Restructuring large scale state enterprises at the end of the russian supply chain:The challenge for technical assistance and investment in the central Asian republics

Abstract

There has been much debate about the speed and sequencing of policy reform necessary to bring about restructuring of large state enterprises in transition economies. The new republics of Central Asia have had little choice: the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991 precipitated a crisis situation, as a result of which enterprise restructuring became urgent and vital to the survival of national economies and civil society. Seven short case studies of enterprises from Azerbaijan, Kazakstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan are presented to illustrate some of the challenges facing technical assistance efforts and investment in the industrial sector of Central Asia.