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Study of Incentives, Characteristics and Strategies
of Firms Operating 'in the Shadows'
IME
The survey focus is on the incentives to engage in informal activities
and the resulting characteristics of company organization and strategy.
The general hypothesis is that the choice of entering formal or informal
transaction is determined by the incentives and costs that are related
to each option. Certain economic regulations create significant disincentives
to operate formally. As a result, some entrepreneurial ideas never reach
the marketplace, some start informally, some are performed by otherwise
formal company but without permission to engage in the particular activity,
some are not complying with taxes and/or other liabilities to state.
 2003
- 2004 (File size 1 365KB) Read it in: 
"Market of Honesty": How to Trade with Trust on the
Balkans
Contract enforcement on the Balkans
The case of Bulgaria and Macedonia: Comparative Perspectives
Petya Platikanova, IME
The report is an overview of the state of contract enforcement
on the Balkans, especially in Bulgaria and Macedonia . The main idea
of the study is to measure instances of government discretion and inefficiency
with a prospect to provide arguments for less government interference
in business affairs but greater involvement in securing freedom of exchange
and contract enforcement. The purpose is to provide initial information
and observation for further studies.
(File
size 187 KB, Data 2002 - 2003) | Read it in:
Transaction Costs for Business Entry and Contract
Enforcement in the Republic of Macedonia
The purpose of this report is to identify the institutional obstacles
that increase the transaction costs for business entry and contract
enforcement in the Republic of Macedonia and to analyze and propose
applicable policy changes which should lead to decreased level of the
observed transaction costs. Through supporting different efforts for
reducing costs of doing business between the Macedonian and Bulgarian
firms, the ultimate objective of the report is to provide directions
for improvement of local business environment.
(File
size 872 KB, Data 2002 - 2003) | Read it in:
Bulgaria`s trade perspectives in Balkan context
Krassen Stanchev and Martin Dimitrov
In this paper we make an attempt to cover most of the basic factors,
determining trade performance, comparing Bulgaria's position with that
of other Balkan countries. Trade potential is correlated with: trade
openness, capital and labor resources, regional trade agreements, tariff
and non-tariff policies, FDI inflow, economic, financial and political
stability and world organizations membership, which influence the framework
to regulate trade on the country level. The analysis is based on the
assumption that trade performance reflects a possibility to participate
in international exchange with a share corresponding to its competitive
abilities.
(File
size - - KB, Data 2002) | Read it in:
Obstacles to trade, growth, investment, and competitiveness:
Ten case studies on Balkan businesses
The overall goal of the project was to evaluate the business environment
in Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo by examining
ways of improving competitiveness in the region. This report presents
ten first-person stories, case studies, about how entrepreneurs in the
Balkans cope with obstacles to the success of their businesses. It is
our hope that these cases can be used as a starting point to evaluate
those laws and regulations across the Balkans that have created barriers
for businesses such as these to become prosperous and competitive.
(File
size - - KB, Data 2002) | Read it in:
Summary of the IME international work experience
(File
size 20 KB, Data 2002) | Read it in:
Book: The
Inflexibility Trap Frustrated Societies, Weak States and Democracy
(File size 1 300
KB, Data 2002) |
| Parts:
Balkan Constitution Making Is There a Peculiarity
and What is to be Expected?
Krassen Stanchev and Petya Platikanova
The idea of the report is to discuss what a pattern of functioning
democracy and economy is likely to emerge from diverse Balkan
political establishments. The constitutional overview is first
of this kind. It is a intra- and extra- regional comparison of
specific constitutional provisions which justify governments'
protectionism and intervention, aim at protection of private property
rights and freedom to engage in business and set rules of political
transitions in case of a political crisis.
(File
size 153 KB, Data 2002) | Read it in:
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Balkan Political Economy: Crisis, Policy and
Business
Martin Dimitrov, Petya Platikanova and Krassen Stanchev
In the paper we make an attempt to summarize the situation with
real-life conditions that could support or counteract the working
of the prosperity and democratization ideas towards resolution
of the conflicts of the Balkans. In doing so, we focus - in a
comparative perspective - on two sets of conditions: a) the role,
the sizes and the constitutional design of the Balkan governments,
and b) the habits and options in trading and business with and
within the region.
(File
size 368 KB, Data 2002) | Read it in:
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The Marshall plan and the Stability Pact
IME
It is obvious that the Stability Pact for the Balkans is different
from the real Marshall Plan. But it is also obvious that political leaders
do not pay proper attention to this fact. The best the Pact can do is
to set up a round table, at which to negotiate constitutional and financial
reforms of the region. Although it is called a "pact", the Pact is not
an agreement, but a process of agreeing on the international security
and economic exchange in South Eastern Europe.
(File
size 140 KB, Data 2001) | Read it in:
To Cluster or Not: Cross Danube Firm Level Co-operation
Petya Mandova, Krassen Stanchev, Ph.D.
The report is based on interviews with Romanian private sector representatives
and Bulgarian companies who trade various products and services on the
Romanian market and vice-a-versa. The purpose of the paper is to outline
the main obstacles to cooperation and the vision for long-term Bulgarian-Romanian
partnership.
(File
size --KB, Data 2001) | Read it in:
Lessons From Negative Experiences Which Prevent Growth
and Prosperity (two perspectives)
By Assenka Yonkova & Liviu Voinea
The main objective of this report is to derive lessons from policies
hampering growth and prosperity in the reform years in Bulgaria and
Romania, to initiate and contribute to a debate on alternative to the
current and/or recent policies which have postponed or impeded growth-promotion,
as well as to propose institutional and policy changes. The research
is concentrated on whether it is possible to reverse the negative evolution
of these two economies in order to support their integration efforts
and on possible alternative measures and common policies.
(File
size --KB, Data 2001) | Read it in:
The Balkans in 2010: Economic Scenarios
IME
A report based upon the IME's own research into different aspects of
Balkan economies, especially those in transition, conducted over the
last four years and study of relevant background political and economic
developments. It analyses the available concepts of postwar political
order in SEE. The report is based on interviews with economists from
all Balkan countries according to specially designed questionnaires.
(File size 52KB, Data 2000) | Read it in:
Conditions for Long-term Growth and Prosperity in
the Balkans In Search of Growth: Bulgaria's Lessons and Policy Options.
IME
A comprehensive overview of macroeconomic and institutional developments
in Bulgaria after the Kosovo crisis.
(File size 52KB, Data 1999) | Read it in:
Conditions for Long-term Growth and Prosperity on
the Balkans: Serbia and Montenegro
An overview of macroeconomic and institutional developments in
Serbia and Montenegro since 1990.
(File size 24KB, Data 1999) | Read it in:
Conditions for Long-term Growth and Prosperity on
the Balkans: Romania
An overview of macroeconomic and institutional developments in Romania
since 1990
(File size 35KB, Data 1999) | Read it in:
Conditions for Long-term Growth and Prosperity on
the Balkans: Croatia
An overview of macroeconomic and institutional developments in Croatia
since 1990.
(File size 28KB, Data 1999) | Read it in:
Policy Statement regarding the "Post-War System for
South-East Europe" Plan
Prepared by the Centre for Liberal Strategies on the basis of discussions
and exchanges within the South-East European regional Study Group on
the Centre for European Policy Studies paper "A System for Post-War
South-East Europe"
(File size 39KB, Data 1999) | Read it in:
The Second Danube Bridge: Where Is the Problem Actually?
Along the total Danube navigable length, 104 bridges are built at an
average distance of 21.38 kilometers. The distance between the last
bridge, Moldova - Veke Bridge, and the Danube Bridge at Ruse is 556.42
km. This is 40 times longer than the averages distance in the upstream
of the river. The distance between the Danube Bridge at Ruse and the
next bridge on Romanian territory, Cherna Voda Bridge, is 188.63 km.,
which is 13 times longer than the average distance in the rest of the
civilized section of the river. Obviously building of a second bridge
over the Danube is necessary and aims at shortening the trade road to
Central and Western Europe, as well as at reducing transport costs of
exports and imports.
(File size 26KB, Data 1999) | Read it in:
Beyond Disasters: What Policies Ensure Growth and
Prosperity IME aims at initiating a public debate on specific policies
the new Parliament of Bulgaria should undertake to ensure economic stability
and prosperity in a long run, assuming that a Currency Board regime
will be introduced in June 1997.
IME conference proceedings
(File size 252KB, Data April 1997) | Read it
in:
Conditions of International Road Transportation on
the Balkans
by Prof. Richard Beilock, AUBG
Zora Blagoeva, IME
A survey of border crossing procedures on the Balkans an their impact
on international road transport and trade.
(File size 67KB, Data 1996) | Read
it in:
Hidden Barriers to Growth and Prosperity
Proceedings from the IME Conference on Barriers to Growth held on 14
April 1996. The paper is focused on fragmentation of financial and credit
markets in transition economies, foreign exchange policy and parallel
markets, hidden subsidies in transition economies, informal sector in
the transition economies, etc.
IME conference proceedings
(File size 252KB, Data April 1996 ) | Read
it in:
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