Springer Competitiveness of CEE Economies and Businesses: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Challenges and Opportunities

This book presents peer-reviewed, state-of-the-art conceptual and empirical papers devoted to changes in the international competitive position of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, its countries and businesses. While the unprecedented scale of transformation in the CEE region has provided a distinct research setting for international business and economics scholars for more than two decades, there have also been recent discussions about the extent to which the region continues to have a unique business environment. The region's economies have reached different levels of market development and modern business practice adoption, with some of them now frequently classified as advanced economies. Consequently, the same level of heterogeneity among CEE countries can also be observed at the sector and business level.  The contributions in this book highlight possible sources of competitive advantage for CEE countries and firms, in light of recent intensive debates about the danger of the middle-income trap and the potential solutions to it. From the Back Cover This book presents peer-reviewed, state-of-the-art conceptual and empirical papers devoted to changes in the international competitive position of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, its countries and businesses. While the unprecedented scale of transformation in the CEE region has provided a distinct research setting for international business and economics scholars for more than two decades, there have also been recent discussions about the extent to which the region continues to have a unique business environment. The region's economies have reached different levels of market development and modern business practice adoption, with some of them now frequently classified as advanced economies. Consequently, the same level of heterogeneity among CEE countries can also be observed at the sector and business level.  The contributions in this book highlight possible sources of competitive advantage for CEE countries and firms, in light of recent intensive debates about the danger of the middle-income trap and the potential solutions to it. About the Author Dr Piotr Trąpczyński is assistant professor at the Department of International Competitiveness, Poznan University of Economics and Business. He is also an MBA and Master lecturer with specialization in international business strategy and international marketing, as well as head of the research project "The determinants of foreign direct investment performance in the internationalization process of Polish companies", financed by the National Science Centre of Poland (for the period 2013-2015). Prior to these positions, Piotr worked as Research Assistant at the Berlin Campus of ESCP Europe, where he completed a European Doctoral Programme in International Business, and lecturer in international business at the Academy of Business and Economics (VWA) in Berlin. He had also gained business experience through several positions in the IT industry, strategic management consulting and brand management in the FMCG sector. He gained his PhD degree at the Poznań University of Economics and Business, as well as M.Sc. from the City University of London, Dipl.-Kfm and Master degrees of the ESCP Europe in Berlin and Paris. His research interests include internationalization into and from emerging and transition economies (with focus on the CEE), FDI performance, firm competitiveness, as well as mixed-method research. Dr. Piotr Trąpczyński is also supported by the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP). Dr Łukasz Puślecki  is an assistant professor at Department of International Management, Faculty of International Business and Economics, Poznan University of Economics and Business (PUEB) . He is also Director of Joint MSc in International Business and Management (JMSCIBM) Program between Poznan University of Economics and Business and Nottingham Trent Univer