Regional Diversity and Local Development in the New Member States

This book analyzes regional and local models of development, in the context of existing socio-economic disparities and the impact of EU enlargement and European policy, offering a comparitive and in-depth analysis of the distinct nature of regional differences within Central and Eastern Europe. This book analyzes regional and local models of development, in the context of existing socio-economic disparities and the impact of EU enlargement and European policy, offering a comparative and in-depth analysis of the distinct nature of regional differences within Central and Eastern Europe. In economies once dominated by centralised planning and large-scale enterprise, models of local development can play a crucial role in restructuring and revitalising the economy. This book contributes to the topical debate concerning the economics of European integration, by focusing on the EU member states of Central and Eastern Europe, and their convergence to a Western-European form of advanced capitalist economy. It recognises the significant role of local development and SME development to socio-economic transformations in the post-communist societies. However, it is increasingly acknowledged that the reality of transformation involves divergence as well as convergence, and the reproduction of deep-rooted historical disparities as well as innovation and creativity. The book includes a wide comparative and in-depth analysis, through a substantial number of new case-studies, it provides a critical reading of the regionally and locally existing socio-economic disparities, which constrain and facilitate local development within the EU enlargement. This volume includes contributions from a wide range of experts on transition economics, entrepreneurship and local development, and will be of great interest to scholars and policy-makers in these crucial areas Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 5 List of Tables, Figures, Maps and Box......Page 7 Preface......Page 11 Notes on the Contributors......Page 13 Introduction: Regional Diversity and Local Development in the New Member States......Page 19 Part I: Regional Diversity in Central and Eastern Europe......Page 47 1 Time Horizons and the Institutional Underpinnings of Local Development......Page 49 2 Regional Development in Central and Eastern Europe......Page 61 3 Local Development in a European Union Perspective: Cohesion and Regional Policies in Central and Eastern Europe......Page 81 4 Poland’s Great Transformation and the Lessons to be Learnt......Page 117 5 Regional Labour Market Disparities in an Enlarged European Union......Page 140 6 Regional Development Effects of Foreign Direct Investment in Central and Eastern Europe......Page 184 Part II: European Integration, Regional Disparities and Developmental Strategies in New and Prospective Member States......Page 213 7 Local Development and Local Government in Hungary: Challenges for a New Local Policy......Page 215 8 Local Government in the Process of Transformation......Page 246 9 How to Avoid the ‘Mezzogiorno Syndrome’: The Golden Burden of EU Funds in the Romanian Regions......Page 271 10 Multiple Shocks and Changes in the Development Gradient of Croatia’s Regions......Page 290 C......Page 312 E......Page 313 M......Page 314 R......Page 315 S......Page 316 W......Page 317