This book contributes to a better understanding of entrepreneurship in transition economies. Current literature reflects the more traditional schools of thought on entrepreneurship, which are influenced by the Western perspective, and fail to fully address the scenario in transition economies. There is a broad consensus among academics, policy makers, and practitioners that a fundamental cause of difficulties experienced by most economies in transition has been the fact that reform has not been accompanied by the creation of new, private businesses, and particularly SMEs. This is especially evident in states created in Europe after the dissolution of the Soviet Union where many barriers, which were inherited from the old system, remain in place, thus inhibiting entrepreneurial progress in these countries despite a favorable political and economic environment. The contributions featured in this book focus on how much progress has been achieved so far with regard to these aspects, as well as identify which current barriers and issues still need to be resolved. Themes include innovation performance, financing, venture capital, educational factors, and entrepreneurial learning.

This volume analyzes the barriers to, as well as new drivers for, entrepreneurial development in post-communist countries. The contributors present various country studies, mainly in the Balkans region, and investigate entrepreneurial behavior and best practices, financial instruments, factors for the success of small and medium-sized companies, and related policy implications. The book will appeal to scholars, policymakers and professionals interested in entrepreneurial obstacles and challenges in the countries of the Balkans region.

Michael Porter is recognized as one of the top authorities on corporate strategy and business competition. The historical review of strategic management clearly shows that Porter's research has bridged up two general paradigms (before and after the 1980s) thus helping both researchers and practitioners to better understand unanticipated global changes. His two generic strategies: costs and diversification, the two interdependent strategic options, are key in the context of the competitiveness of orthodox microeconomic theory. This is where Porter went further, constructing a popular value chain concept that provides the ability to disaggregate the key activities of business process in creating products and services in terms of cost analysis and value creation. This book is a collection of seven interconnected chapters that provides a coherent understanding of Michael Porter's contribution to the field of strategic management. It addresses key changes and challenges in the global business environment. The value chain concept has become highly applicable in both theory and practice. In the book, the authors offer an original interpretation of the Porters' research on strategic management in order to unravel or simplify his key theoretical concepts. It will be of interest to researchers, academics, practitioners, and students in the fields of strategic management and international business.

This volume analyzes the barriers to, as well as new drivers for, entrepreneurial development in post-communist countries. The contributors present various country studies, mainly in the Balkans region, and investigate entrepreneurial behavior and best practices, financial instruments, factors for the success of small and medium-sized companies, and related policy implications. The book will appeal to scholars, policymakers and professionals interested in entrepreneurial obstacles and challenges in the countries of the Balkans region.

This book contributes to a better understanding of entrepreneurship in transition economies. Current literature reflects the more traditional schools of thought on entrepreneurship, which are influenced by the Western perspective, and fail to fully address the scenario in transition economies. There is a broad consensus among academics, policy makers, and practitioners that a fundamental cause of difficulties experienced by most economies in transition has been the fact that reform has not been accompanied by the creation of new, private businesses, and particularly SMEs. This is especially evident in states created in Europe after the dissolution of the Soviet Union where many barriers, which were inherited from the old system, remain in place, thus inhibiting entrepreneurial progress in these countries despite a favorable political and economic environment. The contributions featured in this book focus on how much progress has been achieved so far with regard to these aspects, as well as identify which current barriers and issues still need to be resolved. Themes include innovation performance, financing, venture capital, educational factors, and entrepreneurial learning.

Tourism and Entrepreneurship: International Perspectives provides an innovative, interdisciplinary approach. This book takes, as its central theme, the role of entrepreneurship in the context of regional, local and national tourism development. By engaging with top academics in both tourism and entrepreneurship, this book delivers a cohesive, interdisciplinary examination of the most recent developments in both tourism and entrepreneurship. Several key themes are explored and articulated through the following concepts and issues: tourism, innovation and entrepreneurship; the role and nature of individual and collective entrepreneurship in different contexts; the role of tourism in responding to development opportunities created by global forces and, finally, issues associated with tourism strategies and policies. Divided into four parts, the book reflects on the most relevant areas of tourism entrepreneurship: understanding the conceptual basis of tourism entrepreneurship creative use of entrepreneurship and processes of social innovation tourism entrepreneurship mediating the global-local divide sectoral strategies and policy issues of tourism entrepreneurship. Tourism and Entrepreneurship: International Perspectives also: explains the impact of tourism entrepreneurship on places and overall regional and destination development examines the role of the public sector in facilitating the need for sustainable tourism development examines the effects and implications of funding schemes and support programmes takes the owner, manager and entrepreneur as the starting point of analysis to explore specific issues allows practitioners and policy-makers to explore practical applications and best practice of theory through a diverse range of international case studies contributed to by an international team of leading scholars in tourism and entrepreneurship This book is a unique combination of theory, case studies and discussion highlighting the importance of entrepreneurial tourism activity for economic success. It is essential reading for students and researchers in both tourism and entrepreneurship.

Tourism and Entrepreneurship: International Perspectives provides an innovative, interdisciplinary approach. This book takes, as its central theme, the role of entrepreneurship in the context of regional, local and national tourism development. By engaging with top academics in both tourism and entrepreneurship, this book delivers a cohesive, interdisciplinary examination of the most recent developments in both tourism and entrepreneurship.

Several key themes are explored and articulated through the following concepts and issues: tourism, innovation and entrepreneurship; the role and nature of individual and collective entrepreneurship in different contexts; the role of tourism in responding to development opportunities created by global forces and, finally, issues associated with tourism strategies and policies. Divided into four parts, the book reflects on the most relevant areas of tourism entrepreneurship:

• understanding the conceptual basis of tourism entrepreneurship
• creative use of entrepreneurship and processes of social innovation
• tourism entrepreneurship mediating the global-local divide
• sectoral strategies and policy issues of tourism entrepreneurship.

Tourism and Entrepreneurship: International Perspectives also:

• explains the impact of tourism entrepreneurship on places and overall regional and destination development
• examines the role of the public sector in facilitating the need for sustainable tourism development
• examines the effects and implications of funding schemes and support programmes
• takes the owner, manager and entrepreneur as the starting point of analysis to explore specific issues
• allows practitioners and policy-makers to explore practical applications and best practice of theory through a diverse range of international case studies
• contributed to by an international team of leading scholars in tourism and entrepreneurship

This book is a unique combination of theory, case studies and discussion highlighting the importance of entrepreneurial tourism activity for economic success. It is essential reading for students and researchers in both tourism and entrepreneurship.