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Defensive and Strategic Restructuring of Firms during the Transition to a Market Economy

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  • Polona Domadenik
  • Janez Pra??nikar
  • Jan Svejnar

Abstract

We develop a theoretical framework and provide empirical estimates of the extent of several forms of restructuring in 130 privatized firms in a model transition economy (Slovenia) during the 1996-1998 period. In view of the institutional developments in the transition economies, we divide restructuring into defensive (related to short-term cutting costs) and strategic (focused on increasing revenues through investment). Using predictions from the theoretical framework, we estimate a firm-level labor demand equation to test defensive restructuring and an augmented investment equation to assess strategic restructuring. The labor demand estimates point to relatively slow defensive restructuring, while the investment model estimates indicate the presence of credit rationing and bargaining in most types of soft investment. We do not find support for the hypothesis that firms treat expenditures on employee training as investment, but there is evidence that they behave similarly as those from developed countries in that they display features of profit maximizing behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Polona Domadenik & Janez Pra??nikar & Jan Svejnar, 2003. "Defensive and Strategic Restructuring of Firms during the Transition to a Market Economy," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 541, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    • Handle: RePEc:wdi:papers:2003-541
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Guido Friebel & Gerard McCullough & Laura Padilla Angulo, 2014. "Patterns of Restructuring The US Class 1 Railroads from 1984 to 2004," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 48(1), pages 115-135, January.
    2. Marko Lah & Tjaša Redek & Andrej Sušjan, 2008. "The Changing Role of the Labour Market within the EMU: the Case of Slovenia," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 15(2), pages 375-387, September.
    3. Polona Domadenik & Janez Prasnikar & Jan Svejnar, 2008. "How to Increase R&D in Transition Economies? Evidence from Slovenia," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(1), pages 193-208, February.
    4. Jaan Masso & Almas Heshmati, 2004. "The optimality and overuse of labour in Estonian manufacturing enterprises," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 12(4), pages 683-720, December.
    5. Curtiss, Jarmila & Ratinger, Tomas & Medonos, Tomas, 2012. "Ownership and Investment Behaviour in Transition Countries: A Case Study of Collective and Corporate Farms in the Czech Republic," Working papers 122841, Factor Markets, Centre for European Policy Studies.

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    Keywords

    Strategic restructuring; defensive restructuring; firms on transition; employment; investment; employee ownership and control;
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