Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe ─ Development Through Internationalization

The process of the transition to a market oriented economy for countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent states (CIS), started some 25 years ago. A new technology base triggered the fast growth of new investments into intangible assets by global economic leaders at the beginning of the 1990s, providing the basis for a move towards a knowledge economy. During the past 25 years, entrepreneurs in CEE and the CIS have reshaped traditional industries and created new industries, combining innovative ideas with traditional competencies. Yet we still do not know very much about how and why companies led by entrepreneurs develop, how they expand globally, and what the role of new knowledge and innovation is in the internationalization process. Understanding the pathways of entrepreneurial development, especially growth through internationalization, is important for the overall development of countries in transition and beyond.

Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: Development through Internationalization provides an overview of entrepreneurship in a range of important emerging markets. This book aims to fill the gap in the literature by providing up-to-date data and case based evidence.

With coverage of a range of national firms from countries including Belarus, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine, this book will be vital supplementary reading around international entrepreneurship and essential reading for those studying the business environment in this vital emerging market.

Dr. Arnis Sauka is an Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.

Professor Danica Purg is the President and Dean of IEDC-Bled School of Management, Postgraduate Studies, and the President of CEEMAN, International Association for Management Development in Dynamic Societies.

Tonis Mets is Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Tartu in Estonia.