Book Description

"This book contains a collection of papers prepared at a World Bank conference held in June 1994 on privatization and private sector development in Russia. It reviews the privatization achievements of Russian reformers over the past three years, discusses emerging second-tier privatization and post-privatization issues, and summarizes the key themes in the papers presented at the conference. Between November 1991 and June 1994: 1) between 12,000 and 14,000 medium-size and large enterprises had been transferred to private ownership; 2) this set of firms employed more than fourteen million people, or about half of those employed in Russia's industrial sector; 3) about forty million Russian citizens owned shares in privatized firms or investment funds. Although the Russian privatization program has achieved impressive results, the transfer of ownership (mainly to insiders) is only a first step. This must be followed by equally essential second steps to facilitate ownership of privatized firms to external, core investors who will bring in much needed capital, managerial know-how, and access to global markets." -- Website.