Book excerpt: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the development of entrepreneurship across Eastern Europe Throughout Eastern Europe, post-Communist countries transitioning to market-based economies are obtaining a variety of results due to diverse policy approaches. When Economies Change Hands evaluates the nature of entrepreneurship in this region, the consequences of central planning, the reasons for internal subsistence activity, and the emergence of the sex trade in Eastern Europe. The wealth of information in this resource is clearly presented and includes thought-provoking policy prescriptions for the future. It is challenging to predict the direction emerging markets will take, particularly when dealing with the wide-ranging social and economic situations taking place in post-Communist Eastern Europe. When Economies Change Hands can help. This reference volume for policymakers, educators, investors, and researchers provides a much-needed and timely survey of the transitioning markets of post-Communist Europe. It examines the historical, sociocultural, and economic impacts of market transition. The text includes a discussion of the creation and distribution of wealth in the countries of Eastern Europe that will leave you better informed about the dynamics of transitioning economies and the growth of entrepreneurship across Eastern Europe. In addition, the book demonstrates the problems and advantages of both slow reform and rapid reform models in a thorough and easy-to-read manner. When Economies Change Hands includes vivid photos of notable entrepreneurs and a sophisticated trail of references for academics that complements the useful and meaningful information you will find in the text. When Economies Change Hands examines how various policies affect the economies of transitioning countries by incorporating and discussing: detailed definitions and comparisons of formal and parallel economies an in-depth study of entrepreneurship in the Republic of Albania, the Eastern Bloc of Comecon, The Baltic States, and the Commonwealth of Independent States pluralism in the former Yugoslav Republics analyses of governmental programs and policy prescriptions for the future and much more! As the market economies of Eastern Europe develop and expand, the value of this meticulous yet accessible text will continue to increase. Whether you are a policymaker, an educator, an investor, or a researcher, When Economies Change Hands is a resource that you’ll return to again and again as you work to understand and predict the future of post-Communist economies in Eastern Europe.