Naslov
(Former) Informal Networks as a Reflection of Informal Institutions in East European Transitional Societies: Legacy or Opportunism?

Autori
Šimić Banović, Ružica

Izvornik
Equilibrium (Toruń) (1689-765X) 10 (2015), 1; 179-205

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
informal networks; institutional interaction; transition; Eastern Europe; post-socialism

Sažetak
Only recently the influence of culture on economic development has been increasingly discussed among theoretical economists. Besides observing culture through cultural traditions inherited from ancestors, current social interactions are also considered as an influential factor. Over a long period of time, the research on East European transitional societies has been focused on formal institutions. Throughout that period, informal networks many of which originating from previous socio-political system, have mostly strengthened their position in society and gained power in the formal structures. They helped building the new capitalist states and therewith had positive effects by speeding up the transition process. Yet, in medium- and long term their activities typically resulted in state capture. This paper explores the persistence of tight informal and mostly inefficient formal business- government-society relations in Eastern Europe. It emphasises the influence of informal networks in the interaction of formal and informal institutions and questions the possibility of new generations to make a turnaround in the functioning of networks. Newly emerging social interactions are contextualised in the cultural dimensions: Power Distance and Collectivism versus Individualism. This paper argues that even when informal communities solely serve their own opportunistic purposes, the prevailing collectivist culture in the society provides tacit support to their existence and therewith delays the transformation from relation-based to rule- based governance. The empirical findings confirm the oversocialised view of society and networks suggested by economic sociologists. Additionally, the changes in transitional institutional environment are deemed to be in line with the claims of institutional economists on durability and impact of informal institutions.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Ekonomija, Sociologija

POVEZANOST RADA