Networks and Informal Power Structures in South East Europe

Åse Berit Grødeland

Chapter 5 in Handbook of Doing Business in South East Europe, 2012, pp 109-149 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract Business culture in the Balkans is characterized by ‘instrumental friendships’ (Chavdarova, 2007). Due to high levels of distrust in society (Karklins, 2002), business people prefer to deal with people they know and consequently trust, rather than with strangers. Informal relations are also widespread in politics: lobbying tends to be conducted informally — often through relatives and friends of the politicians — and outside the institutions in which the politicians operate (Grødeland, 2010a). The café culture, which is so widespread in the Balkans, is conducive to this informal decision-making: decisions tend to be made over a cup of coffee rather than in more formal settings.

Keywords: Political Party; Public Procurement; Informal Network; Business People; Legal Perspective (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-31414-6_5

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DOI: 10.1057/9780230314146_5

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