt about one thing: this data base can give orientation concerning personal
commitment and the standard of concern for the children.
Finally, in this table I am giving an illustration of the computer supply of a
single professional stratum, the educators and within this that of the pedagogical
institutes that support the professional training of the secondary school teachers.
16
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
This data series with a signalling value is also thought-provoking, since how can up-
to-date education be expected if the organs of training, post-graduate education
and professional consultation do not have enough computers — of adequate
standard — and the regional distribution is extremely uneven? This not very
promising situation is worsened by the fact that the overwhelming majority of the
existing computers are types of lower capacity. The high capacity computers able to
provide a wider range of services are rare to find, their occurrence is random, thus
from the large mass of the institutions only a few are able to provide effective
computer technology services.
On the whole the computer equipment of the cultural services, public
education and certain branches of extension training is unfavourable, the
possibilities of access are limited, moreover, they are regionally differentiated. It is
impossible to notice deliberate and planned intervention and development or in the
case of their existence — declaration — any perceptible impact. The neglect of these
spheres and their slow diminution — which is not revealed even in the preservation
of the stock at the current level — may cause enormous damage to the economy.
PRIVATE SPHERE
I have reached the most complex part of this paper. The question itself is
rather simple. How many PC's are privately owned and where are they situated in
the country?
Let us start with the definition of „private sphere". I mean by this concept the
computers used in households by families for games and — perhaps — household
chores as well as the units used by small organizations, private or joint ventures, the
ones that are not taken into account or registered by the official statistical data
collection. It would be essential to explore what proportion of the families in
today's Hungary get close to computers, in how many families such units can be
found and how they are distributed between the different levels of the settlement
network.
It can be assumed that the strata of entrepreneurs and propertied people with
high income buy computers for the households. From among them the
entrepreneurs also make use of this technical device — in an increasing number — in
their everyday work. The computers applied in accounting, filing and solving other
contractors' tasks /planning, designing etc./ increase the safety of the business
decisions and widen the range of the activities in entrepreneurship.
Unfortunately, I could not obtain surveys and information on the
computerization of the population or the households and their regional
distribution. Thus I was compelled to estimate the levels of supply and its possible
spatial distribution on the basis of approximate procedures.
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
The indirect data bases only suggest the computer supply of the population.
The data were processed in a way enabling me to show the character and
distribution of the regional structure between the larger spatial units or between
settlements and to refer with them to the regional units bearing innovation. The
secondary data sources are not suitable for pointing out the degree of equipment
with computers, they can give only orientation about the higher concentrations with
the value of signalling, and also about their spatial distribution or rather their
relationship with the network of settlements.
I am going to start the analysis with describing a professional society. The
Janos Neumann Society of Computer Science was founded in 1970 with the objective
to unite the workers and students of different institutions so as to promote by social
means the development of computer technology as a science, the spread of
applications, the solution of topical issues supporting the spread of the culture of
computer science, the regular information and extension training of experts.
Among these complex objectives it is essential for us that the society is the
professional and scientific scene of the experts whose interests are official and job-
related and of the people interested on the private, individual level. Their
whereabouts also expresses the strength of affinity towards computer technology as
well.
In Table 12 I grouped the members of the society living in county-seats
according to the year of joining. After the initial upswing the number of the
members increased in 1976-80, then significant change was brought about in the
period of 1984-87. The number of the experts officially interested in computer
science increased at an identical pace with the spread of personal computers.
Most of the members can be found in Budapest, then in the regional centres, in
order of importance: Debrecen, Szeged, Pecs and Szekesfehervar. In the other
county-seats the number of the members varies showing at the same time great
dispersion. This can be accounted for by the activity of the organization, the size of
the local computer capacities and all the attracting factors that influence individual
activity and willingness to participate. It is obvious that higher growth in the
number of the members can be put at the time of the period of 1984-87, the circle
of those interested in computer technology not just in general but professionally as
well is on the increase.
Particularly in the private sphere the most widely used type of computers in
Hungary today is the Commodore. The owners of such computers formed the
Commodore Association which is regarded as the other important social-
professional organization of computer science in Hungary today.
The Association is a purposive business venture and advertising activity at the
same time, since the allowances accompanying membership serve both the spread
of the hardware and software stock and close attachment to the product.
18
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 14 shows the regional distribution of the members of the Commodore
Association according to the individual counties and within them according to the
types of settlements. /Here private persons and institutions figure together but in
the latter case individual interests are embodied as well./ It can be seen again that
the activity of the regional centres and large cities is powerful. For Miskolc, Szeged,
Debrecen and maybe Pecs unite most of the members from among the county-seats,
while the second group includes Gy6r, Szekesfehervdr, Veszprem, Kaposvdr, Szolnok,
Kecskemit and Nytregyhdza where interest in computer technology is perceptible. In
addition to these some other centres — where the higher educational and economic
base is significant — make use of the services provided by the Association.
In analysing the private sphere we may not disregard the media of innovation
and their spatial appearance, namely the examination of the subscribers of journals
and periodicals on computer technology. I carried out the analysis of two widely
distributed journals IMikro Magazin, Computer World
Szamittistechnikal and of
-
four pronouncedly professional periodicals lInfomiaci6 Elektronika, Magyar
Elektronika, Hiradastechnika, Mere s ess Automatikal on the basis of the domiciles of
the subscribers and the number of copies subscribed to projected to the number of
the inhabitants.
In Figure 4 I indicated the settlements where the number of the subscribers is
of perceptible magnitude /that is minimum one journal-one subscriber per 1,000
inhabitants/. The towns show the highest values. Some non-urban settlements also
have a significant concentration of subscribers /industrial settlements with low
population/. In the zones of the country that are poor in towns the number of
subscribers is either low or non-existent and it can be observed that basically in the
/commuting/ zones of the town environs quantifiable values also emerge.
The knowledge about computer technology disseminated by the journals is
concentrated in the towns and the attracted settlements of the town environs also
excel in this respect but the journals do not already reach some zones of the
country /regions with tiny villages, depression zones, underdeveloped regions/,
therefore the number of the interested people — and with this the possibilities of
adaption — are limited and strongly determined.
The whole activity of the private sphere in computer technology is basically
concentrated in the large centres and the centres with definite and significant
economic potential /small towns/. We can conclude that the presence of the devices
of computer technology is also significant in the zones of agglomeration and
commuting zones. A lot of settlements of the other zones of the country do not have
access to the application of this innovation-bearing device even through the private
sphere, which is due to the lack of intellectual resources or their unfavourable
composition.
19
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
SUMMARIZING
In Hungary computer technology has penetrated into the various spheres of
life, widely manifesting itself at work and in the working processes but it also crops
up in the homes, families and private life. It is spreading relatively rapidly in many
directions with a trend which is still exponential, nevertheless in certain centres and
activities the first signs of saturation can be already discerned. Computer
technology is communicated by the market mechanisms, competitive organizations
have been formed, a lot of which are well provided with capital and participate
actively in the forming of the market and there are the small flexible intermediary,
organizing and management businesses which stimulate competition and increase
supply.
The market, the devices and services of computer technology are concentrated
in the capital of the country. Budapest today is the only innovation centre of this
activity that can be classically designated. In other words the market processes start
and are concentrated here. This applies to both the large-scale ventures well
provided with capital and the small flexible organizations, that is Budapest is the
centre of the intellectual capacity managing and organizing this market. In the big
cities of the country organization of supply of computer technology is lower by
dimensions, the organizations there are generally local offices, subsidiary companie,
of the organizations of Budapest and less frequently ventures relying on local
resources. Nevertheless, more and more of the latter organizations managed to
achieve a break-through on the regional and national markets. The supply of
machinery, devices and specialists in the big cities is the multiple of that of the
other settlements. Consequently the economic organizations there are closely
related to computer technology. These centres concentrate the references of
computer technology in the extra-economic spheres as well, the differences in these
fields of activity are, however, already extremely significant. Although computers
appeared in the network of medium-sized and small towns, in their economic
organizations, it took place in a very differentiated way. For the great variety of the
organizations and activities implies great differences in the equipment and the
degree of supply. In the extra-economic spheres the spreading is not significant yet,
alleged centres come and go but their equipment is often related to their
specialized functions. In the villages the presence of computer technology can be
perceived in the centres where the economic and service activities are organized
and managed, namely in the economic centres of micro-zonnes. it is difficult to
point out and demonstrate the further spread of computer technology in the
villages. In the agglomeration zones of several large centres or in the industrial,
agricultural villages with standard economic potential the presence of computers is
tangible even in the private sphere but these villages appear in each case separate.
In the spread of the culture and knowledge of computer technology the
provision of schools with computers has played a determining role. In numerous
20
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
counties with less developed or rather traditional economic structure the
possibilities involved by this project were recognized and the schools were flooded
with computers. At the same time in other places where significant economic
potential has been accumulated, the support of education in this direction is still
moderate and restrained. The future, however, can be established only through the
quick replacement of the present computer stock, the development of the
peripheries and the diffusion of the many-sided educational and learning
programmes because the composition and equipment of the current stock is
obsolete and out-of-date. The computer supply of higher education is also
differentiated. Several university, college centres are just about to adopt and apply
computer technology, while, for example, some smaller institutions have already
taken important steps in introducing this infrastructural element of education and
research. Unfortunately, the composition of the machinery in higher education is
extremely heterogeneous and in several places — maybe everywhere — it has
unfavourable composition of age.
The computer supply of the community centres that provide for culture, free-
time activities and aptitude-developing is depressingly primitive. They cannot
comply with their tasks or services with the help of the present stock and cannot
become centres disseminating and transmitting knowledge on computer technology.
In the private sphere it is not easy to register the presence of computer
technology or, in particular, to demonstrate its composition on the level of the
regions and settlements. It can be concluded by all means that in the large centres
the presence of the devices and activities is more active, while in the medium-sized
and small towns only their occasional presence can be found. In the rural regions
„white spots" indicate the lack of the spread of computer technology. This
monotony is sometimes broken by some settlements where their presence, however,
is also accidental.
The regional spread of computer technology has started in Hungary. Its pace
and intensity are closely connected with the changes of the society and economy,
therefore it can be expected that the regional structure of supply will have become
more balanced by the turn of the millennium.
21
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
REFERENCES
Informatika Franciaorszagban - ma. (1986). (Information Science in France -
Today). Budapest: Kozponti Statisztikai Hivatal
MASUDA, Y. (1988): Az informdcios tdrsadalom mint posztindusztridlis tdrsadalom.
(Information Society as a Post-industrial Society). Budapest: Orszagos Mfiszaki
Informaci6s Kozpont es Konyvtar
RECHNITZER J. (1989): A szamttastechnika ten:tied tetjedese Magyaroszagon.
(Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary). Tanulmanyok, elemzesek,
dokumentumok, javaslatok. Gyor: MTA Regionalis Kutatasok Kozpontja Eszak-
Dunantfili Osztaly
RUTTKAY E. (1988): Innovaciora alkalmas tersegek Magyarorszagon.
(Innovation-prone Zones in Hungary). Kutatas-fejlesztes. no. 3-4, pp. 232-242.
SZABO J. (ed.) (1986): Tanultnanyok az informaciagazdasagrdl. (Studies on
Information Economy). Budapest: Orszagos Mfiszaki Informacios Kozpont 6s
Konyvtar, Kozponti Statisztikai Hivatal
22
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
TABLES AND FIGURES
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 1
Regional location of computers in the 70's
Computer stock
The number of population
Naming
/pieces/
per 1 computer /1000 persons/
1972
1975
1977
1979
1972
1979
Big Cities
Budapest
125
281
387
467
16
5
Debrecen
4
9
14
16
43
12
Gr5r
3
9
9
11
36
11
Miskolc
4
9
11
11
47
19
P6cs
1
5
7
7
157
24
Szeged
2
8
10
12
67
14
Big cities altogether
139
321
438
524
20
6
Counties
Baranya
-
-
Bilcs-Kiskun
4
4
4
142
13Ekes
2
2
3
145
Borsod-Abatij-Zempl6n
2
11
23
35
Csongrid
1
1
1
467
Fej6r
3
16
13
27
133
16
Gy6r-Sopron
2
-
2
214
Hajdii-Bihar
-
1
1
552
Heves
5
6
7
7
68
50
Komirom
1
6
5
8
265
40
Negrad
-
1
3
80
Pest
6
8
11
17
152
57
Somogy
-
1
3
120
Szabolcs-Szatmar
1
1
2
-
297
Szolnok
2
4
6
8
218
56
Tolna
3
1
1
1
84
266
Vu
2
2
2
143
Veszprem
2
4
7
7
208
55
Zala
1
1
3
105
Counties altogether
22
60
75
122
380
68
Sumtotal
161
381
513
646
64
16
Sources: SarnitsfstechnikaiStatisztikai Eviiinyv. 1972, 1976, 1978, 1982 (Statistical
Yearbook of
Computer Technology. 1972., 1976., 1978., 1980.). Budapest: KOzponti Statisztikai Hivatal
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 2
Yearly rates of growth of computer stock (%)
Naming
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
Budapest
174
191
165
186
148
The provinces
211
253
207
205
184
Source: SzimItistechnikai Statisztikai Zsebkonyy, 1988
(Statistical Pocket Manual of Computer
Technology). Budapest: KOzponti Statisztikai Hivatal
Table 3
Change of the capacity of the computer stock between 1985 and 1988
1985
1988
Change /%/
Naming
Capacity
Proportion
Capacity
Proportion
/thousand Kbyte/
/To/
/thousand Kbyte/
/%/
Central region
Budapest capital
891.9
60.8
6,610.9
50.9
741
Pest county
39.5
2.7
451.8
33
1,144
Northern Transdanubia region
Fejer county
73.1
5.0
294.8
2.3
403
Gy6r-Sopron county
29.4
2.0
374.0
2.9
1,272
Komiirom county
28.4
2.0
440.6
3.4
1,551
Vas county
13.9
1.0
202.1
1.6
1,477
Veszprim county
28.2
1.9
4163
3.2
1,477
Southern Transdanubia region
Baranya county
39.3
2.7
308.5
2.4
785
Somogy county
23.8
1.6
165.9
2.0
1,117
l'olna county
15.4
1.0
170.4
1.3
1,107
Zala county
28.2
1.9
416.5
3.2
1,477
Northern part of Great Plain region
Hajdti-Bihar county
47.3
3.2
447.2
3.4
946
Szabolcs-Szatmar county
1.5.7
1.1
255.7
2.0
1,629
Szolnok county
23.2
1.6
322.9
2.5
1,392
Southern part of Great Plain region
Becs-Kiskun county
16.3
1.1
364.0
2.8
2,233
Bikes county
17.6
1.2
225.6
1.7
1,282
Csongred county
38.4
2.6
528.8
4.1
1,377
Northern Hungary region
Borsod-Abatij-Zemplen county 71.5
4.9
5343
4.1
748
Heves county
133
0.9
250.6
1.9
1,856
NOgnid county
11.4
0.8
97.7
0,8
859
The provinces altogether
574.1
39.2
6,368.1
49.1
1,109
Sumtotal
1,466.0
100.0
12,979.0
100.0
885
Source: Special data by Computer Technology Department of the Central Statistical Office.
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 4
Distribution of computer stock and capacity according to settlement types in 1988
Computer stock
Computer capacities
Naming
in pieces
distribution (%)
in 1000 Kbyte
distribution (%)
Budapest capital
31,857
57.5
6,611
50.9
County seats
13,154
23.8
3,648
28.1
Other towns
7,298
13.2
1,777
13.7
Villages
3,048
5.5
943
7.3
The provinces altogether
23,500
42.5
6,368
49.1
Sumtotal
55,357
100.0
12,979
100.0
Source: Special data by Computer Technology Department of the Central Statistical Office
Table 5
Distribution of computer stock and capacity according to settlement size in 1988
Computer stock
Computer capacities Distribution
Naming
in
distri-
in
distri-
of the
pieces
bution
1000 Kb
bution
settlements'
(%)
(%)
population
Settlements with population over 100,000
8,575
36.5
2,320
36.4
20.4
Settlements with population of 50-100,000
5,199
22.1
1,469
23.1
14.2
Settlements with population of 20-50,000
4,495
19.1
979
15.4
20.8
Settlements with population of 10-20,000
2,033
8.6
533
8.4
16.7
Settlements with population of 5-10,000
920
3.9
380
6.0
12.2
Settlements with population of 2-5,000
1,259
5.4
374
5.9
11.4
Settlements with population of 1-2,000
722
3.1
226
3.5
3.2
Settlements with population of 500-1,000
240
1.0
70
1.1
1.0
Settlements with population below 500
57
0.3
17
0.2
0.1
Source: Special data by Computer Technology Department of the Central Statistical Office
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
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Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 7
Regional distribution of small businesses supporting technical innovation
(June of 1987)
Business partnerships in
Business partnerships in
computer technical
Capital and
technology designing innovation
county
other
Altogether
villages
counties
and
and
development seats
towns
organization engineering
Budapest
328
327
48
-
-
703
Baranya
21
17
4
40
1
1
42
136cs-Kiskun
22
34
3
30
25
4
59
BikEs
12
23
2
19
13
5
37
Borsod-Abauj-Z.
16
21
9
33
8
5
46
Csongritd
56
23
3
67
15
-
82
Fejer
57
24
7
61
21
6
88
Gydr-Sopron
32
26
3
45
15
1
61
Hajdu-Bihar
26
19
2
44
2
1
47
Heves
4
6
-
9
1
-
10
Komarom
24
35
2
24
19
8
51
Nogriid
8
9
1
13
2
3
18
Pest
54
36
10
60
50
110
Somogy
15
24
3
25
16
1
42
Szabolcs-Szatmir
10
14
3
23
2
2
27
Szolnok
8
20
1
20
8
1
29
Tolna
8
23
18
5
8
31
Vas
5
13
14
3
1
18
Veszprdm
15
11
1
18
8
1
27
Zala
9
31
2
25
16
1
42
Altogether
730
736
104
528
240
99
1,570
Source: RuttkayE 1988.
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 8
Distribution of schools on the basis of supply with computers
(Academic years 1986/87, 1987/88)
Proportion of schools
Type of schools
Years
Number of
without
with 1
with 2-4
with 5 or more
schools
computer
computer
computers
computers
Primary school
1986/87
3,540
49.7
18.2
23.2
8.9
1987/88
3,541
22.6
11.1
30.2
36.1
Secondary school
1986/87
587
8.0
1.2
33.2
57.6
1987/88
608
7.7
0.5
10.2
81.6
Vocational school
1986/87
278
22.3
3.6
48.9
25.2
1987/88
284
19.4
1.8
23.2
55.6
Sources: Statisztikai Tijekortat6. A mtfveldcffsi efgazat szamIdstechnikai eszkozellitottsdp. 1986,
1987, 198& (Statistical Bulletin. Supply of cultural branch with computers. 1986., 1987., 1988.)
Budapest: Tudomenyszervezesi Fs Informatikai Intizet
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 9
Regional distribution of the computer supply of schools
Supply of
Naming
primary schools
secondary schools
vocational schools
in
in
in
1986
1988
1986
1988
1986
1988
Central region
Budapest capital
244
69
64
33
297
133
Pest county
348
87
57
30
135
70
Northern Transdanubia region
Fej6r county
457
61
72
30
85
28
Gy6r-Sopron county
200
70
64
29
203
83
Komarom county
314
86
70
32
185
90
Vas county
385
82
68
23
117
51
Veszprim county
252
63
50
23
194
88
Southern Transdanubia region
Baranya county
225
77
60
31
161
82
Somogy county
174
76
50
25
109
57
Tolna county
241
64
48
23
225
63
Zala county
163
66
62
23
222
88
Northern part of Great Plain region
Hajdii-Bihar county
270
71
79
39
232
90
Szabolcs-Szatmar county
273
76
64
20
223
67
Szolnok county
278
83
48
19
174
47
Southern part of Great Plain region
Bacs-Kiskun county
190
50
60
22
161
67
Etekes county
280
54
74
25
164
56
Csongrad county
175
75
66
170
72
Northern Hungary region
Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen county 289
65
64
26
220
72
Heves county
282
79
102
27
113
86
N6grad county
239
85
52
25
149
64
Altogether
252
72
64
28
177
72
Source: Special data by Computer Technology Department of the Central Statistical Office
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 10
Computer supply of the institutions of higher education
Number of students
Counties
per 1 computer in
1986
1987
Baranya
23
25
Bilcs-Kiskun
25
13
&kis
25
39
Borsod-Abatij-Zemplin
12
14
C.songrid
36
28
Fejir
19
8
Grffr-Sopron
19
14
Hajdli-Bihar
19
15
Heves
43
24
Komgrom
-
N6grild
17
13
Pest
14
6
Somogy
60
10
Szabolcs-Szatmiir
27
41
Szolnok
28
21
Tolna
-
Vas
-
2
Veszprim
6
6
Zala
29
12
Budapest capital
16
13
Total
20
15
Sources: Statisztikai Tajekortat6. A mdveedesi Igazat szimitastechnikai eszk8zdltitottsap 1986, 1987.,
1988. (Statistical Bulletin. Supply of cultural branch with computers. 1986., 1987., 1988.)
Budapest: Tudomanyszervezisi is Informatikai Intizet
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 11
Computer supply of cultural services in 1987
Rate of community Book stock of Number of members
Number of
centres with
library
of study circles
Counties
secondary school
computers /%/
/1, 000 pieces/ in Houses of Children
teachers
per 1 computer
Baranya
7.6
1,691
95
42
Bics-Kiskun
12.8
441
114
62
Bikes
9.4
367
98
38
Borsod-Aballj-Zemplen
9.8
374
78
123
Csongrild
26.1
968
63
Fejer
18.2
672
85
28
Gy6r-Sopron
8.5
373
49
88
Hajdu-Bihar
27.8
188
75
74
Heves
10.5
215
70
53
Komilrom
11.8
617
51
81
N6graid
5.1
218
89
18
Pest
12.5
1,644
150
96
Somogy
11.2
583
37
Szabolcs-Szatmtir
7.3
-
-
37
Szolnok
23.6
177
175
54
Tolna
13.1
1,258
159
8
Vas
3.2
157
241
36
Veszprdm
10.4
304
148
40
Zala
4.9
259
82
39
Budapest capital
57.5
1,686
83
182
Total
12.2
429
91
53
Sources: Stadsztikai Tajdkortat6 A mitveleddsi Igazat sztimItastechnikai eszkrizelltitottstfp. 1986,
1987., 1988. (Statistical Bulletin. Supply of cultural branch with computers. 1986., 1987., 1988.)
Stadsztikai Ttijdkortat6. Kiizdpfokti oktatis. 1988
(Statistical Bulletin. Secondary education.
1988.)
Statisztikai Tijekortato. MATI6dds. 1986
(Statistical Bulletin. Culture. 1986.) Budapest:
Tudomanyszervezisi Es Informatikai IntEzet
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 12
Number of the members of the Janos Neumann Society of Computer Science
in the county seats in 1987 according to the year of joining
Number of members joined in
Number of members
County seats
1971-75
1976-80
1981-83
1984-87
in 1987
Budapest capital
297
394
491
1,212
2,394
Tatabanya
1
16
6
54
77
Salgdtarjan
1
1
15
37
54
Eger
2
10
8
33
53
Miskolc
10
26
11
40
87
Nyiregyhaza
2
28
16
80
126
Debrecen
21
21
45
97
184
Szolnok
1
24
9
20
54
13ikescsaba
-
16
4
40
60
Kecskemet
4
22
16
22
64
Szeged
14
21
43
88
166
Szekszard
22
15
38
75
Kaposvar
1
6
5
28
40
Pecs
14
12
21
87
134
Szekesfehervir
12
43
11
63
129
Veszprem
5
3
5
25
38
Gydr
2
14
3
22
41
Szombathely
2
26
21
18
67
Zalaegerszeg
2
19
8
23
52
County seats altogether
94
330
262
815
1,501
Total
391
724
753
2,027
3,895
Source: Special data by the Janos Neumann Society of Computer Science
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
Table 13
Regional distribution of the members of the Commodore Association in 1987
(persons)
Number of members of the association in
Counties
Total
county seats
towns
villages
Baranya
64
13
21
98
Bacs-Kiskun
30
46
34
110
Bkis
18
42
18
78
Borsod-Abatij-Zemplin
82
38
22
142
C,songraid
84
56
12
152
Fejer
35
37
7
79
Gydr-Sopron
39
37
11
87
Hajdtl-Bihar
90
13
24
127
Heves
27
31
18
76
Komarom
28
48
17
93
N6grid
14
9
8
31
Pest
-
76
129
205
Somogy
35
18
21
74
Szabolcs-Szatmilr
29
14
19
62
Szolnok
34
27
16
77
Tolna
16
18
18
52
Vas
18
13
3
34
Veszprim
36
43
30
109
Zala
22
16
4
42
Counties altogether
701
595
432
1,728
Budapest
1,440
-
1,440
Altogether
2,141
595
432
3,168
Source: Special data by the Commodore Association
Rechnitzer, János: Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1990. 22 p.
Discussion Papers, No. 10.
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Discussion Papers 1990. No. 10.
Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary
The Discussion Papers series of the Centre for Regional Studies of the Hungarian
Academy of Sciences was launched in 1986 to publish summaries of research
findings on regional and urban development.
The series has 3 or 4 issues a year. It will be of interest to geographers, economists,
sociologists, experts of law and political sciences, historians and everybody else who
is, in one way or another, engaged in the research of spatial aspects of socio-
economic development and planning.
The series is published by the Centre for Regional Studies.
Individual copies are available on request at the Centre.
Postal address:
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P.O. Box 199, 7601 PECS
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* * *
Forthcoming in the Discussion Papers series:
Types of Social Infrastructure in Hungary
by
Tamas SIKOS T.
Discussion Papers 1990. No. 10.
Regional Spread of Computer Technology in Hungary
Papers published in the Discussion Papers series
No. 1 OROSZ, Eva (1986): Critical Issues in the Development of Hungarian
Public Health with Special Regard to Spatial Differences
No. 2 ENYEDI, Gyorgy — ZENTAI, Viola (1986): Environmental Policy in
Hungary
No. 3 HAJDU, Zoltin (1987): Administrative Division and Administrative
Geography in Hungary
No. 4 SIKOS T., Tamas (1987): Investigations of Social Infrastructure in Rural
Settlements of Borsod County
No. 5 HORVATH, Gyula (1987): Development of the Regional Management of
the Economy in East-Central Europe
No. 6 PALNE KOVACS, Ilona (1988): Chance of Local Independence in
Hungary
No. 7 FARAGO, Laszlo — HRUBI, Lasz16 (1988): Development Possibilities of
Backward Areas in Hungary
No. 8 SZORENYINE KUKORELLI, Iren (1990): Role of the Accessibility in
Development and Functioning of Settlements
No. 9 ENYEDI, Gyorgy (1990): New Basis for Regional and Urban Policies in
East-Central Europe