Following the successful first delivery in 2021, the Joint Vienna Institute, in collaboration with its partners, will again deliver the course on “Policy Support to the Private Sector”. This year the course is scheduled to take place between May 30 and June 3. The course is targeted at mid-level to senior officials from central banks, finance ministries, and other public institutions who are involved in the design, implementation or analysis of policy support measures to the corporate sector.
The course will focus on policy support to the corporate sector over the medium term and the related challenges. Following an international overview of corporate support measures deployed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the course will look at policy options for supporting and restructuring firms. It will address the assessment of the viability of companies benefiting from liquidity and solvency support, as well as the ’zombification’ and financial stability risks. Interactions between competition, market power and productivity, and the impact on economic growth will also be covered. Attention will also be paid to the specific challenges related to SMEs. Taking a more forward-looking perspective, the course will also cover public policies related to climate change and digitalization in the corporate sector. More broadly, it will address the implications of increased state involvement in the economy.