Latin American Competitiveness Report 2001-2002
Overview | Buying the Report | Chapter Summaries
The Latin American Competitiveness Report 2001-2002 (LACR) was published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with the Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University under the sponsorship of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Andean Development Corporation (CAF).
This publication was part of the Competitiveness Programme at the WEF under the leadership of Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs of CID and Professor Klaus Schwab, President of the WEF. Joaquín Vial of CID and Peter Cornelius of the WEF served as Project Leaders for the LACR.
The final printed version of the LACR 2001-2002 was made available from Oxford University Press (see ordering information), but selected introductory chapters can be downloaded below.
The following sections of the report are available in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. You can obtain Acrobat Reader here.
The printed edition of the Latin American Competitiveness Report 2001-2002 as well as other companion publications and CD-ROM data sets are available from Oxford University Press. To order a copy, please visit
http://www.oup-usa.org/reports/
CHAPTER 1
Can Latin America Compete?
By Jeffrey D. Sachs and Joaquín Vial, Center for International Development,
Harvard University.
This is an overview chapter reviewing how the 20 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries surveyed for this project perform in the different dimensions affecting medium-term growth prospects. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations aimed at improving the competitiveness of these countries.
CHAPTER 2
Genuine Savings and Long-Run Competitiveness in Latin America.
By Jeffrey Vincent, Graduate School of International Relations & Pacific
Studies, University of California, San Diego.
Latin American countries are especially dependent on their natural resources. Calculations of Genuine Savings, after correction for depletion and value changes of stocks of non-renewable resources, are used to assess the sustainability of consumption paths in thirteen countries in Latin American.
CHAPTER 3
Logistics and Markets: Overcoming the challenges of a difficult geography.
By José Luis Bonifaz, Fernando González-Vigil and Roberto Urrunaga, Universidad
del Pacífico, Lima.
The impact of infrastructure and logistics costs on the competitiveness of the region is examined, with a special focus on South America. Geography and a poorly developed infrastructure are seen as major obstacles, compounded by regulations and obstacles to competition in major segments in transportation markets.
CHAPTER 4
International competitiveness and education in Latin America and the Caribbean
Countries.
By José Pablo Arellano, consultant at the Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Santiago.
A cross section of the main indicators on education and learning in the LAC region is presented here, with comparisons with relevant countries elsewhere, showing significant lags, both in terms of educational attainment and performance. Significant differences exist among countries, not necessarily linked to income levels.
CHAPTER 5
Building the basis for future competitiveness: Latin America and the ICT
revolution.
By Elisa Korentayer, consultant.
This section examines the extent in which countries in the region are participating in the global Information and Communications Technologies revolution, as well as the main obstacles that hinder further development in this area.
CHAPTER 6
Financial development and credit crunches: Latin America and the world.
By Matías Braun and Ricardo Hausmann, Harvard University.
A systematic analysis of credit crunches throughout the world permits identification of the causes of this widespread phenomenon in Latin America today. Underdeveloped financial markets and vulnerability of these countries to changes in commodity prices come up as major explanations.
CHAPTER 7
Opacity, foreign direct investment and economic growth.
By Peter Cornelius, World Economic Forum; Thomas Hall, University of Alabama in
Hunstville and Joel A. Kurtzman, Pricewaterhouse-Coopers.
These authors estimate the negative impact of Opacity (poor governance) on Foreign Direct Investment and risk premiums, on the basis of recent estimates from an ongoing project at Pricewaterhouse-Coopers. Most countries of the region are shown to be paying a significant economic cost due to opacity, even though there are large differences among countries are noted.
CHAPTER 8
Basis for future competitiveness in Latin America and the Caribbean: Trade
agreements and FDI attraction.
By Marcelo de Paiva Abreu, Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro.
Evolution and composition of exports by countries in the region as well as patterns of Foreign Direct Investment are examined to see if economic reforms have had a significant impact on the internationalization of these economies. The results show little effect so far, except for those countries that have gained access to the US market.
CHAPTER 9
Building institutions for a more competitive region.
By Joaquín Vial, Center for International Development, Harvard University.
Statistical tests are performed to identify main areas of institutional strength and weaknesses for the countries in the region.
CHAPTER 10
Latin American prospects in the new scenario for the
world economy.
By John W. McArthur, Jeffrey D. Sachs and Joaquín Vial, Center for International
Development, Harvard University.
This chapter presents a brief overview of the main impacts of September 11th and its aftermath on the Latin American countries, as perceived in mid-October.
Overview |
Buying the Report |
Chapter Summaries
Direct site comments or questions to CID's Webmaster.
Copyright
© 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College.
Last revised 10/31/2007