BU Research Blog

Professor Jens Hölscher (BUBS AFE) travelled with his classic iconic book and prepared paper on ‘The Successes and Failures of Economic Transition’ to Estonia’s Doctoral Conference (27-29 June 2023).

Professor Jens Hölscher had received an invitation to be an international advisor, including a guest lecture and workshop. He provided specialist feedback critique guidance for thirty early researchers and PhD researchers, designed to enhance research project skills. Estonia, a developing country had stated its goals: learning from important connection opportunities for academic contacts with well-known leading international researchers. Professor Jens Hölscher, has over 140 economics finance business publications – journals and multimedia sources – listed on ResearchGate alone and is co-editor of Palgrave’s (Macmillan’s Global Publishing) book series “Studies in Economic Transition”.

Professor Jens Hölscher’s 2023 lecture highlights are: “taking stock of the experiences of over 30 years of economic transition and attempts to identify successes and failures with regards to both, theory, and policy. The motivation is driven by the prospect that lessons might be learned for the future not only for transition countries but for emerging markets in general. This lecture proceeds by looking at concepts of transition with the benefit of hindsight. As there is widespread agreement now that the original concept of the ‘Washington Consensus’ has failed to fulfil expectations of growth and development, the state of the art seems to be confusion. The role of the state in a market economy appears to experience a renaissance.”

The Doctoral School in Economics and Innovation states that it is a partnership between University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonian Business School and Bank of Estonia in Eastern Europe. It is financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the institutional package measure for R&D institutions and higher education institutions (ASTRA). To put it into perspective, this Doctoral School is situated on the edge of the eastern flank of Eastern Europe, with Estonia recently rising to be an emerging economy with increasing high European firm productivity (a population of 1.3 million, global size rank 156) with lessons for the developed West.

Professor Jens Hölscher’s experiences included: driving from BU to Berlin then Kiel, sailing twenty hours to Klaipeda/Lithuania, driving beyond the Riga bridges/Latvia then onwards to the remote rural lakes south of peaceful Tallinn/Estonia (a round trip of 4000 km) to make a difference to researchers. His choice to sail, circum-navigated midway a sudden outbreak of civil Russian war near the borders, with an increased land and air military presence, coinciding with nearby preparations of the thirty-one members of NATO, and the EU, for the nearby Vilnius Summit, Lithuania, on 11–12 July 2023.

An Independent report follow-up post conference report by Fiona ‘Stewart’ Vidler MBA MSc MLIBF BUBS on her BUBS AFE Advisor’s topical relevant latest contributions to research on economic transition, emerging market economies, trade, institutions, firm productivity, SMEs and access to finance in 2023.