The transition economic of central and eastern Europe. A political, economic, social and technological analysis

From 1945 to early 1989, Eastern Europe was a commercial "black hole" for Western businesses. The region's centrally-planned economies and stateowned businesses kept Western investors at bay. As the economies of Eastern Europe make the transition to capitalism, major new markets are opening with attractive long-term growth prospects for the West. But the picture is not all rosy: political, economic, social and technological factors such as inflation, high debt, low productivity and fear of change threaten the stability of the region. Healey identifies the consumer electronics and service sectors as having the highest growth potential for Western businesses and recommends joint ventures to best tap these markets.