A Primer on Industrial Policies for Technology Upgrading in Three Western Balkan Economies

This chapter explores a new method to promote manufacturing firm growth through the implementation of a new ‘industrial policy’ approach. The aim is to encourage more intensive technology upgrading as the foundation for sustainable economic growth in Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo—three Western Balkan (WB) economies. The categorization of these three countries as middle-income countries determines the nature of their business activities and their inclusion in this group has substantial implications for their industrial policies. To become political and economic members of the European Union (EU) will require their economic and technological transformation. It is expected that EU membership would require the firms operating in these three economies to be more competitive in both Europe and the wider world.