Empowering the consumer movement in central and eastern Europe: Experiences of a United Germany

In this paper, the author, an official of the German consumer association AgV, examines recent developments in consumer protection in eastern Germany. The background, the opening of the borders and the rapid transition to a market economy, with the ensuing dramatic increase in the demand for information and counselling, is described, and the concrete steps taken to establish consumer policy and protection in the former GDR, are presented.

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Anstöe für die Verbraucherbewegung in Zentral- und Osteuropa: Erfahrungen im geeinten Deutschland

Zusammenfassung Die Autorin, Geschaftsführerin der Deutschen Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Verbraucherverbände (AgV) behandelt in diesem Beitrag neue Entwicklungen des Verbraucherschutzes in Ostdeutschland. Der Hindergrund dieser Entwicklung, die Öffnung der Grenzen, der schnelle Übergang von der Plan- zur Marktwirtschaft, wird ebenso beschrieben wie der sich daraus ergebende dramatische Anstieg des Bedarfes nach Verbraucherinformation und beratung. Vorgestellt werden die konkreten Schritte auf dem Weg zum Aufbau eines Systems der Verbraucherpolitik und des Verbraucherschutzes in den Ländern der früheren DDR.

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Anne-Lore Köhne is Director of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Verbraucherverbände (AgV), Heilsbachstrasse 20, D-5300 Bonn 1, Federal Republic of Germany.This paper was first presented at the 13th World Congress of the International Organization of Consumers Unions, Hong Kong, 8–12 July 1991.     

The transition economic of central and eastern Europe: A political,economic, social and technological analysis

From 1945 to early 1989, Eastern Europe was a commercial “black hole” for Western businesses. The region's centrally-planned economies and stateowned businesses kept Western investors at bay. As the economies of Eastern Europe make the transition to capitalism, major new markets are opening with attractive long-term growth prospects for the West. But the picture is not all rosy: political, economic, social and technological factors such as inflation, high debt, low productivity and fear of change threaten the stability of the region. Healey identifies the consumer electronics and service sectors as having the highest growth potential for Western businesses and recommends joint ventures to best tap these markets.     

Absorptive capacity,innovation and cultural barriers: A conditional mediation model

The construct of absorptive capacity has two dimensions: potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). This study addresses these two dimensions separately, and analyzes their influence on innovation outcomes (IO) in organizations. The study also examines the mediating role of RACAP in the relationship between PACAP and IO. Furthermore, the paper contains a discussion on the moderating role of cultural barriers (CB) in decreasing the PACAP–RACAP link. Consequently, this study builds and tests a conditional process model. Data comes from a sample of 110 firms from the Spanish automotive components manufacturing sector. Results from variance-based structural equation modeling and the PROCESS tool show that RACAP fully mediates the influence of PACAP on IO, and that CB negatively conditions this indirect effect. This study provides evidence that when CB attains medium-to-high values, this indirect influence is not different from zero.     

Capital flows to central and Eastern Europe

We examine the evolution of the external position in CEE countries over the past decade, with a strong emphasis on the composition of the international balance sheet. We assess the extent of their international financial integration, in comparison to the advanced economies and other emerging markets, and highlight the most salient features of their external capital structure in terms of the relative importance of FDI, portfolio equity, and external debt. In addition, we briefly describe the bilateral and currency composition of their external liabilities. Finally, we explore the implications of the accumulated stock of external liabilities for future trade and current account balances.     

Risks of deflation versus risks of excessive inflation in Europe

Economists are currently divided over the question of what represents a more immediate threat to the global economy — deflation or excessive inflation. Using stochastic simulations, this article extrapolates the likely inflation rates in individual European countries and the euro area as a whole. The results indicate that as the financial crisis continues to subside, policymakers should be vigilant about expeditiously rolling back the unconventional monetary policy measures implemented during the crisis.     

Yankee traders in the New Europe: Recent experiences in the eastern bloc

US. MNCs practice “patient enthusiasm” as they establish joint ventures or othenoise enter the Eastern European markets.     

Flexible strategy mix for central Europe: A process data analysis

This study investigates how a multinational supplier can devise a flexible strategy in emerging economies. Drawing on the concept of strategic flexibility, this article analyzes change mechanisms of generic strategy for changeable conditions in emerging markets. Based on a case study of a Japanese auto parts supplier and its different strategies for the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, this study exemplifies the alteration of these strategies between 1997 and 2005. A process flowchart is used to illustrate the meta‐level causality among the case firm, other business actors, and their activities at each operational unit. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A perspective of marketing in central and Eastern Europe

The transition of Central and Eastern Europe toward a market economy affords new opportunities but also new risks to international marketers. Based on the work of the authors in the region, this article presents a perspective of the economic shifts which have taken place in these countries. A review of the available international marketing options is offered and a framework for the evaluation of market entry and marketing mix strategies which accommodate these shifts is developed. Emphasis is placed on the need for marketers to go beyond purely commercial criteria in their decision making, by considering the long-term social and economic repercussions of their actions. 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

中西方的文化差异与广告理解

文化差异不仅表现在不同的国家和民族之间,在同一个国家和民族的不同地区和不同时期也存在着差异。不同的文化对广告理解也不同。广告广泛涉及到社会的政治、经济、伦理道德、历史和宗教信仰各个方面,广告主和广告商必须熟悉一个国家和民族的文化特征,使广告符合当地消费者的文化心理。     

跨越欧洲绿色壁垒立足生态环境保护

随着国际贸易关锐壁垒的降低或取消,技术壁垒等非关锐壁垒日益成为先进工业国家,特别是欧洲、美国和日本保护本地或本国生态环境、企业利益和市场的手段。 中国科学技术促进发展研究中心的一份研究报告显示,近年来,我国60％以上的出口企业遭遇到了国外技术贸易壁垒,技术壁垒对我国出口造成的损失每年达450亿美元,占每年出口总额的25％以上。在受技术壁垒限制的出口企业中,40％受欧盟的限制,27％受美国限制,25％受日本限制,8％受韩国等其它国家和地     

Foreign investor strategy development in the central and eastern European context

Investment conditions in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe favor long-term strategic investments. Increasing competition pressures in the saturated West European beer markets coupled with shrinking demand challenged Interbrew SA, Belgium to enter the emergent prospective markets of Central and Eastern Europe by the acquisition of former state-owned enterprises. The study of Interbrew's case shows the linkages existing between investor internationalization strategy, motives, strategy implementation, and adaptation in the highly volatile markets of Hungary and Bulgaria. This case represents a good example of slow reactive strategy development in the Hungarian environment leading the investor to the loss of its first mover advantage. Using similar motives for its acquisitions in Bulgaria, Interbrew has successfully implemented a proactive adaptation of its initial Central and Eastern European strategy to the Bulgarian environment. The lessons from the case can be used by foreign investors to increase their chances for success in FDI acquisition in transitional economies. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The scope for E-Commerce in central and eastern European countries' services trade

The general attitude on the potential for e-commerce in services trade is rather enthusiastic and emphasises extraordinary opportunities for its expansion. The Internet extends the scope of services, which are tradable and transforms local services into internationally tradable ones. This article argues that countries which rely on high quality e-tradable services are in a better position to take advantage of e-commerce in services trade than those, which rely on location-bound services. It is examined to what extent the characteristics of central and eastern European countries' services export portfolio determine the potential of these countries for the expansion of services exports through e-commerce.     

Present barriers to technology transfer: U.S. to Eastern Europe versus U.S. to Mexico

Technological innovations offer much promise for widespread technology transfer on a global basis. Yet, without taking social, economic, or political considerations into account, companies cannot transfer technology as effectively. Of particular importance is understanding technology transfer vis-à-vis emerging markets such as Mexico and Eastern Europe.