Yugoslav-American Joint Ventures: The Case Study of "Ei-Honeywell"

Vortrag von Emilija Cvetković (Institute of Economic Sciences Belgrade) als Teil der Reihe SNAKLAB, veranstaltet vom Projekt seeFField, in Kooperation mit dem IOS Regensburg.

Yugoslavia, as a pioneering socialist country embracing joint ventures, enriched its economic relations with the United States in the late 1960s through these specific foreign investment regulations. In 1978, “Elektronska industrija,” the giant from Niš in the field of electronic industry, “Progres,” a Belgrade export-oriented enterprise, and American company “Honeywell” formed a joint venture. Their collaborative efforts were focused on producing computers and related equipment under an American license. This lecture will delve into a meticulous examination of the “Ei-Honeywell” joint venture, employing diverse sources such as periodicals, oral histories, and archival material. Special attention will be devoted to exploring the dynamics surrounding the transfer of American technologies, encompassing equipment, production processes, and the expertise of managerial personnel, alongside their adaptation within the local context. Furthermore, this case study contributes to understanding Yugoslavia’s business history and sheds light on the Yugoslav economic cooperation with the West during the Cold War.