In June 1997, the 24th issue of Industrial Review was out, dedicated to Greek Agriculture with an extensive survey of the “Greek Agroindustries”.       As the editorial notes, in 1997 “the Greek economy depends more on agriculture than any other country of the European Union. Yet the sector is fragmented and inefficient with landholdings a quarter of the community average and output less than half…. Agriculture contributed 7.5% towards gross domestic product, compared to a European average of 1.8%  [...]

The 23rd issue of Industrial Review, in March 1997, deals with the “chronic problem” of Greece’s trade deficit. In its editorial we read:   “The merchandise trade deficit is partly offset by exports of invisibles- earnings from tourism, shipping and remittances from emigrants- but these are cyclical and prey to exogenous factors.”   With the exception of “remittances from emigrants” the rest sound worryingly contemporary.   Worryingly contemporary sounds, also, the following conclusion:   “Greek farmers, industrialists and members of [...]

The cover is titled “Evolution- Revolution” depicting the fundamental changes in the way banks operated in Greece.   From a development and business oriented modus operandi, banks start looking at consumers and “making money out of money” as the issue notes.   The issue hosts interviews of the most prominent figures of the sector at the time:   then Governor of the Bank of Greece, Lukas Papadimos the late chairman of Alpha Credit Bank, Yannis Costopoulos the late Theodore Karatzas, [...]

  A few days before the 9th of May, officially known as Europe Day celebrating peace and unity in European continent, we recollect what we wrote in 1996 about EU and Greece’s prospects within it and the potential major projects in the country.   To download the March 1996 issue, click here for the first part, here the second part and here for the third one.

Ten years ago, just before Greece had to formally ask for its EU partners’ assistance in the form of a bailout plan, it attempted to put – belatedly on foot – its own stability plan. Business File of February/March 2010 chronicled this effort. But it was a case of too little, too late for the markets…

  A survey of Greek Investments in Post-Soviet Europe Greek entrepreneurs have invested in projects worth roughly half a billion dollars in Balkan and former Soviet countries. They have plans to invest as much again by the end of the century – possible even more. You can download the pdf version by clicking on the first, second and third part.

    A survey of foreign investment in Greece.   Foreign Investment: Wanted but not Wooed.   In the five years 1986-90, foreign business investment in Greece rose from three quarters of one percent of gross domestic product (GDP) to 1.35 per cent.   You can download the pdf version by clicking on the first and the second part.

    The Greek Special Survey Series of Business File (Written by ROBERT McDONALD from 1991 to 2008) hosted – 20 years ago – a general overview of the then ongoing building boom.   Both Real Estate Development and Tourist Property were put in the middle of the microscope at a time growth was unleashed.   You can download the pdf version by clicking on the first and the second part.