"In the global financial crisis, competitiveness gaps between euro area countries caused additional strain. This book discusses the various dimensions of competitiveness, with a special focus on emerging Central, Eastern and Southeastern European countries. For Europe to proceed with convergence...

Contents: Preface -- PART I A historic transformation: heterogeneity in CESEE in a changing global context -- 1 Looking back on 30 years of transition - and looking 30 years ahead / Robert Holzmann -- 2 1989: the year of the great ambivalence / Anton Pelinka -- 3 The price of unity: the...

Contents: Part I A modern take on structural reforms -- 1. Past and future reform challenges for CESEE and Europe at large / Ewald Nowotny, Doris Ritzberger-Grünwald and Helene Schuberth -- 2. Revisiting transition reform / Sergei Guriev -- 3. Europe's moments of truth - wicked crises, good and...

What is the link between the financial cycle - financial booms, followed by busts - and the real economy? What is the direction of this link and how salient is this connection? This unique book examines these fundamental questions and offers a paramount contribution to the debate surrounding the...

The expert contributors focus on global imbalances and accompanying policy challenges, competitiveness and trade, the sustainability of current growth strategies, and banking and financial stability in the light of the global economic and financial crisis. They provide a multi-disciplinary...

In the long aftermath of the acute global financial crisis of 2008/09, the need to get economies back on track and to handle high levels of public and private debt has created conflicting objectives. Challenges yet to be mastered are the need to avoid counterproductive measures of adjustment and...

pt. 1. The stability merits of the euro -- pt. 2. A case for rapid euro adoption? -- pt. 3. The euro area- a shelter? Euro assets- a safe haven? -- pt. 4. Lessons- from euro area divergences, and from the crisis -- pt. 5. Post-crisis business models of banks in CEE