Small Enterprise Development in South-East Europe

by Bartlett, Will; Bateman, Milford; Vehovec, Maja

• ISBN13: 9781402070402
• ISBN10: 1402070403
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-06-01
• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Pub

Summary

Since the end of the Kosovo war in 1999, increasing attention has been paid to the problems of economic development and reconstruction in South-East Europe. In a context of limited resources, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a key role to play in creating jobs and building a dynamic entrepreneurial economy. Small Enterprise Development In South-East Europe presents important findings from recent empirical research on key factors, which hinder sustainable SME growth in South-East Europe. Finance is identified as a critical barrier to growth, and the role of commercial banks, micro-finance institutions and credit cooperatives in assisting growth is addressed. Yet finance alone is not enough. A rebuilding of social capital, a reduction of the unofficial or grey economy, and the promotion of inter-firm networks and clusters are also of vital importance in promoting sustainable growth. The book concludes with critical analyses of SME policies in Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia, countries which hitherto have received little attention in the literature. Small Enterprise Development in South-East Europe will be of great interest to policy makers, business consultants, and academics and post-graduate students working on economic development and reconstruction in South-East Europe.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors	viii
Foreword	ix
Acknowledgements	xiii
List of Abbreviations	xv
Introduction	1	(16)
Will Bartlett
Milford Bateman
Maja Vehovec
Part I: Key Background Issues
What are the Main Barriers to SME Growth and Development in Sout-East Europe?	17	(22)
Will Bartlett
Valdimir Bukvic
Social Capital and SME Development	39	(32)
Andrej Rus
The Unofficial Economy and the State in Transition	71	(12)
Katarina Ott
Part II: Finance
Local Financial Systems and Sustainable SME Development in South-East Europe: Lessons from Hungary, Macedonia and Slovenia	83	(44)
Milford Bateman
Taki Fiti
Peter Futo
Hedvika Usenik
Bank Lending to SME's in Croatia: a Few Things We Know	127	(18)
Evan Kraft
Micro-Credit in Transition Economies: the Case of Bosnia-Herzegovina	145	(26)
Muris Cicic
Aziz Sunje
Part III: Networks and Clusters
Public Policy on Enterprise Clusters and Networks	171	(22)
Alistair Nolan
Cluster Policy as an Aspect of a Pro-Active Industrial Policy in Slovenia	193	(10)
Mateja Mesl
Promoting Supplier Clusters: the Case of the Shipbuilding Indutry in The Primorska-Goranska County in Croatia	203	(26)
Milford Bateman
Maja Vehovec
Part IV: Integrated Policy Support
SME Development Policy in Albania: Developing Support Institutions in an Unstable Environment	229	(12)
Marta Muco
Peter Sanfey
Barriers to SME Growth in the Republic of Macedonia	241	(26)
Biljan Acevska
Will Bartlett
Vesna Stojanova
Small Business Development Policy in Croatia: Design and Implementation	267	(28)
Vojmir Franicevic
Will Bartlett
Bibliography	295	(24)
Index	319