Institution Building for Regional Policy in Central and Eastern European Countries – Ready for Accession to the EU?
Gerhard Heimpold
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 6,
2002
Abstract
The contribution investigates the state of institution building for regional policy purposes in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary - candidate countries, which are preparing to become EU member states. In comparison with the situation at the beginning of the 1990s, when regional policy had only little importance in these countries, some progress has been achieved in the field of institution building, primarily at national level. A lot, however, still has to be done to complete this institution building: adaptation of programmes to the requirements of the EU regulations set for structural funds, designation of the management authorities and paying authorities, better coordination between the various central state institutions involved in regional policy, inclusion of regions into the national programming process. The competencies of these latter in the sphere of regional policy, which should be strengthened in the course of administrative reform in all the countries investigated, have not gained a foothold yet. In the accession states there is a need to clarify how the regions could be involved in the process of elaboration and realization of regional policy programmes.
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The significance of FDI for innovation activities within domestic firms - The case of Central East European transition economies
Jutta Günther
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 162,
2002
Abstract
Foreign direct investment is expected to play a significant role as a multiplier of modern production- and management-know-how in Central East European transition economies. The so-called technology-spillovers are explained through externalities or extra-marketlinkages. In practice they can take place via demonstration effects, labor mobility, supplier contacts, customer contacts or networking activities. However, the empirical study on the example of Hungarian industry shows that foreign owned and domestic firms – mainly due to their strong technological disparities – build virtually separate spheres within the industrial sector. Thus, technology-spillovers do hardly appear as an innovation-stimulating means for domestic companies.
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International economic development still impedes growth in Central and Eastern Europe
Axel Brüggemann
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 3,
2002
Abstract
The world wide economic slow down has increasingly affected the transition economies. Lower demand in Western Europe for exports from Central and Eastern Europe has depressed industrial production and growth in the region. Strong domestic demand has managed to offset some of the negative external influences. In total the countries in Central and eastern Europe will grow with 3,1 % in 2002 and with 4,1% in 2003. The higher growth in 2003 results from the combination of a continuing strong domestic demand and amore favourabel external environment, as the world economy starts to recover in the second half of 2002. Inflation will continue to slow, while unemployment decreases only marginally. Higher growth will also lead to higher current account deficits.
The slowdown in 2001 has increased the risk potential for financial crises in Central and Eastern Europe. The forecast is build upon the assumption that no such crisis will occur, if a crisis does errupt the forecast will have to be revised downwards. The regular anlysis carried out by the IWH regarding the development of the risk potential, indicate particular high risks for Poland and to a somewhat lesser extent also for Hungary. As the unfavourable external economic conditions will persist for the coming months, a further increase in the risk potential can be expected.
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Municipal "Help for Work": Which role do organisational aspects play?
Cornelia Lang, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 15,
2001
Abstract
Steigende Sozialhilfeausgaben haben die Kommunen in den letzten Jahren bewogen, die kommunale Arbeitsmarktpolitik zu intensivieren. Dieses Bestreben hat dazu geführt, dass die Kommunen unter dem programmatischen Motto „Arbeit statt Sozialhilfe“ eigenständige Konzepte und Organisationsformen entwickelt haben, um möglichst viele arbeitsfähige Sozialhilfeempfänger wieder in den Arbeitsmarkt zu integrieren. Der Erfolg dieser kommunalen Aktivitäten ist von der Ausgestaltung verschiedener Typen beschäftigungspolitischer Maßnahmen abhängig, aber auch vom organisatorischen Rahmen dieser Maßnahmen. Das betrifft sowohl die Aufgabenverteilung im Sozialamt, die Zahl und die Qualifikation des dort eingesetzten Personals als auch die Form der Zusammenarbeit mit Trägern von beschäftigungspolitischen Maßnahmen. In diesem Bereich gibt es erfolgreiche Ansätze, aber auch noch verschiedene Defizite. Erfolgversprechend erscheinen Ansätze wie das case management, welches die Kompetenzen der Sozialamtsmitarbeiter erweitert und ihnen die Möglichkeit bietet, Hilfeempfänger individueller zu betreuen und damit auch deren Chancen auf eine erfolgreiche Maßnahmenteilnahme und nicht zuletzt eine gelungene Rückkehr in den Arbeitsmarkt zu erhöhen. Andererseits sind die Anreize der Akteure im Bereich „Hilfe zur Arbeit“, die Zahl der Hilfeempfänger zu reduzieren, nicht überall optimal gestaltet und stehen im besonderen Maße einer Effektivitätssteigerung in diesem Bereich entgegen.
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Management-Buy-Out/Management-Buy-In als Weg zur Existenzgründung
Gerhard Heimpold, Brigitte Loose
Existenzgründungen und dynamische Wirtschaftsentwicklung, (Veröffentlichungen des Round Table Mittelstand, Bd. 2).,
1999
Abstract
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Einflußfaktoren auf die Innovationsneigung in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen in Ostdeutschland – am Beispiel von Management Buy-Outs
Franz Barjak, Klaus Holst
External Publications,
1998
Abstract
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Umgestaltungen in ostdeutschen Unternehmen – das Beispiel Management Buy-Outs
Franz Barjak
External Publications,
1998
Abstract
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What can a town achieve today? Integration, urban regimes, and the acceptance of models
Peter Franz
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 56,
1997
Abstract
Since 1990, the date of German reunification, urban development and especially the recovery of inner cities in East Germany has been delayed by several factors including real estate restitution claims, inflexible preservation codes for historic buildings, and the shortage of stores for retailers. This blockade situation has resulted in the quick and intensified development of shopping centres as „inner city substitutes“ on the urban periphery. The combined effect of the factors preventing revitalisation strategies and the newly realised and practised potential for autonomous action by the authorities of smaller municipalities was a severe restriction for the governing capacities of the authorities of the larger cities. in regaining their governance capability city governments are dependent on urban groups joining and supporting public developmental strategies. In accordance with Stone (1993) and Stoker and Mossberger (1994) urban groups active in urban development policy can be described as urban regimes. In Germany three types of regimes can be differentiated. The cities differ with respect to the political strength and the forms of coalition and conflict between different urban regimes. Specific conditions in East Germany have led to a special regime constellation with a powerful „conservation regime“ on the one hand and a vivid „globalisation regime“ on the other hand. This conflicting constellation results in a developmental blockade. The hypothesis is that a third regime type, the „local alliance“, is missing and still has to be created by practices such as city marketing and city management. Only when this regime building process has advanced will new constellations of political coalitions and compromise become possible and be able to reduce governance problems of city government in the long run.
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Management buy outs in East Germany – Expert report for the BvS (Federal agency for special tasks required by the German reunification)
Franz Barjak, Gerhard Heimpold, Brigitte Loose, Robert Skopp, Martin Junkernheinrich
IWH-Sonderhefte,
No. 2,
1996
Abstract
Die Zukunft der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft hängt davon ab, daß der vorhandene Unternehmensbestand stabilisiert wird, d.h. entscheidend an Wettbewerbskraft hinzugewinnt. Die vorliegende Studie über Management-Buy-Outs (MBOs) untersucht einen wichtigen Teil des ostdeutschen Unternehmensbestands. Die MBOs wurden im Zuge des Privatisierungsprozesses vielfach als „aufbaupolitische Hoffnungsträger“ angesehen, sollte sich mit ihnen doch ein eigenständiger unternehmerischer Mittelstand in den neuen Bundesländern verankern. Angesichts dieser Bedeutung hat die Bundesanstalt für vereinigungsbedingte Sonderaufgaben (BvS) das Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) im Sommer 1995 mit einer umfassenden Untersuchung der MBOs betraut.
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East German management buy outs: Management's contribution to business performance
Franz Barjak, Robert Skopp
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 9,
1996
Abstract
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