New Evaluation Procedures for a New Generation of Water-related Projects

Book excerpt: This groundbreaking study presents the results of a large survey of more than 400 industrial firms in Russia conducted by the World Bank in mid-1994. The survey examined the role and organization of the enterprise sector, which is a key issue in transition economies, particularly in Russia, where a concerted attempt has been made to change ownership arrangements and hence corporate governance. More than half the firms surveyed are in the private sector; the rest remain in state hands or are partially privatized. A major focus of the book is to understand whether the Russian privatization has led to improvements in corporate governance. The authors identify some initial positive changes but also find that the manner in which privatization has occurred has not yet had a strong effect on the internal operations of Russian industrial firms. However, they do find evidence from their sample of significant growth in new firms. The volume examines the positive and negative aspects of restructuring, employment and workers compensation issues, budget constraints, the effects of privatization on employee behavior, and future prospects for Russian firms.