JIBS Book Review - The Entrepreneurs of Europe and Asia: Patterns of Business Development in Russia, Eastern Europe, and China

Focusing on entrepreneurship in transition economies, this book is a collection of 12 chapters based on papers presented at a Berkeley conference in May 2000. While both are sociology professors, the editors, Bonnell and Gold, are also directors of Berkeley’s East European studies and Chinese studies centers, respectively. The editors have assembled an interesting and impressive team of contributors representing major social science disciplines. Probably because of the editors’ professional contact, seven out of the 12 authors are sociologists. Authors with backgrounds in anthropology (2), political science (2), and journalism (1) are also present. While a majority of the authors (8) are with U.S. universities, three scholars based in Eastern European universities (two from Russia and one from Hungary) and one based in Asia (an editor at the Far Eastern Economic Review) are also represented. Despite lengthy footnotes, chapters in general are of high quality and are a pleasure to read.