Local economic development (LED) is a relatively new practice in BiH and is practically imported, transplanted from developed, industrial countries, as a more or less methodologically elaborated concept and set of instruments. We are in the midst of a transformation, transition process, trying to achieve a rapid transition from one socio-economic system to another, with simultaneous structural economic changes. Unlike Western European countries, here there are no clearly defined policies for structural changes, no institutional assumptions have been created (a multitude of interactive institutions), nor appropriate financial funds to support structural programs and projects.

This comparative case study was created within the project “Creating a Framework for Comprehensive and Effective Local Development in BiH” which was implemented by the development agency Eda Banja Luka with the support of the Open Society Fund BiH. The project should contribute to a significant improvement of policies to support local economic development in BiH, in order to effect the growing local energy and funds, still predominantly donor, which are invested in an increasing number of local development initiatives. The study should facilitate orientation and reduce wandering in a terrain that is still largely new and unknown.

It is, therefore, a comparative analysis of relevant experiences, applied solutions and their effects in BiH and in countries from the immediate vicinity, undertaken in order to arrive at better LED policies and practices. These are countries that, not so long ago, belonged to the same ideological and economic pattern. At the same time, these are countries whose economies and societies as a whole are undergoing transformation, each in its own way and with its own challenges, successes and mistakes.

[Bosnian]

Dobro je dobro rasti u mojoj ulici – iskustva lokalnog ekonomskog razvoja

Lokalni ekonomski razvoj (LER) je u BiH relativno nova praksa i praktično se uvozi, presađuje iz razvijenih, industrijskih zemalja, kao više-manje metodološki razrađen koncept i skup instrumenata. Nalazimo se usred procesa transformacije, tranzicije, nastojeći da ostvarimo brz prelaz iz jednog društeno-ekonomskog sistema u drugi, uz istovremene strukturne ekonomske promjene. Za razliku od zapadnoevropskih zemalja, ovdje nisu jasno definisane politike strukturnih promjena, nisu stvorene institucionalne pretpostavke (mnoštvo interaktivnih institucija), niti odgovarajući finansijski fondovi za podršku strukturnim programima i projektima.

Ova komparativna studija slučajeva je nastala u okviru projekta „Stvaranje okvira za obuhvatan i efektivan lokalni razvoj u BiH“ koji je uz podršku Fonda otvoreno društvo BiH implemetirala razvojna agencija Eda Banja Luka. Projekat treba da doprinese bitnom unapređivanju politika podrške lokalnom ekonomskom razvoju u BiH, kako bi se efektuirala rastuća lokalna energija i sredstva, još uvijek pretežno donatorska, koja se ulaže u sve brojnije lokalne razvojne inicijative. Studija treba da olakša snalaženje i smanji lutanja na terenu koji je još uglavnom nov i nepoznat.

Radi se, dakle, o komparativnoj analizi odgovarajućih iskustava, primjenjenih rješenja i njihovih efekata u BiH i u zemljama iz neposrednog okruženja, preduzetoj kako bi se došlo do boljih politika i praksi LER-a. Radi se o zemljama koje su, ne tako davno, pripadale istom ideološkom i ekonomskom obrascu. Istovremeno, radi se o zemljama čije se ekonomije i društva u cjelini nalaze u transformaciji, svaka na svoj način i sa svojim sopstvenim izazovima, uspjesima i greškama.