The intention of this volume is to contribute to the discussion on changing capitalist political economies and to enhance the empirical knowledge of institutional continuity and change in the small, highly corporatist political economies in the Alps, the Benelux countries and Scandinavia. Almost all of these political economies have often been in the spotlight. Many observers consider them as alternative models for socio-economic development since they combine competitiveness and a highly developed welfare system. Remarkably, these small political economies are largely absent from the literature on capitalist varieties that empirically still focuses on the US, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. This is an empirical omission, but also a missed chance for a critical review of the theory of varieties of capitalism. The character and development of the small countries’ political economies qualifies very well for this matter.

The volume's origins can be traced back to the editor's involvement in an international 5th Framework research project on The Consensual Political Cultures of the Small West European States (2003-2006), his co-editorship (with Herman Schwartz) of the book on Employment “Miracles” in a few small European countries (Amsterdam University Press 2005) and his recent participation in the discussion on capitalist varieties as exemplified in his book on Open Varieties of Capitalism (Palgrave-Macmillan 2009). The starting shot for the volume was the organization of a workshop in Amsterdam in June 2008 and subsequently of a panel at the SASE conference in San Jose, Costa Rica on “Institutional change and continuity in the small countries’ political economies”. The locations of these meetings once more illustrated what a privilege it is to have a job in academia. Discussants and complimentary paper presenters in Amsterdam were Jean Claude Barbier, Frans Becker, Brian Burgoon, Jeannette Mak, Daniel Mugge, Arne Niemann, Otto Penz, Els Sol, Jeroen Towen, Barbara Vis, Jaap Woldendorp and Adrian Zimmermann. Gregory Jackson chaired the SASE-panel in San Jose. The authors of the volume are indebted to all of them for their suggestions and criticisms. They have also to thank the two reviewers and the editorial staff of the Amsterdam University Press as well as Evelien van der Molen and Lea Klarenbeek for their assistance in the preparation of the bibliography and the index as well as in proofreading.