The Life in Transition Survey, after the crisis (LiTS II), is the second round of LiTS surveys, previously conducted in 2006 (LiTS I). In late 2006, the EBRD and World Bank carried out the first comprehensive survey of individuals and households across virtually the whole transition region. The purpose was to gain a better understanding of how people's lives had been shaped and affected by the upheavals of the previous 15 years.
Four years later, the EBRD and World Bank commissioned a second round of the survey. The circumstances facing most people were significantly different between the first and second rounds. The Life in Transition Survey I (LiTS I) was carried out at a time when the region's economies were, with few exceptions, growing strongly. In contrast, LiTS II took place in late 2010, at a time when most countries were still facing the aftershocks of a severe global economic crisis.
LiTS II advances and improves on LiTS I in two important ways. First, the questionnaire was substantially revised. The new questionnaire includes sections on the impact of the crisis and on climate change issues, as well as improved and expanded questions in areas such as corporate governance, public service delivery, and economic and social attitudes. Second, the coverage has been expanded to include five western European "comparator" countries - France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK. This allows us to benchmark the transition region against some advanced market economies, thereby giving a clearer perspective on the remaining challenges facing transition countries.