Screening the theories of institutional dynamics in the light of the post-socialist transformation

Abstrakt

Screening the theories of institutional dynamics in the light of the post-socialist transformation

Post-socialist transformation offers the opportunity to analyse the dynamics of institutions in a kind of “life-size laboratory” and challenges theories dealing with institutional change. This paper argues that the complexity of the transition may be better understood through a framework based on evolutionary economic theories. The interaction between these theories paves the way for new theoretical findings regarding causes, processes, actors and results of the institutional evolution. We apply our theoretical framework to analyze two evolutionary processes in Central and Eastern Europe, respectively on micro and macro level: the rise of corporate social responsibility and the inflow of foreign direct investment.