Work

The Firm Geography of Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Over the past three decades, significant socio-economic transformations have reshaped the post-socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe. This study examines the 'geography' of firms with over 10 employees across 15 countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Using data from over 300,000 firms, the analysis focuses on firm size categories, turnover, and activity distribution. The research highlights disparities between post-socialist and other countries, employing descriptive statistics and the framework of agglomeration economies to uncover nuanced spatial patterns. The findings reveal significant differences in business concentration and the functions of small and medium-sized cities, particularly in regions without a European-scale metropolis, emphasising their role in regional economic and demographic sustainability.

Source: Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis

DOI: 10.37043/jura.2025.17.1.1

Authors: Judit Berkes, Ádám Páthy, Ildikó Egyed, Szilárd Rácz

Institution: Széchenyi István University

Language: English

Topic: Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal, National Research, Development and Innovation Office