Purpose -Using small-scale cross-border trade and smuggling as an example of an informal practice carried out in many post-socialist countries, the purpose of this paper is to explore which different meanings this activity possesses for the people being involved in it and in how far small-scale cross-border trade is being accepted and looked at by society. The authors hope to show the different connections between informal and formal activities and specificities of localities which people in the mentioned countries deploy when trying to secure their livelihood. Design/methodology/approach -The authors used a qualitative empirical research including group discussions with small-scale traders and small entrepreneurs, expert interviews with representatives of the border authorities and systematic observations at border crossing points and open-air markets at the Finnish-Russian, Polish-Ukrainian, Polish-Belarusian and Ukrainina-Romanian borders. Findings -The paper provides empirical insights about why people carry out smuggling and small-scale trade and how these informal activities are perceived in the local environment. It suggests that informal economic cross-border activities are often highly legitimized despite their illegal character. The border creates certain extra opportunities as it enables arbitrage dealings. Rather as a side effect though, the Schengen visa regime has evoked a decreasing profit margin of transborder economic activities. Therefore, it remains unclear whether the Eastern external EU border will serve as an informal economic resource in the future. Originality/value -Thanks to a multisited qualitative approach to a very sensitive research topic, the paper allows empirical insights into meanings and uses of smuggling and cross-border small-scale trade.

Purpose -This paper aims to look at the past development and potential of the Rhenish capitalist governance "model". The paper aims to discuss the origins and nature of the model. The main focus is on the model's in crisis and its specific role within the transformation processes of Central-Eastern European economies. East-Central Europe is where, it is contended, Rhineland capitalism's future will be decided. Design/methodology/approach -Drawing on archival research (including current writings) the paper draws out two salient features of the Rhenish capitalist model which would be relevant to explore bank customers perceptions of bank governance and practice in the Polish-German city of Zgorzelec-Görlitz. The experience of Dresdner Bank is stressed and the fact that the local people not long before lived under a Socialist regime. Findings -The paper contends that the abandonment of the social harmony structured into the Rhineland model would be a great pity, since the 100 years of effort it took to create it would go down the drain. Originality/value -The paper ascertains the presence of German management traditions as opposed to Anglo-American approaches to management in the context of retail bank markets in a border region.

No abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to look at the past development and potential of the Rhenish capitalist governance "model". The origins and nature of the model are to be discussed. The aim is to focus on its specific role within the transformation processes of Central-Eastern European economies. East-Central Europe is where, it is contended, Rhineland capitalism's future will be decided. Design/methodology/approach -Using a survey questionnaire, customers' perceptions of bank governance and practice in the Polish-German city of Zgorzelec-Görlitz are explored. The experience of Dresdner Bank is stressed and the fact that the local people not long before lived under a Socialist regime. A control group in London is used to ascertain the presence of German management traditions as opposed to Anglo-American approaches to management in the context of retail bank markets. In total there were 210 participants in the survey (all equally divided between the three cities). Findings -German and Polish respondents mostly rejected co-determination and favored top-down management. Germans seem to make trust and loyalty a major factor in their retail banking decisions while Polish seemed more open to American style marketing. The findings support the hypothesis about the long-term viability of Rhinish capitalism. Originality/value -The paper ascertains that the presence of German management traditions as opposed to Anglo-American approaches to management in the context of retail bank markets in a border region is dominant.

No abstract