Publisher's Synopsis
The central issue of this book is based on the assumption that although accession to the EU and the internal market is ahead, CEE economies still confront the need for pushing forward endogenous development based on the preservation, mobilization and development of existing potentials. After almost ten years of transformation it seems that a point has been reached where deeper reflection on the transformation processes and a balancing of achievements and failures is possible and necessary. The contributions in this book clearly demonstrate that in spite of the fundamental changes in redirecting state and economy in CEE towards democracy and market economy, many questions remain open and many developments, seen from today, have not taken the intended direction. Summarizing, one can certainly blame the enormous decline of economic output and related financial problems, but it can also be shown that institutional development that goes beyond the most basic requirements of transformation is a long-term project. A project not yet sufficiently backed by an equally long-term and strategic thinking in either industry or politics.