Title: Croatian commercial diplomacy - stepping stone toward economic recovery?

Authors: Ana-Maria Boromisa; Anastasya Raditya Ležaić

Addresses: Department for International Economic and Political Relations, Institute for Development and International Relations, Ljudevita F. Vukotinovića 2 Zagreb 10000, Croatia ' Centre for Research Project Support, Institute for Development and International Relations, Ljudevita F. Vukotinovića 2 Zagreb 10000, Croatia

Abstract: This paper outlines how commercial diplomacy and its activities could help fighting current economic crisis in Croatia. Commercial diplomacy is defined as a support to home country's business sector for the sake of national development (Rana, 2000). Based on the situation analysis and theoretical framework, the current model of Croatian commercial diplomacy is competition and initial steps for reorganisation towards unified model. This serves as a point of departure for identification of success factors and necessary adjustments in order to improve its efficiency. Focus is on FDI promotion, since it is among main activities of commercial diplomacy and it is considered as an important tool for economic recovery. It is concluded that well targeted commercial diplomacy could support economic national and exit from crisis.

Keywords: Croatia; commercial diplomacy; economic diplomacy; economic crises; foreign direct investment; FDI; exports; economic growth; economic development; economic recovery; theoretical frameworks; situational analyses; competition; reorganisation; unified models; success factors; efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJDIPE.2014.064798

International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy, 2014 Vol.2 No.3, pp.172 - 184

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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