Managing Economic Transition

Abstract

In the early stages of economic transition in Hungary, stagnation was the dominant characteristic of the country, accompanied by crisis indicators such as marked internal and especially external economic instability, instability in foreign trade, and structural impediments to development. Massive unemployment, a decrease in real wages, evident even today, and the intensification of social inequalities contributed additional tensions to the initial transition phase. In this paper, the authors first outline the main characteristics of the Hungarian economy. Then, against this background, they discuss the status of human resources development during the transition period, the economic and legal reforms taking place in the context of education and vocational training, and finally the role of the social partnership in vocational training. The discussion and conclusions drawn are intended to indicate key issues in workforce development not only in Hungary but in countries throughout the region of Eastern and Central Europe