The Central European countries became members of the European Union (EU) in May 2004. Has their accession into the EU also resulted in a stronger financial integration with the global economy in general and with the "old" EU countries in particular? Based on a cointegration analysis applied to...

This paper provides a brief description of the main systemic problems (strukturprobleme) of post-communist capitalism(s), as well as exploring the main changes occurring in the social structure and the subsequent new social risks and welfare state responses emerging. It shows that post communist...

Central and Eastern European countries have experienced a rapid transformation of their economic, political and welfare regime(s). From a state-paternalist welfare state, post-communist countries are now moving towards something new. A shift in the main social policy paradigm is, in fact, taking...

This paper summarizes some of the findings of Boeri, Burda and Köllo (1998), which provide an overview of the state of labour markets in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe. It argues that a hasty ‘return to Europe’ with respect to labour market policies may not be in the...

This study examines the causal relationship between economic growth and financial development in Poland on the basis of quarterly data for the period 2000 Q1–2011 Q4. In order to examine the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on the structure of financial sector-GDP links in Poland we...

The economic literature suggests that the efficient allocation of resources by the financial system speeds up economic development and reduces poverty. However, there are economists who find financial development to be the result of economic growth. This study examines causal relationship...

Do legal institutions governing financial contracts affect the nature of real investments in the economy? We develop a simple model and provide evidence that the answer to this question is yes. We consider a levered firm's choice of investment between innovative and conservative technologies, on...

This paper uncovers evidence of s potentially important channel linking financial development to growth: the financing of innovations introduced by entrepreneurs. Using internationally comparable data on European countries, entry and exit in research-intensive industries are found to be...

We develop a model of endogenous lobby formation in which wealth inequality and political accountability undermine entry and financial development. Incumbents seek a low level of effective investor protection to prevent potential entrants from raising capital. They succeed because they can...