Working Papers
Actors of transformation: An analysis of Belarusian business integration and alignment with the EU business environment
Abstract
The forced internationalization of Belarusian businesses in the wake of political repression since 2020 and the war in Ukraine presents a unique case study in economic diaspora development and institutional alignment. The flight of hundreds of businesses and thousands of skilled professionals to European Union host countries is a critical factor shaping both the immediate host economies and the long-term prospects for Belarus.
While existing studies document the scale and challenges of this economic emigration, there remains a significant gap in understanding the institutional and market values held by these relocated business owners and their alignment with the EU's established economic framework. Leveraging a novel dataset derived from a comprehensive survey of 114 valid Belarusian-rooted businesses operating in the EU, supplemented by World Values Survey, GEM data for Belarus, and business surveys conducted in Belarus before 2020, this paper aims to fill that gap and quantify the values, entrepreneurial orientation, and integration patterns of Belarusian-rooted businesses operating in the EU. The findings suggest this diaspora should be viewed less as traditional economic migrants and more as a distinct cohort demonstrating strong value alignment and acting as an agent of deeper European integration. This empirical foundation enables the analysis to move beyond anecdotal evidence and assess the precise nature of their integration and potential future influence.
This research was co-funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union