Banksí Internationalization: Estonian and Russian Banksí Expansion to the Foreign Markets

Direct investment outflow from transition economies abroad is still modest compared to investment inflow towards transition economies. Global economy both creates preconditions for and also motivates the internatio¨nalization of banks. The main aim of the article is to study activities of Estonian and Russian commercial banks in their efforts to transform themselves from local banks to international ones. As the internationalization of banks has not proceeded without problems and setbacks, the present research tries to point out the reasons why some of the plans were not realized. The authors of the paper argue that international economic ties provide benefits to all the parties involved and that international integration is an effective way of building international stability and economic growth.