摘要：The work points to the influence of business zones on local and regional development of an area. The business zones influence the contemporary economy and simultaneously attract foreign investors into certain area who will contribute to the economic development. Raising efficiency and competitiveness on local and foreign market represents the key developmental question. While creating competitive position, the role of state is important as well as the roles of local units of government and self-government. In a short period, the City of Varaždin has become a desirable investment zone and a model example for the rest of Croatia. Thanks to excellent transportation position where there are crossings of European transportation corridors and vicinity of many countries and busy people, the Varaždin County (hereinafter County) is an area of dynamic development that is open to new way of thinking and ready for quick changes. The work is structurally divided in two parts. The first part gives the short analysis of the current economic situation of the City of Varaždin and Varždin County. The second part defines the notion and sort of business zones as well as their characteristics and basic reasons and aims of their establishment. The current operations of Varaždin Free Zone as the most developed one in this part of Croatia is also shown. In addition to entrepreneurial zones on the area of Varaždin there is also Technological Park that represents an important segment of attracting young highly educated professional personnel who, with their ideas in newly established enterprises, cannot survive on the market unless they are given initial help. In the end of this work, there is short survey of a future project – Biotechnological Park. This project will be of exceptional importance for the development of economy and education in the northern part of Croatia.
关键词：business zones; techonological park; regional development
