State capacity for transformative industrial policy in Central Eastern Europe

Project idea

This research project will investigate the ideational, institutional, political and geo-political conditions that foster building higher value-added economies in Central Eastern European (CEE) countries. The study will seek to uncover the mechanisms through which state capacities – essential for the effective design and implementation of transformative industrial policies – are developed and sustained from those conditions. To achieve this, the project will design a conceptual framework and a typology of state capacity for transformative industrial policy, tailored to the specific contexts of the CEE region. Applying this framework, the research will conduct two in-depth case studies and a meta-synthesis to identify and classify positive instances of state capacity for transformative industrial policy across CEE
countries. The project will make a substantial contribution to the field of comparative political economy, particularly the study of post-communist transformations in the CEE region. It will also generate practical insights to support policymakers and experts in designing more effective strategies for fostering long-term social and economic progress. By deepening the understanding of how ideational, institutional, political and geo-political contexts.