The collapse of the communist system and the economic liberalization that followed have provided new opportunities for western companies. But there were many uncertainties and risks: entering the eastern European markets at an early stage meant stepping into a different world. For this reason it was crucial for the western companies to acquire and transfer knowledge about markets, cultures, infrastructures, etc. As western companies tried to enhance the productivity of their eastern affiliates they also had to transfer knowledge from the West to the East. Transferring the Western knowledge embedded in standards and practices to the East was one approach, providing staff in the East with a great deal of training another. This paper summarizes theoretical foundations and findings from an empirical study on companies entering Eastern European markets.
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