20 years after

Where is Romania after 20 years of capitalism and where are we going to from now on? How does Romanian capitalism look as seen through the eyes of the players themselves? Romanian capitalism is “authentic and harmful” says Aliz Kosza, general manager of paint manufacturer Fabryo, one of the few managers “by trade” in Romania. “I have worked only in foreign companies and multinationals and this whiff of authenticity has managed to attract even those companies.

Because of the mentality and red tape, regardless of company, experience acquired or your skills, it takes twice the time and effort to reach a similar performance to a manager in Europe, on a similar position and with comparable targets,” Aliz Kosza adds. An abrupt approach, also shared by Ileana Horvath, general manager of Unita insurance company: “It’s a stretch to say that we are now living in capitalism. It is a cannibalistic and savage capitalism rather than anything else.”

Though savage, Romanian capitalism has been a driver: “I think this Romanian capitalism somehow copied the revolution and through its efforts and individual initiatives was ahead of those running the things, taking them by surprise. Otherwise we would have been worse,” says Mihail Valeanu. As a surprise came the opinion of a person not involved in the economy game: psychologist Claudiu Ganciu describes Romanian capitalism as a child who has been allowed to develop faster in certain respects but has failed to adjust mentalities, the way of reacting to sudden progress, to radical change. “Therefore it is commonplace to see a big block of apartments next to an old house.

The society changed of all of sudden, people are making a greater effort to adjust,” the doctor says. Could these changes have happened faster and easier? “Faster? We are talking about a 20-year old economy in its current shape. Would you demand a 20-year old to get a Nobel? I donít think so. Why would you expect that from a society?” Ganciu exclaims. The psychologist therefore touches on what consultant Adrian Stanciu, founder of Human Synergetics Romania calls hypercompetitiveness, one of the characteristics of the society and business environment in Romania, a characteristic which is not exactly good in large doses. “In hypercompetitive organisations and societies everything is about how to beat others, how to be stronger, more cunning and better seen than them. The fact that there are 25 better than us in Europe does not matter. The important thing is to not be the last!” Stanciu bitterly notes.