Overview

The idea for this book began in Sofia, Bulgaria in September, 1992 when we met to plot a course for our University Affiliations project which had been recently funded by the U.S. Infonnation Agency. We believed that worldng on the book would provide valuable learning experiences for all the cooperators, and that the book itself would make a useful contribution to understanding the economic transition process and its policy implications. We recognized that a project of this nature would require the skills and knowledge of many people. To those 34 additional contributors to this volume, and to the many other friends, colleagues, and experts who gave generous advice, we give our sincerest thanks. We also acknowledge with thanks the support of several organizations to a reality. Much of the that transfonned this book from an idea research reported here was a major part of an educational project funded by the University Affiliations Program of the U.S. Information Agency. The project linked the University of California, Berkeley, Wye College of London University, and the Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Sofia, in a cooperative effort to improve the quality of policy analysis. The research provided hands-on experience necessary for effective teaching in this area.