CEPAL Review no. 101

Private-public alliances for export development: the Korean case

The present report explains the development path of Korea, from a country which started its development with a lack of natural resources, industrial facilities, sufficient foreign reserves and business experiences and with human resources as its only productive factor at the disposal, to its successful technological catch-up, export performance and economic development. The study clarifies this development by concentrating on the formulation and implementation mechanism of development strategies and policies with the emphasis on trade; the technological capability building process and institu…

Raúl Prebisch y el dilema del desarrollo en el mundo global

La globalización plantea desafíos y oportunidades. Prebischenfrentó este dilema del desarrollo en el mundo global y dejó tresmensajes que son el gran legado de su obra. Primero, los paísescentrales conforman visiones del orden mundial funcionales a suspropios intereses. Es necesario rebelarse contra ese esquema teóricopara resolver el dilema. Segundo, es posible transformar la realidady lograr, con los centros de poder mundial, una relación simétrica nosubordinada. Tercero, la transformación requiere un cambio profundoen la estructura productiva para incorporar -en la actividad económicay soci…

Crecimiento y concentración de los principales grupos empresariales en México

En este trabajo se discuten diversas hipótesis sobre el origen yoperación de los grupos económicos y se plantea un modelo destinadoa explicar las fuentes de crecimiento de los activos totales. Se muestrala creciente contribución de los grupos económicos mexicanos al pib,mientras que sus aportaciones en términos del empleo y las utilidadesson menores. Se observa a lo largo del tiempo un claro fenómenode concentración de las ventas y activos en favor de los grupos másimportantes. Se concluye que la principal fuente de financiamiento dela expansión de los activos entre 2005 y 2007 fueron el creci…

Raúl Prebisch and the dilemma of development in the globalised world

Globalization poses both challenges and opportunities. Prebischconfronted this development dilemma in the global world and left threemessages which form the great legacy of his work. Firstly, centralcountries form visions of the world order that serve their own interests;and peripheral countries need to rebel against this theoretical frameworkto resolve the dilemma. Secondly, it is possible to transform reality andachieve a symmetrical non-subordinate relationship with the world's powercentres. Thirdly, the transformation requires a fundamental change inproductive structures to incorporat…

Economic performance clubs in the Americas: 1955-2003

The aim of this paper is to study the economic dynamics of aset of countries of the Americas during the 1955-2003 period. It doesthis by introducing an alternative concept of economic performancebased on the idea of dynamic regimes. These regimes are defined bythe level and growth rate of per capita gross domestic product (GDP);.By introducing a non-parametric clustering method, the study identifiestwo main performance clubs whose evolution is studied. One of them,identified as the club of high-performing countries, displays a relativelyhomogeneous structure. The second group, conversely, pres…

Growth and concentration among the leading business groups in Mexico

This article discusses various hypotheses relating to the originand operation of business groups in Mexico, and it proposes a model toexplain the sources of their total asset growth. It highlights their growingcontribution to Mexican gdp, but notes that their shares of employmentand profits are smaller. Over time, sales and assets have clearly tendedto become more concentrated in the largest groups. The paper concludesthat the main financing sources for asset growth between 2005 and 2007were firstly debt and secondly capital contributions from shareholders. Italso finds that the leading groups…

La flexibilidad laboral en América Latina: las reformas pasadas y las perspectivas futuras

Este documento discute las implicaciones de la flexibilidad de los mercados laborales en el contexto de América Latina. El documento discute la necesidad de contar con mercados laborales que puedan adaptarse a una estructura moderna, pero discute cómo ciertas reformas en las últimas dos décadas en la región se implementaron primordialmente en términos del deterioro de las condiciones laborales y de la calidad del empleo. El documento presenta un análisis de la situación de los mercados laborales en América Latina, y discute el potencial y los límites para la región de los desarrollos recientes…

Latin America and the Caribbean to Grow 5.2% in 2010

Watch multimedia presentation (21 July 2010) Latin America and the Caribbean has consolidated its economic recovery as of the latter half of 2009 and will grow 5.2% this year, resulting in a 3.7% rise in per capita GDP, according to ECLAC's most recent report released today. "This growth rate is higher than expected, but economic performance in the region is very diverse. What stands out are the members of Mercosur and countries with greater capacity to implement public policies, as well as those with strong domestic markets spurred by regional activity and their exports to Asia," stated…

América Latina y el Caribe crecerá 5,2% en 2010

Ver presentación multimedial (21 de julio, 2010) América Latina y el Caribe consolidó en 2010 la recuperación iniciada en la segunda mitad de 2009 y crecerá este año 5,2%, lo que implica un aumento de 3,7% en el PIB por habitante, según el más reciente informe de la CEPAL presentado hoy. "'El crecimiento es más alto de lo que se preveía. Pero el desempeño es muy heterogéneo dentro de la región. Destacan los países del Mercosur y aquellos Estados que tuvieron mayor capacidad de implementar políticas públicas. También aquellos países con mercados internos fuertes potenciados por el espacio…

América Latina e Caribe crescerão 5,2% em 2010

Veja aprensentação multimedial (21 de julho de 2010) A América Latina e o Caribe consolidaram em 2010 a recuperação iniciada na segunda metade de 2009 e crescerão este ano 5,2%, o que implica um aumento de 3,7% no PIB por habitante, segundo o mais recente relatório da CEPAL apresentado hoje. "O crescimento é mais alto do que se previa. Porém o desempenho é muito heterogêneo dentro da Região. Destacam-se os países do MERCOSUL e aqueles que tiveram maior capacidade de implementar políticas públicas. Também sobressaem aqueles países com fortes mercados internos, potencializados …

Capital flows to Latin America: recent developments

Over the month of May there was a dramatic shift in the macroeconomic environment, with volatility and uncertainty increasing considerably. Financial markets moved to reflect substantial downside economic risks from the fiscal turmoil in the euro area. Concerns about contagion were reawakened and although most forecasters think the global economy has enough momentum to motor ahead, they now see more downside than upside risks to their year-ahead forecast. Financial asset price volatility has increased as a result, and investor risk appetite has declined. Macroeconomic developments du…

La igualdad de género es el camino hacia la libertad y la democracia

Vea galería de fotos (13 de julio, 2010) Más de 800 delegadas y delegados de más de 30 países de la región, autoridades de gobierno y representantes de la sociedad civil comenzaron hoy en Brasilia la Undécima Conferencia Regional sobre la Mujer de América Latina y el Caribe. En la sesión inaugural se reafirmó el compromiso de los gobiernos de seguir avanzando en el camino de la igualdad de derechos y oportunidades entre mujeres y hombres, "'ya que solo de esa forma se conseguirá una verdadera libertad y democracia en las sociedades". La Conferencia, organizada por la Comisión…

Building long term strategies and public-private alliances for export development: the Finnish case

The Finish case of industrial renewal from essentially natural-resource- based industries toward machinery, engineering, electronics, and ICT is of particular relevance for Latin-American countries. The study explains the crucial role of the finish innovation system and the long-term public-private partnership in the industrial transformation towards a higher knowledge intensity and value added economy. The report recognizes the importance of innovation investments, but estimates as equal essential consistent long term strategies on facilitating conditions to build up, cooperative, confidentia…

Tratados de protección de las inversiones e implicaciones para la formulación de políticas públicas (especial referencia a los servicios de agua potable y saneamiento)

Este trabajo explica cómo los arbitrajes internacionales de inversión se han alejado de ciertos principios jurídicos que sí son acogidos por los sistemas legales domésticos -particularmente en materia de regulación de servicios públicos- y expone las consecuencias políticas, sociales y económicas de tales laudos. Propone una forma concreta de minimizar este problema, sugiriendo que los principios regulatorios sean considerados por los árbitros cuando evalúan si una medida regulatoria es consistente o no con un tratado bilateral de inversión (TBI);. Este trabajo se concentra en los servicios de…

Social Panorama of Latin America 2009

The 2009 edition of Social Panorama of Latin America links trends in poverty and income distribution with social protection systems, placing special emphasis on how these systems have responded to the social impacts of the current crisis and on medium- and long-term projections. It focuses in particular on the impact of public transfers, trends in social spending, the mechanisms by which social vulnerability is reproduced and changing intergenerational and gender relations. These changes pose significant challenges for the role played by the State, the market and families in jointly meeting n…

Structural Constraints on Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Post-Crisis Reflection

Complete op-ed by ECLAC's Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena…

Visita del Vicepresidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Álvaro García Linera

Challenges and Opportunities for a State Role in the Post-Crisis

Abstract: The global financial crisis that emerged in developed countries' markets revealed the shortcomings of an economic policy approach which believed in the self-regulation of markets and minimized the role of the State. The post-crisis reality demands a reformulation of the role of the State. Latin America and the Caribbean countries face this challenge in a context of ongoing changes in the world production structure that threaten its position in the global economy. Although many Latin American and Caribbean countries were successful in overcoming the crisis, four key areas of policymak…

Member States Approve ECLAC Proposals to Attain Greater Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean

(Brasilia, 1 June 2010) The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) concluded its Thirty-third Session today in Brazil, welcoming the comprehensive approach to development centered on equality proposed by the Executive Secretariat and requesting that it draft proposals of public policies under that perspective. The representatives of ECLAC's 44 member and nine associate States met in Brasilia from 30 May to 1 June to review the activities of the Commission during the ongoing biennium and set the priorities of its programme of work for the following two years. One of the…