Introduction

The dramatic political changes which have occurred in Central and Eastern Europe pose new challenges to both the global economy and international business researchers. Already, there is a great deal of interest by Western, and, to a lesser extent, Far Eastern, firms in the opportunities which the privatization of markets in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the erstwhile Communist countries to the West, are opening up. By July 1991, foreign firms had registered over 25,000 joint projects in Central and Eastern Europe. Chapter 9 both describes these projects, and then discusses three possible scenarios of the course which FOI might take in the 1990s. The conclusions it draws are moderately optimistic - at least for the latter part of the 1990s - if only the political fabric which is now being so painfully and delicately woven can hang together!