Research
Poland 2014: Twenty Five Years of Transition: Is Poland Now a Normal Country?
This article discusses the past twenty-five years of economic and political transition in Poland. It traces the origin of the “Polish dilemma†by pointing out the “Grand Failures†of the command-and-control economy; discusses the philosophical underpinnings of the reform effort; and delineates the major components of the Balcerowicz Plan—with a special emphasis on Poland’s privatization program. The article then moves to a discussion of the importance of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Polish economy and describes several important surveys which point to the success of the Polish experiment in areas such as business attractiveness, overall climate for business, and business friendliness. In addition to providing up-to-date statistics on Polish economic performance through the end of 2013, the article concludes with an observation as to the future for Poland’s commitment to economic change and economic development. The authors have spent more than twenty five years researching, writing, and commenting on economic transition in Poland, publishing more than 35 peer-reviewed academic articles, 51 papers, and two academic-research books during the period of their collaboration. Much of the background information for this paper is based on prior research, framed especially for this appraisal.
A Primer on Franchising in the United States: A Vehicle for Economic Mobility? Part I: Franchising Basics
Part I of this two-part study introduces the concept of franchising, outlines its unique elements, delineates the categories or types of franchises and lines of businesses involved in franchising, describes the benefits of franchising in the U.S. economy, provides a guide to the various types of fees associated with the franchise relationship, and discusses the issues surrounding performance measurement and master franchising. In Part II, the authors will discuss the important legal aspects of franchising centering on the franchise contract, important Federal Trade Commission required disclosures associated with the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), and aspects of antitrust law applicable to the franchise relationship.
