Foreign Direct Investment in Central and Eastern Europe: Multinationals in Transition (Royal Institute of International Affairs)

How is the behaviour and impact of western multinational enterprises affected when investing in transition economies? what are the particular costs and benefits of such investment for the host countries? This comprehensive book provides an up-to-date analysis of the scope and pattern of foreign direct investment flows into the transition economies of central and eastern Europe. Ten case studies of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region bring together two major fields of study: the relationship between FDI, and the economic transition from plan to market. Using in-depth interviews with both the western headquarters and central and east european subsidiaries of investing companies, the case studies view FDI from a number of perspectives: the investing firm, the recipient firm or sector, the host government, suppliers, retailers and capital market observers. The result is an extensive analysis of foreign direct investment in the region and of the broader process of economic transformation. Based on sound economic theory and empirical research, this book is relevant to economists, investors, policy-makers, and graduate students and academics working on transition.