Greece and Serbia are historically different, yet regionally connected. Their weak institutional foundations and long-term economic turbulence have prevented them from overcoming crises, leading to the institutionalization of adverse working conditions. We focus on the outcomes of the systemic crisis in Greece and the transition crisis in Serbia, using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with managers and employees in small- and medium-sized enterprises in two time periods. We argue that, although the crisis has different origins in the two countries, it has consolidated adverse working conditions. Our research explores the institutionalization of adverse working conditions and offers an understanding of the lived reality of institutions, examining variations in the origins, pressures and outcomes of different types of crises on business practices from an individual perspective.
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