Management in Eastern Europe


Book Description

This book is an examination of management in Eastern Europe. It begins with a look at management under state socialism, the collapse of communism, and prospects for the future. Then, using the authors' first-hand knowledge and experience it goes on to provide an analysis of management in the major countries of Eastern Europe, considering the background to the style of management in each of these countries, as well as their merits and differences.




Skills, Not Just Diplomas


Book Description

Future growth in the countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) will increasingly depend on innovation. And innovation requires skills. This makes it important, as countries plan for recovery, to undertake reforms to reduce the skills shortages that the previous growth episode exposed. Education systems have a very important role to play in creating the right skills. But education systems in the region fall short of the demands of their economies in two major ways. The first is that despite high levels of enrollment they do not produce enough graduates with the right skills. Students graduate with diplomas, not with skills, because the quality of the education for many students is poor. In large part this is because education systems remain focused on providing an excellent education to a few at the expense of improving the quality of learning for the majority. Moreover, the systems are still making the transition from teaching the basics to inculcating higher order skills such as critical-thinking and problem solving. The second way in which education systems fall short is that outside of a few countries in the EU there are few opportunities for adults to retrain, or acquire new skills. This book argues that generating more of the right skills requires a fundamental change of approach in the education systems in the region so that they aim for, and deliver, higher quality education for the vast majority of students (“not just diplomas but skills”). To start with, education systems need to “turn the lights on” and take seriously the measurement of what students actually learn as opposed to measurement of the inputs into the education process on the implicit assumption that learning follows. Policy makers also need to move away from the focus on inputs and processes and increase the emphasis on incentives.




Climate Change Adaptation in Eastern Europe


Book Description

This book focuses on managing risks and building resilience to climate change, showcasing experiences from research, field projects and best practices to foster climate change adaptation in Eastern Europe that can be implemented elsewhere. Climate change affects countries in Eastern Europe, i.e. the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe in a variety of ways. Apart from severe floods, there are reports of decreasing water reserves in the southern regions, and of gradual changes in biodiversity and agricultural production. In the South Caucasus area, for instance, climate change models project a decline in precipitation and suggest that it will continue to become drier this century. Many Eastern European countries, especially the non-EU ones, have weak national climate policies, and transboundary collaborations, as well as limited public engagement in matters related to climate change. As a result, climate change poses a serious threat to their economic stability and development and to the sustainable development of the region. The above state of affairs illustrates the need for a better understanding of how climate change influences Eastern Europe, and for the identification of processes, methods and tools that may help the countries and the communities in the region to adapt. There is also a perceived need to showcase successful examples of how to cope with the social, economic and political problems posed by floods/droughts in the region, especially ways of increasing the resilience of agriculture systems and of communities. Addressing this need, the book presents papers written by scholars, social practitioners and members of government agencies involved in research and/or climate change projects in Eastern Europe.







Eastern Europe!


Book Description

Eastern Europe! is a brief and concise (but informative) introduction to Eastern Europe and its myriad customs and history. When the legendary Romulus killed his brother Remus and founded the city of Rome in 753 BCE, Plovdiv -- today the second-largest city in Bulgaria -- was already thousands of years old. Indeed, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Brussels, Amsterdam are all are mere infants compared to Plovdiv. This is just one of the paradoxes that haunts and defines the New Europe, that part of Europe that was freed from Soviet bondage in 1989 which is at once both much older than the modern Atlantic-facing power centers of Western Europe while also being in some ways much younger than them. Even those knowledgeable about Western Europe often see Eastern Europe as terra incognita, with a sign on the border declaring "Here be monsters." This book is a gateway to understanding both what unites and separates Eastern Europeans from their Western brethren, and how this vital region has been shaped by, but has also left its mark on, Western Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Ideal for students, businesspeople, and those who simply want to know more about where Grandma or Grandpa came from, Eastern Europe! is a user-friendly guide to a region that is all too often mischaracterized as remote, insular, and superstitious. Illustrations throughout include: 40 photos, 40 maps and 40 figures (tables, charts, etc.) From the Trade Paperback edition.




Social Enterprise in Central and Eastern Europe


Book Description

In the last two decades, the quest for a widely accepted definition of social enterprise has been a central issue in a great number of publications. The main objective of the ICSEM Project (on which this book is based) was to show that the social enterprise field would benefit much more from linking conceptualisation efforts to the huge diversity of social enterprises than from an additional and ambitious attempt at providing an encompassing definition. Starting from a hypothesis that could be termed "the impossibility of a unified definition", the ICSEM research strategy relied on bottom-up approaches to capture the social enterprise phenomenon in its local and national contexts. This strategy made it possible to take into account and give legitimacy to locally embedded approaches, while simultaneously allowing for the identification of major social enterprise models to delineate the field on common grounds at the international level. Social Enterprise in Central and Eastern Europe – the last volume in a series of four ICSEM-based books on social enterprise worldwide — will serve as a key reference and resource for teachers, researchers, students, experts, policy makers, journalists and others who want to acquire a broad understanding of the social enterprise and social entrepreneurship phenomena as they emerge and develop in this region.




Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe


Book Description

This text provides an overview of entrepreneurship in a range of important emerging markets. A team of expert contributors provide analysis of entrepreneurship practice. Empirical insight into how entrepreneurial firms in Central and Eastern Europe internationalize is supplemented with context provided by world-renowned editors.




Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS


Book Description

Learn about the many economical and political changes in Central and Eastern Europe to stay on top of business! Western academics are being called upon to play a principle role in the redefinition of management education in Central and Eastern Europe and the former USSR. Among the countless ideological, political, and economic issues engendered by the demise of communism throughout the region, myriad challenges in business education have surfaced. Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS provides an insightful background for Western educators who wish to play a part in or simply bear witness to this historic development.This book reveals and documents some of the major educational efforts and issues which have emerged during the past few years and relates the experiences and viewpoints of some of the most active participants. It shares both insights and lessons that have already been learned with those who seek to contribute in the future. Each chapter will interest and challenge the reader as it frankly describes the struggle to establish modern business education in these dynamic societies.In this collection, distinguished contributors counsel readers that if Western educators are to make an effective contribution, they must first discover which western ideas and theories can be used immediately, which need to be adapted to fit the local environments, and which must be completely rethought. Each chapter enhances the understanding of business education in these emerging societies and affords a clearer understanding of the gulf between East and West.Topics in Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS include: international business education in Estoniafrom socialism to capitalism business education and management training in the old and new East Central Europe the International Center for Public Enterprises in Sloveniaimplications for teaching interpersonal skills and introducing international business concepts teaching organization behavior to Eastern European managersa process of adaptation to change Business education will most certainly have a significant impact on the restructuring of the political and social cultures in the region and is, in fact, critical to the ultimate success of democratic free market systems. Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS helps Western educators and practitioners alike to make a useful contribution toward meeting the opportunities and threats in this historic era.







Global Trends in Human Resource Management


Book Description

Provides an understanding of how HRM policies and practices differ across countries and how the development of management practice may be affected by different institutional and cultural contexts. Containing contributions from a range of well-respected HRM scholars across the world, this collection is based upon data from a unique research project.