COUNTERTRADING WITH EASTERN EUROPE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE BENEFITS AND PITFALLS Available to Purchase

Countertrade has grown into a phenomenon too important to be ignored by business practitioners, researchers, and governments. In particular, as a growing number of countries in Eastern Europe open their markets to international trade, business firms can realize a great number of opportunities. Yet there is a dearth of empirical research on countertrade arrangements with this region of the world. The present study investigates this issue. Specifically, it examines the benefits and pitfalls of countertrade between U.S. companies and Eastern Europe and compares them with those of similar arrangements with other parts of the world. Some explanations as well as implications and limited generalizations are developed.