Title: International business in an EU candidate: the case of Bulgaria

Authors: Aristidis Bitzenis, Vasileios A. Vlachos

Addresses: Department of International and European Studies, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Str., Thessaloniki GR 54006, Greece. ' Department of International and European Studies, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Str., Thessaloniki GR 54006, Greece

Abstract: This study delegates a survey concerning the motives of, and barriers to international investors in Bulgaria during its transition period (1989-2007), with a special focus on the pre-accession period (2006-2007), for the generation of six variables that characterise international business during the EU accession era: entry mode, target, host country barriers, barriers determined by the MNC, host country motives, and motives determined by the MNC. The research findings indicate that EU accession has a positive contribution to an emerging economy, at the same time as regional characteristics are appended to the FDI inflows of Bulgaria.

Keywords: foreign direct investment; FDI inflows; entry modes; Bulgaria; European Union; EU accession; international business; EU candidates; motives; barriers; international investors; transition period; pre-accession period; targets; host countries; multinational corporations; MNCs; emerging economies; regional characteristics; business environment; emerging markets.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBE.2010.037599

International Journal of Business Environment, 2010 Vol.3 No.4, pp.412 - 426

Published online: 20 Dec 2010 *

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