This interdisciplinary study offers a comprehensive analysis of the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Providing full historical context and drawing on a wide range of literature, this book explores the continuous economic and social transformation of the post-socialist world. While the future is yet to be determined, understanding the present phase of transformation is critical. The book’s core exploration evolves along three pivots of competitive economic structure, institutional change, and social welfare. The main elements include analysis of the emergence of the socialist economic model; its adaptations through the twentieth century; discussion of the 1990s market transition reforms; post-2008 crisis development; and the social and economic diversity in the region today. With an appreciation for country specifics, the book also considers the urgent problems of social policy, poverty, income inequality, and labor migration. Transition Economies will aid students, researchers and policy makers working on the problems of comparative economics, economic development, economic history, economic systems transition, international political economy, as well as specialists in post-Soviet and Central and Eastern European regional studies.

Analysing the key problems facing the transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe, this accessible book describes the legacy of the central planners, the progress achieved so far and the need for further reforms. It documents the outstanding successes and failures, and analyses why certain approaches to transition have worked and others have not. It tests where transition is over and shows how some countries have graduated from 'transition' to 'integration' through their efforts to join the European Union (EU). It discusses the costs and benefits of the eastern enlargement of the EU. The specific experiences of German unification, the Soviet Union's disintegration, and Russia's complex reforms are examined, as are the specific issues that need to be addressed in the Balkans. The book concludes by indicating how the expanding EU could help the poor performers through inclusion in a continent-wide integrated economic area.

Transition Economies provides students with an up-to-date and highly comprehensive analysis of the economic transformation in former communist countries of Eastern and Central Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union. With coverage extending from the end of central planning to the capitalist varieties of the present, this text provides a comparative analysis of economic transformation and political-economic diversity that has emerged as a direct result. It covers differences between countries in terms of economic performance and integration into the world economy. Transition Economies seeks to explain and deepen understanding of these differences, chart the emerging forms of capitalism there, and provide country responses to the world financial crisis of 2008-2009.

V. The return of history.

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - General, grade: NN, Hamburg University of Ecomomy and Policy (-), course: Human Development, 18 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: It is by now more than a decade ago that the formally centrally planned economies in Central and Eastern Europe have started to transform into market economies when the collapse of the Soviet system was confirmed in 1989. In fact, they constitute a unique historical example with a large set of economies undergoing this extremely drastic systemic change within a very short period of time. The adoption of a new model based on free market economy supports the rebuilding of one Europe which will benefit from high economic and social growth potential as well as political stability and security. One essential characteristic of a free market economy is a high proportion of services. Realizing this quality in the transition economies signifies a great challenge as their service sector was extremely underdeveloped in the planned economies. In this paper, the development of the service sector in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe are depicted on the background of the economic characteristics of their socialist past. In this portrayal, both domestic growth and international trade of services will be accounted for. Finally, it will be discussed in which way the service sector represents a strong impetus in the fight against unemployment and hence contributes to a sustainable development in the future.

This book examines the evolution of trade and trade patterns in Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) and assesses the implications of these patterns on structural change and economic development within transition economies. Taking the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 as a starting point, the authors discuss the transition of former communist CEE countries from centrally planned to market-driven economies, arguing that trade was the primary engine for the economic growth and transition process they experienced. The chapters in this book incorporate the results of previous studies – some of which are based on original research conducted by the authors – dedicated to the integration process of international and European trade. More importantly, the authors look at the broader aspects of structural change and economic development, indeed the whole process of economic transformation. Thus, the book moves well beyond the core ‘trade and growth’ framework to look at technological progress, foreign investment, institutional development and structural change in Central and Eastern European countries.