Modernizing Infrastructure in Transformation Economies

Paving the Way to European Enlargement

Inbunden, Engelska, 2002

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The design of infrastructure policies is a controversial issue in the transition economies of Eastern Europe, where the dismal state of infrastructure was widely regarded to be one of the major obstacles to economic recovery and sustained growth. With the imminent enlargement of the EU, Christian von Hirschhausen provides a detailed, reflective analysis of the state of infrastructure development in Eastern Europe. The author illustrates the different approaches to modernizing infrastructure and the successes that have been achieved in terms of fiscal relief, private investment and increased efficiency. Based upon a comparative institutional analysis and extensive field research and case studies, he provides empirical evidence from different sectors (power, gas, railways, roads, R&D), with particular emphasis on countries such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Baltics and Russia. Given the substantial institutional instability of the early years of transition, the author promotes a gradual but time-consistent approach to liberalization as a more promising path towards a market economy and increased efficiency. The author offers sound policy recommendations on how best to achieve the successful modernization of East European infrastructure in the course of EU-enlargement.This book will be indispensable to all researchers and academics of European integration and transition economics, policymakers in the EU, and institutions such as development banks which are active in the restructuring process in Eastern Europe and EU-enlargement.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2002-08-27
Mått156 x 234 x undefined mm
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
FörlagEdward Elgar Publishing Ltd
ISBN9781843761136

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Contents: 1. Introduction Part I: Conceptual Issues 2. Infrastructure Policy in Socialism and in the Market Economy 3. The Process of Systematic Transformation 4. Specific Infrastructure Policies for Eastern Europe? Part II: Empirical Analysis 5. Survey and Methodology 6. Lessons from Public Investment Programs 7. Innovation Policies Towards a Market Economy? 8. Private Project Financing of Highway Development 9. Power Utility Re-regulation 10. Gas Sector Restructuring – A Political Economy Approach 11. The Russian Gas Reserves – A New Perspective Part III: Summary and Conclusions 12. Lessons and Perspectives on the Way to European Enlargement Bibliography Index

'This book should be thought-provoking reading for academics and practitioners with a professional interest in infrastructure services, policy design, and the agenda for infrastructure reform in transition economies. Christian von Hirschhausen's rigorous, multi-sector analysis provides a first-time attempt at a balanced assessment of conceptual and practical issues regarding a critical area of the transition to markets. The book also questions some of the generally accepted findings regarding what works and what doesn't in the restructuring of infrastructure in the former centrally-planned economies, with special attention to the political economy of reform.'